Chapter 71: Alarm! Rushing to the Fire Front

There was not a shred of hesitation or panic, only a reflex-like swift response.

The team members, who had just been holding instant noodles and immersed in technical daydreams, instantly transformed into well-trained soldiers.

The noodle buckets were casually but accurately thrown into the trash can, the sound of chairs being pushed back, the sound of hurried footsteps, and the suddenly raised shouts intertwined.

"Support team, attention!" Major Zhang's loud voice was the first to rise, drowning out all the noise.

"According to the No. 3 emergency deployment plan, act in groups!"

"Group 1, assist Engineer Li's group in loading the 'Chengshan' exoskeleton and backup energy!"

"Group 2, responsible for the 'Xiao Bai' platform and all 'Insect' unit transport boxes!"

"Group 3, inventory the laser system and supporting testing equipment! Fast! Fast! Fast!"

The support team members, wearing uniform training clothes, were like unsheathed sharp swords, instantly scattering and rushing to various areas of the workshop.

They knew every piece of equipment and every part here like the back of their hands, and at this moment, they pushed efficiency to the limit.

Heavy transport boxes were quickly dragged out, and shock-absorbing filler was quickly filled in.

"Xuanwu" battery packs with flashing indicator lights were boxed in batches, their movements nimble and their cooperation tacit.

Li Yang had already rushed to his workbench, his hands switching rapidly between multiple screens.

He was pulling up the full set of technical data and emergency deployment checklists for the "Chengshan" exoskeleton and "Iron Wolf."

He gave instructions to the structural engineers and support team members who gathered around at a very fast speed:

"Carry all 'Chengshan' Mark I to Mark V! Focus on checking the adaptive buffer joints and energy interfaces!"

"'Iron Wolf' will accompany as a technical backup and heavy-load platform! All spare joints and drive modules are to be equipped in double quantities!"

"Understood!" The engineers responded in unison and immediately split up to rush toward the "Chengshan" exoskeletons that had completed basic testing, starting the final checks and securing before deployment.

Wang Hao's reaction was even more exaggerated; he almost leaped to his missile testing area, his eyes glowing.

While using both hands and feet to stuff the "Peregrine Falcon" missile prototypes that had passed previous tests and the supporting launchers into special explosion-proof transport boxes, he shouted wildly into the communicator:

"Old Zhang! Old Zhang! Give me two of your men! My 'Peregrine Falcon' babies must be brought along!"

"And those special warheads used for verification, yes, the ones marked 'flame retardant dispersal'!"

"Move them all! Fast, fast, fast! It's a mountain fire! My meteor shower will come in handy!"

The two team members under Major Zhang, whom he named, immediately ran over to assist, and seeing Wang Hao's near-manic excitement, they couldn't help but remind him:

"Engineer Wang, the superior's order mainly mentioned rescue equipment..."

"This is rescue equipment!" Wang Hao didn't look up, righteous and confident.

"Precise delivery of flame retardant, efficient and environmentally friendly coverage, it's way better than carrying it by hand!"

"This is called technological disaster relief! Don't you understand? Don't just stand there, move that box!"

Chen Guang was exceptionally calm; he quickly shut down all precision equipment on the optical platform and performed a safety lock.

Afterward, he walked to the packed "Firefly" laser communication relay system and portable laser scanning modeling equipment, carefully checking the interfaces and securing straps.

Next, he turned to the special boxes containing the "Mechanical Spider," "Mechanical Centipede," and "Mechanical Butterfly."

He began a power-on self-test to ensure that every "insect" could be put into work immediately after long-distance transport.

His movements were methodical, as if he were not dealing with a sudden disaster, but executing a routine procedure that had been rehearsed countless times.

"All 'Insect' units initiate distributed self-test programs. Laser scanning system energy modules are packaged separately to ensure plug-and-play."

Chen Guang's calm voice came through the internal channel, clearly entering everyone's ears.

Zhao Gong did not participate in the specific moving; he stood in the center of the workshop like a stabilizing force, his sharp eyes sweeping over every busy area.

Occasionally, he would walk quickly to a key piece of equipment, such as the five-axis machining center being loaded.

(Considering that emergency repairs and parts processing might be needed in the field, Feng Yan decisively decided to bring it along.)

He would reach out to check the tightness of the securing ropes or point out the potential risks in the angle of a box placement.

"That box, the center of gravity is too high, re-secure it!" "Precision instrument box, add another layer of shock-absorbing pad!" His words were brief, but every time he spoke, he precisely eliminated a potential hidden danger.

Feng Yan was like a high-speed processor core, shuttling and coordinating between various groups.

At the same time, he maintained contact with superiors through the encrypted channel, receiving the latest fire scene intelligence and assembly coordinates.

"Command reports that the fire area has exceeded 5,000 hectares, the wind direction has changed suddenly, and the fire is spreading toward the primitive forest area in the northeast, threatening multiple villages!"

"We urgently need to open firebreaks and grasp the situation inside the fire!" Feng Yan hung up a communication and said to the core members who gathered around with a heavy face, quickly synchronizing the information.

"Our main tasks are preliminarily determined: use 'Chengshan' to assist firefighters in breaking through physical limits, establish transport lines, and go deep into the fire!"

