Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Lockdown
Just as in the previous timeline, Chu Bamboo headed straight for the Union Headquarters, arriving as quickly as possible.
"Mr. Zhu?" The guard at the entrance saw Chu Bamboo, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
Chu Bamboo remained expressionless and spoke directly. "I, in my capacity as the former Director of the Union, am issuing an order."
At his words, the two guards’ pupils contracted, their backs snapping straight.
"From now on, all officials and street directors stationed in the redevelopment zones are to immediately mobilize every resident, young and old. Then—lock down the redevelopment zones. Let people in, but no one out."
"Issue an order to the three major industrial districts of Jinghai City. Tell those Factory Directors that there’s a strike today! If they ask for a reason, tell them Chu Bamboo said so."
"Mobilize all factory guards. Mobilize the reserves as well, and integrate them into the main guard units!"
"Guard members are forbidden from leaving the redevelopment zones. They must be prepared. Anyone who enters the zones and attempts to disrupt the peace will be met with a swift and heavy blow. Furthermore, any problems that arise within the zones must be crushed with an iron fist."
"If anyone dies because of the chaos, the captain of the street office’s union guard and the street director are fired on the spot!"
After a brief pause, Chu Bamboo continued, "I once established an emergency food supply system. Now, move the grain stored in the union’s emergency granaries in the redevelopment zones and activate the work-for-relief program from Proposal 52, which I set up when the union was founded."
"Everyone who participates in the mobilization, young and old, can receive a temporary ration. The porridge cooked from these rations must be thick enough for a chopstick to stand up in it without falling over."
"Everyone, young and old, will be allowed to file complaints."
Chu Bamboo stressed the point again, "The issue of food is of the absolute utmost importance! If a small problem happens elsewhere, I’ll have their jobs at most. But if there’s a problem with the food supply, leading to famine—I want the head of whoever is responsible."
Dead silence.
"Yes, sir!" The guard on the left spoke first. He hurriedly pulled a pen from his pocket and began scribbling furiously.
The guard on the right was a beat slower, nodding hastily. He then looked at the other guard taking notes, his expression stiffening as if the sky were falling. ’How can you be such a try-hard?’
Of course, while both were scrambling to memorize everything, they also wondered why Chu Bamboo would suddenly appear and issue such orders. But without a doubt, both of them realized something major had happened.
The Emergency Mobilization System!
This was a system that Chu Bamboo had single-handedly pushed through when the union was founded.
It was this very system that had unified the once scattered and disorganized redevelopment zones into a single, cohesive whole. It was what gave the individual residents of the zones the ability to resist and negotiate with powerful forces and major capitalists like the Factory Directors.
It was also because of this system that the mortality rate among the workers and the old, weak, sick, and young in the redevelopment zones could be kept to a minimum, all without backing the Factory Directors into a corner.
Watching the two men scurry into the headquarters building, Chu Bamboo let out a long breath, composed himself, and then entered with an expressionless face.
Although he had initiated a total lockdown, Chu Bamboo didn’t expect to uncover the assassin’s tracks because of it—
Never mind an assassin who could kill Chu Bamboo without a sound! Even Chu Bamboo himself, as he was now, could bypass the redevelopment zones’ lockdown and escape into the city proper.
A Transcendent, even one who was only at the First Realm of Body Refining, was separated from ordinary people by a vast chasm.
Arriving once again before the Director’s Office, Chu Bamboo didn’t force the door open. He simply stood waiting quietly, his hands clasped behind his back.
A moment later, the sound of hurried footsteps rang out. One by one, people in work clothes appeared at his side.
Only when the footsteps had all stopped did Chu Bamboo turn around. He scanned the people there—four men and one woman. "Mm, looks like everyone’s here."
"Um!" The lead Deputy Director cautiously raised his hand. "Brother Zhu, President Zhou isn’t here yet, is he? Should we maybe... also, some people have already gone home! We can send someone now..."
"Forget about the ones who went home." With a sudden burst of strength, Chu Bamboo kicked the wooden door.
With a heavy THUD, the door bolt shattered.
The next moment, the huge, heavy wooden door crashed to the floor.
The four men and one woman: "!!!"
Before they could even register their shock at the monstrous strength Chu Bamboo had displayed, they were horrified to discover Zhou Ze’s head hanging from the ceiling lamp.
"Wha-what..." The Deputy Director’s pupils slowly dilated. Not believing what he was seeing, he rubbed his eyes, looked again, rubbed them again, and after repeating this several times, he still thought he must be hallucinating.
"AARGH!" another male official screamed. The women’s affairs official next to him nodded, her expression dazed, and said, "So it’s a dream! No wonder it didn’t hurt."
"That’s because you pinched me!" the male official said through gritted teeth, his eyes darting toward the ceiling.
"Wait a minute!" The third captain of the union guard raised a trembling hand. He recalled Chu Bamboo’s earlier words and asked in disbelief, "When you said to forget about the people who went home..."
"If I’m not mistaken, something’s happened to them," Chu Bamboo said coldly. "And that is the very reason I ordered the lockdown of the redevelopment zones and initiated the emergency mobilization!"
Then, his gaze, sharp as a blade, swept over each person present. "You should be well aware of what happens when more than one official dies at the same time... including Zhou Ze! Without guidance, what do you think will happen?"
No one spoke.
They looked at each other, their minds reeling with panic, anger, and confusion... but in the end, it all gave way to a single emotion: gratitude.
They were grateful Chu Bamboo was there.
Strictly speaking, although they could be considered high-level union members, most of them held deputy positions.
If Chu Bamboo hadn’t been there when this news broke, they would have had no hope of controlling the situation, lacking the necessary prestige and authority.
This wasn’t just a matter of a major disturbance anymore. This had shaken the very foundations of the union. In such a dire situation, the only one capable of stabilizing things was Mr. Zhu himself—the creator of the union and the founder of its guard.
"That’s settled, then." Chu Bamboo nodded. "We can consider this a short meeting. You all understand my reasons now, so..."
"Get to it."
"You must root out the killer!" Chu Bamboo said, speaking each word with emphasis. Even though he held out little hope of finding the assassin, giving the order to do so was a different matter entirely.
If he didn’t emphasize this point, it was hard to say what his subordinates might think.
After all, the situation was ripe for conspiracy theories, even with him being the union’s founder.
"Yes, sir." Their faces grim, everyone present responded with a resounding cry.
