The torrential rain had been lashing the mountain for several hours, and the soil on the surface of the mountain had long been saturated with rainwater, becoming soft, sticky, and like a bloated lump of mud.
Under the old pine trees that the men in black had been felling overnight, several deep pits were already filled with mud and water, which seeped wildly into the holes left by the roots, softening the deeper soil layers.
Fine cracks gradually appeared inside the originally solid mountain, and rainwater flowed along the cracks, constantly eroding the cohesion of the soil and rocks.
On the hillside, several millstone-sized rocks were the first to loosen, and with the lubrication of the rain, they slowly slid down the steep slope, scraping against more mud and gravel along the way, leaving behind muddy trails.
At first, only a few bits of soil and rocks rolled down, making a dull sound, but soon the sound became more frequent.
Large swaths of yellow mud began to slide down the slope, carrying with them weeds and broken branches.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion rang out!
The hollowed-out foot of the slope could no longer support the weight above, and the middle and upper part of the entire mountain collapsed with a roar!
Tons of yellow mudstone mixed with rainwater formed an unstoppable mudslide that rushed wildly down the steep mountainside.
The mud churned and sped faster and faster, snapping shrubs and saplings along its path as it rushed toward the only railway bridge at the foot of the mountain.
The bridge was deserted at that moment, with only rainwater cascading down the railings.
The next second, the brownish-yellow mudslide slammed into the bridge!
"Boom—!"
The enormous impact caused the entire bridge to shake violently, instantly leaving it riddled with potholes and dents.
The railway tracks on the bridge were twisted and deformed.
...
The next day, Xu Xinghe was awakened by a faint noise.
At first, she thought the torrential rain was still raging, and she turned over in a daze, only to find that the sound in her ears had changed.
The sound was no longer the pounding of raindrops hitting the roof, but rather a mixture of voices, drifting into the house along with the still-sounding rain.
She opened her eyes, sat up wrapped in the blanket, and turned to look out the window.
The sky had brightened a bit and was no longer as dark as before. As Jiang Linchuan had said, the rain had lessened considerably, turning into a fine, moderate drizzle. The rain streaked obliquely, enveloping the entire courtyard.
"Is the rain getting lighter?" Xu Xinghe was worried about the medicinal herb field, so she quickly threw off the covers and got out of bed.
Just as she finished dressing, she heard footsteps outside the gate. She went to the window and saw Zhang Cishu walking out of the neighboring yard. He was wearing a dark-colored, dirt-resistant outfit, rain boots, and carrying a shovel, clearly about to go out.
Xu Xinghe opened the door. "Ci Shu? In this heavy rain, where are you going?"
Zhang Cishu stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. "There's been a mudslide outside, and the railway has been washed away."
"What?" Xu Xinghe was startled, instantly recalling the torrential rain from yesterday. "Did something really happen?"
"Yes." Zhang Cishu nodded and explained simply, "It collapsed in the early morning. Mud and rocks buried a lot of the railway, and some of the tracks were also damaged. People from the military had to go and help."
"We need to clear away the rocks and mud first, and then use sandbags and wooden stakes to stabilize the mountain to prevent a second landslide if the rain continues. Once the rain has completely stopped and it is confirmed to be safe, we can then send the railway repairmen to make emergency repairs."
Xu Xinghe saw the shovel in Zhang Cishu's hand and immediately turned around and went back into the house. "I'll go with you! More people means more help!"
“No need.” Zhang Cishu stopped her. “It’s still very dangerous over there. The mountain is not stable yet. As long as the rain continues, a second landslide could occur at any time. It’s better for you to stay at home.”
“But…” Xu Xinghe still wanted to try, because she had medicinal herbs from her spatial storage, which could be of help if someone got injured.
“There are no buts.” Zhang Cishu interrupted her. “There are already enough people over there, and you wouldn’t be of much help anyway, you don’t have any experience in this area.”
Xu Xinghe could only nod, "Alright then, you must be careful."
Zhang Cishu hummed in agreement, said nothing more, picked up his shovel, turned, and walked into the rain.
His figure was quickly enveloped by the fine rain, merging into the ranks of soldiers who were also carrying tools and hurrying along.
Through the rain, squads of soldiers in military green raincoats were marching briskly forward.
Everyone carried a shovel, and the long procession headed towards the railway that had been hit by the mudslide.
Rain soaked their hat brims and streamed down their cheeks, but no one stopped.
Upon arrival, the soldiers worked together, carrying heavy wooden stakes and sandbags, trudging through the muddy road, their trousers quickly becoming covered in yellow mud.
Soon, several more military trucks drove up.
After stopping at the roadside, the soldiers in the vehicle quickly jumped out and joined the disaster relief team.
The mudslide carried a large amount of rocks, mud, and broken trees, completely burying a section of railway track. Many other sections of track were twisted and deformed by the enormous impact, lying across the mud.
Fortunately, the railway bridge did not break, but one side of the bridge was dented and pitted by mud and rocks, and the bridge surface was covered with a thick layer of silt.
Director Li, wearing a raincoat, stood on higher ground, his brows furrowed as he looked at the scene before him. His tone was grave. "This mudslide was too violent. The railway tracks are severely damaged, and the bridge needs to be reinforced. I'm afraid it won't be able to be repaired in a short time."
Several of his colleagues from the General Staff Department were standing next to him, and they all nodded in agreement upon hearing this.
One of the officers sighed, “Yes, the rain hasn’t stopped, and the mountain is unstable, making it difficult to carry out clearing and repair work. It seems we won’t be able to go back anytime soon.”
“This is the only way,” another colleague said. “Since we’re here, let’s make the best of it. Let’s eliminate the potential hazards first, and then contact a professional repair team after the rain stops and the mountain stabilizes.”
Director Li's gaze swept over the busy soldiers and finally landed on Political Commissar Wang. "Alright, then let everyone stay here a little longer."
Political Commissar Wang was already used to this kind of situation.
This happens almost every year during heavy rains.
There's no other way; a country needs resources to develop.
Trees are a resource, and if too many are cut down, this kind of problem will arise.
Although they have started planting trees, it has been a short time, and many saplings have not yet grown to maturity and cannot play a significant role.
Many buildings were even destroyed by the mudslide.
Political Commissar Wang glanced around and immediately devised a plan: "Pass down the notices and carry out the work in batches. Some people will clear the silt and rocks from the tracks, while others will reinforce the mountain and bridge with sandbags and wooden stakes. Be sure to pay attention to safety and prevent secondary landslides."
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