In the ruins, cries and shouts continually echoed. However, the rescue teams hadn't arrived yet, and the team led by Zhao Chengshuang was only there to cordon off the scene. Saving people had always been a sole effort by Ye Qing.
Ye Qing had carried six people out from the inside, one after another. At first, people were merely surprised, but as time went on, their surprise turned into awe. Starting with the fourth person Ye Qing brought out, each appearance he made was met with a burst of warm applause.
Watching Ye Qing tirelessly move in and out of the debris, Zhao Chengshuang's feelings gradually changed. As he had said, Ye Qing was truly an obsessive man. But his obsession was meaningful—it was a soldier's duty toward the lives of the people!
Just as Ye Qing had said before, the spirit and virility of a man are not demonstrated by how gloriously he stands before others or whether he can trample over others, but whether he can protect those who need his protection.
Ye Qing was a soldier, and every citizen of this country was someone he needed to protect!
In this regard, without a doubt, Ye Qing had done everything a soldier should do.
Looking at Ye Qing's face covered with dust, Zhao Chengshuang's eyes also grew moist. This playboy, who used to do things half-heartedly, was truly moved by Ye Qing's actions this time.
Wiping his eyes, Zhao Chengshuang suddenly turned and bellowed, "Damn it, first team secure the site, second and third teams follow me and get in there to save people!"
"Yes!" More than twenty police officers replied in unison—they had long been itching to rush in.
Zhao Chengshuang's deputy ran over hurriedly, grabbing him and said anxiously, "Captain Zhao, our orders were to secure the site. Rushing in to save people is against the rules!"
"Fuck the rules—are they more important than human lives!" Zhao Chengshuang cursed and, taking off his coat to cover his face, was the first to dash in.
The deputy was left pacing anxiously outside, watching the dust-filled environment inside, yet unable to muster the courage to enter.
While Ye Qing was inside saving people, a group unexpectedly rushed in, filling Ye Qing's heart with a bit more hope. He had initially thought he'd save as many as he could, but now with reinforcements, they could save even more.
"Ye brothers!" Zhao Chengshuang shouted amidst the crowd.
"Is that you?" Ye Qing was surprised. He hadn't expected the people who came in to be Zhao Chengshuang's men.
"The rescue team hasn't arrived yet, let's save as many as we can quickly!" Zhao Chengshuang shouted loudly. Explosions still continued around them, making the area extremely dangerous.
"Okay!" Ye Qing nodded and said, "You guys start by taking the people nearby out, I'll go further in and see if there are any more people."
"Be safe!" Zhao Chengshuang knew very well that the deeper you went, the higher the danger.
Watching Ye Qing's retreating figure, Zhao Chengshuang felt an unexpected surge of exhilaration. Looking around at the injured, he turned and urgently said, "Hurry up, get the people out first!"
With more than twenty police officers lending a hand, the rescue became much easier. In one go, they saved a dozen more injured, significantly speeding up the rescue process.
Ye Qing went back and forth inside a few times, finding several more groups of people. As a result, Zhao Chengshuang and his team brought out three groups of people, saving roughly fifty in total.
However, the situation for Zhao Chengshuang and his men wasn't too good either. A few officers couldn't handle the dust inside and couldn't go back in, so they stayed outside. Zhao Chengshuang was also almost choked by the dust, but he clenched his teeth and persevered. For nothing else but the unwavering figure amidst the dust, like a beacon of example!
On Zhao Chengshuang's fourth entry, this time, he didn't see Ye Qing at the exit. A panic surged in his heart; he feared that something might have happened to Ye Qing inside. It wasn't until that moment that he truly regarded Ye Qing as his friend, a friend he admired!
"Ye Qing! Ye Qing! Where are you!" Zhao Chengshuang called out loudly, and finally, after going about thirty meters inside, he heard Ye Qing's response.
"I'm here, hurry over!" Ye Qing's voice came from underground.
Zhao Chengshuang quickly led his men over. There was a huge collapsed area with about a dozen injured workers lying in the pit. A wall had fallen over, almost completely blocking the pit except for a hole less than the size of a person which allowed access.
The wall was still crumbling, shedding bricks and concrete. It looked as though the wall was nearly destroyed and wouldn't last much longer. If it collapsed into the pit, those workers inside would surely be doomed.
Ye Qing was standing inside, having just set several injured workers' bones. Seeing Zhao Chengshuang arrive, he immediately stood up and said, "We need to get them out fast. You wait on the outside, I'll carry them over, and you take them out!"
Zhao Chengshuang, seeing the teetering wall, grew anxious and said, "It's too dangerous, why don't you come out first, and we can wait for the rescue team?"
