Finally, Tang Yumeng simply handed over the task of dealing with the media to Deputy Secretary Song and went personally to Jiangdong District to take command and investigate the situation. However, her driver had not yet arrived, which made Tang Yumeng somewhat anxious.

"Secretary Tang, let me take you there!" Luo Guoqing said at this moment.

"Wait a bit longer." Tang Yumeng glanced at Luo Guoqing and said, "If Lin Chuan doesn't arrive in five minutes, we'll go."

"Okay!" Luo Guoqing nodded, but he was very surprised inside. Tang Yumeng was actually waiting for Lin Chuan? This was truly unbelievable.

As the five minutes were about to pass, at this moment, a figure was seen sprinting towards the City Committee office building from afar. Tang Yumeng's originally disappointed eyes suddenly lit up, and she waved towards the figure of Lin Chuan, "Lin Chuan, hurry up."

"I... I'm here!" Lin Chuan panted.

"Why are you so late?" Tang Yumeng stared at Lin Chuan and said, "Didn't I say to be on call 24 hours a day?"

"I... my mistake." Lin Chuan said awkwardly, "I ran all the way here from the Changlin Community after receiving your call."

"You ran here?" Tang Yumeng was greatly surprised.

"Yes!" Lin Chuan nodded.

Tang Yumeng looked down at her phone, it had been less than half an hour since she called him, and Lin Chuan had run nearly ten kilometers? This... this speed was too astonishing? At this moment, Tang Yumeng was no longer in the mood to pay attention to these matters, but simply said: "Hurry, drive to Jiangdong District."

"What happened?" Lin Chuan quickly took the car keys from Luo Guoqing's hand and then swiftly got into the car.

Tang Yumeng paused, and the beautiful secretary quickly opened the car door, saying, "Secretary Tang, please get in the car."

After the two got into the car, Lin Chuan didn't wait for Tang Yumeng's order and just pressed down on the accelerator. The start was so fast that it produced a strong push-back feel. At this moment, the beautiful secretary panicked, "Lin Chuan, it's not your first day on the job."

"What's wrong?" Lin Chuan asked hurriedly.

"How many times have I told you, open the car door for Secretary Tang before getting in," the secretary said annoyedly, "and before driving, ask for instructions from Secretary Tang; the driving speed must be steady, one should neither accelerate abruptly nor brake suddenly."

Lin Chuan smiled, "Secretary Tang has hands and feet, she can open the car door herself. Additionally, today is an exception, the speed naturally also needs to be fast. Of course, I will try to ensure safety."

"You..." the secretary was upset.

"Xiao Xue, let it go. Let him concentrate on driving," Tang Yumeng interjected.

"Secretary Tang, this guy is too much," Xiao Xue said angrily.

Tang Yumeng smiled, her smile's meaning unclear. Lin Chuan focused on driving, per Tang Yumeng's directions; this time the destination was the Jiangdong District Vanguard Chemical Plant. There had reportedly been an explosion at the chemical plant causing a significant pollution, but it was unclear if this was true.

Lin Chuan frowned and said, "Then how should this matter be handled?"

"We don't know yet!" Tang Yumeng shook her head and said, "Let's first look at the situation, it's another headache."

"How it should be handled is for the City Committee meeting to decide, what does it have to do with you?" Xiao Xue chided Lin Chuan, "You are the driver, just do your job well. The rest has nothing to do with you."

"Yes, yes!" Lin Chuan smiled.

Then, the car sped along, racing quickly along the circular city expressway, heading straight for Jiangdong District.

Forty minutes later, the car reached the Vanguard Chemical Plant in Jiangdong District. Even before reaching the plant, the towering inferno could be seen. The immense flames looked like an angry dragon raging in the sky.

"My God!" Xiao Xue exclaimed looking at the tumultuous fire clouds in the sky.

"It seems the situation is very dangerous." Tang Yumeng's expression turned grave.

"Secretary Tang, I think we should not get any closer," Xiao Xue said.

"That won't do." Tang Yumeng shook her head, "With such a serious accident happening, how could I not be at the scene to take command?"

On getting closer, one could distinctly smell the pungent odor in the air, reminiscent of sulfur. Piercing siren sounds, and a line of large fire trucks were rushing by. Outside, thousands of workers had gathered, many of whom were crying on site, and workers' families had already formed a chaotic crowd.

As Secretary Tang's car approached, many workers immediately surrounded it.

"Give me back my husband... give me back my husband."

"Return my child... return my child!"

Many people were pounding on the car windows, their despairing expressions seeming to vent all their anger onto Tang Yumeng's car. They all knew that inside this car with its special license plate definitely sat a significant figure.

"Stop the car." At this moment, Tang Yumeng said.

"No!" Lin Chuan shook his head and said, "It's too dangerous to stop here, we can't stop the car!"

