Yan Nanmo deeply looked at her, and from a single worker, she was able to spot so many issues, which was sufficient to show her meticulous attention to detail, as well as her intelligence and caution. Whether it was true or not didn’t matter anymore; there was no time left to verify. The most pressing matter now was to disperse the crowd because nothing was more important than human lives.
Yan Nanmo turned and quickly left.
Zhuang Xiyue stared as Yan Nanmo had just returned only to leave again. How long had he been back? Why had he left once more? Find the newest release on novel✶fire.net
"What did you tell your Uncle Yan? Why did he leave in such a hurry again?"
Yun Ya didn’t elaborate further. Telling Aunt Zhuang now would only cause her unnecessary worry.
"It’s probably something to do with Uncle Yan’s work. The typhoon is coming, and as the mayor, Uncle Yan has a lot on his plate." With those words, Yun Ya took her leave from Zhuang Xiyue, opened her umbrella, and left the Yan Family residence.
Uncle Yan was a good official who cared deeply for the people. He would certainly resolve the situation. Knowing that more than ninety lives had been saved, Yun Ya slept exceptionally peacefully that night.
Yan Nanmo convened an emergency meeting that very night, issuing a mandatory order for all departments to assist the Public Security Bureau in evacuating residents from eight buildings in the Shuiyue Dongtian Community, totaling one hundred and twenty-three households and three hundred and sixty-three individuals. He specifically instructed the logistics department to arrange for the residents’ subsequent housing, food, and transportation, ensuring they were taken care of within one day.
Almost everyone there had been called in on short notice and were listless—one by one, having been pulled from dinner tables and lovers’ beds, none were in the mood to sit and listen to the mayor’s speech.
Once Yan Nanmo’s order was given, many officials expressed doubts. This was a huge operation, involving so many people, all in one day? That seemed like a joke.
At the very least, they demanded a reason. If something went wrong, who would bear the responsibility?
And how would they explain it to the people?
Yan Nanmo ordered his secretary to turn on the projector and briefly explained the issue with the illegal construction. Then, he said, "According to the Meteorological Bureau’s report, Typhoon Melor is expected to make landfall around noon the day after tomorrow, and it’s said to be the strongest typhoon in fifty years. Its destructive power is immense, and although this illegal building was unexpected, we absolutely cannot allow the people to be harmed by it. We must evacuate the residents as quickly as possible. If any of you dare to complain any further, submit your resignation. The government can’t afford to employ someone like you."
Even though many complained that Yan Nanmo was making a mountain out of a molehill—after all, it was just an illegal building, and it surely couldn’t be so fragile that it would collapse at the first gust of wind—they only dared curse silently in their hearts. With the imposing authority that Yan Nanmo had built up over the years, no one dared to openly question him.
"It is now the evening of July 16th, ten o’clock. We have thirty-eight hours left. We must race against time..."
Convincing over three hundred people to temporarily leave their homes was difficult to imagine, but no matter how challenging, it was urgent to ensure the safety of lives and property.
In the community’s open-air plaza, family heads, having received the notice, each came to the scene with their umbrellas, clueless as to what had happened, exchanging looks of confusion.
Yan Nanmo sat in his car, took a sip of water, and asked his secretary, "Roll call. Send someone for those who are not here."
It wasn’t until twelve o’clock that the secretary came over and reported, "Everyone is present now."
Yan Nanmo nodded, put on his raincoat, and got out of the car. The chief secretary quickly tried to stop him, "Mayor, how can you personally deal with this? We can do it for you."
Yan Nanmo pushed him aside, "Lives are at stake. How can I, the mayor, stand by and do nothing?"
The plaza was crowded with people, some wearing raincoats, others holding umbrellas, as the light rain drizzled down. Everyone’s face bore an unpleasant expression, most having been dragged out of their beds, yawning endlessly. What good expression could they have?
Yan Nanmo stood on a makeshift platform and took the megaphone handed over by his secretary, cleared his throat, and spoke loudly, "Good evening, friends. I believe you are all familiar with me."
A beam of spotlights shone on Yan Nanmo, making him the center of attention.
As he finished speaking, Yan Nanmo removed his hat, and his face was illuminated by the lights, his short hair quickly becoming drenched by the rain.
A murmur of surprise erupted in the crowd: "Mayor Yan..."
Yan Nanmo smiled and said confidently, "Yes, I am Jiangzhou’s Mayor, Yan Nanmo."