The path to the engine room was extremely dangerous. They had to traverse a narrow walkway on the exterior of the train car. The wind howled, and the train, hurtling forward at hundreds of kilometers per hour, made movement incredibly difficult. Everyone had to cling tightly to the side of the train to avoid being blown away.
Quynh Nhu and the security team moved in front and behind, forming a shield to protect Lam Minh, To Quyen, and the chief engineer.
"Be careful!" Quynh Nhu shouted, trying to be heard over the wind.
Lam Minh, however, was unusually calm. With the balance and strength of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, this wind was nothing more than a gentle autumn breeze. He even had time to notice To Quyen trembling slightly with fear and subtly moved closer, using his body to shield her from the wind. It was a small gesture, but it made To Quyen feel incredibly safe.
Finally, they reached the entrance to the engine room.
Inside was a labyrinth of pipes, wires, and complex, operating machinery. The roar of the machines was deafening, and the temperature in here was much higher than outside.
The chief engineer pointed to a large machine in the center. "There it is! The central transmission assembly! But... how do we open it? The casing is made of a titanium alloy, fastened with 12 high-pressure bolts. We don't have the specialized tools here!"
"No need to open it," Lam Minh said curtly. He glanced around, his sharp eyes like a scanner, quickly analyzing the entire structure of the machine. "On the left side, there's a safety pressure release valve, about 5cm in diameter. We'll go in through there."
"A pressure release valve?" The chief engineer was baffled. "But it's locked with an electronic code and can only be opened from the control room."
Lam Minh didn't answer. He walked up to the valve. It was a thick, round metal cap, completely flat, without a single seam.
"Stand back," he said to everyone.
Then, before everyone's astonished eyes, he raised his hand. His five slender fingers rested on the surface of the valve. He closed his eyes.
A stream of extremely pure and perfectly controlled Foundation Establishment qi seeped through his fingertips, penetrating the metal structure. He didn't use force to destroy it, but used his "qi" to feel and manipulate the tiniest mechanical components within the electronic lock.
Click... click... clack!
After a few seconds, a small "clack" was heard. The valve, which had been secured with high technology, slowly popped open.
The chief engineer was frozen. His mouth was open wide enough to fit a goose egg. Picking an electronic lock with his bare hands? Is this guy a hacker or a magician?
"Now," Lam Minh said. "I need a metal wire, as thin as possible, and something that can generate instantaneous high heat."
"A metal wire? Here!" a security guard quickly removed a thin steel wire from his utility kit.
"High heat? Can this work?" Quynh Nhu pulled a military-grade Zippo lighter from her pocket.
"Not enough," Lam Minh shook his head. "The temperature needs to be at least 1500 degrees Celsius."
Everyone looked at each other, helpless. Where could they find something like that on a train?
Just then, To Quyen suddenly spoke up. "Use this!"
She took off her necklace. The pendant was a small, blue stone. "This is a Zirconium focusing stone. My mother made it. If you shine a laser of sufficient intensity on it, it can focus the energy and create an extremely high heat point."
"Where do we get a laser?"
"From my laser pointer!" To Quyen took out a laser pointer she often used for presentations.
Lam Minh looked at To Quyen with admiration. "Brilliant! Give it to me."
He took the steel wire and skillfully bent it into a strange shape, like a long, thin probe. Then, he threaded it through the newly opened pressure valve.
He closed his eyes again, using his "qi" to feel the internal structure. His hand moved the wire slowly, with millimeter precision, like a surgeon performing a complex operation.
"Hurry! We have 5 minutes until we reach the downhill slope!" the chief engineer yelled, his voice filled with panic.
Sweat began to form on Lam Minh's forehead, not from the heat, but from intense concentration. Finally, he stopped.
"Found it. The air bubble is in gear number 7, at the 3 o'clock position."
He signaled to To Quyen. "Shine the laser on the stone, aim it directly at the tip of this steel wire. When I give the signal, activate it at maximum power. We only have one chance."
To Quyen nodded, her hands trembling slightly but her eyes incredibly determined. She did as Lam Minh said. A point of light focused on the tip of the steel wire.
"Now!" Lam Minh shouted.
To Quyen pressed the button. A bright spot flared up at the tip of the probe inside the machine.
FZZZT!
A small sound came from within. The air bubble was instantly vaporized by the extreme heat, creating a vacuum.
Immediately, the jammed machine shuddered violently, then began to operate again with a loud "CLUNK." The braking system was released!
The train lurched hard once and then began to decelerate.
Over the PA system, the captain's voice, choked with joy, rang out. "The braking system is operational again! The disaster has been averted! I repeat, the disaster has been averted!"
The entire train erupted in joy. People hugged each other, cheered, and cried.
In the engine room, the chief engineer collapsed to the floor, panting as if he had just escaped death. The security team looked at Lam Minh with the same reverence they would a god.
Quynh Nhu and To Quyen also looked at him, their eyes filled with unconcealable shock and admiration.
Lam Minh just calmly pulled out the steel wire and returned it to its owner. He turned to To Quyen and smiled.
"Good work, partner."
To Quyen blushed, her heart racing. Those two words, "partner," coming from his lips, sounded so sweet.
Lam Minh had once again become a hero, but this time not in the ring, but as a genius mechanical and physics "expert." His secrets piled up even more, making it increasingly impossible for those around him to see through him.