Chapter 006: Lü Dongmen
Lu Zhenlin threw down his lunchbox and ran, shouting at the top of his lungs: "Sandbags! Iron chicken cages! Hurry!"
One by one, olive-green figures hoisted bags of sand and gravel, rushing along with the crowd towards the riverbank
Lü Dong casually put on his school uniform, shouldered the sandbag at his feet, and rushed over there. The sandbag, soaked with water, was particularly heavy, and his face, which had been washed clean before the meal, was now smeared with mud.
Yang Liewen scrutinized the two individuals who had climbed up. The one in front had a somewhat youthful face, around eighteen or nineteen years old, and was wearing the uniform of Qingzhao No. 1 Middle School.
From the morning until last night, I have persevered until now, stacking over a hundred tons of materials onto the river with my hands and shoulders
Lü Zhenlin summoned the team accountant and Li Wenyue, among others, instructing them to carry out the statistics one by one, ensuring that everything was recorded in the register
It is not about walking, it is about charging forward
Some consignment stores have also delivered bread, instant noodles, ham sausages, and bottled water
Who is in charge on site!" an officer asked loudly
On the street, on the embankment, everyone is looking in that direction
This wave is stable! He laughs, he sheds tears, too exhausted and too tense, and with this relaxation, his emotions spiral out of control: "Damn you, flood, I won't let you die!"
The publicity officer said: "You just continue as you are."
The loud honking of large trucks echoed as one green Liberation vehicle after another drove in from the southern entrance of the village
Hearing the Mandarin spoken with a Qian Nan Mountain dialect, Lü Dong glanced at Yang Liewen, not recognizing him. He appeared refined, with his shirt still tucked into his waist at this moment, and his attire did not resemble that of a farmer
Li Wenyue's father could not contain his joy: "The troops have arrived! The sky will not fall!"
Right behind Lv Dong, Yang Liewen followed with a slightly smaller sandbag, his white shirt having long since turned a yellowish-black.
The rescue efforts from the county town soon arrived, primarily focused on providing supplies. The Qingzhao River stretches over a hundred miles in Qingzhao County, with the section in Ningxiu Town spanning several dozen miles. The water level is critically high across the entire stretch. Even though most of the county and town staff have been deployed to the front lines, there are hardly a few assigned to Lujia Village.
Lü Jianren could not hold back: "Dongzi, take off your pants and slap, the effect will be even better! Your wife won't have to worry about finding one."
For those who grew up by the river, this is not a big deal, and Lü Jianren laughed heartily: "Leeches can cure your eye twitching"
The sound of the camera shutter is heard
Persevere, and there will be hope
Yang Liewen has come down from the organization; although the work has just begun, he possesses a keen sense of perception
The old collapses have not all been sealed, and new collapses have emerged in the east
Including the young man in the front, waiting to overcome the flood, all serve as excellent promotional material
"Everyone!" Lu Zhenlin, who had not slept a wink since arriving here last night, shouted hoarsely yet still loudly, "Hold on! The troops are on their way!"
Seeing one green figure after another striding powerfully towards him, Lu Dong smiled, relaxed, and could no longer bear the sandbags on his shoulders. With a splash, he threw them into the water by the street and sat down heavily, feeling utterly exhausted.
My phone got wet! Lv Jianren tried it and it wouldn't turn on.
Indeed, the twitching in my right eye has stopped: "Once disaster strikes, it ceases to twitch."
I had seen it in books and on television before, but seeing it in reality is an entirely different matter
As noon approaches, countless restaurants, eateries, and even steamed bun workshops in the vicinity, including Lujia Village, spontaneously deliver meals and food.
The people of Lujia Village are accustomed to it and do not pay it any mind
The personnel in the infirmary discarded the iodine cotton swabs, grabbed another sandbag, and ran in that direction
The gong on the small dam suddenly rang out, and Li Wen's father shouted at the top of his lungs: "Thirty meters to the east, a hole has collapsed!"
