159: Chapter 158 A Shocking Change in the Gobi Desert! Iron-willed Perseverance Breaks the Crisis, Unwavering Commitment Stabilizes the Fate (2)

The truth was out, and the villagers were stunned, their faces showing looks of guilt. They hadn't expected to be used by others, nearly doing things that harmed others and hindered the project's construction. A white-haired elderly villager, leaning on a cane, slowly walked to Mu Li's side, his face full of apology and his tone sincere: "Engineer Mu, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. We were momentarily confused and deceived by bad people, nearly delaying your project and even smashing your equipment. We are truly sorry."

"It's alright, folks," Mu Li said with a smile, his tone gentle and without a hint of blame. "Everyone was just blinded by others; as long as you understand the truth, it's fine. To put everyone's mind completely at ease, we will invite professional environmental protection agencies to periodically test the environment around the project, including air quality, water quality, and soil. All test results will be promptly announced to everyone and subject to your supervision. At the same time, we will set up a dedicated visiting passage at the project site. Everyone is welcome to visit at any time to understand the working principles of the Nuclear Fusion Power Station and see for yourselves whether our technology is truly safe."

Mu Li's sincerity and patience completely moved the villagers. Everyone expressed that they would fully support the project's construction from now on and would never again be incited by bad people. A sudden crisis was thus calmly resolved by Mu Li. Order at the construction site was quickly restored, and construction personnel returned to their work. The roar of excavators sounded once more, breaking the silence of the mountainous area.

After handling the matters in Yundian Province, Mu Li did not stay for a moment and immediately drove back to the project site in Longyuan Province. The continuous travel and high-intensity work had overwhelmed his already weak body. The gripping pain in his chest flared up from time to time; each time it happened, cold sweat poured down him and his face turned as pale as paper. However, he never stopped his pace, with only one thought in his mind—to return to the project site as soon as possible to ensure the project proceeded smoothly.

Just after returning to the temporary command center at the Longyuan Province project site, before Mu Li even had a chance to sit down, he felt the world spin. His vision went black instantly, and countless stars flashed before his eyes. The gripping pain in his chest struck again, more intense than the last time, as if his heart were being torn apart or struck hard by a heavy hammer. The acute pain spread through his nerves to his entire body, causing him to twitch. A groan of agony escaped his throat, and he could no longer support himself. His body went limp, and he fell straight down, hitting the cold, hard concrete floor with a dull thud. The medicine bottle flew out of his pocket and shattered on the ground, white pills scattering everywhere, mixing with the dust on the floor in a particularly jarring sight. He lay on the ground, curled up, his hands clutching his chest tightly, fingers digging deep into his clothes and nails almost sinking into his flesh. His face was deathly pale, his lips purple, and his breathing weak and rapid, like a candle in the wind that could go out at any moment. Cold sweat from his forehead kept sliding down his cheeks, forming a small wet patch on the floor. His eyes began to lose focus, and his consciousness gradually blurred, leaving only the bone-deep pain that continuously devoured his senses.

"Engineer Mu! Engineer Mu! What's wrong?" Zhao Yu happened to walk in with the construction progress report. Seeing Mu Li collapsed on the ground, he was scared out of his wits. He quickly threw down the report and rushed over, carefully cradling him, his voice trembling and tears nearly falling. "Quick! Call an ambulance! Quickly find Engineer Mu's medicine!"

The staff on-site also panicked. Some hurriedly called emergency services, their voices carrying a sob; others bent down to anxiously search for the scattered pills; still others ran to get warm water. Everyone performed their duties, their faces full of anxiety and panic, their limbs even becoming stiff. Zhao Yu tremblingly picked up a half-pill that hadn't shattered and carefully fed it into Mu Li's mouth, then slowly helped him swallow it with warm water. His hands shook uncontrollably, making even the act of feeding the medicine clumsy. Tears could no longer be held back and fell down his cheeks, dripping onto Mu Li's pale face. After a long while, Mu Li slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was still unfocused, and his complexion hadn't improved at all, remaining as pale as paper. His breathing was still weak, and although the gripping pain in his chest had eased slightly, it was still piercing to the bone. His fingers were still tightly clutching the clothes at his chest, and his body twitched slightly from time to time. Only those eyes still held a trace of determination, not having completely lost consciousness.

