Chapter 120 - 103: The First in Line of Succession

Words : 2283 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 120: Chapter 103: The First in Line of SuccessionThe Dunship’s anchoring spot was chosen by my brother-in-law, located between Bailong Port Passenger Pier and the riverside gas station. It is about two kilometers from Bailong Port Pier to the east, and about one kilometer from the water-side gas station to the west, further west is where Bailong River flows into the river. The waters on both sides of the Dunship are a vast anchoring ground, with many ships waiting for lock passage or transit anchoring here. After twenty minutes of busy work, the Dunship was finally anchored. The Dunship by itself is of a significant tonnage, and also secured by six large iron anchors at the bow and stern, making it very stable on the river. Boss Wu was busy directing workers to operate on the water, installing supports on two rented iron boats, and lifting the collision prevention posts sent early by the cooperating manufacturer with the hoist on the supports into the river. Collision prevention posts must be placed 15 meters away on both sides of the Dunship, and not just one; on top of the two tallest posts, both signal lights and water level gauges need to be installed. This task won’t finish quickly, it’s estimated to continue until dark. Captain Wang docked 001 in front of the Dunship, Han Yu quickly led Liang Xiaoyu and others to moor it, then installed removable railings on the gunwales of the Dunship. This task is very important. Without railings, it’s easy to fall into the river while going out to urinate at night. The reason 001 had its railings removed before mooring is that there are bollards on the gunwales, and having railings would make it inconvenient to handle and moor the ropes. The railings on the side facing the river beach are also removable, not removed because 002 is a small boat, just tossing the rope up would suffice for mooring. Upon returning from the post office, Han Xiangning found her "home" gone, rode Han Yu’s light motorcycle all the way to the river, saw the Dunship already anchored and 002 moored inside it, quickly parked the motorcycle, and carefully walked over the snow-covered floating bridge. "Salted Fish, the floating bridge is so narrow, swaying back and forth, and completely covered with snow, I dare not push the bike onto the boat, can only park it on the shore." "It’s alright, just walk slowly, be careful not to slip." "You’re the cunning one." "I have grass mats here, it’s not slippery." "Alright, you’re not cunning." The bridge surface, although planked, was very slippery due to thick snow. Han Xiangning joked as she spoke, but walked even more cautiously. Han Yu, afraid that she might accidentally fall into the river, went up to help her, bringing her onto the Dunship. Walking through the middle corridor of the Dunship, Han Xiangning finally breathed a sigh of relief, stomped her feet, shook off the snow from her shoes, covered her ears which were painfully cold, and looking at the blackboard report on water safety regulations on the wall, she said with a pained expression, "Why is it so much colder here on the river than over at the shipyard?" "The wind is stronger on the river." Han Yu picked up a shovel, shoveling the snow on the floating bridge while curiously asking, "Sister Xiang Ning, what did the post office say?" "Bailong Port only charges the initial installation fee, they handle paperwork but do not install. I told them we are setting up an office phone, the phone Director Yu is installing is even more important than ours at Port Supervision, it cannot be delayed. They called their superior in front of me, saying they would arrange someone to install it this afternoon." "Will they come in the afternoon?" "I don’t know." Han Xiangning put on her coat and hat, and after thinking, added, "Director Jin will come over later, and won’t leave. I asked about the heaters, the office staff said they specifically went to East Sea a month ago to buy heaters for colleagues on the towboats and supervision boats, as they couldn’t be found in Binjiang." Han Yu didn’t expect her to actually keep it in mind, hurriedly saying, "It’s okay if it can’t be found." Han Xiangning chuckled, "Can’t find heaters, but can find electric blankets. Our division leaders know it’s cold on the river, arranged for people to buy a few ’Little Sheep’ electric blankets manufactured by East Sea Coil Factory. I told the leaders you’ll be taking trouble next, and also got you one while I was at it." "Thank you, Sister Xiang Ning." "Why, you are my cousin." "I’m your junior, not your cousin." "I used to call you junior, now cousin, that’s what I tell people at our division." Han Yu turned back asking, "Why?" She had casually mentioned that he was her cousin last time, but after Sister Wu’s "promotion," everyone in the division took it for true. You really can’t make careless remarks. Otherwise, one lie needs countless others to cover it. Han Xiangning, unsure how to explain, asked somewhat displeasedly, "Why ask so many whys, would being my cousin wrong you?" Han Yu hurriedly replied, "Not wronged, after all, I have to call you sister, junior sister, cousin sister all the same." Just then, Captain Wang and Zhu Baogen brought over the "North Gate" they had welded earlier, and Liang Xiaoyu also moved the welding machine from the repair room to the deck. Han Yu laughed, supporting himself with the shovel said, "Captain Wang, electricity isn’t connected yet, can’t weld now." "Oh, my head, really getting muddled, when is the power installation company coming." "I don’t know." "So, what do we do now?" "Let’s do the daily inspection first, both 001 and the Dunship needs one, the maintenance manual and maintenance logs are in the duty room." "Alright, let’s first lean the iron gate to the side." The last time Han Yu went to East Sea Port to get drawings and copies of the business license, he also got a "Tug Self-Maintenance Manual" from someone, requiring daily, patrol, scheduled, and routine maintenance on 001 according to the manual. Just the routine inspection and maintenance items have twenty-one points. For example, checking the daily use fuel cabinet to see if the fuel level is between the upper and lower limits. Checking the main engine lubrication oil circulation chamber oil level, which must be above the marked scale; For example, checking the water level in the main engine expansion water tank, which should be between the upper and lower limits. Checking the main engine governor oil level, which must be above the lower marked scale, with the