Chapter 12
882words
"Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt with an urgent weather announcement." The news anchor's expression was solemn, "A super typhoon is forming in the western Pacific, named 'Maria.' According to the latest data from the Meteorological Agency, this could be the strongest typhoon to make landfall on Honshu in nearly thirty years."
Shin looked up, the TV screen was displaying satellite cloud imagery. A huge spiral-shaped storm was approaching the Japanese archipelago.
"The typhoon is expected to make landfall within 72 hours, with maximum wind speeds reaching 45 meters per second, and gusts potentially exceeding 60 meters per second."
60 meters per second.
Shin's hand trembled slightly. He immediately turned to his computer and began searching for detailed meteorological data.
"Maximum wind speed at center 45 meters per second... gusts 60 meters per second... predicted landfall point on the east coast..."
Shin typed rapidly on the keyboard, inputting the typhoon data into his structural analysis model.
Wind direction: north-northwest.
Precisely the most vulnerable direction of the civic center—the southeast corner lacking shear walls.
"No way..." Shin's face turned pale.
The calculation results slowly appeared. When wind speeds reach 45 meters per second, the southeast corner of the building would bear a torsional moment of 1200 kilonewton meters. But the structural limit torsional moment without the critical shear walls was only 800 kilonewton meters.
Exceeding by 50%.
Shin input the gust data again. 60 meters per second.
Twisting torque 2100 kilonewton meters. Exceeding structural limit by 162%.
"Collapse probability...93.7%."
Nakayama-kun stared at the numbers on the screen, cold sweat streaming down. What did 93.7% mean? It meant that when the typhoon arrived, the civic center would almost certainly collapse.
His phone rang urgently.
"Nakayama-kun!" Hana Sawamura's voice was filled with anxiety, "Did you see the news? That typhoon—"
"I know," Nakayama interrupted her, "Miss Sawamura, the situation is more serious than you imagine."
"We need to go to the civic center immediately," Nakayama grabbed his coat, "Right now."
Twenty minutes later, Nakayama and Hana Sawamura stood at the main entrance of the civic center.
"Welcome to the 'Soaring Childhood' art exhibition!" The staff at the entrance greeted with a smile, "We have 580 children and parents registered to visit today."
580 people.
Nakayama and Hana Sawamura exchanged glances.
They walked into the hall and saw joy and laughter everywhere. Five or six-year-old children, accompanied by their parents, were focusing intently on the paintings and sculptures on the walls.
"Mom, this little rabbit is so cute!"
"Dad, I want to draw pictures like this too!"
Innocent voices echoed throughout the hall.
Shin watched these children, his heart pounding violently. Three days later, when the typhoon made landfall, these smiling faces, these lively figures, might all be...
"Nakayama-kun," Hana Sawamura said softly, "we must do something."
Just then, Moriyama came down from the second floor.
"Nakayama-kun? What are you doing here?" He looked somewhat surprised, "I was just observing the building structure and found some issues. The wall in the southeast corner seems much thinner than other places..."
Shin nodded: "Mr. Moriyama, we need to talk. It's an emergency."
The three sat down in a café next to the civic center.
"After the typhoon makes landfall, the collapse probability of this building exceeds 90%." Shin got straight to the point, "And right now there are nearly 600 people inside."
Moriyama's coffee cup trembled in his hand: "Are you sure?"
"Structural calculations don't lie." Shin turned the computer screen toward them, "Look, this is the death formula."
Hana Sawamura bit her lip: "What do we do now? Call the police immediately? Notify the media?"
"It's useless." Moriyama shook his head, "Nobody will believe us. Kokonogi's influence is too great; the government won't close a public building just on our word."
"And..." Shin added, "Even if we release Ichiro Tanaka's original blueprints now, it will take time to verify. Government investigation, expert analysis, official decisions... at least a week."
"We only have three days." Hana Sawamura's voice was soft, but every word was clearly audible.
The three fell into silence.
The television in the café continued broadcasting typhoon news: "...citizens are advised to prepare for the typhoon, secure doors and windows, stock up on daily necessities..."
"I recall what my father once said," Shin suddenly spoke up, "He said, an engineer's duty is not to build magnificent structures, but to protect people's lives."
He looked outside at the civic center, where children were still running around excitedly.
"For three years, I've wanted to avenge my father. But now..." Shin stood up, "Now what I need to do isn't revenge, but saving lives."
Hana Sawamura also stood up: "Then what should we do?"
Moriyama pondered for a moment: "I have an idea. But..." he looked at the two of them, "It might mean we'll have to directly confront the entire bureaucratic system."
Determination flashed in Shin's eyes: "Tell me."
"We create an emergency situation that cannot be ignored," Moriyama said in a low voice, "Force them to evacuate the building immediately."
Outside the window, clouds signaling the approaching typhoon had begun to gather. Time was ticking away second by second.
580 lives, 72-hour countdown.
"Good." Shin clenched his fist, "Let's get started."
