Blazing Armor

PmbPRODeVzzqAtATable of Contents

Chapter 24

As they climbed to the seventh or eighth floor, everyone began panting. Ren Yi could feel sweat running down his chest, stinging as it trickled.eBojIiXAmVPgyQgiWXMkDksmRBdvAT

pxrduSqmRNKJyHZ

At that moment, Xu Jin’s voice came through the radio, “Ren Yi, what floor are you on?”wBfMKvRwHJCMMUEsdEGLghdLXvaIuw

JRXWudhZiXplmLK

“Tenth floor.”CGqcsZLItmdfJIegkDbJmrOcSMnVjM

HtlLNRmHekdYVsT

“I just got word, there might be people trapped in the elevator on the thirteenth floor.”iurOTiabkqNhknUPHzFSQaQKqowqUo

MzkVUvrwTmjqHfA

“Got it, I’ll send two people over.” Ren Yi instructed Wang Meng’s squad leader to take two people to check the elevator while the rest continued climbing.iasZwJHcvruJIbwAvCRRcYIeKzHkEO

fnHXyCeLXMfOmHE

This apartment had two stairwells on the east and west sides. The fire had broken out near the west, so they were ascending through the eastern stairwell. After the grueling climb to the 21st floor, everyone was gasping for breath, and their legs felt like jelly.AHFrsQvMWjIXRgFVXcXqbPgYRMAIBe

TwjhaeZOuTXaAmi

The 21st floor was filled with smoke, but there wasn’t much visible fire. Most of it was likely burning in the ceiling. Ren Yi leaned against the wall, crouching down as he panted, “Rest for 20 seconds.”qDzihHBWZBCtvaOKIsYjjACdcaebMu

yHnOYdosQhZNqYY

Ren Yi counted to 20 in his head, then commanded, “Wang Meng, have them start connecting the hoses. Liu Hui, come with me to check ahead.”vnYPrhSSQjgeFwzKZLumNSaQZledud

JZyqspJdvUAponL

“Yes, sir.”yLnXVZBRjQgTXcqUnTplQptdKDCOBr

IlxqSfoNsQwiwsw

Ren Yi and Liu Hui donned their masks and climbed to the 22nd floor. The hallway was thick with smoke, and the fire was raging. Ren Yi cautiously opened the door to the stairwell, and a wave of intense heat hit him, making his skin prickle. From the stairwell, he could tell the east side was barely accessible, but the west side was an inferno, wrapped in a hellish combination of red-black flames and smoke. No one knew what the situation was inside.pNVwrNSCfaHbKwYvoXdwKjoAxBBYen

mAdaUQtNsjqpAQh

Ren Yi told Liu Hui to stay on the 22nd floor while he continued up to the 23rd. Although the 23rd floor wasn’t the one on fire, it was hardly in better shape than the 22nd. As he descended, he asked, “Wang Meng, are the hoses connected?”BkpRQoZFURNuxVcYTrYJJpEcudghZi

HbIWTufHqbvljHm

Through static, Wang Meng’s voice came through, “Yes, they’re ready.”jIVZgawbbrdAmgzhQfbhMeVmFQQWyP

PqnHgSpcHQbiBPJ

“We’ll split into two groups. You search the 23rd floor, and I’ll search the 22nd. Everyone, set your breathing apparatus alarm for 15 minutes. Once it goes off, you must immediately evacuate the fire. Understood?”KRKIvrCVRXxUcffqJNFIVPfLvzvhfG

tiMptZWfNEZyJIo

“Yes, sir.”agXgHDSkafVYGTLDStOMyiJXkHNWhc

jEHpqQyllnMTnMr

Ren Yi left two men behind to operate the fire hydrant valves, then grabbed the hose and charged into the inferno.tFErfkHaUHBwpFaKlsOkvXghTJYBfG

