The stairs were still shaking when the steam column shot into the sky.
Chen Hao looked down at the steps beneath his feet, then looked up at the dark passageway ahead. "Is there really electricity in this place?" he muttered. "I'd rather it were a toilet."
“The energy core is on the third underground level,” Nana’s voice came from behind. “According to the database records, this used to be a geothermal relay station of the old Federation, and theoretically it has a long-term energy storage system.”
“Theory?” Karl adjusted his helmet. “Those who believed in theories last time are probably already three meters old.”
“That’s still better than going back empty-handed.” Chen Hao took a step forward. “Let’s go. If I stand here any longer, I’ll be soaked in my own sweat.”
The passage narrowed as they descended, large patches of plaster peeling off the walls to reveal rusted metal supports. The air grew increasingly hot, and the ventilators emitted a slight overload warning. The three moved slowly forward, clinging to one side of the wall, feeling the ground tremble slightly every ten seconds or so.
“The steam pulse frequency has increased.” Nana stopped, the scanner on her wrist flashing twice. “It’s gone from once every seven minutes to once every four minutes. The pressure is building up.”
"Does that mean we have to steal the electricity before it explodes?" Chen Hao wiped the sweat from his face. "This job is done by someone we know."
“Didn’t you always say you wanted to be a hero?” Carl gave him a shove. “Now’s your chance.”
"I'm talking about the kind of hero who lies down and does nothing."
A metal gate appeared ahead, its surface covered in cracks. In the center was a circular control panel with a shattered screen. Nana reached out and pressed her hand against the interface, then shook her head after a few seconds: "The power outage has lasted too long; the local system cannot be woken up. The main module needs to be manually restarted."
"How do we do it?" Chen Hao asked.
“Three steps,” she said. “First, remove any remaining coolant; second, reset the pressure valve; third, connect the drain hose. The order is crucial.”
Who will go?
“Wow.” Carl took off his backpack. “I’m wearing a heavy-duty exoskeleton that’s heat-resistant.”
“No way.” Chen Hao stopped him. “You’re too big, you won’t be able to turn around inside. And…” He paused, “I’m skinny.”
The two of them turned to look at him at the same time.
"I mean—" Chen Hao coughed twice, "I'm short and fat, which gives me an advantage when I'm in tight spaces! Don't get me wrong!"
Nana didn't say anything, but silently opened the toolkit and handed him a set of heat-resistant clothing.
While changing clothes, Chen Hao kept repeating, "If I die here, remember to carve my name on the snack cabinet."
“No,” Nana said. “We’ll use your weight as ballast.”
"Thank you."
He bent down and crawled into the maintenance opening, where there was just enough space to crawl. The pipes crisscrossed like a maze, and the air was filled with the smell of burning. He had crawled less than ten meters when he suddenly heard a "click" from above.
Immediately afterwards, a plume of white mist shot out from the gap.
"High-temperature leak!" Nana shouted into the communicator, "Evacuate that section of pipeline immediately!"
Chen Hao scrambled back using both hands and feet, but after only two meters, a loud "boom" filled the entire passage behind him, and he collapsed to the ground, panting, his heart pounding as if it would burst out of his chest.
"Still alive?" Carl reached out and pulled him.
"I'm alive, that's all." Chen Hao brushed the dust off his clothes, "but my vest is tattered."
“Continue,” Nana said, pointing to another fork in the road. “There’s a backup entrance.”
This time they circled around to the side of the equipment room. A small door was ajar; pushing it open revealed a control console and a thick energy conduit, the end of which was inserted into a black cube—that was the energy storage core.
“That’s it,” Nana confirmed. “But it’s currently dormant and must be activated on-site.”
Carl was responsible for erecting support beams on the perimeter to prevent the ceiling from collapsing. Nana remotely connected to the spacecraft's receiving port and adjusted the input parameters. Chen Hao put on insulated gloves and began operating according to the procedures.
