Chapter 158: The Mysterious Warehouse No. 1

30th Floor.

As Jiang Yan fired the last bullet from her assault rifle, she flawlessly took down the final thug charging down from upstairs.

She couldn't even be bothered to reload—she simply tossed the empty rifle back into her storage space and swapped it for a submachine gun she’d seized from one of the attackers, this one equipped with a tactical flashlight and a scope.

The once-empty area was now littered with corpses in all sorts of bizarre positions.

Sticky red liquid pooled across the floor.

Fortunately, the lobby was now open on all sides, so the stench of blood wasn’t too strong.

Hua Bao, who had used all its strength to fling Zhao Nianzu’s group into the air, had returned.

It couldn’t stray too far from Jiang Yan, so the explosion caused by the others had left a noticeable mark on the building.

Most of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the 30th floor had been shattered by the blast.

Now, the fully transparent Hua Bao was using its two little leaves as hands, helping Jiang Yan collect all the attackers’ submachine guns, walkie-talkies, knives, and other supplies.

When the explosion happened, it had turned its body into a gaseous state, so it wasn’t much affected.

However, it could only launch an attack once per calendar month.

For the rest of the time, if Jiang Yan faced mortal danger again, she’d have to rely on herself.

“Jie jie jie!” Mama, I’ve finished searching them! All their weapons and usable supplies are collected! Also, I checked their pulses—they’re all completely dead!

As Hua Bao spoke, it stuck out its tongue and licked a few dried bloodstains from the corner of its mouth.

Those stains were left from devouring Zhao Nianzu earlier.

“Well done!”

Jiang Yan smiled and gestured for Hua Bao to return.

Her face and clothes were also splattered with blood—dusty and reeking.

Hua Bao hopped back onto her shoulder.

Usually lively and energetic, its big head now looked a bit listless, and its vines drooped down her back like snakes.

Still, at least it didn’t shrink back into her palm like it had after attacking Song Deming and Zhang Kai the first time.

Jiang Yan guessed it was probably because this time, Hua Bao had devoured an entire living person.

Last time, it had only bitten off half of Song Deming’s head before Jiang Yan forcibly pulled it away.

Even so, with their minds connected, Jiang Yan could feel Hua Bao’s exhaustion.

People need rest and energy when they’re tired.

She believed Hua Bao was the same.

It would recover much faster if she put it back in her storage space, but she still needed Hua Bao to help her navigate.

So, it would be better to find the vault and let Hua Bao eat some gold bars first.

With that in mind, Jiang Yan decided to put off going downstairs to look for Ye Qing and Sun Jingtao, and instead focus on finding the No. 1 vault of Golden Shield Security.

“Hua Bao, let’s go find the gold bars!”

“Jie jie jie!” Okay, Mama! I’ll guide you!

At the mention of food, the carnivorous plant perked up, its previously tired little eyes now sparkling with energy.

It lifted its head from Jiang Yan’s shoulder and pointed a small leaf toward the side of the lobby, at the small door where the old man and Mo Siyao’s group had exited.

It was a dark brown, semi-arched hidden door.

The doorframe was the same color as the surrounding wall, with barely any visible seam—if you didn’t look closely, you’d never notice it.

Jiang Yan gripped her gun, switched on the tactical flashlight, and strode over quickly.

Even though she’d just taken out the last attacker from above, she didn’t dare let her guard down.

As soon as she gently pushed the door open, cold raindrops pelted her face.

Not far ahead, the endless dark ocean stretched into the night.

Only then did Jiang Yan realize that the stairway to the rooftop helipad was built spiraling up the side of the building.

The so-called No. 1 warehouse Zhao Nianzu and the others mentioned was just off the landing at the turn of the stairs.

There was an umbrella stand at the entrance, filled with navy blue umbrellas—probably for the distinguished guests arriving by helicopter.

But Jiang Yan had no time for that.

She stepped onto the steel stairs, braving the wind and rain, her footsteps clanging as she hurried upward.

Within seconds, two huge silver-gray steel doors bearing the sign “Warehouse No. 1” came into view.

There was a canopy here, so the area in front of the doors was dry.

Jiang Yan strode over.

Next to the doors was a small booth, like a guard post, now empty.

Seeing several large locks hanging on the steel doors, Jiang Yan searched the booth for keys but found nothing.

She turned, raised her submachine gun, and fired a burst at the locks—bang, bang, bang!

The locks shattered. Jiang Yan stepped forward and pushed hard, only to find another locked silver steel door inside.

And another one beyond that.

Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow.

Even for a vault, this was some serious security.

But the more tightly guarded and mysterious it was, the more excited she felt.

After all, the more secure it was, the more valuable the contents must be.

She blasted through three steel doors, then pushed open a glass swing door, only to be confronted by a row of sealed glass tanks, each over two meters tall, blocking her view.

A pungent smell hit her.

Formalin—again.

Jiang Yan frowned, quickly pulled a gas mask from her storage space, put it on, and swept her submachine gun’s light across the room.

What she saw in the tactical beam made her pupils contract in shock.

Suspended in the transparent liquid of the glass tanks were human bodies.

To be precise, corpses—dead, but with their features perfectly preserved.

Their skin was pale, eyes closed.

It looked like they’d been carefully selected.

Each one had exquisite, well-defined features and perfectly proportioned bodies.

Men, women, boys, girls—all were present.

The tanks for the children were much smaller, stacked two to a row.

The men and women had clearly visible abs and muscle definition.

The children looked like slender dolls.

Perfect as they were, they all exuded a chilling aura.

Farther in, shelves held glass jars filled with clear liquid.

Inside were all sorts of things—eyeballs, kidneys, livers, hearts, intestines, pancreases...

One jar had broken, with half a small intestine spilling onto the floor.

The stench was clearly coming from here.

“Ugh—” Jiang Yan shivered, unable to stop herself from dry heaving.

“Hua Bao, can you confirm if the gold bars are in here?”

“Jie jie jie!” Yes, Mama! I can smell them—just a bit further in!

Hua Bao was clearly shocked by the scene too.

It had seen similar things online while self-learning, but only in movies.

“Jie jie jie?” Mama, why would they make so many human specimens?

“Specimens? Aren’t they for organ transplants?” Jiang Yan frowned."