Astonishing Design, the Floodwaters Recede

The villa's living room was solemn, as if a cross-dimensional academic symposium were underway. The only difference was that one side of the discussion was Gong Gong, the Water God who commanded all the waters of the Primordial Era, while the other was Lin Fan, stumbling through the role of "translator of modern engineering terminology."

Several days passed. The flood situation at Qinglan Gorge remained dire, and the news reported the latest water levels and rescue efforts every day. Under the continuous assault of the surging river, the surface damage to the Guiding Dyke—the one Gong Gong found so "offensive to the eye"—seemed to be slowly worsening. Rescue workers reinforced it day and night, but anyone could see this was only a stopgap measure.

Meanwhile, the Water God's "astonishing design plan" had entered its final, decisive stage.

The huge coffee table was covered with white sheets of paper in various sizes, all filled with extraordinarily intricate designs. They weren't standard engineering blueprints so much as a fusion of some kind of rune formation infused with the principles of heaven and earth and hydraulic engineering diagrams. Some lines were bold and sharp, as if hacked out with an axe or chiseled with a blade; others wound and flowed like rippling water. Beside them were numerous symbols Lin Fan could barely understand, along with what he assumed were characters for units of measurement from the Primordial Era.

"This is the crucial point!" Gong Gong said, pointing to a complex, vortex-shaped structure at the center of the plans. His voice rang with unquestionable confidence. "By the time the water reaches here, its force has already waned by three-tenths, yet its remaining power is still formidable. If constrained by force, it will inevitably turn against us. Thus, we must construct the 'Divergent Gold-Inlaid Towers'!"

Holding a pen and notebook, Lin Fan struggled to keep up. "D-Divergent Gold-Inlaid Towers? Great God Gong Gong, what exactly does that mean?"

"Fool!" Gong Gong glared at him in displeasure. "It means cleverly guiding the current according to its own rotation, dividing it into three streams: one strong and two weak. Their strengths and weaknesses will balance one another, neutralizing the combined force of their impact! Your mortal 'diversion piers' and 'guide walls' have the shape, but not the spirit! My 'Gold-Inlaid Towers' accord with the transformations of yin, yang, and the three powers. They guide the water's 'force,' not its 'form'!"

Lin Fan was lost, but he did his best to grasp the main idea. "So... you use a cleverer diversion structure to let the water dissipate most of its own impact, instead of trying to withstand it head-on, right?"

"Mm... more or less." Gong Gong grudgingly agreed, then pointed to another spot. "Now look at the foundation! The original design barely reaches the surface, like a tree without roots. My method requires digging down to bedrock and rebuilding its foundation with the 'Thousand-Layered Rock Pattern Formation.' This formation... well, think of it as giant stones and concrete structures arranged in a particular way, so that internal stresses are transferred layer by layer and linked together, forming a seamless whole like an extension of the earth. Let the water surge and batter it all it likes; it will remain steadfast!"

That sounded a little more plausible, somewhat like a gravity dam and deep foundation treatment in modern engineering. But Gong Gong's description was clearly more mystical, and the results sounded far more spectacular.

"And the curve of the dam's upstream face is simply absurd!" Gong Gong said, spittle flying. "It should use the 'Drifting Clouds Chasing the Moon Arc'—not a simple curve, but a dynamic surface derived from the flow velocity, sediment content, and even seasonal changes! It should reduce frontal impact to the greatest extent and guide the current smoothly past... Ah, talking to you about this is like playing music to a cow!"

Lin Fan: "..." You're right. I'm the cow.

These past few days, Lin Fan felt like he was being forced to become half a hydraulic engineer (sort of). He frantically looked up references, trying to translate Gong Gong's "Divergent Gold-Inlaid Towers," "Thousand-Layered Rock Pattern Formation," and "Drifting Clouds Chasing the Moon Arc" into modern engineering terminology—or at least descriptions that modern engineers could understand. He learned terms like "energy dissipator," "cutoff wall," "stress distribution," and "streamlined design," but he still felt they were inadequate for describing Gong Gong's plans.

Master Tongtian remained a faithful spectator. Crossing one leg over the other, he commented, "Gong Gong, this 'Thousand-Layered Rock Pattern Formation' of yours does sound somewhat like the formations of my Interception Sect. But compared with the intricacy and ingenuity of the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation, it still lacks refinement."

Gong Gong didn't even look up. "Tong Tian! Don't compare your battle formations with my marvelous methods for controlling water! This is the work of creation itself!"

Lao Tzu would occasionally open his eyes, glance at the plans, and say mildly, "The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things and does not contend. Fellow Daoist Gong Gong's design contains a measure of that true principle. That is rare." Lao Tzu's approval spurred Gong Gong to even greater effort.

Goddess Nüwa came by once and suggested improvements to the plans' "aesthetic expression," saying the lines could be more graceful. Gong Gong rejected the suggestion, saying, "Controlling water isn't embroidery." Jumang, meanwhile, offered expert advice on Gong Gong's plan to plant specific water-resistant vegetation along both sides of the dyke and downstream. The two had a pleasant discussion.

