Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 430 Love and Pain (Two chapters combined, a bonus chapter for Silver-level player R-ge)
On this night when the whole nation mourns, the land of China is destined to remain sleepless.

The aftershocks of the earthquake still surge in the blood of the Chinese people, like a taut string that will snap at the slightest touch.

1.3 billion eyes are looking in the same direction, filled with love and hope for their compatriots.

There was the roar of collapsing mountains, the silence of fading life, and the faint yet stubborn cries for help in the darkness.

Someone was repeatedly dialing the same number under the light until the battery ran out and their fingertips became hot.
Some people are glued to their television screens, waiting for any possible good news, even if it's just an update on the numbers;

Some people pulled out their savings books accumulated over many years and solemnly wrote down the official donation channels and previously unfamiliar place names on the remittance slips.

While Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei slept in each other's arms in the tent, conserving their energy for the operation to come, a grand drama directed by the former was also unfolding in the capital.

Huayi Headquarters, Xinchao South Road, Chaoyang District.

Wang Dajun watched with a solemn expression as his younger brother spoke with a reporter from "Nanfang" magazine on the phone.

"Are you sure, Lao Zhang? Oh! Oh! Okay, then, that's all for now. Be sure to keep in touch when you come to Beijing, okay? Hehe, okay, okay, goodbye."

Wang Xiaolei hung up the phone, his expression also not very good: "I asked, and they are not allowed to enter the disaster area for interviews right now. They need to wait for unified notification."

"I asked about the situation in Wolong. According to Lao Zhang, because of the special location of the panda base, it should be given special care. At least the soldiers from the Rongcheng Military Region have already set off."

Wang Dajun had just had dinner with Ma Yun and several other leaders tonight. His usually gentle and refined face was flushed slightly from the alcohol, and the flush had not yet faded.

"These things are left to fate. We can't judge his current situation, and it's obviously difficult for any news to get out."

Wang Xiaolei speculated with no malice, "What rich person wouldn't value their life? If there was even a sliver of hope, I'd probably have contacted the outside world already. The Wolong base should have its own radio station."

"Given his role as the chief director, how could the rescue news not be leaked in advance?"

He grabbed his brother's arm: "Not a word has been leaked yet, brother, maybe he's already..."

"Silence!"

Wang Dajun remained as cautious as ever, but faced with the opportunity, he couldn't help but struggle with his conscience.

Wang Xiaolei said impatiently, "The working group spent the whole afternoon investigating. The border authorities were accommodating to all our requests and cooperated without exception. There really weren't many weaknesses to exploit."

"Li Fu still found an excuse to nitpick, saying that he would work overtime all night to tackle the problem, but the difficulty was too great. Their legal team and finance department were also on standby 24 hours a day, and they were going all out to get through this."

"Brother, what do you think about Jiang Beichun...? Could you give it a try?"

Wang Dajun was confused: "What do you want to do?"

"Before the Lunar New Year, Lu Kuan was blinded by lust and had his girlfriend become the head of a secret service agency in the company. He then thoroughly investigated corruption within the company, with Jiang Beichun's Focus Media being the hardest hit."

“I heard that one of his close confidants in Focus Media’s Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has also fallen from grace, which has made him lose face among the senior management.”

"Moreover, Focus Media was originally his own business. However, his aggressive moves to seize the building channel back then backfired, and Lu Kuan took advantage of the situation to acquire and control the company. Now, it can only be a subsidiary of Wenjie."

Wang Xiaolei squinted: "Do you think Jiang Beichun harbors any resentment? Can't we try to talk to him?"

"He's unlikely to succeed," Wang Dajun scoffed. "Does he have the guts to rebel? I doubt it."

"That's why we need to hurry! While Wenjie is in turmoil and on the verge of collapse, let's do some good public relations with Jiang Beichun. He doesn't dare to, and he doesn't care. Can't he just introduce us to some connections in private? It's just a matter of getting some dirt on us."

"The most crucial point is that among all companies listed in the US stock market, only Focus Media is a mainland Chinese company. What Li Fu needs is this kind of cross-border capital flow so that he can pin more serious charges on him as the legal representative."

Wang Dajun remained silent, paced to the window, and pondered the pros and cons of the matter.

He unconsciously ran his fingertips along the water droplets condensed on the rim of the glass. The night wind in Beiping in May stirred up the neon lights of the Guomao Building, seemingly distorting the Olympic countdown numbers scrolling on the LED screen of the office building across the street.

Those scarlet words looked like an unhealed wound in the night.

After a long pause, the president of Huayi, who was under immense pressure, slowly turned around: "Be cautious, be cautious, be extremely cautious!"

"Okay! Don't worry!"

In order to dispel Boss Lu's inner demons, Wang Xiaolei has been studying the Questioning Realm for a long time.

Among all the subsidiaries, apart from the aforementioned incident of "Lu Kuan indulging his girlfriend's mistreatment of his subordinates", Focus Media is indeed an excellent breakthrough point.

Leaving aside the incriminating evidence regarding the flow of funds, Jiang Beichun held 51% of the voting rights before the company went public (Chapter 191).

After Focus Media's listing on Nasdaq, its shareholding ratio changed. However, from Jiang Beichun's perspective, if Lu Kuan, who has no heirs, were to die without a valid will, his shares would be confiscated by the state.

In this situation, according to the provisions of my country's Company Law, this portion of the equity will be preferentially acquired by other company shareholders.

If the company's articles of association contain such a provision, or if the absence of such a provision implies that the Company Law will be applied, then the original shareholders will still have priority in claiming ownership of the shares that have been transferred to the state in subsequent transfers or auctions.

This is based on the personal nature of companies, and the law tends to allow the original shareholders to acquire the assets so that social wealth and assets can be effectively managed.

What does this mean?
This means that if Lu Kuan has an accident, Jiang Beichun will have plenty of room to maneuver and replace the former to become the new owner of Focus Media!
Even if nothing happens to him, as long as Huayi and Ali's joint strangulation operation is successful and Wenjie is able to be split up, he will still have a chance.

This is not easy to achieve in other subsidiaries. In Wenjie Mall, the second-smallest holding company owned by Mr. Lu, Liu Qiangdong only has 30% equity.

It can be said that Jiangbei Spring is the best breakthrough point that Wang Xiaolei can find at present.

Even if he doesn't show up himself, could he find a temporary worker to fabricate some evidence?
This is common practice in the straightforward world of business warfare, and it's a common tactic in a significant number of civil and commercial cases; it's not a difficult thing to do.

Wang Xiaolei walked out of his elder brother's office with a smug look on his face, wondering which intermediary he should contact through, as it would be too conspicuous for him to do it himself.

"Mr. Wang?"

I happened to run into Bingbing at the corner on the fourth floor. The latter nodded slightly and said, "Is the King here? I've come to get his signature."

This refers to the previously mentioned performance-based agreement for minority shareholders.

"Yes, yes." Wang Xiaolei tried his best to suppress his joy, but looking at the leading lady in front of him who had made great contributions to the company, he still couldn't help but deliver some sad news.

