The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 568: Fighting floods and escaping danger!!!
Father-in-law Liu Zhiye, who was far away in Beijing, was busy, and he was always concerned about the growth of his son-in-law Zhong Xingguo and son Liu Wu.

Liu Zhiye felt that both of them had experienced war, but continuing to develop in the special forces might be detrimental to their future growth.

So after some discussion among the three of them, Zhong Xingguo was transferred to a certain army division as chief of staff, and Liu Wu reluctantly left the special forces and went to serve as battalion commander of a certain battalion.

It was this transfer that made Liu Wu once again experience a life-and-death test. It was when he and his comrades were fighting floods in a certain county. It was truly thrilling and unforgettable!
In the territory of Liu Wu’s camp, there is a town called Sanjiangkou, which is on the east bank of the middle reaches of the river; opposite is Shuangliao County, which is the confluence of the Xiliao River and the Dongliao River.

These two counties used to suffer from floods almost every year.

From July to early August every year, the local rainfall is heavy, and floods are severe, with batches of flood peaks flowing through the Liaohe River.

This year's flood lasted for more than half a month. The riverbed and farmland for nearly several kilometers were all submerged. The river water was only about 2 feet away from the top of the dam on both sides, and you could wash your feet by sitting on the dam.

Liu Wu and his garrison troops and civilian workers guard the dam day and night. One purpose is to prevent rats and snakes from breaking holes in the dam, and the other is to promptly discover waterlogged spots on the dam and carry out repairs immediately.

The flood came with great force, the water level continued to rise, the riverbed had long been overwhelmed, and the embankments on both sides were crumbling under the impact of the flood.

Liu Wu led the entire battalion of officers and soldiers to stay on the embankment day and night in the midst of strong winds and heavy rain. Everyone's face was filled with fatigue, but their eyes were extremely determined.

They knew that there were tens of thousands of people behind them, and if the dam broke, the consequences would be disastrous.

That night, heavy rain poured down, the river water rose rapidly, and a leak suddenly appeared at a weak point in the dam.

Fortunately, Liu Wu was on patrol and he discovered the danger at the first time and immediately organized officers and soldiers to carry out emergency repairs.

Liu Wu and the soldiers braved the heavy rain, carried sandbags, and walked on the muddy embankment, struggling to block the leaks.

The rain soaked their clothes and mud covered their shoes, but no one backed down.

Liu Wu stood at the forefront, commanded the battle personally, and even jumped into the icy river to plug the hole with his body.

His actions greatly boosted morale, and the soldiers worked even harder in the rescue effort.

After several hours of hard work, the leak was finally blocked and the dam was temporarily safe.

Liu Wu breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew that this was only a temporary victory and greater tests were still to come.

In the next few days, Liu Wu and the soldiers hardly slept, patrolling the dam day and night to ensure that every corner was safe.

On July 7, Liu Wu and his regiment were ordered to go to Sanjiangkou area to carry out flood control and disaster relief tasks.

Liu Wu served as the battalion commander of the 1st Battalion of the Tank Regiment. Normally, superiors would assign important and difficult tasks to their 1st Battalion, which was a thing to be proud of.

At around 1 p.m., after receiving the order, Liu Wu personally led the entire battalion of officers and soldiers to board the vehicle in the rain and advance with the main force to the designated flood control and disaster relief area.

As the vehicle was driving, the rain was getting heavier, the road was slippery when dark, and the temperature difference between day and night was very large. The officers and soldiers had to rely on each other and keep warm back to back.

The convoy struggled forward on the muddy road, and raindrops hit the car windows, making dense crackling sounds.

Liu Wu sat in the passenger seat, his brows furrowed, his eyes fixed on the blurry road conditions ahead.

He felt a sense of importance for the mission but was also concerned about the soldiers.

Liu Wu knew that this flood control and disaster relief mission was of great importance. There were already many dangerous situations on the embankments in the Sanjiangkou area, and any carelessness could cause even greater disasters.

"Battalion Commander, a section of the road ahead is flooded. We have to take a detour." The driver Xiao Li's voice interrupted Liu Wu's thoughts.

Liu Wu nodded and quickly conveyed instructions to the vehicles behind via the radio: "Attention, all vehicles, the road ahead is seriously flooded, all vehicles go to the right, maintain formation, and pay attention to safety!"

The detour road was even more rugged, and the wheels often sank into mud pits, so the soldiers had to get off the carts and push them before they could move forward.

In the rain, their figures appear particularly tough.

Liu Wu also jumped out of the car and pushed the car with the soldiers. His uniform was splashed with mud and water, but he didn't care. He just encouraged everyone loudly: "Keep working hard, we must get to Sanjiangkou on time!"