level-visible through the round hole being at half of the round hole; For instance, inspecting the external appearance of the main engine, checking for any oil or water leaks and obstacles near the moving parts. Inspecting the intermediate bearing and universal shaft, ensuring good lubrication, checking if the anchor bolts are loose... Each item must be inspected, and after inspection, a signature must be placed on the maintenance log. The inspection items and the regular check items are even more numerous. In short, how long a ship can be used depends on routine maintenance and care. For Yanjiang Police Station, strictly following the manual to inspect and maintain not only serves the purpose of maintenance but also acts as a training process for the crew members. After all, Zhu Baogen and Liang Xiaoyu had never dealt with these before, and with their low level of education, simply attending Shipping School wouldn’t suffice. It’s better to gain experience through practice. Han Xiangning didn’t know what the capable younger schoolmate was thinking. Seeing the police car from Bailong Port Police Station arriving at the shore, Old Zhang hurried down from the second-floor command center to greet them. She simply went back to the dormitory to change into rain boots, put on gloves, tied a scarf around her neck, picked up a broom, and helped the younger schoolmate clear the snow on the pontoon bridge. "Sister Xiang Ning, I can clean up. You’ve been running around all morning, take a rest." "What do you mean running around all morning? I just went to the post office. Besides, it’s cold to rest, better to keep moving." "You have a heater, you can warm up by the fire." "It’s warm to warm up by the fire inside the dorm, but it’s cold when coming out, and alternating between hot and cold easily catches a cold." While speaking, Old Liu and others tiptoed over. Han Yu quickly straightened up and gave way to them. "Salted Fish, this is for you." "What is it?" "Candies for a happy event." Old Liu handed over a cloth bag, smiling and said, "I told Director Xu before New Year’s Day, I invited you to my house for a wedding drink on New Year’s Day. But you were too busy with work, couldn’t make time, and you said you were going to East Sea, so I could only bring you some candies." Han Yu suddenly remembered his daughter’s wedding on New Year’s Day, hurriedly took the candies, grinned and said, "Thank you, Uncle Liu." Old Liu, not well acquainted with Han Xiangning, smiled slightly and followed Old Zhang onto the Dunship. The second-floor command center was well set up, truly worth a visit. Han Yu watched them go on the Dunship, hung the candies on the railing of the pontoon bridge, and continued to work. While sweeping the snow, Han Xiangning teased, "Being young is good, whenever there’s something good, everyone thinks of you!" Han Yu blushed and said, "That’s the only good point." "What do you mean that’s the only good point, you’re now the ’junior director’ of your police station, the ’junior director’ of the Water Police Division, everyone treasures you, what more do you want?" "What junior director, Sister Xiang Ning, stop making fun of me." "I’m not making fun of you, I’m serious. Before I always thought your leaders were just leading you on, but now it seems they really see you as a successor!" "The main thing is I’m the only young police officer in our station." Han Xiangning really envied the "first heir" position of the younger schoolmate in the unit and said thoughtfully, "It’s nice not to have competition, in future you’ll be the only choice in various selections when Director Xu doesn’t care, Commander Li and Uncle Zhang are close to retirement and don’t care, all the good things will go to you." Han Yu asked unconsciously, "Selection for what?" "Selection for various merits and excellences, like outstanding worker, outstanding police, every unit needs one, in your station it must be you, even joining the party is easier than others." "I haven’t joined the party." "I know, you just turned seventeen after the New Year, how could you join." "Sister Xiang Ning, at what age can you join the party?" "Eighteen years old, I just wrote my party application this year, but definitely no chance this year, probably hangs by a thread next year too. Our unit has many people, several older colleagues have not joined, and this year we also divided several college and vocational school students, the competition is too fierce, people like me have to wait in line." Small units have their small benefits! After owning a light motorcycle, Han Yu felt a bit superior. "What are you smiling at, are you secretly happy?" "Nothing." "Definitely secretly happy." Han Xiangning didn’t want to praise him further; otherwise, he might get carried away. She straightened up and pointed to the two solitary small houses on the shore by the bridge bearings that looked like bunkers at first glance and asked, "Salted Fish, what are those two houses on the shore for?" Han Yu reflexively turned back and explained, "The one on the west is a restroom, although the ship also has a restroom, this is a Dunship, our workplace and living place. If we were to dump feces directly into the river, it would leave the surroundings of the Dunship stinky and dirty." Han Xiangning reacted and queried further, "What about the one on the east?" The one on the east is a morgue! If bodies are retrieved from the river, bringing them up to the Dunship would spread the smell throughout. If simply left out in the open on the riverbank, it would be disrespectful to the deceased. The director foresaw far and wide, very thorough in consideration, and had planned to build a restroom and morgue on the shore when deciding to have a law enforcement base by the river. Han Yu dared not reveal to her the true use of the house on the east, fearing she might be scared of using the restroom in the future, casually said, "It’s for storing miscellaneous items." "Do you have the key?" "The duty room has it, what for?" Searᴄh the NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Han Xiangning said, "Let’s push the light motorcycle in, can’t just leave it outside to be exposed to wind and rain." As a child, having seen several floating corpses on the river, she could even tell from the floating posture whether it was a man or a woman. Han Yu wasn’t particularly afraid of the dead, but he didn’t want to deal with such bad luck, said hastily, "We’re going back to the station to eat soon, no need to push it into the storage room, it’s too much trouble."

Chapter 120 - 103: The First in Line of Succession

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