Chapter 641 Please, you must live...

Climbing desperately upwards again, gazing into the endless dark space above, which felt like an abyss with no end in sight, I increased my speed. However, at certain points, I had to turn and leap to a nearby crossbar, resting for less than a second before continuing my climb towards another crossbar opposite. Several times, I nearly lost my grip and fell, but thankfully, my feet saved me at the last critical moment.

Just as I was nearing the very top, my center of gravity seemed to falter. I thought I was doomed, but someone behind me pulled on a rope and gave me a shove!

Then, with a force applied to my spine, I felt as if I was on an elevator, grabbing onto a baffle above and flipping myself over. When I looked back, there was no one there!

I was a bit stunned. Could it have been He Bailing and the others? But if so, why didn't they show themselves?

I recalled similar situations from previous cases. It seems I have a mysterious helper, still aiding me from the shadows.

No matter. Now that I've reached the rooftop of the nCe building, it's time to activate the emergency equipment. I must engage the backup defense systems before the fire breaches the asbestos protection wall.

I crossed a cement floor on the rooftop and quickly found a massive switch. It looked quite ancient. I was puzzled; why wasn't it a computer? Was this lever the controller?

I contacted Linghu Jing downstairs and had him connect me to an employee at the nearby gas plant. He told me, "Officer He, the gas plant's equipment is still the old kind. The manager didn't want to replace it, especially this protective device. Since it was never used, the manager couldn't be bothered to maintain it!"

"How could this be? Do you know this could kill us?"

"There's no other way. Only one method can change the situation now!"

"Tell me!"

"Activate that lever. But the manager said it needs to be pulled hundreds of times because the inside is rusted due to the long period of disuse!"

I almost swore. If they had paid attention to this safety equipment back then, we wouldn't be in this predicament.

There was no choice but to endure. I placed my phone in my shirt pocket, keeping the line open, and then began pulling the lever with all my might. One, two, three...

Each pull of the lever emitted an extremely grating and eerie hoarse sound. My ears endured the terrifying, strange noises spreading and piercing, tormenting my mind. But I knew that at this moment, I couldn't falter, even if it meant risking my life. I gripped the lever with both hands, pulling repeatedly. I continued this cycle, unsure of when it would end, as if it were an abyss that would forever consume me.

My actions became entirely absorbed in pulling the controller. I felt as if my body was merely repeating the movement mechanically. Sweat poured down my face, my arms grew numb, and I sensed thick smoke surging upwards. Under the onslaught of the smoke, my breathing became difficult. It was then that I noticed the helicopter returning. Liu Yuning and the others were being rescued by armed police. Someone urged me to leave, but I insisted on staying.

From the helicopter, Liu Yuning looked at me from afar, "He Sheng!!"

Ignoring the pleas of others, she spotted a metal plate and jumped from the helicopter, reaching me with astonishing speed!

"What are you doing?"

"You want to save Guangming City, right? Don't leave me out. Following Liu Yuning's actions, the entire Punishment Squad jumped down.

They then joined me, helping to pull the massive lever, repeatedly working it back and forth. Several times, the clanking sounds sent a shiver through our bones. I said resentfully, "You could have left here!"

"We are the Punishment Squad. We don't leave anyone behind. This is our mission!" Xiao Yuande stated sternly.

We saw the gas plant employees and many survivors being evacuated. The helicopter slowly departed, and the fire continued to spread. I felt like the lower floors were also ablaze. There was no time. At this rate, could we still make it?

I wasn't sure at that moment, but my hands could only continue the repetitive motion of pulling the lever. We had pulled it about a hundred times, but the backup defense system downstairs still hadn't activated.

Just then, the Mayor's call came through. I quickly answered, while others continued to operate the switch. "He Sheng, you haven't left yet?"

"We can't leave. We must stop the gas plant from exploding!"

"I knew you would persist until the very last moment. Most of Guangming City's citizens have evacuated. You and..."

"That's good. We won't leave. We will definitely control this fire!"

"You..."

"Mayor, you should leave first. Don't stay here. Evacuate everyone from the command center!"

"Please, you must survive..."

The Mayor hung up. At that moment, all of us in the Punishment Squad believed we would all perish here. After all, even the fire department had withdrawn; only we remained.

As we were still operating the switch, a figure emerged from a pipe below, a person completely engulfed in flames!

Though he was horribly burned, we recognized him: Liu Haokang!!

"You want to stop my final plan? Foolish police, you foolish mortals, come and face the final slaughter by Zhurong, the God of Fire!"

"Liu Haokang, you bastard!" Liu Yuning raised her gun and pulled the trigger. The gunshots echoed incessantly. The Punishment Squad, even He Xin, raised their weapons and fired at him.

The dense bullets rained down like a tempest, striking Liu Haokang. In an instant, he was riddled with holes. His burning body knelt on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood. He let out a roar, his neck snapped, and he died. A large pool of blood instantly seeped into the ground.

Someone had mentioned encountering a "fireman" earlier; it turned out to be Liu Haokang.

He was burning but still mobile. No wonder he had previously claimed not to fear flames.

I wonder what happened to his body. This situation can only be classified as one of the world's unsolved mysteries.

Spontaneous combustion without self-immolation, yet able to live like a normal person. What kind of existence is this?!