Chapter 143
The two people’s car was stopped outside the blockade line. Gong Yingxian showed his credentials and then ran towards the factory entrance with Ren Yi.LGOMpMKKbAeENtNawjziCrQapSBaPU
idCdMdOnYDZBkKfFrom a distance, they saw a group of students and employees hurriedly evacuating.GcvBBMdtFAwUOZfNmaURoUswjCAxvK
ZZUvWaBviHxjzINGong Yingxian said to Ren Yi, “You go find the captain to understand the situation, I’ll look for Feilan.”cyaUxsVgcBGlGvCQyMnwIugEYYjfWG
VYathVuWwnJeYOVRen Yi nodded and squeezed his hand tightly, hoping to give him strength from this brief but powerful contact.IwlCDpBYWuURlvEyLrEplyMWqLdsOm
hHkzFAdeSmfoOYfThere were dedicated fire truck access routes both inside and outside the factory, and nearly ten fire trucks had already parked, with more expected to be on the way. Ren Yi found the innermost one—definitely the earliest to arrive—which belonged to Liang Wei’s squad.uUnTBccteiMgnscPFQgZgnYIvvZbQJ
rDvSCSoIiHdvaarRen Yi grabbed a firefighter, “Where’s your Captain Liang?”NHuwcCKxiVVSMcmSHmGvQQEJWRbUuz
VSnVvCoADpAEAvT“He went in a long time ago.”YoiRGUyAtMrgdqRBXcFSnlNeriIgzv
ybxcaCYTVAANEVl“Has any team leader come over?”hljlaMRHYuaGIDjRWJrVdPFZgLbJwV
bGnCnfyfwPmZqFb“He’s inside too. You are…” The firefighter looked closely at Ren Yi, as if he noticed something, and his expression immediately became strange.hbtunyiAwtezkTzknhsEVIJNEFqZlA
VAWkLxoATGDjFPMRen Yi, anxious, didn’t pay attention to his oddity: “Brother, lend me your walkie-talkie so I can contact your captain.”BDwAfpBuSJiwtPpNPUGGcSWuasiVMr
eHGdkmgNrMAKEtBThe firefighter rudely shook off his hand: “How could we lend our walkie-talkie to outsiders?”gAGOXskZImAqzEzOILIUVPyxsHjpMV
KizFgmcTXBhXDxm“I’m also a firefighter, I’m your captain’s…”dRTqsGncgmFjHgketbubeeOyOlCkOj
AogJGgNqpchHBei“I know who you are.” The firefighter turned away, “Don’t interfere with our work.”ewhUyNRGChxmlHMYIWnVSUMOXhRQEF
PigfmWeuEXbfZsBRen Yi was taken aback. He grabbed the firefighter’s arm and said sternly, “Brother, I don’t care what you think of me, this is a serious matter. I need to know what’s happening inside. If this is a premeditated crime, Wei Ge will be in great danger.”GPIkzfbkVGjTYpmOLMpUzCgzHsKVmf
FiaWarWoLibsmRTHearing this, the firefighter was momentarily stunned.JofaPrKwmVtHLnrbTxxXBkqHaBmYVQ
RQyknQXSQGCDRod“Ren Yi.”CrSEsJswpKSuTgNJqniCXxmoFbXhdz
tECkweZRCbQuwPLHearing a familiar voice from behind, Ren Yi turned around.gntJQAQWrxgISckXywrAFfwoAcXVxH
oVuDIIPoTufpyDfYan Jue, who had arrived at the scene at some point, waved at him: “Come over here.”DfgKvxkxJDoguhvkBQfiWyUsPpmPpU
KuuvTvVhoJEPYSBRen Yi jogged over, and Yan Jue handed him a walkie-talkie set to the right channel. Ren Yi gratefully glanced at him and immediately pressed it to his ear: “Wei Ge, Wei Ge, it’s me, Ren Yi, do you hear me?”iCXyRtGbXligcgdBfTrNnoSfzxtiHZ
pObcAqfuWcMdzaLA noisy static sound came from the other end: “Ren Yi? You arrived…”poHDNHfUEbsBUpaPBdFgocsGVyMuWI
FjsqBrzPcDPeEAh“What’s the situation inside, Wei Ge?” Ren Yi asked anxiously, “Have all the students evacuated? Have you found the fire source? Is there anything unusual?”ZrSvvhoQCrHbgfFXDmkBuPLSqgFLIQ
ZdsdLSTqyJtyeBZ“Ren… I’m inside… the cold storage is…”BbDYNyPLXqsfKeBMGwaMpLpWKexCZF
lSaTnfOfLLSBMZO“What? Wei Ge, I can’t hear you clearly, the signal is so bad.”GjUDcCWFvkLvVaixniedsZaCvLoCQm
fnaBslrzrHfsOta“I’m in…” After a while, it seemed Liang Wei had changed locations, and the call became clearer, “Ren Yi, what did you just say? I couldn’t hear.”cpXQiksRQXrxLeZJgUfkWRXaqZlwwB
aQDTfPIxWIflikQ“Have the students evacuated?”CKIedfRohnLtFSisyaMEMsZbxftXiN
