Galactic Tech Empire

Chapter 322 The Hungry World

More than a week has passed since the jaw-dropping Sharpen Sword 2019 exercise.

However, this did not calm down the undercurrent of the world.

Tuao, Queensland, Mount Howitt.

It is located in southwestern Queensland, in the Great Artesian Basin on the west side of the Great Dividing Range.

Barton is a local farmer. His farm mainly breeds beef cattle and turkeys. In previous years, he should be enjoying his life in the villa on the farm at this time.

Too bad he's in big trouble this year.

"Shet! Damn trade war! And damn weather!"

Barton was driving a water tanker converted from a pick-up truck, cursing as he drove.

The Cooper River near his farm has dried up and now he has to go to Lake Yamayama, 47 kilometers away, to fetch water.

Of course, he actually has another option, which is to dig a deep well. The problem is that Tuao has very strict management of groundwater exploitation. When his application is approved, the cattle on the farm will probably be sent to God due to drought.

As for illegal mining, just think about it. Once discovered, not only will you be imprisoned, but you may also be fined to the point of bankruptcy.

Along the way, like Barton, there were not a few farmers who went to Lake Yamayama to fetch water.

The potholed roads are dusty, and although it is winter in Tuao in July, the latitude of Queensland is relatively low, and the weather is not too cold.

The large tracts of farms and grasslands on both sides of the road are showing continuous withered yellow. This is not because of winter, but because of drought.

Many kangaroos are listlessly on the grass, looking for some green plants to replenish water, but among the large area of ​​withered yellow, the only green is those standing cacti.

Facing these cactus covered with thorns, except for camels that can get down their mouths, other animals can only stay away.

After trekking for 47 kilometers, Barton's pickup truck finally arrived at Yamayama Lake. There were already three farmers pumping water by the lake.

"Hi! Barton!"

"Wilson, didn't you apply for a motorized well?" Barton asked in surprise.

"Don't mention it. The three wells I drilled are all salt water. I don't want to dig any more." Wilson, dressed in a cowboy suit, complained.

Barton, who suddenly threw the hose into the lake, looked at the lake and his feet, frowned, turned his head and asked with some uncertainty:
"Wilson, have you noticed that the water level of the lake has dropped a lot?"

"Did you just find out? Did you see that wooden stick?" Wilson pointed to a wooden stick about 5 meters away from the waterline and said, "This is what I used to test the softness of the soil a week ago. Near the stick."

Hearing this news, Barton's expression turned ugly. The entire Yamayama Lake is oval in shape, with an area of ​​about 450 square kilometers and a water storage capacity of about 1.6 million cubic meters.

Moreover, this water storage refers to the high water season. Now the water storage of Yamayama Lake may be less than 1 million cubic meters.

If the water level drops at this rate, the water in the entire Yamayama Lake may not last for two months.

Not only because of the dry weather and increased water evaporation, but also because farmers like them are constantly pumping water to maintain the farm.

If it doesn't rain again, Lake Yamayama might really dry up.

All the farmers are worried, and the fresh water transported from the aqueduct east of the Great Dividing Range is getting less and less.

What should be done? If this continues, the livestock on the farm will die due to lack of water.

Suddenly three pickup trucks drove towards the lake with billows of dust.

"Isn't this someone from the town government?"

"Looks like Mayor Wood."

Several farmers whispered together.

They said that Mayor Wood was bringing five or six people to the farmers.

"Barton, Wilson... Good afternoon!" Mayor Wood greeted with a smile.

Although Barton didn't like this fat man, he still replied with a dry smile, "Hello!"

"What brought our mighty Mayor Wood here?" Wilson quipped.

For the teasing and disapproval of these farmers, Wood did not show anger, but a look of sadness: "There is bad news."

After finishing speaking, Mayor Wood waved to the people who followed him.

The five or six people acted immediately and stuck a bulletin board by the lake.

Barton and the others walked over to take a look, and immediately cursed.

"Fake squid!"

"Oh Maikar! How can you do this!"

"Wood, do you know that our farm is now suffering from severe water shortages?"

One of the angry farmers grabbed Mayor Wood's collar and yelled loudly: "Are you planning to bankrupt my farm?"

"Calm down, George! This is not what I meant. Even if you beat me to death, you can't change this fact. This is the decision of the state government." Mayor Wood said innocently.

The others were also quickly separated by the two. If they really killed someone, George would definitely be unlucky.

But not everyone can restrain themselves, especially most of these farmers in Tuao have guns.

As a result, farm hosts shot at officials in three locations, killing five and wounding 5.

Although the officials in Tuao have been explaining the situation to the farmers, people are selfish, and it is obviously impossible to get them to accept the water restriction order.

Conflicts triggered by water restrictions continued to erupt in many places in Turkey and Australia, and caused many bloody incidents.

The continuous drought has made Tuao feel devastated, and even many farmers have joined forces to sue for water restrictions.

If it is said that Tuao is making a fuss about water restrictions, then Tianzhu does not have to worry about this matter, because now the entire Deccan Plateau is almost scorched, and many rivers have dried up. Naturally, there is no need to restrict water. up.

Even their mother river, the Ganges, has seen a severe drop in flow.

A large number of farmlands withered and lost their harvest due to the drought. As a last resort, Tianzhu could only use poison to quench thirst, and frantically exploited groundwater to alleviate the drought.

Although doing so can cause the groundwater table to drop, they can only solve the urgent need first, and we will talk about the problem of the groundwater table drop later.

Considering the future, Tianzhu has dispatched a negotiating team to Dongyin Water Group, hoping to purchase a seawater desalination plant.

"Baraja! This time to negotiate, I hope you can obtain technology authorization." Minister of Water Resources of Tianzhu Nikalai told the person in charge of the negotiating team.

Baraja said with some embarrassment: "Mr. Minister, this technology licensing matter is probably very difficult."

"We have to continue to talk about the difficulties. It is impossible for us to hand over the water to a foreign company, let alone this company is owned by Dongtang people." Nikolai said resolutely.

"..." Barahah suddenly became speechless. Unless Dongyin Water Group's head was flooded, it would be impossible to even think about technology licensing.

Nicarai probably knew that the request just now was a bit difficult, so he made another request: "If you can't obtain technology authorization, you need to obtain at least 5 years of seawater desalination membrane reserves."

"Okay! I will try my best to negotiate with them." Baraja reluctantly agreed.

"By the way, if the other party's asking price is very high, we must lower the price and ask for installment payment." Nikolai said again.

"..." Baraja was completely speechless.

Damn you, you put so many conditions, how can you be sure that others will agree to them? He suddenly felt that life was like the curry-flavored smog in New Delhi.

(End of this chapter)