Chapter 131: Both teams have entered the ruins of the forbidden zone

This man is no one else; he is Ning Jinli's uncle, Ning Hai.

After the factory incident, Ning Hai's plot collapsed; as the mastermind behind it, he fled overnight by plane to M Guo across the ocean, utterly unprepared.

He fled to M Guo not only because it is today's world's top superpower in comprehensive national strength, but also because Ning Hai studied physics in his youth and had spent many years studying abroad in M Guo.

The Professor Bruce he mentioned was precisely his advisor during his studies abroad, and their relationship was very good.

Upon landing in M Guo, Ning Hai immediately sought out Professor Bruce for help.

Professor Bruce no longer works at the school; he has entered a science and technology exploration department of M Guo and is currently conducting a secret research project.

After learning of Ning Hai's situation, Bruce knew he had nowhere else to go; moreover, Ning Hai had once been one of his strongest students in professional ability, and Bruce had long regretted that Ning Hai never entered the physics research field.

Thus, Bruce considered that his secret research project had just made a new finding needing verification, and Ning Hai would be perfect for it, so he assigned Ning Hai a task.

Professor Bruce promised Ning Hai that if the task were completed successfully, he could apply for special asylum in M Guo, after which Ning Hai would not only obtain M Guo citizenship but also be able to work in its research department.

These terms were very tempting for Ning Hai, and besides, he had no other choice.

So Ning Hai agreed, and together with the mercenary squad Bruce had hired, he crossed the ocean from North America to the ruins of the Kuchberg nuclear power plant in Eastern Europe.

Ning Hai smoked, his mind drifting to past events, his mood complex.

If not for that incident, he could not have fallen to this state; he certainly could not return home, and he does not know when he will see his wife and daughter again.

Moreover, the Ning family has so many businesses; I do not know whether his wife and daughter can bear the commercial burden.

The more he recalled, the stronger his hatred for Ning Jinli grew.

It's all that little bitch's fault—if she had simply sold him the factory honestly from the start, none of this would have happened.

"Damn her..." Ning Hai fiercely stubbed out his half‑smoked cigarette on the ground.

Suddenly, he noticed that the mercenary captain in front of him had, at some point, drawn his military dagger and was staring at him with fixed eyes.

"You..." Ning Hai's body went rigid.

The mercenary captain swung his knife violently.

Swish!

Before Ning Hai could react, the blade tip fiercely pierced a chunk of rubble behind his shoulder, then pried it upward.

Crash—

From the twisted vines flew a poisonous snake thicker than an arm.

The dagger ripped open the snake's belly; it fell to the ground and twisted into a knot.

The mercenary captain hacked at it several more times, chopping the snake into pieces before it finally stopped moving.

In just a few seconds, Ning Hai suffered two frights; his face turned ashen, his whole body trembled, his pupils shrank to pinpoints, and he stared fixedly at the snake.

"Mr. Ning, no one has come here for a very long time," the mercenary captain said, wiping his dagger. "This is a human forbidden zone; now it's an animal's paradise—you must be careful."

Ning Hai shakily rose to his feet, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and said, "Understood, let's keep going."

At that moment, his waist vibrated.

Ning Hai fumbled, pulled out his phone, and answered: "Professor, we are about to enter Kuchberg Town."

An elderly voice came through the phone, speaking fluent Chinese: "Good thing I called in time; otherwise, once you went in there would be no signal."

"Is there anything you need to tell me?" Ning Hai asked.

The other party said: "I just received word that another group of people is inside the nuclear power plant ruins."

Ning Hai frowned. "What kind of people?"

"They seem to be a few experts invited from your country by the locals; they went in a few days ago and have not yet come out."

"Ah? Do they also know about that thing?"

"No, that thing is known only to my project team and you; as far as I know, they are merely past helpers who assisted with survey and research. You must absolutely avoid them—do not run into them."

"Yes, Professor."

After hanging up, Ning Hai informed several mercenaries of the situation.

The mercenaries all frowned; their operation was already an illegal, unsanctioned infiltration requiring extreme caution, and now they must also avoid another team, likely greatly prolonging the mission.

