Chapter 13 - Transportation

All roads leading out of the city have been closed. Except for various vehicles transporting civilians and military trucks carrying supplies, no extra thing can be seen on the two-way channel.

Tens of thousands of vehicles are crowded at the entrance of the highway, forming a continuous dragon of tens of kilometers long. Most of them are private cars, such as Xiali, Benz, Chery, Chevrolet... Almost all car brands in the world can find corresponding symbols here.

Emergency evacuation is different from moving, and everything can be abandoned under the premise of preserving life. According to the order issued by the military area, all citizens must evacuate the city within one month to minimize the impact of the spread of the virus.

In order to ensure the smooth flow of transportation, the transportation department and military police have sealed the entire road. All civilian vehicles are prohibited from leaving the city, and evacuating civilians are transported by special passenger vehicles. Train stations, airports, and other areas have also been taken over by the military, and important supplies and special state assets will be transferred from these places and transported to safer rear areas in the first time.

The chaos started from the highway.

Private car owners refused to board the large passenger vehicles, and they were emotionally excited and crowded in front of the toll station, arguing with the workers responsible for maintaining order.

"The government is asking us to evacuate, why can't we get through?"

"How can the road be blocked if order is maintained?"

"Driving away ourselves does not violate the regulations. Besides, it can reduce the burden on the government's allocation of transportation, why not do it?"

The chattering of various opinions, angry protests, and quotes from authoritative sources... more and more drivers gather, blocking all lanes of the toll station.

"Everyone, please calm down, get back in your cars and make way for the bus convoy behind you."

As a key road in and out of Chengdu, the toll station is staffed by a considerable number of personnel year-round, and during special periods, additional temporary police forces have been dispatched, reaching nearly a hundred. However, with thousands of private car owners, they still feel helpless. Exhausted police can only kindly persuade the congested vehicles to move in one direction, giving enough space for large passenger buses carrying civilians.

"If you don't let us through, we won't let you pass."

"How can we make way? You come out and see where the cars are blocked."

"We can't go forward or back, what can we do?"

The spacious road that can accommodate three parallel vehicles has been compressed into a mixture of steel and cars. The long-term congestion makes all drivers feel irritable, and they all press the horns on the steering wheel. The piercing car horn sound and countless curses mix together, becoming a powerful encouragement. Perhaps inspired by this strong support, several daring car owners even picked up the steel triangle barricade in the middle of the road and threw it aside, trying to pass by force. When discovered by the patrol police next to them, the two sides that were originally just quarrelling quickly escalated into intense fist fights.

It is not clear who started the fight. Accusations with spittle flying led to a sudden increase in angry emotions. The pleasure of hitting someone with fists, made the attacker want to display their power with even more powerful weapons. Along with the madness and hysteria of screams, full water bottles, long chains, heavy rubber batons were swung high and fell heavily among the crowd. Blood scattered everywhere, injured people wailed, and the crowded crowd sometimes transmitted piercing screams that broke through the ear drum.

"Daddy, stop hitting, please stop hitting," a little girl with ash stains on her tender face, who was pushed to the ground, cried helplessly towards the chaotic crowd.

"Old Zhang, Old Zhang, talk to me!" A toll collector with a bloody face lay on the ground, clutching his severely injured partner who was knocked out by the beating and calling out loudly for help.

"Quick! Quickly call for reinforcements from headquarters," the police captain in front just said this, and was hit by the chain thrown by the opponent. He lost half of his ear on the spot, held his wound and screamed, being submerged by the crowded crowd...

None of them were wrong.

The police maintained order and ensured the safe and rapid transfer of all civilians.

Owners protected their own interests, who would willingly leave behind their beloved car that they had purchased with their savings?

When order and interests collide, it is inevitable for conflicts to escalate.

"Bang--"

The ear-piercing gunshot stunned the chaotic crowd. Those who were fighting to the death stopped their actions and stared blankly at the sky overhead.

A "Night Hawk II" was slowly descending from there. The noise from the engine and the strong air currents from the rapidly rotating propellers pulled the lost and violent people back to reality.

Lin Xiang, with a serious expression, straightened his headgear and jumped out of the cockpit. He walked quickly towards the crowd, which had divided into two sides.

Behind him, more than ten fully armed soldiers quickly formed a defensive line and controlled each of the passages in front of the toll station.

"What's going on? Why can't the road be cleared? Why can't the passenger vehicles pass yet?"

"They...we..." Facing the young officer's reprimand, the struggling captain of the traffic police found it difficult to even speak.

"Get the wounded onto the plane and everyone evacuate immediately." Looking at the owners who were faintly afraid, Lin Xiang raised his eyebrows: "You have ten minutes, move your vehicles to the side of the road and park in order. Clear the way as soon as possible for the passenger vehicles."

"What the hell? Who do you think you are?"

A man with a short, stocky build, a face full of chubby flesh, wearing a dark red shirt, and a thick gold chain hanging around his neck was shouting while holding a still bleeding steering wheel lock chain, "We can't get through, so nobody else should think they can either. If worst comes to worst, we'll all die here. Who's afraid of who?"

"Tie him up!"

Lin Xiang didn't even bother to look at him, he just gestured to the soldiers behind him. In the short scuffle and shouting, the man's hands were firmly tied and he was suspended from the strong iron fence beside the toll booth, unable to move at all.

"A passenger bus can hold a hundred people, but a sedan only holds a few. Everyone can understand the difference. Yes, the road ahead is indeed clear, with no traffic obstructions. But what will happen if suddenly there's a sudden increase of hundreds of thousands of vehicles? If this road becomes completely blocked, where can you escape to?"

