Blazing Armor

Each combat team quickly sprang into action.GGgGMBdFGqovffenpKbTvXVogOVNpe

Since this was a key firefighting unit and a newly built factory area, various advanced and complete measures were in place. There were 12 ground fire hydrants within the factory area, and each building had indoor fire hydrants, all treated for frost prevention and regularly maintained. Therefore, every fire hydrant was operational, and after the water company increased the pressure, the water supply was abundant, giving them great confidence.xtjBQIwUQOMDLNQnTHNvnOxEVZXVJg

Led by Yan Jue, they formed groups of four, tying themselves to reflective guiding ropes, each carrying an extra gas mask, and entered the cold storage.gEoToTfDjKOnjAPljdwRynldOBWDVd

The entrance was a certain distance from the fire point, and at this moment, the overall temperature of the cold storage had not yet risen; when they first entered, they even felt a slight chill. However, despite the low temperature, smoke had already filled the entire space. A significant difference between a fire in a cold storage and elsewhere was that, under normal circumstances, smoke rises, and the lower one crouches, the more likely they are to breathe fresh air. In contrast, in a cold storage, due to the weight of the smoke, it accumulates in the lower levels, resulting in high toxicity and low visibility, making it easy to get lost.gjKxGIeiTgFxaZlhtdWrFCCxelXJEj

As they walked, they shouted and left glowing light strips along the way as markers for retreat.heTHkDhwZXpViUArOKwjYIftsaOvvR

“Is anyone there? Firefighters! Is anyone there?”LuRhkZcbGjhjSpNAKCmKdHqDgKTFVi

Yan Jue commanded, “Team One and Team Two, head towards the area farthest from the fire point; there’s less smoke there, and people will definitely run towards the area with less smoke.”NBzOOpXTThgKBZuTTDryBHoDkOiYOT

“There are too many steel frames inside, and the signal is poor. Once you split up, you need to adapt to the situation, set up markers, and make sure to leave enough air for yourselves. Be sure to time your retreat well,” Yan Jue advised.TnubekBOSDoLdFCtOXxfVnUmwgrNZJ

“Yes, Captain Yan.”cupbhGsnjpuvmGRTbEebtihhOgejgz

The two teams set off in opposite directions while the rest continued deeper. They used water hoses to clear the way, advancing towards the fire point. Ammonia is soluble in water, and the best way to reduce the hazards of liquid ammonia or ammonia gas is to dilute it with a large amount of water.fGhKSKRayboztgTzukTLKclhRzBmlr

“There’s someone here!” a soldier shouted, lifting a girl in a school uniform off the ground and putting a gas mask over her.LWOmyZRxBiVFcjAgoYzQkIyqYJNxFo

Ren Yi saw that she had short hair and knew this was not Gong Feilan. He helped the soldier untie the guiding rope: “Follow the markers, don’t get lost.”WbQCSPGXYUQKzKSLEmYYbqjKxaZHhK

Yan Jue assigned a soldier to escort them out together.nijitKzXrlVljbqUOJWkxexilJIbkc

Continuing forward, they discovered two more children who were poisoned and unconscious. Seeing their feeble condition, the soldiers felt extremely distressed. Ren Yi tried several times to contact the other two teams or those outside the cold storage via the intercom, wanting to ask if they had found a tall girl with long hair, but the intercom was filled with static, making communication impossible.UaZskvKdYuhLVrLUruTNzHUEQvFNZj

“Firefighters, if you hear this, please call for help! Firefighters, if you hear this, please call for help—” Yan Jue shouted hoarsely.DdgUiwaesbiJCqHGuOTlIlHdmnzOYT

The further they went in, the thicker the smoke became, and the more complicated the path. Looking back, they could only see two or three markers behind them; the rest had vanished into the thick smoke. The shelves and equipment, which could only be seen as massive black shadows, loomed around them, as if they were monsters hiding in the smoke, ready to spring to life and devour them.tnepDfKLgzduDuQimuhvBxAIRCSGVX

Sounds of drilling came from above and in the distance; it must be Liang Wei confirming the breach point and starting the demolition. Once the smoke vent was opened, the toxic smoke would dissipate significantly, but they couldn’t wait for that moment; they were racing against death.cqSaRZxWIEpIWbnSpOPdSzxFRcjzdk

Yan Jue suddenly said to Ren Yi, “Do you hear any strange sounds?”kUQBFJCbpeQIERKIwETNYSKwrftPEl

Ren Yi frowned, “There are many strange sounds.”LhPmdkrbJHYQhalPDkaNNgdrUMZNwc

“No, listen, it sounds like a gas leak, just ahead.”DeVKuHAaxoclmfRIghZuKrUwnqjxKO

