91: Chapter 91 Facing Danger with a Broken Body! Bearing Heavy Responsibilities Despite Severe Wounds, Showing True Heart in the Face of Crisis (1)

This peaceful period of recuperation lasted until the third week, when a sudden, powerful typhoon completely shattered the tranquility. This typhoon, codenamed "Hayan," swept across the southeast coast without warning, its gale-force winds and torrential rain raging across the land like a furious beast breaking free from its shackles. Outside the window, the howling wind sounded like wailing ghosts, and the rain lashed against the glass with a loud "pitter-patter," as if it would shatter the entire window the next second. In the distance by the sea, swaths of shelterbelts were snapped in half by the gale, broken branches and leaves swept high into the sky before being smashed back to the ground. Huge waves, like galloping wild horses, slammed against the embankment time and time again, emitting a deafening roar, with spray flying several feet high, swallowing everything on the shore. The nuclear fusion power station project, located deep within the coastal mountains, was being battered by this super typhoon, facing an unprecedented and severe test—it carried the heart and soul of Mu Li and his entire team for several years, and it was the top priority of the national core energy undertaking. It could not afford the slightest mistake, nor could it allow him to have half a moment of slack.

At eleven o'clock in the middle of the night, the phone in the recuperation residence suddenly rang urgently. "Ring—ring—ring—" The sharp ringing pierced through the noise of the storm, breaking the silence of the night, shattering the tranquility of the courtyard, and dragging Mu Li out of his half-awake state. At that time, he had just finished taking the pain relief and recuperation medication prescribed by the doctor and had carefully laid down. As the scabs on his back rubbed slightly against the bedding, a subtle stinging itch and a piercing, dull ache surfaced. The old injury in his lumbar spine was also acting up. He was closing his eyes, adjusting his breathing, and trying to alleviate the discomfort in his body. Hearing the ringing, he struggled to sit up almost instinctively.

This simple action of sitting up exhausted all his strength. A violent, stabbing pain instantly shot from his lumbar spine, as if a rusty steel saw were sawing back and forth on his bones, or as if countless steel needles were densely piercing into his muscles. He couldn't help but knit his brows tightly, his face turned pale in an instant, and his lips were subconsciously pressed tight, his breathing even becoming rapid. His right hand subconsciously supported his lower back, his fingertips exerting slight force, pressing his finger pads against the painful area to barely steady his frame. The burn on his back was pulled, sending a wave of tearing, excruciating pain. Cold sweat instantly oozed from his forehead, sliding down his temples and dripping onto his lapels, leaving a small damp patch. Even his fingertips trembled slightly from the pain.

He slowly extended his left hand and picked up the phone on the bedside table. As soon as the receiver touched his ear, the anxious and hoarse voice of Zhang Hongyuan came through. The voice was full of exhaustion and despair, mixed with the howling of the wind and the roar of equipment; clearly, he was speaking from the open-air area of the project site: "Engineer Mu! It's bad! It's really bad! The project site has been hit by a strong typhoon. The external cooling system of the core reactor has been completely destroyed by the gale. Now the temperature inside the reactor is continuously rising, having already broken through the warning threshold. If it goes any higher, it will hit the danger red line! Our technical team has gone all out, trying various emergency plans, adjusting loads, and temporarily plugging leaks, but none of it can effectively lower the temperature. If this continues, it is very likely to cause a leak in the core reactor, or even an explosion. The consequences would be unimaginable!"

"What?!" Mu Li's heart sank abruptly, as if falling into an ice cellar. He instantly forgot the severe pain in his body. The stinging pain in his back and the soreness in his lumbar spine seemed to be covered up by the burning anxiety in his heart, leaving only a heavy sense of gravity. He knew better than anyone that the core reactor was the heart of the entire nuclear fusion power station project, the result of the painstaking efforts of countless scientific researchers, and something he would protect with all his might—even if he had once suffered torture and imprisonment for it, he had never retreated a single step. Once a failure occurred, it would not only cause the entire project to be completely paralyzed and all previous investments to be wasted, but it would also cause devastating destruction to the surrounding ecological environment, threatening the safety of the lives and property of tens of thousands of residents. That was a consequence he could not accept no matter what. He gripped the phone tightly, his fingertips turning white from the force, his knuckles slightly protruding. His tone was urgent, but he forced himself to remain calm: "Engineer Zhang, don't panic first. The more critical the moment, the less we can be in chaos. Tell me immediately, what is the specific extent of the damage to the cooling system? What about the damage to the external cooling towers and connecting pipes, and why can't the emergency backup system start normally?"

