145: Chapter 145 Countdown: Ten Seconds

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Li Li stopped in the middle of the 34th Floor corridor.

His fire axe was pressed against his right leg, and the camera on his chest was still swaying.

Zhong Ji, bracing against the fire hose, took half a step forward.

"Should we still go over?"

Li Li raised his hand and pressed it backward.

"Don't move."

Zhong Ji stopped immediately.

Behind that utility room door at the end of the corridor, it was quiet for two seconds.

Soon, there were three more knocks.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

They were faster than before.

Li Li pressed his radio.

"At the east end of the 34th Floor, there's a persistent knocking response. If this isn't a pre-set location, verify the personnel immediately."

The radio crackled.

Cheng Songyan replied quickly.

"Wait where you are. The Second Team is already on their way up."

Li Li didn't move.

He looked at the smoke.

After breaking the window, the smoke should have been venting outward.

But black smoke was still pushing out from under that door, and there were gray-black carbon deposits along the edges of the door gap.

Something was wrong.

Training smoke was only meant to be choking.

This stuff was trying to kill someone.

Li Li pressed the radio again.

"Captain Cheng, there is an independent source of smoke behind the door where the knocking is coming from. The smoke in the door gap is deepening. I request confirmation of the entire list of pre-set casualties for the 34th Floor."

The command area downstairs was silent for a few seconds.

Another commander cut into the channel.

"There are no trapped personnel locations on the 34th Floor."

Zhong Ji cursed inside his mask.

"Damn. What's going on?"

Li Li raised his hand and knocked on the wall next to the door frame.

"If the person inside can hear me, knock twice."

There was a pause of two seconds behind the door.

Thump.

Thump.

The livestream chat exploded.

[Not an NPC?]

[Holy crap, there's actually someone in there?]

[Production Team, don't scare me!]

[Isn't this supposed to be a drill?]

Li Li crouched down and nudged the area below the door handle with the tip of his axe.

A piece of a metal zip tie fell out.

This wasn't firefighting training equipment.

What kind of drill puts zip ties on the outside of a door?

This wasn't a drill.

This was helping the King of Hell meet his quota.

Li Li tilted the camera on his chest down by half an inch, aiming it at the floor.

"Production Team, switch my livestream to the exterior camera feed."

In his earpiece, Director Pei Zhao's voice had changed.

"Li Li, what's happening over there?"

"There may be a real trapped person."

The command area downstairs erupted.

Station Chief Chen Tao grabbed the radio.

"Li Li, hold your position and wait for the extraction team!"

Cheng Songyan also cut into the channel.

"Do not go in alone! Do you hear me!"

Li Li looked at the black smoke emerging from the door gap.

"We can't wait that long."

Station Chief Chen Tao slammed the table.

"That is an order!"

Li Li didn't argue back.

People who acted recklessly in a fire would eventually be carried out by their teammates and written into training modules, usually under a less-than-flattering title.

He turned to look at Zhong Ji.

"Keep the water pressure steady. Aim the nozzle at the bottom edge of the door. As soon as the door opens, suppress the bottom area first."

Zhong Ji braced the water nozzle.

"Understood."

"I'll breach the door, but don't follow me in. If there's someone behind the door, I'll drag them out. If there's fire, you suppress it."

"Your left hand is still injured."

"That's why I'm using my right hand."

Zhong Ji didn't respond for a moment.

In the main livestream, official alerts began flooding the screen.

[Please do not post irrelevant comments]

[Is this a real emergency now?]

[We want to see Li Li!]

[Why did the camera go black!]

Li Li pressed the back of his axe against the zip tie.

Once.

It didn't break.

Again.

The metal clasp snapped open and hit the floor.

Urgent pounding on the door came from inside.

"Stop pounding! Get back!"

Li Li roared, bracing his right foot against the bottom of the door while pressing the back of his hand against the door panel.

The top half was hot.

The bottom half was still touchable.

There was fire inside, but it wasn't right against the door.

It could be opened.

He pulled the door open a crack.

Black smoke rushed out.

Zhong Ji immediately suppressed it with water, the stream sweeping into the gap at the bottom of the door, and white steam billowed out.

Li Li didn't crawl inside.

He used the axe handle to prop the door open, just a palm's width.

Someone inside coughed twice.

"Help... help me..."

As soon as that voice emerged, the command area went completely silent.

Station Chief Chen Tao stood before the screen, his clipboard frozen in his hand.

Cheng Songyan turned and rushed toward the stairwell.

Zhang Yu blocked him.

"Do you not want your waist anymore?"

Cheng Songyan tried to shake him off, but Zhang Yu pressed down on his shoulder.

"Li Li is up there."

Cheng Songyan gritted his teeth and pressed the radio.

"Li Li, report the situation!"

"Real trapped person, one, utility room. Locked from the outside, fire inside, situation is abnormal."

Li Li pressed the camera firmly against his chest.

