Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 1069 - 696: Junjun’s Dream (Part 3)

Secretary Ye was silent for a moment, then asked, "If our main forces can pass through the Hanwu Yangtze River Bridge and rush over in time, can we block the breach?"

"Sun Youyi said on the phone that if there wasn't a sunken ship and there were enough emergency materials like piles and stone materials, our main forces could rush over and block the breach in at most two days. But now several ships have sunk outside the breach, so even if our main forces can arrive in time, it's hard to operate on the water."

"The sunken ships are blocking the engineering fleet, so ferries and floating cranes can't approach the breach?"

"Yes, but at that time there was no other choice but to sink the ships."

Old Ge felt heartache for the liberation army officers and soldiers fighting to block the breach, but he also despised those irresponsible people. He thought for a moment and added, "Yao Lirong said that over there they have urgently gathered more than thirty thousand cubic meters of stone materials to block the breach. Even with enough materials, it would take three to five days with just manpower to fill it."

In contrast, on the Jingjiang side, the Yangtze Flood Control Headquarters, Provincial Defense Command, and Jingzhou Flood Control Command have tried all means to collect less than ten thousand cubic meters of stone materials, all with our emergency rescue assault team. They need to be prepared for potential dangers over hundreds of kilometers of the Yangtze River embankment, and they are reluctant to use it unless absolutely necessary. If there was no breach on the Jiujiang side, how good it would be if those stone materials could be transported to Jingzhou."

But there are not so many "ifs" in the world, and even if there were stone materials on the Xijiang side, it would be very difficult to transport them because of the waterway issues.

Secretary Ye didn't want to continue discussing these matters. After washing up, he quickly finished breakfast and followed the schedule to take the Cherokee jeep from the Linghai Armed Forces Department with Old Ge to inspect the section of the embankment defended by the Linghai Reserve Camp.

Deputy Mayor Shen stayed on the Dunship to oversee and took over from Old Ge in charge of the logistics for the First Team.

As they traveled, they saw many local leaders and military commanders directing flood control on the embankment. They also noticed signs left by the Linghai Road and Bridge Company and several subordinate units of the Ministry of Transport.

Every section of the embankment defended by the earthworks construction team had to have a landing point built.

After completing each defense task, the earthworks construction team would habitually build a "safe platform" on the basis of the "landing point." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

And on the suggestion of soldiers from the 132nd regiment, they surrounded the safe platform with a sandbag "fence," making it look like a city wall.

The "safe platforms" inspected that morning without exception had become the location for the flood control command centers or troop command posts at various levels.

They ate a little dry food on the road and arrived at a "safe platform" on the Shishou side, where the scene was unlike anything seen that morning.

To allow flood discharge and retention, many civil dikes on this side had been abandoned.

The villagers inside the dikes, sacrificing their small homes for the greater good, could only move their families onto the main embankment.

Compared to the narrow embankment, the high, large, and sturdy "safe platform" became the first choice for temporary shelter for the villagers.

Looking around, the "safe platform" was filled with makeshift huts, resembling a refugee camp.

Old Ge climbed up the main embankment, walked onto the safe platform, greeted a township cadre, and natively remarked, "Secretary Ye, Director Ren, Old Wang has been here and put in quite some effort."

Secretary Ye immediately noticed the big red banner saying "Where to Work This Year, China Linghai Development Zone" and couldn't help but smile, "I see, this promotional slogan is written well."

"There's also a job recruitment ad up ahead."

"Where? Take us to have a look."

"Sure, it's difficult to walk up ahead, let's go around from the side."

Secretary Ye and Director Ren followed Old Ge around to the east, where they were surprised to find a recruitment advertisement board from the Linghai City Development Zone Management Committee on the left side of the emergency project overview board.

Linghai Longgang Rice Industry was recruiting ten operators, requiring at least elementary education, under 45 years of age, with food and accommodation provided, and a monthly salary of 400 yuan.

Linghai Huimei Clothing Co., Ltd. was recruiting two hundred skilled sewing workers, requiring at least elementary education, under 35 years of age, with food and accommodation provided. The base salary was 500 yuan, with piece rate and overtime pay totaling up to 1,000 yuan...

A total of more than thirty companies participated in the recruitment, involving over fifty types of jobs, looking to hire more than two thousand people.

Below the recruitment advertisement board was a registration phone number, noting which township, which cadre was entrusted with the recruitment due to the absence of public phones on the embankment.

There was also information about the Linghai Reserve Camp Water Supply Team delivering drinking water daily and the Linghai Reserve Medical and Epidemic Prevention Team coming over to conduct medical examinations and spray disinfectant.

The accompanying female cadre, using a local-accented Mandarin, choked with emotion as she spoke, "Secretary Ye, Director Ge, you're not only helping us fight the flood but also helping us solve employment problems. We will forever remember this kindness!"

"Friend Hui Hong, when one side is in trouble, support comes from all sides. These are things we should do."

"Secretary Ye, I almost forgot to report to you. The day before yesterday afternoon, provincial leaders came to check the situation of the people's relocation. Upon seeing the emergency project overview board, recruitment board, and the dozens of large water tanks you sent, they were moved to tears."

"Water tanks?"

"Over there, we are now drinking the water you sent."

The female cadre led Secretary Ye to the side close to the river, pointing to a row of large water tanks covered with plastic sheeting, and explained, "These large water tanks were sent by Secretary Wang. Knowing that our evacuation was rushed and people couldn't bring their large and heavy water tanks, he specifically arranged for someone to buy a large batch of water tanks from the opposite side of the river, sending sixteen here and the rest to the several safe areas ahead."

A water tank isn't worth much, but it truly solves the drinking water problem for thousands of people.

Secretary Ye was just thinking about how beautifully Old Wang handled this matter when the female cadre pointed to two bamboo poles not far away and said, "Secretary Wang not only sent us water, arranged for military doctors to see the sick residents, had them perform disinfection, but also arranged for a film team to show several movies. To be honest, if it weren't for Secretary Wang extending a helping hand, I wouldn't know how to carry out my work here."

Old Wang has been working in the township for a long time and has a way with the masses.

Secretary Ye nodded and pondered, "It's already August 8th, and in twenty days the children will start school. We can't let the flood prevent them from attending. I'll mention to Secretary Wang later to see if we can arrange for a few large tents to be sent over, so the children can have a temporary school."

"Thank you, Secretary Ye."

"As I've said, when one side is in trouble, support comes from all sides. These are things we should do."

Secretary Ye dared not continue talking with the female cadre responsible for this safe platform. The current scene was distressing; there were too many things he wanted to do, but the resources of Linghai were ultimately limited, and it was so far away from here that there wasn't much more they could do to help.

He walked through a row of makeshift huts, nodding and greeting the victims who were curiously watching him. Seeing a bare-chested child running over, he squatted down and asked, "Little friend, what's your name?"

"Wang Junjun."

"How old are you this year?"

"Eight years old."

"What grade are you in?"

"First grade."

Secretary Ye lightly patted the sun-tanned dark shoulder of the little fellow and smiled as he asked, "What is your dream, Wang Junjun? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

The little fellow, seeing the big officials had come without bringing any gifts, couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. He blinked his big eyes, thought for a moment, then raised his arm to point in the direction of the recruitment advertisement board and proudly said, "Go to Linghai to work!"