Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 904 - 608: Morale! (Part 2)

"Who were those two just now, and when did they get on the bus?"

"You don't know?"

"I don't know."

Old Ge took out a cigarette and said with a smile, "One is a publicity officer from the Port Authority, and the other is a propaganda officer from the Reserve Division's political department. The one from the Port Authority got on at our camp, and the one from the Reserve Division got on at Jiangcheng. You might not have noticed."

Why is it always publicity officers...

Han Yu asked with a wry smile, "Uncle Ge, how many people are in your publicity team in total?"

"Including me as the team leader, there are currently eighteen people."

"Eighteen!"

Seeing Han Yu so surprised, Old Ge counted on his fingers and said, "Three people from Binjiang TV Station, two from Binjiang Daily, two from Binjiang Radio Station, two from our Linghai TV Station, two from Linghai Daily, one publicity officer from the Binjiang Police Department Political Office, one publicity officer from your old unit Changhang Bureau, plus the propaganda officers from the Military District, Reserve Regiment, Port Authority, and Reserve Division. Not more, not less, exactly eighteen people."

No wonder he needs an Iveco; there are so many people.

With a bitter face, Han Yu asked, "Uncle Ge, do you know how many people are in the emergency relief assault team of Company One?"

Mind your own business, if it's not your responsibility.

Old Ge never cares about things he shouldn't; to be precise, he's too lazy to care. He really didn't know and subconsciously asked, "How many?"

"The Party Member Assault Team has only nineteen people."

"It's normal not to have many party members."

"Do you know how many people are in the earthwork construction team?"

"How many?"

"Including Xiao Yu, there are twelve people in total."

Han Yu couldn't be more frustrated. After thinking about it, he murmured, "The earthwork transportation team has a few more people, and they're only four more than your publicity team. The support teams of Company Four have even fewer people; none of their teams have more than eight people. And yet, you've found so many publicity people for me, isn't this a case of more spectators than workers!"

The number of people in the publicity section is indeed quite large, which is rather embarrassing when you think about it.

Old Ge pulled him aside and chuckled, "Do you think I want so many people? They're all assigned by the superiors, and we can't just drive them away, can we?"

"Then who pays for their meals? Our camp doesn't have any hospitality budget."

"Don't worry, they're on a business trip with an allowance. They won't take advantage of the camp."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you? If you don't believe me, you can ask Zhang Erxiao later."

Old Ge instinctively touched his briefcase, which had ten thousand yuan in cash inside. He thought that covering a few meals was nothing, and that these publicity folks were usually hard to invite.

Han Yu didn't know about his little stash, but only that the main group looked less and less like they were going for flood fighting.

Not only did Old Ge bring a big group of publicity buddies that didn't do any work, but even Deputy Mayor Shen had borrowed an Iveco to invite all the 'boss officers' from the camp and six from the Binjiang Development Zone onto that vehicle. Without asking, it was obvious they were discussing the development plans for the Development Zone, possibly even poaching from Binjiang Development Zone.

As for the flags and big red banners on the convoy being different from when they left the camp, that was not worth mentioning.

Had it not been for the Provincial Military District Commander's need to pick up and drop off in Jiangcheng, Old Ge would have swapped them all for Linghai ones right after getting on the Jianghe Highway. He certainly wouldn't have waited until they got on the highway.

With everyone not doing proper work, what's going on here?

Just as Han Yu was being driven to tears and laughter by Old Ge and Deputy Mayor Shen, Principal Zhuo of the Changhang Police Academy was personally delivering food to the teachers and students who had been guarding the river embankment for eight days.

"Comrades, students, it's time to eat!"

"No matter how tired you are, you have to eat. The second flood peak is coming soon. How will you have the energy to fight the flood if you're not full?"

"Yesterday's food was cold by the time it got to the embankment, so I had Director Wang buy some thermal containers this morning. Xiao Liu, here, feel it, it's still warm."

The teachers and students were exhausted, some with blisters on their hands, others with mosquito bites marking their faces and necks blue and purple. They were too sore to care or too tired to scratch. Finally able to sit and rest for a while, they were too weary to get up and eat, despite being very hungry.

Principal Zhuo felt the pain in his heart as he witnessed this, but the river water, which had receded just a few days ago, had risen again, and with the second flood peak imminent, he couldn't have his subordinates and students leave the front line at this critical moment.

Motivational talks had been given countless times, and yesterday they even held an emergency Communist Party induction ceremony on the river embankment, specially approving two outstanding flood-fighting students to join the Party. But morale still couldn't rise. After all, people are flesh and blood, not tireless machines, even machines need maintenance.

Looking at the muddy river flowing eastwards carrying tree roots, branches, and all kinds of debris, Principal Zhuo suddenly remembered something, and shouted, "Comrades, students, last night I received a call from our school's police physical training instructor, Liang Xiaoyu."

A teacher lifted his head and weakly asked, "Principal Zhuo, wasn't Xiao Yu transferred back to the Binjiang Branch? Why would he call you?"

Xiao Yu was very well-known at the police academy; every student present had probably thrown Xiao Yu around like a sandbag.

Besides that, Xiao Yu was very helpful, turning an official instructor into a handyman. As long as you didn't ask him for money, everything else was negotiable. If you found him, he would definitely help you solve it.

The students perked up at the mention of "Teacher Yu".

Principal Zhuo took advantage of the moment and said, "Liang Xiaoyu was transferred back to the Binjiang Branch, but he has always cared deeply about the school and our safety. He and Director Liu from our academic affairs office, also known as Liu Guanglong who is on temporary assignment at the Binjiang Branch, are on their way back to us overnight."