After several days of hard work, an amount of paper enough to form a small mountain, every last beer in Lin Fan's stash (Gong Gong insisted alcohol helped inspire creativity), and Lin Fan feeling that his hairline had receded by 0.01 millimeters, the Recommendations for Emergency Reinforcement and Fundamental Renovation of the Guiding Dyke at Qinglan Water Conservancy Hub (Anonymous) was finally complete—a work embodying the wisdom of a Primordial Era Water God and Lin Fan's blood, sweat, and "translation."

The recommendations included both text and illustrations. Lin Fan had written the main body in relatively standard engineering terminology, attaching numerous diagrams drawn by Gong Gong himself and filled with profound, arcane meaning. The central idea was to abandon the current, inefficient surface reinforcement and instead adopt an integrated plan of "guiding and diverting the flow, strengthening the foundation, and smoothing flood discharge." This included rebuilding the diversion structures, digging down to reinforce the foundation, reshaping the upstream curve, and adding ecological slope protection.

At the end of the recommendations, Lin Fan had taken special care to add a note in bold: "Although this plan may seem to require extensive engineering work, it is a permanent solution. If the current plan is retained, the risk of the Guiding Dyke collapsing is extremely high, and the consequences would be unthinkable!"

"All done!" Gong Gong looked at the final draft. He wasn't very pleased with what he considered Lin Fan's "weak and feeble" descriptions, but he had plenty of confidence in his own designs. "Now, how do we deliver this to that mortal named Yan Shouren?"

Lin Fan took a deep breath. The real challenge began now. How could he send this astonishing, unconventional proposal anonymously and safely—and get its recipient to take it seriously?

He thought of the internet. An encrypted email? It could be traced too easily. Sending it through a public network? That would be complicated and risky.

In the end, Lin Fan decided on the most old-fashioned, but relatively safe, method: print it out and mail it anonymously. He found a print shop far from home, printed the electronic file and bound it, then used a disposable, unregistered express mail bag left over from an online shopping order. Following the address he found online for the water conservancy design institute where Old Mr. Yan Shouren had worked before retiring, he sent it off. The whole time, he felt like an underground operative.

"I hope they see it. I hope they take it seriously..." After mailing the package, Lin Fan prayed silently. He knew this was like a gamble: betting that the meticulous old gentleman would take the time to read an anonymous letter from an unknown source, and betting that he could recognize the real value in those seemingly absurd diagrams.

After the proposal was sent, life in the villa seemed to return to a brief calm. Gong Gong stopped getting angry at the television news all day. Instead, he occasionally asked Lin Fan, "Any word yet?" or continued refining his designs. He even started thinking about other hydraulic projects that were "offensive to the eye." Master Tongtian had lost his main source of entertainment and returned to his great card-drawing enterprise. Lao Tzu continued to sit quietly over his tea, Goddess Nüwa studied her newly arrived skincare products, and Jumang tended the increasingly lush spiritual plants in the backyard.

But Lin Fan remained tense. He kept a close eye on the news from Qinglan Gorge every day.

For the first few days, the news continued to show rescue teams reinforcing the dyke in wind and rain. The water level remained high, and the situation was grim. Old Mr. Yan Shouren was occasionally mentioned. As the expert who had opposed the original design, he once again called for more fundamental measures, but the decision-makers didn't seem to be giving his advice enough consideration.

Then, five days after the package was mailed, things took a turn.

An unremarkable industry bulletin mentioned that senior hydraulic engineering expert Yan Shouren had recently organized a small technical seminar to discuss potential problems with the Guiding Dyke at Qinglan Gorge and possible solutions. Reportedly, the group had introduced some "unconventional yet highly thought-provoking ideas."

Lin Fan's heart suddenly raced when he saw the news. Unconventional ideas! Could they be...?

He couldn't be sure, but hope began to kindle within him.

Two days later, the mainstream media began reporting that the Qinglan Gorge flood-control headquarters had made a "major adjustment" to its emergency reinforcement plan for the Guiding Dyke, following expert recommendations. The report was vague, but mentioned that they would "attempt to apply new diversion and foundation-stabilization techniques," calling it "a bold decision based on thorough evaluation and simulation."

The footage in the news showed that something had changed at the rescue site. They were no longer simply dumping sandbags and boulders into the river. Heavy machinery was now being used to excavate and modify the structure at specific points along the Guiding Dyke. The actual modifications were far removed from the arcane "Divergent Gold-Inlaid Towers" in Gong Gong's plans, but Lin Fan could make out some faint similarities—for instance, they had started installing more complex diversion structures instead of simple guide walls.

"Great God Gong Gong! Look! It seems like they... seem to have adopted part of your plan!" Lin Fan said excitedly, pointing at the television.

Gong Gong came over, squinted at the screen for a while, and snorted. "They've copied the tiger but ended up with a dog! They got the surface, but not the essence! They didn't use the 'Thousand-Layered Rock Pattern Formation' at all; they just dug the foundation a little deeper! And their 'Divergent Gold-Inlaid Towers' are crooked and uneven. I doubt they'll be half as effective!"