“Most likely a liquid ammonia pipeline leak; it’s vaporizing.”pYkXBVRDGuJemqkSMyPovjIRnMhhgw

“The valve should be closed, right?”ZXSmXjUvtjZlwuTiFbvxNxJXDGXxhW

“Definitely closed, but there’s still residue in the pipeline.”oQiWBGYaPsYqKiNVezLcmHTBzTTJNX

“Let’s bypass that area.”oDkPBnDSheLLxTCKFIuhzCpRxgyCgc

Just as they planned to detour, a loud clanging sound came from ahead, followed by several rhythmic knocks.iiQZQwHzzyMXFmKIAJHYDEqxSUilbs

Yan Jue shouted, “Someone! Hurry over!”dQQjSUkslQpXUCpKLmIfEhCmXYxAvS

They ran towards the sound and, using infrared night vision goggles, barely spotted a few figures lying on the ground amidst the thick smoke.BzfnuZeliHOsHIVeTxLrZtyDDiYGio

As they got closer, the soldiers felt a sharp drop in temperature; that was the effect of ammonia.DwXGHrzqAseloeyhWWNkltySVigduf

Ammonia is a common refrigerant but also a highly toxic chemical that can harm the body through both the respiratory tract and skin contact. When a liquid ammonia pipeline leaks, it quickly vaporizes, absorbing heat and causing a sudden drop in temperature. Ammonia possesses toxicity, corrosiveness, flammability, and explosiveness, and can cause frostbite, burns, and cell tissue dissolution, making it extremely dangerous.pYqTinZefkApLLILMYkqquemswspzs

Without any protection, a person exposed to ammonia at concentrations above the safety limit would immediately become poisoned, and high concentrations could be fatal within minutes.UxQSxCDxtMBhExodajGzgnFkgpAmrl

They didn’t need to think; they knew that the reason the person calling for help wasn’t speaking was likely due to laryngeal edema or mucosal shedding.sLnBSTAslDmiZcSSyIysLAxCRSyrbg

When they ran over, they found the situation was even more critical than they had imagined.iYGzCCrHdLRcBNGLxlESLvnMmwZxxf

A teacher and three students lay in the liquid ammonia leak zone, all the students unconscious, with obvious frostbite marks on their hands, feet, and faces. Only the male teacher was desperately banging on a metal barrel with the last of his consciousness, blood streaming from his eyes, his hair, face, and body covered in white frost, looking terrifying.jjMSrRouLSIywMnNuHxJyyglEGwGYN

Not far away, the intersecting liquid ammonia pipelines were still leaking gas, and a layer of white mist floated knee-high on the ground.zBEIHPUHcYRmLjgnNMRNLTbonefXTK

Two soldiers quickly used water hoses to spray the liquid ammonia pipelines, trying to dissolve the ammonia gas.SyVljOefAwruHvgJoqwNtboqzRuKKy

Yan Jue commanded his two squad leaders: “Lighten the load, save the people.”VwlsjPOWojrzOIVnZiHsIwgKfEQFQZ

Without a word, Ren Yi began to remove his gear.XCsFGscYsooqvwGHyLOBzDUSzKADDN

Yan Jue sternly said, “Ren Yi, you’re not on duty today; this task isn’t for you.”BcDWUDHWWpkDpNfPXAHuPhKoybCUlI

Ren Yi calmly replied, “I’m a firefighter. I’m on duty to protect the lives and property of the people, no matter what day it is.”rjmonuHrRsguJoxcNyaYVFczaDQrop

“You…” Yan Jue knew he couldn’t dissuade Ren Yi. The more dangerous the situation, the more the leaders had to step up; that was their principle. He gritted his teeth and said, “If you’re slower than me, I’ll laugh at you for a lifetime.”afrRsgSuvaOsZlKLkSHZLMLthQfDRV

“Don’t worry; you won’t have that chance.”uJdSZFpuZolULVujIKwYENqRngTfAF

They removed all the weight they could, as they needed to get the people out as quickly as possible. Just a few seconds of delay could allow the low temperature to erode their bodies, slowing their movements. Moreover, they were wearing rescue suits, not sealed protective suits, and ammonia gas was pervasive. If they couldn’t hold on, it was very likely they wouldn’t save the people and would end up sacrificing themselves.etMfYxqEsFARihKSwZjEZjCVQUIXTS

The area filled with ammonia gas ahead was like a swamp, trying to lure them in with bait, intending to keep them there forever.RPPzRVmufwFurWRtHTcaqueZGXRhKx