First, he opened the bottom valve to release the remaining liquid; the steaming green solution flowed away along the groove. Then he climbed onto the platform, located the pressure adjustment knob, and forcefully turned it counterclockwise three times.
“The final step,” he said, “is connecting the drainage tube.”
The room shook violently when the tube was inserted into the core socket.
The alarm sounded.
“Crustal resonance!” Nana stared at the data. “The restart has triggered a release of deep pressure, and a large-scale eruption will occur within eight minutes.”
"How long will it take to complete the transmission?" Carl asked.
“At least ten minutes,” she replied.
"Damn it." Chen Hao let go of his hand. "So we've wasted our time?"
“Not necessarily.” Nana pulled up the building structure diagram. “There’s an abandoned maintenance tunnel here that leads directly to the surface exit, close to the spaceship landing site.”
"Can you walk?"
"Yes, it can." She nodded, "but it's been in disrepair for years and may collapse."
“Let’s go then.” Carl grabbed the cutting gun. “We’re just going to be roasted meat here anyway.”
The three men put on portable guides and evacuated along a new route. The passage was low and damp, and before they were halfway there, a large pile of rubble collapsed ahead with a loud crash.
"It's completely blocked."
"Make way." Carl stepped forward and used a cutting torch to make a slit. Sparks flew and dust filled the air as Chen Hao struggled to pass through with his equipment on his back.
It collapsed twice more, and Karl managed to carve a path through it all. The last time, his arm was cut by a falling metal plate, and blood dripped down the edge of his protective suit.
"Are you alright?" Chen Hao turned around.
"I won't die." Karl wiped away the blood. "Let's get going."
Finally, the exit light came into view. It was very windy outside. The spaceship was parked not far away, and its engines had already begun to warm up.
"The signal is connected!" Nana looked at her watch. "Energy is being introduced."
"Run!" Chen Hao urged.
The three rushed out of the cave and towards the spaceship. As soon as the hatch opened, Chen Hao fell inside and lay motionless on the ground.
"Close the cabin," Karl said, panting.
The moment the door closed, a giant white pillar, hundreds of meters high, exploded in the distance, sending steam soaring into the sky.
Inside the control room, the alarm lights changed from red to yellow.
Nana stared at the screen: "Energy import progress is 40%, voltage is stable."
"I can still live." Chen Hao slumped in his chair. "Although I won't live a very dignified life."
“You were pretty tough just now.” Carl sat down to check his wound. “You didn’t back down.”
"I chickened out," Chen Hao honestly admitted. "But I'm more afraid of not having enough money to pay the electricity bill."
Nana said softly, "The resupply is expected to be completed in ninety-seven minutes."
"That's good." Chen Hao closed his eyes. "After I'm fully charged, I'll take a nap and dream that I'm a power bank."
The lights slowly returned to white, and the engine emitted a steady hum. The hull vibrated slightly, preparing to escape the gravitational pull of the atmosphere.
"Energy supply is stable," Nana reported. "The flight path has been updated; continue heading towards our hometown."
Chen Hao opened one eye: "You mean... is there a power outage in our hometown right now?"
No one answered.
He sat up and looked out the window. The planet was gradually shrinking, and the rift valley was no longer visible.
"Never mind," he said. "It's none of my business anyway."
The main screen displays energy reserves: 82%, 83%, 84%...
Suddenly, the screen flashed.
All instruments shut down simultaneously.
The cabin was plunged into darkness for a short time.
"What's going on?" Chen Hao suddenly stood up.
Nana tapped her fingers rapidly on the backup terminal, and the screen lit up again.
“Voltage fluctuations,” she said. “It’s switching input modes.”
A few seconds later, the lights came back on.
The energy progress bar continues to rise.
91%, 92%...
"It's stable now." Karl breathed a sigh of relief.
Chen Hao sat down again, his hands still resting on the control panel.
He looked down at his palm, which was trembling slightly.
“Next time,” he said, “could we find a planet with charging stations?”
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