Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 285 Disaster Strikes

It was the turn of the massive CH-47.

The pilot was a burly man named "Wolf," who was once the best assault soldier in "Wolf Fang." No one expected that this rough-looking man had an extraordinary talent for helicopter piloting.

He made it through round after round because only the best Chinook drivers were available.

At that moment, he took a deep breath, pulled the control stick, and the Chinook's engine roared deafeningly. The heavy fuselage slowly lifted off the ground, and its stable hovering posture in the gale demonstrated a control ability far superior to that of the other trainees.

"Boss, this big guy is really steady!" Old Wolf couldn't help but praise.

He Yuzhu didn't reply to him, but instead gave the order into the communicator: "Wolf Warrior, target area C, simulate ultra-low altitude penetration, stay 10 meters below the ground, and pass through the obstacle zone!"

"understand!"

The massive Chinook, like a giant bird gliding close to the ground, skillfully weaves and turns among dense simulated obstacles (made of stacked old shipping containers).

The rotors whipped up mud and water that splashed out like a waterfall, yet the aircraft maintained astonishing stability in the gale-force winds.

"Good lad!" Bai Yifeng, who was also supervising the training, exclaimed.

"Increase the difficulty. Land in area D. The rest of you will simulate being rescued and have two minutes to board the plane."

"Yes."

The Chinook then landed safely in the designated area. The cabin door opened, and the other members of the Wolf Fang team carried the wounded one by one onto the helicopter before it took off.

He Yuzhu glanced at his watch; it was one minute and forty-five seconds.

"Qualified. Take the wounded back." He Yuzhu said into the walkie-talkie.

"Yes," said the 'Wolf' on the helicopter, a slight smile playing on his lips.

After Chinook returned, He Yu said, "Next!"

"I'll go!" This time it was a lean young man. He finished the last item in one minute and fifty seconds. When he got off the plane, Wolf raised his chin at him, and the young man glared at Wolf fiercely.

They are good friends, but once they get on the training field, they become rivals and are always competing with each other.

One by one, the 'Wolf Fangs' completed their assessments. After the last group finished, the sky suddenly cleared up.

"gather!"

"Everyone assemble!" Old Wolf shouted through the megaphone, and everyone began to line up.

"Tell me about it!"

"At ease," shouted the old wolf in the ranks.

He Yuzhu scanned the faces of all the 'Wolf Fang' team members before speaking.

"Remember how you felt today. The real mission will be even more challenging, with far worse environments and greater pressure. The slightest mistake could cost lives. Do you understand?"

"Understood, understood, understood!" A dozen people shouted, sounding like a whole company.

"Everyone did a great job today. Your team leader will treat you to a special meal tonight."

"Thank you, boss!" This time the voice was even louder.

After exchanging a few words with Lao Lang, He Yuzhu led Bai Yifeng away from the helicopter training ground and drove to the engineering machinery training area of ​​Taishan Security.

This place looks more like a large construction site than a training ground.

The Yellow River Group recently launched several development projects. He Yuzhu specifically chose an old factory area with complex terrain and extremely difficult demolition, and handed it over to Taishan Security as a training ground for practical combat.

The venue was bustling with activity.

Several somewhat old excavators, bulldozers, and loaders were working with a roar.

The Taishan security team operated these steel behemoths, carrying out tasks such as earthwork excavation, obstacle removal, and rubble leveling.

Although the machine's paint was mottled, the operator's movements revealed professionalism and skill.

Shi Bin was standing on a slightly higher mound of earth, using a walkie-talkie to direct and coordinate.

Upon seeing He Yuzhu's car approaching, he immediately went to greet it.

"Boss, you've arrived." Shi Bin wiped the sweat and dust from his face.

"Hmm, let's see how your training is going." He Yuzhu's gaze swept over the busy field.

"Reporting to the boss, the progress is better than expected." Shi Bin's tone carried a hint of pride. "When we first started working with the machines, these guys could drive the car into a ditch and even overturn a car while demolishing a wall. Now, don't you think they're starting to resemble a professional engineering team?"

He Yuzhu nodded, watching an excavator skillfully use its bucket to pry open the reinforced concrete blocks, its movements steady and precise.

"Good. Next, we'll practice rescuing people. We'll put some dummies in there, and the requirement is to rescue people without hurting them."

