Chapter 151: Nighttime Infiltration of the Sky Hotel 02

Jiang Yan tilted her face up for a look. Directly above her head was a fairly large air vent.

She was just about to climb around the side to reach the rooftop helipad when—“whup-whup-whup”—the distant sound of helicopter blades echoed from the sky nearby.

Jiang Yan quickly glanced back, then turned and crawled straight into the ventilation duct.

Down below, the others had also noticed the sound and light from above.

“Quick, move to the side!” Sun Jingtao hurriedly paddled the rubber boat into a corner, hiding themselves as best they could.

The helicopter circled above the 101 Sky Hotel for a while before finally landing on the rooftop helipad.

The engine was soon shut off, but there was no sound of the cabin door opening—it seemed whoever was inside was waiting for someone.

Jiang Yan frowned. At this hour, who could they be waiting for?

She didn’t dwell on it, instead continuing to climb up. Once she reached a safe corner in the duct, she focused her mind and entered her storage space.

She took off her soaked raincoat and climbing gear, changed into an identical tracksuit jacket, then used an absorbent towel to wipe the rain from her hair and face. Once fully equipped again, she exited the space.

This time, in addition to her night vision goggles, she added a simple filter mask with anti-toxin capabilities, and a pair of blast-proof earplugs that wouldn’t affect her hearing.

There was no helping it—the dust in the duct was just too thick.

And the smell wasn’t pleasant either.

Now fully prepared for round two, Jiang Yan continued crawling through the ventilation system, guided by Huabao’s “navigation,” heading deeper into the hotel.

Her first destination was the lobby area.

If the enemy’s main base was on the rooftop, then the lobby would surely be heavily guarded.

By observing the lobby, she could get a sense of their overall strength.

Besides, there would be hidden maintenance hatches and air vents there, making it easier to observe the internal environment.

The hotel’s air conditioning was all central air.

The size of the ventilation ducts above each room varied.

With Huabao’s help, she was able to stick to the wider sections, avoiding areas where the ducts were too narrow to crawl through.

To minimize noise, Jiang Yan moved very slowly, taking a long time to finally reach the lobby area.

Peering through an air vent, she could just make out some light.

It was ordinary lighting.

Jiang Yan was taken aback.

Earlier, when they’d observed from outside with binoculars all afternoon, the Sky Hotel had been pitch black from top to bottom, with not a single light source visible.

Clearly, the enemy’s counter-surveillance awareness and defensive measures were top-notch.

She inched her head closer to the vent.

Then, Jiang Yan took out her binoculars.

What she saw made her quietly suck in a breath.

The once-glamorous hotel lobby, with all its luxurious decorations and the grand piano, had been cleared out.

In the now-empty space, guards stood every few steps—seven or eight men in black tactical gear, each holding a black submachine gun.

Their posture was upright and disciplined.

If not for the words “Jindun Security” emblazoned on their chests, and the black-and-red tattoos on their faces, hands, and necks, Jiang Yan might have mistaken this for a regular military facility.

The lobby’s original 360-degree panoramic glass windows were now tightly covered with multiple layers of blackout curtains.

No wonder.

Further in, the open lobby bar area had been walled off with light steel framing and drywall.

It looked like a quick, makeshift renovation.

There were no windows, just a single door.

The door was tightly shut, with two young men in camouflage uniforms standing guard, rifles at the ready.

Judging by their uniforms and bearing, they were clearly regular soldiers.

Bright light spilled from the crack beneath the door.

Jiang Yan was more than a little puzzled.

Thinking of the helicopter on the rooftop, a bold and strange idea flashed through her mind.

Besides, it was nearly 2 a.m., and yet the place was brightly lit.

These people were seriously dedicated.

Even a 007-level corporate drone would have to give them a thumbs-up.

With these thoughts, Jiang Yan continued crawling slowly above the lobby bar.

“Hey, Zhao, Zhong, did you guys hear something rustling in the duct above?” one of the young men below suddenly looked up, his eyes wary as he glanced at the ceiling.

But all he saw was the lavish dome and the reflections of a few people.

The dome was covered in hand-blown colored glass flowers, densely packed and dazzlingly beautiful.

Another man replied dismissively, “Yeah, I heard it. It’s normal. The hotel kitchen’s always had a lot of rats. Some of them are tough enough to survive the heat.”

“Ah, you think they might have mutated?”

“Hush, are you stupid? Is this the time to talk about that?” The man quickly glanced toward the lobby bar.

The one who’d spoken first went pale and immediately fell silent.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yan had just crawled above the lobby bar when she heard a vigorous old man’s voice from the room below:

“Zhao Nianzu, this wall looks pretty rough. Is the soundproofing any good?”

As he spoke, the old man knocked on the wall.

A dull “thud, thud, thud” echoed from the drywall.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Mo. Time was tight, so we used drywall, but as per Brother Xue’s instructions, we packed it with thick soundproofing insulation. The effect is excellent!” replied another man, sounding middle-aged.

“Yes, Miao Miao specifically reminded me about this base, so we took extra care,” said another middle-aged man.

“Xue Dazheng, speaking of Miao Miao, the higher-ups are already watching this place. All the factions are busy fighting for power in the chaos. If we slip up, all our previous efforts will be wasted.

So there are some things I can’t cover up for you anymore. You’d better move your people, supplies, and equipment out of here within the next two days!”

The old man paused, then continued:

“And this building can’t be left behind. Once the rain stops, someone nosy is bound to find clues here.”

“Understood, thank you for your concern, Mr. Mo. I’ll report back to Miao Miao right away. Also, the heart and pair of retinas you requested—we’ll make sure to match them for you as soon as possible.

As for the building, we’ve got plenty of explosives in the warehouse. Before we leave, we’ll take care of it—no loose ends!”

The old man nodded in satisfaction. “Good.”

Jiang Yan’s breath caught. “Xue Dazheng, Miao Miao… heart and retina matching… blowing up the building…”

If she remembered correctly, Xue Dazheng was rumored to be Xue Miaomiao’s biological uncle.

If she’d only suspected before that the “Young Master Xue” at the Blazing Flame Base was Xue Miaomiao, now her guess was all but confirmed.

And according to official records and Dao Yinping’s testimony, the head of Jindun Security was none other than Zhao Nianzu.

So, it seemed, the supposedly all-powerful Zhao Nianzu—who straddled both the legal and illegal worlds—

was nothing more than a tool of the Xue family!"