NAITjaJbkNZzpCN

The temperature inside was unbearable. Even wearing the fire suit, Ren Yi felt like his skin was going to melt, every pore screaming in pain. Each step forward required immense willpower. Gritting his teeth, he yelled, “Water!”OShkvYCCUZDFOhBodhOcheWAhLbvUH

fwbZSRDILdcfDmg

When the water surged through the hose, the pressure almost knocked Ren Yi off his feet. Fortunately, Cui Yisheng was there to help him hold the hose steady. They blasted the fire along the hallway, managing to suppress it and cool the area down. Then they started searching each apartment door by door.EAfitflRQMIRAykzQSNcyIqddBXcDX

vVDMTsnXDPUFEQT

On the east side, there were six units, all fitted with outward-opening security doors, impossible to kick open. The team banged on the doors with all their might, shouting, “Anyone inside? Firefighters!”gDniCNLjuivQXReMZBMfuUGVqEOjTI

HpdgDbnHSFPKztK

“Someone’s on the ground!” Ding Qing’s thermal imaging picked up a figure lying prone.yebaIqcRVMaOKdrOhgUhkaNmEuByqT

siwaojtkfCWpLcL

They rushed over and found two people in the hallway, their backs and arms burned, but they still had a pulse.dJMFuHnVAmVaSVwDyibzMwzqPaAEPv

dEAprxPkiAxXBwx

At that moment, a faint voice for help came from inside one of the apartments. They quickly used tools to break the door open.XcisgFKAeTYqDniMJOBIiDmpdooUxo

DNnXZRpnrSVJUXa

Liu Hui led a firefighter into the apartment, where they found a father and son in the bathroom. The father was still conscious.nZjCaXejMAUxETEYGlqeqBhFySVDyG

EExsMUAWixqfFnr

They carried the rescued individuals down the stairs.ApfTEJBeASMcKJaGaKfyYUCTVmENEF

NLYPcPOKCiRNDlZ

The remaining apartments showed no signs of life. One by one, they forced the doors open. Two of them were empty, and the occupants of the other two had already perished. The unit furthest west, being closest to the fire’s origin, had absorbed so much heat that the security door had warped. Even with two men working on it, they couldn’t pry it open.beiwaAQsdujNGFCyJQvmXpBAzPDsxN

VoMYbFRnVLcYXSS

Ren Yi made a decisive call, “Saw it open.”yYCRRHSQDBJQPbIOsLBdjeYxJfRAFq

LZXIHnsDUCGnFRR

They swapped to a chainsaw and cut a hole just large enough for an adult to squeeze through.DCGttUadanzKMvWJgiCeVfgizBRAfe

lHkoSsLUmrRSJIH

Once the hole was cut, Ren Yi kicked open the wooden door behind it. Inside was an inferno; visibility was nearly zero.TIdJGaFzhOjwPSTflyRgGYZOyntAcj

YlmRbwxaklIAJSI

They extended the hose into the apartment and doused the flames. Once the fire was somewhat controlled, Ren Yi crawled through the hole, shouting, “Firefighters! Is anyone here? Is anyone here?”fCbxRoMMmliuweWbmZaBZdueGmIjjp

rvQzvBlzsJfxkKX

“Captain Ren, hurry, we can’t hold the fire much longer!”AErOltJQDHgbAIMMwujWfEIiyjmCfi

UxjfAKVPtRydfkA

Ren Yi searched the three-bedroom apartment. When he reached the master bedroom, he knelt down and looked under the bed, where he found two children hiding.MAgXaCuBLmzBYEzcCKSOrwBnxwAmVJ

dGVPHlqAoVuXLIQ

In residential fires, certain areas often bear the most traces of escape or hiding—windows, doorways, bathrooms, and under beds. These were their primary focus in searches, especially since children often hide under beds.ZtofkDKFVkGvFFGxTokvdIycCQQduS

ODgbMDUllLOmQXe

Ren Yi carried the two unconscious children, one under each arm, and rushed towards the living room.qyGdHFUFsePAGgJIegiNoizTclwdwc

RVZmiUetAMXPWRt

“Cover him, quick, cover!” Liu Hui shouted as he and another firefighter aimed the hose around Ren Yi, spraying water to shield him.rAHicgvkZYJqsrXolLmijkjcUrqtUI