"Bingbing, I heard rumors that Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei went to Wolong yesterday, and now they're also..."

He sighed deeply, shook his head, and entered the elevator: "I hope they can return safely."

The moment the elevator doors, gleaming with a cold light, slowly closed, Fan Bingbing's professional smile seemed to be paused.

The metal door seam cut off Wang Xiaolei's hypocritical sigh into distorted sound waves. She suddenly raised her hand and pressed it against her violently heaving chest, her diamond-encrusted nails scraping against the CHANEL haute couture suit with a tiny tearing sound.

The corridor ceiling light exploded into pale white fragments in her pupils. The leading lady staggered back two steps, leaning against the fire hydrant as if her spine had been removed.

At 9 p.m., the Wenjie Building was still brightly lit.

The working group from the Bank of China and the Bureau of Commerce on the seventh floor praised the food at the Wenjie canteen. Li Fu, the leader, officially announced that they would be working overtime today and politely asked Wenjie to provide the necessary materials.

Chen Zhixi answered Zhuang Xu's call and said she would fully cooperate.

From noon to night, both official and unofficial news spread throughout the entire company.

Regarding the investigation by relevant departments, the safety of the boss Lu Kuan, and especially the fact that many people saw Liu Xiaoli leaving the area in tears...

To set the record straight, Dong Shuangqiang and Zhuang Xu instructed the office to draft an internal letter—

Although it was supposed to be an internal letter, it was quickly spread online.

Dear colleagues:

Today is a day of national mourning. During this special time, we understand everyone's concerns and worries, but we need to remain calm and rational.

Chairman Lu Kuan did indeed travel to the Wolong base on official business, but there is currently no evidence to suggest that he encountered any mishap.

We are maintaining close communication with relevant departments and will inform you as soon as there are any new developments. Please refer to official information and do not be misled by false rumors.

At the eighth anniversary celebration, we witnessed together the grand blueprint of Wenjie.

No matter how the external environment changes, every step of Wenjie's growth is inseparable from the dedication and hard work of every employee.

Here, we urge everyone to focus on their own work and ensure the orderly progress of business operations.

Currently, the country is facing the test of major natural disasters. As ordinary individuals, we may not be able to go to the front line for rescue, but doing our duty in our posts and ensuring the stable operation of the company is the most practical support we can provide.

Wenjie has always upheld its original aspiration of "serving the country through industry" and hopes that all colleagues will work together with the company to overcome the difficulties.

. . .

Having just experienced an exhilarating eighth-anniversary celebration, the employees, whose minds were in turmoil, quickly snapped out of their afternoon of disarray.

As the saying goes, "a desperate army is bound to win." This team, which has been victorious for eight years, remains highly motivated and united in overcoming difficulties.

At this moment, looking out from the glass curtain wall of the Wenjie Building, isn't this the case everywhere in the entire land of China?
The lights stayed on all night.

This includes the leadership of Wenjie Holdings, who are still working hard in the meeting room.

Zhuang Xu spoke from the left side of the long table, leaving the usual seats for the dozen or so bosses from the other end of the subsidiary company empty.

"Next, we will discuss several important resolutions, all concerning the social responsibilities that we, as private enterprises, can assume during this special period."

"First, starting tomorrow, all official websites under Wenjie Holdings will be switched to a black and white interface, and the duration is yet to be determined."

"Secondly, starting tomorrow, the company's publicity tools, including Travel Channel, will be coordinated with relevant departments to conduct disaster relief reporting and promote positive energy themes. If there are any conflicts with the existing commercial projects of Party A, we will do a good job of communication and coordination, and provide remedial and delayed payment measures."

"Among these, some of Focus Media's electronic screens will also be requisitioned as windows for disaster relief and Olympic publicity. This is also what the Organizing Committee and the municipal publicity department communicated with us about."

"Third, Mr. Liu."

There were two Mr. Lius present, and they both looked at Zhuang Xu.

"Mr. Dong, the third issue concerns the logistics resources of Wenjie Mall. You raised this point, so please elaborate."

"Okay." Liu Qiangdong coughed twice. "Here's the thing, the situation is urgent, time is of the essence, I propose—"

"All logistics vehicles, warehousing resources, and delivery personnel of Wenjie Mall shall immediately and unconditionally obey the unified dispatch of the state!"

"In the past two years, after our Series A and B financing rounds, most of the funds have been used for the construction of warehousing and logistics facilities across the country. Fortunately, construction in the southwest region has not yet started due to site selection issues."

"Based on our current logistics network layout, I suggest that the support team advance in three routes."

"The Jiangcheng Warehousing Center, a hub in Central China, can currently mobilize more than 90 heavy trucks, which are suitable for transporting large disaster relief equipment and can travel on the Shanghai-Chongqing and Chengdu-Chongqing expressways."

"The Xi'an transit station has more than 60 medium-sized trucks, which can purchase light goods such as tents locally and then transfer them to National Highway 108 via the Beijing-Kunming Expressway to reach Mianyang and Chengdu directly."

"There are also dozens of short-distance delivery vehicles in the mountain city recently, which can carry food and drinking water, but I don't know what the situation is like in Chengdu and Chongqing now."

The group in the meeting room fell into deep thought. Zhong Lifang was the first to speak: "The other subsidiaries are fine. We are all industry leaders."

"But the process of Wanjie Mall catching up with Ali in the past two years has been very difficult. Logistics and warehousing are our trump cards that we have accumulated and bet heavily on."

"What Mr. Liu proposed is something we must do, but it will inevitably hinder the development of our mall. Now we can only see how to remedy the situation so that we are not left behind after Ali enters the B2C market this year."

Liu Qiangdong is a pragmatist, and after confirming the feasibility of the support measures, he did not shy away from stating them:

"Just like what Mr. Zhuang said before, our internet and Focus Media resources are tilted towards public welfare. Doing so will have an impact on Wenjie Mall, and if there are any losses, we will bear them ourselves."

"But let's put this behind closed doors and be realistic."

"Individuals can do good deeds anonymously, but companies must do good deeds anonymously because the ultimate goal of a company is to make a profit, and we are responsible for the income of thousands of employees."

"From a utilitarian perspective, I think this is a rare advertising opportunity. Just imagine the effect of heavy trucks and vans carrying banners supporting disaster relief efforts on highways across the country and appearing in front of major media cameras."

Zhuang Xu nodded and said, "Please feel free to share your thoughts."

"Buzz buzz buzz!" Jiang Beichun was about to speak when he was startled by the vibrating phone on the table, but then calmly turned it off.

"Fellow executives, let me tell you about Focus Media's own situation."

"In fact, our business situation this year is not very optimistic, mainly for two reasons."

"First, the financial crisis has had a significant impact. The vacancy rate of Focus Media's core building LCD advertising spaces has surged. In the first quarter, the amount of advertising space placed by financial and automotive clients plummeted by 40% year-on-year. Multinational companies such as Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola have also reduced their budgets."