"This"

"Didn't understand? It means that during the rescue process, you should not cause secondary harm to the person being rescued."

"Understood." Shi Bin nodded.

"You can do whatever you want with this construction site. I've already spoken to Ah Lang. They can come in after you've finished using it."

"Understood!" Shi Bin replied, straightening his back.

He Yuzhu watched from the sidelines for a while and was fairly satisfied with the training results.

This team, at least in terms of operating heavy machinery, already possesses a certain level of emergency response capability.

The next morning, after getting up, He Yuzhu said to Xiaoman, "It's not enough for the volunteer doctors and nurses to just have the intention. We need to assess their actual abilities, especially their ability to cope under pressure."

Xiaoman immediately understood what he meant: "You want to conduct an assessment? I'll coordinate the venue and simulated casualties right away."

"Yes, there are two venues. One is the training ground on Mount Tai, and the other is the steel plant's employee hospital."

"Can you handle a construction site, such a complicated place?"

“The situation will only get more complicated,” He Yuzhu said seriously.

"Okay, I'll contact them right away. You can arrange the venue."

"Row."

Three days later, several operating rooms and emergency wards at the Yellow River Steel Plant Hospital were temporarily requisitioned.

Dozens of surgeons and emergency nurses, initially screened by the Red Cross, were divided into groups and took turns entering the simulated scene.

The scenarios are set up to be quite realistic: in the car accident scene simulation area, the injured person's limbs are twisted and the simulated blood loss is large; in the earthquake ruins area, the injured person is trapped under heavy objects and needs to be quickly assessed and their vital signs stabilized; there are also simulations of sudden cardiac arrest and massive bleeding that require emergency hemostasis and suturing, etc.

An assessment team composed of observers from the Red Cross and senior experts from other hospitals invited by the Yellow River Group solemnly recorded each volunteer's operational procedures, judgment speed, and teamwork ability.

When a young nurse was simulating establishing an intravenous access for a "seriously injured" patient, her hands trembled slightly, and she had to try several times before succeeding. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

A middle-aged surgeon with extensive experience was handling a dummy with "complex fractures and internal bleeding." His movements were steady and his instructions were clear. He quickly directed the nurses to work together to stop the bleeding and perform initial fixation.

The assessment lasted all day.

By the end, many volunteers looked exhausted, much more so than they had elsewhere, mainly due to the intense tension.

The results were quickly compiled and sent to He Yuzhu and Xiaoman.

More than a dozen doctors and more than twenty nurses were eliminated because they were not skilled enough in the operation, or because they panicked and made mistakes under high pressure simulation.

The remaining list consists of personnel with genuine practical experience and strong psychological qualities.

"We're changing venues tomorrow, going to Mount Tai."

"I'll go and talk to them," Xiaoman said.

"I'll arrange for a temporary hospital to be set up over there in a bit," He Yuzhu nodded.

"Okay, let's split up."

The next day, at the simulated "construction site hospital" in the northwest of the New Territories, the atmosphere was much more tense than the day before.

This is no longer a bright and clean hospital, but a field hospital temporarily set up in a corner of the demolition site.

The military tents and makeshift operating tables were made of wooden planks and frames, and the smell of disinfectant mixed with the dust of the construction site.

The environment was noisy, with the constant roar of bulldozers and excavators in the distance, simulating the chaotic background noise of a disaster scene.

Yesterday, the doctors and nurses who passed the first round of assessments changed into emergency uniforms provided by the Red Cross, their faces solemn.

The injured they faced were in more complex situations: some were trapped under simulated floor slab debris, requiring on-site assessment and emergency treatment; some had multiple injuries accompanied by massive simulated bleeding; and others showed signs of shock.

These are real wounded soldiers, whom He Yuzhu brought from other hospitals or construction sites.

Another reason is that these people basically can't afford to treat their injuries. They can get treatment here and even pay for it. Otherwise, He Yuzhu wouldn't have been able to get people here so easily.

The difficulty of the assessment increased dramatically, requiring not only the treatment of injuries but also collaboration under noisy, confined, and rudimentary conditions.

"Doctor! Here! This wounded soldier has a weak pulse and is breathing rapidly!" a nurse shouted.