"Don't film inside the door for the livestream."

Director Pei Zhao reacted quickly.

The main livestream switched to the exterior drone footage.

Li Li's first-person perspective was still on, showing only the front of his turnout gear and swirling water vapor.

The chat scrolled even faster.

[He covered the lens!]

[Don't film the casualty, that's good handling]

[Who said this was scripted earlier?]

[This reaction is too fast]

Li Li pulled the door open a bit further, lowered his body, and reached his right hand with the axe inside first.

No obstruction.

He half-knelt into the utility room, his right shoulder bracing against the door frame.

The room wasn't large.

A middle-aged man was lying by the wall, his work pants pinned by the leg of a metal tool cabinet, his hard hat rolling nearby.

There was fire in the corner, burning cardboard boxes and plastic packaging.

But the real trouble wasn't the fire.

Next to the ventilation duct, a small black box was attached.

A red light was flashing on the box.

Li Li's hand paused for a split second.

He had seen this type of setup before.

In that criminal investigation photo from this morning, next to the SUV remote control module, there was this same aftermarket style.

That group from overseas really didn't pick their days.

Others were holding drills.

They were holding team-building events.

How damn wicked!

Li Li pressed the radio.

"Captain Cheng, I've discovered non-drill electronic equipment on the 34th Floor, located at the ventilation duct of the east utility room. It's suspected to be a remote ignition or air valve control device."

Li Li paused.

"It could even be an explosive device."

The radio crackled with noise.

Station Chief Chen Tao's order came down like a hammer.

"Drill suspended! The whole building is now a real emergency! Technical team, bomb disposal, and public security, coordinate immediately!"

In the plaza outside the building, Director Pei Zhao took off half his headset.

"Bomb disposal?"

The executive director beside him felt his legs go weak and grabbed the railing.

"Director Pei, has this show of ours turned up the intensity a bit too much?"

Director Pei Zhao turned his head and roared.

"Shut up! All camera crews, obey the fire department command! Anyone who switches the feed randomly can donate their own year-end bonus!"

The Production Team didn't care about ratings at this moment.

They just wanted to get off work alive.

Inside the utility room.

Li Li tapped the man in the work uniform on the shoulder.

"Can you hear me? How many people are there?"

The man coughed, his chest heaving.

"Just... me... property maintenance..."

"Can you move your leg?"

"It's stuck..."

Li Li looked at the cabinet leg.

The bottom of the tool cabinet was deformed, pinning the pant leg and the outside of the man's lower leg.

The weight wasn't excessive, but the angle had it locked tight.

He couldn't exert force with his left hand.

This was troublesome.

Li Li turned and shouted.

"Zhong Ji, control the fire from the doorway, don't come in. Use the water stream to suppress the fire in the corner, but avoid that box at the ventilation duct."

Zhong Ji immediately adjusted the nozzle.

"Received."

The water stream swept over, and the flames were suppressed a bit.

Li Li jammed the axe underneath the cabinet leg and braced the handle with his right knee.

"Brother, don't move around, even if it hurts."

The man nodded, coughing too hard to speak.

Li Li pressed down on the axe handle with his right arm.

The cabinet leg lifted.

The man immediately tried to pull his leg out.

The pant leg was caught on the sheet metal and didn't come free.

Li Li clicked his tongue.

"The quality of these pants is quite loyal; they're refusing to leave you behind."

The man wanted to laugh from the pain but ended up coughing again.

Li Li held the axe steady, pulled out the rope cutter from his waist, and sliced open the pant leg.

"Don't feel bad about it. Go get reimbursed by the property management later; it's a work-related injury, just follow the procedure."

The man squeezed out a few words through his teeth.

"I'm... a temp worker..."

Li Li's movements paused for half a second.

"Then that's even more reason to file a claim. Temp workers are people too, not disposable chopsticks."

The pant leg was cut open.

The lower leg was pulled free.

Li Li grabbed the man's suspenders and dragged him toward the door.

In a real fire, you get out of the danger zone first and worry about the rest later.

Zhong Ji backed up half a step, the water nozzle still suppressing the fire.

Li Li dragged the man out of the doorway and immediately clamped a spare emergency escape mask onto his face.

The man pressed his hands firmly against the edge of the mask.

"Breathe slowly, don't rush. They don't charge express fees for air."

The man nodded, catching his breath.

Li Li pressed the radio.

"Casualty has been brought out to the utility room door. Conscious, leg contusion, smoke inhalation. Need a stretcher."

Footsteps came from the stairwell.

The Second Team had arrived.

The team leader was Level 4 Commander Qi Fei from the station, followed by two firefighters.

As soon as Qi Fei entered, he saw the real casualty on the floor.

His facial muscles twitched, and he immediately crouched down to check.

"Real injury?"

Li Li stepped aside.

"Real injury. Don't touch the black box in the ventilation duct inside."

