Wasteland Border Inspector-Chapter 378 - 149: Exaggerated Fish Stock, Restoring the Hydropower Station! (With Images)
Otherwise, this White Water Dam might continue to slumber, until one day it is completely engulfed by the flood of Lin River, disappearing into the river of history.
"Jiang Chuan, help me get the paper and pen, and drive the car closer."
"Okay."
After Jiang Chuan brought the items, Cheng Ye sat in the back seat of the pickup truck, using his knee as a table, and began to sketch.
This was not a typical blueprint, but an engineering drawing deconstructed from his mind.
The original engineering drawings of this White Water Dam have likely been lost long ago, and this hand-drawn sketch happens to provide reference for subsequent construction, avoiding rework and saving time.
From the repair plans for the dam body’s cracks, the parts replacement for the gate machinery, to positioning for the installation of water turbines, several key projects that need immediate attention were clearly marked on the drawing.
As for the planning of the power transmission line, Cheng Ye did not intend to handle it personally.
Such matters are more suitable for subordinate engineers, who are certainly more familiar with material costs and line layouts.
After completing all this, the sky outside grew darker, and the drizzle gradually turned into moderate rain.
In this isolated hydroelectric station, Cheng Ye found himself momentarily forgetting the time, thoroughly immersed in the contemplation of repair plans.
When he snapped back to reality, he found the surroundings had completely darkened, and a sinister and terrifying aura indeed permeated.
The swaying vegetation twisted in the wind and rain, like ghosts hidden in the dark with sinister smiles, sending shivers down one’s spine.
Moreover, the rain mist shrouded the surroundings hazily, making even the road from noon appear indistinct.
In this wasteland wilderness, the time for safe activity each day is indeed scarce, limited to the few short hours between dawn and dusk.
"What time is it?"
"It’s already five-thirty in the afternoon." Jiang Chuan replied calmly, without urging.
He brought a tent precisely because he feared they likely wouldn’t return tonight, needing to camp in the wild.
As for the rule to return by ten o’clock to submit the task, encountering such unexpected circumstances naturally makes it impossible to adhere rigidly.
The judgment of these situations is inherently one of his responsibilities as a "supervisor."
"Let’s go, let’s hurry back to catch some fish."
Cheng Ye carefully folded the drawing and stored it in his backpack, the vehicle started again, and the silhouette of the hydroelectric station gradually faded from view.
The lone dam body stood in the rain mist like a sentinel at its post.
For a moment, it dispelled some of the lingering fear in his heart.
Returning to the previous fork in the river, perhaps due to the increased rain, the fish in the water were far fewer than at noon.
At this point, Cheng Ye lost interest in leisurely fishing. He untied a bag containing mosquito-borne flesh and blood, and unhesitatingly scattered it into the river channel.
Like sharks smelling the scent of blood, black-striped fish lurking at the riverbed immediately attacked like mad, fighting for the flesh and blood.
Jiang Chuan took the opportunity to throw out a hand-casting net, pulled hard upwards, and five black-striped fish floundered madly within the net, helplessly caught.
Approaching, Cheng Ye noticed the thing’s teeth were as sharp as a piranha’s, reflecting a sinister cold light.
"Four more kinds..."
The two busily worked by the river, using up all the mosquito-borne flesh and blood for bait, then switched to ordinary artificial bait.
Between continuous net throws, the white fish, green fish, grass carp, and silver carp were also captured, additionally catching some brightly-colored red shrimp that jumped in the bucket, casting specks of red.
Looking at the time, it was already seven o’clock in the evening.
The rain intensified, and the sky roared with thunder, bolts of lightning pierced the night, illuminating the wilderness as if it were daytime, then instantly plunged it into deeper darkness.
Not daring to delay, the two hurriedly drove back, and only when they re-entered Dapo Town did they breathe a sigh of relief.
"What do you think, do we make do here tonight or return overnight?"
The windshield wipers swept continuously, the torrential rain made the dirt road ahead completely unclear, only able to see two curtains of water split by the car’s headlights.
Jiang Chuan had to roll down the window, glanced at the situation outside, cold raindrops poured in immediately, and nothing could be seen with the naked eye.
Based on his experience, returning in such weather, even walking back was no problem, but Cheng Ye was going out of town for the first time, he had to consider such feelings.
