Chapter 297: Everyone can see the Time-Space Gate

For this situation, the rescue team was not surprised.

Because the base held various nuclear materials in large quantities, to prevent abnormal energy interference from triggering a reaction, the researchers shut down all instruments and minimized human-generated energy; just in case, they even cut off basic electricity.

Out of caution, the over five hundred rescue team members all put on anti-radiation suits, wore oxygen tanks and masks, and were wrapped from head to toe in an airtight manner.

At this moment, even the instruments for detecting nuclear leaks were down, so the team members could only rely on Ning Jinli to make the judgment.

Ning Jinli circulated the Tian Xuan Heart Method, carefully sensing the energy fluctuations in the surrounding air.

"As of now, there is no nuclear radiation outside the base, but the situation inside is still unclear," Ning Jinli told the rescue team captain, "Before we enter the base and confirm whether there is a nuclear radiation leak, everyone must follow behind me."

"All right, Miss Ning." The rescue team captain immediately passed on the order.

After making all preparations, Ning Jinli led the way into the base.

The base's main gate lost power and could only be opened manually.

According to the diagrams, the rescue team located the mechanical switch; after several minutes of complex operation, accompanied by a dull metallic scraping sound, the heavy specially made protective door slowly opened.

In an instant, Ning Jinli's expression changed slightly: "The nuclear radiation inside exceeds the limit! Captain, do the people inside have any self-protection measures?"

The captain said: "Yes, the base not only set up a safety isolation zone, but also has corresponding anti-radiation equipment, enough for everyone inside."

"Where is the safety isolation zone?" Ning Jinli asked, "Since a radiation leak has occurred, everyone should have already gone there, right?"

The captain nodded, "If no accident occurred, according to the emergency plan, they should indeed have already taken refuge in the safe zone."

Next, the captain gave a hand signal, indicating that the team members should follow the original plan, begin a carpet search, and advance toward the deeper parts of the base while searching.

Due to the special environment and circumstances, all high-tech means failed.

Infrared sensing couldn't be used, nor could drones be used; even flashlights had to be turned off, and the lighting tools were specially made fluorescent sticks.

Everyone could only resort to the most primitive method—walking while looking with their eyes—and progress was extremely slow.

At first glance, the interior of the base resembled a small town made of bungalows.

The rescue team then went along both sides of the road, entering each house to search.

After two hours, based on the team members' search findings, it could basically be judged that the people inside the base had headed straight to the safe zone as soon as they discovered the radiation leak.

Since this area was the staff's living quarters, the houses still retained their daily state, with no signs of disorder, and it was evident that many things had not been tidied up in time.

Next, another team member discovered a note left by the staff.

The note's content roughly confirmed the rescue team's speculation; they only needed to go to the safe zone to find the base's personnel.

Up to this point, the rescue team could finally breathe a little easier.

The captain decided to first go to the safe zone to count heads, check personnel conditions, and if there were no accidents, directly lead them out of the base.

After another hour or so of walking, the rescue team arrived at the safe zone according to the markings on the paper map.

Outside the safe zone, there were indeed members of the base's special protection regiment on guard.

The two sides finally met.

The protection team's members opened the three protective doors in succession, allowing the rescue team to enter the passage, and members of both sides removed their protective masks.

"There are 372 researchers, 1,053 logistics personnel, and our special forces regiment numbers 3,200; all have smoothly entered the safe zone." A squad leader of the protection team, while leading the way, explained to the rescue team captain: "We have sealed off all high-risk areas of the base; although some nuclear radiation has leaked, the researchers say the problem is not serious."

The rescue team captain nodded, "That's good; later I'll have Miss Ning help you with the evacuation."

The protection team squad leader looked at Ning Jinli, showed a surprised expression, then stopped and extended his hand, "Miss Ning, hello."

"Hello." Ning Jinli shook hands politely.

The squad leader then said, "I don't know how Miss Ning will help us evacuate; frankly, given the current situation, we actually don't need assistance."

The rescue team captain laughed, saying, "Don't look down on her just because Miss Ning is young."

"No no no," the squad leader hastily explained, "Please don't misunderstand; since the higher-ups could send Miss Ning over, I naturally know she must be capable and certainly won't underestimate her. My meaning is, although the base has seen many abnormal situations, they are basically within controllable limits, so there's no need to trouble you with a rescue."

The rescue team captain said, "Recently, sandstorms here have become increasingly frequent; if you were to lead everyone out of the base, the danger factor would be really high."