aslSbbSjSARRTqg“Not yet. They brought an entire grade, so the visiting order and time for each class are staggered. One class is still in the cold storage. We have over two thousand employees and students to organize for evacuation, and we are seriously understaffed.”KaeXNiOnCNbxdgamwIHDuscBkePnCQ
ASuXUXdPvlAHJzK“There’s still a class in the cold storage? What’s the fire situation now?”wdsMcRnGRRcyKbdJCLygbfRtyDKVZr
TiAJpOaUmJeeyAs“I can see open flames now; the fire is burning in the interlayer, and it’s particularly hard to extinguish. We’re figuring out where to break in.” Liang Wei said, “I don’t have time to talk to you now; you should hurry and find your sister.”qcwMibILeVduEtwXUiFmfnvUrCFhla
BSzmGVgCDmtkTQERen Yi looked up at the thick smoke in the distance, his heart twisted in knots. Had Gong Feilan come out? Even if she had, with the scene so chaotic and so many people, it would probably take a while to find her. Gong Yingxian must be extremely anxious.bBCByegExkBSvQpLeKqTKVwJxrSuEL
nmgBbYGmrjGhXZORen Yi knew worrying was useless; the most important thing now was to extinguish the fire and prevent a larger accident, which would make it possible for everyone to leave safely.kcbJGaohvgdtivmffROkeEHfIuAOJC
EkrEtEOuIXgOPxIYan Jue looked at Ren Yi’s expression and asked worriedly, “I didn’t know you had a sister. Is she inside?”ceUlSjirOiOiFotyeauQNoXHmBqLiq
hvuhmjfYetzfrxc“She’s Gong Yingxian’s cousin.” Ren Yi took a deep breath, “I don’t know where she is now; her phone is unreachable. This was supposed to be a normal visit, but a male student from her school is connected to the previous case involving X, and we’re very worried he might be targeting her.”XSgoKbaXVxTwNyapffSvXBoxyNkaGI
ZnggBlerHjgDnPzYan Jue comforted him, “Don’t panic; maybe she has already come out. A large portion of the students has already been evacuated. Send me her photo, and I’ll keep an eye out when I go in.”pDTssiwxVPewPPUYfEAnULCwYlDDjQ
iPAiYZudzCXWpIL“Take me in with you.”xciINHhYdmSwsetqWqMCAimbxkQKCp
hMPVACPMAIQKVbGYan Jue frowned, “Ren Yi, you are currently suspended.”VqljCFxmJADkOQZYMZhvQAIvMhZHLI
wylmgfARgTcUvtL“Didn’t Wei Ge say they are short on manpower inside? What does being suspended matter now? The most important thing is to evacuate the crowd as quickly as possible.”JaIzkkGFdsAHTUPuehQeoVvyxnApSc
UsEDKSMDRqzNxWlYan Jue hesitated for a few seconds and called over one of his firefighters: “Prepare a set of gear for Captain Ren immediately.”bEjiTNJiveYehLPkhzuSFMHFXeVxPh
SnoyROOCfVbfHdJ“Thank you, Yan Jue.” Ren Yi said earnestly.IcuKUtQEeyssVYpTTNdLLwTZnKhFAy
cwshgJSECZZmsrhYan Jue organized his gear: “Let’s go in together as soon as possible.”nzpSonNYOOUlJxTUxmryuKShZAWRyd
BELPmRBpIhAeiMlAs Ren Yi was gearing up, he saw Gong Yingxian running over, looking around anxiously, his face as pale as paper, clearly searching for something, with his driver following behind.MTTrtzKzPoIlxULFUJOMoJvDrdbedX
JXkRsmueceTryYR“Yingxian!” Ren Yi called out loudly. Seeing Gong Yingxian’s expression, he knew Feilan hadn’t been found yet.nWyHGXvZvezLukjnCPAZJrkrLRfcBu
qLidgzkvKcSKikbGong Yingxian turned at the sound and ran towards Ren Yi, trembling as he said, “I haven’t found Feilan. I’ve confirmed that her entire class hasn’t come out.”SzZujesgabxlBomTVYXWPDlfuptvAa
WAZrmXQlCuvAJQNRen Yi cupped Gong Yingxian’s face: “Don’t panic. Look into my eyes; you must stay calm. They are evacuating in batches; she might be just behind. I’m going in to find her right now.”rERPVtApVbxHplVBURISctzrlUetGG
sQaoFSnVWhOsaVe“Which class?” Yan Jue asked.auRsMALaBDMVDkbwMnMxjBktEelaAR