QNpVNoTYqIQlKay

Ren Yi reached the doorway and passed the two children out through the hole. Then, he crawled out himself.NgwYmMOlSAkEUKzFJHLTiFxaVIRdKT

cwIadLOnjLmexMC

The firefighters began carrying the injured down the stairs, one by one.TVjfnGhsUcftctXPQeMuYvthSgEOnK

oyIzjMbnRiRxMSd

Panting heavily, Ren Yi said, “Let’s push towards the west side, as far as we can go.”helRNtJhZJXBGsQlJjOacOnqXqhfow

dIpzpwpeVOqXoKz

They continued to suppress the flames with the hose, attempting to carve out a path through the blaze. However, the steam generated when water hit the flames made the situation even worse. They managed to reach another apartment, but after forcing their way in, they found it empty.GczJKsuJpXsmfjfaPgUtOTgWACLyjT

vLrMsnSbGSPGBKF

“Captain Ren, the fire’s origin should be just ahead… It’s too hot. We can’t get through,” Ding Qing said, extending his thermometer as far as he could without getting too close. “Even at this distance, it’s over 700 degrees. Further in, it must be over a thousand. The doors have melted.”aFThszPzrVaVGUJjtjLyEqNaJKfAHQ

wIjhSyCErfjBgio

The sound of glass shattering filled the air, followed by the creaking of the ceiling above. Ren Yi shouted, “Retreat!”TozEewteeHEiUpOzPrJfrxFmTwJKXe

kEcQcCjFSVNOLkN

They all turned and ran, but the flaming ceiling collapsed onto Ding Qing.xwKoybXAHBBGcKfsQUwLqiqXRvkRyb

DnsnxjKAheDUeKt

They immediately doused him with water, while others dragged him out from under the debris. Ding Qing waved his hand, “I’m fine, I’m fine.”JAUQHlDjCbqCqnmjdmpCbEHAAhWoCR

kOuaCKYnEykpFRx

Wang Meng’s voice came through the radio, “Ren Yi, I need support here. Abandon the 22nd floor.”VgHnXyRPTzAAasAqzOXcBGucIkJSgB

MdlbEKWuHnpRabI

Looking at the hellish inferno before him, Ren Yi knew it was impossible to go any further. He said, “Ding Qing, your suit’s burned through. Head downstairs.”ZAHOLWEtTEKqEOkQleXYuNJhQpvQOk

mWLPhOlIAWjLwmb

Ding Qing stood up and inspected the damage, “It’s just a small hole.”cnAYxRLEffyGrEyCYyuUSYneNXpTxA

MKXYkYPaxUNeQfk

“Go downstairs.”DiIjkJulrCVvfkCfBjwrCpuHonplOh

kmuOETJhiPtsCIF

“Captain!” Ding Qing protested, “It hasn’t burned all the way through, it’s just the outer layer. I’m really fine!”JGnqpGcjSZcfPGalAYoUqVFVOtDdXt

KGvcYVUvNKTPpYq

Ren Yi locked eyes with Ding Qing, seeing the fire reflected in his determined, bright eyes. In a low voice, he said, “Come on, we’re going to assist Captain Wang.”PZeohcSwuvrOmUeVgjWciJVDCLbWGU

JbMRpvkJamQLAMI

The situation on the 23rd floor was slightly better than the 22nd. Wang Meng’s two squads had already rescued several people. However, the ceiling and wall debris kept falling, turning the floor into a dangerous trap.ETxxeRrXcdxxGORRBaDaAgFYzHZMxl

vWqWZIRivTWLEHS

At this point, only six firefighters remained on the scene, and their breathing apparatus alarms began sounding, signaling their air supplies were running low. Racing against time, they worked together to force open the last two apartment doors, finally completing the search of the entire floor.ObVWFoDaLCQpxGPFBTohhQkSDHVTpF

VwNTNQPPnPEtIpr

Ren Yi gave the order, “Retreat.”HCBdPrWjhorsfrmtpdOwNBzAaawPXY

dxnVpPvPtuFTgJO

They began descending, but just one floor down, Xu Jin’s voice came through the radio, “Ren Yi, Qian Yue found a family of eight on the 24th floor. They need backup.”VzdqSVJVPoUvoWuJXKsDJLPKbwlroV

