A blood-curdling scream suddenly came from one of the facility buildings. Everyone at the scene was stunned!
"Murder!"
Someone shouted, and workers in blue uniforms started streaming out from behind various machines, running hysterically towards the exit from all directions.
When some of the older workers saw the security captain, they rushed towards him and grabbed onto him like a drowning man clutching at a straw.
"What's going on inside?" the security captain asked anxiously.
The older worker took two deep breaths, his body shaking uncontrollably. "Two seriously injured guys ran in and asked us how to open the valve in the storage tanks. We refused to tell them, but one of them stabbed a colleague!"
Chen Yeliang's heart skipped a beat. There were plenty of flammable, explosive, and corrosive chemicals in the chemical plant. Xiong Chang intended to perish together with them!
He grabbed the older worker's arm. "Where are those two? Is anyone else there?"
"I don't know, I don't know!" The worker looked back in terror and shook off Chen Yeliang's arm to escape far away.
Chen Yeliang looked up at the security captain, wanting to ask him about the situation in the facility building. However, he saw that he was sweating profusely and the pupils of his eyes were quivering non-stop as he looked back and forth, scared out of his wits.
The guards behind him stood rooted to the ground, not knowing what to do.
"Don't just stand there, quickly go and help!" Chen Yeliang shouted loudly, jolting them back to their senses.
The security captain snapped out of his stupor. "What help? What kind of help?"
Chen Yeliang gathered all the guards together.
"Activate the fire alarm and evacuate all the workers in the compound. Be quick!"
"Do you have a public address system in your facility building? Announce to all the workers in the other buildings to leave their stations immediately. Don't bother about anything else!"
"The police are already on their way. After you have activated the fire alarm, go to the bridge to meet them!"
In just two minutes, Chen Yeliang had laid out the plan clearly for everyone.
The time was too short for the security captain to react.
"What are you waiting for? Go quickly!" Chen Yeliang said anxiously.
The others had already sprung into action upon receiving their instructions.
"Okay… okay…" The security captain turned around to commence evacuation, but turned back again when he felt that something was wrong. "We are going to evacuate the workers. What are you doing! "
"I'm going to look for them!" Chen Yeliang shouted back in reply without looking back as he ran deeper into the warehouse building.
Just two minutes earlier, the security captain still had some doubts about Chen Yeliang's identity. But now, besides regretting his initial response, he also felt respect for him.
"The facility buildings are all filled with flammable chemicals. Be careful!" He shouted out a cautionary reminder before joining the evacuation team.
The chemical storage tanks stood upright like trees in the warehouse. Chen Yeliang weaved in and out among the tanks, and even discovered some clueless workers left behind.
They stuck their heads out curiously and got a shock when they saw he was an outsider.
"There are terrorists attacking the chemical plant. Hurry up and leave this place!" Chen Yeliang urged.
The workers appeared very excited, and ran out in gape-mouthed astonishment. They looked more like they were rushing to knock off rather than running for their lives.
The facility was humongous, and there were still many workers who did not know what was going on. Chen Yeliang met quite a number of them along the way.
He thought to himself, The more people he met, the further away he was from Xiong Chang and partner.
Chen Yeliang then ran in the opposite direction while shooing those people he encountered out of the building. The facility became very noisy for a while, almost drowning out Chen Yeliang's voice.
At that moment, the public address system outside the facility blared out.
The security captain's voice could be heard from afar. "Emergency broadcast. Everyone who is working overtime, gather at the main gate of the facility. I repeat, everyone stop whatever you are doing immediately and proceed to the main gate now!"
His voice sounded urgent, making everyone who heard it nervous.
The commotion in the building became louder, but it quickly died down. Chen Yeliang was still looking for Xiong Chang and Qiu Pengpai within the chemical storage tanks.
He hollered again. "Anyone else? Anyone else in there?"
Chen Yeliang's voice traversed through the vast empty ceiling space above the tanks in a series of resounding echoes.
He felt a little anxious and wondered about the injured worker's condition. In such a chaotic situation, had he been taken away or was he taken as hostage?
"Xiong Chang! Qiu Pengpai! I'm right here, do you have the balls to come out?" Chen Yeliang shouted.
Since most of the people had already left and he would not die, he might as well engage Xiong Chang and partner face to face and settle everything once and for all!
Fortuitously, a swift reply rang out.
"Rascal, come over if you dare!"
Xiong Chang's uncouth voice revealed their location. Chen Yeliang turned towards the two o'clock direction and walked over boldly.
He circumvented the various storage tanks, both tall and short, big and small. His nose was filled with the smell of chemicals.
In the distance, he could hear the sound of quarreling interspersed with the occasional faint sound of wailing.
Chen Yeliang went around a two-meter tall tank and saw Xiong Chang and Qiu Pengpai holding onto a valve and trying to turn it. The two of them could only use one hand each, so the going was extremely strenuous.
Right beside the two of them a worker laid on the ground. His blue uniform was soaked in blood until it turned purple. With his head on the ground, he looked helplessly at Chen Yeliang.
As soon as Chen Yeliang appeared, Xiong Chang immediately took notice. He picked up the small metal piece on the operation console with a wide-eyed sinister smile.
Where he had picked it up, nobody knew. The small piece of metal was covered in blood and was shorter than a pencil. A stab from this shouldn't be fatal. However, since it was covered in rust, if the resulting wound was not treated expeditiously, the chances of the victim developing tetanus were high.
"No matter what you guys are planning, it's no use. Release this worker now." Chen Yeliang warned.
"Cut the crap. If you dare to come any closer, I'll slit his throat!"
The worker felt the sharp edge against his throat. His fear made him struggle twice instinctively, but he was too weak with terror. Like a dying insect, his arms and legs twitched almost imperceptibly.
Xiong Chang stood behind the injured worker. Seeing there was no movement, he thought that the worker had died, so he turned him over in puzzlement.
The injured worker had probably given up all hope. He closed his eyes as if he had fainted.
In a flash, Chen Yeliang thought of a brilliant idea.
With all the energy he could direct to his sacral chakra, he shouted with all his strength, "He's dead! Let's see what else you can threaten me with!"
Xiong Chang and Qiu Pengpai were also shocked by the sudden turn of events. Their faces went blank for a moment.
In a flash, Chen Yeliang leaped forward and kicked Xiong Chang on the shoulder, sending him flying to the ground. Then, he swiftly bent down and hauled the worker over his shoulder before dashing towards the entrance.
Once he had been plucked from the jaws of danger, the injured worker found his breath again. He did not forget to thank Chen Yeliang and said in a trembling voice,
"Thank you, thank you!"
Chen Yeliang ran towards the entrance at full speed. "Is it very difficult to open that valve?"
"Yes," the worker answered faintly. "But it contains ammonium nitrate. If there's a violent impact or if the temperature is too high, then…"
Then there would be an explosion!