Blazing Armor

Gong Yingxian was working around the clock on his investigations, while Ren Yi was engrossed in examining the evidence related to the Gong family arson case and handling team matters. It had been a week or two since they last saw each other, and even their occasional contacts were strictly case-related. Both of them tacitly avoided personal topics, so as long as they didn’t mention anything personal, their relationship appeared perfectly normal.PMMdFuJzhgISFXcLkaVqMMjINSqPnP

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Lately, Ren Yi had often found himself flipping through a few photos he had secretly taken of Gong Yingxian, quietly reliving that kiss. He regretted that, even at the best moment in their relationship, they hadn’t taken a single photo together. Two grown men taking a selfie together had seemed a bit too sentimental then, but now he felt a deep sense of regret. Why did they have to worry about such things?jCCmDYElccgzztRmUcGhoEpBhGtFMI

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Who knows if they’d ever have the chance to take a photo together, both of them facing the camera with genuine smiles.DiVZrnXcMzGuLddHgYuyUxQvXfhPMg

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In recent days, Ren Yi had also taken the time to visit his father, who was being well-cared for in the hospital, had even put on a few pounds, and had nothing but praise for the environment and care he was receiving. This gave Ren Yi great comfort.TvqbBvimOynULCFqnPzCamiULYrQgZ

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Qu Yangbo accompanied him this time, as no one—from the leaders to the soldiers, including Gong Yingxian—allowed him to go anywhere alone.KdDcqbpegLeBlifMEYfGGHgQIwcSgm

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On the way back, they were chatting when Qu Yangbo suddenly pointed at the bus stop in surprise. “Hey, isn’t that an actor?”ZnRsUgRShxEohVPVHJHNEXQSHjIgaK

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Ren Yi turned to look. On the large advertisement board at the bus stop was an ad featuring a group of celebrities for a beverage, all wearing similar outfits, apparently from a popular variety show. One face in the lineup was familiar—Qi Xiao. Ren Yi was a bit surprised. “Looks like Qi Xiao.” But with only a quick glance, he wasn’t entirely sure.nobVgIVRaFojLfrpkJSezcjXhRtaem

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“I’ll check.” Qu Yangbo pulled out his phone. “Yeah, that’s him. He just got on this popular show, and the tabloids say he’s a top focus for Song Media this year. Oh, and he’s even landed a role in a new movie supporting Zhou Xiang.”QCEvXcQtRlmAuauhRyWnVHuDpboVGU

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Ren Yi thought to himself that Song Juhan really followed through on his word. He hadn’t expected Song Juhan to back Qi Xiao so heavily. “Looks like he’s finally going to make it big—that’s great.”FBLCxTwlNwVLQbzhIvejVOzvdvcHiO

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“You two…”sbvZeAWgYLOAsMJtqmAwKZXisNfgir

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“We don’t keep in touch.” Ren Yi thought back to their last meeting, and Qi Xiao’s words seemed like they were about to come true. He felt genuinely happy for Qi Xiao.arBejMjNgMhPhtCdlgBJwDVTrUzsgE

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“That guy was good-looking in person before, sure, but he didn’t have that… I don’t know… that glow, like Song Juhan. Now he’s polished up, and he looks really handsome.”kYuUFwPmNTZnYtktEWTHqzlMHRUHkq

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“People’s charisma is cultivated.”oXbAcYRwhuTmpghlMrSSaOOygatLGa

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“Style matters too,” Qu Yangbo glanced at Ren Yi, hesitating to speak.MrHThumJoPaUNjPABoxIXRFKEDjrde

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Ren Yi caught his furtive look. “You’re itching to ask about me and Gong Yingxian again, aren’t you? Looks like you’re too bored—go find yourself a girlfriend.”mDvdQxJylTDEpSXSLVDVolNAnKjpXr

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“Bored my ass. Just keeping you all in line is enough for me—where’s the time for a girlfriend?”khjUEBjxIQFADUxxmQiNjTBQHmJPWM

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“My relationship with him is the same—strictly work, no personal matters.”MucutwWbUPRhtvgXyYLdkuUyvUpuvF

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“Honestly, he’s done so much for you, especially taking care of your father so well.”KhZsuXrrXZgDWcvpxWRngYoEoYFpax

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Ren Yi forced a bittersweet smile. “He’s perfect in every way… just doesn’t like me.”NQtLqIeuHrEwjYdGsGOzddkZKQKmNV

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Qu Yangbo sighed. “You saying that kind of poetic stuff—it’s weird.”hTIRenrZizpmDUktlCYfvYCDjdWbrv