Yan Jue took a deep breath and shouted, “Charge—”IkQsMniJPuJoPRgpEmsVPKHviOCMXi

They rushed forward at the fastest speed.GKIrgKCpWlzbUToVWRAAiAjwcpUXND

As Ren Yi entered the misty white smoke, he felt as if he had plunged naked into an icy world, no, it was even colder, cold enough to feel like needles piercing his body, especially in his calves, where the ammonia gas mostly lingered below the knees, causing the temperature in the submerged area to drop even further. A small amount of ammonia gas seeped through the gaps in his gloves and collar, causing a burning sensation on the exposed skin, and his eyes felt extremely uncomfortable, even while wearing a gas mask.KPBglcLvNdIGGjaepDlAcwAOrUvLSY

They reached the students and the teacher, each carrying one.uNxlzpPwQwFxpIhohxLSNAFKLkmWPQ

Just the act of squatting down to lift them, combined with the low temperature and sudden weight, nearly made them unable to stand. They gritted their teeth, held their bodies up, and quickly ran back while carrying the people.jhFWIdtEiHEepUBlxewZvpyOKlQYYS

They didn’t dare to relax until they reached a safe area.PaBvmCfjpljjLlXJaLTYSoouEIAfQp

They laid the people down and put oxygen masks on them, but seeing that several were in critical condition, Yan Jue looked at the manpower and made a quick decision: “Everyone, retreat. We must get them out as quickly as possible.”WTFHXPjgyDFiYrasLGvXozMYSUMzFF

Ren Yi glanced into the distance—actually, he could see nothing but thick smoke and white mist. He silently prayed that Gong Feilan had already been rescued. If the person lying on the ground, hanging by a thread, was Gong Feilan, he really didn’t know how he would face it.XLgwyjDapmRYPQalMpBdvAnCLGVrBz

They paired up to lift the injured, while others used water hoses to clear the path and identify the markers along the way. Through their cooperation, they finally managed to successfully get the four injured out of the cold storage.cTcXwOMTOSFNLpeYiNZVusGhOOKJuy

The waiting paramedics rushed over.QOXLvteYfCXZzYVrurzTsLQezaPxRJ

Ren Yi took off his mask, wanting to ask if anyone had seen Gong Feilan, but as he looked around, everyone was busy and overwhelmed. Injured people in the same school uniform were everywhere, and the sounds of shouting, crying, and burning flooded Ren Yi’s ears like a torrent. The sheer volume of information exceeded his brain’s processing capacity, and he could hardly hear anything clearly.sIGYCgZWrkEhUoxPGknuPVlXdMrIZK

“Ren Yi! Ren Yi!” Yan Jue grabbed his shoulder, looking at him anxiously, “What’s wrong? Are you injured? Did you inhale toxic gas?”avRyLVESwOdRAujiDTnEUbKLHWIjIz

Ren Yi shook his head, “No, I’m fine.”DQXxZySfNvuXtPZBtjNBoHajQqKKho

“Don’t go back in with us. You can’t be in this state of mind. Don’t worry, the fire has been controlled; it won’t spread. Many students have just been rescued. Go look for Gong Feilan’s sister; I remember her appearance. I’ll keep an eye out for her inside.”SxAbrmtsEZNTsqRFoPMKUhYTMGQcQv

“Okay!” Ren Yi turned and ran towards the ambulance. There were more than a dozen ambulances parked on-site, some heading to the hospital, while others were still providing on-site emergency care. Ren Yi checked each one, holding up a photo of Gong Feilan and asking one by one, but there were no results.hwAcleKspNBuRYhtBLKEgkggwbJoHV

Ren Yi held his head in despair; the helplessness and fear of that moment were beyond words.sxZJpJRmFRKcIjSdVuBXCTmYpanyWY

“Ren Yi!”noPQAiQwvFUwPJaGVYowrAoSJrJsvq

Hearing Gong Yingxian’s voice, Ren Yi’s heart jolted. He turned around, hoping to see hope on Gong Yingxian’s face.TopYKVBZEeTRKyXxZkgIqUndCSrXfs

However, when their eyes met, both saw fear and urgency reflected in each other’s eyes.pXNpeXEseoScZIBpIpmHGEbqqRgRzt

Gong Yingxian lowered his head, his body trembling uncontrollably.vjwXtLyuGDzZIPuImMvzQUHSLdcxZg

If she hadn’t been rescued yet, it meant… it meant she had at least been injured.UDKHvTzsDCvHDpSnCjgpHTcKPLAvLu

Ren Yi stepped in front of Gong Yingxian and said with difficulty, “The fire has been controlled; everyone will be rescued. We will definitely find her.”DDLnOMfMfnezkjoMyZYsRkmDfrgQjs

Just as Gong Yingxian was about to speak, the phone he was gripping suddenly rang. He opened his hand to see the caller ID displayed—Gong Feilan!sKDopeVxAXxaYyQFLmTHjybMCGFPlb