Yang Liewen's interest has grown even greater
This is merely a trivial reflection of the 1998 flood relief efforts
That is the most powerful assistance
Yang Liewen slightly nodded to Lu Dong and said in a refined manner, "Charging ahead shows a strong sense of the overall situation"
There is no alcohol or soap available at the moment, and it would be inappropriate to use the shoe sole to fan, as it would be quite embarrassing
This encounter, which was lacking in preparation and planning, saw everyone rush to defend their homeland at the first sign of danger, without any division into shifts for rest or a reserve team. By around 2 PM, even Lü Dong, who was widely recognized for his strength, was nearing his limit.
He did not have the strength to lift it directly
Hundreds of strong laborers were dispersed along the banks of the river in Lujia Village, extinguishing one danger after another
Moreover, fatigue is inevitable after continuous efforts.
Yang Liewen was nearby and could see a bug clinging to Lu Dong's arm, its swollen body resembling a fingertip.
There are several villages in the upper and middle reaches, and their situation is not better than that of Lujia Village
It is estimated that he is an outstanding student with excellent character and academic performance
Lü Dong raised his head and saw someone taking pictures, quickly covering his upper body vital areas: "What are you doing? What are you doing? Stealing photos in broad daylight!"
Ouch, it hurts!
Feudal superstition! Lü Jianren has not forgotten yet
Yang Liewen's heart has been warmed considerably, and the performance of Lujia Village has also invigorated him. Even a once-in-fifty-years flood must be endured!
Hiss
Yang Liewen was infected, and his tense mood slightly relaxed. The villagers maintained an optimistic mindset and high morale, at least not having to worry about panic leading to adverse incidents
Yang Liewen had long been slumped on the small dam, watching the relentless efforts to combat the disaster, feeling deeply moved in his heart
As the staff member in the town hoisted the sandbags, the publicity officer with the camera shouted, "Hurry! Keep up! Take more shots!"
Yang Liewen brings good news; the higher authorities have contacted the troops, and the forces in the Quannan mountainous area will arrive soon
With heavy pockets resting on his shoulders and wading through water that nearly reached his calves, Lu Dong pressed forward with all his might. Many people around him were just like him, enduring the weight of sandbags that bent their backs, yet they refused to give up
There are techniques involved, and it is not as intimidating as it appears.
The individuals delivering sand and gravel from the neighboring village, the town, and the county also stepped up
When he smashed the guardrail earlier, he consciously instructed the publicity officer to start taking photos
Women carry sand and gravel, while men lift one bag after another. In the face of nature's roar, individual strength is insignificant; only unity can stand against it
Divided by region, half of the bridge belongs to Majia Village, and the people of Majia Village have already entered the water
This will cause a stir over "Lü Dongmen"; will there still be any shame in the future
The sun hung in the sky, scorching the faces until they turned bright red. Lü Dong and Lü Jianren knocked down another section, causing more than half of the bridge's guardrail to collapse
If the dam truly breaks, it will not only be the Lv family village that is submerged
Every joint of Lv Dong seems to be rusted, as if it would make a sound with the slightest movement. In this hot summer, having his legs submerged in water for too long has left his bones feeling cold
Lu Dong will go to burn something else
He still wishes to be a simple and honest person for a lifetime
Lu Dong wiped his body and stood shirtless by the roadside, while the personnel from the infirmary applied iodine to the places where leeches had bitten him
When one side is in trouble, support comes from all directions. Many people from nearby villages rushed over, some even brought the sand and gravel they were using to build their new houses directly to the shore
Lu Dong lit a lighter to burn the leech on his other arm, but the flame was no longer hot, it no longer burned, and his teeth were no longer clenched
The leech fell to the ground.
This scene is somewhat chilling
Lü Dong grinned: "There are only leeches on the water hyacinth, they might attach to the body."
At this moment, he finally realized that his legs and arms were in pain as if they had been pricked by needles
Just now, he had a conversation with the old secretary of the village and others, and learned about the dangers from last night. The optimism and positivity of these individuals were unexpected
Lu Dong discarded the sledgehammer, joined forces with Uncle Qi, and the two supported each other as they walked back together along the bridge
The pain is brief and soon becomes unnoticeable, but this indicates that the leech has begun to feed on blood
The two individuals ceased their idle chatter and hurried to the bridgehead, where those above pulled while those below climbed, safely reaching the small embankment.
