Blazing Armor

Rushing to Song Juhan’s dressing room.mdWsQIZVjfCsaORstfHfBYgCEjFspZ

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By now, Song Juhan had already finished his stage look. He was dressed in a long trench coat embedded with exaggerated black feathers, his lips painted black, which made his pale face look both alluring and sinister. Such a bold hairstyle and makeup would be impossible for most people to pull off, but there he sat, his coat trailing to the ground, like a beautiful yet seductive demon folding its wings, taking a brief nap in the mortal world.ehMAlaVHxjuMAkzaJeneMPverePxuy

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Xiao Song asked curiously, “Captain Ren, is there something else you need?” He looked expectantly at Gong Yingxian, thinking that Gong might have developed a sudden desire to become a star.KwqWBqrwyPzCLvWiowRBJvfCGPJDeF

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“Teacher Song, I’m sorry.” Ren Yi looked towards He Gu, getting straight to the point. “I need to borrow Engineer He for a favor.”UMDDTZhMErclyRpGWGvjBvVMdEMnsh

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He Gu was a little surprised. “Me?”EtOPnZeCIDAPmlyVIEAeiFkrxAhGWw

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“Engineer He, you’re the engineer for Honglin Stadium, right?”DStolgqUkeJILiRkxnnRgLOhoLWlLj

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“Yes.” He Gu was puzzled. “That stadium was a project I worked on when I was at a state-owned company. How did you know?” He noticed what Gong Yingxian was holding. “That wouldn’t happen to be the design plans for the stadium, would it?”vZAqjdGEUOpzgqbcwJYSGzzdqRGduH

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“We have a very important matter and need someone who’s extremely familiar with the stadium to act as a consultant. We need your help…”tqAhXNlDubyCDiUlgTxsTylowFYxri

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“No.” Song Juhan flatly refused. “I’m sorry, Captain Ren, but I’m about to go on stage, and he has to be in the best seat watching me perform.”oeDMkxiqluDbgySOMdEyyFROYxHFoK

gWRSHZerOBiDipZ

He Gu asked, “Captain Ren, can you tell me what’s going on?” Noticing the serious expressions on both of their faces and considering Ren Yi’s position, he knew they wouldn’t act recklessly. Something important must have happened.HDuQBKCIROBzBxFRyhisxfYaZfhHXQ

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“It’s a very urgent matter, and we must have your help,” Ren Yi said, his tone more insistent.bxwJFgHBnRezHDuahjgEMGjOaLdfNm

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Song Juhan narrowed his eyes, his voice growing colder. “Captain Ren, explain what this is about clearly, or there’s no way I’ll let him go with you.”cdBAPBJxalfzAMkdtutcaOfIPBluJE

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“I…”CqVBBpMpVMlOkvkRYtxKXPuSGnZZfi

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Gong Yingxian couldn’t stand wasting any more time on this pointless conversation. He pulled out his badge from his pocket. “I’m Gong Yingxian, detective from the Criminal Investigation Division of Hongwu Branch. He Gu, you need to cooperate with the police. Come with me right now.”HAPcoEBoYmXhZmEodcKIxdlHHdWXud

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Song Juhan immediately stood up, instinctively placing He Gu behind him, his voice sharp. “What the hell are you trying to do? Explain yourself!”AuHtVZieEOuygFWCPjfAvEYIbaiqOT

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Ren Yi gritted his teeth. “Everyone, leave!”ECjfZeGueWURUdqcsWIiPlKiMMpQYW

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Xiao Song glanced at Song Juhan.MkeCZjWEsVsVVCBRnHywWdOXRHoEgD

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He Gu frowned and said, “Xiao Song, you all should leave.”mTvoKNDytzYkwsNEgAcPeOsvEFiorb

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Only then did Xiao Song lead the others out of the dressing room.ynBxnvTYHLNVGDJuIzTYoRZhrgSxvg

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Ren Yi explained gravely, “Both of you, the situation is urgent, so I’ll keep this brief. A criminal has planted six bombs in the stadium.”yhAgwtraiOZUzzDjSYFvhEAgLnRaPK

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Song Juhan and He Gu’s faces went pale in an instant.SnRXkoHyZpoOwtFtYMxVRJMLBkzbEp

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“You… you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Song Juhan’s face was filled with disbelief.fVtNeKZyOeYFjHsyYqZxRLvgTuhlIc

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“No one jokes about something like this.”QEwPNRjAICuAcCrFiGBsUdCVdYLIwq

