Chapter 2979
Geological Faults
Chapter 2979 Geological Faults
Northwest, Tarim.
"Captain Kuang, this is it!"
Xie Jiarong walked around twice on the ground, finally arriving at a flat area at the foot of a hillside. After looking at the surrounding scenery, he said confidently, "This should be fine!"
Kuang Zhiyuan was both amused and exasperated by Xie Jiarong's words.
When I arrived, the team leader in front of me was speaking very seriously about where it was located, and that as long as I listened to him, I would definitely be able to get natural gas.
But when he arrived, Xie Jiarong stopped the people behind him before they could even make a move.
Then he started measuring the ground with his feet, muttering something under his breath that he couldn't understand, but it seemed like the other person wasn't confident.
Otherwise, after most of the day has passed, they would have already set up the equipment. Why would they be waiting?
"Team Leader Xie, are you right?"
Captain Kuang joked, but Xie Jiarong took off his glasses, wiped the lenses on his clothes, and then said seriously, "I'm 80% sure this time, I won't be wrong!"
Kuang Zhiyuan smiled and then waved to the brothers who had come from Northeast China with him.
In an instant, about thirty people stood up from the ground. Their previous lazy demeanor immediately turned tense, and shouts rang out.
Then the machine started making a roaring sound.
"Team Leader Xie, actually, for us, it doesn't really matter whether we have an 80% chance or a 10% chance."
"It's just a matter of drilling a few more holes; it won't take long."
Captain Kuang explained with a smile, "If there really were oil or natural gas fields underground, the area would be quite large, so there's no need for such precision."
Hearing Kuang Zhiyuan's words, Xie Jiarong just smiled and didn't explain.
He wanted more than just to find a natural gas field; he wanted to prove his theory.
Moreover, it has been dragging on for quite a while!
"Captain Kuang, I estimate we won't be able to get out for at least 5,000 meters. I'll have to trouble you guys then."
After Xie Jiarong finished speaking, Kuang Zhiyuan also stopped smiling. "Don't worry, Team Leader Xie, this is exactly what we do."
"Thank you very much!"
After Xie Jiarong finished speaking, he walked to the side and spoke with the survey team members.
"Xu Yao!"
"teacher!"
Upon approaching, Wang Xuyao and his group were comparing the map with the surrounding environment, while someone else was measuring the terrain with instruments not far away.
"Has this area been surveyed?"
Xie Jiarong looked at the people around him, and Wang Xuyao nodded hurriedly, "The tests here are complete. Once the location of the natural gas field is confirmed, we can set up markers and start construction!"
Xie Jiarong nodded in agreement, but then asked about the pipeline laying again.
“We discussed it and found that the sandstorms here are too strong and the temperature difference between day and night is too large. There is no other way but to bury it deep.”
After Wang Xuyao finished speaking, he added in a worried whisper, "Teacher, there's one more thing we need to prepare in advance!"
"you say!"
Xie Jiarong spoke casually, and then Wang Xuyao said, "Teacher!"
“Our current surveying work requires a lot of manpower. With the current manpower, we may not even be able to finish the Tarim Basin survey before the end of the year.”
Upon hearing Wang Xuyao's words, Xie Jiarong frowned and walked to the side, with Wang Xuyao quickly following.
"Xu Yao, explain yourself to me clearly!"
The two came to the side, Xie Jiarong stood with his back to the wind, his face stern.
Seeing Xie Jiarong's expression, Wang Xuyao stopped hiding it and said, "Teacher, you should know that since the students went to work in the countryside a few years ago, the colleges in various places have become much quieter!"
Upon hearing this, Xie Jiarong took a deep breath and then closed his eyes.
Past events flashed through my mind, and I felt even clearer about them.
If it weren't for the timely emergence of the West-East Gas Pipeline project, if it weren't for Elder Ye recommending him to Yang Xiaotao, and if it weren't for Yang Xiaotao choosing to use him, he would probably still be living in a dilapidated house in the east of the city.
They continued to live a life of poverty, and their families suffered along with them.
He could even imagine his own end: lying in bed on a cold, windy night, leaving this world with regret.
But now?
Everything changed.
For him, this gave him the opportunity to realize his ambitions.
In the twilight of my life, I am content with this opportunity.
As for his family, they have also been freed from their shackles and are able to integrate into society like normal people.
All of this is nothing short of earth-shattering.
The scene flashed by in an instant. Xie Jiarong opened her eyes and looked at Wang Xuyao, somewhat understanding what he meant.
"Teacher, actually, this is also what my fellow students meant."
Seeing Xie Jiarong open his eyes and become somber, Wang Xuyao quickly began to explain.
He then took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Xie Jiarong, saying, "Teacher, look, geology and surveying are not important subjects in universities!"
“Some universities don’t even have this course, and since students went to the countryside to participate in construction, fewer than a hundred students have been able to graduate each year.”