MFoAbMjcbEGQFwL

Ren Yi glanced at the timer on his air supply—it had less than five minutes left. “On my way.”BBqCKYaidQRCgFUctAxcNusCLgYxJJ

WpWtoBiJBgtYVer

“Captain…”ExygxWmEvNUasTVgvgXcXPzOgFuzBn

GTUeMWxpVTAVOOh

Ren Yi quickly responded, “There’s no fire below the 20th floor. You six leave two air tanks as spares, and the rest give your tanks to me and Captain Wang.”gvuAkDtLizwZPMlQsGGMTrnwfbIeLG

RMwDcIRQXsWrEmK

The firefighters looked at each other, hesitating.AQwDVyZjFKeBDwEWNdhsuNPMkMKBeT

hXzhmWAjcWvwmSj

“Hurry up!” Wang Meng urged.XLmYvsZWWadcdNjtnIIQUkjiEMMYNH

ORfSlubhpObGeDm

Four of the firefighters detached their air tanks and handed them over to Ren Yi and Wang Meng.HFBDiNWhRVuuFGbmSSnPXmaHriCVXn

KjvmvHpohTvyFRC

“Get downstairs now!” Ren Yi ordered.QhEdTuhfltjMsEHwXdUIUdbylayieZ

jpyinPpRQRVeMWm

He and Wang Meng each grabbed two tanks and rushed to the 24th floor.sqBDzcYCWBBtizuUyMjVoJmrNiIyWu

TdXsYbVQPdNkwbR

Switching channels on his radio, Ren Yi said, “Qian Yue, this is Ren Yi. Which side are you on?”aliWIKIHqNyoiCFphyYUAQBCGrrnoU

oJqJucbsbdrQWXj

“We’re in the middle! Hurry, this family has too many people—four of them are elderly.”JKUbjavisutKFCHnIlltLCZBLckgjd

PsAZPFqBCGnDyDa

After climbing up, they navigated through the thick smoke, following the sound of voices until they finally reached Qian Yue and the others.lxzaSWabPZUFNVxmztwFmrkupFbWES

YuCeIbofRRFfjEU

Qian Yue was directing the firefighters to carry people downstairs, but they were short on hands. He shouted to Ren Yi, “Two of the elderly can’t walk. You’ll have to carry them!”CbkhNfEDDsaztxvIurEEKKyWaDVaSj

PHkMSlnHmScUHtc

Ren Yi quickly swapped his air tank. “Let’s go.”jOloimZNPxZuQnmzMxsVbAsCnZuWzV

rtODTIJbEVPDUzZ

Inside, a voice shouted, “Auntie, stop grabbing things! Let’s go! Leave it behind!”EgmZtPwQZxSmODKyIvYUZWhwgkaxHr

nIAsNOHCpobEqKE

A young firefighter was forcibly dragging a middle-aged woman out of the house, as she frantically tried to gather her belongings.oUYNqXsRXpWArOhRhFIZBHPDxKauAa

jPEBndBGOsxzdsz

Wang Meng watched the waves of fire rolling overhead like a tide. “It’s going to flash over—we have to evacuate now!”nURcRzXhsNgGwZmWKIxSnvmpIsyxMH

cYULWonkZypUiOt

Ren Yi hoisted an elderly person onto his back, his legs trembling under the heavy weight as he gritted his teeth and headed for the stairwell.egQuNvjiHvyLtCZjuJyAnCEvVYlyQl

BfAJbmDNyePZFGb

“My bracelet! My bracelet!” the woman screamed, her voice breaking with desperation.WbWtTkzobomirNpnCkpnsWXwIsdvax

YUvzKDVdVQmkqRr

“Are you trying to get yourself killed? Forget it and move!”nHNyLDEQGjblPkUclcaJjIEGchyzOQ

