Scholars in the courtyard.

Chapter 3333 This act is of immeasurable merit.

Chapter 3333 This act is of immeasurable merit.

Runan, Qingmushan Iron and Steel Plant.

This is a steel mill with a long history, which can be traced back to the period of warlord conflicts.

However, at that time, not only was steel production low, but the quality of the products was also difficult to meet the requirements.

Even so, it was a well-known steel mill in Jizhou at the time.

After liberation, the factory resumed production with the concerted efforts of the workers. Subsequently, with the support of the alliance, it underwent restructuring and its production capacity rapidly increased, making it an important economic pillar of Runan area.

However, after the glory of the Great Leap Forward, it inevitably fell into a trough.

In the following years, the factory struggled in a cycle of overcapacity, poor quality, inconsistent output, and lack of orders, and its profitability continued to decline.

The situation only took a turn for the better after their steel mill was incorporated into the Ninth Department.

Before the establishment of the Ninth Department, the steel mill did not pay attention, even though they were not far from Beijing.

But who would pay attention to a newly established department?

In particular, the slogan this department uses is 'innovation,' which has absolutely nothing to do with their traditional steel industry.

So the steel plant's leadership didn't care at all, or rather, no one in the steel plant cared.

He would only say a few words of admiration after learning from the newspapers and radio that the Ninth Division had achieved one success after another, and then feel happy for the progress of the revolution.

Then there is no more then.

They didn't feel that the Nine Departments were nearby; on the contrary, they felt that the Nine Departments were far away from them.

The glory achieved by the Nine Divisions seemed unreal to them, as if they were in two different worlds.

They heard how great the Ninth Department was, what achievements it had made, and how well its workers were treated.

And they also have to worry about factory production and family life.

But no one expected that all of this would be shattered the year before last.

That year, they received a notice from their superiors that from that moment on, they were officially assigned to the Ninth Industrial Machinery Department and became a member of the department.

At that moment, they felt like a windfall had fallen from the sky, and that their factory had a chance to turn things around and had a future to look forward to.

Then I started to feel anxious and insecure.

Because people in their line of work are well-informed about things within the industry.

The discipline of the Nine Departments is exceptionally strict.

Not only have operating procedures been established, but a quality control department has also been set up to manage and conduct spot checks. Any non-compliance must be rectified, and those who refuse to rectify will be directly dismissed.

Being asked to resign is like throwing away a secure job.

More importantly, the incident at the Liuzhou Machinery Factory has made it into the newspapers.

Everyone knows that you shouldn't offend anyone but the Ninth Department.

Because the security department of the Ninth Division is truly formidable.

Airplanes, tanks, and armored vehicles can travel thousands of miles – this isn't just talk, nor is it just lyrics on a stage; it's a real phenomenon.

Therefore, after being incorporated into the Nine Departments, they obediently followed them.

They had no choice but to leave. The workers below all knew that following the Ninth Department meant they would have a good life. Could these leaders go against the workers' wishes?

No.

Back then, a working group from the headquarters steel plant came down and began reforms after entering the steel plant.

All open-hearth furnaces in the steel plant were replaced with oxygen top-blown converters.

At the time, many veteran workers did not want to change and were resisting.

The reason, of course, is the fear of losing the technical skills they have.

However, the working group's attitude was very firm and left no room for doubt.

Moreover, they weren't unreasonable, because most of the staff who came down were workers from the headquarters steel plant. They had mastered the technology of oxygen top-blown converters and were willing to teach the technology to others.

After dealing with two uncooperative workers, the technology was quickly adopted.

In just six months, all the factory workers completed the transformation with the help of the working group, and the workers also mastered the operating procedures.

From that time on, quality became the sole criterion for the entire operation.

Then came the orders from the Ninth Department.

The order task made all the workers so excited they could jump for joy.

There were too many, so many that even the factory secretary, director, and deputy director couldn't sleep at night.

Because having a task leads to achievements.

Achieving good results in the Ninth Department means receiving benefits.

Sure enough, four trucks were delivered from the Ninth Department that year, all filled with Spring Festival benefits.

That year, the workers happily returned home carrying canned goods, towels, and enamel mugs, having enjoyed a good New Year.

The following year, the factory's security department underwent restructuring.

The security department is no longer a place anyone can just squeeze into, nor is it a place you can get in through connections.

To enter, you must obtain approval from headquarters.

To stay, you must meet the headquarters' performance evaluation standards.

From that time on, the factory took on a completely new look, and the atmosphere remained the same as before.

The passion in the workers' hearts has returned.

The factory's vibrant, bustling days have returned.

From that time on, everyone in the factory knew that following Department Nine was the right thing to do.

In the latter half of that year, a machinery factory, a chemical plant, and a machine tool factory were also established in the surrounding area.

