Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 986 - 652: Plans Can’t Keep Up with Changes

The "workshop" for filling and packing sandbags is still there, now larger than when it started, but no longer working overtime to "produce" them. Only when the various frontline teams need them for urgent danger management will they fill them according to the "orders" given by the teams.

The semi-automated sandbag filling production line that Zhang Jiangkun urgently designed and manufactured on the way here has only been in operation for a maximum of one to two hours a day over the past few days. As a result, the sandbag filling team has become the most leisurely team among the emergency rescue teams.

No longer filling sandbags doesn't mean the dikes along both sides of the Jingjiang are high and sturdy, but rather because woven bags easily deteriorate under sunlight, shortening their lifespan!

Practice has shown that if plastic woven bags are exposed to sunlight and rain for a week, their strength will decrease by 25%, and after two weeks, by 40%, rendering them basically unusable. Therefore, not only should we not fill too many in advance, but we must also pay attention to the storage and maintenance of the woven bags.

It's too hot on the ship, which isn't conducive to storing woven bags.

Upon the request of the logistical support group, the filling team used the nan bamboo sent by the City Flood Control Command earlier and the steel pipe fittings brought by the Linghai Reserve Camp from home to build two large warehouses near the rescue materials depot and the soil extraction point for storing woven bags. Dongdong also became the administrator of the woven bag warehouse as a result.

132nd regiment was leaving, and Dongdong, without bothering to count how many woven bags were left in the warehouse, hurried to the camp of the 2nd battalion of the 132nd regiment, and asked with a bitter face, "Brother Wang, are you really leaving?"

Wang Peng's backpack was already packed, and he was busy cleaning up his tent.

He looked back at his comrades, who were equally reluctant to return to the army, and said with a bitter smile, "Military orders are like mountains, we must go."

"When are you leaving?"

"The company commander said we'll leave when the trucks arrive. We only have five trucks here, and they can't fit over two hundred people."

"You have to remember to write me a letter."

"I won't forget, and you should write to me too." Wang Peng walked to the tent entrance, looked at the two large dun ships anchored in the river, and laughed, "A reporter from the Linghai Daily took photos of us. Once they're developed, don't forget to help me get a copy."

Dongdong agreed readily, "Sure."

"A reporter from the Linghai TV Station also recorded us. It's not easy to get the tape, but if we really get on TV, remember to mention it in your letter."

"What should I say?"

"See if I look good on camera, hahaha."

"Okay."

...

Xiao Yu hasn't been able to make calls during this period, but made a few friends while resting.

Soldiers bonded with soldiers, officers chatted with officers.

He invited Battalion Commander Wu and Lieutenant Liu to his dun ship, entered the Changhang logistics group office, pulled out a key to open the cabin door, and led them to visit the cabin below the deck.

"Do you see? These are all pictures of me, Salted Fish, and my master. This truly is Salted Fish and my ship!"

"Captain Yu, why are all the photos here?"

"It was Secretary Wang's doing. He took down our Yangtze Police's big sign to help advertise the development zone!"

Xiao Yu was extremely displeased with Secretary Wang for removing things from his ship without permission.

He fetched a cloth, wiped the dust from the photos, and said angrily, "He only dared to mess around because my master wasn't here. If my master were here, he wouldn't dare touch our ship even with ten guts!"

"Is this your master and Secretary Han's mentor?"

"Yes, my master is very formidable."

"How formidable?"

For a moment, Xiao Yu didn't know how to explain, so he straightforwardly asked, "Old Wu, is Vice Army Commander Lu, who announced the orders last time, formidable?"

Battalion Commander Wu hadn't expected this question, so he responded without thinking, "He's a lieutenant general, of course, he's formidable!"

"But no matter how formidable he is, he's not as formidable as my master."

Xiao Yu carefully placed the cleaned picture frame into a cardboard box he found from Zhang Erxiao, and said proudly, "As long as they are on this ship, no matter how high-ranking they are, they can't overpower my master. Instead, they have to listen to my master."

Lieutenant Liu asked curiously, "What is your master's position?"

"Director, director of the Old Yanjiang Police Station."

"What level of director is it?"

"Regular department level."

"But our Vice Army Commander Lu is at the deputy army level!"

"So what if it's a deputy army level? Once on this ship, he's not even as good as a sailor." Xiao Yu continued to wipe the picture frames, speaking vividly, "Let me tell you, my master even has classmates at the deputy army level. My master graduated from Beijing University, do you know Beijing University?"

Battalion Commander Wu couldn't believe this, and looked at the photos murmuring, "How can a Beijing University graduate become a police station director?"

"That's exactly what my master is. My master has authority three levels above the officials he meets. We only give orders; no one can order my master."

"If you put it that way, your master is quite formidable."

"I'm not bragging. If my master were a soldier, he'd at least be a lieutenant general by now. Old Wu, do you shoot frequently?"

"Yes, how can one be a soldier without shooting targets?"

"How many rounds do you shoot in a year?"

"Sometimes more, sometimes less. When it's more, we shoot two or three hundred rounds a year."

"Only two or three hundred rounds? What kind of soldiers are you?"

"How many rounds do you shoot in a year?"

"Although Salted Fish and I have never served in the military, we started militia training when we were sixteen. Each drill involved several boxes of bullets—pistol rounds, rifle rounds—we'd fire whatever was available, until we didn't want to shoot anymore. Later, when I became an instructor at the police academy, I had to organize shooting practice for the trainees, and it was the same, shoot however you want."

