Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 1003 Commander Sun

Fengtian.

The heavy snow fell in torrents, obscuring the entire sky. The wind subsided, and pedestrians hurried along the road, while the children, delighted, shouted and rushed into the swirling snow.

Zhang Shitun. The entire site of the Brothers Group has been surrounded by neat corrugated steel plates. In one corner of the site, a small dark green thick canvas military tent is set up, and the aroma of food wafts out.

Inside a small tent further inside, the head of the infrastructure team was holding a meeting with several cadres.

"The snow came a bit early this year, and the weather might change soon. We need to be prepared. Put everything else aside over at the Hun River for now, get the distillery done quickly, and then have everyone gather here. We absolutely must finish all the basic work before it freezes. Are you confident?"

"Yes." The answer was uniform.

"The division's idea is that next year's workload is a bit large, and if it can't be done, they'll bring in other units to work together. But I don't think so. This is an opportunity for our regiment to show off and make a name for itself. We have to seize it and not let outsiders look down on us."

If we can get as much as possible before it freezes, we'll be more relaxed when spring comes. I don't think I need to elaborate on this principle.

In the past, we would just dig earth and build big walls and a few small buildings. This time, as you can see, it's several thousand acres of land, from factory boilers to multi-story elevator buildings, villas, and parks. The largest span is 150 meters. It's all a challenge.

I won't go into too much detail, but we have guidance on construction techniques and all the necessary engineering equipment. Let me give you a sneak peek: if we succeed this time, the division will establish a dedicated construction company based on our regiment, with independent accounting and its own location.

You all know China Railway. Now that there's no war, what will the veterans do? Let's not talk about distant examples, but what are the veterans and officers from our regiment doing now? If we could establish a company like China Railway, then we would finally have a real foothold, you all understand?

Why would anyone retire from the military back then? Everyone could support themselves and their families, everyone had an income, and everyone had security. Not only that, we could lend a hand to those who retired before and those who would retire later. Wouldn't you like that?

"think."

"Commander, just tell us what to do, we'll do whatever you say."

"Motivate the soldiers, ensure logistical support, make sure they eat and sleep well, and accelerate the project's progress while maintaining quality and quantity. I'll say it again: all basic work must be completed before the ground freezes, and we must strive to drill the foundation wells. Next year, we must take control of the main project, understand? Our brother units can definitely handle some auxiliary waterworks and such, right?"

Everyone laughed, each one brimming with fighting spirit.

When Xiaowei returned from Xingcheng and arrived at the Zhangshi construction site, this was the scene he saw.

On the white snow, the soldiers were steaming with heat, some even shirtless. Several huge coal furnaces in the mixing area were burning fiercely, and cartloads of hot mortar and bricks were pushed to the construction area, where they were quickly turned into low walls in the ditches by the soldiers.

The massive piling equipment chugs and rumbles, while several filling trucks stand ready to depart.

Commander Sun, wearing a safety helmet and holding a pair of gloves, accompanied Xiao Wei, who was also wearing a safety helmet.

"In three more days, all the underground pipeline foundation work will be completed, and the piling and grouting work will be completed in a week at most. We'll see if we can put the ground beams down then, depending on the weather. That way, the project will be faster by next spring. Have you been to the Hunhe River area? The foundation for the distillery boiler there is finished and protected. Only the drainage wells are partially completed, and that requires municipal cooperation."

Xiao Wei said, "Seeing how hard the soldiers are working, is it really necessary for them to push themselves so hard? It makes me feel bad."

Commander Sun said with a smile, "We have no choice but to give it our all. The workload is enormous, and if we don't work hard now, it will affect the progress next spring. To be honest, our whole regiment can't handle all the work, but I don't want to give up. If we make a little progress this year, we'll have more opportunities for the above-ground projects next year."

Xiao Wei said, "Commander Hu mentioned this, mainly to coordinate with other units' infrastructure teams to come over. Will it have a big impact on you?"

Regiment Commander Sun said, "We lack engineering equipment, and in some places we can only rely on manpower. I only have about a thousand men under my command. If some of them are still on the foundation when spring comes, then we'll have to deploy another batch on the ground. I'm a little reluctant to do that. But we're all brother units, so I can't let them suffer too much."

Xiao Wei nodded and said, "I own a real estate development company. What do you think, Commander Sun, if I provide my own equipment?"

Commander Sun said, "If you're not planning to build it yourself, then it's unnecessary. That stuff costs a lot of money, and maintenance also costs money. If it's not used much, it'll just be a waste."

Xiao Wei said, "We rent it out. We usually rent it to construction teams."

Commander Sun said, "It's not worth it. They don't treat good stuff like toys. Do you expect them to take good care of it for you? We need to set off a few shells on that corner over there. Just pumping water on it might not be enough. We'll have to pump water on it after it explodes, or it might sink."

Xiao Wei said, "Then let's blow it up. You're in charge, so you decide."

Commander Sun said, "It would be best if you communicated with the local authorities, since this is not a military mission after all."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, I'll talk to the local branch office tomorrow and have the police station come over. This place is so far away in the middle of nowhere, it should be fine, right?"

Commander Sun said, "It's really nothing serious, since we're on their turf. They're in charge of blasting on the construction site, but it's usually not a big deal. There are no houses here, so he has no excuse to cause trouble. If things get really bad, we'll talk about it. I'll just ignore him, and there's nothing he can do about it."

Xiao Wei said, "It's okay, I know the police quite well."

Commander Sun said, "I heard your brother is in the army?"

Xiao Wei said, "Yes, I'm in Xingcheng. I just came back from there."

Regiment Commander Sun said, "Then you're not exactly an outsider. The division is thinking of setting up a construction company, based on our regiment, with corporate management. I want to seize this opportunity. It's getting harder and harder to assign jobs these days, and retired veterans generally have difficulty finding resettlement. I'm thinking that if this company can be established, things like being a veteran won't matter anymore, right? We'll be able to lend a hand."

Xiao Wei said, "That's great! But what happens to military status after it becomes civil service? Will it be converted to civilian status?"

Commander Sun said, "The higher-ups won't say, and it's hard to say what will happen below. Let's just mix things up and take it one step at a time. If it can really be established and gain a foothold, I don't care whether it's military or civilian. China Railway is doing quite well now, and there are quite a few military-run enterprises."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay, just let me know if you need anything, I'll help you with this."

(End of this chapter)