Great Power Reclamation

Chapter 2962 A Severe Test
Winter in northern Xinjiang arrives swiftly and fiercely.

When the Siberian cold front, carrying snowflakes, covered the vast land like a giant white carpet, the "Northern Xinjiang Clear Spring Project" faced its first severe test after the water supply began.

In the extreme cold of minus 20 or 30 degrees Celsius, the surging "blue artery" seemed to have its pulse frozen instantly, and the operation and maintenance work entered an unprecedented "wartime state".

The biggest threat comes from "ice." As the water flow in the channels slows down, especially at night, water meters begin to freeze, forming ice caps.

The obstruction of water flow under the ice cap and the change in pressure make it easier to form "ice flowers" suspended in the water and "ice flakes" that accumulate at the bottom of the channel and at the gate.

These seemingly soft ice crystals, once they accumulate in large quantities, can clog channels, raise water levels, and even cause enormous damage to gates and pumping station blades.

The main canal downstream of the "Qingquan No. 1" photovoltaic-storage combined power station was the first to be in critical condition.

The patrolman reported that the ice layer in this section of the canal was more than 30 centimeters thick, and the water level was rising abnormally, posing an imminent risk of overflow and breach.

If this happens, it will not only destroy the canal banks and flood surrounding facilities, but may also cause the entire Gobi section of water transport to be interrupted.

Upon receiving the report, Chen Shanhe immediately led his technical team to the scene despite the wind and snow.

The biting wind was like a knife, piercing through their thick cotton-padded clothes. They saw that the once wide channel had been sealed off by a white ice cap, with only a thin line of dark water struggling to move in the middle.

Beneath the ice layer, wispy ice crystals are faintly visible, resembling lurking white monsters.

"We must break the ice immediately and lower the water level!" Chen Shanhe decisively ordered.

Traditional blasting methods are too risky and may damage the channel structure.

They brought in a construction vehicle equipped with a hydraulic breaker, which hammered at the hard ice surface with a "thump! thump! thump!" sound, but the process was inefficient and slow.

The manual ice-breaking team also went up to the canal bank, using steel chisels and picks to gnaw at the ice layer bit by bit. Ice chips flew everywhere, and sweat instantly froze on their brows. The progress was far behind the rate at which ice floes were forming.

When the news reached New York, Ye Feng was hosting a seminar on new energy technologies.

He immediately paused the meeting and connected to the video call from northern Xinjiang. On the screen, Chen Shanhe's white eyebrows were covered in frost, and his breath blurred the image. In the background, there was a busy and anxious crowd in the wind and snow.

"Uncle Chen, how serious is the situation?" Ye Feng's voice was filled with concern.

"This is troublesome, Xiao Feng!" Chen Shanhe said quickly. "The conventional ice-breaking methods are too slow! And this is just the beginning. According to the forecast, this strong cold wave will last for another week! If we can't find a more effective method, the entire line could be in trouble!"

Ye Feng pondered for a moment, his gaze sharpening: "We can't rely solely on manpower. Wait for my news, and I'll see if we can come up with a technical solution."

He immediately contacted the Warrior Group's branch in Northern Europe.

The Nordic countries have world-leading experience and technology in dealing with extreme cold and snow.

Ye Feng instructed them to immediately gather all the latest information on technologies and equipment for ice prevention and de-icing of large channels and ports, especially non-explosive and low-destructive solutions, and to provide an assessment report as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, in northern Xinjiang, Ma Jianguo also activated the emergency plan, coordinating with surrounding farms and townships to organize more young and middle-aged laborers to support the front line of ice breaking.

Uncle Aishan arrived with the young people from the cooperative. They tied thick hemp ropes around their waists, with the other end attached to sturdy stakes, and braved the danger of slipping into the icy water as they vigorously swung their picks along the canal.

Amidst the wind and snow, shouts, the roar of machinery, and the cracking of ice intertwined, composing a tragic and heroic battle song of man's struggle against nature.

In less than 24 hours, the Nordic branch of the Warrior Group sent back detailed plans and suggestions. Among them, a combination of "underwater acoustic resonance icebreaking" technology and "deep-water heating and circulation system" caught Ye Feng's attention.

Acoustic resonance ice breaking: By installing a sound wave generator at a specific location underwater, low-frequency sound waves of a specific frequency are emitted, causing tiny cracks to appear inside the ice layer and continue to expand, thereby weakening the structural strength of the ice layer from the inside, making it easier for it to be dispersed by water flow or to be broken up.