"The second point is also unavoidable, because of the Olympics."

“This year, CCTV’s exclusive broadcasting rights attracted at least 70% of the budgets of local advertisers, and our expertise in ‘fragmented’ advertising was siphoned off by mainstream media.”

Jiang Beichun looked around at everyone with sincere eyes: "Just like what President Liu just said, we must be responsible for our company's employees. If this were my personal company, I would definitely support disaster relief and public welfare without hesitation, but now..."

The core management team members in the meeting room looked at each other in bewilderment. Running a business and being a leader is not a one-sided endeavor; the boundaries between public and private matters cannot be blurred.

No one scoffed at his predicament, because these were the most practical problems in running a business.

Furthermore, the situations of Focus Media and Wenjie Mall are different.

The mall is a perennial runner-up that has always been chasing, while Focus Media has long dominated the market and doesn't particularly need this kind of positive public relations exposure.

Zhuang Xu's expression was serious: "Anything else? Does anyone else have anything to watch...?"

"Buzz!"

"I'm sorry, I'll be right back." Jiang Beichun, his brows furrowed, grabbed his phone and hurried out the door.

Wang Xing spoke up: "President Zhuang, what are your thoughts on the matters concerning Blogcn.com and Weibo?"

"I'll take care of it in a bit, let's discuss this first."

"Okay." Wang Xing pursed his lips and said nothing more.

After Zhijie was established, Zhuang Xu's original position remained unchanged due to independent accounting and operation, but he was given the additional titles of vice president and general manager at Wenjie Holdings.

With the current boss, Lu Kuan, absent, according to the provisions of the Company Law, as the general manager, he is authorized to make decisions on some major matters.

However, judging from the current situation, apart from Dongzi, who is always both rational and passionate, Jiang Beichun was the first to raise objections, but ultimately his objections were based on work and were reasonable and well-founded.

However, from the perspective of Gao Jun, Long Danni, and others who were indifferent to the matter, it seemed that only Boss Lu could currently command this massive aircraft carrier battle group.

If he were standing at the table saying that today, perhaps no one would even dare to look up and offer any opinions.

This is also why Lu Kuan has always maintained the closed nature of Wenjie Holdings' equity; even this listing is just a smokescreen for Huayi Performance.

Because he wanted to maintain his dictatorial rule, at least until the end of the prophetic period.

When Jiang Beichun returned after receiving the call, he still presented his own set of reasons, but he also made a concession, agreeing to allocate a portion of his share to respond to the company's call, but he would be given a certain exemption in the performance evaluation.

The meeting lasted until after 11 p.m. When no agreement could be reached, Zhuang Xu had no choice but to use his position as general manager to exert pressure in a businesslike manner, with the cooperation of Vice President Dong Shuangqiang.

Before leaving, the core management team walked to the door, lingering in small groups, reluctant to disperse. Only after Zhuang Xu left did Long Danni stammer out her question:
"President Zhuang, Director Lu..."

Zhuang Xu's face instantly darkened: "President Lu's position is special, and the Olympic opening ceremony is a complex affair; we're waiting for him to return and oversee the work."

"No news is good news."

Watching the high-ranking officials, deep in thought, file out one after another, Dong Shuangqiang sighed and patted him on the shoulder.

Human nature is the most difficult thing to guess and grasp. Since Lao Dong went into business, he has been quite impressed with that young director who is most skilled at manipulating and controlling people's hearts.

Zhuang Xu and Dong Shuangqiang stood by the window of the conference room on the twelfth floor of Wenjie Building, their tired yet sharp silhouettes reflected in the glass. Below, the taillights of luxury cars driving away streaked across the night like bloodstains.

Those branch managers, any one of them nowadays, are figures who can stir up the industry, and perhaps some of them are disappearing into the shadows with their own schemes.

"Zhuang, do you think he'd rather see snakes lured out, or not?"

If this "reducing the number of stoves" strategy fails to work, it certainly won't be able to completely drag the people behind Huayi down and find an opportunity to uproot them.

This also demonstrates that this eight-year-old company possesses a strong sense of unity and organizational discipline, making it a truly trustworthy and readily effective force.

Zhuang Xu smiled wearily: "Nobility is the passport of the noble, baseness is the epitaph of the base. Let's see if anyone will carve their own tombstone this time."

"But as long as the evidence is conclusive, he probably wouldn't even blink if he arrested both of us, right?"

Dong Shuangqiang laughed loudly: "Go back and rest. I'll arrange for someone to send some late-night snacks to Li Fu and the others. I hope he can make some gains."

Under Zhuang Xu's chairmanship, the three resolutions passed by the core leadership yesterday officially came into effect.

As Liu Qiangdong said, companies should not do good deeds anonymously; this is a responsibility to the entire company. As long as the publicity is truthful, that is sufficient.

Soon, netizens noticed the changes to Zhijie's website.

The interfaces of Weibo and Blogcn were all turned black and white, the entertainment trending search function was taken offline, and almost all the information pushed to users became disaster relief related information.

The homepage features prominent positive topics and hashtags, updates the information in real time through official channels, and we have also contacted CCTV to open a special account on Weibo to set the record straight and dispel rumors.

Zhijie Video has made emergency content adjustments, temporarily removing all entertainment and variety shows, and pushing the "Post-Disaster Self-Rescue Guide" science animation and real-time reports from the front lines on its homepage.

They also created a video section for psychological healing, along with post-disaster psychological intervention courses recorded by psychology experts.

Wenjie Mall opened a "Disaster Relief Supplies Donation Channel" on its homepage, allowing users to directly purchase tents, first aid kits, and other items that are shipped directly from the warehouse to the destination. The mall also announced that more than 200 rescue vehicles on three routes would be unconditionally under its command.

Netizens were abuzz with discussion, and soon, enthusiastic supporters praised Wenjie Holdings.

Until a statement was pinned to the top of Wenjie Holdings' Weibo homepage, it brought tears to the eyes of countless netizens who couldn't sleep that night:

Fellow countrymen and friends, at this time of national crisis, in accordance with the instructions of Chairman Lu Kuan, all employees of Wenjie Holdings hereby make the following statement!
Effective immediately, Wenjie Holdings Group and all its subsidiaries will unconditionally obey the unified command of the state and devote all their efforts to the transportation of supplies and publicity work within their capabilities.

We believe that under the strong leadership of the Party and the government, no disaster can break the backbone of the Chinese nation.

As stated in the speech by our Chairman, Mr. Lu Kuan, at the recently concluded eighth anniversary celebration—

His and the company's greatest fortune is being a part of our rising motherland!

Over the past eight years, Wenjie has grown from a film and television company into an industrial group, which is inseparable from the gifts of the times and the trust of the people.

Now is the time for us to repay this trust.

Let us carry with us the courage of our compatriots in "Tangshan" to help each other, and inspire the great nation that has stood proudly in this "sky of history" for thousands of years.

