Blazing Armor

Ren Yi’s heart sank as he cursed, “I told you not to let go of the hose! Don’t let go of the damn hose! Do none of you want to work anymore?!”RFxlUtkunsDywqmnTvcCiiaXTQvJPl

ijxJZcnGjbcziQz

Sun Dingyi asked, “Did he send a distress signal? How long has he been out of contact?”iATHLNDpThOjUgrWBbLKocRjdmaeZo

dqBFXHDkWTnhMEe

“No, less than two minutes.”ONOQKBZKEOjlDwWYXkaiRWNIblVJFN

FejMmkunPELGHKk

“Pair up, tie the ropes, and start searching. Let me repeat: no one acts alone. Anyone who does can pack up and go home!” Ren Yi glanced at his breathing apparatus gauge. “Pay attention to your remaining air. When it’s down to 10%, return to change your tank. The terrain here is complicated, and we need to ensure enough time for the return trip.”YDUXfznVtybpQJKXZKXLAlAjItyccv

tRrnSBNPReOoDMm

“Understood!”WecnUYxzkevYuqXpiSOJYyhBIrXZyF

jJQJqgvZtAMtVyh

“Sun Dingyi, take those four and search for A-Wen. Follow the hose back the way we came. Report immediately if you find anything. The other three, come with me and press forward.”AtdAwTjnjXCtocuAizWcyDiQwivJVc

EqIAAOZojWauyXZ

“Yes, sir!”nsPzjcoYVJNFlhAwEXGtfaExTMHULT

akerHUbhposMCNt

Despite the dire situation, they were fortunate not to get lost this time. They located the North Gate 1, but their identification was based on the view from the windows matching the first floor. In reality, North Gate 1 was hidden behind the raging fire, making it impossible to see with the naked eye.yIcyYVlnpEUiWKIHmteWYrhjPUNWzk

sghTvWLTilkbTfm

Panting, Li Sa said, “We only have one water hose. I don’t think we can make it through.”FUpxuNCwqzImzBPaiySQfJGJSPbkTk

uuxvgBcKJLyIyxM

Without a second hose to cover their rear, Ren Yi didn’t dare to take risks. However, the rolling gate had to be nearby. Waiting for a second hose wasn’t an option. The fire would grow uncontrollably, and their breathing apparatus might not last long enough to lower the rolling gate on the seventh floor. The back-and-forth to change tanks would waste the time they gained by lowering the gate.VTtIMgFJKBfkdTToUhvBkwLeHxmErf

uMoQnXSoCqHIkmR

Ren Yi called out, “Command, what’s the current wind direction?”qEjPhfPAydtptKzHGtCtDmZNnFoboB

fauVdNMIhtTfIrB

“Southwest.”rUXyeteCBbpTapohMNsKUBxzkdvTQl

SHlVRATgLjcCHqB

Ren Yi pointed to the west-facing window. “Find something to break that window. It might buy us some time.”OTVtgIHJlMNvWKGXxoThDgunrWDMPo

gnwpAxHvZabZOvI

“Got it,” Cui Yisheng responded, looking around before dragging over a stool.mfKkxCFjJWskXOBZTCebyXbxRMUuZA

dEOcDVxsBlyibdY

Through the radio, Ren Yi called, “Wang Meng, Wang Meng.”reyeRvXGjjRPPePCXXTUOLsEJkeeGh

UPGvCetQQDHbmLi

“I’m here, go ahead.”DvMdEwmnxaXNYIIXEMsFXIIvHReEYy

DuFbDOpDEqyLQgp

“Can you support the sixth-floor corridor with a water hose?”NpqRPhBLjLIYKLdcuwrbRkzImfDEir

XowntVjJrnfKpIs

Wang Meng’s voice was labored, hoarse, and barely human. “I’m evacuating civilians. I don’t have the manpower. You’ll need to request from command.”PUbTOvBAfwMPVGhuxXUIkFrdpWosJq

sXMBSyTzInlcsXY

Ren Yi switched to the command channel. “Captain Chen, Chief of Staff, the fire on the sixth floor is too intense. We only have one water hose. Requesting immediate support.”WiCDnWLELsQKmQhYiWfLvfGQAyfMgP

GGrdxQoscKRvwzF

“Stand by. West Suburban Squad, Yan Jue, can you provide support for the sixth-floor corridor?”BxfbxWlYgQnniiynkgJPOQZUrKOeYm

