206: Chapter 205 Mystery in the Snowy Night! Chasing Shadows and Unraveling the Mystery, Rescuing People from a Dangerous Building (4)

The debris was piled thick, filled with heavy furniture, sharp bricks, and deep snow, making the clearing process extremely difficult. The team members used Xuanguang Cutting Equipment to cut large pieces of furniture into small chunks and moved them one by one. Their fingers were cut by sharp bricks, and blood seeped out, instantly freezing into scabs in the low temperature. Despite the bone-chilling cold, they didn't care at all and continued to speed up the clearing. The wounds on their hands were soaked in snow, causing bursts of stinging pain, yet not a single person stopped. They had only one thought in mind—to rescue the trapped people as quickly as possible and keep them out of danger. After ten minutes of intense clearing, the debris at the entrance was finally cleared, revealing a tightly shut bedroom door. The door was deformed and could not be opened normally, so the team members used Xuanguang Cutting Equipment to gently cut the lock and carefully opened the bedroom door.

Mu Li gently pushed open the bedroom door and saw an elderly couple and a young child inside. They were huddled in a corner, covered with thick quilts that had a thin layer of snow on them. The quilts had frozen stiff. Their faces were pale, their lips purple, and their bodies trembled uncontrollably from the cold. Their teeth chattered, and their eyes were filled with fear and despair. Their faces were covered in tear stains, clearly having been trapped for a long time and having endured immense fear and cold. Seeing Mu Li and the team members, a light of hope instantly ignited in their eyes, and tears couldn't help but stream down their wrinkled cheeks, dripping onto their cold hands. The grandmother reached out a stiff, frozen hand and said in a weak but grateful voice, "Save... save us... thank you... we thought... we thought we'd never see the light of day again..."

Mu Li stepped forward quickly, squatted down, and carefully held the grandmother's cold hand. The Xuanguang Energy within him circulated slightly, and a gentle golden light passed through his palm, dispelling the chill in her hand. His voice was soft but firm: "Grandpa, Grandma, don't be afraid. We are rescuers, and we're here to save you. You'll be out soon, and you'll definitely be fine." The team members also stepped forward immediately, taking off their own warm coats to wrap around the elderly couple and the child. They took out compressed biscuits and warm water they carried and carefully fed them. The child, who had been crying from hunger with a bright red nose from the cold, gradually quieted down after taking a sip of warm water. The child's gaze became much gentler, and they gripped a team member's sleeve tightly, as if grasping a lifesaver.

"The child has some frostbite and dehydration; we need to get them to the Temporary Medical Point as soon as possible," a team member said urgently after checking the child's condition. Mu Li nodded and signaled the team members to escort them carefully. He personally supported the grandfather, while the team members carried the child and supported the grandmother, walking carefully toward the rescue passage. Concrete chunks continued to fall in the hallway, and the floor shook from time to time. The team members used the xuanguang shield to protect the elderly and the child, slowing their pace and moving steadily step by step, avoiding debris and broken glass on the ground, fearing they might accidentally hurt them. Every step was taken with extreme caution.

Just as they were about to exit the rescue passage, the building suddenly shook violently. Accompanied by a piercing "creak," a large number of concrete blocks fell from the ceiling, slamming into the xuanguang shield with loud "thuds." Ripples appeared on the surface of the shield, and energy fluctuations instantly became intense. [System Prompt: Sudden change in structural stability detected. Cracks have appeared in the load-bearing walls. Remaining support time is less than 30 minutes! Please speed up the rescue and evacuate immediately!] The system prompt sounded urgently in his mind, carrying a strong warning.

"Everyone, speed up! The building is going to collapse!" Mu Li shouted. The Xuanguang Energy within him erupted fully, and the golden light around him became even more dazzling, firmly protecting the elderly and the child behind him while urging the team members to quicken their pace. The team members didn't dare to delay for a second. Carrying the child and supporting the elderly, they rushed out of the rescue passage. Just as they stepped out, a deafening roar came from behind them. One side of the residential building's wall collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust and snow that caused everyone to cough violently. The already tilted building's angle became even steeper, looking as if it would completely collapse at any moment.