At this critical moment, vehicles loaded with rescue personnel and supplies from all directions for flood control and disaster relief were concentrated on this section of road. In addition, the rain was too heavy, the road was washed away, and progress was blocked many times. It took vehicles nearly 12 hours to travel a short distance of kilometers.

We traveled day and night and finally arrived at the designated location: Liaohe Dam section of Laohuwo Village in the early morning of the next day.

After arriving at the destination, Liu Wu quickly organized the officers and soldiers to engage in flood control work, directing everyone to carry sandbags and reinforce the embankment.

Although the rain was still heavy, the morale of the officers and soldiers was high. Everyone tried their best to race against time and fight the flood.

As the night deepened, the rain gradually subsided and the danger on this section of the embankment was temporarily under control.

Liu Wu stood on the embankment, looking at the gradually calming river surface in the distance, and felt a little relieved.

He knew that the battle was not over yet, but he firmly believed that as long as all the officers and soldiers of the battalion were united, they would be able to defeat the flood and protect the safety of this land and its people.

Liu Wu was just about to relax when he heard a disaster report from the radio that the rainfall in the upper reaches of the Liaohe River was heavy and a large flood peak was about to reach the Liaohe River.

Emergency calls were made time and time again. The river dam in Shuangliao section had been soaked by floods for many days and was in danger of bursting at any time.

At this time, the command center also ordered their battalion to rush to the dangerous area of ​​the Liaohe River Dam!
At this time, the road ahead was still blocked and vehicles could not move forward.

Liu Wu acted decisively and notified all officers and soldiers in the battalion to get off the car quickly and take a forced march from Qujia Township, across the Liaohe River Bridge, into Wangben Township, then turn to the Liaohe River Dam and quickly follow the river bank to a dangerous section of the Liaohe River Dam!
The distance is about 10 kilometers, and it took more than an hour to get there. At around 1:4 in the morning, Liu Wu and his battalion were the first to arrive at the designated location. Those who arrived earlier included Liao County Mayor Hu and other entourage.

But when Liu Wu arrived here, he heard bad news!

They were still a step too late, and the Liaohe River embankment broke at this moment!

The scene was so terrifying. A few minutes later, the dam was instantly collapsed by the fierce flood and was dozens of meters wide. It was so terrible!

Liu Wu immediately ordered the troops to stop advancing and retreat a hundred meters to wait for orders.

Liu Wu sought help and guidance from local leaders. He saw County Magistrate Hu with tears streaming down his face, and he could completely understand the feelings of a senior official.

The county magistrate told Liu Wu with tears in his eyes, Comrades, you must evacuate the scene immediately, evacuate quickly, otherwise you will not be able to get out.

Liu Wu acted decisively and quickly led all the personnel to withdraw along the original route.

Along the way, we saw a lot of wood and other debris washed down from upstream in the torrent. The riverbed, which was several miles wide, was covered with surging floods. The water surface was only 60 centimeters above the dam, which was very thrilling.

Liu Wu and his men had no choice but to retreat all the way to Gaochan Village, Wangben Township, Liao County, where they made a brief stop and waited for new orders from their superiors.

Liu Wu stood on a high ground at the entrance of the village, looking into the distance with a serious gaze.

The flood was still raging, and debris floating on the river surface hit the embankment from time to time, making a dull sound.

The villagers had already evacuated, leaving only empty houses and the occasional barking of dogs.

He took a deep breath, turned around and said to the team members around him: "Everyone take a break first, stay alert, and be ready to deal with emergencies at any time."

The soldiers found places to sit down, some leaning against the wall, some squatting on the ground, their faces full of fatigue.

Liu Wu took out a map from his backpack, spread it out on the ground, and studied the terrain carefully.

Gaochan Village is located at a higher altitude and is relatively safe for the time being, but if the flood continues to rise, it may not be spared.

He frowned and secretly thought about his next move.

At this moment, there was a rush of footsteps in the distance.

Liu Wu looked up and saw a communicator running towards him breathlessly, holding a telegram in his hand.

"Battalion Commander, the regiment has ordered us to evacuate to a safe area immediately. The flood may occur tonight..." There was a hint of anxiety in the signalman's voice.

Liu Wu took the telegram, glanced at it quickly, and then stood up and gave a decisive order: "Everyone assemble, set off immediately! Target - Liao County!" The soldiers quickly organized their equipment and lined up for orders. Liu Wu stood in front of the team with a firm look: "Time is running out, we must get to the county before dark, everyone follow me closely, don't fall behind!"

The team set out again, rushing along the muddy road towards the county town.

The rain gradually subsided, but the sky remained gloomy, as if foreshadowing that a greater crisis was about to come.