A burst of rapid panting came from the other end of the receiver, along with the shouts of technical personnel. Zhang Hongyuan's voice carried a hint of choking, clearly pushed to the brink: "There are four external cooling towers in total, and three have been blown down by the gale. The remaining one is also severely tilted and could collapse at any time. There are fractures in many places on the pipes connecting the cooling system and the core reactor. The largest crack is as big as a fist. The coolant is leaking very seriously. The ground is covered with cold coolant; it's easy to slip just by stepping on it. We started the emergency backup system at the first opportunity, but the typhoon caused severe fluctuations in the surrounding power grid. The output power of the backup power supply is severely insufficient, only reaching thirty percent of the normal demand, which cannot meet the full-load operation requirements of the cooling system at all. Our technical team has tried their best. Everyone has been up for several hours without even drinking a sip of water, but still, we cannot control the rise in the temperature inside the reactor. Engineer Mu, everyone is panicking now. Only you can stabilize the situation on-site, only you can save the day!"

Mu Li took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and forced himself to calm down. His brain was spinning rapidly, past technical experience and emergency plans flashing quickly through his mind like scenes from a movie. He knew that every decision he made at this moment concerned the survival of the project and the safety of countless people; he could not be careless in the slightest. A moment later, he opened his eyes, his gaze as firm as steel—a firmness identical to the look in his eyes when he refused to bow his head while suffering torture in the basement. His tone was steady and powerful, transmitting a reassuring strength through the receiver: "Engineer Zhang, first stabilize the emotions of the team. Tell everyone not to panic. As long as we work together, we will definitely be able to resolve the crisis. You immediately arrange two things: First, let the technical team immediately troubleshoot the backup power supply problem. Focus on checking the lines and load distribution. See if we can prioritize power for the cooling system by temporarily reallocating the load and shutting down all non-essential auxiliary equipment, even if it can only temporarily slow down the rate of temperature rise. Second, immediately organize a capable emergency repair team. Put on protective gear and carry out emergency plugging on the leaking pipes. Use plugging blankets and sealant for temporary treatment first to minimize the loss of coolant. I am setting off for the project site right now. In three hours at most, I will definitely arrive!"

"Engineer Mu, no! Absolutely not!" Zhang Hongyuan hurriedly tried to dissuade him, his voice full of worry, his tone becoming increasingly urgent, "The typhoon is still raging outside. It's gale-force winds and torrential rain, visibility is less than a meter, and the mountain road to the project site is muddy. Everywhere there are uprooted big trees, power poles, and rubble. The road conditions are extremely dangerous, and landslides and mudslides could occur at any time. Even off-road vehicles can barely pass. Plus, your body has not recovered. Have you forgotten that you just walked out of the gates of hell and how serious your injuries are? The doctor repeatedly warned that you absolutely must not be stimulated again, must not be overworked, and definitely must not travel in such severe weather. If something goes wrong with your body and your injuries recur, it will be like adding frost to snow! Engineer Mu, we can think of other ways, or wait for technical support from headquarters. The headquarters' technical team is already on the way!"

"There's no time!" Mu Li interrupted Zhang Hongyuan, his tone exceptionally firm, leaving no room for discussion. His voice still carried a hint of hoarseness from the physical pain, yet it remained sonorous and powerful: "For every degree the temperature of the core reactor rises, the danger increases by a degree. For every minute we delay, there is an extra risk of explosion and leakage. The fastest technical support from headquarters will take at least three hours to arrive. We simply cannot wait, and we cannot afford to wait! Engineer Zhang, I am the general manager of this project. From project initiation and R&D to construction, I know every link like the back of my hand. This project is like my own child. Furthermore, I have endured torture without bowing my head to protect its core technology. Now that it is facing a crisis, how could I hide in a safe place and watch it fall into a desperate situation? At such a critical moment, I must be on-site, I must fight side-by-side with everyone!"