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“Then why haven’t you started evacuating the audience?!”IpuVxOZlUjdqEsNdTuyaBGorWeUsqz

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“We can’t. The bombs are set to go off at exactly midnight. The criminal said that if we evacuate the audience or stop the performance, he’ll detonate them early. We only have…” Ren Yi glanced at his watch, “fifty minutes to find and defuse the six bombs.”zCpnwsnsQsrdHcpJOPFubdDGSQDPXQ

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He Gu said seriously, “Who the hell would do something like this?”vaeIkYKhlOVmaOANIsbQlavAIatlpq

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Gong Yingxian responded coldly, “No time to explain. This person is also responsible for the Hongwu Hospital bombing not long ago.”HWnUwimEvjplyaqUbGpVhNYoTcdZyD

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At the mention of the Hongwu Hospital bombing, any remaining doubt Song Juhan and Ren Yi might have had about this dramatic emergency vanished.YtbSrdNJzhdvyBQHkOKHpeQmDYdkTg

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He Gu quickly said, “Alright, I’ll go with you…”CHXaraPEFuezMrNOBuEezcSfAaVyAv

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Song Juhan grabbed He Gu’s wrist. “I’ll have the driver take you out through the underground tunnel. If it’s just you, no one will notice.”IjXszCYJUgTivKNmppJUjMHIVuaSZV

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“What nonsense are you talking about? Didn’t you hear Captain Ren and Officer Gong say they need my help?”XSZyIibiDBdoNZEmFpoWafmdZYUVMH

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“Bullshit!” Song Juhan roared. “They want you to defuse bombs!”XgxqDTfubewhvstThPSCcJBfyyikIc

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Gong Yingxian responded coldly, “No, we need you to locate the bombs. We have bomb disposal experts.”UhsXATwMgnyTxnCGuwpVUZhAxqESeh

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“I don’t care whether it’s finding or defusing. You’ll still be near the bombs. If anything goes wrong, you’ll be in the most danger.” Song Juhan locked eyes with He Gu. “Listen to me. Leave now.”zKrFvhiwuZvwfIkEEpTorSzWVQvkRL

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He Gu’s expression grew serious. “Juhan, you heard what they said. The criminal’s demands don’t allow evacuating the audience or stopping the performance. Your thirty thousand fans will have to stay. All the guests, security, and staff will have to stay. You have to stay. And you want me to leave?”UHAdiDYYFfgYuMPVmeTgxhhLQLAKVf

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“Yes,” Song Juhan said without hesitation.CZTNOWffzDFdiVNIuJpblkbtmwGkDJ

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“I absolutely will not leave,” He Gu replied, equally firm. “I’m not going to leave you here alone. I can’t just watch as over thirty thousand people are put at risk while I run away. And I won’t let the bastard destroy the stadium I built with my own hands.”EiNKKfmExYneqrkDQlAFlBXdOkSdnp

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“You…”MAIKidbDPhaUNvrAEsSjHgNcLUjrNS

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Gong Yingxian snapped, “You’ve just wasted another minute!” He was fed up with their emotional exchange. The love, care, and worry reflected in their gazes infuriated him. Every word they spoke, as if they were the only two in the room, felt like a personal insult.gpuTzRqkOGswNlyWnWlLAqcPJuoMAz

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Was this how Ren Yi and Qi Xiao acted when he wasn’t around? Like all lovers do? The mere thought made it hard for him to breathe.VaVJgrTRoUfspKLntmbXlZzyILfuTW

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The unyielding determination in He Gu’s eyes told Song Juhan that his attempts to convince him were futile—he had known from the beginning.QDYVJLRNuLrhRXeBiBfFjsRBinjZTW

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Song Juhan shot a cold glare at Ren Yi and Gong Yingxian. “You’d better bring my He Gu back safe and sound.”ssNmefgFsAcUIqNRTNiCmUROOjHMaO

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Ren Yi solemnly vowed, “I swear on my life that I will protect Engineer He.”cnWvVIQnZQDrAXaLMwpybeVcIKohcN

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Song Juhan gripped He Gu’s chin and pressed a forceful kiss on his lips.YqFxeLnqIZrvgwIrEQHvEsfRUxtGfm

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He Gu placed his hand over Song Juhan’s heart, giving it a gentle pat.dTvrIkyRAYHeFPCQvVlpRMWsULsUNS