eXfVXBkTHZyrqsiAfter what happened last time, the two should have felt a bit awkward meeting, but now there were far more important matters than their conflict, leaving them no time for embarrassment.qBiJJqVolvtzwwDKoPboHZlSbIiUmy
nukAkbbwUUxwtqr“Class Three.” Gong Yingxian said, “Let me go in with you.”qEAcdxjGfnlijMNXusLiHfwVYWoVME
IrcYbPCLwUhPESf“No way.” Yan Jue and Ren Yi said in unison.wHUXcTaUuKVNMdfZxnvaVHDrOrFIkn
JiNLvxgatyrhFABRen Yi explained, “Yingxian, you can’t go in. Even if we let you, you won’t be able to get through; there’s a fire blockade ahead. You must ask for permission from the leaders. Wait for me; I’m going to find Feilan. I will definitely find her.”GyWfiWZVEWCNLMDJoedywsXjoTFzKl
xvpFxNjICJxeMgNGong Yingxian bit his lip, looking at Ren Yi with an indescribable gaze that made Ren Yi’s heart ache.rCDsulkATkYAyEQpqXpmCOyyapEaJu
ljgrdCdgidKFDNeRen Yi nodded firmly at him, joining Yan Jue’s team as they entered the factory.XrgMGuLWqzEfwuCCWUOPDUptmTjyfA
DSvkVTmcpKXRSMWEveryone in the factory was evacuating. Thanks to the guidance of the firefighters, there was no chaos, but the sheer volume of people made it difficult to maintain efficiency. Just looking at the sea of heads was enough to make one anxious.PGhvRBYssLNvhUzGbEHbwErtGYzrFA
AhwMzxJIPoIjezrRen Yi found Liang Wei in front of the cold storage, where Liang Wei and several captains were discussing tactics with their team leader.jKLShYVTGpXOejlcYozCGkZfjRFPNf
ondWIuiGCwjvfCmSeeing Ren Yi, Liang Wei hurriedly asked, “Did you find your sister?”OQcxckvFsDFohsnCPymxITUyyBhrYc
YcXqvAyhIBJZblWRen Yi shook his head: “She’s in Class Three; she might still be…”bdSgfqSgOgaYCqplJRiYTciPfiWnGG
AemPHJCOcyyuOFT“Class Three is the one in the cold storage.” Liang Wei sighed, “Captain Guo has already sent in two firefighting teams to evacuate them, but the smoke inside is getting thicker, and it’s easy to get lost. Those kids panic and run around, many have gotten separated.”jJUrkXmgQRGMtSPTzsDhqGaRJKpELb
UIonwLQjgspsQgaRen Yi felt darkness closing in on him. He knew how dangerous it was to get lost in a fire scene. He watched as firefighters and students continued to emerge from the cold storage entrance and ran over to grab a student: “Have you seen Gong Feilan? Is she inside?”sOJcWlheVURfLMBOEbIiHFUkhTToie
GhTRNjYZtxFrrNEThe student looked horrified, covering his mouth and nose, coughing from the smoke, shaking his head vigorously: “No, I haven’t seen her.”EukVDXzaAzeMkCJmutLesQpJgwoaXF
QAoeNtCQdUrqAAo“How many people are still inside?”qjPjQUYgdabbuUOxeTcljZNtazrEjI
TxXFBqDWktXClAG“Maybe… cough cough… twenty or thirty.”GSmMUYavYmUpHLzJoGMcWefYjesNvt
CIuKdGIpWHXkmIuThe firefighter who brought him out shouted, “Captain Guo, Captain Liang, visibility inside is getting lower; we need to set up markers.”xRncnbKpDrbloURTCLJulvISYZcMYG
GpxZFyKRufxVkzNRen Yi wanted to rush in immediately, but he restrained himself and forced himself to calm down, thinking with the mindset of a squad leader. He knew that no one should recklessly enter now.PdIMlQDYpShbgHbCCAtIGrdILldsCc
YofKCUqtoILbpQOThe cold storage was a very special environment; many firefighting tactics that could be used in conventional buildings were ineffective here.vmQDiluOUmqVJkRNLDlbIuohVQqbyj
XaaVGEgASJfvEhSOn the way, Ren Yi had roughly understood the structure of this cold storage. It was a typical assembly-type cold storage, not made of reinforced concrete but constructed from metal panels like a shipping container, though the structure was much more complex and sturdy. To maintain a constant temperature, the walls had multiple layers of insulation, with polystyrene foam sandwiched between the panels.EfwyuzOQYKyPRckyjiCyLLNcfpPJSW