The squad leader said, "Our special forces regiment would escort the researchers and logistics personnel out of the desert even at the cost of our lives."

The rescue team captain patted his shoulder, "Your lives are lives too; the higher-ups said we must strive for zero casualties."

As they spoke, the group arrived at the safe zone.

Looking around, this place is a huge basement.

Although there are many people, everyone is staying quietly and peacefully, with no chaos.

Fluorescent sticks are hung on the walls for lighting.

Moreover, some researchers gathered nearby, holding paper data to calculate and analyze.

"This is the leader of our protection regiment." The squad leader called over a man in his thirties and gave a brief introduction between the rescue team captain and Ning Jinli.

"Hello." The regiment leader shook hands with each of them in turn, then went straight to the point asking, "What is your plan? We will certainly cooperate on our side."

The rescue team captain said, "Due to abnormal energy interference, we can't use aircraft to transport everyone; even our rescue vehicles keep breaking down on the way here..."

The regiment leader frowned slightly, "You mean the only option is to have everyone evacuate on foot out of this desert?"

The squad leader beside him interjected, "See? After all this, we still can only walk out; I already told you you didn't need to come."

"No," the rescue team captain looked at Ning Jinli, "It's to have Miss Ning directly send the personnel away."

The regiment leader looked bewildered, and the squad leader asked, "How to send them?"

"Miss Ning, thank you for the trouble." The rescue team captain made a gesturing invitation.

With Ning Jinli present, of course the simplest method would be used.

As long as she opens a Time-Space Gate, she can directly send people to her factory, avoiding many unnecessary dangers and troubles.

Ning Jinli closed her eyes, focused her spirit, circulated the Tian Xuan Heart Method to mobilize internal strength, and a Fluorescent Vortex gradually unfolded before her.

With a thought, the passage of this Time-Space Gate connected to the Time-Space Gate on the factory side.

"All right," Ning Jinli opened her eyes and said, "I can transmit at most fifty people at a time; let's start with the researchers—trouble the regiment leader to organize them and have them line up."

Besides her, the people nearby could not see the Fluorescent Vortex.

The regiment leader stared for a full three seconds, then asked, "Miss Ning, what do you mean by 'transmission'?"

Ning Jinli said, "Simply put, it's about sending people directly from here to Xinghan City; I'll try to be as fast as possible to ensure everyone can leave the base smoothly."

"What? Sending from here to several thousand kilometers away… Xinghan City?" the squad leader gaped, "Remote teleportation? A special ability?"

The rescue team leader said, "Just understand it that way for now, hurry, hurry."

The group leader and squad leader's eyes clearly became extremely stunned, but seeing that the rescue team leader and Ning Jinli didn't seem to be joking, and moreover, for something this important, the superiors certainly wouldn't be playing around.

So, even though they were unconsciously full of doubt, they still decided to comply.

But at that moment, Ning Jinli frowned, "Wait, something's off."

The rescue team leader asked her what was wrong.

She turned her head toward the passage that had just opened, "I sense the external nuclear radiation has intensified; those protective doors can't block it."

From the moment they entered to the point of preparing to teleport, the process had been fairly smooth.

Unexpectedly, an accident still occurred.

The group leader said, "That can't be, that's already top‑grade protective equipment; even if a nuclear bomb exploded outside, it wouldn't cause any damage."

Ning Jinli shook her head, "The situation here is extraordinary; the radiation energy is being affected by an abnormal energy, changing rapidly, with both concentration and penetrative power increasing. I estimate that within twenty‑four hours, the intense radiation will seep in here, but given my teleportation speed… I'm afraid…"

The group leader's expression changed, "If even the safety zone's protective doors can't stop the intense radiation, then our protective suits aren't…"

The rescue team leader asked, "Miss Ning, do you have any solution?"

Ning Jinli thought for a few seconds, "Based on past experience, the stronger my cultivation, the more people or objects I can teleport, and I can absorb radiation energy to boost my power; I thought of trying outside the safety zone."

Time was pressing, and none of them had a moment to hesitate.

Since Ning Jinli said so, the group leader immediately opened a protective door for her and took her outside.

Ning Jinli took a deep breath, sat cross‑legged on the spot, and closed her eyes.

The group leader and rescue team leader, both in protective suits, held fluorescent sticks and stood nearby.

Although the group leader was full of questions, he didn't inquire of the rescue team leader; after all, as the head of the protection team for this top‑secret base, he had long cultivated a habit of not probing, and whatever the superiors could let him know would naturally be told to him.

