Chapter 193 of "New Urban Farmers": On the Embankment
"No way!" Liu Neng gasped, trembling with fear. The thought startled him. "Is something going to happen at the reservoir?"
If the reservoir really has problems, this much water could flood Qingmu Township three times over, and more! No one can escape. At this moment, Liu Neng felt that this reservoir was no longer a benefit to humanity; for those living in lower-lying areas downstream, it was a ticking time bomb—it could kill people.
Upon hearing Zhang Guodong say that something was going to happen, he immediately thought, "I'm going to run away."
"Trying to run?" Zhang Guodong chuckled, seeing Liu Neng's posture. "Where can you run to? You know the road from Qingyang to Qingmu Township is definitely blocked with this much rain. You can't go anywhere! So you might as well wish us all the best."
Liu Neng opened his mouth as if to say that even if he couldn't escape Qingmu Township, being a little upstream was better than staying in this place, right?
However, the roads in Aoki Township don't seem safe either. If something happens outside, there might not even be anyone to help.
"Call Zhang Chengzhu and Old Yi and tell them to be careful and stay home if possible," Zhang Guodong said after thinking for a moment. "Chengzhu and the others live on higher ground, so they should be safe. Old Yi is at the foot of the mountain. With Dunzi and Gou Dan around, there shouldn't be any problems."
Zhang Chengzhu has now also learned to use a mobile phone. He reports to Elder Yi every day, and the phone bill is quite high, so Zhang Guodong simply got them a monthly plan so they can call as much as they want.
After accepting reality and making the phone call, Liu Neng said, "Boss Chengzhu said Lin Zhong has already organized people from the township to relocate residents from both sides of the flood discharge channel. They're doing well there! Old Yi said there are mounds and Gou Dan nearby, and it's just a mountain, so there's no problem. However, he's worried about the 'that thing' being extracted."
"It's alright. This is good!" Zhang Guodong knew that Elder Yi was referring to the jade essence, but in reality, Zhang Guodong had kept most of the jade essence, only the ones refined in the last two days, in an empty room.
Zhang Guodong took this matter very seriously. Therefore, he planned to wait until all the jade slag was refined before transporting all the refined jade essence over to cast it. After all, casting a medicine cauldron also requires shaping and molding, which would take some time.
“Let’s go. Let’s go up and take a look!” Zhang Guodong’s eyes flickered before he continued.
Liu Neng's somewhat tragic and self-sacrificing demeanor amused Zhang Guodong. This guy!
“Actually, once you get here and up the embankment, there’s a mountain right next to you. It might be safer up there!” Zhang Guodong said, half-laughing and half-crying.
Liu Neng's eyes lit up, then he smiled sheepishly. However, his gaze couldn't see that...
Far.
"Hehe; I've never encountered such a critical situation before. Boss, can you see what's on the dam?" Liu Neng asked curiously.
He was somewhat surprised. His vision was obscured by the rain, and he could only vaguely make out a few cars in the distance. Clearly, there were some people on them.
"It's alright. It's not very clear," Zhang Guodong mumbled.
Upon hearing this, Liu Neng thought to himself, "My boss is truly superhuman! His eyesight isn't bad either, is it? He always gets excellent in his tests. I never imagined Zhang Guodong's eyesight would be even better? Superior?"
Going up the dam was no easy task. Zhang Guodong and Liu Neng were not well prepared. Their rain boots could not stop the mud and water flowing on the ground. Water got into their boots and their clothes were so wet that they shivered. They were soon covered in mud.
Raincoats are good things, but when the wind blows, some of the rain gets inside the clothes.
Zhang Guodong was alright, stumbling along, but Liu Neng was panting heavily. Although he had lost six or seven pounds of fat after nearly a month of relaxation and exercise, his physical condition was still very poor.
"Are you alright? Why don't you go back?" Zhang Guodong glanced at him and secretly shook his head. Liu Neng had really suffered a lot following him. However, once a person has money, they naturally exercise less.
If you really have to go through mountains and valleys by yourself, you'll suffer and be a burden.
