Chapter 198: Chapter 198 The Government is Still Here! (First update begging for monthly votes) _1

Translator: 549690339

“After the rocks ceased to fall, Nie Zhenbang turned around and said: “Xiaoyi, you stay here and watch the car. The rest of us, shall hike into the mountain.”

Nie Zhenbang’s decision was calculated. After all, Yi Jun is a man of letters. A few kilometers of hiking is not to be taken lightly, especially when there’s a looming danger. He asked Yi Jun to stay behind due to safety reasons. Every member of the local police station had been handpicked by Chen Le. Not only they were capable but also they had undergone rigorous trainings. This distance wouldn’t be a problem to them, and Nie Zhenbang, needless to say, was an experienced veteran from the Tiger Group of Xibei Military Region. This road, for him, is nothing more than a simple drill.

But to Nie Zhenbang’s surprise, Yi Jun now disagreed. He straightened his neck, looked at Nie Zhenbang. Yi Jun had been Nie Zhenbang’s secretary for almost a year now and he had never resisted him before, but this time, he decided to stand up and object.

Everyone was taken aback. The nearby officers refrained from speaking. Some lowered their heads, while others looked away. Chen Le also chimed in to mediate, “Director Yi, someone has to stay here. I suppose it should be you.”

At this moment, Yi Jun looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, “Director Nie, it seems like you’re looking down on me. If everyone else can put their lives on the line, then why can’t I? If you can face danger without fear, then as your secretary, I should too. I refuse to be a coward and stay here, I want to go with you. If I’m afraid of death, then I’m not worthy to be a member of the party.”

Nie Zhenbang said irritably, looking at the determined expression on the young man Yi Jun’s face, “Xiaoyi, you’re being foolish. Guarding the car is also a duty. In revolutionary work, there’s no distinction between big or small tasks. So, you think that hiking is work, and staying here equals evasion? This perspective won’t do. Now, it’s my order for you to stay here and report to the district leaders if they arrive. If you’re hungry, you can drive down to the town below, or ask someone from Luobu Township to bring you something.”

Seeing that Yi Jun fell silent, Nie Zhenbang then tucked his trousers into his socks. With his serious expression, he said solemnly: “Brothers, let’s move. Off to Gemu Township.”

As the saying goes, ‘one measures a craftsman against his craft’. As Nie Zhenbang moved with dexterity, admiration was evident on other people’s faces. Director Nie was no ordinary man. Initially, they thought him to be scholarly, but it turned out that Director Nie could well surpass everyone present.

Nie Zhenbang seemed at ease covering the nearly five-kilometer cross-country journey without any weight on him. Everyone else was also holding their own, albeit panting a little, as they were all chosen by Chen Le for their abilities.

Now, seeing the collapsed houses ahead, Nie Zhenbang’s brow furrowed and he said in a deep voice, “It seems that the situation in the Gemu Township isn’t good. Director Chen, immediately find a local resident and inquire about the location of the township party and government authorities. We must hurry there.”

It wasn’t the time to be formal. Nie Zhenbang certainly wouldn’t call the Secretary of the Township Party Committee of Gemu Township over in such circumstances.

Gemu Township, nestled within the mountains, is a long stretch of terrain housing 492 households, divided into four administrative villages, and five natural villages, the smallest having just four residents.

The township government is based in Gemu Village, which is the largest village in the township with over 160 households. At this moment, amidst all the rubble and commotion, many were busy here and there.

Chen Le soon returned and informed, “Director Nie, I figured it out. Comrade Yao Lianghua, the Secretary of the Township Party Committee and the township Mayor, is currently at the township elementary school. When the earthquake stuck, schools were in session apparently. Rumor has it, the school building has collapsed.”

Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang felt his heart skip a beat. School? In-session? It seemed like the worst possible scenario had taken place.

Nie Zhenbang quickened his pace, and tersely instructed, “Chen Le, lead the way immediately to the Gemu Township Elementary School.”

About a dozen uniformed men, led by a government official, swiftly crossed the streets of Gemu Township. The township had only one small street, not more than sixty meters long. As Nie Zhenbang and the others arrived, many residents started following them, shouting, “Police have arrived! The government is here! County officials are here! We are saved!”

Walking into the Gemu Township Elementary School, Nie Zhenbang’s eyebrows furrowed. What kind of an elementary school is this? Does this qualify as an elementary school of a township?

The school consisted of old-fashioned mud houses that were gloomy and low, with a mud playground surrounded by weather-beaten walls. The building was long in length. However, the two classrooms at the far right had already collapsed. On the playground, a few dozen primary school children were gathered quietly under the teacher’s instruction, no one was talking or crying, stark silence pervaded the surroundings.

