"What’s the matter??"
Li Bin’s heart skipped a beat, a terrible premonition rising within him.
The firefighter quickly reported, "We can’t reach Team Three."
When firefighters enter a fire scene, they all carry walkie-talkies, which allow them to communicate with each other and with the outside world amidst the dense smoke and raging flames.
They could contact Team Three just now, but after the explosion, there’s no response...
Li Bin’s heart sank further; he didn’t dare to think more about it.
At the same time, two firefighters ran over, one jumping down from the fire truck.
Watching them run towards him, Li Bin felt his heart sink with each of their steps.
The firefighter who jumped from the fire truck reached him first, reporting, "Captain, the fire’s intensity is far beyond our expectations. I’m worried the water supply in the fire truck won’t be enough. There are no hydrants nearby. To restock water, we need to go to the old neighborhood gate—I saw a hydrant there. Should we send one truck to hold the line while the other goes for a refill?"
After this report.
The other firefighter immediately added, "Captain, the time we estimated for this rescue operation is exceeded, and our oxygen supply is running low."
It never rains but it pours.
Li Bin felt all the adverse factors converging at once, seeing the fire engulfing the entire building. His heart sank to the bottom.
The ferocious flames had swallowed both the first and sixth floors.
Now the whole building was on fire.
At every window...
Thick smoke was billowing out from both the apartments and the hallways, with occasional bursts of bright red flames shooting out.
It’s daunting!
Li Bin felt completely overwhelmed.
Earlier, he hadn’t panicked because he believed that even an explosion in the fire scene might not necessarily harm the firefighters.
But now, the inability to contact Team Three clearly indicated the severity of the situation.
And there were so many more adverse factors.
Without two fire trucks tackling this inferno simultaneously, the fire would certainly get out of control. One truck alone couldn’t handle it. If one truck braved holding the fire while the other refilled water, the building might be completely burnt down by the time water was restocked.
Despite his turmoil, Li Bin’s mind remained clear.
He knew they were not only racing against time but to save people, they needed to control the fire with two trucks’ water supply, and rescue those still trapped before the remaining oxygen ran out.
He had to make a judgment.
Were the firefighters from Team Three and the two remaining residents awaiting rescue already dead from the explosion? In other words, did sending people into the fire scene still matter?
Were they still alive?
Who should be sent?
...
Numerous questions flooded Li Bin’s mind. He knew the value of time but looking at the roaring fire and his team of living firefighters before him, he found it hard to make a decision.
At this moment.
A firefighter shouted, "Hey, hey, this area is cordoned off. Can’t you see? You can’t come in!"
Many eyes were drawn to the scene involuntarily, only to see a young man carrying large bags, already stepping over the cordon, stopped by two firefighters.
This young man was none other than Lin Beichen, who came searching for "heavenly treasures."
Even before getting close, he had seen the smoke billowing into the sky and understood what was happening.
No heavenly treasures, just a fire!
Nevertheless, keen to understand the fire element better and explore its various characteristics,
he didn’t return to school but came here instead.
Lin Beichen wanted to enter the fire scene to closely experience the fire element.
After these recent days of cultivation, he was already quite familiar with the fire element.
Even if he hadn’t cultivated or understood the fire element, he was confident enough to believe this fire wouldn’t pose any threat to him.
Entering the fire scene seemed completely safe!
And besides...
Aside from cultivation, he could also save people.
How great!
As the saying goes, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda.
Perhaps this would aid his future cultivation!
Though he thought so, he still didn’t know how to get into the fire scene past the cordon.
The firefighters’ conversation was loud and clear, due to the raging fire’s noise.
He caught every word.
Analyzing the situation, seeing the hesitation of fire chief Li Bin,
he knew his chance to enter the fire scene had come.
"I know, I saw it."
Lin Beichen nodded, then stated his intention, "I’m here to help. I can go into the fire and rescue people."
Li Bin initially ignored this, assuming it was just a bystander wanting a closer look at the fire scene. This wasn’t uncommon before and happened often.
But hearing these words made his heart skip a beat, looking over involuntarily.
"This..."
Seeing Lin Beichen looking like a student, Li Bin shook his head in disappointment, dismissing what he had just heard from his mind.