"No way!" Ye Qing firmly shook his head and said, "Lives are at stake—we can't wait!"
As he spoke, Ye Qing picked up a person and ran over, passing them out.
Two police officers hurried over to take the person and one carried him outside.
Ye Qing continued inside, carrying the wounded on his back to this side, where Zhao Chengshuang and his team took over.
The process was extremely perilous, with bricks and the like periodically falling from the walls. Several times Ye Qing narrowly missed being hit, which was incredibly dangerous.
From above, Zhao Chengshuang watched Ye Qing anxiously as he rescued people below. Every time a brick fell, his body would shudder, terrified that Ye Qing might suffer some misfortune.
After some time, Zhao Chengshuang could no longer bear it and blurted out, "Damn it, if we're going to die, then so be it. I refuse to be a coward!"
Having said that, Zhao Chengshuang also jumped down and ran over to carry someone back to this side.
"Be careful!" Ye Qing cried out urgently, not expecting Zhao Chengshuang to jump down.
"I won't die young!" Zhao Chengshuang shouted back loudly, almost desperately carrying the person to the entrance.
As soon as Zhao Chengshuang went down, immediately three more policemen followed suit and joined in the rescue of those who were still trapped.
Several others wanted to come down too, but Zhao Chengshuang stopped them, "Don't come down; otherwise, who's going to pull people up later?"
These few policemen stayed outside, but now with five people below, the rescue was much quicker. It only took two rounds to bring everyone up.
Zhao Chengshuang rescued one person and ran back to carry a second, heading towards this side. However, his physical strength was not as good, and he ran slightly slower. The others had already left, but he was still behind.
Seeing Zhao Chengshuang falling behind, Ye Qing turned to run and help him. It was at that moment the teetering wall collapsed with a thunderous crash, burying Zhao Chengshuang underneath.
Ye Qing stood near the entrance, having luckily escaped being buried by the wall. But Zhao Chengshuang wasn't so fortunate; he was buried completely and tightly by the wall.
The scene fell into a deathly silence. After a moment, the group of policemen yelled out in unison, "Captain!"
Zhao Chengshuang was once a wayward scion, unpopular with many. His recent meritorious service had earned him some respect at the police station. Now, by personally leading the team into the rescue, the policemen respected him even more, especially after he had just jumped in to save people, earning their utmost loyalty.
But at this moment, Zhao Chengshuang was buried alive by the wall. The hearts of these policemen seemed to stop; even though they were all strong men, a few couldn't help but have tears streaming down their faces.
Ye Qing's mind also went blank. After a moment, he rushed forward and furiously began to dig through the rubble.
"Captain! Captain!" the policemen roared, running over to dig through the debris alongside him.
Everyone was truly desperate now, using their bare hands to claw through the rubble, determined to dig Zhao Chengshuang out.
A few of the more emotionally fragile officers had already started crying alongside.
Police officers who had run inside from outside were unaware of what had happened. After hearing the choked-up accounts from the crying policemen, they too began to shout, either running to help dig through the rubble or squatting and crying beside them.
Ye Qing didn't cry. He didn't speak. He only clung to the belief as he fiercely dug through the ruin. It was a belief he had carried from the battlefield: unless he saw his comrade's body, no matter into what danger his brother had fallen, he firmly believed he was still alive!
With Ye Qing and the dozen policemen working together, they managed to dig a hole through the wall with their bare hands. Finally, among the bricks, they saw a foot sticking out.
"It's the Captain!" a policeman shouted loudly.
All the surrounding officers quickly turned their gaze, their hearts tightening with anticipation. Zhao Chengshuang—was he dead or alive?
Ye Qing didn't stop; he still dug furiously with his hands. His fingers were already raw and bleeding, but he continued, undeterred!
The other policemen did the same, their blood mixing with the dust, turning it red. But still, they didn't give up, digging with all their might.
"Captain! Captain! How are you?" cried someone nearby, their voice filled with tears. Zhao Chengshuang's foot hadn't moved at all, and their hearts were close to despair.
"He'll be fine! He'll be fine! The Captain won't die so easily!" a policeman digging fervently roared out. Whether he was encouraging himself or numbing his own senses, that sentence gave the men working beside him a surge of hope.
Finally, after a relentless effort, both Zhao Chengshuang and the worker were excavated. They were covered in dust, almost unrecognizable, and their eyes were tightly shut—it was unclear whether they were dead or alive.
"Captain! Captain!" everyone crowded around, calling out to him from all sides, but Zhao Chengshuang still didn't respond.
"Captain, don't scare us!" pleaded a policeman with a trembling voice, as they were nearly on the verge of breaking down.