The air in the subterranean shaft leading down to Sub-Bay #9 tasted of melted copper, sulfur, and unvented plasma exhaust.
Thick gray smoke rolled up the stairwell in heavy waves as another muffled shockwave rattled the steel bulkheads overhead.
At the bottom of the shaft, Tie Niu planted his massive boots against the deck plates. His broad shoulders swelled beneath his black security uniform as he gripped a spirit-forged hydraulic pry-bar alongside Forge-King Tie-Ran.
“Boss Lin, the main dog-latches on this hatch were just welded shut from the outside!” Tie Niu shouted over the shrieking hiss of superheated steam leaking around the doorframe. “Director Vane’s goons fused the locking bolts with a heavy plasma torch five minutes ago!”
“Cowardly corporate vermin!” Forge-King Tie-Ran spat, his long braided beard bristling with angry sparks as he raised his star-alloy forging hammer. “Locking smiths and welders inside a reactor bay without coolant is murder! Stand back, Old Bull—let’s knock this tin door off its hinges!”
Lin Mo stood two paces behind them, his expression calm and focused as his [Pure-Heart Eye] pierced the three-foot-thick blast hatch.
[SYSTEM SCAN: SUB-BAY #9 CONTAINMENT CHAMBER]
[INTERNAL TEMPERATURE: 840°C — PLASMA-CORE CONTAINMENT FAILING!]