Although these factories were not under the jurisdiction of the Ninth Department, they relied on this steel plant to develop rapidly and became a new economic development zone in Runan.

Immediately, their steel plant seemed to step on the gas, constantly creating one miracle after another.

Last year, the nine departments received three television sets for their Spring Festival gala performance.

That night, the entire factory gathered in the empty playground, and many people had to prepare binoculars in order to watch the small screen.

That night, they saw the power of headquarters on television.

That's right, it's powerful.

That evening, they met the leaders of the Ninth Department, especially the excessively young General Manager Yang, who left a deep impression on everyone.

At that moment, they heard General Manager Yang's voice from above.

At that moment, a beam of light shone down from above the Qingmushan Steel Plant.

The deputy factory director, who was on duty, rushed out of the workshop and looked at the helicopter in the sky despite the rain.

"I am Yang Xiaotao from the Ninth Department."

The sound was loud, and the people below could hear it clearly.

However, what they could not accept was that General Manager Yang actually asked them to evacuate and abandon state property. How could this be allowed?

The factory director and the Party secretary rushed over upon receiving the news. A helicopter was still flying in the distance, and the sound of its loudspeaker pierced through the rain to reach everyone's ears.

Factory director Wang Qiang is an elderly man with gray hair who is expected to retire after the Chinese New Year.

At this moment, everyone's eyes were on the old man, waiting for him to make a decision.

"Factory manager, this area is the result of our hard work."

"So what if there's a flood?"

"It's not like we haven't been through it before."

"Yes, factory manager, I'll have people pile up sandbags right away. We must save the factory."

As the crowd shouted, factory manager Wang Qiang raised his hand and yelled imposingly, "Shut the hell up!"

The people around dared not speak, each one silent as if trembling with fear.

Where is Team Leader Wang?

"Has anyone seen Team Leader Wang?"

Wang Qiang shouted loudly, but he was looking for the working group that came from headquarters, Wang Zhisheng, the group leader.

"Here, here."

At that moment, Wang Zhisheng ran over carrying a small box.

"Team Leader Wang, what are you doing?"

Wang Qiang and the others asked curiously. Wang Zhisheng was taken aback, then pointed to the helicopter not far away, "You, you didn't hear President Yang's voice?"

Several people looked at each other.

The workshop foreman whispered, "Team Leader Wang, we heard General Manager Yang's voice, but he told us to evacuate. What will happen to the factory if he leaves?"

"Foolish!"

"How dare you question President Yang's decision?"

Wang Zhisheng immediately stepped back, as if he were afraid of the director.

This caused everyone present to change their expressions, and they immediately moved away from the director who had just spoken.

"No, no, no, I didn't, I'm not."

The workshop foreman was almost in tears. If this got out, would he still be able to stay at the steel plant?

Even nine departments would be in trouble. Just then, the head of the security department, who was not far away, ran over with his men.

They and the factory workers are from two different systems. Yang Xiaotao is not only the head of the Ninth Department, but also the leader of the Security Department.

They must obey their leader's orders unconditionally.

Upon seeing the workshop foreman, he asked what had happened.

"Team Leader Wang, what do you suggest we do?"

Wang Qiang ignored the others and went straight up to ask.

Wang Zhisheng said directly, "Follow General Manager Yang's instructions, take the important documents and leave immediately, move to higher ground."

"Fortunately, our boiler doesn't operate much at night, so we immediately stopped it and cut off the power."

At this point, Wang Zhisheng looked at the head of the security department, "Head of the security department, you have also received General Manager Yang's orders."

"You shouldn't be here now; you should be organizing the surrounding people to evacuate immediately."

Section Chief Li had already learned about the situation, so how could he dare to question it now? He slapped his thigh and said, "I just came here to talk to you. I'll go right now."

After saying that, he shouted to the security personnel behind him, "You all split up and go to the various factories to organize the security personnel to participate in the operation. Tell everyone that this is an order from above. Anyone who doesn't obey will be in big trouble."

"Also, go to the brigade headquarters in each village and ring the bell to make everyone evacuate."

"Captain, which way should we retreat?"

"We'll retreat to where it's higher."

Section Chief Li rushed off in a hurry. Wang Qiang glanced at the people around him who were still in a daze and shouted, "What are you all standing there for? Get to work!"

"Get to work!"

In an instant, everyone rushed to their posts.

The rain was still pouring down from the sky.

Yang Xiaotao's voice was already hoarse, and even with Xiaowei's help, his tone had changed as he shouted all the way.

"Mr. Yang, let me call it for you."

"From the passenger seat," the driver called out, turning around.

Yang Xiaotao shook his head, "No need, I'm fine."

Where are we now?

"We're almost at the border of Runan."

The driver glanced at the map and said.

