Chapter 238 - 182: Simulating the Scene

In the time that followed, everyone watched and listened very intently.

The hydraulic spreader clamps onto a beer bottle.

Exhibition of vehicle-mounted equipment.

The Second Squadron was also busy getting into action.

The non-commissioned officer responsible for the demonstration performed the use of some heavy-duty equipment while Fang Huai stood by and explained.

Outside in the yard, there was a lot of activity. Some girls were chatting with the soldiers of the Second Squadron, asking questions, all smiles and laughter.

It was a moment of bliss for the entire squadron.

The single men of the squadron, almost all of them, had come down.

The shyer ones stood by the group, with hands behind their back, putting on an appearance of being on duty.

Those with thicker skins went to chat with comrades who were surrounded by more girls, and as they chatted, they would also strike up a conversation with the girls.

Chen Zhenghai was one of the standouts. Despite being tall and plump, he spoke with great humor, amusing several girls from the taxation office to the point of covering their mouths to stifle their laughs.

Meanwhile, the training team in the front yard was practicing one-man triple carries, but the training area was a certain distance from the viewing area, so they could only watch enviously as the Second Squadron stole the spotlight.

A few members of the training team, who often greeted Fang Huai and were relatively familiar with him, took every opportunity to cough loudly in Fang Huai’s direction.

As if they had contracted jealousy-induced tuberculosis.

Fang Huai, of course, got the message.

So, taking the opportunity while Zhang Yaohuan explained the equipment, Fang Huai slipped away and approached Chen Zhechang to ask,

"Instructor, would it be possible to do some hook ladder and rope climbing demonstrations later? I’d like to take them on a tour. If it’s inconvenient, I’ll have the squadron organize it."

No sooner had he said this than the training team immediately erupted:

"How could it be inconvenient? It’s convenient, we love playing on the training tower!"

"Fang Huai, you’re such a nice guy!"

"Give me a chance, and today I’ll open their eyes!"

Chen Zhechang, with hands clasped behind his back, couldn’t help but laugh and said,

"All the wolves from your Second Squadron are down here today, aren’t you afraid of your squad leaders losing business and looking for trouble with you?"

"Hey!" Fang Huai laughed, shaking his head,

"It’s been almost half an hour, those who still haven’t connected are just out of luck. Since we have the opportunity, everyone should give it a try. I’m just worried about disrupting your training schedule."

"Ha ha ha ..." Chen Zhechang raised his hand and gave Fang Huai a thumbs up, "No problem! Martial arts competition is important, but so is the happpiness of the brothers! We’ll treat this afternoon as a time to regroup!"

Then, turning to the training team, he said with a smile:

"You guys give a performance for the visitors later, and then you can disperse for the afternoon!

Take advantage of the opportunity this afternoon, but remember to maintain the image of a soldier!

The training we miss this afternoon will be made up tonight and tomorrow, alright?"

"Sure! No problem, Instructor!"

"Ha ha ha, I’m on my knees for you, Instructor!"

The training team resembled unleashed huskies, instantly excited.

Fang Huai then left with a chuckle.

Watching Fang Huai’s departing figure, Chen Zhechang couldn’t help but smile.

The more he looked at the young man, the more he felt that the military uniform suited him best.

...

After sorting out everyone’s happiness, Fang Huai moved to the back of the crowd, beside Yang Shaoqing, and watched Zhang Yaohuan’s explanation of the combat uniform.

Yang Shaoqing noticed him and smiled.

Fang Huai saw that Yang Shaoqing had half a bottle of water and curiously asked, "Who gave it to you?"

"Squad Leader Hao," Yang Shaoqing pointed at Hao Chengbin who was sitting on a bench in front of the flowerbed, chatting happily with a young woman with short hair.

"Oh my... Squad Leader Hao is quite bold!" Fang Huai was dumbfounded.

Right beside them was the squadron’s camera; weren’t they afraid of leaving evidence?

But upon a closer look, the woman was wearing a shirt that was part of a police uniform, and the two seemed intimately familiar, obviously not just acquainted.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

It turned out the rightful sister-in-law was visiting.

Only then did Fang Huai chuckle and, turning back to look at the water in Yang Shaoqing’s hand, he casually took it, twisted it open, and guzzled it down.