A middle-aged surgeon quickly stepped forward and knelt beside the wounded soldier. He rapidly checked the pupils and carotid artery, while issuing instructions: "Establish intravenous access and begin rapid Ringer's solution infusion! Prepare a portable resuscitation bag! Xiao Zhang, assess for signs of internal bleeding in his chest and abdomen!"

The nurse immediately took action, quickly searching for a vein under the swaying lights.

The doctor quickly used a stethoscope to try to distinguish the heart and lung sounds in the noisy environment and checked the abdominal tension.

Under these conditions, he must quickly determine whether emergency surgical intervention is needed, or simply whether to stabilize the patient before transferring them to a safer location.

On the other side, a young doctor is treating a patient with an open fracture and arterial bleeding.

Blood spurted from the wound, and he had to endure the enormous noise and vibration of the bulldozers operating nearby to accurately locate the bleeding point and clamp and bandage it.

Sweat streamed down his temples, but his eyes were focused and his hands were incredibly steady.

This time, we didn't contact the Red Cross or any experts, because they wouldn't approve of such a place given the conditions.

He Yuzhu and Xiaoman stood at a slightly distant observation point, watching silently.

Xiaoman whispered, "I can't even imagine what this scene will be like."

"If you're not feeling well, you should go back."

"how about you?"

“Me? You’ve forgotten where I came from. I’ve saved far more people on the battlefield than they have,” He Yuzhu said.

"I'm not going back. I'll find somewhere to stay for a while, just in case you need me."

"Alright, go find Shi Bin and ask him to make arrangements for you."

"Ah."

After a day of assessments, almost all the doctors and nurses were exhausted.

There were some unexpected incidents. The conditions at the scene were not good enough, and there was a risk to life. He Yuzhu decisively sent them to a regular hospital.

However, when the assessment team announced the end of the assessment, an unexpected scene unfolded.

Several leading doctors found Xiaoman.

"Chairman Qiao, and this examiner, we've discussed it and feel that just conducting the assessment isn't enough. This kind of simulation environment is extremely rare, and we hope to stay here for a few more days," said the middle-aged doctor at the head of the group.

"Stay here?" Xiaoman asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes, we practiced with the guys from these security companies."

"Can I ask why?" He Yuzhu asked.

“We saw them training to operate machinery for rescue and clearing passages. In a real disaster, medical and engineering rescue work closely together. We wanted to practice with them to familiarize ourselves with their equipment capabilities and let them understand our rescue procedures and needs. This way, if a real disaster occurs, we can coordinate smoothly and not waste precious time!” The middle-aged doctor gave the answer.

He Yuzhu glanced at the name tag on his chest, "Hu Wenxue," a very literary name.

"Is that what you all think?" He Yuzhu then asked.

"Yes, everyone thinks so."

“Okay, I agree, but there won’t be as many injured people later. I had a lot of trouble finding these people today,” He Yuzhu said.

“It’s okay, we can simulate some situations ourselves,” Hu Wenxue said.

"Please wait a moment, Xiaoman, you talk to them. I'll go make the arrangements," He Yuzhu said. "Okay."

Then He Yuzhu came out of the tent and waved to Shi Bin in the distance. Shi Bin immediately jogged over.

"boss!"

“Shi Bin, these doctors and nurses want to train with you. You need to take good care of them,” He Yuzhu said.

Shi Bin's eyes lit up: "Great! We couldn't be happier! We were just worried that the simulated wounded weren't realistic enough and the procedures weren't well-coordinated. With real doctors and nurses here, they can point out a lot of problems!"

"Okay, come with me."

After entering the tent, He Yuzhu gave a brief introduction before saying, "Dr. Chen, you will be working directly with Shi Bin; he is the person in charge on site."

"Okay, Mr. He!" These people only now realized that the person in front of them was the boss of the Yellow River Group, and they didn't expect him to be so easy to talk to.

"Shi Bin, you must arrange the meals and accommodations to the highest standards."

"Understood, boss. I guarantee the doctors and nurses will have good food and lodging!" Shi Bin straightened his back.

Dr. Chen Zhiming smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. He, and Chairman Qiao! We will definitely work together as soon as possible!"

The medical staff and the Taishan security personnel had only worked together for two days when new challenges arose.

On the morning of the fourth day, the deafening roar of the massive rotors shattered the tranquility of the construction site in the northwest of the New Territories.