While leading the team forward, Liu Wu looked back from time to time to check on the status of the team members, praying silently in his heart: I hope that this evacuation can be successful and everyone is safe.

However, just as they were about to reach the county town, a roar suddenly came from the front.

Liu Wu's heart tightened and he looked up, only to see a huge wall of water in the distance approaching them at an alarming speed.

He immediately realized that the dam had burst. "Everyone, evacuate to higher ground quickly!" he shouted, with unquestionable authority in his voice.

The soldiers acted quickly and ran towards a nearby village.

Liu Wu stayed at the end to make sure no one was left behind.

Temporarily safe, the soldiers were exhausted. The dry food they carried with them had been used up, and they were thirsty, hungry and thirsty.

Some soldiers secretly picked cucumbers and tomatoes from the fields to satisfy their hunger and thirst. Seeing their pitiful appearance, Liu Wu could not bear to blame them and turned his head away...

There are about a hundred households in this village. Most of them have evacuated to safe areas or stayed with relatives and friends. Only a few elderly people are reluctant to leave their hometown and stay at home to protect their houses and refuse to leave no matter how much they are persuaded.

I didn’t expect that when the flood was about to come, there were still some villagers on duty at home!

At this time, Liu Wu ordered a group of cars to enclose the houses and conduct a check on each house, persuading and mobilizing the villagers to evacuate quickly.

At this time, some old ladies accused and scolded the soldiers for stealing cucumbers and tomatoes from their homes.

In fact, Liu Wu has asked everyone to eat a cucumber or a tomato, and tied a dollar to the vine. They can be picked occasionally, but not in a destructive way.

Afterwards, Liu Wu reported to the military chiefs and local leaders, describing his approach to dealing with emergency situations and solving survival issues, to which the chiefs gave their affirmation.

Local leaders also expressed great understanding, and during the entire 25 days of flood fighting and rescue, flood fighting materials and daily supplies were delivered continuously, giving strong support and love.

On the afternoon of the 29th, the troops were on standby and resting at a certain place. While they were having lunch, they received an order from their superiors to order Liu Wu and his battalion to immediately rush to a drainage station five miles south of Gaochan Village, Wangben Township, to repair the embankment.

Liu Wu immediately led the entire battalion of officers and soldiers to the scene and started the emergency repair mission.

While struggling to repair the damage, Liu Wu looked up. It was so dangerous and terrifying. Above his head was the Liaohe River bed dam, and the height difference between the drainage station and the dam was only about 30 meters.

Liu Wu asked the regiment commander who was accompanying their battalion in the rescue operation. Having participated in actual combat many times, he was very sensitive to danger. From his first feeling, he concluded that it was very dangerous here and a big flood was about to come, so they had to evacuate the scene immediately!

The regiment commander immediately instructed the training staff to report the actual situation here to the division headquarters by radio, and asked the troops to return to the camp to accept new tasks.

At this time, Liu Wu heard from the microphone: "You must stick to your posts, the people of Liaohe need you!"

When Liu Wu heard this, he got angry. He thought his superior was unaware of the situation and was giving blind orders!

So, he ignored orders and decisively ordered the entire battalion to evacuate (one should also operate flexibly on the battlefield).

However, the regiment headquarters did not dare to disobey the orders from their superiors easily. Liu Wu still insisted on his own opinion and urged all the personnel in the battalion to disrupt the organization and evacuate safely.

But it's too late!
When the first battalion was about to evacuate, disaster struck. As the lagging comrades were about to evacuate, small dams were washed away by the invading flood, directly threatening the safety of the officers and soldiers.

About twenty minutes later, all members of the 1st and 2nd companies quickly retreated to a safe area, while Liu Wu and some officers and soldiers of the 3rd company were trapped on the spot.

Moreover, the regiment commander Liu Wu and a training staff officer were also trapped here, as well as some county, township and village cadres who had not evacuated in time and a very small number of male and female villagers, most of whom were women who were reluctant to leave their hometown, a total of more than one hundred people.

This is a section of road surface, about 30 meters long. The small highway bridges at both ends were washed away by the flood rapids. The deepest part was the 2-meter-long concrete bridge column, which was washed away more than 2 meters by the rapids. It was very thrilling and scary.

The so-called safe zone is the other end of the highway bridge, only 10 meters away, which is only 30 meters on the highway surface.

Because the highway bridge was destroyed, the culvert bridges at both ends of the highway were washed away by the flood, making it impossible to move forward and there was no way to retreat.