May our mountains and rivers be safe and sound, may our loved ones return, and may our country be prosperous and our people at peace!
. . .

The statement from Wenjie Holdings was like a signal flare piercing the long, dark night, allowing the sleepless Chinese people to feel the warmth and hope of the collective.

This is the first company in China to react and make a statement so quickly, and has already fulfilled its promises and taken action.

But the last episode really raises suspicions.

What does it mean to wish for an old friend to return?

Until a Wenjie employee posted that internal letter in the reply thread, coupled with the news from the Beijing Organizing Committee's documentary filming team—

Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei are currently in Wolong.

shock!
The most popular couple on the internet, a young female star in the Chinese entertainment industry and the richest man in mainland China, a genius director who has been in the limelight, have also fallen into a deadly situation.

In the face of disaster, how insignificant is the power of humankind.

At this moment, all we can do is pray, just as we would for our millions of compatriots, that they too can "return to their homeland".

At this moment, regardless of whether netizens in front of the screen were haters or supporters of someone, they all offered their blessings and encouragement without feeling the same way.

“A promise is a promise, and an action must be carried out. A week ago, I read the comments on ‘Nanfang’ and left a message under the Zhijie video saying that Boss Lu was hypocritical. Now he apologizes. I’m sorry! Now I’m going to curse Zhu Nanfang, that son of a bitch!”

"Two years ago, at the premiere of 'Tangshan' at the city stadium with 10,000 people, I saw the film live. The scene in the movie where Hu Jun, playing the company commander, sacrifices himself to save Douhe was superimposed on the figures of the soldiers setting off tonight. I wish you a safe return. Thank you to Wenjie and Director Lu for the film, which has become a spiritual comfort for us on this special night."

"I'm just a wage earner, and I've already ordered disaster relief supplies from Wenjie Mall. It's my small contribution. I hope Qianqian and Director Lu can return safely. I hope I'll have another chance to roast you in the future, sigh!"

"I've watched 'The Sky of History' three times, and I always shed tears for the line 'Eternal Life in Nanjing' in the movie and at the awards ceremony. At this moment, I just want to silently wish my motherland and my compatriots eternal life, and hope that you can all watch our Olympics in three months in peace and happiness."

"Nanfang's reports on the Wenjie conspiracy theory on Sohu, Tianya, and its official website have not even been deleted. Meanwhile, the evil companies and founders they accuse are now dying for their country. I find it hard to describe my feelings at this moment. It is truly the Criminal Law that has protected you, you shameful commentators and journalists!"

"The land of Shu is truly a dead end with wide roads, just like the Luofeng Slope for Pang Tong. The car accident a few years ago, and now the natural disaster, I hope the high-rise building you donated can protect the children and yourself. Best of luck!"

"There have been rumors for a long time that Lu Kuan is a Taoist priest who descended from the mountain to experience the mortal world. He has extraordinary calculation abilities and knows everything about the past and present. Even Boss Li, the Eagle King, treats him as an honored guest. Today, it seems that this rumor is completely false. I hope he comes back safely! Although I don't like his behavior, Chinese films can't do without him, and the Olympics can't do without him either."

The pinned post on Wenjie Holdings' official Weibo account has strangely become almost a "memorial service" for Mr. Lu.

A strange phenomenon is that people tend to simplify human nature with labels and replace thinking with stances, until reality ruthlessly tears apart all the pre-set scripts.

When the tide receded, everyone was deeply moved to discover that the "villain" they had been making fun of had actually been quietly playing the role of a hero all along, outside the script.

Soon, countless people in the Chinese entertainment industry, including the two Wangs from Huayi Brothers, whether they had previously been kind or hostile, strangers or acquaintances, competitors or collaborators, posted on Weibo to pray and offer their blessings.

It seems that they have finally put aside their differences and are now living in harmony.

This outward serenity did nothing to hinder their underwater expansion, and the temporary silence of Zhu Nanfang and his ilk was merely to facilitate their next move.

Driven by Wenjie's example, all internet companies quickly followed suit and adopted the black-and-white interface.

Huayi took the lead by pledging 2000 million yuan, and Ali quickly launched charity sales and projects, even adding a bundled donation option to the charity channels of Wenjie Mall:
For every dollar a user donates through charitable channels, Ali will donate one cent.

This is the largest investment that Ma Huateng has been able to make so far, after investing heavily in issuing new shares of Huayi and promoting Alipay.

This kind of word-of-mouth advertising that has a century-long reputation, Wenjie did it, and he had to follow suit.
-
Li Fu is indeed a talented person.

From the afternoon until he arrived at the border, he greeted everyone with a smile, never displaying the arrogance of a working group auditing accounts, but simply burying himself in his work.

He was a top student at the Central University of Finance and Economics, the predecessor of the university, and had long been involved in auditing and anti-corruption work. He later rose to a prominent position at the Bank of China.

The reason he was sent was because he was experienced and good at finding weaknesses in the smallest clues, but today he has indeed run into a tough one.

How can there be such a clean company?
Actually, he was late.

Last year, there might have been plenty of errors, big and small, that could have been found, but since the establishment of this supervisory department and the appointment of Director Liu, the company's atmosphere has indeed become much more disciplined.

All the pots that needed fixing had been repaired, and all the accounts that needed to be done had been thoroughly settled. The remaining minor, trivial mistakes were, in Li Fu's view, better than nothing.

"Alright, I won't have any late-night snacks. I'm sorry to have bothered you today." He looked at Chen Zhixi, who still had a professional smile on her face, and said goodbye to the dejected work team at the elevator entrance.

But his next words made the already reluctant working group members even more desperate.

What time does your company start work in the morning?

"eight thirty."

"Okay, goodbye!"

After going downstairs and getting into his car, Li Fu drove onto the elevated highway and took out his phone to call Wang Xiaolei.

Of course, he couldn't call his boss directly over the phone; he had to be aware of the safety rules and could only speak in person.

In a villa in Beijing, Mr. Wang, flushed and drunk, lay on the bed while the sound of a razor rang out from the bathroom.

"Xiao Lei".

"They've closed down their stall?"

"You've been defeated for now, but you need to keep trying."

Wang Xiaolei said in a deep voice, "We've contacted everyone we could. We've done our best and left the rest to fate. In any case, even if he's alive, he'll be out in a day or two. If we make any progress in that day or two, it'll be enough to give Wenjie a good drink."

"You must remember, our target is not him, but the boundary."

The two chatted enthusiastically on the phone. The former said he was going to get some "snacks" for Special Envoy Li, who had worked hard all afternoon, which made the latter very happy.

My wife at home has been celibate for so long that she's become unbearable.

He was more likely to satisfy his male pride by having access to tender, crisp bamboo shoots and by using gestures and eyes that were always filled with adoration.

"Okay, I'm home. I'm not going to talk to you anymore..."

"Holy crap!..."

Upon hearing Li Fu's exclamation, Wang Xiaolei, on the other end of the phone, hung up and immediately dialed back.

