Qinghe entered the furnace chamber with her instrument case and checked Yan’s channels before activation. She asked him to identify the stop signal, the local feed lever, and the safer platform. He named each without looking at the sequence card, then pointed out the gauge that would require her to cut the outer feed.
Qiao tested the release lever while the furnace was idle. The practice lamp went dark. The neighboring relay stayed lit. He reset the handle and watched both indicators return to their separate marks.
“The isolation holds,” he said.
A heavy gust pressed the ceiling inward. Dust sifted from the old stone joints, and the inner ring’s gauge trembled. Qiao measured a slight drop in the support bracket, fetched a brace, and set it under the loosened point. Yan held the brace while Qiao secured its foot against the wall.
The stone above them cracked. A chip fell and struck Qiao’s forearm. He pulled back with a sharp breath. Qinghe cleaned the scrape and wrapped it snugly. The bone was sound; he could work from the sheltered side.
“Finish the brace from there,” she said. “Keep your arm out of the fall line.”
Qiao moved two steps inward, tightened the brace, and checked the foot again. Yan held the lower end until the pressure stopped shifting. The bracket did not rise fully into its old groove, but the brace carried the load. Qiao marked the remaining gap for a later repair.
