Cities full of heroes

"Whenever people are in danger, we would come to rescue without the slightest hesitation," he said. "Unflinching and unflappable personalities are a must for us firefighters. Our mission is to always serve the people wholeheartedly."

Though deeply touched by the heroic deeds of many firefighters, Li never intended to deify these heroes in his work.

"They are also ordinary people with flesh and blood and they share similar joys and sorrows in their daily lives with us," he said.

For example, in the show, despite excellent work performance, protagonist Song is not perfect in every respect. "Coming from a broken home, Song failed to get an impressive record in school and was even forced to leave the girl he loved. His life never ran smoothly," said Yang.

According to Li, it is such ordinariness that makes him more respectful of the firefighters who step forward in every rescue operation. "These ordinary people shoulder the responsibility and the honor brought by the firefighting profession, but I think they should also be guarded while guarding others," Li said. "There are always mutual respect and deep affection between these guardians and the residents in the city, and this is what I try to convey to the audiences through this series."

With deep reverence for the profession, Duan hopes to carry the spirit of Chinese firefighters in his lifetime. "Just as Song said in the first episode, once you put on this uniform, you can't tarnish its honor."