The call was disconnected! Try calling again!
Wang Xiaolei paced fearfully by the bedside several times. Who in the world had the audacity to directly confront the person who raised the issue? Could it be Lu Kuan's doing?
Fifteen minutes later, Li Fu's excited voice came from the phone.

"Someone delivered some materials!"

. . .

The next morning at 8:30, Wenjie employees struggled through the crowd of reporters to enter the company lobby.

Why are there so many reporters outside?

"It's all because of Zhu Dake and the people from 'Nanfang' magazine. They're all asking about the work group."

Two employees were chatting and ordering free coffee at the bar on the first floor of the company, a company perk, when suddenly one of them dropped his paper cup!
"Is that Old Dong?"

"Holy crap! Something's happened!"

Everyone watched as Dong Shuangqiang, head held high and chest out, calmly followed the uniformed personnel out the door, his dark circles under his eyes particularly noticeable.

Li Fu returned last night and worked through the night, finally obtaining "evidence" based on the tip-off materials that could be transferred to the Economic Crime Investigation Department!
The two employees of Wenjie, standing in front of the coffee bar, watched the reporters swarm forward with complicated expressions, both feeling as if the building was about to collapse.

The dozens of entertainment and financial reporters gathered in front of the Wenjie Building acted like megaphones, quickly spreading the live news from the scene.

Amidst a sea of ​​news reports about national mourning, this news shocked the internet community and other film companies in the Chinese entertainment industry.

Dong Shuangqiang, vice president of Wenjie Holdings, was taken away for questioning by the Economic Investigation Department.

Although the official response was just a routine inquiry, not an interrogation, there's much more to it than meets the eye, and the situation is far more complex.

Could it be because someone isn't in the capital right now...?

Rumors and gossip were rampant, and with the vigorous promotion of newspapers and magazines such as "Nanfang" and followers, discordant voices still emerged.

The Chinese are best at creating heroes, and then destroying them with their own hands.

They'll lift you up as high as they can, and then make you fall as hard as they can!

Some netizens who were moved by the disaster relief statement from the company have begun to question its motives under guidance: "Yesterday they were praising it as a national enterprise, and today they're being exposed for transferring assets? It seems that even the tears of capitalists are just business!"

"I believe that Nanjing's immortality is real, but capitalists are capitalists, and the immortality of capital should also be true."

"According to a former employee of Wenjie, this time it seems that the more than 10 billion yuan that the boss borrowed from the Bank of China for the construction of cinemas was intercepted. It is suspected that the money was embezzled overseas through the original blog network. So the boss still has such a large business overseas, understand?"

"Looking at it this way, this virtual equity system is nothing but a Ponzi scheme. No wonder he's such a great director, putting on such a grand show for us!"

Nanfang continued its attack, igniting a public opinion firestorm with an article titled "The Collapse of the 'Monopoly Empire': How Long Can Wenjie's 'National Enterprise' Persona Last?"

The article misinterprets Wenjie's disaster relief efforts as "crisis public relations," implying that Wenjie is using the national crisis to "whitewash its original sins of capitalism."

Online trolls and "rational commentators" quickly followed up, exaggerating the rumors that "Wenjie is suspected of defrauding the Bank of China of a huge loan and transferring assets overseas through blogs," and directly writing several lengthy articles.

Aside from the media forces controlled by both sides, online public opinion instantly split into two camps:

One group consists of netizens who feel deceived and lack any judgment, actively switching sides, believing they have been tricked by someone's hypocritical behavior;
One group consists of rational netizens who have witnessed how Boss Lu and Wenjie started from humble beginnings and consistently fulfilled their promises through hard work and action.
The only saving grace is that, despite the intense struggle, no one has dared to directly target Lu Kuan yet.

Wang Dajun and Xiao Lei were filled with regret, lamenting that the "yellow vest" (a symbol of authority) that Lu Kuan had chosen for them as the chief director of the Olympics was too powerful.

Even with this informant material that could be used to make a big deal out of things, they could only continue to attack Wenjie himself, and dared not even mention his name.

Their decision not to mention it was the right one.

Once it's brought up, even if Leader Liu is told not to interfere for the time being, he'll have to get involved anyway.

In fact, Zhuang Xu also felt regret, regretting that he had misjudged the person.

This kind of simple business warfare involving mutual attacks and scheming was really giving him a headache. This gentlemanly man sighed and thought that he should just hand the final blow to Lu Kuan himself.

Why isn't this guy back yet?

. . .

Like Zhuang Xu, many people are concerned about Boss Lu's schedule and current situation, hoping that he will come back soon.

Zhang Yimou and others sighed all day long, and the creative team members waited for him to return to take charge of the work, unwilling to face the news that he might have died.

The employees at Wenjie, who love him, have always stood on the same side as him, regardless of the rumors, praise or criticism from the outside world.
Over the past eight years, countless fans have been hoping that he can appear soon, share his experiences, clear his name, and return to being the genius director nicknamed "washing machine."

Even Xiao Liu's fans, since Tianxian is so devoted, can only grit their teeth and support him, temporarily turning from haters into CP fans, fighting against the evil forces like "Nanfang" that spread rumors, and waiting for the two to return.

No one could have imagined that they would reappear on television in this way and in this manner.
-
Starting from the evening of the 12th, the news broadcast time was adjusted to 50 minutes.

At the same time, CCTV's new Channel 13 news channel began 24-hour live broadcasts from all angles, as people were eager to learn about the ins and outs and progress of the incident from official channels, hoping to find solace and emotional comfort from the nationwide hurricane rescue efforts.

Disaster reports, emergency responses from leaders, mobilization and donations from numerous enterprises and social organizations, and international rescue teams have all rushed to the scene.

Of course, the presence of our most beloved people rushing to our aid is always indispensable.

In the television footage, the searchlights of the engineering corps cleaved through the rain, illuminating the young backs of those who used their shoulders to create a lifeline on the edge of a cliff.
Inside the field hospital tent, when a nurse cut open the armband that was stuck together with blood, she revealed the old burn scars on the young soldier's armband—a medal branded three hours earlier when he rescued an infant from the boiler room.

at all costs!
The command rang out in every satellite phone.

The infantry company, carrying 30 kilograms of supplies, used machetes to cut open the collapsed area, and the cracks in their camouflage uniforms, torn by steel bars, were filled with mud.
The motorboat of the pontoon bridge brigade cut a zigzag pattern in the eddies of the landslide-dammed lake, with the helmsman's wrist wrapped in a tourniquet.
In the hurricane whipped up by the helicopter rotor blades, chemical defense soldiers wearing gas masks knelt down to inspect for hazardous chemical leaks, with three hundred teachers and students waiting to be evacuated behind them.

All these scenes brought tears to the eyes of people across the country, and also shocked foreigners who were shocked by the videos on Twitter and Mytube.

As these real shots and moving scenes were presented one by one, the foreigners exclaimed in surprise: the army's disaster relief in Lu's "Tangshan" a few years ago was not science fiction, but reality.

