Blazing Armor

The next morning, Ren Yi called home. Hearing his father speak to him in the usual tone reassured him.WUbNMakzftcrVnXcDCtpuhJxBPrYdJ

JlqbRzfWVLlRaMD

The weather was getting colder. During the morning drill, they ran several laps against the dry, cold wind. Their faces felt tight, and their lips were about to crack.VGnGFFJRNozPWTNTDMCxWAxkEKmqYy

BWMtwzKpuWRhpSN

After the morning training, they gathered in the cafeteria waiting for breakfast. Ren Yi took out a tin of Vaseline to apply to his lips, complaining while he smeared it on, “This weather is way too dry.”PiHAkINYJKIoBLLYXkvbEFkFoRvSda

hAZOzqovGHGcGOv

Cui Yisheng glanced at him and remarked, “Captain Ren, you’re doing that way too delicately. Are you alright?”DtJKMrUirHuVbbyVAuqSceTlSosUCu

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“My lips are cracking, and it’s ruining my appetite. Who cares about being delicate or not?” Ren Yi had no shame about it at all.yKAHhcNArTRolxhUAJyPqbXeyINbXO

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“This stuff doesn’t even work,” Sun Dingyi chimed in.OATXXaJaXbMhvMjVlUMxpJFMXCmjju

QWnPctiaLtoEHYB

“It works for me. I always use it when my lips are dry.” Ren Yi spread the greasy substance across his lips with his finger and frowned.eYFMtFmHvBsvfPTQFUjpDRHJqbMVkD

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“Nothing beats the nourishment of love,” Sun Dingyi puckered his lips and made two kissing sounds in the air, looking enraptured.dQklmJEHyoKciaSTUvuOSyyndrzKwC

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Gao Ge pretended to punch him.HRyNIRiuIaYIWAxqYrZAOQEoRylnPo

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Sun Dingyi laughed and switched seats, “Captain Ren, instead of using that stuff, why don’t you find someone to kiss?”GIwYOJrjvyxHEzTJBWFCFKhwbhMezg

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Gao Ge pointed at Sun Dingyi, “Drag him out and hang him from the pull-up bar.”jjueapoBwpakdSEBLabkhvxjKrEakX

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“I’m in!” Several soldiers jumped up to join the fun.QsrydPvVJAqQSXdyXEKFjqANwkSkbr

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Ren Yi snorted, casually replying, “How do you know I don’t have anyone to kiss?”AyAWYkVnywzaIzjAovZeVwWSCoFrMi

FIrsrlXIlGUhKnt

The room fell silent in an instant, and everyone stared at Ren Yi expectantly.acuAGGtqNGnmeYotGchfaHSbXBkTum

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“Wow, Captain Ren, what have you been up to lately? You’ve been taking a lot of days off recently—are you seeing someone?”hBdwFsciDpObnkqhUqdypKsrFSGzpb

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Ren Yi’s mind flashed back to that secret kiss late at night.GNsdEvUPTvBFztrtqhQFumqMuZqMah

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It was light and soft, without any hint of desire. Unlike the passionate or tempting kisses he had experienced before, this one was so simple, like a plain broth, yet it stirred his heart, leaving a lingering taste and an unforgettable mark in his mind.ZEpDcAzSKLwOalszlOWuqgIMDcxphv

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Had he not just experienced it, he wouldn’t have believed he could be so moved by a mere kiss for days.RgEmgnOGwyySfalqZPIdJQIwmtbuOi

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Ren Yi cleared his throat, “I’m busy looking after all of you troublemakers. Where would I find the time for dating?”yKHBDERMJZlqBMCrYuhWurhmhYWnbq

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Qu Yangbo scoffed, “Who’s looking after whom?”uFOcLdpveXVWoneuplPhFKJuSIXBCE

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“Whoa, Captain Ren’s acting really suspicious.” Sun Dingyi’s eyes gleamed as he stared at Ren Yi. “You really are in a relationship, aren’t you? We’re all so close, just tell us the truth.”PlThdMItEwyfAVNqXTofwEukYqpJAP

SahiEpKngXcgIOP

“No means no. You all have too much time on your hands. Do you want to add more training this afternoon?”lzieCXOPQBUBmtsRSwyukRYSvgkTcF

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“You always use that to scare us,” Gao Ge grumbled in protest. “That’s just avoiding the question.”JviZcRgAircAvdYkAEHzAfPGsfFGvz

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“At least you have someone you like, right?” Li Sa, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up.YwrZLrMSRimrvzDQdTQJsEYGPcenjr

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“See? Even Sa-jie says so, and women’s intuition is always right.”aUYhoTfFQxWfZoNwemwVgVxShtbdzY

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Qu Yangbo shot Ren Yi a knowing smile.BywtOqzALoYBpvhCBSjgoCOvXpimwA

