Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 982 - 650: Using the Sharpest Steel Where It’s Needed Most!

The scorching sun blazed down as a convoy of three off-road vehicles drove along the Jingjiang Embankment.

During the flood control period, unrelated vehicles were not allowed on the embankment. It was clear that the leaders inside the vehicles were here for inspections. The Party cadres and basic civilian soldiers patrolling the embankment to check for dangers would immediately perk up at the sight of approaching cars, no matter how hot it was, to survey potential dangers.

The convoy stopped and started, halting at embankment sections prone to danger. Some middle-aged men, evidently senior officials, disembarked, put on straw hats, looked around, and listened to reports from their accompanying staff as they observed the area.

When the convoy reached segment 102, a piece of nan bamboo painted with red and white warning signs blocked their path.

The middle-aged men got out of the vehicle and saw a sign on the bamboo that read: "Grouting Emergency Section, Detour for Vehicles and Pedestrians."

A large sign was also set up on the left side of the embankment, containing more detailed information.

It clearly stated that this section of the embankment had experienced cracking, grouting had just been conducted for emergency prevention, followed by relevant precautions that needed attention.

The instructions included watching for cracks or seepage and emphasized that assigned personnel must be on duty 24 hours a day, conducting checks every hour.

Next were the names and positions of local officials responsible for this section of the embankment.

Finally, it listed the three emergency construction units and their contact information.

The emergency construction units were surprisingly the Jiangnan Military Region Linghai Reserve Camp, the People's Liberation Army 90428 Unit, and the People's Liberation Army 83104 Unit!

"Commander, what should we do?" a secretary-like staff cautiously asked.

The bespectacled leader was about to speak when a disheveled man came running from a distance.

The staff quickly approached and asked, "Comrade, has the crack danger been mitigated here, can the vehicles pass?"

"No, they can't!"

The man peeked at the convoy ahead, grimacing, "Leaders, it's not that I won't let you through, but it really can't be done. The liberation army came to support our flood control efforts, and they adhere to their schedule for grouting and checking; they're never late, only early. They're so responsible, and I've signed a military order, so I must be responsible too."

The commander in the middle stepped forward, curiously asking, "Comrade, what military order have you signed?"

"There were so many cracks, and they were mended by them. They guaranteed the quality of the emergency work; all the engineering data are documented. I'm responsible for observation and maintenance; I've also signed on those engineering records. If I let you drive over, pressing open the cracks we've just patched up, who will take responsibility then?"

"When will this section of the embankment be open to vehicles?"

"They said if the weather stays good and this hot, vehicles can pass in half a month. If it keeps raining every few days, then even a month won't suffice."

"When the cracks were discovered, were they large, was it severe?"

"Of course, it was severe. If it weren't, would the county have requested military support?" the man retorted, gesturing as he spoke, "Dozens of cracks appeared at once; the widest could fit a fist, and the deepest reached over two meters, and water seeped into the embankment!"

The commander continued to inquire, "How was the emergency prevention conducted at the time?" 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"The military came to aid us; even divers came down. They blocked the cracks first, plugging them with wooden stoppers, filling with mud! They brought a large ship with a crane on board, helping us drive piles into the water – a whole row of them. After piling, they filled hundreds of sandbags."

"And then?"

"Then... then they started draining, first inserting pipes into the cracks, used the air compressor to blow air in, drained out all the water, and began grouting. By yesterday, grouting had been done three times.

Today is the final session; once the grout is poured today and it dries, they'll retrieve all the temporary sandbags, remove the wooden stoppers, and check for water seepage. Only when there's no leakage can the project be considered complete."

"When will the construction army arrive today?"

"They're arriving soon."

The man lifted his arm to check his watch, thinking for a moment, then added, "Leaders, really, vehicles can't pass here. The embankment's quite hot; you should turn around quickly and head back two or three kilometers where you can descend the embankment. You're driving a car, it's fast; you'll bypass in no time."

The commander didn't get back into the vehicle; he looked at the large sign beside him and asked, "Comrade, are you the Civilian Militia Camp Commander of Huayua Village, Jiang Chunhui?"

"So what if I am!"

Jiang Chunhui took out a half-crushed pack of cigarettes, muttering, "If it can't pass, then it can't pass. At worst, I'll be dismissed. I've been on the embankment since June 26 and haven't been home since. I'm not really interested in being the Civilian Militia Camp Commander anymore."

"Comrade Jiang Chunhui, don't misunderstand. We don't want you to make exceptions for us. We'll turn around and bypass below the embankment shortly."

"Leaders, are you looking for our Village Chief? The Village Chief is up ahead, a bit away from here."

"We're not looking for your Village Chief; we're looking for you."

"Looking for me? I'm only a village official, not a state official."

"We're very curious about your observation and maintenance of this danger section. It says on the sign there are inspection records. Can we take a look?"

"Are you here for an inspection?"

"Not exactly an inspection, and even if it were, it would only be to inspect your Village Chief."

"Feel free to take a look; it's not secret information anyway."

Whenever inspectors come, they're all leaders, not showing up every few days, but practically every day there's a leader arriving.

Jiang Chunhui, a bit fed up with these inspections, ran back to the hut and retrieved an inspection booklet, eager for these top officials to finish and leave soon.