Chapter 116: Someone’s Coming!

Listening to Tian Jiliang, Jiang Yan suddenly realized that she’d been living in seclusion for so long that her information was indeed a bit out of date.

She wasn’t interested in Ma Longbiao’s group setting up their own little private base in the neighborhood.

But if their power really grew, eventually it would affect her too.

At that point, it wouldn’t just be as simple as them reporting her to the authorities for hiding firearms.

Who knows, maybe a whole bunch of people would just storm up to the 32nd floor.

They couldn’t really threaten her safety or lifestyle, but if they kept buzzing around her like a green-headed fly, “bzz bzz bzz” all day, it would be pretty disgusting.

But now was obviously not the right time to step in and deal with them.

Let the mantis stalk the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Let’s just wait and see how things play out.

In just a second or two, Jiang Yan had already made up her mind.

Su Dai, sitting next to her, was still stuck on what Tian Jiliang had just said:

“Huh? The kids are in their hands? What does that mean?”

Ye Qing glanced at her and replied succinctly, “Kidnapping. Hostage-taking.”

He didn’t explain further—after all, they were all adults, they understood.

Su Dai still found it hard to accept.

The news had come too suddenly.

The official boat had just left a moment ago.

Ma Longbiao’s group were clearly outsiders, not only taking over the place, but now they’d even managed to control the “locals” of Qianshui Bay.

It was like something out of a badly written movie or novel—who could accept that?

She looked at Tian Jiliang. “Old Tian, are you sure about this info? There are so many people downstairs, and you’re saying they just took control? That’s a bit much!

And these people aren’t even from our complex. The owners are just going to let them run wild like this??”

Even after accounting for those who’d died or been taken away by the authorities, there were still a thousand or two residents left in their complex.

Just in Building A, there were two or three hundred people.

Some of them were pretty sharp—not idiots.

A few were even company executives.

Ma Longbiao, no matter how much of a bully he was, was just a property manager—not exactly a big shot.

Now they’d all fallen into his trap? It didn’t make sense.

“It’s simple. They came prepared. They’re using threats and bribes to pick people off one by one,” Tian Jiliang said, taking a sip of water before continuing.

“They didn’t control everyone downstairs from the start. They targeted specific people first. They went for families with elderly or kids, then broke through bit by bit.

For the smart, ambitious types, they offered incentives to win them over. These days, everyone just minds their own business.

By the time people realized what was happening, their weak spots were already in someone else’s hands. Too late.”

“So, when they said from the start that they wouldn’t mess with us on the 32nd floor, it was just a stalling tactic,” Jiang Yan said, resting her chin on her hand and watching the little flickering flame of the alcohol lamp on the table.

The flame was small, but it didn’t last long.

“Oh, it’s almost out!” Su Dai followed her gaze and finally noticed the alcohol was nearly gone.

She quickly got up, grabbed a pair of tweezers, had Ye Qing help her lift the ceramic wick, and poured in more alcohol from a small bottle.

Her way of refilling was actually a bit dangerous.

Normally, you’d put out the lamp first before adding more.

But the others didn’t say anything.

“The main thing is, they have supplies. With this heavy rain, who cares if you used to be an executive or an official? Without resources and a platform, you’re nothing! Supplies and strength are what matter now!”

Tian Jiliang checked his watch. “Oh! It’s six o’clock! I’d better get home. If I wait any longer, those people might come knocking. Who knows, maybe they’ll expand to the 29th floor today!”

Su Dai looked at him. “Seriously?” It sounded like bandits coming to loot and pillage.

“Exactly! We’re outnumbered and have no real weapons—how could we fight them? Sigh! If only someone powerful could…”

Tian Jiliang let out a heavy sigh, stood up, and hesitated, sneaking a glance at Jiang Yan.

He looked gentle and unassuming, but he was actually shrewd and ambitious.

It was just that, because of his work environment, he was used to keeping a low profile.

But you don’t become an investment director at a listed company without some serious emotional intelligence and cunning.

He’d actually already quietly gathered a small group to resist Ma Longbiao’s gang.

But he’d kept it very secret, and couldn’t just tell Jiang Yan and the others directly.

All his rambling earlier was just to test the waters and set things up.

He’d hoped Jiang Yan might step in and help.

After all, she had a gun and real strength—her deterrent power was no joke.

If she, Sun Jingtao, and Ye Qing teamed up, and he recruited a few more people,

They could probably take on Ma Longbiao’s group.

It might not be impossible to drive them out of Building A.

But Jiang Yan didn’t seem to pick up on his hints at all. Her expression unchanged, she said calmly,

“Yeah, it’s getting late. I’ll head back too.”

Tian Jiliang couldn’t quite understand her zen-like calm, but he couldn’t say anything.

As the saying goes, helping is a favor, not helping is just normal.

He couldn’t make decisions for her.

And he couldn’t make the decisions himself, either.

He’d just have to find another chance to persuade her.

Jiang Yan was starting to feel restless herself.

Mainly, her stomach was acting up again.

The room was damp and cold.

Even though her body had been enhanced by the space, and she wasn’t as sensitive to heat or cold,

She could still feel the temperature change.

The clay stove Ye Qing and the others built that afternoon still hadn’t set.

Jiang Yan and Tian Jiliang were guests, so it wasn’t convenient to light it—besides, the smell was bad and the smoke was thick.

“Wait a sec, I have something for you guys,” Sun Jingtao said, getting up and heading to the master bedroom.

But he came back out quickly, face serious. “Guys, someone’s coming from the building across!”

He was holding an army-green military binoculars.

“Honey, what do you mean?” Su Dai blurted out, jumping up from her seat.

Jiang Yan understood instantly.

His apartment had the same layout as hers.

The master bedroom overlooked the central garden of the complex.

Clearly, people from the other buildings were coming over.

With rain this heavy, in another day or two the water would reach the 20th floor.

Those buildings only had 24 floors to begin with.

Building A’s 32 floors naturally made it the first choice for shelter.

“Come with me.”

Sun Jingtao didn’t care about privacy anymore, and called everyone into the master bedroom."