"I'm alright! I feel much better lately, but I'm still a long way from recovering!" Liu Neng said, panting. The wind and rain made it difficult for him to speak.
Zhang Guodong stopped in his tracks, his hand touching a jade box in his pocket. He hesitated for a moment but didn't take it out.
There's a "Health-Strengthening Pill" inside, but I think the timing isn't right yet. Letting Liu Neng know too much wouldn't do him any good. Even insignificant information is the same!
When will Zhang Guodong's concerns lessen after the secret creation of the medicine cauldron is completed and disappears from public view? Liu Neng currently has no idea what he's extracting; perhaps he thinks it's jade but doesn't know about jade essence, or what this jade essence will do. He doesn't know either.
This is exactly the effect Zhang Guodong wanted.
"Did you call Li Xiaona?" Zhang Guodong asked.
"I called. Hehe, but it's safe there. I told her I was out with the boss and she was just watching TV at home!" Liu Neng chuckled.
"Not bad. You've had a tough time with me lately. It's been quite difficult."
"Boss, it's not hard at all. I used to be so busy and worried all the time. Looking back now, that kind of life was really unacceptable. Now it's great. I've exercised and enjoyed life, so I don't regret following you here!" Liu Neng said sincerely.
Zhang Guodong nodded.
On the embankment, Yu Yang inspected it, accompanied by Zhang Biyuan and Yan Weimin. He listened to the report from the water conservancy station's engineers with a grave expression, while Ning Biao stood by, offering his advice incessantly.
"Secretary Yu, look, the reservoir level has risen a lot, and it's rising even faster. If we don't release water now, it will be too late!" Ning Biao urged, his face grim.
He had some hired help around him, and he still needed these people to open the sluice gates. But when Yu Yang arrived, he actually listened to some nonsense from the water conservancy station staff, saying that it wasn't suitable to release water into the reservoir yet, and that if he waited any longer, his fish and shrimp would be doomed.
His reply to Qingcai Township was that he earned 50,000 to 60,000 yuan a year, but in reality, he earns at least 300,000 yuan a year. If the compensation is based on that, wouldn't he go bankrupt?
Yu Yang waved his hand decisively and said, "We'll listen to the engineers at the water conservancy station!"
Yu Biao Mei
Fortunately, the three staff members at the water conservancy station were experienced veterans, not clueless greenhorns. Clearly, neither the county committee, the county government, nor the township dared to interfere arbitrarily in the personnel matters of the water conservancy station; otherwise, any problems that arose would be major and potentially fatal.
"Old Liu, when would be a good time to open the sluice gates and how long would it take?" Yu Yang asked a water conservancy station engineer who was nearly fifty years old.
Looking at the water depth marker on the dam, Old Liu said confidently, "The water is currently seventy meters deep. The original design allowed for a pressure resistance of eighty meters. However, the maintenance of Qingmu Reservoir has been somewhat poor over the years, mainly due to a lack of maintenance funds. It's estimated that releasing water at seventy-eight meters will be more appropriate."
Yu Yang nodded; he was more inclined to believe the engineers' explanation.
He just learned that although the maintenance of the Aoki Reservoir was substandard, its original design and construction were of high quality; it wasn't a shoddy project.
As for the issue of substandard maintenance, there's nothing that can be done about it. Although there are annual government allocations, these are dedicated funds and far from sufficient to solve the maintenance problems. A portion must also come from the township's finances; it's reasonable for whoever benefits from the project to bear part of the maintenance costs.
However, Aoki Township relies on government funding; where would it find the extra funds for maintenance? This is indeed the truth.
"Boss, what should we do? If these people keep going forward, our secret will be exposed. Two of the eight sluice gates are sealed. If we don't open the gates to release the water soon, it will be too late. The water might overflow the dam!" A middle-aged man in his thirties next to Ning Biao said anxiously.
Ning Biao, the boss in his early thirties, was frowning at this moment, and the gloom in his eyes showed that he was not as simple as a playboy.