How are the others?

The driver shook his head. "We can't get in touch with Director Liang and the others."

Yang Xiaotao nodded, then glanced at the time.

11:05 PM.

"Let's continue flying forward."

"it is good!"

The two pilots exchanged a glance, then looked helpless.

Several leaders had instructed before the trip that General Manager Yang absolutely could not have any problems.

There's nothing they can do about Mr. Yang's personality.

It's 2:30 a.m. on the Banqiao Dam.

Wang Hao led a group of people to continuously reinforce the dike.

Today, not only are the original dam workers on this dam, but also the rapid response team members who came down from the four Chinooks.

In addition, some villagers came to help after hearing the news.

Nearly a thousand people are busy working on the entire dam.

The resulting dam was over two meters high, and people standing below had to climb a step to throw sandbags up.

Even so, everyone was still terrified as they looked at the river water in the sandbags.

Wang Hao stood on the sandbags, watching as the layer of sandbags he had just piled up was about to be submerged by water again, and he was so anxious that he jumped up and down.

Captain Liu was already exhausted and sat down to the side, his hands trembling and his legs cramping!

Engineer Wang was lying on the sandbags, panting heavily; he was too exhausted to continue.

At this moment, only a few dozen members of the rapid reaction squadron are still busy and working hard.

They knew that every minute they held out here meant one more minute for the people behind them to escape.

"Wang Hao, Wang Hao."

Suddenly, a voice rang out, and Wang Hao quickly looked up.

Then we saw Liang Zuoxin walking briskly across the dam.

Wang Hao immediately stepped forward and saluted, "Director Liang, what brings you here?"

Liang Zuoxin didn't say much, but looked at the dam ahead and shouted, "Where is the person in charge here?"

"there."

After saying that, Wang Hao led Liang Zuoxin and the others to Captain Liu.

After learning Liang Zuoxin's identity, both Captain Liu and Engineer Wang felt their legs tremble.

"Take them both away."

Liang Zuoxin didn't waste any time. The two of them knew the best about the dam, and he had to bring them along on this trip back to Beijing.

The two were pale-faced, but their hearts remained calm.

They were just workers, and they had done their duty this time. They have a clear conscience.

Just as the two were willingly preparing to leave, someone suddenly shouted in surprise, "The water level has receded!"

"They really withdrew."

The next moment, someone saw the water level on the other side of the sandbag begin to drop rapidly.

It felt like being sucked away by something.

While everyone was cheering, Engineer Wang, pale-faced, cried out in a shrill voice, "Run! The dam has collapsed! Run!"

Liang Zuoxin reacted quickly, grabbing Wang Gong and running to the sides.

The others realized what was happening and ran to the sides, shouting to each other.

Soon, when the group arrived at the hillside, they found that a huge breach had been breached in the dam behind them.

As the breach continued to widen, massive amounts of floodwater rushed down like mountains.

Liang Zuoxin stared in disbelief at the scene before him.

This overwhelming momentum was so powerful that even the most battle-hardened will felt powerless at this moment.

This mountain-sized flood was simply beyond the ability of a defense line made of sacks to stop.

It's simply beyond human power to stop.

patter

Captain Liu's knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground, covering his head with his hands and tears streaming down his face, calling out one name after another.

That was his mother, his lover, and his wife and daughters.

His home is in a village downstream.

He stayed at his post until the very last moment, but he couldn't save the dam.

In his mind, he was the one who harmed his family.

Wang, lying prone to his knees, kept muttering, "I deserve to die, I really deserve to die."

The others all had the same expression, some even desperately wanting to jump into the water, but were pulled back by their companions.

Wang Hao breathed deeply into the cold rain, as if the flood had carried away the rain from the sky, and even the heavy rain had lessened considerably.

"Director Liang, originally I thought President Yang was making a mountain out of a molehill."

"But now, I feel that President Yang sees further than any of us, really, much further."

Liang Zuoxin didn't speak, but glanced at the two crying and shouting people, and then took a deep breath and shouted, "All of you, calm down!"

"General Manager Yang has already ordered the downstream personnel to evacuate."

"Your family members are all fine."

In an instant, the wailing man's eyes widened, and Captain Liu, his face covered in mud, looked up at Liang Zuoxin, "Director Liang, really?"

Liang Zuoxin looked down at the floodwaters and nodded vigorously.

The next second, cheers erupted from the crowd, and they embraced each other.

Ignoring the mud on their bodies, Captain Liu and Engineer Wang hugged each other tightly.

Wang Hao took a deep breath and then smiled, "President Yang's actions are truly meritorious."

Liang Zuoxin smiled and nodded, "Following President Yang, you won't miss anything."

"Isn't that so?"

"Yes!"

After he finished speaking, everyone laughed.