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Ren Yi awkwardly turned his face away. It wasn’t that he couldn’t handle seeing a kiss, but having Gong Yingxian nearby made him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.dPEhEoBOgOsqyqiOuTcVUgnLoTktwt

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The love he desperately craved was something Gong Yingxian found “disgusting,” something he wanted to avoid at all costs. Just thinking about it filled Ren Yi with sorrow.ShuTJIsZLhjzxhsaXKwXkqZTOONwJG

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Everything that happened tonight would probably only deepen Gong Yingxian’s disdain for homosexuality, making it even more tangible.aTJqghYesjgwWhIqmijeWhTSkzcoCG

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Gong Yingxian, however, didn’t look away. He watched the kiss intently, his eyes turning red. Since learning the word “jealousy,” he had never truly grasped its meaning—until tonight, when he experienced it in full force.kxbgryVYnCQrgyishOJCLrkQlGozFd

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As He Gu followed the two men out of the dressing room, he composed himself and, feeling a bit embarrassed, discreetly wiped away the lipstick Song Juhan had left on his face. He replaced his expression with one of professionalism. “Let’s find a place where I can review the design plans.”csVxvVVCFZMaMSprMqTHtIrDnpJspg

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The three of them found an office. He Gu spread out the thick blueprints on the table, took a deep breath, and quickly flipped through the pages. “It’s been years, so I remember most of it, but some details are a bit hazy. What can I do?”gkIixvDuQQJnEENcXCiKruARnwTHfr

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Gong Yingxian said, “The stadium is too big, and we only have fifty minutes. We can’t search every corner, so I need you to help us use the process of elimination. I’ll give you some criteria.”vJFdORViyIJXievZCXfpevZNJtWayY

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“Alright.”EpBPAyElcctbgTswwXCdgrGMsqPWXt

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Gong Yingxian continued, “We can currently rule out the outdoor areas for three reasons. First, the stage and seating area have been inspected multiple times; the equipment there is in plain sight, making it impossible to hide a bomb. Second, security checks were extremely strict this time, so it’s unlikely someone could have brought a bomb in. Third, there are over thirty thousand cell phones and various devices concentrated in that area, creating poor signal reception. If the bomb were planted there, the criminal wouldn’t be able to control it.”yovGvbtnRjbDIfSTYoQgoLlrVdFbyE

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“Makes sense.”yQWxDLZGolPaeWpJzJxFWTwYPcUQZl

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“Engineer He, based on your knowledge of Honglin Stadium, focus on areas where an explosion would cause significant casualties, places where a fire could easily spread, and distinguish between areas with high fire resistance and those with low resistance, as well as areas with more or fewer combustible materials.”TeUqbWeDBrbIZuvQWrJrLhgFjiRLID

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“Alright.” He Gu continued to study the blueprints, his mind racing as beads of sweat formed on his forehead despite the cold winter night.CDivdfctGDgflgYAfYgfMhjsIHeMUv

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Gong Yingxian then turned to Ren Yi, “I need to review the Purple Flame video again. Any useful information might be hidden in there. Keep me updated on the progress with Captain Qiu and Captain Zhang.” He pulled a chair into the corner, sat with his back to the room, and focused on the video playing on his phone.MuiGtsVtSRsOGWvLBpUHdaALIOocmC

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“Got it.” Ren Yi couldn’t help but worry about Gong Yingxian, who had to repeatedly force himself to watch the video, confronting the nightmare embodied by that masked figure. But now wasn’t the time to worry about one person—they had the lives of over thirty thousand people in the stadium to protect.CTstGFwZzBSPuqyAXboPIFgOLZxddz

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Before long, Ren Yi received a call from Xu Jin, who had mobilized several squads to the scene. Chen Xiaofei was also on his way. Ren Yi quickly briefed him on the situation and instructed him to prepare the search teams. Once they pinpointed the likely locations, they would need to begin searching immediately.jrrASMMhRnQFsyyKuIJQxBYDYlpfkj

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As time ticked by, Ren Yi had never experienced such agonizing waiting. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, imagining the disaster that could unfold at the stroke of midnight, just as the world was welcoming in the new year.nLWwKtSZAsPkbvFZNtQMizUjyEkHEa

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After a while, He Gu stood up. “I’ve reviewed the design plans.” He walked to the whiteboard. “As for the possible locations for the bombs, I think we can first rule out the steel beams.” He wrote “steel beams” on the board and crossed it out.mbsbYqcxIRRArwEeFgfujLdgzuUkWX