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Ren Yi couldn’t stop Gong Yingxian’s face from flashing in his mind. Though he felt guilty, he managed to keep his expression calm: “You guys…”YtEbWHPxFyFKouQndWUKVTEpolTDPI

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Suddenly, the alarm rang.AKxgKjGJfTjKsybTsALheYMbgfVoUh

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“Aw man, we were just about to eat!” Sun Dingyi groaned.bWFzdltMebKBLpkcBLxLoQKbQnuhXq

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Despite their complaints, they moved quickly, racing downstairs and gathering in the garage.vEuLwKDcQjivMhKRcPyTTgqvnYawSz

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The emergency call came from a small market, reporting that the battery pack in the equipment room had caught fire. The market was filled with flammable materials, and if the fire wasn’t controlled soon, it could escalate into a major disaster. They geared up at top speed, boarded the trucks, and set off.gGYPjuuMUnrEqNftOrOamiKiEYrXVr

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On the way, they learned that the fire started due to an overload in the battery pack. Apparently, the market had bought a large batch of industrial-grade lithium batteries on the sly to save money. They would charge them at night when electricity was cheaper and discharge them during the day.zNAwDUroOwwIWBBCDGhIndMKloUNjG

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Lithium batteries are notoriously difficult to extinguish once they catch fire, which is why there are so many restrictions on power banks on airplanes. In recent years, fires caused by electric vehicle lithium batteries have been on the rise, and the market’s actions were a clear violation of fire safety regulations.NpZAVSIlATUYsZpPKHTbPtSRxFCyTM

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Upon arriving at the market, they headed straight for the equipment room.XEkyrIMnLlZJSJqWpTMOknuOUeZiSi

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From a distance, they could see smoke billowing out of the door. A group of staff stood far away, holding fire extinguishers, but none dared approach.WNtqlqOmUQZkeuOnEAcdZWnlKpBmyZ

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Even in their protective gear, the firefighters could already feel the heat.RzeoQHAssDMmKienJFQEdvkoKNyHnp

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“The firefighters are here!”dORkLLNRKycfmsCnZaMnEavEQhlXLH

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Ren Yi was the first to ask, “Is anyone trapped?”gDMZhvAKmlyWyCYTBhHNwbsWyCldQl

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“No.”uBImGSnPphrTuYFPhRUbEuduESWZsk

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“Has the power been cut?”XhVzFMvSezTgZfsvZFMcDmBGFpAPQv

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“It’s cut.”NPuhAwhrCDeDxKbhkywAnzxaxvpUhb

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“What’s the situation inside?” Ren Yi glanced inside, but all he could see was the red glow from the flames, everything else obscured by thick smoke.AHPbvQkUKtiYCqjponLdZGrRJoUDIy

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The person in charge wiped his sweat nervously. “One of the battery packs is on fire. We tried to put it out ourselves, but… it didn’t work, and it got too hot in there, so we came out.”VmWznNRZcoJoyufBbGkIqBrlDiuMDi

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Ren Yi glared at him, “The first thing you should’ve done when the fire started was call 119, not try to handle it yourselves! Do you have any idea how hard it is to put out a lithium battery fire?!”BEmprQecyATzrPYvJqJycmfYnxVIMo

IoeyeDfcmeMcclt

The man fell silent.AmTfiwaUXgnZcYWvinkOvHhVnmGjWI

BEVmhatCaavxwbZ

Ren Yi had seen this situation too many times—people not calling the fire department right away because they feared fines or responsibility, thinking they could handle it themselves, only to miss the best time for rescue. Small incidents often turned into major disasters because of this. Even though he knew it was pointless to scold the man, he was still filled with frustration.UEmrwognnvkkBSdseBYLHUeVldrQyj

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Ren Yi began giving orders, “Ding Qing, prepare the water supply. Have the command center contact the city authorities and get the water pressure in this area increased.”mtxgXUqZrwgivmEyWMkZHxmAMlbFtR

MtapXNmiSwnjUla

“Yes.”AiKxieiPgapVowHXJbxIxfUztxQfqO

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“Liu Hui, go get two exhaust fans.”reMXtqqCPlNSjPRSjDjEjrUqZdPLWD

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“Yes.”FaxaIZtbbucTIcknnoFCVarBwOgbkb

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“Gao Ge, Sun Dingyi, you two come with me and check it out.”hwtWpkPGDBIjNuDbreaRCpvMWNLGDy

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The three, fully geared up, walked into the equipment room.huOKZeNBPWdHWlySLXOrqjVKvfPUHl

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The equipment room only had one door and one window, which was far from enough to ventilate the smoke and heat. The temperature inside felt like hell itself, enough to roast someone alive. Even while wearing heat-resistant suits, Ren Yi felt as though his skin was about to melt. In such conditions, they could only hold out for a minute at most.zqNLCVsIfISdeuswaQJknkAFNjtynB