Special heat exchange pipelines are laid at the bottom of key pump station forebays and canal sections prone to siltation and ice accumulation, utilizing the surplus electricity generated by the photovoltaic power station during the day when the daytime sunshine is still strong in winter.

Alternatively, a small geothermal pump can be used to slightly heat the bottom water by only 1-2 degrees Celsius, creating an upward micro-warm current that prevents or slows down the freezing process and promotes vertical convection, preventing ice flakes from settling.

Both of these technologies are physical methods that cause almost no damage to the channel structure and can be automated or remotely controlled, making them very suitable for integration into the "Smart Spring" system.

Ye Feng immediately sent the plan and supplier information back to the Northern Xinjiang Command and instructed the Warrior Group headquarters to spare no expense and airlift the first batch of core equipment and technical experts to the Northern Xinjiang region of China as quickly as possible.

When the wooden crate containing the sound wave generator and heat exchange pipeline arrived at the disaster relief site under armed escort, Chen Shanhe and his technical team were overjoyed.

With the assistance of accompanying foreign experts (who provided guidance via video link) and domestic engineers from the Warrior Group, they raced against time to carry out the installation and debugging.

The first batch of equipment was installed in the canal section where the ice conditions were most severe. When the sound generator was submerged and the power was turned on, a low, almost imperceptible humming sound spread through the water.

At first, the ice surface seemed unchanged. But a few hours later, the patrolmen were pleasantly surprised to find that the hard ice sheet, which previously required a heavy hammer to break open, could now be easily pried open and floated to the surface with a steel chisel!
The force of the water flow increases, carrying the broken ice blocks downstream to the pre-set ice barriers for centralized processing.

Meanwhile, the deep-water heating system also began operating in the forebay of the "Qingquan No. 1" pumping station.

While it cannot completely prevent the water surface from freezing, it effectively reduces the thickness of the ice layer and significantly inhibits the formation of ice flakes, ensuring the safety of the water pump's intake.

The intervention of technology instantly reversed the passive situation. Ice-breaking efficiency increased exponentially, and the labor intensity and risks for rescue workers were greatly reduced.

Ma Jianguo watched as the water level in the previously worrying canal gradually receded below the safety line on the monitor screen. He let out a long sigh of relief and patted Chen Shanhe on the shoulder forcefully.

"Old Chen! Our 'Spring of Wisdom' has really shown its magic even inside the ice hole this time!"

A smile finally appeared on Chen Shanhe's tired face. Looking at the equipment that was still operating steadily in the wind and snow, he sighed:

"Thanks to Ye Feng and the others! This is truly a case of 'a gift of a goose feather from a thousand miles away, a small gift but a great sentiment,' no, it's like sending charcoal in the snow, a magical tool to break the ice!"

This successful technological breakthrough not only resolved the immediate crisis but also accumulated valuable experience for the winter operation of the "Clear Spring Project" and improved emergency response plans.

The command center decided to promote this anti-icing and de-icing system at key nodes along the entire line during subsequent project improvements. However, while the builders in northern Xinjiang were fighting against natural disasters, another war without gunfire was quietly escalating in the distant international capital markets.

The huge success of the first "Qingquan Bonds" and the positive image that the "Beijiang Yuanwei" brand has initially established at international exhibitions have touched the nerves of some international competitors and those with ulterior motives.

Unable to openly deny the effectiveness of "Operation Clear Spring," they began to target more covert areas—shorting Warrior Group and related bonds.

An organization called Octavia Hedge Fund began distributing carefully crafted "research reports" in the international market.

The report claims that an "independent investigation" found that the actual operating costs of the "Clear Spring Project" far exceeded expectations, and that maintenance costs were a "bottomless pit."

The sales figures for "Beijiang Yuanwei" are suspected of being exaggerated, and its acceptance in the high-end market is far lower than advertised.

It even suggests that the Warrior Group is facing enormous pressure on the cash flow of its core business due to its continued investment in the "Clear Spring" project.

These reports, a mix of truth and falsehood and highly misleading, coupled with some anonymous "market news," have begun to create panic among certain investor groups.

The share price of Warrior Group in Hong Kong fluctuated slightly, and the pricing of the second phase of "Qingquan Bonds" also felt some pressure.

Michael Chen's team detected the unusual market fluctuations and the short sellers' moves immediately.

"Feng, they've made their move."

Michael told Ye Feng on the phone, his tone grave, "Octavia is notoriously ruthless and adept at profiting from information asymmetry and market sentiment."

They want to suppress prices, create chaos, and possibly even buy at low prices before we issue our second tranche of bonds.