Despite his nitpicking, Lin Fan noticed that the corners of Gong Gong's mouth seemed to lift ever so slightly. Seeing his design principles—even in a watered-down form—adopted by the mortals of this age and used to protect against flooding had perhaps brought a little satisfaction to the irascible Water God deep down.

What happened next exceeded everyone's expectations.

Just thirty-six hours after the revised plan was put into action, a miracle occurred.

The surging river, which had seemed restless and furious in front of the Guiding Dyke, constantly battering and pounding against it, appeared to have been combed by an invisible hand. Its flow changed markedly. The main current was skillfully divided, greatly reducing the force striking the front of the dyke. The water flowed more smoothly, following the new diversion structures downstream, and its scouring effect on the foundation was significantly reduced.

Water-level monitoring data showed that, despite no significant decrease in the amount of water flowing in from upstream, the pressure on the Guiding Dyke had dropped by nearly forty percent!

The monitoring staff immediately noticed the change and quickly reported it. At first, the experts could hardly believe it. They checked the data repeatedly and inspected the instruments, but ultimately confirmed that it wasn't an illusion: the stability of the precarious Guiding Dyke had improved dramatically!

The news spread, and the flood-control headquarters erupted in celebration! The media ran headlines like "A Miraculous Turnaround," "Wisdom Triumphs Over Natural Disaster," and "A Classic Case in the History of Hydraulic Engineering."

During an interview, Old Mr. Yan Shouren didn't mention the anonymous proposal, but he spoke with emotion, tears in his eyes. "...This proves that, by respecting the laws of nature and applying the correct scientific methods, we can indeed tame floods and protect our homes! The Guiding Dyke's rebirth is the fruit of collective wisdom, and a tribute to the spirit of science!"

Watching Old Mr. Yan's emotional face on the news, the dyke—though "modified beyond recognition"—standing firm in the footage, and the river level beginning to slowly fall, Lin Fan let out a long, long breath. At last, the worry he'd been carrying for days settled back into his stomach.

He looked at Gong Gong. Gong Gong still had his arms folded and wore an expression that said, "It's nothing special" and "They could've done better." But the light shining in his tiger-like eyes betrayed his inner turmoil.

"Hmph. At least those mortals have a little understanding and know how to adapt," Gong Gong finally muttered. He grabbed the last can of beer on the table, popped it open with a "psst," and took a long swig.

Master Tongtian had come over again at some point and patted Gong Gong on the shoulder. "Not bad, Gong Gong. I didn't expect you to be such a brute... Ahem. I didn't expect you to have this kind of skill! You made the flood recede without a fuss. You must've accumulated quite a bit of merit, right?" His tone was teasing, but there was also a trace of barely concealed admiration.

Lao Tzu gave a slight nod as he looked at Gong Gong. "Water benefits all things and does not contend. It dwells in places that people despise, and so it is close to the Way. Fellow Daoist Gong Gong's actions this time accord with that principle."

Gong Gong was taken aback by such praise from Lao Tzu. Then he shifted his neck awkwardly and said in a deep, rumbling voice, "You flatter me, Fellow Daoist Lao Tzu. I just... found that dyke offensive to the eye."

Goddess Nüwa and Jumang offered their congratulations as well. Goddess Nüwa smiled. "What you did this time was far more meaningful than simply smashing things." Jumang said, "The dyke is secure, the downstream living beings are safe, and the plants and trees have been spared from flooding. Excellent."

Watching them, Lin Fan was filled with emotion. A disaster that Gong Gong might have caused with his own hands had ultimately been averted through his professional knowledge—albeit the Primordial Era version. These big shots from the Primordial Era truly couldn't be judged by ordinary standards. The line between destruction and creation often came down to a single thought.

With the flood crisis over, life in the villa returned to its usual "routine." Gong Gong stopped clamoring to tear down dams, but he seemed to have developed a keen interest in modern hydraulic engineering. He began asking Lin Fan to gather information about various dams and reservoirs, studying it with great interest and occasionally offering his own critiques. Lin Fan was so alarmed that he had to remind him, "Just look. Don't do anything rash."

This incident had also given Lin Fan a new understanding of the "power" these big shots possessed. Perhaps, just as he had begun to think earlier, he really should find them something "proper" to do—something that would let them use their talents, contribute to society, and, by the way... burn off some of their excess energy?

His gaze fell once more on the information about the City of Light folk talent show on his phone.

But that was a story for another time. At least for now, the villa bathed in the glow of the setting sun was especially peaceful and serene. In the distance, the news was still showing heartwarming footage of the floodwaters receding and people beginning to return to their homes.

Gong Gong drained the last of his beer, let out a loud belch, and looked at the dyke on the television, which seemed far more "pleasing to the eye" now. In the end, he only shook his head and muttered:

"Never mind. At least it's not as much of an eyesore anymore."