SQWOxltFSTAiDin

“Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the two water hoses supporting the corridor are engaged on the fourth and fifth floors. I can only provide one minute of support for the sixth floor.”ATAcoVWpeTKQnsEyYTloCUgFdtgiVE

pRNBbMouuEWGIlp

“One minute is enough,” Ren Yi replied. “Cui Yisheng, wait for my command before breaking the window. Yan Jue, notify me when you’re in position.”ycaGzvbndQlUbywNyjKooEHDkpUGiH

louLEbxHNxbEdYD

“Understood.” Yan Jue switched to a private channel with Ren Yi. “Four-Fire, the blaze on the sixth and seventh floors is massive. Are you sure about taking this risk?”QnjKrITPWbCUoRsigPKSKJWeuZJgMV

EuhFLWHKAElhQcD

“I know. Time’s running out.”oEkaafrWcHSrgikFIrVMwxEZURvmDr

denMTsjvSVFEQTD

The seven-story A Building had no more vertical space for the fire to climb. In an oxygen-rich environment, the flames would seek out fuel, moving laterally to B Building. This was why the fire intensified the higher it burned along the connecting corridor, and why Ren Yi chose to prioritize the sixth and seventh floors.ijdqGaKWJZTjsZaUgAeXdLbKBYXGvC

CYdcNChkltpTbZb

“There are two or three more water trucks arriving on-site. If you can wait another five minutes, we might be able to allocate a water cannon for you.”CAQELTiMhpKOGqCNSZPRCjDfFbnPBb

mMjbxWKJvhTmLfo

“I can wait. My breathing apparatus can’t. The fire won’t wait either,” Ren Yi said gravely. “Based on experience and the scene, I judge that a flashover is imminent on the sixth and seventh floors. The ceiling pieces already started falling earlier. If we want to contain the blaze, the critical window is the next ten minutes.”NQiSYXosqOPjrRoLgqvZYrUlagQmHS

VxJaflxjzGtqzWB

Yan Jue took a deep breath. “Be careful. My water hose is in position.”FWmhUNinXGjNgHoXmPhuUjRayMGfec

OZNlYkfnuvfkgNX

“Good. Turn on the water!” Ren Yi shouted to Cui Yisheng, “Cui Yisheng, take cover. Smash it!”wgLdyQHTPJKoBwqksuArdKqDPODwiI

uJsRUqAieuaETph

Cui Yisheng swung the stool and hurled it at the west-facing glass window, diving in the opposite direction immediately after.wQCeRvjbVLYFsQRppGQsUWSDnTrWqk

LHjfSXzUmsJsNSu

The moment the stool shattered the glass, the broken window acted like a vacuum, siphoning the flames inside toward the opening. At the same time, Yan Jue’s water hose began spraying the sixth-floor corridor, tackling the fire on two fronts and significantly easing the intensity of the blaze within the building.CWIvLgefcqiETAwJxNUxHLwqWMQKek

DotJpjPWsamDuSN

Even though Cui Yisheng executed the perfect dodge, the wind-fueled fire spread at over 100 meters per second. He was still caught in its searing reach.SnZhBWbYxWWlrTpPExuEHwkWFDNgPD

DORPLGRLPSAZSew

Li Sa and Xiao Cai rushed forward, grabbing him by the arms and dragging him out. Ren Yi quickly directed a stream of water to extinguish the flames on Cui Yisheng’s gear, but parts of his rescue suit had already been scorched through.jiaxoOmGyVPDPQoTbRrHLDJXXeUyVn

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Cui Yisheng collapsed on the ground, gasping for air, unable to speak.UGzwEWRwaghgtzmcFlbGyKcUDHYuhR

BaEcdSzUlndDiOV

Ren Yi kicked his shoulder lightly. “You good?”pQbSOIYolXtdvgnuMRfcNnnVMiQZFP

bCEUllHxuKRJaRu

Cui Yisheng shouted back, “I’m good!”DqkqolxZMvuzlvrbAhQdfEuiVRzAFf

QwvJkRvFQNFspVc

“Great. Get up!” Ren Yi handed the water hose to Cui Yisheng and Xiao Cai. “The two of you stay here and cover us. I’m going to lower the rolling gate.”OTEnuikMqHBbbTqkdAnnRgQfsYpuMJ

UWobyizIrwZXHOm

“Yes, sir.”wEFrjfAobDPWeeIvyArJxoFAeTbzap

ZOHGTHHnnxxzXly

With the hose paving the way, Ren Yi sprinted toward the rolling gate. Yan Jue’s hose could only hold the fire back for one minute, and within that minute, Ren Yi had to lower the gate.CGVTTPIEaPLgdKtTwiTHnKmXusGAxb

