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Chapter 1201: Chapter 1058: The Fight Begins (Subscribe Please!)
Next.
Under Shi Yong’s guidance,
we managed to visit four places in just one morning.
Such high efficiency had Xia Yuxing grinning from ear to ear, yet there was an inexplicable reluctance in his heart, which he later realized stemmed from the fear of finishing the work too quickly and leaving this place a day earlier.
This was a feeling he had never experienced since arriving in Africa.
In the Dormitory,
there was no need to worry about someone barging in to steal or rob.
There were Security Guards when going out.
The office environment was superior.
If all of Africa were like this, he would be very happy to work here.
Only,
it still seemed impossible.
Huawei is a private technology company and just couldn’t create a ’Security Zone’ on such a Large-scale as Tang Qing has here. In Huawei’s eyes, Africa is a market, not a manufacturing base.
Xia Yuxing even considered asking if there were any need for a communication engineer here.
Jumping ship to a company under Tang Qing’s banner
would be a nice option, but at least he had to finish his current work first.
Noon.
Back at the mining zone.
Xia Yuxing invited, "Brother Shi, let’s have lunch together."
"Thanks, but the Company has regulations. During missions, there’s a dedicated Cafeteria." Shi Yong declined, explaining that during a Task, to prevent stomach issues, they all ate simple Food.
Spicy dishes like hot pot, buffet, and ice cream,
could only be indulged in if there were no tasks within the next eight hours. Initially, it wasn’t mandatory but a precautionary self-disciplined behavior, which gradually became a part of the Rules and Regulations.
During missions,
they had a designated Security Cafeteria.
"Well, okay then, how about tonight?" Xia Yuxing had no choice but to give up.
"Tonight works," Shi Yong agreed.
Xia Yuxing laughed, "Then we’ll head back first and set off in two hours."
"Alright."
Shi Yong drove away.
Xia Yuxing first went back and changed into clean clothes before heading to the Cafeteria. The sign at the entrance from yesterday had recommended changing into clean clothes before eating—of course, it was just a recommendation, not mandatory.
But everyone he saw was honestly following it.
They didn’t feel good violating it.
When he was eating hot pot, he casually asked Lu Chang why there was such a rule, even controlling what people wore to eat, saying that after a hard day’s work, it was too much to expect people to change clothing as well.
Lu Chang’s response genuinely surprised him.
"It reflects a kind of self-discipline. A set of clean clothes can restrain one’s movements and sitting posture while eating, preventing a mess of splattered soup. Over time, it becomes a mannerism, which can also be considered an Interest."
Although certainly not something Lu Chang would come up with on his own,
it made a lot of sense.
Xia Yuxing thought about it carefully and it was indeed true.
If you were wearing a clean, crisp, and expensive Suit, you would definitely be careful with your movements to avoid soiling or wrinkling your clothes. Over time, a person naturally becomes more attentive to details.
This is an attitude.
...
Afternoon.
Shi Yong arrived at the courtyard as scheduled.
Xia Yuxing had already prepared the equipment he needed.
Shi Yong said, "Give me the coordinates, and I’ll check the location."
Morning.
Starting from the second location,
Xia Yuxing had been giving Shi Yong the coordinates, and Shi Yong found his own way. It was then that Xia Yuxing learned that the Security Department had satellite and road Maps of this area for dozens of kilometers around, very accurate.
Shi Yong entered the coordinates.
"These are a bit far. Get in the car, and according to the pace we had in the morning, we’ll be finished quickly in the afternoon."
The Convoy first filled up with gas.
Then they hit the road again.
Two hours later,
they had completed two and were on their way to the third Base station, which was the farthest south, almost fifty kilometers, and already beyond the coverage of the cement road.
The road turned into a rocky mud path.
A few days ago it had rained,
and in some places the water was very deep.
Xia Yuxing’s Pickup truck quickly got stuck in one.
"I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you."
"No big deal," Shi Yong, experienced as he was, quickly took out the tow strap.