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Ren Yi gritted his teeth and headed towards the fire.JJJASVSBwQecAgiAoWiEoFXULPMOLL

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The battery packs were stacked against the wall, arranged in five rows by four columns, a total of twenty. Each one was the size of a suitcase, tangled with chaotic wires, burning with a terrifying crackling sound. The fire seemed to have started from one in the middle of the left side, which was now glowing red hot and had ignited four others nearby.gWljFGbvHGocANGQYNZQqniiCttWPb

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The best way to extinguish a lithium battery fire is by spraying water—a lot of water. Without enough water, the fire won’t go out. For small lithium batteries, tossing them into water is the smartest move, but these were far too big and already too badly burned to be moved.lTeucMzBuarlkcKOEbmNuKKIeKwBhO

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Before long, the three of them couldn’t take it anymore and retreated outside.CMQHDBQfXhKZVKimyrdkhxGWTnbHXD

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Ren Yi removed his mask, his face drenched in sweat. Gasping for breath, he said, “This is trouble. In this heat, no one can stay inside to spray water.”fDNlVPheHToKcUjJfpEjfrCqnjLqKh

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“We’ll have to take shifts,” Gao Ge suggested.opkhHIRFjQhzofbEzMgypfBdkylhZb

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Ren Yi thought for a moment and said, “We’ll have to ventilate the heat while spraying water to cool it down. That’s the only option.”BmrQCKScoAndivGMFmalaahpEdRjvh

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A man who looked like a manager approached Ren Yi. “Comrade, how do you plan to put out the fire?”djqmxneudOgGoYwgnBaTHaSGNPyVjh

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“We’re going to use two exhaust fans to vent the smoke from the door and window, then spray water.”DVStNljLWCHMhTjuXnAWAVUODyALbt

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The man’s face changed. “Comrade, think of something else. You can’t use water. If you spray water, all our batteries will be ruined. Each one costs over 200,000 yuan.”dlbhxQuxqksxuszwnWDvnnDLBIizZc

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Ren Yi squinted at him.ETvkxEKjxQpYuTgkqsfXOUthFSMBWE

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“Isn’t there dry powder or something? Or suffocation methods? If we cut off the oxygen, won’t the fire go out?”MFmdiABJukXEKchMFpuLuqsXCDPaBX

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Ren Yi said coldly, “Dry powder works by suffocation, which doesn’t work on lithium batteries. Five of them are already burning. Cutting off the oxygen before the fire is out could cause more batteries to ignite or even explode. The high temperature could also damage the rebar in the walls.”igSazywWCMCSmwMOhGAEuWkRMEqagP

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The man grabbed Ren Yi, anxiously pleading, “Come on, think of another way. Can’t you take the burning batteries out?”FwAyZUdyXsTsqcwcwDXnjNETOyRIJZ

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Ren Yi shook off his hand and snapped, “Do you know what we’re wearing? I’ll give you my suit. Do you dare go in and move them yourself?”lbywkYInmKWpLnrdTockIwWnNaZkaT

mRJaEDQCugCvQma

“You—you! What’s your attitude?” the man shouted. “I asked the manufacturer. If you spray water, all twenty batteries will be done for, and that’s millions in losses!”zRWFdKXhvNPPQXsHOGCeNRgKuRZjsw

ZboKBuQXnusZQct

“If you don’t use water, your batteries will still burn up entirely, and it’ll pose a safety threat to the entire mall.” Ren Yi glared at him, his eyes sharp. “If you keep obstructing our work, you might need a few days in detention to cool off.”IAhadroFmkTuKQGZyJXamaORFuRkgH

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“You—”jwBJufrwehRuEtXOyUVBUDkVPnvKoa

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Just as the man was about to say more, a sudden loud bang came from inside the room. Everyone instinctively flinched, bending over and covering their heads.ZbqkRWENjtHnckqnmXymrfmOKEbQaz

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One of the lithium batteries must have exploded. While lithium battery explosions don’t cause major damage, they are still dangerous if you’re nearby, and the explosion could trigger more batteries to catch fire.PycxmWHaqVitRjRoEhGgPJsYauqFJS

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The man’s face turned ghostly pale, and he fell silent.hNvCDLGgfvYwCEWuclcxUrjyTEdyMI

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After the explosion, the temperature in the equipment room seemed to rise even further. This time, they couldn’t even get close to the room. The moment they neared the door, the intense heat radiation forced them back.eDxtIFEgvunZExWsuiUWzeatyNNikG

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By then, the hoses were ready. Ren Yi instructed two hoses to cool down the walls first while waiting for the exhaust fans. Without lowering the temperature, they wouldn’t even be able to get the hoses inside.svXLPIheFCxStrvjDwRtSKMKwuiiif