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Both men turned to look at the board.llnUszSlKHRdnsApaZXAIkBvFYYdbv

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He Gu explained, “Honglin Stadium has a reinforced concrete frame structure, with the roof supported by over forty thousand steel components and nearly ten thousand glass panels.”ToaVLcaoowQsgzwwBTTrQDUGZgbDKP

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The design of Honglin Stadium is somewhat similar to the Bird’s Nest Stadium. While smaller and different in shape, it also has a hollow roof structure made of steel and glass, which is common in stadiums and exhibition halls. In addition to its functionality, this design is also energy-efficient.JhjAbyDRtlBEhNxRiXpmJTsOgZtzAG

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“If I were the criminal and wanted to cause mass casualties or a fire with six bombs, I wouldn’t target the structure. First, all the steel and glass meet international fire safety standards. The steel components have been treated with fire-resistant coatings, giving them a fire-resistance rating of one to two hours. While the steel beams have been prestressed to save costs and increase their yield strength, which affects their fire resistance, that only applies in the case of a large fire. Prestressing helps resist damage from external forces like explosions. Simply put, small explosions wouldn’t cause a collapse, as the steel beams would support each other. The glass used is energy-efficient laminated glass, which would crack but not shatter into dangerous pieces. A large explosion is unrealistic—so much explosive material would be easily noticeable.”vwalLaWpmLKMtclsIuhZBOxvZTnNbG

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Ren Yi asked, “What about the support columns? Those hold up the roof. If they collapse, the consequences would be unimaginable.”XCyanEzFtKLnJSltWXlETfuqiAJBxg

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“The support columns can also be ruled out. Honglin Stadium only has twelve support columns that are critical to the structure, making them too easy to check. The criminal wouldn’t place bombs in such obvious locations. Besides, I designed the columns with a circulating water system inside, which serves two purposes: energy conservation and increasing fire resistance. The support columns are the most fireproof and earthquake-resistant part of the entire stadium.”DdVqGffJfEiXdkYxRrCHLdXeDmZaBg

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“What about the walls?” Gong Yingxian asked.niLLXskgmVsYTERQLEMKXRmlMyjWCK

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“They’re a possibility, but the stadium’s support doesn’t rely on the walls—it’s the support columns. A wall collapse would only cause localized casualties. I think we can rule it out.”CmEUzlNNgNMNWbrTHjgdEbnrpRgrTu

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“The underground?”PXmFinAlLGDYKVKDmXGsxjEmYjCTHM

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“Yes.” He Gu wrote “underground parking garage” on the whiteboard. “In terms of the building structure, this is the most likely place for the bombs. If they destroy the load-bearing beams, it could cause a collapse. Plus, with so many cars down there, a bomb hidden inside a vehicle would be perfectly concealed.”mWFSHBIqpBCGkPzOqDOlzlaoFNgmtE

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Gong Yingxian shook his head. “An explosion here wouldn’t easily start a fire. From the videos I’ve reviewed, Purple Flame seems obsessed with fire. If it’s just about killing people and not using fire to ‘purify,’ it wouldn’t align with his vision of ‘justice,’ nor would it follow the will of the God of Light. I don’t think the bombs are in the garage.”PidyIOSDYztjFljasxdLIlSLkbAFVa

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“If the criminal wants to ensure a fire, then they likely won’t target the structure,” He Gu sighed, his expression growing serious. “The stadium has several key systems: the boiler room, gas pipelines, solar power system, backup generators, exhaust ventilation, condensate water recycling, and the hydraulic sewage system. If any of these systems are compromised, they could cause chain reactions—some could lead to explosions, others could trigger fires, or even release toxic gas. They could also happen simultaneously.”CsJCbSwzMWDUBwLoZPkuJGYUPmBGfP

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A heavy silence fell over the room.iAjUENhfTLUmCqpoRUSmNvvvExEsSM

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Gong Yingxian spoke in a grave tone, “There are still a few things in Purple Flame’s video that confuse me, points I haven’t fully figured out yet. But there’s one thing I’m certain of.”IJAsVIuTcVcitfOBDLpBgwTEqCIWze

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Both men turned to Gong Yingxian.jTcxwmkxOqBiXitZvVAaJTinCjuvmX

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“The person controlling the bombs is inside the stadium right now.”YsyvxLZfcgfQwMropmQFBxPIxZYwtw

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