Chapter 100: Emergency
Continuous heavy rain finally brought something even more frightening to Gu City on Mid-Autumn Festival day after the bridge collapse.
XF Captain, responsible for salvage and rescue, saw this scene, his heart pounding as he immediately ordered his subordinates to notify all off-duty personnel in the bureau to cancel their leave and return to their posts immediately.
“All masses evacuate immediately, stay away from Back Street and withdraw from South Gate Street, Second Street, Third Street!”
“Everyone evacuate the danger zone immediately, South Gate Street, Second Street, Third Street will soon be under lockdown for rescue operations!”
……
Hearing the chaotic sounds outside, the three who were eating stopped their actions in unison.
“What’s happening outside again?”
Even straining to listen, they couldn’t hear clearly. Fu Jiaming turned to look at the two beside him, “I’ll go check?”
“Eat quickly, check after eating, or no food.” Yan Bei said while lowering his head to speed up.
Su Ning, with a bad premonition in her heart, also shoveled down the remaining meal in her bowl in a few bites, putting down her chopsticks almost at the same time as him.
Only then did Fu Jiaming react, quickly picking up his bowl and anxiously shouting, “Hey, you two wait for me!”
Just now seeing a full table of good food, with pig trotters, big meat bones, duck, and river shrimp, he greedily piled a lot into his bowl, still mounded high.
He gnawed it down at the fastest speed, and the remaining meal was easy—all shoveled into his mouth at once, cheeks bulging like a hamster.
But he still wanted to talk, and as soon as he opened his mouth, rice sprayed out like a machine gun.
“Mmm…”
“Shut up.”
Yan Bei glanced at him disgustedly, grabbed Su Ning’s arm and quickly moved two steps away from the table, “Let’s go.”
“Mm.”
“Mmm, mm…”
The two quickly walked out of the kitchen one after the other. Fu Jiaming following behind had to tightly cover his mouth with his hand; for a moment he couldn’t swallow or bear to spit it out, holding it in until his eyes reddened.
Just stepping out the gate, they bumped into Zhang Ze and Mao Jinqian hurrying by.
“Ning Ning, a mudslide happened at the foot of Nanxi Mountain, Back Street is flooded.”
“What?”
Instinctively turning to look at the mountain behind, but because the view was blocked by houses, she could only see the mountain peak still shrouded in clouds and mist, its appearance unclear.
Turning back, Su Ning couldn’t help feeling fortunate that she had let Gu Zi and the others move out of Back Street beforehand, or else buried inside…
“Are there many people living in Back Street?”
“I heard quite a few.”
“All rescue teams are rushing over at the fastest speed. Ning Ning, Forward and I want to go into the lockdown zone.”
As former J people, even though retired now, when encountering such a situation, they still wanted to rush to the front line selflessly and contribute their strength.
“Okay.”
Knowing that red faith was deep in their bones and wouldn’t change with the passage of time, Su Ning didn’t try to dissuade them but worriedly glanced at the two men’s necks.
Seeing the familiar cord, she still wasn’t reassured and took the chance to touch their arms; only after not seeing any crisis did she fully relax.
Looking at the alley corner where, after a quick greeting, the two had rushed toward Back Street without pause, their figures already gone.
Yan Bei patted her shoulder somewhat worriedly, “Su Ning, you…”
“Brother Zhang is so capable, he definitely won’t have any problems!”
Finally chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth, Fu Jiaming eagerly chimed in.
After all, he was a firsthand witness to Zhang Ze’s prowess, tsk~
Thinking of the brutal scene he saw that day, he couldn’t help trembling for those lying on the ground!
Otherwise, why did he instinctively want to run every time he saw Zhang Ze afterward?
Did he really think it was just because of that black face?
“This year’s Mid-Autumn is turning into…”
Fu Jiaming thought of those in danger and unconsciously trailed off, instead letting out a long sigh.
Due to the collapse of Gaoyun Bridge and the crisis in Back Street, the other three stone bridges and several streets near Back Street were all sealed off.
The evacuated people mostly didn’t want to leave, only retreating a step while carrying large and small bags of valuables from home, all crowding into Second Street and First Street.
