Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 916 - 615: The Situation Is Dire

"Comrades, are you full?"

"We're full!"

"Have you had enough to drink?"

"We've had enough!"

"Can you keep working?"

"Yes!"

"Do you want to go with me?"

"Yes!"

"You're dreaming!" The company commander joked with a smile, then turned to point at the brightly lit construction site: "Comrades, our orders from above are to form an assault team and assist our brothers from the Linghai Reserve Camp in the emergency response. We've been given just forty spots, not one more."

A squad leader immediately stood up: "Company commander, let our squad go!"

"Company commander, our squad has many party members, let us go!"

"What's there to argue about? Who's the company commander here, me or you? Everyone, listen to my command: First platoon and second platoon, each pick fifteen people, third platoon pick nine, take the shovels and join the assault team to assist the Linghai Reserve Camp in emergency rescue. The flood peak is coming soon, everyone else should go with the instructor to help the local government patrol and protect the dike."

The company commander lifted his arm to check his luminous watch and continued: "Platoon leaders, gather your platoons quickly, move fast!"

Simultaneously, the Armed Police Force and the militia reserve forces of Lingjiang County were also forming assault teams.

The Armed Police Force moved the fastest; about two dozen Armed Police officers were running towards a large military tent with a Red Flag and shovels.

"Major, the Armed Police Lingjiang company's flood fighting assault team is reporting for duty, twenty-five expected, twenty-five present. Awaiting instructions! Squad leader Liu Hua."

"At ease."

"Yes!"

"Major, the Lingjiang County Civilian Soldier Assault Team is reporting for duty, fifty expected, fifty present. Awaiting instructions! Jingjiang County Armed Department military staff officer Jiang Chunhui."

...

The stationed troops and militia reserve soldiers of Lingjiang County were full of fighting spirit. Looking at those resolute faces, Han Yu felt an overwhelming sense of emotion, finding it hard to believe he would ever command the Army, Armed Police, and militia reserves all at once.

Steadying his mind, he saluted back and said to everyone: "Comrades, our camp's engineering technicians have just conducted another comprehensive check on the sluice gate. It isn't just the sluice gates that are cracking; both sides of the gate walls have multiple fissures. The deepest crack is about eighteen centimeters, and the widest gap can fit a finger. Even the west side's main dike shows signs of splitting, meaning the sluice gate and possibly the main dike could breach at any moment!"

No wonder the luxury bus that brought them here left early after unloading their luggage, worrying about a dam breach…

If the sluice gate breaks and the main dike breaches, everyone here would be swept away by the floodwaters!

Everyone was as silent as though they were in the presence of death, afraid even to breathe heavily.

"In fact, dealing with this kind of emergency is not too difficult for us because we have the most seasoned water conservancy and engineering experts, plus the most advanced and efficient engineering machinery. But we need time, and we don't have much of it."

The emergency, like an illness, continues to progress and spread.

Now, the situation is more severe than anticipated. Han Yu took several deep breaths and said gravely: "According to the latest reports from the Yangtze Flood Control Command and Jingzhou Flood Control Command, the second flood peak that appeared upstream is expected to reach us in twelve hours.

Since 3 p.m. yesterday when they arrived at the sluice gate, our camp's senior expert group's water experts have been observing the Yangtze River's water levels. From 3 p.m. yesterday to ten minutes ago, the Yangtze River Lingjiang section's water level has surged 0.9 meters. Everyone resting on the embankment must have seen that the river is almost level with the embankment.

If the water level rises again, which it certainly will with the flood peak's arrival, then we can only rely on the sandbag sub-dam to hold back the water. So, whether for rescuing the dangerous sluice gate or fighting the flood peak, we need a large number of sandbags! Comrades, we came well-prepared; we've brought twelve thousand woven bags.

Your next task is to divide into two groups to assist our camp in filling sandbags. Considering the limited site, earthwork, sealing, and packing equipment, and that comrades have been continuously working for six hours, I suggest you also divide into shifts within your groups, taking turns to fill sandbags and rest.

It's now 12:57, and the preliminary work is almost done. We will begin the official rescue at the sluice gate in three minutes; sandbag filling is entrusted to you. Dong Maosheng, Chen Youren, Cai Hanzhong, Zhang Aidong."

"Here!"

"You also divide into two groups, lead the Army, Armed Police, and militia reserve comrades assisting in the sandbag filling into the site."

"Understood!"

At Han Yu's command, Director Dong from Customs, Chen Youren from the Changhang Bureau, "Boss Officer" Cai Hanzhong from the Binjiang Development Zone, and Dongdong immediately started communicating with the leaders of several assault teams, first determining the personnel of the two sandbag filling groups, then leading the makeshift sandbag filling assault groups onsite.

Due to being a fellow "townsman" of the Linghai Reserve Camp, Xu Xiaoming was pulled into the assault team by their company commander.

He walked into the site with a shovel and was as surprised as his leaders and comrades.

This doesn't look like a construction site; it's more like a workshop.

One large pile of earth is in the south, and another is in the north. A loader continuously delivered the soil excavated by the excavator here.

