Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 224 Human Life is More Precious Than Thunderclap and Directional Detonation
"What else could it be? That old fox Xue Ne is planning to increase his investment!"

Liu Jianjun walked in front of Li Xian, carrying a machete in his hand.

After much deliberation, Li Xian summoned Liu Jianjun to make a decision regarding Xue Qian's request to join the Thunder Guard.

After all, Liu Jianjun was the one who knew the most about the Thunderclap Bomb.

Liu Jianjun didn't hesitate either. After hearing about Xue Qian's feat of fighting ten enemies single-handedly, he immediately nodded and appointed Xue Qian as the chief instructor of the Thunder Guard, responsible for training them.

Then, he said to Li Xian, "It's time to go to Horseshoe Valley to survey the hydrology and terrain."

Horseshoe Valley is the place Liu Jianjun planned to blow up to build a dam.

On their way to Horseshoe Valley, Li Xian finally couldn't resist his curiosity and asked Xue Qian why he wanted to join the Thunder Guard.

"Increase investment?" Li Xian was slightly puzzled.

"He saw the enormous potential of Thunderclap Thunder, and he also saw the enormous potential of you, Prince Pei. He thought in his heart that you could probably succeed, so he increased his stakes and put his personal guard, Xue Qian, who was also his nephew-in-law, into the Thunder Guard."

"He knows we're just getting started, so this is like a timely help. If he waits until we're successful, it will be too late for him to add to our success. That old man is incredibly shrewd."

The mountain paths were difficult to traverse in early winter. Liu Jianjun wielded his machete, cutting away the occasional dead branches that peeked out from the sides of the path, while explaining without turning his head.

Li Xian thought that the two of them could walk behind the surveying team, and let the craftsmen behind them clear the way, so that Liu Jianjun wouldn't have to go through so much trouble.

But after thinking for a moment, he asked again, "So, is General Xue trustworthy now?"

"He's always been trustworthy, but in my mind, trustworthiness has different levels. He's not quite at the level of a dead man... Well, he's probably about the same as Li Zhaode, or even slightly less so. Old Xue is loyal and righteous, but he's a bit self-serving. For example, he helped us before because he saw that gunpowder could help him break through Wugu City, which would benefit him.

"This old man seems to be the type who won't act until he sees the benefits," Liu Jianjun concluded.

Li Xian remained silent.

The mountain path beneath our feet became increasingly rugged, and the sound of rushing water ahead grew clearer and clearer.

"Almost there!" Liu Jianjun's spirits lifted, and he quickened his pace as he chopped through the thorns.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view suddenly opened up before us.

A deep canyon, as if carved out by a giant horse's hoof, lies between two steep rocky mountains. The turbulent Yalu River is forcibly restrained here, making a sharp turn before rushing down. The river channel suddenly narrows, and the current becomes extremely turbulent, crashing against the dark rocks on both sides with a thunderous roar and splashing up white foam everywhere.

Above the canyon, only a sliver of sky remains.

"Spectacular!" Liu Jianjun exclaimed.

Li Xian chuckled and said, "In this situation, is the only word you can think of 'spectacular'? Why not compose a poem? In Bazhou, you were able to write a masterpiece like 'Above, the six dragons turn back the sun' and below, the rushing waves and the turbulent river'. How does this Horseshoe Valley compare to that?"

“We’re out here to do serious business, who’s going to waste their time composing poetry?” Liu Jianjun rolled his eyes, called over an old river worker, and whispered some instructions to him.

The old river worker then nimbly ran out.

A short while later, the old river worker returned to report.

“Your Highness, Military Advisor Liu! This place is indeed as Military Advisor Liu predicted. The narrowest part of the river is less than forty zhang, and the rocks on both banks are hard, making it an excellent location for building a dam!”

Upon hearing this, Liu Jianjun, disregarding his need for rest, immediately said, "Let's go down and take a look!"

The group carefully descended the steep slope to the bottom of the valley.

Approaching the water's edge, the deafening roar of the water and the icy mist that hit you made it hard to breathe.

Standing by the river, Li Xian stared at the surging water and felt dizzy and mesmerized, as if something was pulling him towards the center of the river.

The old river worker, quick-witted and agile, swooped down and stood in front of Li Xian, urgently saying, "Your Highness, the water here is swift, and there may be demons and ghosts inside. Do not keep staring at the water's surface!"

Li Xian snapped out of his daze and realized that he had taken a small step toward the river while he was distracted. If he had taken a few more steps, he would have stepped into the river and been swept away by the current.

Li Xian was instantly terrified and broke out in a cold sweat.

Could it be that there really are demons and ghosts in this world seeking revenge in the water?
"Pshaw!" Liu Jianjun scoffed, "What nonsense! This is just a visual-motion perception conflict. If you keep staring at the rushing water, it will generate a visual signal of rapid movement. When your brain receives this signal, it will misjudge that your body is in motion, but in reality, your body is still..."

At this point, Liu Jianjun paused, looked at Li Xian's blank gaze, and concluded: "In short, it's because your mind and body are in conflict, each doing its own thing, which is why you're dizzy."

Li Xian suddenly realized and asked, "Then... why did I walk forward?"

"The body's center of gravity! When you are fully aware, you can easily maintain your balance, but when you lose awareness, because the body's center of gravity is forward, you will tilt forward. At this time, even when your mind is unconscious, your body will still try to maintain balance, so you will subconsciously take a step forward."

Upon hearing this, Li Xian felt that what Liu Jianjun said was much more reliable than the ghosts and monsters the old river worker had mentioned.

"Alright, stop thinking about this." Liu Jianjun turned to the old river worker and said, "Old man, in your opinion, if we build a dam here, how long would it take to store water enough to create a flood peak that could impact the downstream area?"

Upon hearing this, the old river worker hurriedly bowed and clasped his hands: "Replying to the military officer, it is already early winter, and the water volume is not abundant to begin with. If we want to accumulate enough water to collapse the downstream fortifications and shake the foundation of the city wall, we need to hold back the water for at least the entire winter. Only when the spring arrives next year, the ice and snow melt, and the rainwater from the mountains flows in can we make it powerful!"
"only……"

"But what?" Liu Jianjun pressed.

"But the water here is turbulent. Although the water volume decreases slightly in winter, the impact is still astonishing. Building a dam will probably be difficult. Furthermore, when the peach blossom season comes in spring, the water volume will surge. If the timing of the blasting is slightly off, I'm afraid... I'm afraid it will endanger us!" The old river worker had some worries in his eyes.

Liu Jianjun nodded, offering no comment on the old river worker's words, and instead asked the scout team leader in charge of surveying the terrain: "Have the mountains on both sides been thoroughly explored? Are there any landslides or vulnerable areas?"

The team leader replied, "We have conducted a preliminary investigation. The mountain on the north bank is more intact and solid. There is a rock wall on the south bank that is slightly weathered, but the overall condition is still acceptable. However, if we want to build a dam, we need to select a suitable location. We must ensure that there is enough stone material, but we cannot excessively damage the stability of the mountain. Otherwise, the mountain may collapse before the dam is completed."

As Liu Jianjun listened, his brows furrowed, as if he were deep in thought.

At this moment, the old river worker and the scout team were discussing something in hushed tones. Li Xian vaguely heard words like "driving giant logs into foundation piles" and "building dams with stones."

The old river worker added, "Our army has thunderclap bombs, which can speed up the quarrying process and shorten the construction period even further. It should be completed before the spring of next year..."

At this moment, Liu Jianjun finally spoke up, interrupting their discussion. Pointing to the mountain on the south bank, he said, "Stop, stop, stop! My idea is that we don't need to go through all that trouble to build a dam! Let's just blast one out!"
"What if we used a large number of detonating bombs to blast this entire mountainside down?"

He pointed from the mountainside to the rushing Yalu River: "Calculate the dosage, find the right location, and bury enough thunderbolts! With a few loud booms, this half of the cliff will collapse, and a large number of boulders will fall directly into the river, naturally forming a natural dam! This is much faster and stronger than building it by hand! The rocks themselves are connected to the riverbed, so why worry about it being washed away by the water?"
"If there are any oversights, we can just repair them later, right? After all, we don't plan to hold this dike for long, as long as it lasts until spring."

The scouts and the old river worker were stunned after hearing this.

They were familiar with traditional methods of building dikes, but they had never heard of the direct blasting method Liu Jianjun described. Naturally, they looked at each other blankly, unsure how to respond to something they had never heard of before.

Liu Jianjun ignored them and pointed to the mountain on the south bank, saying, "Look at these cracks and this soft rock layer. This is a natural breach. The blasting point was chosen here to make the rocks collapse mainly in the direction of the river. This is called directional blasting... Never mind, you wouldn't understand even if I explained it."

"If it doesn't work the first time, we'll adjust the dosage and try again. We have enough thunderbolts, so we have the resources to try and fail."

The old river worker finally spoke, his face showing hesitation, and asked, "Liu, is it possible that the traditional methods are not working?"

“It’s not that it’s impossible. I just listened to your discussion. The traditional method is safe, but this safety is relative to the dam body. The water flow here is rapid. People will die if we clear the dam foundation, if we drive the foundation piles, and even if we are not careful when building the dam, people will still die…”

Liu Jianjun paused for a moment, then continued, "Human life is more precious than thunderbolts. At least in my opinion, the lives of the people of the Tang Dynasty are more precious than thunderbolts."

Others may not know, but when Li Xian heard Liu Jianjun say this, his heart trembled.

He felt that none of the long "brainwashing" words Liu Jianjun had given Lei Tingwei were as moving as this sentence, "The lives of the people of the Great Tang are more precious than thunderbolts."

The veteran river worker and the scout team were clearly stunned by Liu Jianjun's last words.

They spend their lives on military or river works, witnessing countless deaths and becoming accustomed to paying any price to achieve their goals. Liu Jianjun's words, "Human life is more precious than a thunderbolt," are simple yet strike a chord deep within. A flicker of emotion crossed the old river worker's eyes. He opened his mouth, but ultimately only bowed deeply: "Commander Liu...you are so kind! This old man...understands."

The scout captain also solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general will remember your command! Everything will be done according to Military Advisor Liu's orders!"

Liu Jianjun waved his hand, grinned, and said nonchalantly, "Alright, these are all Prince Pei's residences. If it were me, I would just want to blow them up directly to save trouble and speed up the process. If we used your method, how much of the construction period would be delayed?"

Before the old river worker and the scout team leader could say anything more, Liu Jianjun interrupted them, saying, "Don't just stand there, old man, team leader, let's hurry up, I need more precise data."

He pointed to the selected rock face on the south bank: "There, and there, we need to measure the thickness and inclination angle of the rock layers. Squad leader, send a few of the best men with ropes to find a way up and carefully examine the depth and direction of the cracks. It would be best if we could take some rock samples down."

“Old man,” Liu Jianjun turned to the old river worker, “I would like to trouble you to take some people to select a few points upstream and downstream to measure the flow velocity and water depth at different water levels, and to estimate how high the water level will rise. I need a forecast that is as accurate as possible.”

"I understand!" The old river worker also got to work with great enthusiasm, leading his team to get to work.

Once only Li Xian, Liu Jianjun, and a squad of guards responsible for protecting Li Xian remained on the riverbank, Liu Jianjun led Li Xian to a relatively flat area, picked up a twig, and began drawing a diagram on the spot.

“My dear son, look.”

As he drew, he explained, “Explosions are not random. We need to utilize the joints and cracks in the rock itself. The location, depth, amount of explosives, and even the order of detonation of the explosives are all crucial. The goal is to make the rock collapse along the pre-designed fracture surface, with most of it falling into the riverbed to form a dam. At the same time, we must minimize damage to other parts of the mountain to avoid triggering uncontrollable landslides.”

Li Xian didn't understand, so he simply shrugged and said, "Why are you telling me this? I don't even know as much as that old man just now!"

Liu Jianjun's voice faltered, and he said angrily, "I was just telling you to boost my confidence!"

Li Xian's eyes widened: "So...your theory just now, in reality..."

"Shh!"

Liu Jianjun covered Li Xian's mouth and said, "Theory is theory, but I haven't actually put it into practice. But as someone in a position of power, you have to project an image of confidence, right? Otherwise, how will your subordinates follow you?"

Li Xian felt that Liu Jianjun's words seemed to have an implied meaning.

But Liu Jianjun continued, "However, I wasn't bluffing at first. If it doesn't work the first time, we'll adjust the dosage and try again. We'll eventually succeed."

He pointed to the mountains on both sides of the river and said, "With so many rocks, even if we just blast them randomly, surely we can't stop the Yalu River?"

Li Xian smiled with relief, feeling much more at ease.

That's right. He's making too much of a big deal out of the thunderbolt. To put it simply, it's just an explosion. If one explosion isn't enough, you can just have it explode a few more times.

……

Over the next few days, Horseshoe Valley transformed into a vast open-air workshop and testing ground.

Scouts risked their lives climbing rocks and scaling walls, craftsmen measured and recorded data, and Liu Jianjun repeatedly revised his blasting plan sketches based on the constantly collected data.

Although he spoke casually before, when it came to the actual survey, he still directed people to use a small amount of bombs to conduct several small-scale test explosions on the flanks far from the main blast point. By observing the rock fragmentation and the direction of the flying debris after the explosion, he verified his calculations and assumptions.

During this time, Xue Ne also took some time to come over. Seeing the bustling scene in the valley, and especially after hearing Liu Jianjun's saying that "human life is more precious than thunderbolts," this veteran general's feelings towards Liu Jianjun seemed to become more complicated. His gaze towards Li Xian also carried a certain peculiar emotion.

Finally, after accumulating enough data and experience, a detailed "Directional Blasting Dam Construction Plan for Horseshoe Valley" was presented to Xue Ne.

Xue Ne wrote a comment: "This move is an unprecedented ingenuity and an unparalleled courage."

……

Three days later.

Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, Li Xian arrived at Horseshoe Valley early.

Today is the day scheduled for the blasting and dam construction.

All non-essential personnel had been evacuated to a safe high ground several miles away. Only Liu Jianjun, Li Xian, and a few elite engineers responsible for the final inspection of the fuse and the execution of the detonation order remained at an observation point specially cleared at the bottom of the valley, backed by a solid rock wall.

The massive rock face on the south bank is now covered with countless holes, like a honeycomb.

From Li Xian's perspective, one can clearly see countless thick leads extending from those holes, eventually converging in front of a central control box near the observation point.

Several sappers were conducting final checks, while Liu Jianjun stood at the forefront, holding a thick plan in his hand, muttering something silently to himself, seemingly confirming the order and timing of the blasting for the last time.

A moment later, the engineers reported loudly:
"Report! All detonation points checked, fuse clear!"

"Report! Upstream and downstream security confirmed; no unauthorized personnel!"

"Report! Wind direction and speed are stable, meeting the requirements for blasting!"

The reports brought the atmosphere to a fever pitch.

Liu Jianjun took a deep breath, raised his right hand, and shouted sternly: "All detonation points, prepare—obey my command!"

The sapper in charge of operating the main control box suddenly lifted the lid, revealing the complex interlocking mortises and pull rings inside.

All eyes were focused on Liu Jianjun's raised arm.

“The first sequence—explosion!”

Liu Jianjun swung his arm down hard.

The engineer was instructed to pull down the first ring with force.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A series of dull yet penetrating explosions did not originate from the mountainside, but rather from shallowly buried blast points designed to initially tear apart the rock structure. The sound was not loud, but rather like the sound of a heavy hammer striking the ground.

Li Xian saw that the rock walls on the south bank trembled slightly, but there was no significant collapse.

But then...

"Second Sequence - Explode!!"

This time, it's a true cataclysmic event!

"boom!!!"

A terrifying roar, far louder than any of the previous explosions, erupted from the depths of the south bank cliffs!

That wasn't a single explosion, but the sound of dozens of explosive points being detonated in succession within a very short period of time, culminating in a single explosion!
At that moment, Li Xian felt the ground beneath his feet shaking violently, as if a giant beast sleeping underground was struggling wildly!
Gravel and dust fell from the rock face overhead.

He stared intently at the opposite mountain wall.

The massive, seemingly indestructible rock wall, in the core area from which the loud noise came, first bulged outwards like a swollen cheek, and then countless thick cracks spread and opened wildly at a visible speed!

"Boom!!!"

……

(End of this chapter)