"Teacher, this is a university in the whole country."
"In such a vast country as China, there are not enough surveyors."
Wang Xuyao clenched his fists tightly, his expression filled with grief.
"Teacher, our geological college in Shanxi has not assigned a single college student for three years."
"Teacher, you know the usefulness of geology. Are you really willing to watch our geology decline and fall behind step by step?"
"Teacher, this is an opportunity!"
“We know that you have a close relationship with Minister Yang. If he says a word, he can change the current situation.”
"Otherwise, in ten or twenty years when none of us can work anymore, then..."
"Then who will take up the mantle of geology in our country?"
By the end of his speech, Wang Xuyao had closed his eyes, the tears in the corners of his eyes quickly drying in the wind, his whole being filled with profound sorrow.
"Xuyao, thank you for all these years!"
Suddenly, Xie Jiarong raised his hand and put it on Wang Xuyao's shoulder.
Upon hearing this, Wang Xuyao became emotional, and tears welled up in his eyes again.
They are a group of people who treat geological research as a career, not just a job.
They love this career deeply, and they want to pass it on to future generations.
They hope to use what they have learned to contribute more to their country and their people.
Instead of using it only for firefighting, as it is now.
"You should not get involved in this!"
Xie Jiarong spoke again, then straightened his students' clothes and solemnly said, "I'll handle this matter. Just pretend you don't know anything!"
"teacher…"
"Listen to me on this matter; I am your teacher."
Teacher Xie Jiarong suddenly became unusually serious, just like the words he had spoken to the Japanese soldiers when they tried to recruit him.
Back then, teachers were just that serious and didn't allow for refusal.
At that time, they knew that their teacher would not regret the decision he made.
“You have done a great job, but your responsibilities are not over yet.”
Similarly, our task has not been completed either!
He then patted Wang Xuyao's shoulder heavily, "Right now, the project is the priority. Don't overthink it! Understand?"
Wang Xuyao naturally understood the meaning behind those words.
A project is a project; we cannot let certain ideas damage it.
Furthermore, we must not use the guise of doing what is good for the project to do anything outrageous.
Even if the intention is good, it's still not acceptable.
"Teacher, don't worry, we all understand."
"This time, even if it costs me a hundred pounds of meat, I will ensure the project is completed!"
Seeing this, Xie Jiarong laughed, "It's good that you understand things!"
Then he patted Wang Xuyao on the shoulder again, "Also, don't think things are too absolute! And you must maintain your trust in Commander Yang!"
"Only by working together can we complete our project!"
Wang Xuyao nodded again, "Teacher, I understand!"
"Okay, go ahead, we still have a lot of work to do!"
Wang Xuyao nodded and then walked towards the construction site, while Xie Jiarong stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the iron frame that was gradually being erected in the distance, muttering to himself.
"Minister Yang, I hope this won't cause you any trouble!"
In the following days, the survey team and drilling team set up camp here.
Under Yang Zhi's leadership, the three special operations teams responsible for security not only kept watch around the perimeter but also exchanged ideas and learned from each other, resulting in rapid growth.
Of course, the wild animals in this area suffered.
On the first night, the special forces brought back seven rabbits, which are said to be a specialty of the Tarim Basin.
The group then began to eat the roasted rabbit meat, and it was surprisingly delicious.
Yang Zhi even laughed and said that there was no good cook here, otherwise the rabbit meat would taste even better.
Then they started talking about who was a great cook, and the conversation turned to Yang Xiaotao.
Those who know about this naturally support it.
Those who don't know can only keep it in mind and verify it when the opportunity arises.
The next day there were still rabbits, but this time there were even more, a dozen or so.
On the third day, we changed our diet and had a local specialty, a red deer.
It is said that what was discovered this time was a herd of red deer. They didn't know what it tasted like, and one red deer was enough for everyone to have a good meal, so they didn't commit any more killings.
As a result, after everyone ate venison that night, they never ate rabbit again for the next few days.
As for whether red deer are endangered animals, that's no longer important in the face of the people's hunger!
During this waiting period, after learning about the development of geology in China, Professor Xie Jiarong finally made up his mind!
Four Nine Cities.
Ever since the excavation began in the Northwest, Yang Xiaotao has been keeping a close eye on it, asking about everything from the supply of materials to the progress of the project almost every day!
Unsurprisingly, Yang Xiaotao returned from the research institute and asked Liu Lixue about the situation in the Northwest.
With the natural gas project looming large, Lou Xiao'e took charge of other matters at headquarters, while Liu Lixue was specifically responsible for matters related to the natural gas project.
Hearing Yang Xiaotao's question, Liu Lixue quickly shook her head, "Not yet, I'll call back if they don't call back in a bit!"
Yang Xiaotao nodded, then walked to his seat and picked up the documents on the table to look at them.
Ring ring ring
I just glanced at it when the satellite phone nearby rang.
