Chapter 711: Let's Dig a Tunnel
Li Daoxuan's field of view now encompassed almost the entirety of Huanglong Mountain, with only a small segment remaining until it reached Yan'an Prefecture.
Meanwhile, Gao Family Village's cement road was also on the verge of extending all the way to Yan'an Prefecture.
Huanglong Mountain was a hive of frantic construction. Even though Zhong Gaoliang commanded a force of well over a hundred thousand labor reform prisoners, robust young laborers remained somewhat scarce.
After all, developing and building such an expansive mountain range was no small feat for mere tens of thousands. In a later age, it would qualify as a super-project; in this era, which relied predominantly on manual labor, it was an immense undertaking.
Cheng Xu retorted, "I couldn't care less if your manpower is stretched thin. Conscription is an absolute necessity. If our forces are insufficient, and the rebels breach our borders, leaving the populace to suffer heavy losses, then all these fine houses you're building will be utterly meaningless."
His words carried weight, and Zhong Gaoliang reluctantly conceded. "Very well. The group you're eager to recruit is currently excavating the final stretch of mountain pass that leads to Yan'an Prefecture. I'll take you there, and we can observe their progress."
The two men climbed into a Solar Car and drove along the newly constructed cement road winding through Huanglong Mountain, their course set for Yan'an.
The road was indeed extensive, twisting and turning through the mountain forests for well over a hundred li. Cheng Xu grew restless with the journey, until at last, the paved path abruptly ended.
Where the cement road terminated, a dirt track of yellow earth began. A vast contingent of labor reform prisoners toiled diligently, pushing the road further into the rugged terrain.
The prisoners temporarily ceased their work and converged. Seven thousand strong, they formed a dense, jostling crowd, yet an eerie silence prevailed. Not a single voice was raised in clamor, suggesting their years of incarceration had instilled a rigorous discipline.
Cheng Xu cleared his throat and boomed the conscription announcement across the gathered men.
Predictably, the conscription news was met with a far more enthusiastic reception from the labor reform prisoners than from the average populace. These men had, after all, once been rebel bandits themselves—they had seen blood, fought for their lives, and were not afflicted by the same war-weariness as common folk.
The moment they learned of the generous benefits and treatment offered to militia soldiers, a clamor of eager shouts erupted, each man vying to express his immediate willingness to enlist.
Cheng Xu was elated: at last, a substantial recruitment of soldiers had been secured.
As he reveled in his success, a seemingly honest and unassuming prisoner stepped forward. "Instructor He," he began, "I, too, am eager to join the militia at once. However, this cement road before us, the Huang-Yan Highway, is on the cusp of completion. All that remains is the final mountain peak; once we build past it, we'll have reached Yan'an Prefecture. I've been a part of this road from the very first shovel stroke, from beginning to end. To leave now, without seeing it finished, would leave a lingering regret in my heart."
At his words, the other labor reform prisoners also turned, their gazes fixed on the speaker.
The men first cast a glance at their unassuming comrade, then collectively shifted their attention to the final mountain peak.
The peak was named Dadunliang Mountain, standing as the final, formidable barrier before Yan'an Prefecture. Once this mountain was surmounted, the Huanglong Mountain region and Yan'an Prefecture would be seamlessly connected by road.
As the labor reform prisoners gazed at the mountain, their eyes betrayed a mix of complex emotions.
Cheng Xu understood immediately: every single one of them harbored a deep reluctance to leave it unfinished!
They had literally unearthed the Huang-Yan Highway with their own hands and feet. With so little left to do, abandoning it now would surely haunt these men with a lifelong regret, wouldn't it?
Cheng Xu deliberated. "Alright, then. I propose this: complete this final stretch of the highway, and then you may enlist."
"Though it appears a small task, it will, in reality, take a very long time," Zhong Gaoliang interjected, poking his head out from beside Cheng Xu. "A highway can't simply ascend a mountain in a straight line and then descend the other side. It must snake its way up, coiling like an earthworm. And Dadunliang Mountain is unusually steep, far different from common peaks, making the construction of such a winding mountain road exceedingly challenging."
At this point, Zhong Gaoliang added, a hint of embarrassment in his tone, "This project might very well take another six months to complete."
