Carl slammed the scraper to the ground with a dull thud. Chen Hao glanced at his watch; it was almost seven. He stood up, stretched his shoulders, and heard his bones crack.
"I've been sitting here all day, my butt feels like it's glued to the toolbox," he said. "But at least the window won't let in any more drafts."
Susan tucked the last test record into a folder and turned off the light on her workbench. "We still need to check the system synchronization tomorrow. Don't think you're all set just because you finished today."
Nana stood in front of the terminal, and the screen just displayed a message: "[Process upgrade complete]". "Emergency response plan and supporting construction standards have been generated. We recommend conducting a simulation exercise as soon as possible."
"Well, you're urging me to get back to work," Chen Hao said, scratching his head. "I just finished repairing the wall and now I have to rush around. Life just can't stop for a second."
Carl limped back, bent down to pick up the scraper from the ground, and tried twice but couldn't reach it. "Forget it, let it lie there. I feel like even bending down is a betrayal now."
"Then you go back to sleep first," Chen Hao said. "Don't come to the workshop tomorrow morning, we'll work somewhere else."
"Where to?" Carl stood up, leaning against the wall.
“That abandoned land to the east.” Chen Hao pulled a piece of paper out of the drawer. “Nana drew the plan last night. She wants to turn that empty land into a training ground.”
Susan leaned closer to take a look; the blueprints were densely covered with area numbers. "Earthquake zones, flood belts, strong wind simulations? Are you planning to build a disaster-themed park?"
"Pretty much." Chen Hao pointed to a red line in the middle. "This is the escape route, and it must be kept clear the whole way. We were able to fix the window yesterday because we took our time and did a good job. But in a real disaster, who's going to give you eight hours to slowly tighten screws?"
No one answered. The smell of glue still lingered in the air, and empty buckets and tools were scattered on the ground, but the sense of relief of "finally done" was slowly fading away.
Ten minutes later, the four people stood at the edge of the open space on the east side.
This area was originally a training simulator testing area, but the equipment became obsolete and it has been abandoned ever since. The ground is uneven, with piles of gravel and abandoned pipes, and several broken metal supports leaning precariously into the soil.
"It's worse than I imagined." Carl kicked away a piece of sheet metal at his feet. "This isn't a training ground; it looks like it's been hit by a meteorite."
Nana opened her handheld terminal and projected a 3D layout diagram. "According to the structural safety assessment, the usable area is 327 square meters. It has been divided into four functional modules: a vibration platform for simulating earthquakes, a sprinkler system for covering flooded areas, a fan array for creating a strong wind environment, and a central control console for uniformly scheduling the signal triggering sequence."
“Sounds pretty professional.” Susan looked around. “The problem is, we can’t even stand firmly on the ground right now.”
“Let’s clear the area first.” Chen Hao took off his coat and draped it over his arm. “Karl, you’re the strongest, so carry the heavy things; Susan, you’re in charge of marking out the areas; Nana, can your little robot level the ground?”
“Model D7 is available.” Nana pressed the remote control button, and a flat tracked machine slid out of her backpack and automatically drove toward the most severely dented area.
The four of them immediately sprang into action.
Carl dragged away the broken beam, one trip after another. Susan used pink string to mark the boundary, driving a marker stake every five meters. Nana operated the robot to flatten the collapsed area, then sprinkled a hardener to reinforce the surface. Chen Hao held the blueprints back and forth, comparing them, occasionally stopping to adjust the position.
Two hours later, the site began to take shape.
The vibration platform was fixed in the northwest corner, with four counterweight steel plates underneath to prevent displacement. Diversion channels were laid in the flooded area, connecting temporary water tanks and drainage outlets. Twelve fans were arranged along the south fence, their power cables neatly bundled. A control box and intercom system were installed on the central elevated platform.
“It looks like a decent place now.” Susan wiped her sweat. “At least you won’t step into a crack in the ground.”
“The next step is prop testing.” Nana walked to the equipment box. “The smoke generator, sound effects player, and light warning system are all installed and need to be calibrated.”
She activated the first device. A plume of grayish-white smoke slowly emerged, lasting for less than ten seconds before stopping.
"Is it blocked?" Chen Hao leaned closer to take a look.
“The filter material is incompatible.” Nana disassembled the outer casing. “The original metal mesh has too large a pore size, which makes it prone to scaling in humid environments. I recommend replacing it with a hydrophobic fiber membrane.”
"Is there a spare?"
"We have materials of the same specifications in our warehouse, and I have retrieved them."