Yang Shaoqing was stunned for a moment, her face turned slightly red, and she hesitated to speak.

After drinking, Fang Huai smiled at her and said, "Talking for a while made me really thirsty, and I still have to give a lecture later."

"You’re giving a lecture?" Yang Shaoqing shared a trait with her brother Chen Shuang, if a conversation got sidetracked, she easily forgot what had just happened.

"Yeah," Fang Huai nodded, pointed to the military uniform on his shoulder, leaned in close to her ear, and whispered, "That’s why I’m wearing this. The instructor lent it to me."

Yang Shaoqing felt a tingling sensation in her ear that spread to her cheeks, turning them red. She stepped back half a step, frowning slightly.

Fang Huai also finally noticed the awkwardness and realized that Yang Shaoqing was still a young girl, he too retreated half a step tactically.

Clearing his throat, he hurriedly returned to the less awkward topic from before, raising the water bottle in his hand, "Do you... want some water? I can go upstairs and get you another bottle."

This time Yang Shaoqing did not let the subject change and, puffed up with indignation, raised her hand to Fang Huai’s cheek. But when she pinched, she was very gentle.

"You, you, you... I’ll pinch you to death."

Fang Huai laughed.

Taking the opportunity, he picked up her tender hand from his cheek, held it in his own, and stepped closer to her.

Yang Shaoqing, uncharacteristically submissive, did not pull her hand away.

But, luck would not have it.

They hadn’t even enjoyed a minute before the Zhang Yaohuan in front called everyone to try on the combat uniform.

Yang Shaoqing tilted her head to look at Fang Huai.

Fang Huai smiled, "What’s so strange about that? Once you become a military spouse, you’ll have plenty of opportunities like this."

With that, Fang Huai released Yang Shaoqing and wove through the crowd to the front, mentioned the next part of the schedule to Zhang Yaohuan, and then returned to Yang Shaoqing’s side.

"Come on, let’s go do something else that’s fun."

...

Fifteen minutes later, in front of the training tower.

The backyard was buzzing with voices.

Fang Huai stood on the edge of the rooftop and looked down; more and more people were arriving, and many passers-by entered the Fire Brigade when they saw the sign at the gate.

The more people the better.

He still had a task to complete today.

"Places everyone, ready, begin!"

With a loud yell from Chen Zhechang, two members of the training team charged toward the training tower with a ladder, leaned it against the second-floor window sill, and climbed up with swift movements.

On the second floor, pull up the ladder, flip over, each movement very smooth.

"Wow..."

"Oh my gosh, they’re so brave!"

"So cool!"

Applause and praises came from below.

At the side of the tower, Zhang Yaohuan was giving an explanation, but Fang Huai was busy preparing something else.

Yang Shaoqing peered down worriedly and said, "There are so many people. Is it really okay to do this?"

Fang Huai let out a long sigh, "I’ve tried my best. I can’t help it, it’s a task assigned by the squadron."

As he spoke, he saw Song Lin running towards him from below. Fang Huai then let down a black rope he had prepared.

Once Song Lin had caught the rope, Fang Huai waited for a break when the first group of the training team with hook ladders had all entered the tower, and then he shouted suddenly:

"The high-voltage line has grounded!!"

There was a moment of silence in the crowd; everyone looked in his direction.

Song Lin, holding the black rope, began to convulse on the ground.

At the side of the training tower, Xiao Haishan and Han Yong ran over quickly, intending to "rescue" Song Lin.

Fang Huai continued to shout in panic, "Don’t come over! High voltage line! Danger!"

Xiao Haishan, heeding the warning, collapsed and also began to convulse.

Han Yong hesitated for a moment before lying down stiffly on the concrete ground and started to convulse as well.

The crowd immediately began to panic.

Fang Huai yelled, "There’s high-voltage electricity on the ground! Don’t run around! Running around will get people killed!"

More people began to retreat from the surrounding area.

It was a joke; facing a high-voltage electric line and not running? Impossible. As long as I run fast enough, electricity can’t catch up with me!

However, soon, Little Black and Zhao Jinchen, dressed in yellow insulating suits, rushed into the playground and bellowed:

"Don’t move, don’t move! Step voltage! One step, and you’ll get electrocuted!"

