Chapter 251: Changhua Fort

The fleet commanders held a meeting on the Zhenhai to hear Mu Min's introduction of the local situation.

"Based on the data, the population of Changhua County is very small—likely no more than ten thousand," Mu Min said. "The population is mainly Li people, with very few Han Chinese."

"What about social security?" This was the issue Xiong Buyou was most concerned about.

"Not very good. The Gazetteer of Qiongzhou Prefecture records that in the twenty-eighth year of the Wanli reign, the Li people besieged Changhua County and cut off its water source for three days. However, the Li people in this area are generally known as civilized Li, not the raw Li in the deep mountains. They have more contact with the Han and accept government jurisdiction. So the danger isn't too great."

"Since the Shilu Iron Mine is fifty kilometers from here, going back and forth will take at least two or three days. Therefore, we must establish a forward base at Sanjia Port to serve as a transit point for personnel and supplies," Wang Luobin said.

"This place is desolate and uninhabited. I think we should build a strong temporary campsite to prevent accidents."

"Let's build it on those ruins," Bai Guoshi suggested. "I went to see them; they're the ruins of a Ming dynasty stronghold. Although the city walls have collapsed, the foundations are still there. Just stick in some wood and pile up sandbags, and it'll be a fortress."

"Who stays behind?"

"I will!" Li Haiping volunteered. Ever since he had boarded the ship, he hadn't had a chance to perform. The sight of the sea made him dizzy, so he was eager to set foot on steady ground.

"Okay, I'll give you a platoon. You'll be the base commander."

The ruins Bai Guoshi mentioned were located on the north bank of the Changhua River estuary, commanding the river mouth. The terrain was slightly higher than the surrounding river beach. After clearing the weeds and shrubs inside, they discovered a deep well that still had water.

Everyone set to work. They drove wooden stakes along the original wall foundations to form a wooden stockade, then dug earth from outside to pile against the stockade, compacting it firmly. Finally, they placed sandbags on top of the earth wall to serve as battlements. Trenches were dug outside the wall, and barbed wire was set up.

The materials for the construction were readily available. The Zhenhai carried a large amount of cement and timber. There were plenty of stones nearby. As for sand and earth, they were everywhere.

The quartz sand collected by the exploration team was continuously transported onto the Zhenhai by rowboats. The two hundred tons of basalt ballast originally at the bottom of the Zhenhai were unloaded and used to build the fort's foundations and roadbeds. The emptied cargo hold was filled with high-quality quartz sand.

Soon, a temporary fortress stood at the mouth of the Changhua River. Wang Luobin named it "Changhua Fort."

Li Haiping was appointed as commander of Changhua Fort. He had forty soldiers under his command to guard the stronghold. The fortress was equipped with a radio station and stored with forty days of food and ammunition.

Early the next morning, the exploration team set off for the Shilu Iron Mine under the protection of the Special Reconnaissance Team.

To avoid startling the locals, everyone changed into the clothes of local mountain people: short shirts with broad collars and narrow sleeves, buttons down the front, and tong skirts on the lower body. They wrapped blue or black cloth around their heads and wore straw sandals. Of course, beneath the clothes were bulletproof vests, and hidden at their waists were pistols and military knives. The rifles were wrapped in cloth bundles and carried on their backs.

It was already hot in Hainan during March and April. Walking under the scorching sun across the wilderness was no easy task. The transmigrators had only walked a few kilometers before they were drenched in sweat. But no one dared remove any clothing—the ultraviolet radiation here was simply too strong.

"Xiao Mu, aren't you hot?" Xiong Buyou, sweating profusely, asked Mu Min. She was wrapped up tight, her head and face covered with a scarf, leaving only her eyes exposed.

"Of course I'm hot," her voice came muffled from behind the scarf. "But I'd rather be hot than tanned. If I get tanned, I won't be able to get married."

"Heh, you're quite fastidious."

"Look, look! A goat!" A transmigrator with sharp eyes suddenly shouted.

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed. Indeed, on a rocky hill not far away, a black goat stood looking down at them.

"Damn, we've eaten fish for days; my face is turning green," Xiong Buyou swallowed. "Let's catch it and roast it!"

"Catch it? How?"

"Shoot it!"

"Discipline!" Wang Luobin scolded. "We are here for a secret survey, not a picnic. Firing guns will expose our presence."

"What presence? There isn't even a ghost around here," Xiong Buyou muttered, but he didn't dare disobey. He could only watch as the goat bleated at them twice, flicked its tail, and disappeared behind the rocks.

"What a pity," Xiong Buyou sighed.

"Don't worry. When we come back, if we see it again, I'll definitely let you have a taste of roast lamb," Wang Luobin comforted him.

The team continued to advance. The terrain gradually rose, and the vegetation became denser. They began to enter the hilly area. According to the map, the Shilu Iron Mine was hidden among these continuous mountains.

(End of Chapter)