Fifteen minutes later, the new filter was installed, the smoke was released steadily, and it automatically shut off after three minutes.
Next came the vibration platform. The moment it started, the roar made the tin shack next to it vibrate.
“It’s too big.” Susan covered her ears. “We can’t hear the alarm at all.”
"The resonance frequency is too high." Nana checked the data. "I suggest adding rubber shock-absorbing pads to the base."
Carl rummaged through the scrap heap and found several old gaskets, which he cut and fixed in place. During the second test, the noise was significantly reduced, while the vibration amplitude still met the standard.
“This time it’s like an earthquake, not a pile driver,” Chen Hao nodded.
Once the sprinkler system is activated, water is sprayed evenly, just enough to cover the shoe surface. The lights, combined with flashing red lights, create an atmosphere of urgency.
Finally, there are the warning sound effects. Nana plays a preset sequence—a low-frequency hum represents an earthquake, a rapid buzzing corresponds to a flood, and a long, intermittent tone indicates a strong wind warning.
"It sounds like a supermarket discount announcement," Carl frowned.
“It shouldn’t be like a movie in the first place,” Chen Hao said. “Real alarms are unpleasant and annoying; the more you try not to listen, the more you have to hear them.”
Everyone tried out the response procedure: upon hearing the signal, immediately stop what you are doing, confirm the direction, and move along the predetermined route.
The first round was bumpy. Susan misremembered the turning point, and Carl almost crashed into the fan stand. The second round went much smoother.
“It’s only a few steps,” Carl said, panting, “but it’s easy to get dizzy if you panic.”
"That's why we need to practice." Chen Hao looked at the training ground. "Not to avoid making mistakes, but to make sure we can come back alive after making mistakes."
The sun was setting in the west, and the wind was starting to get cooler.
Chen Hao gathered the three of them and they stood on the central platform.
"The first formal drill will be at 3 a.m. tomorrow," he said. "The process will be divided into three phases: the first round will only involve following the route without any interference; the second round will include smoke and sound; and the third round will be a full-scale simulation."
"Who's off tonight?" Susan asked.
“I’m fine with anything.” Carl leaned against the control box. “I’ll just be lying down when I get back anyway, so I might as well stay here and watch over the equipment.”
“I’ll stay and do one last system check,” Nana said.
"Then Susan and I will go back and catch up on our sleep." Chen Hao stretched. "After all, we have to run around like crazy tomorrow."
After the two left, Carl sat on the steps, staring at the newly installed fan.
"You think this thing can really simulate a Force 12 gale?" he asked Nana.
"The theoretical output wind speed can reach thirty-three meters per second." Nana brought up the parameter interface.
"Wouldn't that blow me up into the sky?"
"A safety limit rope is provided."
“Oh.” Karl grinned. “Then I’ll still dare to stand here.”
As night deepened, the venue quieted down.
Nana checked the sensor connections one by one. Susan walked a final lap around the field to ensure all signs were secure and clearly visible.
When she returned to the platform, she saw that Karl had fallen asleep against the box, his hat askew, and he was still clutching half a marker in his hand.
She gently took the pen, capped it, and put it back in the toolbox.
Nana stood in front of the control panel, her finger hovering over the start button. The blue indicator light reflected on her face, flashing intermittently.
Susan took a deep breath and looked at the empty training ground.
“Ready,” she said.
Chen Hao returned on time at noon the next day. He had changed into some casual clothes and was carrying two bottles of energy drinks.
"Wake up, let's get to work." He patted Karl on the shoulder.
Karl suddenly opened his eyes and looked up at the sky. "What time is it?"
"It's almost 3 o'clock."
"So fast?" He struggled to his feet. "I dreamt that I escaped safely, only to find out that the exercise was repeated three times."
"Then consider it a preview." Chen Hao shoved the drink into his hand. "Drink this to stay alert, so you don't fall asleep halfway through the run."
Susan is already checking the walkie-talkie channels, and Nana is loading the final program.
“All equipment is functioning normally,” she said. “The first round of warnings will be triggered automatically in ten minutes.”
Chen Hao stood on the high platform, surveying the entire area. The smoke machines stood silently, their fan blades stopped spinning, and their nozzles hidden beneath the ground. Everything awaited its activation.
“We’ve fixed the windows and patched up the walls,” he said. “Now it’s time to learn how to get out of here alive.”
Carl took a sip of his drink and wiped his mouth.
“If I can complete the whole course this time,” he grinned, “I’ll have to give myself an award.”
Nana's finger landed on the start button.
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