Rushing back and encountering unexpected situations could leave a substantial psychological shadow of the wilderness.
But staying in Dapo Town might not be appropriate either; the first venture out of town requiring camping in the wilderness could equally intensify the fear of the wild.
"Hmm..."
Cheng Ye gazed out the window, his brows slightly furrowed.
For some reason, every time lightning flashed, he always felt that there were eyes in the dark wilderness secretly watching.
This feeling wasn’t baseless but was passed on by the Flame.
The little guy repeatedly transmitted a complex emotion via mental links, unclear whether fearing the rain itself or the people, mutant creatures, infected bodies within it?
In terms of combat strength, the little guy wasn’t worth mentioning, but Cheng Ye did not dare ignore these perceptions.
"Right, what about that ’examiner’?" Cheng Ye suddenly remembered there was such a person.
"Him?"
Jiang Chuan glanced around, nonchalantly saying, "He might have gone back long ago, or maybe camped nearby, his task was just to confirm we reached Dapo Town, we can’t control where he goes."
"Oh, let’s just make do for the night!" Cheng Ye decided.
In future fieldwork, dining in the wind and sleeping in the open is a common affair, getting used to it in advance isn’t a bad thing.
But he certainly wasn’t going to continue the journey in such weather, not to mention the obstructed view, rainy nights are when infected sources and mutant beasts are active, taking such a risk is purely courting disaster.
Jiang Chuan nodded, turned the vehicle into the relatively intact office building in town center.
Here had been surveyed in the afternoon, the roof of a room on the second floor was reasonably intact, sufficient for shelter from rain.
As for the pickup truck, it was parked on a platform at a higher elevation, the two took out the tent, camping equipment from the back, and also brought the two buckets filled with fish and shrimp.
As for other sundries, leaving them in the car, no one would steal.
Sleeping in the car wasn’t mentioned by anyone.
In the wild, the enclosed cabin seems safe, but encountering danger there’s not even time to open the door and flee.
Upon reaching the second floor, Jiang Chuan quickly checked the surroundings, confirmed no lurking threats, then turned around saying, "I’ll go get the portable stove and small pot, tonight we can have some meat."
The black-striped fish in the bucket were still floundering, Cheng Ye nodded, not mentioning the dozen packets of Nutrient Paste in his backpack.
After Jiang Chuan left, he stood up, side-stepping to the window, gazing into the pitch-black rainy night.
The Flame also leapt into view, crouching on the shoulder.
Sure enough, after opting to not return to town in the rain, that feeling of being watched completely vanished, the existence in the dark seemingly had abandoned its thoughts.
"Ding Yishan had Jiang Chuan follow me, probably knowing how much trouble surrounds me..."
In the ruin-like room, Cheng Ye sat on the floor, leaning against the cold wall.
The chill of the bricks seeped through his raincoat, making his mind increasingly clear.
The safe buffer zone is ultimately temporary.
After finishing the task, this perilous wilderness becomes the normality he must face in the future.
Yet he does not fear the troubles left by Cheng Long, even hopes the opponent could arrive more straightforwardly.
Unfortunately, the adversary isn’t that foolish.
His first venture out of town, with Jiang Chuan accompanying, hidden in darkness was a "examiner."
Those troubles definitely wouldn’t act rashly at this moment, perhaps waiting for a better opportunity, maybe thinking leaving him to develop for a while wouldn’t change much.
Of course, the biggest possibility remains one point.
When confident to crush him within rule boundaries, no one would recklessly break the rules.
Or said otherwise, the damage caused by breaking rules far exceeds the benefit of crushing him now.
"You’re not in a hurry, neither am I..."
"Wait until the hydroelectric station is repaired, trying to manipulate me then won’t be as simple as today."
Unrolling the tent, Cheng Ye sat at the edge and exhaled a long breath.
Gazing at the rainy curtain outside, his entire mindset differed entirely from when departing in the morning.
Before reaching Dapo Town, he merely considered it a step to complete the outsourcing test, hadn’t even fully decided to designate this place as the construction site for a Satellite City.
However, today’s survey led him to decisively make up his mind.
The terrifying fishery reserve, the repair potential of the 500kw hydroelectric station, and the strategic position on the water route.
These three factors alone already represent an exaggerated geographic advantage.
The potential troubles depend on the budget he can apply for and recruitment circumstances in the upcoming phase.
...