Ning Hai then checked his radiation detector; the radiation level where he stood was still within safe limits, but just a few steps forward caused the reading to rise noticeably.

He donned a heavy mask and helmet, inspected his full gear for any omissions, and then continued forward with the mercenary squad toward the center of the nuclear plant's explosion ruins.

Boom……

In the sky, thunder rumbled within dark clouds, and lightning flickered intermittently among them.

Thick fog likewise spread out, slowly swallowing the silhouettes of the group……

……

Several hours later, Ning Jinli arrived at a temporary airfield outside Kuchberg Town.

As soon as she disembarked, she saw Shangguan Ying waiting there.

Besides her, several fully armed men stood behind her.

"Jinli, I'm sorry to have summoned you so hastily," Shangguan Ying said with a grave expression. "Please get in the car with me first."

"Okay."

After Ning Jinli and Shangguan Ying got into the side vehicle, they saw that the interior had been modified.

Besides a few computers and some equipment she did not recognize, there were also several technicians.

The technicians nodded in acknowledgment, then got out of the car.

Shangguan Ying closed the car door and handed Ning Jinli a set of clothes.

"This is a specially made combat outfit for ease of movement—please change into it quickly."

Ning Jinli complied without a word.

While she was changing, Shangguan Ying explained: "Not long ago, several domestic scholars and experts in nuclear physics were invited by the local officials to survey the situation inside the Kuchberg nuclear power plant and then conduct a professional assessment to see how well this forbidden zone has recovered overall."

"It was supposed to be safe, but unexpectedly, after entering the nuclear plant ruins, they encountered a collapse."

"Our experts are trapped inside, so we invited you over to assist in the rescue."

"Hearing this situation, Ning Jinli wondered."

"\"Sister Ying, I just saw you bring several people; they must be special forces level, right? For this kind of rescue, letting the most professional them handle it, isn't that enough? \""

"\"Not enough, \" Shangguan Ying shook her head. \"The key is, the location where the trapped personnel are is at the center of the nuclear power plant ruins, where there is still a possibility of nuclear material leakage or even explosion. I know your Tian Xuan Heart Method can convert nuclear radiation into the energy you need for cultivation; radiation that would endanger ordinary people's lives can't harm you at all, so with your assistance, things can be more secure. It's like an extra layer of insurance. \""

"\"I see, then what exactly do I need to do? \""

"\"Just follow the rescue team; your role is as a backup. \" Shangguan Ying's expression was extremely solemn. \"If, I say if, a serious situation like a nuclear leak or explosion really occurs, don't worry about the rescue team; use every means you have to bring out our trapped experts, understand? \""

"Ning Jinli startled, turned her head to look out the window."

"Those fully armed special forces soldiers had the same Huaxia features as she did."

"Moreover, the local country lacks the capability to equip such gear."

"Obviously, they are also personnel dispatched domestically."

"It seems that for this rescue operation, they have set aside life and death."

"\"Jinli, \" Shangguan Ying emphasized again, \"Did you remember what I said? \""

"Ning Jinli came to her senses, \"Um… remembered. \""

"Not long after, she changed into her clothes and boots."

"The specially made combat uniform fit her well, making her already tall figure look even more spirited and vigorous."

"Since she doesn't need radiation protection, she doesn't have to wear an extra protective suit like the rescue team members, which also allows her to move more freely."

"\"Alright, move out! \" the rescue team captain commanded."

"Ning Jinli then got into another off-road jeep with them and quickly left the airport."

"Shangguan Ying watched the taillights disappear into the night, then turned and got back into that same car, staring at the moving satellite tracking signal on the screen, murmuring, \"You guys… you must… you must come back safely. \""

"At midnight."

"The off-road jeep followed a local official survey route and arrived beside the nuclear power plant ruins."

"The surroundings were pitch black."

"Occasionally, lightning flashed, instantly illuminating the vast ruins; the luxuriant vegetation growing wildly among the wreckage swayed like ghostly shadows in the dark night."

"From time to time, the sounds of wild animals came from afar, adding a sense of silent dread to this forbidden zone."

"\"Miss Ning, do you feel any discomfort? \" the rescue team captain asked quietly while holding his gun."

