Simulation Game: Crisis Management

Chapter 680: Chapter 306: Confined Space Rescue

"What!?" Yian Qingwen’s eyes widened.

Even Han Yue and Gu Ji, who had heard the news, were completely taken aback, thinking they had misheard.

Because Zou Lei was the captain of the search team, responsible for canine searches and drone thermal imaging searches, while the rescue work was entrusted to more professional rescue personnel like Wang Yuexi.

"Where is it?"

"Sutes County’s Pello Middle School."

"Mr. Han, did you hear that? Take people over there immediately!"

"I’m on my way there right now. Don’t move recklessly; evacuate to a safe area if possible. The aftershocks may not have ended yet!"

Yian Qingwen and Han Yue quickly inquired about the situation on-site through the walkie-talkie.

After receiving the location, Gu Ji immediately took Xiao Jian and rushed over.

The sun was starting to set, and under the twilight, the school looked even more desolate after the earthquake. Bricks and rubble were scattered everywhere. The outline around the playground was still clear, but no more cheerful students filled the grounds, only broken walls and ruins remained.

Upon arrival, Gu Ji saw numerous local Pakistani citizens gathered around the ruins of the school building, worried about their children, refusing to leave.

"That’s my child, oh, thank you..."

"Marita, wake up, it’s mom, come on, wake up!"

"Ma’am, please refrain from touching the children before we’ve checked and confirmed their physical condition."

Fortunately, the rescue team had already rescued many students.

They were being treated one by one by the medical team and transferred to the camp’s medical area for further treatment.

The rescue team and the arrived team members all gathered on the left side of the ruins, turned on the searchlights on their helmets, and anxiously peered into a crevice.

"Mr. Zou! Are you okay!"

"I’m okay, just temporarily stuck at the waist, can’t move. You must not come in, it’s extremely dangerous inside the crevice!"

Facing the team members’ inquiries, Zou Lei was still warning everyone not to come near.

Meanwhile, Han Yue rushed over with his team, glaring at the rescue team’s captain and shouting: "What happened, why did Zou Lei, a search team captain, crawl into the crevice? Is your rescue team short of people or something?"

"Mr. Han, it’s not our captain’s fault."

Before the rescue team’s captain could speak, a young man beside him explained: "At first we were all working together with Mr. Zou to rescue the children and find trapped compatriots. After discovering the female teacher, we realized she was buried too deep, severely injured, and guarding two children in her arms, trapped by a table. The rescue difficulty was too high. We planned to wait for the technical team to come over, use a cavity detection device to create a 3D map, and then strategize."

"But Mr. Zou suddenly rushed into the crevice to save people. Chen and I wanted to go in and pull him out, but Mr. Zou refused to leave, holding the female teacher’s hand the whole time, and after the aftershock, it just..."

At this point in the conversation.

The rescue team captain interjected: "I just found out that the trapped female teacher from Xia Kingdom, Zou Xiaoxin, is Zou Lei’s younger sister."

"What did you say?"

Han Yue’s eyes kept changing, shocked while also seemingly connecting some signs before departure.

Only then did Gu Ji realize.

No wonder whenever "compatriots" or "rescue" were mentioned, Zou Lei had such a strong reaction. It seemed his constant scrutiny was not out of anger for overstepping protocols, but due to more complex emotions.

On one hand, he appreciated Gu Ji’s prompt decision to leave the landslide road for the earthquake zone and the decision to split actions midway;

On the other hand, he wanted to propose rescue directions like Gu Ji;

But as the captain of the Xia Kingdom International Rescue Team’s search squad, Zou Lei had to treat all trapped compatriots impartially, could not abandon national duties to save his preferred people first, or it would disrupt the entire team’s action plan.

As the frontline commander of this rescue operation, Han Yue naturally could understand part of Zou Lei’s mindset.

They both transitioned from military roles.

Everything prioritized ’obey orders, saving lives comes first.’

So Han Yue, without any superfluous words, directly approached the crevice, "Zou Lei, it’s Han Yue, please trust that I will get you out. Now tell me your situation!"

"My waist is trapped, but if it can be pried open slightly, I should be able to free myself. However, Zou Xiaoxin and the children were originally trapped under the desk; after the aftershocks, their space became narrower, with only their heads and one hand able to move. The dust inside is overwhelming, making breathing difficult, and Zou Xiaoxin’s lower limbs are severely injured."

"Get the equipment quickly!"

After understanding the situation, Han Yue loudly called for the technical team and reported the on-site condition to Yian Qingwen, seeking the help of the geological expert group.

The aftershock made it evident that the school’s building was fragile, unable to use a crane to lift the floors directly, as any secondary collapse during movement would risk killing Zou Lei, Zou Xiaoxin buried underneath, and the children.

Gu Ji was also rapidly analyzing beside him.

Clearly, this was a standard confined space rescue. In theory, there are two rescue methods: non-entry or entry rescue.

The former is safer.

But it requires a high degree of accessibility between the trapped person’s equipment and their position concerning the exit.

Evidently, Zou Lei’s current state doesn’t meet this criterion.