A CH-47 Chinook heavy transport helicopter, painted with a huge red cross but still exuding a rugged power, landed steadily in the temporarily designated take-off and landing area amidst the roar of its engines, kicking up dust like a small sandstorm.

"Good heavens, the boss even got this thing!" Shi Bin exclaimed.

Then one, two, three helicopters of various sizes landed in the take-off and landing area.

"Your boss is really generous!" Hu Wenxue, who was with Shi Bin, exclaimed with a gleam in his eyes.

"Hehe, this is nothing!"

"I believe!"

Then Shi Bin, holding a megaphone, shouted at the lined-up Taishan security team members and medical volunteers, "Starting today, we'll be coordinating ground and air operations. Has everyone been prepared with safety training?"

"Ready!" came the loud reply.

“Okay, I’ll go and tell them over there,” Shi Bin said.

After a brief training session, the drill officially began.

Rescue personnel - On-site treatment - Transfer of seriously injured personnel - Helicopter boarding - Securing the wounded - Receiving the wounded after landing - Transporting to temporary hospital (or rear hospital)
This process is constantly being improved and the time required is being shortened.

Then He Yuzhu brought blood type testing equipment, and on-site blood testing, blood drawing, and blood transfusion were also incorporated into the drill process.

Then there were ambulances converted from assault vehicles, trucks used as personnel transport vehicles, and jeeps used to transport emergency supplies across complex terrains.

Time passed day by day, and it was the end of June. He Yuzhu went to see Huo Sheng in person.

"Mr. He, why did you come in person? You could have just called if you needed anything. But you're a rare guest."

“Making a phone call isn’t sincere enough,” He Yuzhu said.

"Then I'd like to hear how big this matter is that makes you feel that not coming in person isn't enough to show your sincerity."

"It's still about the boat."

"Same as last time?" Huo Sheng's smile faded.

"Correct."

When will you use it?

"Probably by the end of next month."

"Hiss, you can't actually predict the future, can you?"

"No," He Yuzhu shook his head.

"Since you've spoken, I'm really going to stay on the ship."

“No problem, even if I don’t need it, I will still pay for the boat fare.”

"We can talk about the boat fare later. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"That's all for now. I'll let you know if I need anything," He Yuzhu said.

"Then you must ask. Even if I can't do it, there are still plenty of people in Hong Kong."

"I know, I will definitely say so if you need me, I won't stand on ceremony."

"That's right. So, will you still go to see Bao Sheng?"

"Do you think I should go find him?" He Yuzhu asked in return.

"Why not? Global Shipping has so many ships, might as well use them."

Do you think he'll let me use it this time?

"I'm about 80% sure."

"Then I'll give it a try by making a call," He Yuzhu said with a smile.

"You can fight here, I want to hear what that guy has to say."

"Okay, let's start now."

He Yuzhu dialed Bao Chuanwang's number directly from Huo Sheng's office.

The voice of Bao, the shipping magnate, came through the receiver: "Hello, who is this?"

"Bao Sheng, this is He Fei!"

"Mr. He, what can I do for you?" The shipping magnate's tone was not good; he hadn't yet made up for the losses he suffered last time.

He Yuzhu got straight to the point, "It's still about the boat, at the end of next month."

There was a full five seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

The shipping magnate's hand holding the microphone tightened slightly. He took several deep breaths before speaking: "Mr. He, it is our duty to speak. Five ships, is that enough? Two bulk carriers, two roll-on/roll-off ships, plus one container barge, is that sufficient?"

He Yuzhu smiled slightly: "That's enough. The rental fee is at market price, and the ship just needs to dock at Wharf in advance."

"Sure, Mr. He, could you tell me what big business you're doing this time? If so, you can also help me make a little money."

"Hehe, Mr. Bao, you really don't do things without a profit. But this isn't really a business to make money. I'll come back to you when I have the chance."

"Then Mr. He, don't forget, I may not have anything else, but I have plenty of boats."

"it is good."

He Yuzhu hung up the phone after saying that.

"Hahaha, I told you so. This old rascal has learned his lesson. Just you wait, he'll definitely be extra careful then, especially with his ships that are out there."

"Let him be. Last time it was just a coincidence. I really didn't know his ship went that way."