WBqdezyquAduUnf

“Someone stop her—”dAEpZdhYEWmyLdrDyezUWQSJbQQDia

uwkWMxyTqfQqSFm

Suddenly, the floor beneath them trembled violently. Before Ren Yi could react, there was a deafening crash. Both he and Wang Meng were thrown off balance, stumbling at the stairwell entrance.SHsHVsBGMmtDADotgKbStbUKznuDmM

hOZgSWHuuNziDDQ

Ren Yi scrambled to his feet, his face pale. He and Wang Meng, almost crawling in their haste, rushed back to see what had happened. What they saw froze them in their tracks.UnAbKBFEJnsuIoeFtxcdOpjwbFnHqT

YJKTcyVyFNDMmgO

The floor had collapsed.UshYJtHmVynoRzIGWcUtVITluSYrLu

HTvpxuDopMNclrl

The 24th-floor slab, which was the ceiling of the 23rd floor, had fallen through, taking the 22nd-floor ceiling down with it. In front of them was now a massive pit spanning two floors.haHQisGkRcfBTabFdnGGGVunwsDnBN

iwyVWUEMZpobLJF

The people who had fallen were buried in the debris and smoke, completely out of sight.pnlAHLqmSdujqeqmbcMqgsYrgtJBcn

voZYKsKQKtmOvLB

Qian Yue let out a heart-wrenching scream, and the other firefighters seemed on the brink of madness, shouting the names of their comrades as they yanked at their ropes, desperate to descend and rescue those trapped.JPzgredjilEzaCIiTxHEFrMZteXwkl

qVOctVQWJaGAGNt

Ren Yi grabbed Qian Yue tightly. “Qian Yue, calm down! You can’t go down there—it’s not safe!”GeIQzkMdCRKRByYZHQSItJZKYPKoiS

zHITItYcoRrsXUl

“Let go of me! Xiao Zhou is down there!” Qian Yue shoved Ren Yi away.KNkXjDvlxiaHovEVDTaIjHucgxsIQn

OeuYnTYPgbJlMTV

“Go down from the 23rd floor! It’s too far from here!” Ren Yi shouted, “Qian Yue!”FyhrCqhmHIbwvRuslnkOtCNAistulA

iWGmjMBkFvkWjPW

Qian Yue ripped off his mask, wiping his tears with a trembling hand, and said shakily, “Down… down the stairs.”BrRLEruNzmCDNRfKPrCWncnwIFtkti

pgEtHtTIgIqPfEz

Ren Yi grabbed his radio, “Command, 23rd floor requesting urgent support. The floor has collapsed, a firefighter is trapped, we need assistance!”TFxyeemVWRMwNBAdlXGRcIDMoMNJQM

zAJFkWflZhEYRDG

“Copy that.”EEFWKeWWMNllvEdbtYiZidrMDPwyEo

FMZYPuFZHFqwxuv

Choking back sobs, Qian Yue said, “Ren Yi, get the injured out. I’m going to save my people.”HETGqHcAHTRFwDcMyYqBSmEgCucEjN

DnYEpJwkmUrlNVg

Ren Yi replied firmly, “Qian Yue, don’t act rashly. Wait for backup.”YagqSuXnpjhIVtSrdVPlrUziqbGPcr

souaMInlmJwflAz

Qian Yue didn’t answer and quickly descended the stairs with two other firefighters.ZIjnBtxukqolxJAdnQDyNScOuvplgR

WAAHmQTKcBQKZOm

Ren Yi and the remaining team members lifted the injured onto their backs and began the difficult descent.sgNUShbdXYijILyjpVjigqMJgLaTBg

nrZcPmEryoudLWb

By the time they reached the ground and handed the injured over to the medics, Ren Yi’s legs gave out. He collapsed to the ground, unable to get up for a long while.GMIrvcRADniacnrVULGfqsHQcKTFxL

BTwVhJzyBTpcqUX

Some of his teammates rushed over to help him up.hHWVXLSPmGTFXVOirVAFXSdEaOmPQI

hHsogAqFyMHOHlP

Ren Yi removed his mask and waved them off, “Let me sit for a bit. How’s Captain Qian?”PvrMnvfruAmrlFxbjZRvAWaJGXkqSK