The torrential flood washes away the riverbank, taking with it patches of embankment soil and leaving behind numerous holes
Lv Dong pointed to the small dam: "The town mayor and the brigade secretary are over there"
Lu Dong is no longer the clueless adolescent he once was, and it is speculated that he might be engaged in some form of exemplary promotion or the like, changing his demeanor faster than a face-changing act: "Do you want me to pose? I have no problem with that; feel free to choose any posture."
Click
The water level does not recede, and the danger does not diminish
He gave a signal, and the publicity officer following behind picked up the camera again
Without actively seeking self-rescue, it would have been impossible to persist until now; it might have collapsed as early as last night
Many individuals in their forties and fifties stand motionless by the roadside, with some even sitting on the ground; it is not that they are being lazy, but rather that they lack the strength to move any further
Lü Dong untied the rope around his waist, took off his school uniform, threw it to a person beside him, and shouted: "Who has a lighter?"
Waaah—Waaah—
The sun-kissed face bears a hint of simplicity and sincerity
The river embankment constructed in the 1950s is excessively old, the S-bend is naturally perilous, and there are several areas in urgent need of attention, yet we are unable to mobilize personnel to provide support here
At Xiaoba Shang, Lü Zhenlin glanced at the newly arrived town mayor and shouted to the two people in the water: "Pay attention to safety, come back quickly!"
Thank you. Lu Dong flicked his lighter to burn the leech on his arm
Military vehicles stopped in the middle of the street, and one after another, figures jumped down from the vehicles
Abandonment leads to the destruction of homes and the demise of villages
Lu Dong turned his head to look and unconsciously stopped in his tracks
Yang Liewen rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a plastic lighter, handing it to Lu Dong: "Why not use mine?"
Lv Zhenlin has become wise with age, adding fuel to the fire: "His name is Lv Dong. He was the one who discovered the danger last night and also the one who went into the water to confirm it. He is a hero of Lvjiacun village."
Upon arriving at the place where sand and stones were piled on the street, Lü Dong bent down and said to the person with the bag: "Auntie, please give me some!"
This news instantly invigorated the spirits of all personnel involved in the battle
Prolonged high water level immersion has continuously posed risks to the riverbank, which has already been in disrepair for many years
The trials and tribulations of wind and rain have never been able to defeat the people living on this land
Yang Liewen, who comes from the urban area, appears calm and composed on the surface, yet there is an underlying sense of horror. With a simple and robust demeanor, the young man nonchalantly uses fire to burn his body, and after a while, a bug the size of a fingertip falls off.
The brief lunch abruptly came to an end, and the people gathered on the street once again plunged into the rescue efforts
That is a shade of olive green
Persevere! Persevere!
For those who frequently wade by the river, it is quite common to suck up leeches and pull them out, and Lü Dong can be considered highly skilled in this practice
The officer strode purposefully towards that direction, while Lü Dong caught his breath, propped himself up, shouldered the sandbag, and walked step by step towards the riverbank.
Go
Laughter erupted all around, and the tense expression on Lu Dong's face immediately collapsed
With a resolute expression and distant gaze
Take the photo! Yang Liewen instructed the publicity officer behind him
A man from the Li family next door quickly grabbed Lu Dong's arm, fearing he would act foolishly again, and nodded towards Yang Liewen and the two people behind him, saying: "This is Town Head Yang and the officials from the town."
In the Qingzhao River, there are mostly broad-bodied golden leeches, which are not easily dislodged once they attach themselves.
Including Lu Dong, the people from Lujiacun and several neighboring villages continued to reinforce the riverbank
Just as their ancestors charged forward for the future of the nation and the people, they rushed forward without hesitation
What happened?" asked Lü Jianren
Lü Jianren shouted: "Dongzi, go back! The rest belongs to the Ma family, it has nothing to do with us"