“Director Nie, you’re here. The earthquake struck too suddenly. Our township government was entirely unprepared. At this moment, all the township officials are scattered, Deputy Director Wang has already gone to the most remote village. Here, according to the teachers’ information, there are fifteen students buried underneath right now. We are organizing manpower for full-scale rescue efforts. Doctors from the township health clinic are also standing by. However, due to the lack of mechanical tools, the progress is somewhat slow,” Gemu Township Party Secretary and Mayor Yao Lianghua greeted Nie Zhenbang immediately.

Gemu Township is nationally recognized for its poverty, and is infamously impoverished. Years ago, cases were reported where an entire family shared a single pair of trousers, and during winter, most people huddled in their beds. The school managing to survive this situation is considered quite a feat.

After hearing Yao Lianghua’s report, Nie Zhenbang’s face softened somewhat. He was very pleased with the decision made by the officials of Gemu Township. Poverty was not the problem, in Nie’s view; problems arose from the inactivity and corruption of officials. The party leadership of Gemu was able to react so swiftly, and the fact that Yao was covered in mud at this moment, was proof that the team took their jobs seriously.

Nie Zhenbang then said gravely: “We don’t have any mechanical equipment and can’t call any in now. The road to Gemu Township has been blocked by a landslide. We had to trek here on foot. Now, we only have manpower available. All efforts should be focused on the rescue mission. If we cannot dig with tools, we’ll dig with our hands. Director Chen, lead the team to conduct the rescue immediately.”

Facing the crowd gathered from Gemu Township, he spoke out: “Fellow villagers, I am Nie Zhenbang from the county government. I apologize for our delayed arrival.”

Among the crowd, several knowledgeable individuals quietly commented, “My goodness, this is our county’s young Director. So young. I thought others were lying.”

Having the county director appear in person was a remarkable event for these plain folks. The earthquake had just erupted two hours ago, and the director had already arrived; his speed and attention to the incident had deeply touched the villagers of Gemu.

Nie Zhenbang elevated his voice once more: “Fellow villagers, true characters emerge in difficult times. The county government places significant importance on this matter. The People’s Liberation Army is on their way. The city leaders will arrive soon as well. Now, we need to pull together and help each other—rescue ourselves! We will rescue every single one of our fellow villagers—your family members. Party members and officials shall set the example.”

Having said this, Nie turned around and walked towards the collapse site. He grabbed a shovel from someone standing by, rolled up his sleeves, and began to dig.

All the villagers were stunned by Nie’s actions. Their normally dignified county director was hands-on with the rescue effort. In their memory, a director was a figure who would stand at the side, giving orders and supervising.

“Brother Zhu, let’s get to work. Everybody, let’s go. The government is helping us out, and our family members and children are buried under the rubble. Let’s work together. Come with me.” A burly man, having witnessed the scene, clenched his neck, turned red in the face, and roared out loud. He felt ashamed of his previous inaction.

Although the magnitude of the earthquake wasn’t large, the houses in Gemu, after all, were old earthen houses which could not withstand such shaking. As a saving grace, these rural houses were easier to clear, excluding some bricks and debris.

With hundreds of people joining the efforts, the collapsed classrooms were cleared quickly. The sight of their family members caused the buried students to break into uncontrollable weeping.

At this moment, Yao Lianghua came over with a middle-aged man: “Director Nie, this is Mr. Zhu, a substitute teacher at the elementary school. If not for him shielding the children and immediately directing them to stack desks and chairs in a corner after the initial shock, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

Hearing Yao Lianghua’s introduction. Nie Zhenbang’s expression changes, such a teacher, faced with adversity, rather than fled, he made an appropriate arrangement promptly. Consequently, he was hit by a falling beam, someone like him deserved respect.

Nie Zhenbang immediately stepped forward and shook Mr. Zhu’s hand, his voice steady: “Mr. Zhu, on behalf of the county government, I thank you for what you have done for the children. I appreciate your noble spirit.”

Mr. Zhu appeared rather shy. He might have never met a “high-ranking official” like Nie before. He chuckled modestly and said, “Director Nie, you’re flattering me. This is what I should be doing. Director Nie, you are a high official. I implore you. The schools in Gemu Township are all in disrepair. Please get the Education Bureau to allocate some funds for us to repair a school.”

Nie Zhenbang nodded again: “We will certainly repair it, I promise. We will build the best school for Gemu Township. Regardless of our poverty, we should never let education suffer. No matter how hard it is, we should never let our children suffer. This is not just an empty slogan. After this rescue operation, I will visit Gemu Township again.”

PS: Sending the first update of the day, it’s four updates today as a warm-up. Brothers and sisters, we have the final five-day sprint. If you have access to a monthly pass, please show your support. Help me. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit qidian.com to vote, your support is my greatest motivation.)