This place is only 1000 meters away from the Liaohe River Bridge. The flood at this time was very fast. The one-meter-thick bridge pillars were washed several meters away by the flood. The corn fields on both sides of the roadbed were basically submerged and covered by the flood. All the houses in Gaochan Village, which was close to the road, had been invaded by the flood to the eaves. Pigs, dogs, chickens, ducks and geese had climbed onto the roofs to take refuge. The disaster was particularly serious.

In fact, when Liu Wu was evacuating, he was only one step away. He could have easily crossed the one-meter-wide culvert bridge deck that had just been washed away and retreated to a safe area.

But Liu Wu gave up and chose to stay and live and die with everyone.

At this time, the flood flow was very rapid and was about to approach the road surface, and all the trapped people were panicked.

After so many days, the officers and soldiers were extremely tired physically and mentally, their hands were sore and their bodies were numb. The weak soldiers almost fainted in the water several times. The water level was getting higher and higher, and there was a danger of drowning at any time.

At around 16 p.m., Lao Huang, deputy chief of the division's training department and the water rescue team, risked his life to swam over to the rescue and inspect the scene.

But he was washed away by the rapids for dozens of meters several times. If he was hit by the rocks, it would cause casualties, and the investigation and rescue failed.

The existing rubber boats are completely uncontrollable. If they are used for rescue, there is a possibility of capsizing and sinking at any time, which is a very critical situation.

After dusk, it was pitch black all around. The glittering flood waves hit the roadbed from time to time. One field of crops after another was swallowed up by the flood and turned into a vast ocean. The lights in the village gradually dimmed until the power was cut off.

At around 22 p.m., the houses in the village collapsed one by one after being soaked by the flood for several hours. The barking of chickens, ducks, geese and dogs rang out, which was terrifying.

At this time, a soldier reported to Liu Wu that a dead person had just rushed down 40 meters ahead.

Upon hearing this, Liu Wu took prompt action to stop the spread of the news in order to stabilize the morale of the army and the people.

A few minutes later, three more local middle-aged men came to Liu Wu and said, "Comrade of the People's Liberation Army, the flood is too big, there is no hope, let's run away quickly."

Liu Wu answered sternly, I have no right to interfere with whether you stay or leave, but I want to stay with my fellow sufferers at the scene!
Seeing Liu Wu's firm attitude, the three men shook their heads, swam across the 20-meter-wide canal, and fled, abandoning their friend.

Among the trapped crowd, some middle-aged and elderly women became mentally distraught when they saw the situation. Some walked back and forth carrying chickens and ducks, while others lowered their heads and cried loudly, which was heartbreaking.

Since the flood broke the dam, the farmland has been destroyed. At this time, Liu Wu still has confidence and looks forward to rescue from the other side.

Liu Wu knew very well that the only way to deal with the development of the situation was to wait patiently.

If the trapped people are completely unable to escape the flood and there is no hope of rescue, they can only rely on fate, go their separate ways, and save themselves.

At this time, Liu Wu thought of another immature plan, which was to use the radio to call for a helicopter rescue.

But the helicopter pilot said that the helicopter failed to land on the tarmac because of the strong wind on the water surface, and it would be difficult for the refugees to board the plane even if the helicopter lowered the ladder. Hopes were dashed once again.

The rescue plans failed one by one. In order to ensure communication, Liu Wu decided to shut down the radio station for emergency use.
Liu Wu planned to lead a soldier who was good at swimming to send the radio to a big tree beside the road as his temporary command position. More than a dozen soldiers volunteered to escort them there.

Liu Wu made a brief mobilization and directed everyone to sing, "Unity is Strength" and "Comrade's Song".
Everyone shed tears. Although the officers and soldiers' singing was out of tune, it played a big role in stabilizing military morale and building confidence.

Around midnight, the shouts of rescuers on the other side of the river gradually became quieter, and the lights of the cars became dimmer.

The instructor of the first battalion sent a message of comfort to Liu Wu over the radio.

Liu Wu learned from his words that the other side had not given up on them and was still trying to rescue them.

Therefore, the best hope for survival lies in waiting!
When daybreak came, the besieged people were suffering from severe food and water shortage and were extremely hungry.

They were only 30 meters away from the rescue team on the other side. Liu Wu came up with an idea. He asked them to wrap a stone and a piece of bread in a plastic bag and throw them over. The soldiers tried to catch them, but most of them fell into the water in the end.

At around 8 o'clock in the morning, the flood water slowed down a bit, and the water on the road was already up to people's knees.

Due to the urgency of the flood fighting and rescue mission, troops were sent to various regions. The tank troops had very little water equipment, and the pontoon troops were delayed in arriving. The only rubber boats could be used for rescue on the other side, and the rubber boat rescue was ineffective due to the rapid water flow.

(End of this chapter)