Chapter 773 - 507: Corps Captain, Why Are You Crying? _2

Additionally, the Mi-26 chartered by Feilong Aviation departed from the Northeast Daxing’anling at noon, briefly rested in Harbin, then flew to Chongqing.

Reporters kept arriving.

In fact, Fang Huai didn’t dislike reporters.

Though sometimes too busy to engage, he wouldn’t shun them; when he had time, he would even cooperate with interviews.

Because having many reporters at the disaster site meant greater attention and support, the victims and their families could receive more hope and care.

...

At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, there was a loud boom beside Jiwei Mountain, and a huge plume of yellow smoke rose from the rubble.

A trial explosion had taken place, but the mountain remained stable.

Fang Huai observed for a while and then took a two-way radio labeled "Monitoring Team" from a bag on the ground.

"All monitoring stations, report your observations."

"Number 1 station normal."

"Number 2 station normal."

...

"Number 16 station, scattered rocks sliding down at Jiwei Mountain, fracture surface normal."

Only then did Fang Huai switch to another radio and said, "Cleanup team, handle the drilling rig’s work surface."

After speaking, he waved his hand, and a newly landed, assembled crawler drilling rig slowly moved past him towards the blast site.

"Perimeter search and rescue teams, do not approach within 150 meters of Jiwei Mountain. A second explosion may take place in one hour."

"Received."

The rumble of Straight 8’s propellers was drawing near; Fang Huai looked up briefly then switched to another radio.

"Equipment support team, the air compressor should have arrived. We don’t need it for now, find a suitable place on the platform to stack it."

"Received!"

Fang Huai was like a general or a precise instrument, with Jiwei Mountain under his command like a giant chessboard; every move he made, the progress at every position was clear in his mind. A thousand and hundreds of people were being coordinated by the stack of radios in Fang Huai’s bag, like a game of chess -- knights moving forward, rooks sliding across.

Besides the on-site arrangements, there was also the inspection of surrounding potential risks, evacuation of the masses, and the tens of thousands of cubic meters of water in the barrier lake at the foot of the mountain had been nearly drained by firefighting pipes that had been laid since last night.

The leaders on the ground platform listening to the continuous radio messages coming from the same person were all marvelling at his control capabilities.

When senior leaders give compliments, they do not do so like Li Yunlong with a hearty laugh proclaiming "I see you can be a regimental leader," but with a slight nod and say:

"Fang Huai... what a good name."

...

The next day.

The search and rescue perimeter found 3 more bodies.

A light drizzle began falling, persistently since last night. The sky above Wulong Iron Mine Township, from 8 o’clock in the morning until the afternoon, was mostly a uniform pale grey, without a glimpse of sunlight except for a brief moment at noon.

Flights had been grounded for half the day.

However, all the necessary equipment and materials had already arrived on site; they had even prepared oil paper cloth to cover them. As soon as it started raining, the gear on either side was covered and placed on the platform.

But, after a night of erosion, the fissure on the mountain seemed to have become larger and longer.

In the afternoon, the sky darkened for a while but it didn’t rain, yet at 3 o’clock, a distant peal of thunder suddenly rumbled.

Fang Huai stood on the peak of the excavated mountain and observed the dark clouds in the distance for a while. He sighed, took one last reluctant look at the hollow below that was about to undergo its fourth explosion, and picked up the radio to say:

"Everyone, retreat to the tent area 300 meters back. Command, the leaders at the headquarters please come out first, then retreat another 100 meters. A strong wind is coming and the houses are not safe."

A chorus of "Received" was heard on the radio.

But there was some reluctance in the hollow below, "Commander Fang, the fourth explosion is about to start, can’t it wait?"

But Fang Huai’s voice was very firm.

"Carry out the orders! In no more than ten minutes, torrential rain will arrive! Accompanied by strong wind from the southwest, cover up the machines, gather the villagers at the site quickly, and move back!"

...

Ten minutes later, everyone quickly retreated down several temporary construction tracks to the tent area to gather, and the leaders were even moved about three or four hundred meters away from Jiwei Mountain.

Everyone was talking.

The weather clearly indicated that a heavy rain was approaching, and the comrades from the Meteorological Bureau had informed them in advance.

Construction was supposed to stop at noon today, but Fang Huai had said it wouldn’t come down just yet, and they had managed to work another two or three hours.

But as for the southwest wind, everyone felt none of it.

It had been ten minutes, with no sense of wind and no rain either.

Yet Fang Huai only cared about shouting at some people who had not yet retreated, "Hurry up! Quick!"

A few more minutes passed, the troops fully gathered and the locals were settled behind the troops. The scene was very quiet, and the leaders behind did not speak, just silently stared up the mountain.

Still, there was no sign of wind or rain.

The atmosphere was filled with a silent skepticism.

Fang Huai himself was somewhat cursing under his breath. He had scrutinized the sky, and clearly seen the dark clouds coming quickly with the southwest wind, but as they approached, they suddenly slowed.

Finally, the Meteorological Bureau expert behind spoke up, explaining for Fang Huai:

"Strong convective weather usually occurs in the afternoon in summer, but it’s highly unpredictable. Its energy derives from the ground absorbing shortwave radiation from the sun. This morning’s forecast wasn’t very accurate; the sky was overcast, and the ground didn’t absorb enough thermal radiation, so our prediction wasn’t necessarily accurate. Comrade Xiao Fang might have been misled by our forecast."

Everyone suddenly understood.

All this time, Commander Fang was also relying on the weather forecast!

Heh, trusting the weather forecast to be accurate? Even the Meteorological Bureau themselves said it’s not certain!

Some soldiers and locals began to discuss again.

Only the Second Squadron had unshakeable faith and even took out their raincoats to put them on.