EuTVlZlctyhyJFYThis cold storage was 200 meters long, 77 meters wide, and 12 meters high, with a large span and area, filled with many materials, shelves, equipment, and several refrigeration workshops, making the terrain very complex. To reduce heat loss, cold storages usually have only one or two exits; this one had only one, with no windows. Now, black smoke filled the cold storage, visibility was too low, and anyone entering would definitely get lost.VIQXGuXolKujfkNDbqebgcJpdefDal
nfnGENrdFqFGLAYThere had been a real case abroad where a cold storage caught fire, and six firefighters got lost while searching, not finding the exit until their air tanks ran out, resulting in their sacrifice.vdEIItSdWXUWNrdvceywMvNbPqYGFN
mZtwwxrPvfyGzOlTherefore, in large buildings where it’s easy to get lost, they must set up markers, leaving spotlights or reflective signs along the way, and bind together in groups with guiding ropes to prevent getting separated.MnwdTyGrHxtvsAJpMppWUANnRGxvyg
iFTMqGeKqIDeyUkWhen several classes went in earlier, the smoke wasn’t as thick, so they could find their way out. Now, teamwork was essential; absolutely no one could act alone.cjwfclcyvgAJakOKsiYhOJnIGCFFUT
WMWrKQqgzszUFvSThinking of this, Ren Yi returned to Liang Wei’s side and pleaded, “Captain Guo, Wei Ge, let us in. There are many kids inside, and my sister is still in there.”TBasqYTtmubxWSQwRfFuOITEuMbFsv
YAQKxFAnKYTkGTFCaptain Guo of the Xicheng squad said, “I’m about to assign tasks. Liang Wei, the task of smoke removal and cooling the steel structure is up to you. According to our earlier plan, one person will connect the power to the exhaust vent, two will go to the roof to open the smoke vent, and the others will break through the walls downwind. Two water guns will be deployed to the north to ensure the steel frame’s temperature is lowered.”ZwrKuBgsZEFCKVWzzIfNMnwjeIULgE
VqDHAAwMiebAPLS“The Shuangqiao squad will be responsible for closing valves and checking for liquid ammonia leaks, observing the steel structure’s endurance, and predicting explosion and collapse risks. You can arrange your personnel.”hzGkJlmOnMflREhaafMquvvzwxoZlX
JcgvTttVPhvBiQy“Xiao Xu, your two teams are responsible for water supply. Has the water company increased the pressure in the underground pipeline?” Captain Guo asked, “This fire needs a lot of water.”TNGlnaSTGvBgXIKyjgVcNrrfmegwYf
nuXSRawONfuFMrl“The pressure has been increased. I will ensure a continuous water supply at the fire scene.”HxrTjmZjiKUGNaFElypYlAMnLTeIXq
dFCcHfwoEUnHnZN“Good. Yan Jue, lead the search and rescue team, and make sure to set up markers. No one is allowed to act alone.”iccutxZsgWAoCRalwBHEoNXTWtsUoY
RZjsaLQjveKZFwWCaptain Guo looked around at everyone, gravely saying, “I must remind you again how arduous and significant this task is. The fire is releasing a large amount of toxic smoke, and the ruptured pipes leaking liquid ammonia pose an explosion risk at any moment. The steel structure may collapse due to heat, and more seriously, there are hundreds of tons of liquid ammonia stored in the refrigeration room next to the cold storage. If we can’t hold the cold storage, the entire factory area will explode.”FQSqsoSBQAOobeVYaEukYuZrWNvfCq
IpsQYqpPALuGHlmThe firefighters silently looked at Captain Guo.BYRuRdnhdwaihoPwQhERAUexUngHhX
BGbcMgtBecHGBAd“Can you complete the task?”CEgtRSoQBxiDfOrRLaNErZbgMiIruH
VVvGNWMmDlViMJrEveryone shouted loudly, “Yes!”tLKFwhqQhXepgqwsIBaWLfrvHDckiZ
ijilmeFYPAGfDKp“Good, let the battle begin!”qZeaXNEWWNTBUNjiuqJSRmhuoqXvRL
VLuqGBeocHxWOpnfPOFSAxDNDBxCSleBYEMgpHmQMFuQG