Upon seeing firefighters in gear arriving, the scattered crowd immediately stopped, though a few frightened children began to cry and were held tightly by their parents, unable to move.

The members of the training team around, seeing the insulation suits, quickly followed Little Black and Zhao Jinchen’s instructions, holding onto the people next to them.

But it wasn’t long before someone tested the waters and took a couple of steps forward.

After that, a voice shattered the silence of the playground.

"Comrade, I’ve taken several steps already, but I didn’t get electrocuted!"

Everyone also remembered how they had run so far just a moment ago, and yet nothing had happened.

More and more people tried walking a few steps and found they were fine.

"Comrade, are you guys doing that... drill?"

"Exercise! An electric shock exercise!"

"Haha, how do you exercise for electric shock? This is called a disaster prevention exercise!" Some informed personnel in the crowd began laughing.

Everyone started to relax.

At this moment, Fang Huai came running down from the building and patted the few people on the ground.

The three new recruits who had "been electrocuted" got up from the ground.

Seeing this, grievances arose once more from the crowd.

"Comrade, what are you scaring us for? It’s one thing to scare us, but there are children here!"

"Right! There are so many children here. What if a stampede happened?"

Fang Huai approached, raising his voice, "I’m sorry, everyone. I apologize for the fright you’ve experienced just now.

However, this is not an exercise, but an on-site simulation.

Last week’s high-voltage collapse incident that happened on Tongxin Road, have you heard about it? It’s just a few kilometers from here."

The crowd exploded once again with discussions about last week’s accident.

"Oh, that big truck, it pulled down the high-voltage line..."

"Yeah, I heard that five or six people died..."

"What high-voltage line collapse?"

"Eek... let’s not talk about it, it was very tragic, very tragic."

Fang Huai then raised his hand and said loudly, "The situation today was exactly the same as back then.

We were responsible for police dispatch. I was on the scene then, and two men and one woman died beneath the high-voltage line.

And honestly, if that accident had happened here, based on everyone’s reaction just now, I’m afraid more than half would have died."

The crowd was abuzz.

"No way, if it happens, it’s just fate. Our luck can’t be that bad!"

But Fang Huai shook his head, "We can’t leave everything to fate. Yesterday, we learned more about the incident.

Before we arrived at the scene that day, a person with electrical knowledge had escaped from near the high-voltage line, and he loudly warned the two men who died not to move. However, after hearing a thunderous noise from the overhead lines, they insisted on jumping out of their vehicle to escape.

As a result, they died from the electric shock.

Is this fate? I don’t think so. They died because of ignorance.

If you think it’s fate, you can stay here to watch our soldiers’ performance, but if you want to learn how to save your own life, please follow me to the multi-functional hall on the fourth floor."

The crowd once again fell silent.

Everyone looked at one another.

The various units that knew about the safety briefing process at the multi-functional hall naturally wanted to go.

However, this event had been treated like a political task by them before, and now, after this scare, it seemed to have become a bit more interesting.

The team leaders quickly began to call people to gather.

But among the onlookers, a couple scoffed, "Crazy!" and then left.

Others, wordlessly, took their children and left.

Fang Huai could only heave a sigh.

Promoting safety is a heavy and long road.

Fortunately, more than two-thirds stayed behind.

Most were young people, and some were those who were moved by Fang Huai’s actions during the arm-wrestling.

Fang Huai immediately had a few same year soldiers guide them up.

But this left the training team in a bind.

Dammit, we were brought here to demonstrate techniques, and just as we were getting started, we’re moving on to another item?

Aren’t we just tools for gathering everyone here?

Fang Huai, however, naturally scolded the training team, "Move it! Was your simulation just now up to standard?

You’re all holding onto each other; if that was a real high-voltage line, you would have already electrocuted the people around you!

The multi-functional hall seats 150! Are you afraid there won’t be enough room?

I’m telling you, we’re going to use the projector later, and it won’t be bright. Everyone can sit wherever they want, just like a movie theater!"

At these words, the expressive ones immediately changed their demeanor.

"I’m in!"

"Me too!"

"Hahaha, count me in! Fang Huai, you’re really awesome!"