"Engineer Mu, how are you feeling? The ambulance will be here soon, please hang in there," Zhao Yu asked anxiously, tightly holding Mu Li's hand, fearing he would pass out again.

Mu Li shook his head weakly, his voice faint yet still concerned about the project: "I'm fine... don't worry... How is the project? Was it affected? Over in Yundian Province... has construction resumed?"

"Everything is normal with the project, and construction has resumed in Yundian Province, so don't you worry," Zhao Yu said heart-wrenchingly, his eyes red. "You're already in this state, yet you're still thinking only of the project. Can't you think of yourself for once? When the ambulance arrives, you must get a proper check-up and rest peacefully. We'll take care of things on the project, you can rest assured."

Mu Li nodded gently and said no more. He closed his eyes, leaning in Zhao Yu's arms, slowly calming his breathing. The dull pain in his chest continued, but in his heart, he was always concerned about the progress of the two projects and the promotion of Nuclear Fusion Power Station technology.

The ambulance arrived quickly. Medical personnel jumped out and rushed into the temporary command center with emergency equipment. Seeing Mu Li on the floor with weak breath, they immediately began emergency resuscitation. ECG monitors, defibrillators, and other equipment were quickly in place. The medical staff's movements were skilled yet hurried, their faces full of gravity. After more than half an hour of emergency treatment, Mu Li's condition finally stabilized, and he was lifted onto the ambulance and rushed to a nearby hospital for further treatment. Upon arrival, the doctor immediately performed a comprehensive examination, including an ECG, cardiac ultrasound, and coronary CTA. Holding the examination report, the doctor said with a serious face to Zhao Yu and Lin Wei, who had rushed over later: "The patient's coronary heart disease has reached a very serious stage. The blockage in the left anterior descending and circumflex branches of the coronary artery both exceed 80%. This is a high-risk type of coronary heart disease. This time was a precursor to an acute myocardial infarction, and the myocardium has already shown signs of mild ischemic damage. Fortunately, he was brought in time; a few minutes later, and there would have been a large area of myocardial cell necrosis, leaving him beyond help."

After a pause, the doctor gave detailed instructions in a tone that brooked no argument: "First, he must be hospitalized immediately. Within three days, we will arrange for a coronary intervention surgery to implant stents and clear the blocked vessels. This is currently the most effective treatment to quickly relieve myocardial ischemia and prevent another episode. Second, he needs long-term rest after surgery, at least one month of bed rest. He absolutely cannot be overworked, stay up late, or get emotionally agitated. Even a slight emotional fluctuation could induce another heart attack, and we would be powerless then. Third, his diet must be light—low salt, low fat, and low sugar. Spicy, greasy, and high-cholesterol foods are strictly forbidden. He must quit smoking and drinking and control his weight. Fourth, take antiplatelet, lipid-lowering, and myocardial blood supply-improving medications on time. Monitor blood pressure and heart rate daily, have an ECG check-up every week, and a heart function check-up every month. If chest tightness, chest pain, dizziness, or fatigue occurs, call a doctor immediately. Fifth, during the subsequent recovery period, he cannot engage in strenuous exercise; he can perform gentle rehabilitation training under a doctor's guidance, such as slow walking, to avoid increasing the heart's burden. Additionally, this onset is directly related to long-term high-intensity work, high mental tension, and irregular eating. He must completely adjust his routine and work pace in the future and can no longer work as desperately as before. The body is the foundation; no matter how important the work is, it cannot be at the expense of health."

After hearing the doctor's words, Zhao Yu and Lin Wei were filled with worry, their faces becoming very heavy. Lin Wei immediately went to the ward. Looking at the weak Mu Li on the hospital bed, her eyes were red and her voice choked: "Engineer Mu, just focus on your treatment in the hospital. We will handle the project matters. Zhao Yu is in charge of the Longyuan Province project, and I'll handle the Yundian Province project. Along with the other team members, we will give our all. We won't let you down, and we certainly won't delay the project progress."

Mu Li slowly opened his eyes, looking at Lin Wei and Zhao Yu with a faint smile on his face, his tone gentle: "It's been hard on you all. With you here, I am at ease. The Longyuan Province project must speed up, while strictly controlling safety and quality; there can be no room for sloppiness. Also, have Director Zhang's team strengthen security. I have a feeling those people will make another move; they won't give up so easily. We must stay alert to prevent them from causing sabotage again."

"We understand. Don't worry, we will do all the work well and strengthen security to ensure those people have no opportunity to strike," Lin Wei nodded forcefully, holding back tears. "The most important thing for you right now is to treat your illness and rest well. Once you've recovered, come back and lead us to continue pushing the project forward."

Mu Li nodded gently, closed his eyes, and fell back into a deep sleep. He was too tired. The days of travel, high-intensity work, and repeated crises had exhausted all his energy. Now, under the torment of illness, he could finally temporarily set aside his concerns and have a good rest.

The news of Mu Li's hospitalization was quickly discovered by those with ulterior motives. In a luxury villa in Jing City, Zhou Mingyuan—the chairman of the traditional energy enterprise who had not yet been investigated—was sitting on a large leather sofa. Holding a glass of red wine, he watched the report on the nuclear fusion power station project on TV, a sinister smile appearing on his face. He picked up his phone and dialed a number, his tone cold and triumphant: "Mu Li is in the hospital. He had an acute onset of coronary heart disease and is in serious condition. This is a golden opportunity. I've already arranged the personnel. We strike tonight. Destroy the Longyuan Province project site for me. Smash all those construction machines. I want him to know that there's no good end for those who oppose me and fight me for interests!"

On the other end of the phone, a cold voice replied with a hint of fawning: "Chairman Zhou, don't worry. We've already arranged over a dozen professional hands, each with extraordinary skills. We guarantee the mission will be completed. However, Mu Li has a professional security team around him, including retired special forces personnel. Their defense is very tight. We need you to cooperate by diverting their attention so we can seize the chance to act and successfully complete the sabotage."

"No problem," Zhou Mingyuan sneered, his tone dismissive. "I'll have someone cause a stir at the Yundian Province project site—start a fire to draw their security forces there. When the time comes, the Longyuan Province project site will be vulnerable. You can take the opportunity to slip in and go all out. As long as you can destroy the project site, money is not an issue; I'll give you double the reward."

"Many thanks, Chairman Zhou! Rest assured, we definitely won't let you down!" the person on the other end said excitedly before hanging up.

After hanging up, the sinister smile on Zhou Mingyuan's face grew deeper. He gently swirled the red wine in his glass, his eyes full of resentment and spite: "Mu Li, you ruined my peers, ruined my interests, and hindered me from making a fortune. This time, let's see how you recover! Once I destroy your project, I'll see what capital you have left to be arrogant, and how you'll push your Nuclear Fusion Power Station technology!"

That night, the darkness was deep. The Yundian Province project site was silent. Most construction workers had already retired for the night, with only a few security guards patrolling the site. Suddenly, a piece of construction equipment parked in the equipment storage area caught fire. The fire spread rapidly, engulfing the entire machine in an instant. Thick smoke billowed and flames soared, lighting up the entire night sky.

"Fire! There's a fire! Quick, put it out!" The patrolling security guards discovered the fire and immediately shouted loudly. While organizing people to fight the fire, they called the fire department and reported the situation to the security captain. Upon learning of the situation, the security captain was anxious and immediately diverted most of the security personnel to the fire scene. He never imagined that this was a 'luring the tiger away from the mountain' ruse set by Zhou Mingyuan, aimed at drawing away the security forces to sabotage the Longyuan Province project site.

Meanwhile, on the Gobi Desert of Longyuan Province, the cold wind howled, and the night was as black as ink, so dark one couldn't see their own hand. Over a dozen masked men armed with machetes and iron rods took advantage of the night to sneak into the project site. They had a clear division of labor and moved quickly, heading straight for the construction equipment storage area. They took out tools they had brought and began to frantically sabotage the equipment—smashing the windows of excavators and loaders, puncturing tires, and denting the bodies with iron rods. The scene was filled with bursts of piercing roars and the sound of objects shattering, sounding particularly jarring on the silent Gobi Desert.

"Someone is sabotaging the equipment! Stop them!" A few security guards on patrol noticed the anomaly and immediately shouted, rushing forward without hesitation to engage the masked men in a fierce struggle. These guards were retired special forces personnel with strong combat capabilities and extraordinary skills. However, the opponents were numerous and acted ruthlessly with lethal moves. The guards gradually fell into a disadvantage, suffering various degrees of wounds, yet they still did not retreat, fighting with all their might to protect the construction equipment.