Hooking them together,
the military-grade Pickup effortlessly pulled out the stuck Pickup, a testament to the performance of these all-terrain military off-road vehicles, which Shi Yong and his team had tested – with supercharged engines that could even make trucks run.
This was just a small incident along the way.
Passing a Village,
they quickly arrived at the third Base station that needed upgrading.
Only.
The base station seemed to have been vandalized, with the machine room door opened.
"Be careful," Shi Yong’s companion reminded.
"I know."
Shi Yong held his gun.
Entering the machine room, he found it almost empty, with only some cables left—batteries and equipment were gone. Xia Yuxing wasn’t surprised; there were always oddballs who would use these things as stools.
In their operations in Africa, communication facilities were frequently vandalized; it was a common occurrence.
Xia Yuxing took a careful look.
There was a possibility of repair.
But the electric wires had been severed.
Standing at the mountaintop.
They could see a village in the distance.
"What should we do?" Sha Li asked.
Xia Yuxing couldn’t make a decision either, "I think I’ll ask for instructions from their operator."
He took out the satellite phone.
In a moment.
Xia Yuxing hung up the phone.
"The operator said the equipment here went offline a year ago, during a conflict between two tribes, when one tribe caused the damage, and the equipment disappeared. They asked us to fix it."
"There’s no power, the operator never cares about our actual situation," Sha Li complained.
"Just reconnect it, it’s just a bit of trouble," Xia Yuxing said helplessly. Huawei was a service company; what else could they say when the operator requested? Fortunately, the optical cable was intact.
Otherwise, they would have had to turn back today.
Next.
Those who needed to draw electric wires did so.
Those who needed to set up equipment did so.
The cables inside the machine room were also reconnected and examined—this place was so far, they didn’t want to come back a second time. After staying busy for over an hour, the equipment finally started operating normally, the transmission was stable, and all indicators were good.
They also reinstalled the machine room door and changed the locks.
Took a few photos.
They were ready to leave.
"Da da da... Bang..." In the distance, bursts of gunfire sounded. Xia Yuxing and his company were startled and hurried back to their vehicle; Shi Yong also returned behind the thick bulletproof vehicle door, assuming a protective stance.
"Don’t make any rash moves."
Xia Yuxing didn’t dare to move a muscle.
Good lord, we were just installing some equipment, and now you start fighting? Are you planning to steal the equipment?
Shi Yong didn’t hesitate.
He picked up the wireless radio walkie-talkie from the vehicle.
"Report to the command center, there is dense gunfire from the tribe to the east of my position, with unknown cause and scale, but it’s in our necessary path of retreat. Please advise," Shi Yong said.
Once there were security issues.
They needed to report to the Security Department command center.
A steady voice came through the walkie-talkie, "Understood, stay where you are, ensure your safety, and we will conduct a threat assessment immediately."
"Yes."
...
Elsewhere.
Within the mining area.
The command center in the Security Building.
This was a hall.
More than fifty people were working here, and the large screen in the center showed surveillance footage from various parts of the compound. The person in charge here wasn’t Chu Sheng but an experienced retired military officer.
Of course.
That’s what the documents said—as such an important department, it was certainly held by fighters. Most of the people in this center were fighters, responsible for the security and defense of the most critical areas.
Zheng Hong.
The name of the fighter.
And also the manager of the Security Department of the mining area.
"Prepare UAV number seven for launch to conduct threat assessment; the helicopter on standby, and the emergency team at the ready," the fighter ordered.
"Yes."
The UAV team lead entered the launch commands into the computer before them.
After ten seconds.
"UAV number seven is ready for launch, starting the five-second countdown, five, four, three..."
As the countdown reached one.
A UAV flew out from the top of the Security Building, and its camera feed transmitted to the large screen in the center—its high-definition image quality was something everyone here was used to by now.
This wasn’t any black tech.
It was just relatively advanced—the most surprising aspect was the combat system running in the background. That was what truly amazed them. On the screen, collecting all-terrain data was elementary.
Personnel tagging.
Intelligent threat assessment.
Friend-or-foe recognition.
Value target capture.
A series of functionalities left first-timers in awe.
