Chapter 161: Three Large Ships Arrive

“Let’s hurry downstairs and tell Tao-ge and Zhao-ge the good news!” Ye Qing, usually calm and collected, was now visibly excited.

Sun Jingtao and Zhao Pengfei were on the 24th floor, surrounded by blackout curtains, so they couldn’t see what was happening outside.

“Okay.” Jiang Yan nodded and pushed open the hidden door.

She actually wanted to find a chance to slip into her space and bring Huabao in with her, maybe let him eat some of those gold bars first.

But after thinking it over, she gave up on the idea.

Even though they’d wiped out the enemy’s forces, the danger wasn’t completely gone yet.

Better to meet up with Sun Jingtao and the others downstairs first.

There was no need to rush it.

Once they entered the stairwell, the two of them automatically fell silent.

Ye Qing took the lead.

There were too many rooms in this building—there could easily be some stragglers hiding out.

It wasn’t like the 32nd floor mezzanine, where the red steel frames made everything visible at a glance.

They moved quickly and quietly, soon reaching the 25th floor.

From a distance, Jiang Yan could already hear the heart-wrenching cries of a young boy, along with the hushed murmurs of many people.

Calling it “hushed” was generous—it was really just that everyone was too weak and exhausted to speak any louder.

Even so, both Jiang Yan and Ye Qing instinctively raised their guns, just in case.

Because it was a mezzanine floor, they could see the crowd below.

Groups of four or five men, each holding knives or makeshift tools, were helping each other lower the remaining children who were still hanging up.

What used to be a one-person job now required teamwork—everyone was too weak, and there weren’t enough knives to go around.

It seemed Sun Jingtao was thinking clearly.

He’d prioritized rescuing the stronger, taller men first.

Then, with their help, he was working to save the children and women.

Although Ye Qing had already described the scene on this floor, seeing the iron cages and the people hanging from them with her own eyes still made Jiang Yan shudder.

“Tao-ge!” Ye Qing scanned the area but didn’t spot Sun Jingtao or Zhao Pengfei, so she called out loudly.

Sun Jingtao heard her and waved in their direction.

He was drenched in sweat, standing in a pool where several women were still hanging, using a knife to cut them free.

“Jiang Yan, there’s something wrong with this water, and it’s freezing. Wait here for us—don’t come down,” Ye Qing said, striding forward to help Sun Jingtao.

Jiang Yan frowned as she looked at the people shivering on the edge of the pool, their lips purple from the cold.

Now that the rain had stopped, the temperature would likely keep dropping.

Without extra warm clothing, these people might freeze to death even after being rescued.

She remembered that besides the bedding in the guest rooms, the hotel also had a linen room.

There should be plenty of towels and blankets there to keep everyone warm for now.

“Huabao, can you check the map and tell me which floor the hotel’s main linen room is on?” Jiang Yan communicated with Huabao in her mind.

“Hee hee! Mama, the main linen room is on the basement level—it’s the biggest one. There are also small linen rooms near the corners of other floors.”

“Ye Qing!” Jiang Yan called her back.

Ye Qing hesitated, but walked over. “What’s up, Jiang Yan?”

“Give your knife to someone else. You and I will each lead a group to the linen rooms.”

She chose herself and Ye Qing because they both had guns.

That would keep everyone in line.

Even though these were just ordinary civilians, when it came to blankets or anything that could keep them warm, fights could easily break out.

And if they ran into any ambushes, they’d be able to handle it.

“Okay.” Without further questions, Ye Qing handed her knife to a skinny but handsome young man.

“Tao-ge, we’ll take some people upstairs first.”

“Alright, be careful,” Sun Jingtao replied, understanding immediately.

“Where’s Zhao Pengfei? I don’t see him,” Jiang Yan asked as Ye Qing approached.

Ye Qing repeated what Sun Jingtao had just told her: “He’s gone. He was in a hurry to save his son and got shot by a sniper hiding in the shadows.”

Jiang Yan: “......”

“Everyone who can still stand, split into two groups and follow us!” Jiang Yan took a deep breath, pushed her thoughts aside, and called out to the people who had been freed by the pool.

They didn’t really understand, but followed her instructions.

Some people were so weak they could barely stand, but they still got up.

Ye Qing and Jiang Yan picked out a few people each.

Then, each led a group upstairs.

*

Four hours later, everyone who had been tied up and hung was finally rescued.

All the blankets, quilts, and towels from the linen rooms on each floor had been brought up to the 26th and 27th floors.

Because half the windows in the building had been shattered, everyone crowded into rooms on the other side.

With so many people and all those blankets, it was much warmer.

Some people suggested burning hotel furniture in the hallways for warmth, but Jiang Yan and the others vetoed the idea for now.

A few people who were still relatively strong searched the floors and actually managed to find some food.

It was spoiled, but better than nothing—it could stave off hunger for a while.

“Jiang Yan, what do you think we should do next?” Sun Jingtao, looking exhausted, pulled Jiang Yan and Ye Qing aside to discuss.

They’d found the people who’d been taken from Qianshui Bay.

But there were still many from other neighborhoods.

Even if they only tried to transport the Qianshui Bay people, their rubber boats wouldn’t be enough.

“I think the temperature is dropping even more than before. The water could freeze over soon,” Jiang Yan said bluntly.

She was basing this on her past life’s experience, though she couldn’t say that out loud.

“Freeze over?” Ye Qing glanced out the window.

It was almost 7 a.m. now.

The sky was getting light.

With the rain gone, it was much brighter outside.

Sun Jingtao had already heard from Ye Qing that the rain had stopped.

He was anxious to get home to his wife, Su Dai.

But with so many people here, he couldn’t just leave them behind.

“If the water freezes, that might actually be a good thing,” Sun Jingtao said, frowning.

What they lacked most was transportation.

If the water froze, people would have a much better chance of making it to nearby neighborhoods on their own.

If they could find a bit of food, their chances of survival would go up.

But it would take some time for the ice to get thick enough to walk on.

Sun Jingtao was about to share an idea with Jiang Yan and Ye Qing when a young man hurried over.

“Heroes! Three big ships just arrived outside! They’ve got official flags—and lots of armed soldiers!”"