"Yes, Secretary Tang, there are so many mixed people here, what if you accidentally get hurt?" Xiao Xue said anxiously.

"Stop the car immediately!" Tang Yumeng almost commanded.

Lin Chuan had no choice but to stop. Just as Tang Yumeng opened the car door, a swarm of workers and their families surrounded her, blocking her path, and some even grabbed her arms, seemingly seeking justice.

"Ah..." Suddenly, someone forcefully pulled Tang Yumeng out of the car.

"Secretary Tang." Xiao Xue cried out as she too was pulled down by the crowd.

At that moment, Lin Chuan broke through the crowd, rushed to the shocked Tang Yumeng, and embraced her, anxiously saying, "Sister, are you alright?"

"I... I'm fine." Tang Yumeng held her arm, which had turned red. Facing the oppressive crowd, she looked particularly helpless and asked, "What on earth is happening?"

"These are mostly the peripheral workers and their families." Lin Chuan responded, "To get inside, we have to go through them."

"There are too many of them." Tang Yumeng somewhat regretted getting out of the car.

"It's okay, I'm here." Lin Chuan flashed a brilliant smile at Tang Yumeng and said, "I will protect you."

After that, Lin Chuan protected Tang Yumeng with one hand while forcibly clearing a way through the rushing crowd with the other. The crowd grew angry and frenzied, punching and kicking. Each strike hit Lin Chuan hard. Sheltered by Lin Chuan's arms, Tang Yumeng could feel the crowd's fury and saw the crazed people attacking Lin Chuan. At this moment, she was deeply moved.

After passing through the crowd, they quickly entered the police blockade area, and Tang Yumeng's arrival surprised the police.

"Secretary Tang?" Zhang Wenhui exclaimed, "Why are you here? It's too dangerous."

"I am here to inspect the situation!" Tang Yumeng glanced at Zhang Wenhui and asked, "Where is Director Chen?"

"Director Chen didn't come." Zhang Wenhui said awkwardly, "Deputy Director Li is here."

"Such a serious incident occured, and he, the head of the public security bureau, actually fled the scene!" Tang Yumeng said angrily, "Who is in charge here now?"

"It's Deputy Director Li!" said Zhang Wenhui.

"Take me to see him." Tang Yumeng demanded.

Soon, Zhang Wenhui led a few people into a temporary command center. Li Yuanchao was a man in his fifties, slightly thin, and looked very capable. He was quite surprised to see Tang Yumeng.

"Secretary Tang!" Li Yuanchao excitedly shook hands with Tang Yumeng, saying, "I really didn't expect you to come to the scene personally."

"With such a major incident, how could I not come?" Tang Yumeng said urgently, "Quickly, tell me about the situation now."

"Yes!" Li Yuanchao nodded and said, "The situation on site is very complicated. The Vanguard Chemical Plant has ten furnaces, and explosions occurred in both Furnace One and Furnace Two, caused by improper operation by workers. The fire is spreading, and if not controlled, Furnace Three might also explode."

"What about the personnel?" Tang Yumeng asked hastily.

"It's hard to count!" Li Yuanchao sighed, "It happened during the shift change, and the night shift workers might have been too tired, so they were negligent. There were over a thousand workers at Furnaces One and Two, and we're currently tallying."

"Okay." Tang Yumeng nodded.

Just then, Song Xiaojia rushed in and shouted, "Deputy Director Li, the count is in."

"Speak quickly." Li Yuanchao hurriedly said.

"Eighty-six dead, twelve seriously injured, one hundred thirty missing," Song Xiaojia replied hastily.

"Is it accurate?" Li Yuanchao asked.

"This..." Song Xiaojia hesitated, then solemnly nodded and said, "Accurate."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yumeng's body trembled slightly, shocked by the number of deaths. It seemed she might not be able to continue as secretary. Her heart bled, questioning why she was so unlucky to have so many major accidents occur during her short tenure of just two years, including two in the past two months—a bank robbery and now the explosion at the Vanguard Chemical Plant.

"Secretary Tang, do you have any instructions?" Deputy Director Li asked anxiously.

"Spare no effort in finding the missing persons." Tang Yumeng said firmly, "We must see the people alive or find the bodies. Also, inform the fire department to prepare air-burst fire extinguishing bombs. We must minimize the loss."

"Yes!" Deputy Director Li immediately saluted, and Zhang Wenhui and Song Xiaojia along with several police officers also saluted. It was a salute of respect and unwavering determination to the highest command."

Over a hundred fire trucks from Jiangbei City mobilized, and fire trucks from surrounding counties like Wujiang, Lin City... were also on their way. The fire department had two helicopters ready to launch, and with a roaring sound, these huge helicopters took off, quickly disappearing into the sky.

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