They will never understand the true value of the words "People's Liberation Army," and they will never understand why the army can conduct disaster relief without weapons.

“Yes, they don’t understand.” Lu Kuan, sitting in the military vehicle, explained with a smile to the young soldier with acne on his face:

"Because Western armies inherit their ancient traditions of mercenaries and private armies of lords, and the US military also largely relies on arms dealers, they prioritize protecting capital interests during disaster relief."

"We are the army of benevolent people, while they are the army of jackals and tigers."

The young soldier wasn't highly educated, and I only vaguely understood the advanced vocabulary he used. He spoke in a Sichuan dialect: "Jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards? Aren't those just a beastly army?"

A burst of laughter came from the bumpy Dongfeng EQ2082.

These past two days, the despair and depression of the crowd have lessened somewhat, and they are happy to watch the renowned director, whom they have long heard of, comforting the young soldiers.

Xiao Liu, still wearing her yellow windbreaker, smiled gently and said, "Don't corrupt Xiao Chuan."

"No way! Miss Liu, I believe whatever Brother Lu says!" Soldier Xiao Chuan looked at Lu Kuan with admiration: "Last time I watched 'The Sky of History,' I was so angry I wanted to kill all the Japanese devils!"

"And then there's 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,' which made me want to fall in love."

"The play I watched the most was 'Tangshan'! The company organized several performances, and I always came back crying."

Seemingly recalling something painful, he said in a low voice, "I never thought it would happen to me this time, to my own family."

These words were like a dud cannonball, crashing heavily onto the carriage floor.

Lu Kuan had finally managed to liven up the atmosphere, but suddenly the carriage fell silent again, with only the occasional sniffling sound.

The carriage was filled with the pungent smell of diesel fuel mixed with dust. Outside, the bare rocks left by the landslide looked like wounds cleaved open by a giant axe, exposed against the leaden sky.

On the occasional passing ruins, faded Spring Festival couplets hang, their red paper fluttering in the wind like unburnt paper money.

Xiao Liu held back her sobs, gently supporting her boyfriend's injured right hand as she looked at his stubble-covered profile.

Lu Kuan grasped her soft hand in return, smiled at Liu Yifei, who had no makeup on, and indicated that he was alright.

Before he could even think of a few words to comfort the soldier Xiao Chuan, the tires screeched briefly on the muddy road, the vehicle shook violently, and the unsecured equipment inside rattled loudly.

The soldiers inside the vehicle suddenly became serious.

We've arrived at our destination.

The young soldier wiped his wet eyes and quickly got up to help him down: "Brother Lu, let me help you down."

Boss Lu laughed and said, "No need! I just have a slight bruise on my hand. Colonel Li can jump down with people from the sky, so why can't I jump from a meter high?"

He was the first to jump off the vehicle, his boots sinking into the mud half a finger's width deep, splashing mud onto his trouser legs.

He turned around and reached out to help Liu Yifei, only to see her leap down gracefully, the brim of her yellow windbreaker lifted by the wind, revealing her tightly pursed lips.

"Is this the closest place?"

Lu Kuan gazed at the desolate landscape before him, nodding slowly at the sight of the ruins: "This is about it."

Soldier Xiao Chuan went to report to someone that the young couple, who had just been brought here from Wolong that morning, along with A Fei, Gu Yun, and others who got off in the car behind, had temporarily reunited.

As the group emerged from Wolong, where the damage was relatively minor, they were immediately plunged into this horrific scene.

The valley in front of us looked as if it had been cleaved open by a giant axe, and the air, mixed with dust and the smell of diesel, rushed towards us.

The once winding asphalt road is now buried under the collapsed earth and rocks. Twisted guardrail steel bars stand up like spikes. Several crushed private cars are half-buried in the rubble, and the safety knots hanging on the rearview mirrors are still swaying in the wind.

Twenty meters away, three XCMG XL230 excavators were taking turns impacting the landslide, their steel buckets colliding with the rocks with a piercing sound.

Wearing orange safety helmets, the engineers stood at the foot of a mountain that could collapse again at any moment, using hydraulic shears to cut the concrete beam that was blocking the "road"—it was originally a load-bearing column of a building.

"Director Lu!" A dark-faced officer of regimental rank jogged over, and he did indeed look somewhat similar to Hu Jun.

He first gave a military salute, and it was clear that there were fresh abrasions on the edge of his palm.

Then he firmly grasped Lu Kuan's left hand: "My name is Gu Yuan. I'm responsible for ground liaison work for Colonel Li. Thank you, Director Lu!"

Lu Kuan had just recovered from the shock of the broken walls and ruins in front of him and nodded silently: "Hello, Commander Gu, it's my duty."

“We received instructions from our superiors that we should send you and the Olympic documentary team to Chengdu first.”

"Later, the command saw the footage you took in Wolong using a remote-controlled drone... and communicated with Leader Liu of the Olympic Organizing Committee, saying that they must ask you to stay another night."

Boss Lu nodded: "I know. If needed, I'd even enlist in the army, let alone just one night."

"No need, everyone has their own tasks. We still need you to host the Olympic opening ceremony. The drones donated by DJI will be delivered from Chengdu tomorrow, as well as military surveyors. However, there is indeed an emergency today!"

Gu Yuan, a typical soldier, had fulfilled his duty to explain and had no interest in further pleasantries with him.

"Guide Lu, come with me to the camp."

"it is good."

Gu Yuan unfolded a waterproof map on the table: "Time is of the essence, so I'll just give you a brief overview of the situation."

“We are now located in the northeast of Maoxian County. The local area has been completely cut off from communication and transportation after the disaster, and has become an isolated island. The fate of about 10 people is unknown.”

"The organization has now decided to conduct high-altitude parachute reconnaissance of the disaster situation."

"But the difficulty lies in the fact that Maoxian County is located in a high mountain valley with an average altitude of 4000 meters, and the airdrop needs to be carried out at an altitude of 5000 meters."

"Under the current conditions, it's difficult for us to guarantee the safety of paratroopers through ground command, weather data, and markings. We were originally planning a blind jump without any equipment, but we learned that your drone technology could help, so..."

Boss Lu raised his hand to interrupt him: "Commander Gu, please assign the task."

"your hands?"

"It's nothing. I was hit by a flying rock in Wolong last night. It's not a big problem."

Gu Yuan nodded: "Okay!"

"You brought five drones this time. We'll start by recording some footage. The quality should be similar to what we did last night in Wolong. This will be used to provide Colonel Li's team with reference points for their parachute jumps."

"In the second round, military technical experts will install a military shortwave radio repeater on the fuselage. Please make a prediction based on the first round of images and distance, and park the drone in a safe place as much as possible. Our paratroopers will make a judgment based on the signal after landing."

Inside the tent, besides Boss Lu, were several DJI drone pilots, all of whom looked solemn.

It wasn't that they were afraid of fighting, but rather that they were worried about delaying important matters.

Given the current drone technology, Gu Yuan's proposed solution is the best one the command center could come up with in a short period of time.

The area surrounding Maoxian County is full of cliffs, and the city is littered with dangerous objects such as collapsed high-voltage power lines. The soldiers' blind jumps were a death sentence.

Gu Yuan's dark complexion revealed a hint of anxiety: "It's noon now, the light is relatively good. After the two rounds of drone flights and charging time are over, there won't be much time left for the soldiers to parachute."

"Once they reach the ground, they will have to walk to establish a helicopter landing site, guide the airdrop, and assist in the evacuation of the people."

The officer glanced at his watch. None of the people in front of him were soldiers, and he couldn't use military management methods to force them to comply.

Lu Kuan breathed a sigh of relief and looked back at the four DJI drone pilots and technicians: "Everyone, there's a saying that the 72 hours are the golden window for disaster relief. Don't hesitate any longer."

"Show us what you've got!"

"it is good!"

Last night, staff from the Wolong base helped carry equipment and clear roadblocks, which took too long.

The weather was fairly good on the afternoon of the 13th, and with the help of a professional engineering team, they should be able to make rapid progress by chiseling through rocks and opening up mountains.

The group's goal was a mountaintop more than 100 meters above the camp, at an altitude of over 3900 meters. This location had been surveyed by military experts and was deemed suitable for drone take-off and landing, while also meeting safety requirements.

Outside the military camp, soldiers carried radios, drones, and emergency oxygen equipment, allowing Lu Kuan and others to travel light.

Gu Yuan's voice was loud and clear: "Rest and prepare, we'll depart in 5 minutes!"

Lu Kuan quietly watched his girlfriend receiving oxygen, while A Fei in the distance seemed to be experiencing almost no altitude sickness, just like him.

“You don’t need to come along this time. I suspect that even if my leg is broken, these kind-hearted soldiers can carry me down.”

Liu Yifei glanced at him indifferently: "Which leg?"

"Ha!" Boss Lu forced a smile. He had been trying to comfort the soldiers who were feeling pessimistic all the way in the car.

Now it's his girlfriend's turn to tease him and relieve his stress.

"I'm definitely going up with you."

After saying this, she put down her oxygen respirator and shivered, then put her yellow windbreaker back on.

The mountain wind swept through the camp, carrying dust and sand. Liu Yifei's down jacket fluttered in the wind. She raised her hand to tuck the stray hairs behind her ear, her fingertips still bearing the faint red marks left by the oxygen mask.

Lu Kuan casually mentioned that if Liu Xiaolv could be easily persuaded, he wouldn't be Liu Xiaolv.

The two stood side by side, and Liu Yifei's beautiful eyes reflected the devastation all around.

In the distance, the collapsed mountainside resembled the remains of a giant beast, with half a highway guardrail hanging between the exposed rock layers, and twisted steel bars pointing straight to the gray sky.

Liu Yifei swallowed hard: "I'm so glad we can at least do something."

Lu Kuan nodded: "I'll do my best, and I'll have no regrets."

In the distance, the bugle call sounded, and Xiao Liu suddenly grabbed his arm, her fingernails digging into his muscles through his camouflage uniform.

"That small slope is only about 100 meters higher than the campsite. There's no difference between me being here and being on top of it; I still react as usual."

"Go away, you'll never be able to leave me behind in this lifetime."

The sound was as light as a feather, yet it was more irresistible than the trembling earth beneath my feet last night.

After a five-minute rest and regrouping period, the group set off towards their destination.
Suddenly, a Mengshi truck sped up in the camp, and a female reporter, who was dizzy from the jolting, got out of the vehicle, followed by the editorial team.

Boss Lu glanced back and saw that it seemed to be the female reporter from his previous life; she must have received an interview assignment.

Lu Kuan and others marched with the soldiers through difficult terrain, and a clearing was set up at the top of the mountain for drone take-off and landing, as well as for placing equipment.

The engineers used hydraulic shears to clear a platform with a radius of twenty meters. Half a utility pole was still stuck diagonally in the pile of rubble, and the exposed steel bars were trampled into the mud by their military boots.

In this life, Lu Kuan, a seasoned drone enthusiast, begins his career in the Air Force. He kneels on the ground, adjusting the gimbal with the technicians, his right hand, wrapped in bandages, making his movements slightly sluggish.

Liu Yifei squatted down and unfolded a military map, using a stone to steady the corners of the paper that were being blown up by the mountain wind. Several pilots carefully examined the terrain markings and first roughly simulated the flight path in their minds.

The high altitude, low temperature, and short flight time only had one advantage: better visibility at midday, making it easier to take photos than last night in Wolong.

Before long, the female reporter who was conducting the interview also arrived at the high point and stood cooperatively on the perimeter, quietly signaling to the cameraman to adjust the camera position.

Li Xiaomeng turned around and observed for a while, also curious about what function this large toy, which resembled a remote-controlled airplane, could serve.

Huh?
Why do those two people with their backs to her look so familiar?
One was wearing a yellow windbreaker and was clearly not a military personnel, while the other was just wearing a camouflage jacket over his shirt. They were squatting on the ground adjusting equipment.

"Xiaomeng, get ready to start." The cameraman gestured and turned on the camera. Li Xiaomeng quickly turned around and smiled.

"Hello everyone, I am currently located on a high slope about 5 kilometers southeast of Maoxian County. Air Force personnel from a certain unit are using specialized equipment to provide our paratroopers with their jump coordinates in a short while."

Viewers across the country, glued to their news channels, were deeply concerned about the hurricane rescue efforts.

When the CCTV news channel's live broadcast suddenly switched to a close-up shot, the first thing viewers noticed was the bright yellow windbreaker covered in mud, like a cluster of dancing flames scorching through the gray ruins.

Liu Yifei was kneeling on the edge of the temporary helipad, using her frozen red fingers to help the technician fix the drone relay antenna. The moment the mountain wind blew open the hood of her down jacket, her dusty, bare face was revealed.

A hump nose?
Liu Yifei!
The news channel's camera zoomed in, but the background noise was almost entirely drowned out by the sounds of engineers and excavating equipment at the foot of the mountain.

The audience stared in disbelief as another man on television appeared, his face clearly visible. He glanced at the camera and walked towards the edge of the cliff, preparing to take off.

How come these two people are here?

It's so good that they're all safe and sound!

The drone pilots were focused on their work, and Xiao Liu stood a little further away.

Li Xiaomeng finally received a wink from the photographer and belatedly turned around to catch a glimpse of the beautiful face of this actress in the Chinese entertainment industry.

"Um... Ladies and gentlemen, we were quite surprised to find Lu Kuan, the chief director of the Olympics, and Ms. Liu Yifei, a mainland actress, at the command headquarters camp."

"It seems that they participated in the disaster relief activities as volunteers."

Since yesterday afternoon, many social celebrities, entertainment stars, and industry leaders have spoken out, calling on everyone to take action together.