Qi Fei turned to look at the utility room.

"What box?"

"I don't know. I'm afraid it's not anything good."

Qi Fei's hand froze.

"That's even scarier than the fire."

The two firefighters lifted the casualty onto the stretcher.

As the man was being lifted, he suddenly grabbed Li Li's sleeve.

"There was a person... wearing a hat and an ID badge. An hour ago, they said the air valve was broken and affecting the drill, and told me to come open it... I came in, and they locked the door..."

Li Li crouched down.

"Man or woman?"

"A man... janitor's uniform... his Mandarin wasn't very smooth..."

Li Li didn't continue asking.

The camera was still on.

Some information couldn't be fed to the livestream.

He patted the edge of the stretcher.

"You go down first. Let the professionals handle finding him."

The casualty was carried away.

Zhong Ji stood by, his voice dropping a little.

"Mandarin wasn't smooth? This wasn't here for the drill, was it?"

Li Li looked at the black box in the utility room.

"It's also possible they were here for me."

Zhong Ji couldn't help himself.

"Brother Li, isn't the scope of the business you're being targeted for a bit too broad now? You can even have enemies interrupt a fire drill?"

"Can't help it, I have a lot of fans."

"You call these fans?"

"Global haters are fans too."

Zhong Ji was choked up.

The livestream couldn't hear the full conversation, only a few words, but the chat had already exploded to the point of throttling.

[Mandarin not smooth?]

[Here for Li Li?]

[Participating in a firefighting variety show and getting international server matchmaking?]

[Squid Spy's strict father: Child is being disobedient again]

[Stop with the memes, my hair is standing on end]

Downstairs.

Gu Zeyan and Han Su had already transported the two-hundred-pound casualty to the 11th floor.

When "Drill suspended" came over the radio, both of them stopped at the same time.

Han Su leaned against the stair railing, sweat dripping down.

"Something really happened?"

Gu Zeyan looked up at the floors above.

This time, he didn't look for the camera, nor did he say anything pretty.

He readjusted his carrying strap and let the 'casualty', the big guy, down.

"The drill is suspended. Let's head downstairs first."

Han Su glanced at him.

"Fine."

The billing, trending searches, and stealing the spotlight that the Company had taught him were paper-thin in front of that black box on the 34th Floor.

The fire scene didn't recognize fame.

The fire scene only recognized the living.

At the door of the 34th Floor utility room.

Qi Fei's team members took over fire control from Zhong Ji.

Li Li retreated to the other side of the corridor, took off his chest camera, and covered the lens with his glove.

Director Pei Zhao was anxious in the earpiece.

"Li Li, did you turn it off?"

"No, I just covered it."

"Why?"

"There is something inside that isn't suitable for broadcasting. Director Pei, do you want ratings, or do you want the platform to be summoned for questioning?"

Director Pei Zhao paused for a second.

"Keep it covered, you must."

"Very sensible."

"I thank you for the compliment."

Cheng Songyan's heavy breathing squeezed through the radio.

"I've reached the 29th floor."

Li Li replied immediately.

"Don't come up."

"I am the team leader."

"You are a patient with a lumbar injury."

"Shut up."

The radio was silent for two seconds.

Zhang Yu's voice cut in.

"Cheng Songyan, stay on the 29th floor to provide support."

Cheng Songyan didn't argue back.

"Received."

Li Li looked back at the utility room.

The fire in the corner had been extinguished.

But the red light on the black box was flashing faster.

Thump.

Thump.

The frequency had changed.

Li Li raised his hand to signal everyone to retreat.

Qi Fei immediately stopped his team members.

"Retreat! Stay away from the ventilation duct!"

Li Li crouched down, picked up a piece of broken glass from the floor, and from half a meter away, nudged the wire next to the black box.

The wire didn't break.

The box's screen lit up.

It wasn't a countdown.

It was an incoming call interface.

The number was hidden.

A line of characters popped up at the bottom of the screen.

Li Li took a glance.

Hebrew.

He pressed the radio.

"Station Chief Chen, notify Public Security to lock down all surveillance of entrances and exits around the building. The suspect may still be inside."

Station Chief Chen Tao replied immediately.

"Received!"

Qi Fei looked at him.

"You can read that?"

Li Li dropped the broken glass on the floor.

"I know a little."

Zhong Ji added dryly.

"Your 'a little' is usually more than just a little."

Li Li didn't respond.

Because the box's screen flickered.

The call connected automatically.

First, there was a burst of static from the speaker.

Then, a processed male voice rang out.

"Li Li, hello."

"Goodbye."

All movement in the corridor stopped.

Li Li raised his hand and brought the radio close to his mouth.

"Everyone evacuate the 34th Floor."

The box's screen switched from the call interface to red numbers.

00:10

00:09

Li Li turned around, raised his arms, and shoved Qi Fei and Zhong Ji hard.

"Run!"