Time passed second by second.

Ning Jinli seemed as if she had entered meditation; even her breathing appeared to vanish.

The surrounding radiation energy grew denser, and as her mental method operated, she continuously absorbed it.

Compared with the radiation energy she encountered earlier at the Kucherberg Nuclear Power Plant ruins, this place's radiation not only had higher concentration but was also purer, allowing her to greatly reduce the time needed to convert radiation energy into Internal Strength.

After a short while, a layer of iridescent fluorescence floated over her entire body.

The brightness even surpassed the fluorescent lighting sticks the group leader and rescue team leader were holding, leaving the two stunned and collapsing onto the ground.

Another ten‑plus minutes passed, and Ning Jinli's radiance surged, illuminating the surroundings brighter than daylight; the group leader and rescue team leader could not even open their eyes.

This sun‑like intense light lasted a few seconds, then in an instant was fully retracted back into Ning Jinli's body.

Ning Jinli let out a long breath, stood up and said, "It should be about right; if I keep absorbing, my body's durability will lag behind. We should now return to the safety zone and start teleporting immediately."

"Yes! Miss Ning!" the group leader and rescue team leader sprang to their feet.

The three of them returned to the interior of the safety zone.

Ning Jinli circulated Internal Strength, attempting to reinforce the Time‑Space Gate she had just opened.

"Eh?! What is that?" the group leader couldn't help but exclaim, pointing at the Fluorescent Vortex before Ning Jinli.

Ning Jinli was startled for a moment and asked, "What did you see?"

The group leader widened his eyes, "I saw a roughly two‑meter‑diameter circle seemingly made of light… What is this?"

The rescue team leader also said he saw it.

Moreover, not only the two of them could see it; everyone present looked on in amazement, each person personally witnessing the Time‑Space Gate Ning Jinli had opened.

As the Time‑Space Gate continued expanding to a diameter of five or six meters, its emitted light illuminated the entire basement.

"I understand… I understand!" Ning Jinli's eyes showed excitement, "When I strengthen the Time‑Space Gate to a certain degree, it can become tangible and be seen by others! If that's the case, then…"

She grabbed the rescue team leader's arm, "You go in and try it! Then come back and tell me what you saw inside."

The rescue team leader's heart raced.

Even though Shangguan Ying had previously given him a rough description of Ning Jinli's abilities, seeing this beyond‑comprehension Time‑Space Gate with his own eyes still made his brain tingle.

Nevertheless, he felt neither fear nor hesitation and immediately stepped into the Fluorescent Vortex.

Everyone held their breath, eyes unblinking, watching his silhouette vanish into the vortex light ring as if by magic.

In less than three seconds, the rescue team leader emerged from the Fluorescent Vortex and told Ning Jinli that inside it was pitch‑black, as if something was blocking the way.

Ning Jinli slapped her forehead, awkwardly saying, "Oops! I almost forgot, I sealed the back door of the small storage…"

The rescue team leader was stunned, "Sealed? Then… can we still get through?"

"Yes, of course we can! Hold on a moment!" Ning Jinli said as she rushed into the Fluorescent Vortex, then circulated Internal Skill, using all her strength to manually dismantle the rolling door of the small storage that she had previously sealed with steel plates after a quarrel with Xiao Qidi, and also turned on the lights inside.

She then discovered that the Time‑Space Gate she had opened could not only be seen by others but also allowed one to view the opposite side through it.

She could see the rescue team leader and others through the Fluorescent Vortex, and they could likewise see her standing inside a storage room.

Moreover, since the rescue team leader had just succeeded in entering the Time‑Space Gate, it meant they no longer needed her to transport the safety zone's people in batches.

She immediately relayed this situation to the rescue team leader and the group leader.

The two promptly organized personnel, arranged everyone in line, and prepared to enter the Time‑Space Gate one after another.

Over four thousand people in total; queuing to go in would still take considerable time, but it was far faster than relying on Ning Jinli's teleportation, allowing everyone to evacuate safely before the nuclear radiation seeped into the safety zone.

"Alright, the researchers are all here," the group leader counted the three hundred seventy‑two people at the front of the line and shouted loudly, "Everyone, you go first!"

Just as Ning Jinli was about to lead this group into the Fluorescent Vortex.

Pacific Center, M Guo island base.

Ning Hai once again used his communicator to contact his daughter, but this time, the switch he pressed became the final straw that crushed the underwater power station.

Boom!