XWFmmEYAkmRYmbU

The fire-resistant suit Ren Yi wore offered protection but functioned like wrapping meat in tin foil—fire couldn’t destroy it, but it could roast him alive. In theory, the suit could withstand full-body exposure to flames for two to three minutes.MyKnOuQkxXhKCFzJrfHCCXScSOsuPn

cEKXNwuUzDYwQjD

Fortunately, most of the flames along the short stretch had already been diverted or suppressed. However, the hellish heat remained unmoved, and the water they poured onto the fire only created steam that had long exceeded a thousand degrees.sdNjPpRVDXKDeCLiKsfXlwbOlcJsvW

XhKCrlrilUDaPLG

The searing pain of being baked alive defied description. A normal person’s instinct in the face of such heat would be to run as far as possible. Firefighters, however, had to push forward instead.fBOLOTzwbjMfMaXYwOHYvjbtgwBOcT

PCllflePoGuChtp

Clenching his jaw, Ren Yi moved as fast as he could, reaching the rolling gate. Using a crowbar, he pressed down on the manual lever. The sound of screeching metal filled the air as the mechanism groaned and grated violently. But the expected thud of the gate hitting the ground never came.MXggrPmVZzBbsVEOZbaKTkdCkXOTqX

hjZpbGMSmTWFxuV

Ren Yi looked up. One hinge of the rolling gate had descended, but the other was stuck.qviLcBxSpHqIeMxJCAoXTmONRXtVQb

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“Goddamn it!” Ren Yi swore loudly. He pushed harder on the lever, but the stuck hinge didn’t budge. The gate hung crookedly, halfway down.cQemlgdiouOfruRlqLdwDutItHTvIl

HXJjjOfqMMglfuV

“It’s jammed! We need to cut the hinge!” Cui Yisheng yelled.qcRnRtCdfITSbkyLGpkPwCbbfKVdlM

qzlepEiistVuplD

“Someone get over here!” The corridor gate was an extra-tall one, impossible to reach alone. Ren Yi scanned the group, but none of them were wearing fire-resistant suits. Hesitation flashed across his face—getting here in the suit was already a grueling ordeal. For someone in just a rescue uniform…EKXIRkePEspnajiSUNODdjdzExPidx

ayBigeqNfLaYEVJ

“I’ll go!” Li Sa shouted. “I’m the lightest!”TONgNmthqJaYFNNEfdEpqPwpaItdbj

qHnAWZiSDhIjpXX

At this moment, among the remaining three, Cui Yisheng’s rescue suit had been burned through earlier; getting any closer to the fire would guarantee severe burns on his exposed skin. Xiao Cai, on the other hand, was tall and heavy, weighing even more than Ren Yi.wYKSiAhaFeDhFcGZlkwTPIoxpENsWa

CUoiORyCtvclpTi

With the precious minute ticking away, Ren Yi couldn’t afford hesitation. He waved and shouted, “Get over here, now!”mjViIBptNRLKNlKZIjLiUoBQqHbbuU

QzEmCQVSuTDlobK

Li Sa dropped everything on her shoulders—the hose, the rescue rope, the spotlight, even her air tank. She took a deep breath, holding it in, and sprinted toward Ren Yi with her fire axe drawn from her waist.BuJCfyeZofpoVRvTzUPzbdUthWkWiG

OuHbErHSZiALDCx

Ren Yi crouched down, interlocking his hands to form a makeshift foothold. Li Sa stepped onto his hands, then onto his shoulder. With a low growl, Ren Yi grabbed her ankle and slowly pushed himself to a standing position.DtGKvgtDLLRHZwdRrBtvxmkFUKpJMe

saJJTZvhrYauMZE

In this hellish environment, the toll on physical stamina was staggering, draining energy faster than an open faucet. Ren Yi’s gear alone weighed 40 pounds. Even though Li Sa had discarded her air tank, her gear and body weight still exceeded 100 pounds. Ren Yi’s legs shook violently as he stood, buckling several times.noWqcfpxhOsMnJKqdKcyVICBjMizmu

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But he stood.gdFlVTNkiboVDaTDRXiydBGOoDePZC

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Holding her breath and enduring the excruciating heat that felt like her skin was being torn apart, Li Sa swung the fire axe with all her might at the hinge.SpuJLohxjHgcIxAYlKFjpBSNsXbcRS