Ye Feng sneered, his eyes sharp as knives: "Clowns are ultimately destined to hide in the light. If they want to play, we'll play a big game with them. It's time to let the world see more clearly what the true nature of 'Clear Spring' really is!"

Ye Feng swiftly retaliated, having Warrior Group and Longteng Capital jointly issue a strongly worded clarification announcement with detailed data.

They refuted the fallacies in the short-selling report point by point and announced that they would consider taking legal action to protect their rights.

Next, he made a bold decision—to invite a group of credible international financial media journalists and senior industry analysts to form an "observation team" to conduct a five-day field investigation in northern Xinjiang.

They were allowed to visit the main canal of Qingquan, the photovoltaic power station, the intelligent command center, the medicinal herb base in Awati Township, and the new production line of Junken Pharmaceutical, and to have face-to-face exchanges with Ma Jianguo, Chen Shanhe, Liu Neng, Zeng Rou, and even front-line workers and farmers.

With the approval of the command center, he opened up some non-core real-time operation data interfaces of the "Smart Spring" system to the observation group to a limited extent, allowing them to see for themselves the authenticity and accuracy of data such as water flow, electricity consumption, and irrigation area.

At the same time, he invited the international engineering and environmental experts who had previously participated in the evaluation to issue another mid-term evaluation report on the operation phase of the "Clear Spring Project," which fully affirmed its technical approach, management efficiency, and overall benefits.

When the international observer team braved the bitter cold and set foot on the land of northern Xinjiang, they were deeply shocked by what they saw with their own eyes.

They saw the channels that remained open despite the extreme cold, thanks to advanced technology; they saw the photovoltaic arrays generating electricity stably in the snow; they saw how the intelligent system precisely allocated every drop of water; and they saw the genuine smiles on Uncle Aishan's and his fellow villagers' faces when they talked about the "clear spring."

We also witnessed the strict standards of "Northern Xinjiang Origin Flavor" goji berries from planting to processing, and the ultimate pursuit of quality in the modern workshop of Junken Pharmaceutical.

In the command center, a senior analyst from Europe pointed to the data flashing on the large screen and whispered to his colleague:
"My God, the granularity and real-time performance of this data are more advanced than many European projects I've seen. The 'management chaos' mentioned in the short-selling report is a joke."

The reports following the inspection were almost unanimously positive and full of amazement.

Authoritative financial media outlets published articles titled "The 'Clear Spring in Northern Xinjiang': A Green Miracle Forged with Numbers and Sweat" and "Breaking Prejudice."

Titles such as "High-Tech Water Conservancy and Agricultural Revival in the Gobi Desert" detailed their observations.

These reports, with their firsthand accounts and professionalism, dealt a heavy blow to the short-selling forces.

Market confidence quickly recovered and further strengthened. Warrior Group's stock not only recovered its losses but also reached a new high.

The issuance of the second tranche of "Qingquan Bonds" received even more enthusiastic support than the first tranche, with interest rates further reduced and financing costs falling.

Short sellers like Octavia Fund suffered heavy losses and were defeated in the face of irrefutable facts and strong market confidence.

This turmoil, like a sudden cold snap, brought temporary trouble, but ultimately tempered the resilience and brilliance of the "Clear Spring Project".

It made the world more clearly aware that behind this project were solid technology, scientific management, the support of the people, and an unwavering belief.

The snowstorm will eventually pass, and spring will surely come. Having withstood the test of frost and snow, the "Northern Frontier Spring" has become even more solid, and its surging steps have become more steady and powerful.

It continues to flow towards a more distant future, carrying hope and nourishing dreams.

Ye Yuze and Yang Geyong sat in the helicopter, looking at the blue water bags in the snow and ice, feeling a mix of emotions.

Yang Geyong sighed deeply: "We're really getting old. Even if I saw this with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it."

Ye Yuze gave a wry smile: "Yes, history is always written by young people, and we will eventually take our final bow!"

Ayijiang turned and hugged Ye Yuze's arm: "Uncle Ye, Dad, no matter what, you will always be the pillars of the development of Northern Xinjiang!"

Liu Junken said with a fawning expression, "Ayijiang is right. Northern Xinjiang will never be able to do without you!"

Ye Yuze and Yang Geyong exchanged a glance and laughed.
"It would be more appropriate for us to retire back on the Texas farm."

Ayijiang complained, "Why do you all insist on going to the United States? Isn't the military reclamation city good enough?"

Yang Geyong said without hesitation: "Infiltrate the enemy and use them against them!"

Everyone burst into laughter...