The Medical Team led by Su Qing was already waiting in the safe zone. Seeing them come out, they immediately came forward, skillfully checking the elderly and the child, clearing the snow and dust from their faces, applying ointment to frostbitten areas, and wrapping them in warm bandages. They then fed them warm ginger tea, performing the series of operations in an orderly, professional, and meticulous manner. But Mu Li's gaze never left her. He clearly saw that while Su Qing was applying ointment to the child, her eyes still occasionally glanced toward the operating Xuanguang Energy Barrier Equipment, and her fingers subconsciously fumbled with the phone in her pocket. She was clearly still thinking about stealing the technology. She even tried to sneak closer to the equipment during a gap while the team members were escorting the elderly and children to rest, wanting to observe the equipment's control panel, but was quietly stopped by the team members led by Li Kai.

"Dr. Su, this is the core rescue area. The equipment is in operation and there are energy fluctuations. For your safety, please return to the Temporary Medical Point." Li Kai's tone was flat, his face expressionless, yet it carried an undeniable firmness as he blocked Su Qing's path. Two other team members also quietly surrounded her, forming a barrier and completely cutting off any possibility of her approaching the equipment. The smile on Su Qing's face stiffened for a moment, and a flash of displeasure crossed her eyes, but she quickly masked it, nodding and saying in a gentle tone, "Alright, sorry for the trouble. I'll head back now." After saying that, she turned back to the Temporary Medical Point, yet she still looked back from time to time, her eyes filled with resentment and urgency.

Mu Li watched this scene and sneered inwardly. Lin Wei's impatience was gradually showing; the more she was like this, the easier it would be for her to reveal a flaw. He retracted his gaze and immediately threw himself back into the subsequent search and rescue work, leading his team members into the building time and again to rescue the remaining trapped people. The environment inside the building became increasingly dangerous. Floor slabs continued to break, walls kept collapsing, and the light of the Xuanguang Energy Barrier gradually dimmed. The energy consumption rate far exceeded expectations. [System Prompt: Remaining energy of the Xuanguang Energy Barrier is less than 50%. Please replenish energy as soon as possible, or speed up the rescue progress to avoid barrier failure and building collapse.]

"Group One, replenish the energy for the Xuanguang Energy Barrier immediately! Group Two, coordinate with us and speed up the search and rescue. We must rescue all trapped people before the barrier fails!" Mu Li shouted the order, his tone urgent but firm. The team members acted immediately. Group One quickly replenished the equipment's energy, while Group Two followed Mu Li back into the rescue passage, heading toward the floors that hadn't been searched yet. They moved through deformed corridors, cleared fallen debris, and called out the names of the trapped people, not missing a single corner. Even small storage rooms and bathrooms were carefully inspected for fear of missing anyone.

Minutes and seconds ticked by, and trapped people were rescued one after another. Some were frozen stiff, some were injured by falling debris, and some had fallen into a coma. The Medical Team remained at the Temporary Medical Point, racing against time to treat the injured. Su Qing continued to act very professionally, calmly directing the medical staff to treat wounds, provide warmth, and perform emergency aid. However, her gaze never left the xuanguang equipment. Occasionally, she would use the opportunity of checking an injured person to try and get close to the equipment, only to be quietly blocked by the team members.

Just as the Xuanguang Energy Barrier's remaining energy dropped below 20% and was about to fail, Mu Li led the team to rescue the last trapped person—a disabled man with mobility issues. He was trapped in a fourth-floor bathroom, his leg injured by falling debris, making him unable to walk. His face was filled with pain and fear. The team members carefully placed him on a stretcher and rushed out of the rescue passage. Just as they left, the Xuanguang Energy Barrier instantly failed, the golden light completely dissipated, and the entire old residential building collapsed with a roar. It kicked up a cloud of snow and dust, instantly turning into a pile of ruins and making it impossible for people to open their eyes.

"All civilians have been rescued! No casualties!" the team members shouted excitedly, their faces showing exhausted but relieved smiles. The tension and fatigue of the past few days vanished at this moment. Mu Li breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing. A wave of exhaustion instantly washed over him, and the pain from his old injury returned. He endured it without showing any sign, his gaze sweeping over the 23 rescued people. Seeing the color gradually returning to their faces, a warm current rose in his heart—all the effort had not been in vain; they had successfully protected these lives.

Just then, Mu Li's communicator suddenly rang. It was a message from Zhao Gang, his tone urgent and serious: "Engineer Mu, this is bad! We've arrived at the villages in the Qiandongnan Mountains. The villages are buried under heavy snow. We found traces of the villagers, but... near the village, we discovered signs of the Void Temple and energy fluctuations from xuanguang equipment. It seems someone is stealing the emergency xuanguang equipment within the village. Furthermore, we checked the identities of those three suspicious individuals. Two are peripheral members of the Void Temple, and the other... their identity is still unclear, but it's certain they are related to Lin Wei!"

Mu Li's heart sank instantly, and his expression turned grave. As expected, the Void Temple didn't just have Lin Wei lying in wait; they weren't just eyeing the xuanguang equipment at the rescue site, they had also targeted the emergency equipment in remote villages. This was clearly a premeditated plan to steal Xuanguang Technology on all fronts. He instinctively looked toward Su Qing at the Temporary Medical Point. Su Qing seemed to sense his gaze and looked up, giving him a gentle smile, though a trace of indiscernible panic was hidden in her eyes. Clearly, she had also received word from the Void Temple.

[System Prompt: Abnormal mobile signal detected from Su Qing. Data is being transmitted to an unknown number. The content is suspected to be exterior photos of xuanguang equipment and the layout of the rescue site. Some transmitted data has been intercepted, confirming it matches the Void Temple's communication channel. It can be determined that Su Qing is Lin Wei in disguise. Her true purpose is to steal Xuanguang Reinforcement Equipment and Emergency Energy Technology, assisting the Void Temple in seizing xuanguang equipment from remote villages.]

The doubts in Mu Li's heart completely dissipated. Lin Wei's identity was confirmed, and her plot was now laid bare. He noncommittally signaled Li Kai, passing on the cue for action, then slowly walked toward the Temporary Medical Point with a faint smile and a calm tone: "Dr. Su, thank you for your hard work. All the trapped people have been rescued with no casualties, thanks to your timely treatment."

Lin Wei put down the first-aid equipment, still wearing a gentle smile, and said softly: "Engineer Mu is too kind; it's what I should do. Being able to successfully rescue everyone is what matters most." Her fingers instinctively tightened around the phone in her pocket, and a flicker of indiscernible vigilance flashed in her eyes. She was clearly prepared for any sudden situation; once her identity was exposed, she would evacuate immediately, and might even resort to desperate measures, harming those around her.

Mu Li walked up to her and suddenly stopped. His tone turned icy, and his gaze became as sharp as a knife as he stared her down, saying word by word: "Lin Wei, stop acting. Did you think you could fool everyone by disguising yourself as Su Qing? The Void Temple's Disguise Gel might be impressive, but it can't change your deep-seated habits, nor can it change your communication signal with the Void Temple. Your plot to steal Xuanguang Technology and assist your accomplices in seizing the village's xuanguang equipment has been exposed."

The smile on Lin Wei's face froze instantly, her gentle mask completely shattering. A flash of shock crossed her eyes, quickly replaced by coldness and greed. She slowly removed her mask and goggles, revealing her original appearance—her features still held a touch of coldness, but they lacked the feigned gentleness and gained a bit of ruthlessness. She gave a cold laugh, her voice freezing: "Mu Li, I didn't expect you to recognize me so quickly. You truly are the core engineer of the Xuanguang Energy Base. Since you've found me out, I'll stop pretending. That's right, I am Lin Wei. I came here to steal Xuanguang Technology and seize xuanguang equipment for the Void Temple. You can't stop us!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Wei suddenly pulled a Xuanguang Pistol from the medical kit and aimed it at an injured child nearby, her gaze ruthless: "Mu Li, if you don't want anything to happen to this child, have your team step aside immediately. Hand over the Core Components of the Xuanguang Reinforcement Equipment and tell me the Core Data of the Emergency Energy Technology. Otherwise, I'll kill him!"

The team members immediately raised their Xuanguang Weapons and aimed them at Lin Wei, their eyes wary, but they didn't dare to act rashly for fear she would harm the child. Mu Li's gaze turned cold instantly, and a fire of rage ignited within him, but he suppressed his agitation, speaking in a steady voice: "Lin Wei, don't be impulsive! Put down the weapon and release the child. You have nowhere left to run. The Void Temple's plot is destined to fail. If you surrender now, you can still fight for leniency; otherwise, suffer the consequences!"