"Half a year?" Cheng Xu gasped, utterly stunned. "Absolutely not! Conscription cannot be postponed for six months. Rebel bandits are running wild, and the world is spiraling into chaos. After we enlist these soldiers, we still need to train them—and to be truly combat-ready, they'll require anywhere from six months to a year of dedicated instruction. If we wait another half a year to recruit, it'll be far too late."
Zhong Gaoliang pressed, "What, then, is to be done?"
Cheng Xu sighed. "Indeed, this presents quite a dilemma."
As they wrangled over the predicament, the Golden Thread Heavenly Lord, manifested on Cheng Xu's chest, suddenly spoke. "Allow me to devise a solution."
A gasp escaped Cheng Xu. "Greetings, Heavenly Lord!"
Cheng Xu and Zhong Gaoliang swiftly bowed in deference.
The Golden Thread Heavenly Lord chuckled. "The highway must pass over Dadunliang Mountain, yes?"
Zhong Gaoliang confirmed, "That's right! But this peak..."
"Indeed, I see it." The Golden Thread Heavenly Lord surveyed Dadunliang Mountain before him, internally debating whether to reach in with a shovel and simply remove the obstacle.
But a closer examination revealed the task was not so straightforward.
Dadunliang Mountain was an integral part of the Huanglong Mountain range, its core predominantly a solid rock formation. This stony ridge seamlessly connected with the surrounding mountains, forming a singular, colossal structure.
A mere small shovel would be utterly incapable of dislodging such a massive, interconnected expanse of stone.
Could he use a metal scraper to carve out a path?
Apparently, that wouldn't work either!
The mountain was excessively steep, riddled with numerous V-shaped ravines. Even if he could somehow carve out a path, it would remain rugged and circuitous, twisting endlessly. Paving such a road with cement would still be an immense undertaking for the workers, navigating inclines and declines, consuming a vast amount of time.
Given the circumstances, only one solution remained!
Li Daoxuan let out a sly chuckle. "Let's blast a tunnel!"
Cheng Xu blinked. "A what, now?"
Zhong Gaoliang echoed, "What exactly is a tunnel?"
Li Daoxuan explained, "The shortest distance between two points is always a straight line! At the base of Dadunliang Mountain, we can bore a passage directly through, from one side to the other. This passage will be called a tunnel. This way, there will be no need for convoluted, winding roads scaling the mountainside. The highway will be significantly shorter, and the construction time drastically reduced."
Cheng Xu stared, dumbfounded. "Through the mountain?"
Zhong Gaoliang stammered, "But... but how could such a thing even be accomplished?"
The words had barely left his lips when he suddenly recalled: while humans might be incapable, a deity certainly was not! He clamped a hand over his mouth.
Cheng Xu, by contrast, proved far more astute. Though equally startled, he harbored no doubt whatsoever about the Heavenly Lord's capabilities.
Zhong Gaoliang had no way of knowing that when Cheng Xu was first rescued by Li Daoxuan and brought to Gao Family Village, it had been by triggering a landslide that buried a small mountain, concealing Cheng Xu under mud and stone and convincing the Embroidered Uniform Guard that he was dead.
Cheng Xu, naturally, was well aware of the Heavenly Lord's boundless divine powers.
The Golden Thread Heavenly Lord instructed, "Bear with me for a moment; I shall prepare the necessary implements."
With that, the Golden Thread Heavenly Lord fell silent...
Cheng Xu exclaimed, "The Heavenly Lord has gone to prepare His divine artifacts!"
Zhong Gaoliang's eyes widened in realization. "A divine artifact capable of piercing a mountain? Incredible!"
Their excited shouts carried to the seven thousand labor reform prisoners, who erupted in a collective clamor and swarmed closer. "The Heavenly Lord is going to personally carve a passage through the mountain?" they exclaimed. "Wow! We must see this, we absolutely must!"
The seven thousand men quickly settled onto a small hillside opposite Dadunliang Mountain, arranging themselves in neat rows. They produced an assortment of dried provisions and water pouches, munching and sipping while eagerly awaiting the Heavenly Lord's display of divine power.
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