ZziPGcJmYrakgqu

Cui Yisheng shook his head. “No idea. What happened up there?”XkdcqUMzweXejRpZSSzpTurFQLqBlm

sKMLDQDWbaFmFAY

“The floor collapsed. A young firefighter… he…” Ren Yi’s voice quivered, trailing off as he struggled to continue.UyqjhwxgRXkWJUwvrpTHjvjjgOLnYk

QqNXvUFIOFJJogc

The group fell silent.KMkOzpheGNFrDBcbXoPoFCDVHujOsg

tgVQPIyjajJmzoS

 QRUsMQrGETuPWRjPHWbEblQwvIRBOO

uimZdRWlyIzcuxy

“Ren Yi.” A calm, clear voice sounded in Ren Yi’s ear, like a sudden cool breeze in the scorching heat, offering brief but welcome relief from the pain.AubXrVVrLwgoTnCVmRCfoUzKpweNCA

hmcjQTgFYcWKPyE

Ren Yi looked up to see Gong Yingxian standing before him. Bent slightly at the waist, the golden light of the setting sun outlined his figure, casting his handsome face in shifting shadows. Ren Yi couldn’t tell whether the concern and heaviness on Gong Yingxian’s face came from the interplay of light or something deeper.jbhVBeOYgzakFsmiQvQPeuEJDVQQQr

lHjPKAnaPSJpxlI

Staring at him, Ren Yi felt a sudden warmth in his eyes, an unexpected urge to cry. He desperately wanted to. He had just witnessed a young firefighter buried under the rubble, his fate uncertain. As the commanding officer, Ren Yi couldn’t allow himself to cry. But now, facing Gong Yingxian, the urge was almost overpowering.ktUnYhWkrmPzpaYekvsGlcqIqlnxUn

UJNxZwOvdZZMzEJ

What’s wrong with me?McUFOMoWNWqVFZFmIFeWpnHcgjXVZL

BBLHyZJDtMcBpxz

Gong Yingxian crouched down, offering him a bottle of water. His voice was soft, “Are you okay?”vlgSehldGwTvMAmnlebrJhyducAhgK

zvyZqcUwHGothhC

Ren Yi nodded, taking the bottle and drinking deeply. He emptied it in one go and, after tossing the empty bottle aside, shook his head. “Not okay.”CFpAGRVFNaJUnSbcmjGGxFbgMzzaHx

NUVoGqKfOnsWZLU

Gong Yingxian glanced up at the towering building. “I know what’s in there.”mlEXgzYvittVOAQyqBpSisbBDLQhWs

zeZXgImeIExAHcd

“…”XTLqhvZvmgNsishRhEJKkJBOjbrQIH

fjxkLegwbGSTdOG

“I’ve been in there.”texUnFggtueyMIEtYgEAEDmHkbdCCx

IpLEnVtiCPPERZk

Ren Yi understood what Gong Yingxian meant. He opened his mouth but found he didn’t know what to say. The image of the two children he had just rescued came to mind. Was the Gong Yingxian of the past like them, once hiding helpless and terrified under a bed?lgMGKIGbbujriBNTKnpbwqKojatqLX

qGtzAAgEkkvVIDY

Why? Why do these human tragedies have to happen over and over again?!UWUBVdcVmugJsuAIEKivCIPuEqUQwb

pTOzsuxBUWFagrT

Gong Yingxian extended his hand to Ren Yi. “Get up. Whoever’s responsible, I will find the truth.”wILapCqJIxrGEdMsSxtUvnyluSpmfN

NEIeyQYMaOGwoFH

Ren Yi hesitated for a moment, then grasped Gong Yingxian’s hand, allowing him to pull him to his feet. He felt the strength radiating from Gong Yingxian’s grip—solid, reassuring. It made him feel a sliver of peace.gQGYOOJjAcPXDhVKRKBLWVroaNLmQn

oFUzUjpTSDRYkVe

Gong Yingxian looked intently into Ren Yi’s eyes. “We will find the truth together.”piMMxXekDVuAIViNnXNozkkjEDIFGY

JhcHcLsuyVDFxRw
Table of Contents
SEzKwbuBhlnsFALWuhfDcofwuaJdxj

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments