Outside the alley.
The Street Office staff surrounded Dong Xuebin, who had narrowly escaped death.
"Director, how are you?" Zhou Yanru asked anxiously. "Are you hurt?"
Dong Xuebin drew a breath. "I'm fine. What's the situation now? What about casualties?"
Zhou Yanru said uneasily, "We can't reach the district or the Street Office. All lines are down. We still don't know what's happening!"
"Are there still residents in the alley?"
"They were evacuated long ago. The rest are all here," Peng Gang said.
"Yes, I just asked around too. There's no one left in these alleys."
"That's good!" Luckily, they had evacuated in time. Otherwise, it would have been a disaster. Dong Xuebin looked around at the panicked, distracted Street Office staff and immediately raised his voice.
"Listen up, everyone from the Street Office. There's been an earthquake. This is only the first wave; there will definitely be more to come. I know everyone is worried about their families right now. If you're worried about your parents or relatives, you can leave now. I won't force anyone to stay. If your families are already at the shelter, stay here. This is when the people need us most! Every one of you! Come save people with me!"
The Street Office staff were all stunned. They had not expected Director Dong to say that they could leave.
Peng Gang said grimly, "Director! The phones and transportation are down! We don't know when the Rescue Team will get here! We can only rely on ourselves now! Saving the people comes first!"
Someone said, "That's right! How can we leave at a time like this?"
A Street Office clerk who was clearly worried about his family also gritted his teeth. "Let's save people together! The people come first!"
"Bullshit!" Dong Xuebin looked at them coldly. "Aren't your parents part of the people? Aren't your children part of the people? If you can't even protect your own family, don't give me that crap!" Dong Xuebin had always governed with compassion and did not force anyone to stay. "I'll say it again! Anyone worried about their family, go home immediately! Deal with things at home, then come report back to me!"
Zhou Yanru glanced to the side. "Xiao Wang, doesn't your wife and child live in Willow Lane Residential Area? Go back quickly."
"But I..." Xiao Wang's eyes reddened.
"Go," Zhou Yanru said.
Xiao Wang bit his lip and looked at Dong Xuebin. "Thank you, Director! As soon as I see my child, I'll come right back!" He turned and ran south in long strides.
A few more Street Office workers left.
Dong Xuebin nodded slightly. He did not dare waste another second and began assigning tasks. "Director Zhou, it isn't safe here either. Immediately lead the remaining clerks and the residents to the shelter. Adapt as needed. I'm leaving this task to you. You must ensure the people's safety!"
Zhou Yanru's expression turned solemn. "Yes!" She turned to the hundreds of residents. "Everyone, come with me!"
Quite a few people in the crowd exchanged looks. Many strong young men stepped forward and looked at Dong Xuebin.
"Director Dong, I can help too."
"Count me in!"
"Me too. Let's save people together!"
Six or seven local residents stepped forward, all of them people the Street Office staff had just pulled back from the brink of death.
Dong Xuebin saw the beauty of human nature in them, and warmth rose in his heart. He shouted, "Good! Then I'm counting on all of you! Evacuate with everyone else! If you see people in danger on the way, help them if you can!"
Zhou Yanru quickly led the group away, a mighty procession of more than a hundred people.
Only Dong Xuebin, Peng Gang, and four *** auxiliary police officers remained.
The road outside was covered in rubble. The entire street was blocked, and cars could not get through. They could only proceed on foot.
Dong Xuebin looked at the devastated street. He felt terrible, rage clogging his throat with nowhere to go.
"Let's move too!" Dong Xuebin looked at the few people left. "The damage to the west must be severe! We'll keep heading west along the road! Every person we save counts!"
Peng Gang and the others hurried after him. "There are only six of us. I'm afraid..."
Dong Xuebin said nothing. He knew there were too few of them, but they could not contact the district, nor could they gather rescue workers. They could only rely on themselves.
Scattered residents wandered the road in panic.
Peng Gang shouted at them, "Go to Guangming Park! Don't run around! Don't stay too close to buildings! There's a shelter there! Go wait for rescue!"
Many people listened and did as they were told. They had already lost their bearings.
Suddenly, a shrill voice cried out, "Help! Someone, help!"
Dong Xuebin and the others looked toward the sound and saw a woman kneeling in tears at the entrance of a collapsed storefront, digging frantically with her bare hands.
Dong Xuebin and the others rushed over. "What happened?"
When the woman saw them, she cried, "Quick! Save my husband! He's buried! He's buried!"
The storefront had not completely collapsed, and there was still a little space inside. Weak groans rose from beneath the rubble.
He was still alive!
"Old Peng!" Dong Xuebin took the lead. "One on each side!"
"...Understood!"
As long as they removed the obstruction,
the man could get out.
But when they tried to pry away a section of wall pressing down on top, they found that their combined strength was
not enough. The wall was thick and incredibly heavy. Dong Xuebin and the others had not brought professional rescue
tools, so there was no way they could move the broken wall pinning him down.
The woman cried out, "Da Wei! Hold on! Hold on! The Street Office people are here to save you!"
But the groans inside grew weaker and weaker. He was clearly about to die.
Dong Xuebin released his dust-covered hands. "This won't work! We can't move it!"
Peng Gang was drenched in sweat as well. "There aren't enough people! We need to find more help!"
Several people suddenly ran past on the other side of the road. They seemed to be a family of four, three men and one woman.
Dong Xuebin hurriedly called to them, "Hey! Come help us! Someone's buried over here! We
can't move the rubble! Give us a hand!"
The family glanced over but ignored them completely and kept running.
"Damn it!" Peng Gang and the auxiliary officers could not help swearing. Leaving someone to die?
What the hell!
The woman covered her face in despair. "Da Wei!"
What could they do?
What could they do?
Dong Xuebin was both anxious and furious. He immediately said, "Old Peng, isn't our *** only two streets away?
Keep talking to Da Wei! I'll go find people to help!"
Peng Gang said, "With such a huge earthquake, everyone has gone to take shelter. There might not be anyone
there."
"Don't worry about that. Keep talking to Da Wei and make him hold on a little longer!"
The roads were blocked. Many vehicles and overturned tricycles littered the street, while several collapsed
buildings sealed off the way ahead. Driving was impossible. Dong Xuebin's gaze quickly fell on a bicycle abandoned by the roadside. Without another word, he rushed over, mounted it, and rode off.
Faster!
He had to make it in time!
Because the Guangming Street Office was the only one that had made earthquake preparations in advance, and besides Yantai County was the only place that had planned an early evacuation of residents, there was hardly anyone left on the streets. Most
people had been moved to safe places in the early morning and throughout the morning.
Dong Xuebin nearly used every ounce of strength he had as he raced toward the *** two streets away.
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