After hanging up the phone, Mu Li immediately got up to get dressed. His movements were exceptionally slow. Every action of raising his hand or bending his waist tugged at the burns on his back and the old injuries in his lumbar spine. The severe pain surged like a tide, one wave more violent than the last, making him gasp for air. The cold sweat on his forehead oozed more and more, sliding down his cheeks and dripping onto his lapels, blooming into a dark water stain. He gritted his teeth and pressed his lips tightly together, not letting out the slightest sound of pain. With his left hand supporting the wall, his right hand groped for his clothes with difficulty, his fingers trembling slightly from the pain and exertion. When fastening the buttons, he failed to align them with the buttonholes several times. The friction on his fingertips pulled at the marks, sending a subtle stinging pain, but he never gave up. His eyes were full of determination, without the slightest retreat—just like in the basement, facing Tiger Brother's torture, he had never bowed his head or yielded. At this moment, facing the crisis of the project and the severe pain in his body, he still chose to stand firm.

Doctor Li, the medical staff responsible for taking care of him, heard the commotion in the room and hurriedly threw on some clothes and ran in. Seeing Mu Li struggling to get dressed, his face full of anxiety, he quickly stepped forward to stop him, speaking in an urgent tone: "Mr. Mu, what are you doing? The typhoon is so strong outside, with gale-force winds and torrential rain, and the road conditions are extremely dangerous. You cannot go out! Your body still needs recuperation. The burns on your back haven't fully healed, and the old injury in your lumbar spine needs to be slowly adjusted. Have you forgotten the doctor's instructions? Going out like this could not only aggravate your injuries and make previous treatments go to waste, but it could also be life-threatening! Quickly lie back down. We can discuss anything slowly. If it really doesn't work, I will call headquarters and have them send someone else to the project site!"

Mu Li stopped his movements and slowly raised his head. Looking at Doctor Li's anxious eyes, a gentle yet firm smile appeared on his face. His tone was sincere, though his voice was somewhat weak due to his physical discomfort: "Doctor Li, I know you are doing this for my own good, and I know it's dangerous to go out, and I know my physical condition. But the project site is now facing a major crisis, and the core reactor could explode at any time. If something happens, the consequences will be unimaginable. I am the general manager of the project, and I am someone who has risked his life to protect its core technology. At such a time, I must go to the site. This is my responsibility, and it is also my mission. You don't need to follow me; it's too dangerous. Just prepare my first-aid kit, put more painkillers and hemostatic gauze in it. Also, contact the medical staff accompanying the project site and have them wait for me at the entrance of the main control building. Be ready for emergency treatment—I'm afraid I won't be able to hold on halfway, and I'm afraid my injuries will suddenly flare up when I arrive at the site."

Doctor Li looked at Mu Li's determined eyes, looked at the lingering pallor on his face, and looked at his fingertips trembling slightly from pain. His heart was full of heartache, but he also knew his personality—once he made up his mind, he would never easily change it. No amount of persuasion would be of any use. He shook his head helplessly, his eyes full of heartache, but could only nod: "Okay, I will go and prepare the first-aid kit for you right now. But Mr. Mu, you must promise me that once you arrive at the site, you must not be overworked. Once you feel physical discomfort, once the pain in your wounds intensifies, you must contact me immediately. You must take good care of yourself and don't push yourself any further! Your life was hard-won!"

"I promise you." Mu Li nodded and said in a firm tone, but he knew in his heart that once he arrived at the site and faced the project's crisis, he simply couldn't stop his steps, and he simply couldn't not push himself—just like back in the basement, facing torture, he was clearly in so much pain he was about to faint, yet he still held on and refused to bow his head.

A few minutes later, Doctor Li handed a heavy first-aid kit to Mu Li. After repeatedly urging him with a few precautions and giving him a strong painkiller, he watched him walk out of the room with reluctance. Mu Li took the first-aid kit and stepped out of the recuperation residence's door. With every step he took, the old injury in his lumbar spine sent a dull ache, and the burns on his back also throbbed. He could only slightly bend over, his left hand supporting his lower back, moving forward with difficulty. As soon as he pushed open the door, a gust of gale-force wind mixed with rain instantly swept in, smashing fiercely against him. The bean-sized raindrops hit his face and body, causing sharp pain. His clothes were instantly soaked through by the rain and stuck tightly to his body. The cold rainwater slid down his neck, soaking the clothes on his back and stimulating the unhealed burns, sending a piercing, stinging pain, like ice water being poured onto a wound, making him shiver involuntarily, his muscles twitching slightly from the pain.