In order to help the fish and shrimp grow better, Ning Biao listened to the advice of some local experts and sealed two of the eight sluice gates of the reservoir, but no one knew about this yet.
"Prepare to open the sluice gates and release the water!" Ning Biao said through gritted teeth.
"Then what about Secretary Yu?" The middle-aged man glanced at the crowd not far away and hesitated.
Among that group were, after all, the deputy secretary of the county party committee and the secretary of the discipline inspection commission. They might also be representing the county party secretary and the county head. Although Ning Biao had powerful backers, this open confrontation with the government was clearly a huge risk.
"Which is more serious, the collapse of the dam or a breach?" Ning Biao's face contorted with rage. "Do as I say! Open both gates at once! Open them all in three minutes!"
"Yes!" Seeing that Ning Biao had made up his mind, the middle-aged man immediately turned around and left with his assistant.
"Who goes there?!" They hadn't gone far when they suddenly saw two people standing about seven or eight meters away, wearing raincoats. One was a young man, and the other was a fat man.
These two were Zhang Guodong and Liu Neng. They had finally managed to climb the slope and get a clear view of the people on the embankment. Liu Neng hadn't noticed anything unusual yet, but Zhang Guodong had heard some startling news.
"These people are incredibly audacious! They actually sealed two of the eight sluice gates! If the gates were opened normally to release water, the dam would be in real danger!" Zhang Guodong was also shocked and broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, it was still in time.
"We're looking for Director Yan!" Zhang Guodong interrupted Liu Neng before he could say anything.
The middle-aged man, initially wary of Zhang Guodong and Liu Neng, assumed they were from the township government and immediately relaxed his guard. But had these two overheard their conversation with the boss, Ning Biao?
Then I thought about it. Impossible. You'd have to shout to hear their whispers from that distance. It's simply impossible!
"What's wrong?" Ning Biao noticed them and walked over.
"Boss, these two are looking for Yan Weimin!" the middle-aged man said.
"Oh?" Ning Biao nodded slightly, a sharp glint in his eyes. "You guys go ahead and get busy!"
The middle-aged man nodded and was about to leave with several of his men when Zhang Guodong stopped him.
"Wait. Don't leave yet. Who are you people?" Zhang Guodong pretended to be wary, raising his voice to ask a question that surprised Ning Biao and the others. Who was this greenhorn who didn't recognize Boss Ning?
However, the sound was so loud that Yu Yang could hear it too.
"Let's see if anyone's coming!" Yu Yang said. Then they all walked over.
Ning Biao's expression flashed with sternness, but when he saw Yu Yang coming from the other side, he was immediately overjoyed. This naive young man had unexpectedly helped him.
"Get out of the way!" The middle-aged man shoved Zhang Guodong in a panic. Time was of the essence; the water level was rising rapidly, and there was no time to lose.
But Zhang Guodong chuckled, then grabbed and twisted the middle-aged man with a thud, throwing him to his feet. The man instantly became a muddy figure.
Everyone was shocked. They hadn't expected Zhang Guodong to suddenly make his move!
"Stop!" Just then, Yan Weimin finally saw who it was and shouted. Yan Weimin recognized them. It was Liu Neng? The young man beside him must be his boss, right? But how did they get here?
Yan Weimin arrived with two police officers and looked at the crowd. He shouted, "What's going on?"
"These people have sealed off both sluice gates of the reservoir. We must open the gates and release the water now, or it will be too late!" Zhang Guodong said, scrutinizing the other party.
Upon hearing this, Yan Weimin's expression changed drastically; two of the sluice gates had been sealed off.
"Old Yan. This is my boss!" Liu Neng didn't know how Zhang Guodong knew that two of the sluice gates were blocked, but he immediately introduced him.
"Are you telling the truth?" Yan Weimin asked Zhang Guodong anxiously. Zhang Guodong's identity made him extremely cautious.
“Absolutely true!” Zhang Guodong said calmly.
"Go. Open the sluice gate!" Ning Biao's expression changed. He winked at his subordinate and whispered. The subordinate seemed to understand the signal and quietly prepared to leave.
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