"Ning Jinli shook her head. \"No, I'm not afraid of radiation. \""

"The captain laughed and said, \"We already know this; General Shangguan told us. I'm really envious of you, having such a special physique. But I want to ask, do you have any mental burden or pressure? The environment here might not be pleasant. \""

"\"Neither, \" Ning Jinli gave a relaxed smile, \"Don't worry about me. \""

"The captain gave a thumbs-up. \"Not bad; we're about to go in, stay close. \""

"\"Yes! \""

"Afterward, the captain made a hand signal."

"The other rescue team members then formed a professional column, shielding Ning Jinli in the middle-rear, and cautiously entered a broken iron gate four or five meters high……"

"Not long after they entered,"

"the lightning in the sky became more frequent."

"Even lightning struck from the lower clouds, tearing through the night and fog, hitting the metal debris in the ruins and sparking a series of eerie lights."

"At the same time, deep underground in the nuclear power plant ruins,"

"Ning Hai and the mercenaries, after searching for over ten hours, penetrated a certain basement and finally arrived before a tightly shut small iron door."

"The door was round, about one meter in diameter, like a manhole cover set into the concrete wall."

"Ning Hai took out a drawing for comparison, then searched the round iron door, and with his entrenching tool he dug away the mud and rust, finally spotting a tiny mechanical switch."

"\"Tsk, back then the heavy industry here was really impressive; decades later this mechanical switch still works. Unlike now, this country can't even produce a decent motorcycle. \""

"Ning Hai couldn't help but sigh, then immediately began fiddling with the switch."

"Several mercenaries stood guard around him, vigilantly observing the surroundings."

"In this pitch‑black basement where you can't see your hand in front of your face, only the lights on their helmets and weapons provided illumination; beyond that beam was total darkness, making them feel as if they were in some isolated abyss."

"Even they felt an unprecedented psychological pressure."

"Suddenly, a faint rustling came from afar."

"A mercenary immediately raised his gun and fired a burst of bullets, startling Ning Hai into crouching and covering his head."

"Several other mercenaries quickly aimed their guns in that direction; several beams of light swept over, revealing only a few rats that had just been turned into mincemeat by the bullets."

"\"You're too tense, relax. \" the mercenary captain comforted."

"No sooner had he spoken than cracking sounds came from the spot where the rats were killed."

"Ning Hai quickly shone his flashlight toward the side."

"He saw thin cracks spreading like tendrils toward the round iron door; then came a series of clicks, and the door deformed slightly."

"\"Damn it! \" Ning Hai clutched his chest and cursed, \"Don't fire randomly! Although this is the deepest basement, the explosion has damaged the internal structure; one slip and we'll be buried alive! You idiot! \""

"The mercenary who fired, after being scolded, raised his rifle butt to strike Ning Hai."

"Ning Hai also lost his temper, pointing at his own head and saying, \"Come on, come on! Hit me here—if I'm gone, see how you get your pay! \""

"\"Stop! \" the mercenary captain barked."

"Then he politely said to Ning Hai, \"Mr. Ning, please don't be angry; I guarantee they won't bother you again. \""

"Only then did Ning Hai get to his feet and continue working on the mechanical switch."

"After several attempts, the round iron door still wouldn't open."

"\"What's wrong, Mr. Ning? \" the mercenary captain asked."

"Ning Hai, furious, lifted his fist to smash the door, but immediately restrained himself, turned and shouted, \"I could have opened it just now—who knew your idiot subordinate would fire a shot, shattering this already fragile force balance and breaking the mechanical switch! Now it won't open! \""

"Is what Professor Bruce wants to find definitely inside?" the mercenary captain asked.

Ning Hai said irritably, "Otherwise? Did I drag you all the way here just for team-building?"

The mercenary captain waved his hand, ordering the others to try prying open the iron door.

Ning Hai said nervously, "Be careful, pry slowly…… don't get near those cracks, damn it, don't collapse this place……"

Several people took out the tools they carried, inserted them around the circular iron door, and then exerted force simultaneously.

As a result, no matter how hard they tried, the iron door didn't budge at all.

The mercenary captain thought for a moment, then asked again, "Mr. Ning, could that thing inside explode?"