Liu Lixue said with a smile, "Speak of the devil, and he appears! It must be Teacher Xie!"
He walked over to the satellite phone and answered, "Hello!"
Then, upon hearing the voice on the phone, he smiled and said to Yang Xiaotao, "Director Yang, Teacher Xie is looking for you!"
Yang Xiaotao got up and took the phone, then walked to the window and leaned against it, saying, "Teacher Xie, I heard you're eating meat every day now, that's amazing, your quality of life is pretty good!"
Yang Xiaotao joked as Xiao Wei appeared on the windowsill. He casually took her in his hand and kneaded her for a while.
"Haha, of course, I feel like I've gained several pounds."
"Minister Yang, would you like to try some? I don't know if it's horse meat or venison, but it tastes pretty good!"
"Just add a little salt, and it tastes pretty good."
Yang Xiaotao listened from the side, while Liu Lixue and Lou Xiao'e in the room both laughed.
Yang Xiaotao shook his head helplessly. Others might not know, but he did.
The red deer these guys are eating are going to be a Class I protected animal; every one they eat now means one less to go.
He was even a little worried that if they didn't find a gas field, they might end up eating all the endangered animals.
Listed as endangered species ahead of schedule!
"Teacher Xie, how much rice have you pounded so far?"
When Yang Xiaotao got down to business, Xie Jiarong quickly said, "Minister Yang, we've already reached over five thousand. I estimate we'll reach our limit in another day or two!"
After pausing for a moment, he continued, "If this doesn't work, we need to go another fifty miles south; that's another point we're surveying!"
Yang Xiaotao nodded, feeling somewhat disappointed.
Of course, he also knew that if this thing were so easy to find, he wouldn't have regretted his carefree life back then.
"Alright, you can handle it yourselves."
"I'll say it again: take care of your health. Work isn't something you can finish in a day; you need to balance work and rest!"
It was the same old story again. Just as Yang Xiaotao was about to hang up, Xie Jiarong suddenly spoke up, "Director Yang, is this a convenient time for us to talk?"
Yang Xiaotao was taken aback, then glanced at Liu Lixue and Lou Xiao'e in the room and asked, "Teacher Xie, what's wrong?"
"Minister Yang, there are some things I'd like to discuss with you privately."
Yang Xiaotao nodded, then looked at the two of them.
The satellite phone was quite loud, and the two immediately got up and went outside after hearing Xie Jiarong's voice.
After closing the door behind him, Yang Xiaotao let go of her hand. Xiao Wei made two soft squeals, then closed the window and landed on the table.
Yang Xiaotao sat in the chair, extended his finger to interact with Xiaowei, and said to Xie Jiarong, "Teacher Xie, please speak!"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and then Teacher Xie Jiarong said, "Director Yang, I've thought about this for a long time before I decided to tell you."
"you say!"
"it is good!"
"During this period, I led a team to participate in the project, learned about geological work, and gained an understanding of the development of geology."
"Minister Yang, this situation is very bad!"
Yang Xiaotao withdrew his finger, his face serious. Xiao Wei burrowed into her clothes along the back of his hand. "Teacher Xie, what's wrong?"
"Minister Yang, the talent gap is too severe!"
With just one sentence, Yang Xiaotao understood Xie Jiarong's meaning.
Then Xie Jiarong told Yang Xiaotao about the situation of each school and each research institute.
There was a lot of data from various colleges to support this, which made it clear to Yang Xiaotao that he wasn't just spouting nonsense.
“Minister Yang, this matter should have been reported to our superiors.”
"But after thinking it over, I decided to tell you."
"The main problem is that the consequences of this fault are too severe. Fewer than 100 geology students graduate in the country every year, which is less than the number of graduates from a single foreign university."
"This is not normal, it's extremely abnormal."
"Minister Yang, if all of us die and can no longer work, who will take over the tasks?"
Xie Jiarong spoke sincerely, which sent a chill down Yang Xiaotao's spine.
If we really do as they say, there will be no one available for the subsequent engineering projects. Who will take the lead then?
However, Yang Xiaotao was also clear about the reasons for the current situation.
Now I understand even more why Xie Jiarong spoke to Yang Xiaotao about this alone.
"Teacher Xie, I understand about this!"
Yang Xiaotao said solemnly, and then added, "Teacher Xie, the most important task right now is the natural gas project."
"So, you can't get involved in this, do you understand what I mean?"
"understand!"
Xie Jiarong answered solemnly.
"That's good, leave it to me, I'll do it..."
Before Yang Xiaotao could finish speaking, a noisy sound came from the phone, followed by a jumble of incoherent words.
"Succeeded..."
"I've vented my anger..."
"Hello, hello..."
Yang Xiaotao shouted loudly, and then Xie Jiarong's excited voice came over.
"Minister Yang, Minister Yang, good news, good news!"
"We've struck natural gas! We've succeeded!"
"5,500 meters, success..."