Those with relatives or friends here were fine, at least having a place to stay temporarily.
Those with nowhere to go and unwilling to spend money on a guesthouse could only squeeze under others’ eaves or huddle in alley corners against the walls to shelter from the wind and rain.
Everyone’s faces showed confusion, helplessness, fear, and unease.
“Let’s go, back to the yard first.”
One or two people could still be let into the yard to shelter from wind and rain, even given a hot meal, but with so many, if acting out of kindness, even one or two troublemaking bad apples could cause trouble.
Clearly understanding Yan Bei’s unspoken concerns, Su Ning nodded and returned to the courtyard with the two.
Sitting back under the corridor in the courtyard, watching the rain pouring from the sky like a hole that wouldn’t stop, for the first time she felt a bit irritated and disgusted by rainy days.
This Mid-Autumn was destined to make all of Gu City’s people anxious and unable to enjoy the festival happily.
“Su Ning, what are you spacing out about?”
“Thinking about some things.”
A mudslide had happened here at Back Street; would the various production brigades surrounded by mountains on all sides also encounter dangers?
Xi You and the others, according to schedule, if smooth, should have already arrived at Maternal Grandmother’s home in Luohu Brigade by now.
But not fearing ten thousand, fearing the one unexpected—what if…
It was only now she realized the biggest flaw after giving away the jade stones from the spring bottom that could avert disaster and ensure safety.
Luo Shuangshuang, Zhang Ze, Mao Jinqian all wore the black jade pendants she gave; even if encountering danger before the jade tokens shattered, they could turn peril into safety.
But precisely because of this, her special ability to foresee life-and-death crises temporarily lost effect on them.
Turning peril into safety, a scare but no danger, all meant the person ultimately safe and sound without threat of death.
At the same time, it meant she could no longer see the causes and processes of dangers they might encounter, only knowing the outcome brought by the ink jade.
Precisely so she couldn’t help but worry faintly; after all, while Luo Shuangshuang had the ink jade, the accompanying Luo Family members didn’t.
“What are you thinking, your eyebrows are almost knitting together!”
Fu Jiaming couldn’t stand seeing her like that and dragged the thick grass mat under him outward a bit, “Whatever it is, you can tell us two. Three cobblers together top a Zhuge Liang!”
“You’re the one.” “You’re the one.”
This tacit understanding… hey, just pinning him as the cobbler, huh?
“Fine fine fine, you two are my good comrades, good friends, good brothers!”
Yan Bei automatically ignored his exaggerated Fu-style heartbroken tone, focusing only on the person before him, “Su Ning, what are you worried about?”
“Worried about Xi You and them.”
“Luo Shuangshuang, huh…”
Hearing this name, he subconsciously reined in his playful thoughts, Fu Jiaming rarely looking at her seriously, “Did they go back to Luohu?”
“Mm, probably set off early this morning.”
“Then it’s fine, definitely arrived safely!”
Not knowing if comforting her or himself, thinking of the usual fun banter with Luo Shuangshuang, Fu Jiaming’s hands slowly clasped together tightly.
Why suddenly his heart was pounding?
Earlier he sensed something off about himself whenever facing her, wanting to tease her, until now thinking she might encounter some dangerous situation.
Only then did Fu Jiaming face his heart: his feelings for Luo Shuangshuang were more than just a bit of interest.
“Does their team have a telephone? Do you know the number, Su Ning? I’ll call and ask?”
“Probably, but I don’t know the number.”
“Then what now?!”
Good grief, the comforter ended up with a worse bitter melon face than hers, even more worried.
Yan Bei pondered with head lowered for a bit, then looking at them said, “Now I can apply for a car from the factory, but so sudden, afraid we can’t arrange a driver temporarily.”
He knew the best way was actually to wait; news from there would come eventually.
But… who could stand seeing her frown, even a little unwillingly.
“Need what driver, I can drive!”
The two exchanged glances, then both turned to Su Ning, waiting for her decision.
Fu Jiaming was so anxious he scratched his head, unable to stop chattering, “Rest assured, I drive steadily, absolutely no problems.”
Delete it all for me, okay okay okay, I was wrong, won’t try writing full names again.