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Ren Yi laughed and swore, “Get lost.”LZAFkEaVZnhqezAlfyRrEfqoKWyeYb

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“What about the case? Any updates?”SJzDnpDtBLlkjtmrSZJabSziFMwtJf

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“They found where the bombs were made. They’re close to identifying one of the main members of the group. They’re following multiple leads now, and the whole division is practically working themselves to exhaustion. I doubt he’s had time to eat or sleep.”MipGKIUEqZQEBBahuJSZhOuAQGrnjI

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“Feeling bad for him?”xOHpnlSzSoMhcmemGBseNuQljSVvnk

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“… What good does it do?”OrbLfQbkPKLspSvIghIvkCDWmxvtug

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“Honestly, I think the things he said that day were just in the heat of the moment. Don’t take it too seriously. If he really didn’t like you, he would’ve distanced himself long ago. It’s pretty clear he still cares about you.”jeuiQcuKRqGRKaxZrVYSiToFSLrHbr

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“Maybe he just needs me to help him with the investigation.”tuJNBclUjVfOVAhpuGEClZGAvMEsrD

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“Don’t think of people as so cold. You two have shared life-and-death moments—more than once, too. That’s not a bond you can just dismiss.”DuBvLAyCzNWXMwkvyIhhJyfrwacIgZ

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Ren Yi shrugged, trying to appear casual.ekGiDGpoJfdWiAVGcPrMZbEYszIwWV

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Just then, his phone rang. When he took a look, it was Gong Yingxian calling.iMrPfOdpwXmsdhqPYSqxltSGKkLojw

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Qu Yangbo raised his eyebrows and smirked. “It’s him, isn’t it?”vOiozLIRWjgEgfkqCEhdULXwFkTfPn

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“Just drive.” Ren Yi answered the call. “Hello?”ZskuTADmOyVxNVdblMRyVwmGemSaHk

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“You just visited your father?”udvmfzQgAJZbCuLFYzdHhjuxdkGotD

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“Yeah, I’m on my way back now. Old Ren’s doing pretty well at the hospital, really enjoying it. Thanks a lot.”DJgTQdxBtnqwCgpcIhEEpJxLplsBUB

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“No need for thanks,” Gong Yingxian replied. “There’s something I need your help with.”pEZaYTedWuIrEgwJEoIQoMduaBWXyN

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“Go ahead.”EkRKSskyqAGlbAjXtyxjAoTtoPNaLZ

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“We’ve made a new discovery at that abandoned amusement park.”tBeDTDiNSgbUEBDkyKifYmxFjSFRxf

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“What did you find?”mVbMQayIeUugjgDdjlbsxXoAXLQdTG

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“There’s a body down in one of the wells.”mTtFoSmYYJqmTYchZsNOgaKSYbjxKZ

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“Where’s this amusement park?”nIpENcshAyszTGnxDlOqBOSOLRyYHb

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“It’s not in your jurisdiction. We didn’t want to bring in the local fire department—too many people involved means it could leak. We’re trying to keep everything in this investigation as confidential as possible.”AFABgcCKbFCEyrrepspSJIgbtnCNnI

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“Understood. Send me the address, and we’ll head over now.”IaqYbBJcIKRmJbGMJdqGRrcouXoGwd

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After hanging up, Qu Yangbo asked, “What’s up?”XwNiezXnlwWKjtWLmNARCCfrpjelds

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Ren Yi sighed. “We’re going down a well to retrieve a body. You in?”jUKWYOUXbGtsnvhUdtnHNlGkYsUYEE

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Qu Yangbo scrunched up his face, grimacing. “I guess I’m in.”xDraiOcqLUrUFnShJowvYeawMFMOwx

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Ren Yi looked at the address Gong Yingxian had sent. “This should be within the jurisdiction of the West Suburban Unit. Do you know their captain? We should probably give him a heads-up, not with the specifics but just so he doesn’t get the wrong idea if they see our vehicle there.”bjHArWTLcEMSffSOyILXJpVIFrtKTX

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“That’s a different district entirely. I don’t know him, but I’ll have the chief of staff coordinate it.”yauYgbeHAxXLPTLwOUvmajoXXvMVYY

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On the way, Ren Yi called Gao Ge, asking him to send a fire truck directly to the scene to save time.aeYbGeypMiTprzrnFyfedQwpBBVpmv

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They arrived at the location just before dark.CbsPOLwftyJaNWHXGKYABSZfMJORnY

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Their unit’s fire truck was already there, and Gao Ge and Gong Yingxian were standing by the well, talking.tTThUJotVgoPDAFplDOOXmfrwQEPuN

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Ren Yi scanned the scene, his heart sinking. This wasn’t a sewage well; it was a foundation well—a whole different level of difficulty when it came to descending.PXwjhRNutLppPQCZrOyHcOlYpefyAx

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“Captain Ren, Instructor,” Gao Ge called out from a distance, “This well is, conservatively, twenty meters deep.”yKVTFJTsvVyPcHrDXBKrLUkbhHwhHU

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Qu Yangbo clicked his tongue, “A foundation well?”BrVIFTUEckUDQrdYSiJGwOzNOaIYwB

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Ren Yi approached and briefly exchanged a look with Gong Yingxian, triggering memories of everything that had happened at Gong’s place. Gong seemed to recall it as well; both avoided each other’s gaze.yjrvCoNyMhUKNRsPGshriXXUCuwLnE

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Clearing his throat, Gong Yingxian asked, “Captain Gao mentioned that this well would be difficult to descend?”YLxbQuAaKJULUahbRPatuphxIZQkeo

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Standing at the edge, Ren Yi looked down. It was narrow, pitch-black, and seemingly endless—just staring into it gave him chills.jvVJBsYaryMhShGzDHWlopXPnPGSvg

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This was a typical foundation well, likely left behind from an abandoned amusement park structure. Unlike sewage wells, foundation wells were built for pouring concrete, not for human access. They were narrow and deep—twenty meters wasn’t even particularly deep; some high-rise foundation wells could reach hundreds of meters. Drop something down, and it might as well be lost to the earth’s core, making it an ideal spot for hiding a body.pecjylUYzUdBcltLzpeKSlFWeqmMQn

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Gao Ge explained, “This well isn’t extremely narrow; it has a diameter of about seventy centimeters. It’s possible to go down, but it won’t be easy.” He glanced at Ren Yi. “If there were someone alive down there, we’d go no matter what. But for a corpse…”zBIuTWulgWAabJZEdTUOlAjbUrTsdG

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Ren Yi remained silent, understanding Gao’s point. Although it was technically possible, it wasn’t worth the risk just to retrieve a body.WsJFQTNVighVZgUJLKNomhpwMbwtzY

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Foundation wells had multiple dangers—besides being narrow and deep, the conditions below were grim: dark, low-oxygen, cold, damp, claustrophobic, and with a risk of collapse. It tested both physical and psychological resilience. The only advantage in this case was that it was winter, with frozen soil reducing the likelihood of collapse.KcbYBBMrAAvdKiWhujIINrRUNdDFiK

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Gong Yingxian said, “Ren Yi, if it’s too dangerous, let’s leave it.”WKFdwHoWRwNCuKRENtcJAisLedvtSh

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“How did you find out there was a body down there? It’s impossible to see even in daylight.”LtICOIHUQoulpHdLLApkFTUmsolTGD

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“Evidence we found at the park, along with Wang Rui’s rambling testimony, led us to this spot. We used instruments to check during the day and confirmed a body.”ZxcoyVmnvMsPhFBeGANygPbUoFZiyW

DhvHeohJFxGoZHi

Ren Yi stood up, sighing. “We dealt with a similar situation with a foundation well rescue a few years back. Gao, you weren’t here yet, but you must have studied it.”ChTrxJaxaEoGKISvGalIXcpirYiyEt

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Gao Ge nodded, “The Zhongnan Tower construction site—a two-year-old child of a worker couple fell into the well.”jpGvyxAxTJlSlhoFWRRZnCzPxbbOYw

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Ren Yi continued, “This one’s relatively wide, so we can barely fit someone down. But that well was so narrow…we found the smallest firefighter in all of Beijing, but they couldn’t fit. Only a child could go down.”yJXpnaypsKAqFzLitoQIFYBPNKdXNM

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“And what happened next?” Gong Yingxian asked.SPzkuEITtlSnLrccgRMwikOzErsDYr

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“We had no choice. Everyone knew there was no chance the child survived—there was groundwater below. But we still had to try. We ended up digging for eight days before we could retrieve the child’s body.” Ren Yi glanced again at the well, wondering if Gong was anxious to press forward.yZSSwUYJiurjfndApYsfWIRVzDIFMG

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He quickly realized it was a silly thought—how could he not be anxious? The whole Hongwu Bureau was racing against time to investigate, fearing that any delay would give Ziyan a chance to commit even more horrific acts and harm more people. The body at the bottom of the well might provide crucial evidence.GrwdVKDeCfxvIpVAzTeUuRrxIalSAB

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Gong nodded. “How long would it take to dig? I’ll get people as quickly as possible.”GvDXOvaKphqXMKaTZUjVLotVUMThoK

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“Forget it. It’s the coldest time of the year now—the ground’s frozen solid. Digging would waste too much time.” Ren Yi took a deep breath. “I’ll go down first and check things out.”PsofNNIrzbTmBJgvHKIvJnnwyDdNqL

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Gong’s face immediately reflected regret. He hadn’t realized how dangerous descending into a foundation well was until Gao Ge had explained. The thought of lowering Ren Yi into it gripped him with fear. “Let’s just dig. Like you said, there’s no one alive down there. It’s not worth the risk.”nhCknxPoafmgMWajyEankdMwkhTIhP

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“There’s no risk of a cave-in right now, so we should try. If the body below has any useful clues, it’s worth it.”FoMrESQiNzPcgDMRWWTaPcALzBVUrp

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Gong opened his mouth to protest, his concern evident.yGlIlAuoFtJZoIxRZeyMOCTSmdPFxK

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“It’ll be fine—I’ll be careful.”nVLojlsXRmKErmvgUnAvhLebWKyYus

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Gao Ge, reluctant, said, “You go first, and I’ll go second.”lIDYRDBMAhJaDdqPXJSOUZXpSXveyL

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“Not a chance. You’re too tall and big for this; let Sun Dingyi go next.”LXbKJxmTljZdRVMtZJiLODvkhDLQWx

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Gao Ge busied himself with setting up all the equipment, positioning a frame over the well and lowering an oxygen tank first to provide air to the bottom.OKtBBfDcCWthZxitWKmeVxDkcRjxKj

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Seeing Gong frowning, his face dark with worry, Ren Yi tried to reassure him. “Don’t worry. This isn’t my first time going down a well. Honestly, the biggest risk with foundation wells is soil collapse, but that’s rare in northern winters. If I run out of oxygen or my strength fails, they’ll pull me up immediately. Nothing major will happen.”zoMFEsdngtgEDEVgbMpwjBlaHNOoUD

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Gong murmured, “If I’d known it was this dangerous, I wouldn’t have asked you to come.”UjLHPSCFTWfuuEmiJsBjEMBhykJqKM

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Standing nearby, Qu Yangbo overheard and raised his eyebrows.pwExBuckuUXdwPPdOHqBkfjdLnMQrs

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Ren Yi smiled lightly. “Danger is part of my job, and I’m still here, alive and kicking. If it were the West Suburban Unit’s captain here today, and he knew that going down could help catch the arsonist faster, he’d do it, too. Don’t worry about me.”kevnFDhXqZFYaybOkwXMdkWKmLYNxu

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Gong fixed his gaze on Ren Yi, biting his lip slightly.tuaZxMoRKHIzZKehhtevlCsjMewitf

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“Captain Ren, we’re ready.”TQqCbfNiGYceNYeYCSyFGMDxNHdMto

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Ren Yi stepped back to the well, removing his heavy coat and changing into a lightweight rescue suit. Underneath, he wore thermal underlayers, a sweater, and a heat pack—but on a winter night with temperatures at minus twelve degrees Celsius, it was barely enough to stave off the cold.yEhJFzExKGvLfhLaYShQRcRSXqVOYG

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He began warming up.fPNJhwWlOtcfhDmnwFJDEoEtJFMCCJ

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Gong watched as Ren Yi’s ears quickly turned red from the cold, feeling a pang of heartache.IEpqkeqdKDyJAqUoZaxqiUqalPSgaO

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After warming up, Ren Yi put on his mask, rescue harness, flashlight, and radio. Then, he was carefully lowered down on a rope by his team.vvmmFvHOjQhdDsmkJZqwfqZzUfGYlb

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The well walls were damp and cold, and with every meter he descended, the temperature dropped further. Given his build, even a slight movement meant brushing against the wall. The deeper he went, the more oppressive it felt. Surrounded by frozen earth exuding cold air, with the narrow slice of night sky above and the black abyss below, it was as though he were suspended inside an endless, hollow pipe, or swallowed by the gaping mouth of a monster, hanging in mid-air, with nothing to hold onto but his own fear creeping into every pore.SLknmPJbvOspNjmxVreBHahPcmjYPv

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Ren Yi focused on controlling his breathing. He couldn’t bring an oxygen tank, relying instead on his mask to filter the air. Down here, the air was thin, and any excess tension would only lead to oxygen deprivation.vzEsAamBpVSOuvXwFynknKvkcZEoMd

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He was already shivering from the cold, his hands and feet beginning to stiffen.DmAppfcNeDplQyiBSYuaIXARxtgUEM

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“Ren Yi, how’s it going?” Gong Yingxian called down from above.sQQCOcLzLdEUXrHpUVWjkRtorxSiLG

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“Keep lowering,” Ren Yi replied, his voice trembling.oZeWamzLAWjGykeapIkJbcLmbTofjE

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At last, Ren Yi’s feet touched solid ground. Speaking into the radio, he said, “I’m at the bottom.”oNqnhXcFTswOpAJULegGcsQirtGmik

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“Twenty-four meters,” Gao Ge reported.tDSMaDXFGtkrCYxqBSoAepDgOcVHOa

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Ren Yi raised his hand to adjust his flashlight, but his fingers were too stiff to hold it steady, and it clattered to the ground. When he looked down, his heart felt as though it had been struck. Beneath his feet lay ice, thinly dusted with soil. Through the soil, the flashlight beam revealed a skull embedded in the ice. Hollow, black eye sockets stared up, as if fixed eternally on the patch of sky overhead, witnessing the endless cycle of day and night while being entombed within the well. It was as though this soul, if it had any awareness left, could never find peace.cpRmCIfRcgdrmsjyYaKmgJJRWxtiKS

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Ren Yi took a sharp breath. Despite having braced himself for what he might find below, the sight left him shaken.TQIECemXfEtKkztxFNKXOSCKtmVEpg

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“Well? Can you see anything?” asked Gao Ge.aanXWZNdBYEEbDyxdPrpjRbBVwoMQp

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“I can see it, but it’s tough to retrieve—the body’s frozen in the ice.” Ren Yi crouched to pick up his flashlight but found he could only manage a partial squat, unable to reach the ice with his stiffened hands. Finally, using both hands and knees, he retrieved it. In the thin air, the exertion left him breathless.euXAGyMPAtckOILsGtSCIBqNdxsYwS

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“We’ll need to melt the ice first,” Qu Yangbo suggested.bLWfoethpaBiiYTNEjHJnsPSGJBBpF

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Gong Yingxian frowned. “Any method to melt the ice risks damaging the body. Preserving its condition as closely as possible is critical for the forensic team to give an accurate assessment.”kMPtJTFyxPIBclYApEEPzZYZGYKNXG

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Ren Yi’s breathing grew shallower; he could tell the limited oxygen supply had been nearly exhausted. “Then we’ll have to break the ice—that should cause minimal damage, and this layer isn’t very thick.”jyGHKttTifFIbesxdlrBQWDzRuogpF

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“If you’re breaking ice, it’ll have to be done upside down,” Sun Dingyi added. “Upside down makes oxygen depletion even faster. We’d need to switch people frequently, and we probably don’t have enough staff here for that.”aphpFLmaYIAalfHyoEWISfdkquLqQF

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Ren Yi’s head began to spin, and he was freezing. “Pull me up first.”drMspfNpuKBKMcHPrcBbuMUIZlPJtd

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The team quickly pulled him to the surface.VQTsGrvRQNIxbiMESvPEQftyQuJdiD

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Once back above ground, Ren Yi removed his mask, gulping in fresh air. His lips were turning blue from the cold, and he was shivering uncontrollably. Gong Yingxian started forward to help, but Qu Yangbo was quicker, throwing a coat around Ren Yi’s shoulders, pulling him to his feet, and pressing a thermos into his hand. “Drink some warm water, now.”skJiXOKVcNdMSPLwozQsjXGDgWKpBT

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A flash of disappointment crossed Gong’s face.jJwoNZJNXdIcaXnGcZePqpBJOszYmQ

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Shivering, Ren Yi took a sip of the hot water. “Not enough oxygen down there. We’ll need to bring in a ventilator to swap out the air completely. And we don’t have enough people; we’ll have to call in the West Suburban Unit for backup.”OunkhFzDRmqLmNxuloyuSVzjmvyUZW

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“I’ll handle it. You rest,” Qu Yangbo offered.wvhSkGbwxtsTdimgCZLkFTKMSZIJju

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As Qu Yangbo left to make the arrangements, Gong stood beside Ren Yi, worry etched across his face, but he couldn’t find the right words to say. All he wanted in that moment was to pull Ren Yi into his arms and warm him up.CsDJaAKKlsZGvrIemksFdAJtLAisNT

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But he couldn’t. He had no right to do that.LjppZSqJiEowFNuCwXLXqFAenqNcaD

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