Lin Wei sneered, her finger on the trigger, her gaze growing even more ruthless: "Leniency? Since I dared to come, I never planned on going back alive! Mu Li, I'll give you one last chance. Either hand over the Core Components and data, or I'll kill this child, and we'll all go down together!" At this critical moment, Mu Li's communicator rang again. It was an urgent message from Zhao Gang: "Engineer Mu, we have controlled the peripheral members of the Void Temple and recovered the stolen xuanguang equipment. We are heading to support you now!"

Mu Li felt a surge of joy, but his expression remained grave. He slowly raised his hand, signaling the team members not to be impulsive, then said to Lin Wei: "Fine, I agree. I'll give you the Core Components and data, but you must release the child first and ensure his safety. Otherwise, I will never compromise!" As he spoke, he secretly signaled Li Kai to take the opportunity to act. Li Kai understood immediately and quietly shifted his steps, circling behind Lin Wei, his eyes alert, ready to launch an attack at any moment to seize the pistol and rescue the child.

A flash of hesitation crossed Lin Wei's eyes. She knew Mu Li wouldn't compromise easily, and she knew Zhao Gang would arrive soon. She had no time to delay. Gritting her teeth, she said: "Fine, I'll trust you this once. Hand over the Core Components and data first. Once I have them, I'll release the child!" In the moment she was distracted, Li Kai suddenly attacked. The Xuanguang Energy within him erupted as a golden beam shot toward the pistol in Lin Wei's hand. With a "bang," the pistol was knocked away, falling into the snow. Lin Wei was struck with panic and tried to grab the gun, but Mu Li pinned her shoulder. The Xuanguang Energy in his body instantly surged into hers, suppressing her movements and leaving her unable to budge.

"You dare trick me!" Lin Wei shouted angrily, her gaze ruthless as she struggled desperately, but she could not break free from Mu Li's restraint. Her face was full of resentment and rage. "Mu Li, don't get cocky. The Void Temple won't let you off. They will send more people to seize the Xuanguang Technology. Sooner or later, you will be defeated by us!"

Mu Li gave a cold laugh, his tone icy: "The Void Temple's plot will never succeed. We will guard Xuanguang Technology and protect our Home. We won't let your schemes prevail. Take her away, keep her under strict watch, thoroughly investigate her connection with the Void Temple, find more hidden accomplices, and stop their next move!"

The team members immediately stepped forward, took out restraint bands, and bound Lin Wei tightly before taking her away under guard. Mu Li walked quickly to the child's side, carefully picking him up and checking his condition. Only after confirming the child was uninjured did he breathe a sigh of relief, a gentle smile appearing on his face. The child clung tightly to Mu Li's neck, a trace of fear still in his eyes, but he no longer cried, whispering: "Thank you, Uncle."

Just then, Zhao Gang arrived at the scene with his team. Their faces were full of exhaustion, yet they remained high-spirited: "Engineer Mu, we're here. The peripheral members of the Void Temple have been controlled, and the stolen xuanguang equipment has been recovered. There are no casualties."

Mu Li nodded, a look of relief on his face: "Good, thank you for your hard work. Lin Wei has been captured. Next, what we must do is thoroughly investigate all hidden accomplices, reinforce the security of the xuanguang equipment, and ensure Xuanguang Technology isn't leaked. Meanwhile, we'll continue the rescue efforts, help more trapped people, and protect every inch of Xiangnan Province, safeguarding the warmth and light of millions."

The wind and snow showed no signs of stopping. Icy flakes mixed with the cold wind lashed against their faces, but they couldn't stop the determined steps of the rescuers. The emergency lights at the temporary rescue point remained lit, like stars in the dark, illuminating the busy figures of the rescuers and the path of hope. Looking at the team members fighting alongside him, the rescued people, and the captured Lin Wei, Mu Li's conviction grew stronger—no matter how great the difficulty or how powerful the enemy, they would remain true to their original intention and go all out. They would use Xuanguang Technology to protect all life and use their firm belief to repel all dangers, safeguarding the peace of this land. And the Void Temple's plot had only just been partially revealed; a greater crisis was still quietly brewing. They had to remain vigilant at all times, prepared to meet new challenges.