"I know, but when there are too many coincidences, people stop thinking they are coincidences."

"clear."

"Mr. He, since you're here, why don't you stay for a simple meal?"

"No need, I have a lot of things to do. I'll treat you when I'm done, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

"I'll be waiting, so don't try to fool me!"

"No problem, goodbye!"

"I'll give it to you."

"no need."

After leaving Huo Sheng's office, He Yuzhu immediately drove to a warehouse area in Kowloon Wharf.

Bai Yifeng had been waiting there for a while. The huge iron gate slowly opened, and the warehouse area was brightly lit.

Rows of neatly stacked supplies were covered with tarpaulins printed with the Red Cross.

"Boss, this place is enough for 30,000 people, more than your requirement."

"It's okay, we can save the extras and donate the rest if we don't need them."

On July 27, 1976, in an industrial city in eastern Hebei, the air was like a damp cotton ball, so stuffy that it made people feel heavy in their chests.

In the afternoon, on the surface of the fishpond at Baigezhuang Farm outside the city, a school of grass carp seemed to be tossed into the air by an invisible hand.

Wang Dafa stood by the pond, holding a fishing net, watching a fish spin upside down with its tail pointing upwards, creating silver whirlpools in the water.

"He's gone mad," he muttered.

In a bucket three meters away, dozens of fish that had been scooped out half an hour earlier were stiff and pale, but their gill covers were still twitching.

The laughter of children came from afar—they were using bamboo baskets to catch fish that had leaped ashore, and the bottom of the baskets was soon covered with a layer of struggling silver light.

As evening fell, Li Mancang threw his carrying pole to the ground by an old well in Gaokan Commune, a nearby county.

During the day, he couldn't reach the water with his carrying pole, so he went home to get a well rope and came back to find the water level had risen to within reach.

The wooden bucket crashed into the well, bringing up half a bucket of murky mud, bubbling and emitting a sulfurous smell.

Meanwhile, in a commune twenty miles away, gas was continuously spewing from an old well, the sound of the jets like a train whistle, lifting the gravel in the well into the air and suspending it.

The chickens in the yards of the villagers started flying around wildly, crashing into the fences and making a clucking sound. The pigs in the pigsty were nudging the walls with their snouts, their grunts growing more and more urgent.

Some people returning home late said they saw many snakes on the road, crawling out from the cracks in the bricks and the bushes, dragging their stiff bodies and moving slowly on the road. They didn't struggle much when stepped on.

At night, the deck of the "Juli" sand dredger was submerged by its wings.

Crew member Zhao Haiping held a dead dragonfly in his hand; its dark green wings gleamed with a metallic sheen under the light.

Sparrows and locusts filled the cabin, and schools of fish floated on the river, their white bodies gleaming.

Early in the morning of June 7.

The iron cages at the mink farm in Wu County clanged loudly.

Zhang Chunzhu rushed into the shed with a lantern. 415 minks were banging their heads against the wire mesh, and drops of blood splattered on the feeding trough.

Almost simultaneously, a thousand chickens flew onto the window frames of Baiguantun; a hundred horses in Yanggu Brigade broke their reins; and flocks of pigeons in Lixian County circled like black clouds.

Suddenly, the rats in the corner stopped hiding from people and started running along the base of the wall in broad daylight; some even scurried onto the bed.

The dogs in the alley were barking abnormally, not their usual barking, but a whimpering sound with their tails between their legs, which didn't stop all night.

At 03:40 on July 28, the flashlight of track inspector Wang Tieshan suddenly went out near Guye Station.

Three beams of blue light split open in the eastern sky, and mushroom-shaped clouds of smoke expanded into a pale white ball of light.

He heard the sound of tracks rolling down from underground, getting closer and closer—not thunder, but the muffled sound of explosives exploding in the rock strata.

The gravel beneath our feet began to dance, and the railway tracks twisted into curves like braids.

Three kilometers away in the center of the industrial city, Zhang Mei, a nurse on night duty, saw red mist seeping from the streetlights.

1976年7月28日凌晨3点42分，工业大城脚下的土地突然抬起，又狠狠砸下去。

First came a low, cracking sound, like a giant axe splitting through the rock layers underground. Then, the entire city was lifted up and then crashed down.

There was an earthquake.

"Run!"

"help"

(End of this chapter)