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Once.
Twice.
Three times.dnHtEdUHolMrPceQOFfKqZFmjWLBUa

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Clang! The hinge gave way, and the rolling gate came crashing down with a thunderous bang!hPDCyjsDWPLptsLLAOVfFIMVOXZAoz

RfIdvcIvIZdDOJj

Ren Yi’s legs finally gave out, and he fell to his knees. Li Sa, too, lost her balance and began to fall toward the ground.WkjOviUpLaYwHOodeCyPeYabwmKdHC

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Xiao Cai rushed forward just in time, catching Li Sa.TlwXDJjFAuRRjINpsQctFboNzxAZKw

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Breathing heavily, Ren Yi rasped, “Take her… get her out of here.”LeIKvxpRDfKRsubAPPiHYqOlqmaxyn

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Xiao Cai dragged Li Sa out and quickly hooked her up to an air tank. Li Sa clung to her mask, gulping in air as she writhed on the ground, her body overwhelmed by the burning pain in her skin.catovGZvyGdFoKELZxMuTWvjuNeTjF

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Using the wall for support, Ren Yi forced himself to stand. The rolling gate had cut off the fire in the corridor, drastically weakening the blaze. Step by step, he made his way back to his teammates.saZdzvqspTNajkyRtpXPZOwrzanOoS

jNUOnEcuokfgwvH

Cui Yisheng had a contorted expression, part laughter, part tears. “Captain Ren, we found A-Wen. The kid got knocked out by a falling shelf while rescuing a cashier. Both of them are fine and have been carried out.”NJCDPPaOvQJhcJDeMoUzOmutAqPmdT

uQCyOmSNpxnCsfh

Ren Yi let out a long sigh of relief, his voice trembling. “Good, very good. Go meet up with them.”ElcVIEQSOhoSRExZCwuJllSZHsxhKK

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The four of them supported each other as they stood and made their way toward the safe exit. Soon, they rejoined Sun Dingyi, Liu Hui, and the others.cmbWyqPqRIhjKtHECAdKaMrTGiUGZG

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Ren Yi reported to command, requesting a mobile unit to extinguish the remaining fire on the sixth floor. Their team, however, still had to push on to the seventh floor.sAATluIJMVAIqnpKwGRfElrBEflqJs

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“Cui Yisheng, you’re heading down. The fire on the seventh floor is the fiercest and the most dangerous. Your suit won’t hold.”UlkySKJdkMRmJyqnQhVeMMlVeRfaei

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“Captain Ren, I can still—”EDkVbVmJojTETIHZhJdXHjSWTOKJEO

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“Go.” Ren Yi’s tone brooked no argument. “Change into a new suit and bring up a few air tanks.”JGjPQbHvRtrCGMACyeEyYCvyvdlbbV

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“Yes, sir.”lvfgGOSSlijFKZvPHwJphIpBLvEIJB

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Ren Yi turned to the remaining team. “Report your air levels.”cKCScEUTvGROkwLYSEqZLkqMGpGQBW

vwXNanqjHINKNAV

“21%.”tajwZjSTUQdxSRdJiYGOQpqeFjKOPL

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“23%.”ycvrdhYjpzowzeBqzmWNYAVugSnCgU

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“18%.”vuAopxIgrATngkPzqwKzhKRCRafHAf

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“14%.”vALVYpihbIDUddkKVCkIEYrHxXPbUR

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“…”eMdSADxIiVAoaUzBEmUTnoestPAOhI

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“Anyone below 15% air, head downstairs. Those under 20%, stay in a safe zone as backup.”HfaOQwWbVLOVvaIAImdSwWHhSyrUJA

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“Captain Ren, how much do you have left?”WeaNrSXpnjjqFsoanNEfzSKxcqGseY

SFIITrKQveVXInN

“Stop wasting time. Get moving.”yyTEsVfChPGqsXbFxffZCHVpiQLsBS

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Ren Yi did a quick headcount. Only six remained. He turned to Li Sa and asked, “You good to keep going?”cPitudDTuFrQtPnclbPbDHGGNqRLcs

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Li Sa nodded. Her face was completely covered in soot, her original features unrecognizable. But her eyes burned brightly like stars. “I’m fine.”xoVxyFybqpaeliAfIqQsupKfvfQQRI

PlHlyRBBWiLtAHN

“Let’s go.” Ren Yi led the team toward the seventh floor. As they climbed, he glanced down at his own air gauge—12%.lCOuPgApJIkxyFsxvHluCHSFNhxjMB

qcPPjLZvRvRklON