Xiao Yu turned around and pointed, saying proudly, "See that, that's our armory. No guns needed for flood relief, but when there's no flood, it's filled with guns. There are fewer guns now than before; back then, our equipment was more complete than it is now."

Battalion Commander Wu curiously asked, "What kind of guns did you have before?"

"Wusi Pistols, Type 56 semi-autos, Type 81s, Micro Machine Guns, we even had mortars. Salted Fish and I used to conduct night arrests on the river, using mortars to launch flares for illumination."

"Have you caught criminals?"

"Of course we have, we're police, that's our job."

"How many criminals have you caught?"

"I haven't counted carefully, but over the years, it must be two to three thousand. One year, we escorted a shipping company fleet on the Grand Canal, catching hundreds of water bandits along the way, we were too busy to hand them over to shore immediately, so we just locked them up in the ship's hold.

When the fleet returned from Xuzhou after loading coal, we handed them over to the Canal Police Department, with the longest being detained for more than a month. Even now, when we go to the canal area, many people still remember us. Those criminals we cracked down on, when they hear about us now, they're still scared..."

Truth can't be faked, and lies can't be made real.

Judging from the heaps of photos in front of them, Xiao Yu really wasn't just boasting.

Battalion Commander Wu and Lieutenant Liu looked at the photos and realized that, although they were elite paratroopers, in terms of actual combat skills, they were no match for Reserve Lieutenant Xiao Yu.

People can be really strange sometimes. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

When you haven't served, you want to serve and wear the mighty uniform.

Once enlisted, you want to go out and play, feeling wearing civilian clothes is better than the uniform.

Many soldiers prefer exhausting flood relief to the extensive training back at camp, packing their bags, putting everything in order, and reluctantly bidding farewell to the "Hong Kong Garrison" old platoon leader and even commanders they've spent several days with.

The veterans at Linghai Reserve Camp were equally reluctant to see these obedient and hardworking youngsters leave. Some stuffed the unspent cigarettes from the past few days into their hands, while others bought them beer and drinks from the canteen.

Beer and drinks were freely supplied, but each person was only allowed one bottle per day.

If one bottle wasn't enough, they could buy more.

2nd Battalion warrior Wang Guo Fei, who knew how to operate loading machines, sipped on the ice-cold soda brought by Zou Xiangyu, choking up, saying, "Manager Zou, will your company come to Beihu for a project in the future?"

"Not likely, we're swamped with infrastructure projects over there, the city's roads and bridges take up all our efforts, so in the next three to five years, it's unlikely we'll take projects outside."

Zou Xiangyu truly liked this skillful and obedient kid. After some thought, he laughed, "Xiao Wang, keep working hard in the army. If you can get into a military academy, do it; if not, it's okay. Once you've retired, come to our company. Even though we are a state-owned enterprise, our wages and benefits are still good. Master Zhou's salary is higher than that of the cadres."

"Really?"

"If you don't believe me, you can ask Master Zhou if his salary is higher than Secretary Han's."

"Uncle Zhou's salary is higher than Secretary Han's?"

"Last year, he earned 18,000 yuan. If Secretary Han doesn't get a commission from attracting investment, his earnings won't exceed that. If it were other township cadres, their wages would be even lower, not reaching 10,000 a year."

…

While the officers and soldiers of the 132nd Regiment's 2nd Battalion were busy saying goodbye to the "Hong Kong Garrison" commanders and old platoon leaders, Deputy Mayor Shen returned after a meeting.

Master Xi arrived with him.

Master Han, who had been in Jingzhou but hadn't yet reunited with his daughter and sons-in-law, also came along.

Han Yu just received word and was about to go to the dunship to inquire about the situation, when Political Commissar Yang of the 132nd Regiment hurriedly arrived at Linghai Port as well.

Han Yu was equally reluctant to see the 2nd Battalion officers, who had assisted in construction for so many days, leave. He went up to ask, "Political Commissar, can we let the soldiers stay another day? I want to add a dish tonight for a proper farewell."

Political Commissar Yang turned to look at his enamored subordinates and smiled, "Plans can't keep up with changes. On the way here, we received a call from the superiors that the return of the 2nd Battalion has been postponed indefinitely."

"Postponed?"

"What's going on, Mayor Shen should know."

"Mayor Shen just came back, and Master Xi and my father-in-law also returned."

"Let's go and find out what's going on."

"Alright."

The two walked up the floating bridge onto the dunship, where they saw Master Han talking with his daughter and son-in-law at the clinic.

In front of her father-in-law, the younger sister-in-law, just like the senior student, is always a child.

She held Master Han's hand, pouting, and complained, "Dad, you've been here for so long without visiting me. Look how tanned I am!"

Master Han laughed, "You're darker."

"I came in a hurry and didn't bring sunscreen; how am I supposed to face people back home..."

"What's wrong with being darker? The result of flood relief is the best medal."

"There you go again with the big truths."

"Enough about that, where's Xiao Jun?"

"He's on a village patrol and won't be back until dark."

Han Yu knocked on the ajar door, smiling, "Dad, how is it at the Jingzhou Meteorological Observatory?"

"Pretty good," Master Han couldn't pacify his daughter anymore and turned around, "Let's go, we need to attend a meeting, Mayor Shen and Master Xi want to discuss something with you. The Yangtze Flood Control Headquarters and the Jingzhou Flood Control Command are waiting for a response."