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After a while, the exhaust fans arrived and began venting the smoke through the window and door.ZGXYXYtIODNHEriLegtmpvcjWYlXrG

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It took a full half hour of ventilation before the temperature dropped slightly and the visibility inside improved a little.tqsXRCiiknsKSzvFXbVwplqCfaWNOf

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Ren Yi decided to give it a shot. He and Gao Ge, holding a fire hose together, stepped into the equipment room and aimed at the battery group in the distance before opening the valve.dzKEcJbWTMOykwQQNUdxNnAuWultYx

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To extinguish the fire quickly, Ren Yi set the water pressure to 12 bars. The moment the valve opened, the hose wriggled like a live dragon, twisting violently under the massive pressure. Despite holding on tightly, Ren Yi and Gao Ge were both dragged to the ground, with water spraying all over them. Sun Dingyi rushed in to pin down the hose, finally bringing it under control, and they aimed it at the burning batteries.fOVYALnNFCIMyKYSMAJHlLLJxpjaoY

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As soon as the water hit, hot steam rose, making the environment even more unbearable than before when it was just the fire. After a short while, they switched shifts with the next group.SNeydZZzjLlkultlgaZNkUxJiTLSYn

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The firefighters worked in teams of three, taking turns. At first, each group could only last for a minute, but as the temperature gradually dropped, they were able to stay inside for a bit longer.ZozdhkSRimqAzDDQkDQJYzABPxedTv

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Ren Yi, Gao Ge, and Sun Dingyi went in again for their next round of spraying. By now, most of the smoke had been replaced by steam, but visibility was still nonexistent. Luckily, the burning area was obvious, so there was no chance of spraying the wrong place.KXWrFgMibqYZqOxlUQemjssuJEKutj

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After a few more minutes, they withdrew again, allowing the next team to take over.coXNniTxnoAGbZSbliXohJidgGZYTu

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Ren Yi was so exhausted that he could barely lift his arms. Each breath felt like a struggle, a common side effect of wearing the breathing apparatus for too long. He said, “Let’s step outside for some fresh air and switch out the air tanks. We’re probably running low by now.”JNFIWQyqnpmKHcqOxxCuypjuhTQBjW

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Ren Yi exited the mall, gasping for the fresh air, and headed toward the fire truck. He grabbed three new air tanks and handed one to Sun Dingyi. As he reached for the other to give to Gao Ge, he realized Gao Ge wasn’t behind him.PhdnQZxdCupynjhFlxkHNcgqpSkYpM

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“Where is he?” Ren Yi asked.NZYIUGisanmZpvhdCXlGfogywWNyaZ

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Sun Dingyi, swapping his air tank, replied, “He didn’t come out. He’s probably still inside.”FRYsAUpODnRaSsbfZDjcfLWXlFbANT

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“Take this tank to him, and remind everyone to check their air supply. If it’s running low, they should come out and switch. I’ll catch my breath and head back in shortly.”uTxAkLHmawPtaUoWsCeiRteqoyVfQU

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“Got it.” Sun Dingyi grabbed the air tank and rushed back in.GsFzXdJKdGKfSUwWdwRFHkgVmUamDe

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Ren Yi wiped the sweat off his face and tugged at the collar of his protective suit, hoping to let in a little cool air. After being in the extreme heat for so long, the sensation of his whole body feeling like it was on fire was unbearable. Even the slightest breeze felt like a huge relief.cNalvejYPYCIbWpmAkmdtcewzGmALt

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But he didn’t have much time to “enjoy” the moment—he was back in action soon enough.FFwLDFphvBrHHHeePifWAynxfeJpNf

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Just as he was about to re-enter the mall, Sun Dingyi came rushing out, looking flustered. “Gao Ge is missing.”gaFwloRMUhzObnPAtCswAUGumDLeZS

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Ren Yi frowned. “What do you mean he’s missing?”XSoIsXgOMmyViifcsmOwkQluPevZXu

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“I can’t find him inside, and he’s not responding to the radio.”lilbxAWpHOFGouVyQZRhTwRwIlTVSt

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“Could he… have gone to the bathroom?” Ren Yi suggested, though he knew it sounded far-fetched.QUJRMRaHcpIcauYutZcnxiCWKQAmgg

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“Even if he did, he wouldn’t just ignore the radio!” Sun Dingyi said anxiously. “I asked a bunch of people—no one’s seen him. I even checked the equipment room, and he’s not there.”iLDaqWJFpfBwlrOaknzOsIObhHYnnA

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A knot tightened in Ren Yi’s chest. He broke into a run, heading straight back into the mall, making a beeline for the equipment room.oUfapHDxIZABeHqEGOrIbJUSusrbdV

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