Late morning.
Minutes and seconds passed.
Dong Xuebing’s heart is pounding, and he is getting more anxious. He quickly ordered his staff to evacuate the residents.
Drip… drip… drip…. Blood is dripping down his forehead.
“Director, you should treat your wound first.” Zhou Yanru gave him a towel.
Dong Xuebing waved her off. “Hurry up and evacuate the residents. You all don’t need to worry about me.”
Dong Xuebing doesn’t have time to treat his wound as the earthquake gets closer.
Most of the residents in the alley had been forcefully dragged away. Those that resisted violently were handcuffed, and the elderlies were carried away by the Subdistrict Office staff. Dong Xuebing kept looking at his watch as his men evacuated the residents.
Hurry up!
Faster!
Soon, almost all the residents were evacuated except for Old Man Cheng and his family. He is in his seventies, stubbornly guarding his house with his walking stick. He would swing his walking stick at whoever came close to him. The Subdistrict Office staffs dare not use force on him as they are worried he might be injured. After Pang Gang evacuates the last two households, he looks at Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing asked. “How many more residents are there?”
“Everyone, except for this family, had left.” Pang Gang looks at the house in front of them.
Old Man Cheng shouts at them. “I want to see who dares to come near me! Don’t even think of forcing my family and me out of our house!”
A few residents tried to persuade him. “Brother Cheng, let’s go. They are determined to make us leave. We cannot win.”
“That’s right. We are at the losing end if we go against them.” An old neighbor said.
Dong Xuebing steps forward. “Sir, I am saying this for the last time. The earthquake might happen anytime, and we will not demolish your house. Come with us.”
Old Man Cheng stubbornly refused. “Earthquake?! Do you think we are fools?!”
Old Man Cheng’s son added. “Everyone can leave, but we will not leave. No one can enter our house!”
Old Man Cheng’s daughter-in-law shouted. “It is reported on the news that there will be no earthquakes! Stop lying to us!”
“Director?” Pang Gang looks at Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing waved his hand and shouted angrily. “Bring your men and force them into the car!”
“I dare you!” Old Man Cheng raised his walking stick.
Pang Gang and his men were about to rush forward, and something unexpected happened. There was a loud rumbling sound, and the ground shook. Everyone thought the sky was crashing down on them, and Old Man Cheng and his family fell onto the ground. Those residents who were evacuating couldn’t stand up.
Rumble!
An illegally built kitchen of a nearby house collapsed.
Dong Xuebing’s face changed.
Zhou Yanru, Pang Gang, and the rest were shocked.
Old Man Cheng turns pale. “Earthquake! It’s an earthquake!”
Old Man Cheng’s daughter-in-law is scared out of her wits. “Oh my god! It’s really an earthquake!”
Everyone starts to panic and scream.
“Ahhh!”
“Earthquake!!!”
“Run! Run for your lives!”
Other than Dong Xuebing, no one, including the Guang Ming Subdistrict Office staff, felt an earthquake would happen. They had evacuated the residents because of Dong Xuebing’s speech and thought of it as a precaution. Now, an earthquake had happened.
The earthquake is happening now!
Nan Shan District.
District Party Committee Building’s meeting room.
Geng Yuehua said emotionlessly. “I had ordered all the subdistrict offices to be prepared for an earthquake disaster. I am also the one who approved Xiao Dong’s order to evacuate the residents. He is right. We cannot ignore the weird behaviors of those animals. Fen Zhou City has a high population, and the casualties will be high if an earthquake really happens. I am prepared to bear the responsibility.”
Everyone looked at Geng Yuehua, and they shook their heads in their heart. What is she thinking?
Many of Geng Yuehua’s supporters wonder why is she taking such a big risk? Evacuating the residents will get her into trouble.
Wang Anshi coldly said. “Mayor Geng, you must know the consequences of this matter. This is not about you bearing the responsibility. Even the Earthquake Administration and the City Government say earthquakes will not happen. You are….”
Before Wang Anshi could finish, the building shook.
Glasses of water on the table toppled, and the building was shaking.
All the District Party Committee members’ faces turned green. A few of them fell off their chairs and struggled to get up.
No one dares to say a word.
Wang Anshi and the rest of the committee members are stunned, and their minds are blank.
Geng Yuehua was shocked too, but she recovered quickly. “Hurry! Save the people!”
Everyone realized that this was an earthquake.
Yan Tai County.
Xiang Daofa looks at Xie Huilan. “I will not say anything since the Party Committee had decided. But I will report this to the City Government. Mayor Xie, your actions have caused heavy losses to our County. I think you should know about the consequences.”
“Thank you, Secretary Xiang, for your suggestion.” Xie Huilan replied.
After this incident, Xiang Daofa knew Xie Huilan can’t remain in Yan Tai County. This is a piece of good news to him. Evacuating the residents is a ridiculous thing to do, and he will not participate in it.
When Xiang Daofa was thinking about this incident, the building shook. Window panels cracked, and flowerpots were smashed to the ground.
Xiang Daofa is shocked. He couldn’t believe his eyes. What the hell is going on?!
Xie Huilan also did not expect this to happen. She paused for a second, and she changed into another person. Her aura is like a sharp sword, ready to kill. “Earthquake!”
Xiang Daofa had turned pale, and his blood pressure shot up.
Darn!
The ground shook, and panic spread throughout Fen Zhou City.