"What about our cars? Stopping here, who knows what will happen? If there's damage or collision, who will be responsible?" A stylishly dressed female car owner in a short skirt stubbornly retorted.

"The government has its own arrangements. If everyone acts according to their own will, then what about everyone else? Don't forget, there are over ten million residents in Chengdu city area. Disorderly competition will only bring you more trouble." Lin Xiang explained patiently.

"Government? Hmph! We don't believe in that damn government at all. When did they ever care about us? Those officials? I bet they were taken care of first when evacuating."

Not only did the female car owner voice her frustration with gritted teeth, but all the people standing behind her expressed their angry agreement in unison.

Is this the citizens of the Republic?

Lin Xiang didn't speak any more, he sighed to himself silently and slung his assault rifle over his shoulder as he walked towards the crowded people.

"What do you want?"

As the other party approached, the woman became somewhat panicked. She timidly backed away into the crowd. Because she was too nervous, her expensive "Chanel" high heels also stumbled and one of them fell off. The rough ground hurt the tender tips of her feet, and on her face, which had too much makeup, there were several wrinkles in her skin that tightened together.

Passing through the gap between the cars and approaching the side of the road in the hostile and wary eyes of the people, Lin Xiang squatted down, picked up a little girl who was crying on the ground because of the crowd, pushed her down, and gently wiped away the dirt on her face with his fingers. He also pulled out a piece of military-issued chocolate wrapped in tin foil and stuffed it into her pocket, then turned his back and looked coldly at the car owners who were gathered behind him.

"The earlier you make way, the safer you will be. Think about the children... How long do you want to persist in this? People cannot be too selfish."

No one accused or rebutted. The expressions on people's faces were just silently thoughtful...

When the girl's parents, with faces full of surprise, found their way here, the congested traffic flow had already shown a slight loosening. People began to spontaneously maintain the scene order. The vehicles that rushed to the front were dissuaded one by one. The owners of the vehicles that had already parked on the side of the road locked their car doors, took their personal belongings with them, and, reluctantly, took one last look at their beloved car before turning to run towards the distant passenger vehicles.

There is an invisible balance in people's hearts.

When the angry weights bend the scale, humans are the most savage beasts. As soon as the proportion of reason is increased, they will regain their status as members of the civilized world.

The common people in China are lovely, simple and honest. They just are not good at expressing their feelings and the injustices in society make it difficult for them to vent their pent-up anger. In fact, with just a little understanding and tolerance, they will consider the feelings of others, and make touching gestures...

The clogged road cleared enough space. The highly nervous police and soldiers finally put down their worries. They quickly cleared the obstacles on the road and dragged away the heavy steel barriers. Ten minutes later, guided by the set signals and communication equipment, the first passenger bus filled with civilians roared past from the wide road.

"Beep-beep--beep"

Just as the passenger cars passed by in order, a black Audi luxury car with a license plate "Chuan OXXXXX" also rushed over from the end of the road. It skilfully circumvented the passenger cars in sequence, overtaking frequently between the vehicles. If it weren't for the machine guns set up by the soldiers at the toll station, it wouldn't have stopped.

With a suppressed anger, Lin Xiang walked forward and knocked heavily on the car window with a black film.

"What are you knocking for? Get out of the way--" The electric-controlled window in front of the driver's seat slowly dropped, revealing a young and arrogant face.

"According to the order from the Military Regional Command, all civilian vehicles are not allowed to enter the highway without permission. You have violated the regulations. Please pull over to the side and receive inspection."

"Watch out, this is a government vehicle." The man driving frowned and looked at him, pointing at the license plate starting with "O" and said impatiently, "Get out of the way, we are in a hurry."

"Without a permit, no one can enter the highway," Lin Xiang didn't waste time talking to him either. He waved his hand to the back, and several fully armed soldiers immediately rushed forward, pointing their assault rifles at the man's head.

Being aimed at by a gun is not comfortable. The man's arrogant expression froze instantly, and his left hand, which was stretched out from the window, trembled unconsciously.

At this time, a slightly overweight middle-aged man in a blue-gray Zhongshan suit got out of the car.

"What's going on? Why are you stopping my car?"

"Do you have a permit?" Lin Xiang, with a cold face, looked at his watch, calculating the time the passenger fleet was delayed.

"I am the Secretary of the Committee of the Air Logistics Development Zone, I am going out on official business, I don't need any permit." The middle-aged man bulged his belly, crossed his left hand at his waist, frowned slightly, and reprimanded with a dignified expression, "Immediately let the way open, I must pass first."

"Xiao Zhang, take this car to the side and first make way for the fleet," Lin Xiang, who was burning with impatience, did not bother to argue with the other party and called on the soldiers beside him to pull the man out of the driver's seat.

"You, what kind of behavior is this?! Who is your superior?! I, I want to make a complaint against you--"

The angry middle-aged man stamped his feet, perhaps feeling that his official power was of no use. With a red face, he quickly dived into the driver's seat, grabbed the key from the steering wheel and tightly gripped it in his hand. Then, he stood disdainfully with a pale face, emitting a cold snort from his nostrils.

Seeing this, Lin Xiang also didn't say much. He directly opened the car door and "invited" the other noble woman in the back seat to get off. In front of everyone, he called on the more than ten soldiers and police present to push the empty Audi car off the road together.

"You, you, you..."

The plump middle-aged man stared, open-mouthed, at the overturned, four-wheeled luxury car facing the sky, unable to say a word for a long time.

Behind him, the restarted passenger bus convoy revved up their engines again and roared down the clear road, flying away.