"'Xiao Bai' and the 'Insect' cluster are responsible for fire reconnaissance, especially searching for hidden fires and trapped personnel;"

"The laser system performs terrain scanning and path guidance; Wang Hao's 'Peregrine Falcon'... try to establish an aerial flame-retardant firebreak depending on the situation!"

"Understood!" Everyone responded in unison.

Just then, the roar of engines came from downstairs of the research institute.

The pre-coordinated heavy military trucks and equipment transport vehicles had arrived.

"Load the equipment!" Feng Yan gave the order.

The heavy "Iron Wolf" exoskeleton was steadily hoisted into the specially reinforced carriage by a special spreader;

The "Xiao Bai" platform and its various functional module boxes were quickly passed and neatly stacked;

The boxes containing the "Mechanical Spider," "Centipede," and "Butterfly" were carefully placed in compartments with shock-absorbing systems;

The "Peregrine Falcon" missile boxes and launchers were secured in compartments with temperature control devices;

Chen Guang's laser equipment box followed closely behind...

The fifty sets of "Xuanwu Mark II" battery packs and the "Tengshe" fast-charging array supported by Zhao Kaiyuan were treated as the most important strategic materials, escorted by special personnel and stored separately.

Throughout the process, no one complained, no one questioned, only concise instructions, repeated confirmations, and efficient execution.

The originally somewhat empty parking lot was soon filled with vehicles of various models and mountains of equipment boxes, and a murderous yet capable atmosphere permeated the air.

When the last piece of equipment was confirmed to be properly secured, all personnel quickly boarded the vehicles.

Feng Yan, Li Yang, Chen Guang, Wang Hao, Zhao Gong, and Major Zhang and other core members boarded the leading command communication vehicle.

The convoy drove slowly out of the Dragon Chant Research Institute, quickly merged into the main road, and then turned without hesitation toward the direction of the intercity highway.

The city lights outside the car window swept backward rapidly, while the road ahead was submerged in boundless darkness, with only the long dragon of the convoy itself speeding toward the mountain forest being swallowed by flames.

Inside the command vehicle, the atmosphere was still tense, but the previous busyness had settled into an introverted focus.

The large tactical screen displayed the real-time position of the convoy, satellite cloud images of the fire (although the images were not clear due to smoke and high-temperature interference), and constantly refreshing meteorological data.

Wang Hao leaned against the car window, looking at the blurred scene retreating rapidly outside, and smacked his lips:

"Good heavens, this formation... is even more exciting than when we went to participate in the national-level defense."

Li Yang closed his eyes, but his fingers were tapping unconsciously on his knees, obviously still repeatedly deducing the adaptability of the "Chengshan" exoskeleton in the complex mountain fire environment in his mind.

Chen Guang had already opened his portable workstation, and the geographic data, vegetation types, and possible fire behavior models of the Cuiyun Mountains were scrolling rapidly on the screen; he was making the most sufficient data preparation for the upcoming reconnaissance and scanning tasks.

Zhao Gong leaned on the seat, seemingly closing his eyes to rest, but his slightly rising and falling chest and tightly pursed lips showed the waves in his heart.

Feng Yan took a deep breath and picked up the vehicle-mounted communicator. His voice clearly reached every vehicle in the convoy through the internal network:

"Brothers, no need for many words."

"This time we are going out, it's not a test, not an exercise."

"On the other side of the mountain, there is a real fire, there are people waiting for rescue, and there are comrades on the front line who are about to be unable to hold on."

"The data on the blueprints for these things in our hands, no matter how beautiful, and no matter how smoothly they run in simulated environments, are useless."

"Real swords and real guns, it all depends on this one time."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over every young and determined face in the car, his voice steady and powerful:

"Remember, this operation, responsibility is heavier than testing."

"Every judgment we make, every operation we perform, is related to the success or failure of the rescue, and even related to the safety of many people's lives."

"Bring out that spirit of research and alertness you usually have!"

"But at the same time, you must stay steady! All actions must follow the unified arrangement of the front-line command!"

"Understood!" The low and firm responses of the persons in charge of each vehicle came from the communicator.

Feng Yan put down the communicator and looked toward the pitch-black distance outside the window, as if he could already see the ominous crimson on the horizon.

"Old Li," he suddenly spoke, his voice low, limited to the few people in the car, "The buffer of 'Chengshan', in rugged mountains, can it really hold up?"

Li Yang opened his eyes and said firmly:

"Yes. Supported by actual test data. Moreover, the joints optimized by Zhao Gong are stronger than the blueprints."

Zhao Gong didn't even lift his eyelids and hummed:

"Things are dead, people are alive. When we get to the ground, look at the situation and adapt accordingly."

Wang Hao leaned over and licked his somewhat dry lips, but flames were burning in his eyes:

"Brother Feng, don't worry, my 'Peregrine Falcon' guarantees to hit whatever it points at, and will definitely not embarrass our 'Dragon Chant'!"

Chen Guang pushed up his glasses, moved his gaze away from the data on the screen, looked at the endless darkness ahead, and said softly but clearly:

"All systems are ready."

The command vehicle fell into silence, with only the roar of the engine and the noise of the wheels rolling over the road surface, carrying this special team, carrying hope and heavy trust, and rushing toward that flaming hell without looking back. ===== CHAPTER 72 =====