Not far from the two large piles of earth, two large military tents were set up. The flap towards the earth pile was removed, and there was no flap towards the "storage area" either.

The operation area and the tents were all electrified, shining brightly like daylight.

Inside the tent, two frames were set up using steel pipe clamps; a small machine resembling a big stapler was hung on one frame, and a large machine on the other, not only connected to wires but also to air hoses. In the corner was an air compressor that looked like it was for inflating tires at a garage, buzzing away.

"Captain Zhang, Chief of Staff Jiang, it's not difficult to fill and pack sandbags, let me give a brief introduction."

Director Dong pointed to the mound outside: "That's the filling area. Our automated filling equipment hasn't been shipped here yet, or rather, it's not even manufactured. For now, we can only rely on manual labor to fill the woven bags with sand. Fill about eighty pounds, then drag the sandbags here to use the automatic sewing machine to seal the opening.

After sealing, drag it over there for packaging with an iron belt. As for how to sew and package, Dongdong, also known as Xiao Zhang, will teach you later; it's very simple. Once packaged, it's quite heavy and can't be moved by manpower alone. The forklift driver will come to move the packaged sandbags with a forklift..."

There's no need to dig shovel by shovel like in the afternoon. Just take soil directly from the pile.

No need to figure out how to tie the opening either.

As for why they're packaged, that part is unknown.

Captain Zhang and Chief of Staff Jiang were dumbfounded, unable to believe that the so-called sandbag filling was like going to work in a factory.

As soon as Director Dong finished speaking, Dongdong pulled him aside: "Director Dong, the steel plates have arrived, please step aside."

This kid looks so small, how old is he this year?

Everyone was secretly curious when they heard the roar of a loader engine outside.

Turning around, they saw the loader deliver two long steel plates, which were gently placed on the ground under the direction of the safety officer.

"Chief of Staff Jiang, organize your men to lend a hand, lay one plate over there, and another one here. Once the steel plates are laid, you can drag the sandbags without the strenuous effort of carrying or lifting them."

"Oh, alright."

"Captain Zhang, is there someone from Binjiang in your company?"

"Yes, young man, are you looking for a fellow townsman?"

Dongdong was both a Linghai person and a Binjiang person, and could soon become an East Sea person. He couldn't help but smile, "I'm just curious."

Captain Zhang didn't expect the Reserve Camp to use child workers and turned around to shout, "Xu Xiaoming."

"Here!"

"Come in."

"Yes!"

Xu Xiaoming, too curious to keep watching from outside, hurriedly ran into the tent, carrying a shovel.

Captain Zhang pointed to Dongdong, "Your fellow townsman is looking for you."

...

Meanwhile, Excavator No.1 slowly drove up to the embankment and, under the safety officer's guidance, began piling on the riverbank's outer side.

The pile being driven wasn't made of wood but rather of utility poles.

Considering the limited number of utility poles, they had to be used sparingly. Before going onto the embankment, they broke the poles into segments with the bucket, and personnel from the machine shop cut the internal rebar with a cutter, splitting the poles in half.

Amidst the clamorous sounds of machinery, even shouting into the walkie-talkie couldn't be heard.

The safety officer waited for the riggers to finish tying the ropes, whistling and gesturing simultaneously.

The veteran from the Road and Bridge Company lifted the bucket slowly, hoisting the half utility pole, tied below the bucket with a rope, and then swung it around.

The lower section of the half utility pole had a rope attached for adjusting its direction, and another rigger pulled the rope to help the excavator adjust the pole's entry into the water.

After confirming that the utility pole was in the designated spot, the excavator operator gently descended the bucket, pressing the utility pole directly into the riverbank.

There was no need to pound or hammer; it was pressed down easily and directly this way.

People working on the river, gathered by the county, immediately untied the hoisting ropes upon reaching the site. After the safety officer confirmed the ropes were untied, he continued whistling, directing the excavator to hoist the second pole.

Piling is just this simple, taking less than five minutes from start to finish!

This was the first pole; one could imagine the next would be even faster.

Deputy Mayor Xu, Secretary Zheng, and a deputy county magistrate surnamed Wang felt both happy and uneasy. They were contemplating that if they had such equipment, they wouldn't have to rely on others. Under Old Ge's urging, Han Yu, carrying a thick dossier and accompanied by Hao Qiusheng and Master Yao, approached them.

"Captain Han, President Hao, Master Yao, thank you for your hard work."

"Not at all, Mayor Xu, Secretary Zheng, we have something to report."

"What is it?"

"This isn't the right place to discuss it. Shall we head to the Command Center?"

"Alright."

Deputy Mayor Shen didn't understand, preparing to follow them when Old Ge immediately called out, "Mayor Shen, you haven't met Master Dai dispatched from the 132nd Regiment, according to your instructions I've just organized an Inspection Team, inviting Master Dai from the 132nd Regiment to be our Inspection Team Leader.

Salted Fish and Qiusheng can't attend to these matters for now, and Yang Jianbo has to assist Qiu Xueliang and Zhang Erxiao with logistics. If it's not too busy, I'd like you to take him around to the various squads, introducing him to the comrades, sort of like sending him off on his new duties."