As a singer and philanthropist, Han Hong personally led the establishment of the "Han Hong Charity Rescue Team";
Hendrik Willem Van Loon donated 1000 million yuan in his personal capacity and launched a charity campaign with Lee Shou-cheng, raising more than 3000 million yuan. His first stop was Mianyang.

As the president of the Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild, Anita Mui, together with Andy Lau and others, organized a fundraising campaign and set off for Chengdu.

Celebrities from various fields, including Li Lianjie, Chen Guangbiao, Wang Shi, Li Xiaopeng, and Yang Wei, are also preparing to attend the event in person to set an example in uniting forces.

But you two are moving way too fast!
Excited fans and television viewers stared intently at the girl on camera; she looked utterly haggard.

In a casual glance upwards, there was none of Zhao Ling'er's captivating spirit, nor Xiaolongnu's aloof ethereal beauty. Her face, smeared with engine oil, was slightly red from the high-altitude ultraviolet rays, and her chapped lips exhaled white mist as she opened and closed her mouth, yet it sent shivers down everyone's spine.

The internet exploded instantly, and many rumors about Boss Lu absconding or dying were debunked.

It is obvious that from yesterday's eulogy to the subsequent near destruction of him through the Ask World, his reputation is about to be forcibly reversed once again.

The day before, people were moved to tears by Wenjie's disaster relief statement, but in the blink of an eye, they questioned his motives because of the news that "Dong Shuangqiang was taken away".

One second, Lu Kuan was hailed as a national entrepreneur and the savior of the film industry; the next second, rumors about him absconding with funds and committing capital fraud spread like wildfire.

Now, when he and Liu Yifei appeared on the front lines of the disaster area, seemingly as volunteers, the doubts, ridicule, and malicious speculations of the past were instantly overwhelmed by an even stronger wave of praise.

This kind of extreme reversal of public opinion is not the first time it has happened.

Looking back, what did they do in those short two or three days?

It did nothing, yet it became a product for netizens to consume emotionally.

They don't really care about the facts; instead, they gain a sense of participation through taking sides, judging, and reversals.

Fortunately, neither the two parties involved nor the soldiers and reporters present gave this pointless celebration any attention.

All attention is focused on the rescue efforts in Maoxian County today.

Li Xiaomeng maintained the professionalism of a journalist, speaking with great enthusiasm and passion!
"Dear viewers, we are witnessing an unprecedented high-altitude rescue operation. Behind me, 15 paratroopers are about to make a 'blind jump'—this is the first time in the 58-year history of the Chinese Airborne Forces that a high-altitude parachute jump has been carried out under 'three no' conditions: no ground guidance, no weather data, and no ground markings!"

The camera zooms out, revealing the rugged terrain of the valley.

“Maoxian County is located in the Longmenshan Fault Zone, with an average altitude of over 4000 meters and wind speeds in the canyons reaching up to 8 meters per second. Paratroopers need to jump out of the aircraft at an altitude of 5000 meters. There are serious landslides and crisscrossing high-voltage lines here. If the parachute ropes get tangled or deviate from the landing point, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

"To ensure safety to the greatest extent possible, the command center urgently deployed aerial equipment to conduct topographic mapping. As you can see, our volunteers are now working against the clock to provide assistance."

When CCTV's news channel cameras swept across the torn valley, and when reporter Li Xiaomeng's voice transmitted the heroic deeds of our soldiers through the airwaves, the air seemed to freeze in the living rooms of millions of families.

Time flew by amidst the tense atmosphere.

At 3 p.m., CCTV News Channel's live broadcast switched to the cabin. The roar of the transport plane was deafening, and the lights in the cabin flickered, illuminating fifteen young and resolute faces.

Another CCTV reporter held a camera, his fingers trembling slightly from the cold.

"Dear viewers, it is now 4:00 PM, and we are currently 5000 meters above Maoxian County."

The camera panned across the cabin, revealing fifteen paratroopers standing in neat rows, their names and blood types written on their camouflage uniforms. Their breath condensed into white mist in the cold air, yet none of them showed a trace of fear.

Colonel Li stood in front of the cabin door, holding a walkie-talkie, his gaze piercing, his voice steady and powerful:
"Comrades!"

Everyone instantly straightened their backs and turned their gazes to him.

"Below lies the life-or-death line for 100,000 compatriots!" His voice pierced through the roar of the engine, like a sharp sword cleaving through all hesitation:
"The time has come for the Party and the people to test us! The disaster is our order, and the people in the disaster area are waiting for us!"

"Yes!" the fifteen men roared in unison, their voices almost lifting the cabin roof off.

At this moment, almost all compatriots across China who had time to watch television were watching the scene unfold with bated breath:
The cabin lights suddenly flashed red, and a piercing alarm ripped through the air.

The hatch slowly opened, and a violent gust of air rushed in, making it impossible to open one's eyes.

"Follow me!"

Colonel Li was the first to leap into the sea of ​​clouds, his camouflage uniform instantly swallowed by the fog.

Then came the second, the third...

In the final live broadcast on CCTV, fifteen umbrella-shaped flowers bloomed in the vast sky and earth, like dandelion seeds drifting towards the shattered earth.

The howling wind at an altitude of five thousand meters is the sobbing of the heavens weeping, and the mournful cry of mountains and rivers tearing apart.

The moment fifteen umbrellas pierced the clouds was frozen into the most tragic epic in the history of disaster relief in the Republic:

That 5000-meter freefall not only tore through the chaotic clouds, but also represented a nation's ultimate interpretation of the paramount importance of life!
The struggle between those fifteen bodies and the turbulent currents, their trajectories measuring the chasm between a soldier's mission and a mortal's fear!

The first coordinates after being cut off from the island for twenty-two hours, the swaying parachute wings pierced the deathly silence, igniting the first spark for 100,000 desperate people!
Beneath the umbrellas, lie 100,000 compatriots awaiting rescue;
Above the umbrella-shaped flowers lies a spine that has remained unbroken for five thousand years.

That night, the flow of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers suddenly became gentle, and the outlines of Mount Tai and Mount Kunlun stretched out in the starlight.

Because this land knows that whenever disaster strikes, there will always be someone who, with mortal body, stands shoulder to shoulder with the gods.

At this moment, across the land of China, viewers in front of their televisions are weeping, and the soldiers on the southeastern slope of Maoxian County are weeping.

Another couple, whose lives had been filled with hardship, also leaned on each other, looking at the clouds thousands of meters above them, and embraced each other emotionally.

Lu Kuan hadn't slept all night. After operating the drone for two hours, he was exhausted, his eyes were sore, and he sat on the shortwave radio, which had already completed its mission.

Xiao Liu gently pressed him against her shoulder, her fingertips running through his sweat-soaked hair, feeling the throbbing in his temples.

She looked up at the rolling clouds, tears streaming down her dusty cheeks, forming glistening arcs on her chin.

This is not a sense of relief after surviving a catastrophe, but rather a deep love and pain for the land beneath our feet, felt by an ordinary Chinese person.

(End of this chapter)