The first timed reading settled inside Qinghe’s marked range. The storm pressed power through the old furnace, and the casing groaned under the load. Yan stood at the inner ring with both hands clear of the metal.
Qinghe read the second gauge, then the first. The values matched. Qiao watched the repaired bracket and the local cutoff. The western node remained isolated. The river station stayed disconnected, with the neighboring ward carrying its load for now.
“Can I place my hand on the ring?” Yan asked.
“For the contact check,” Qinghe said. “We are still not beginning the sequence.”
Yan set his palm against the cool marked edge. He felt a faint pulse through the metal, not the art and not a current moving into him. Qinghe checked the instrument response and confirmed the contact was grounded.
“Clear,” she said. “You can lift.”
He took his hand away. The contact check showed that the ring was intact, but it did not prove the whole furnace was ready. Qiao tested the cutoff from its marked position. The practice lamp went dark, and the neighboring relay remained separate.
A second shard fell near the outer rail. Qinghe called for the platform to clear. Yan stepped back, and the repair crew moved the instrument case away from the impact. The stone struck the floor and cracked in two. No one was hit.
