Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Chapter 216: A Desperate Struggle

Chapter 216: A Desperate Struggle

Fatty Xu's doubts were not unfounded. It was hard to believe that ordinary people, let alone someone with his abilities, could survive an encounter with such a monstrous creature without thorough preparation. Considering its size, the amount of food it needed was enormous, likely dozens of times that of a normal human. Fatty Xu couldn’t fathom how it had survived all this time without preying on the people at the school.

However, Zhang Yi had a different perspective. "You didn’t notice one crucial thing," he said. "That creature didn’t intend to harm us initially."

Zhang Yi looked at Fatty Xu. "If you hadn’t suddenly attacked it and provoked it, we might not have ended up in this situation."

Fatty Xu was bewildered. "Did I really provoke it? I was just terrified!"

Zhang Yi recalled the monster’s eyes, sensing an intelligence there, not just the mindless hunger of a beast. "It’s possible the mutation enhanced its intelligence significantly, maybe even comparable to humans."

"And I did hear Yang Xinxin’s voice during that phone call. The monster couldn’t have made that call," Zhang Yi continued.

He approached the large hole the monster had created, peering into its depths. The tunnel was enormous, big enough for a vehicle to pass through, and provided a crucial air supply that could explain why people hadn’t suffocated underground.

After contemplating for a while, Zhang Yi made a decision. "Let’s go down and take a look."

"What? Go down there?" Fatty Xu exclaimed, frightened. "What if we encounter that monster again? This is its territory!"

Zhang Yi looked at Fatty Xu hard. "Have you forgotten your own abilities? You’re an ice and snow manipulator and scared to fight in the snow?"

Fatty Xu realized his oversight. In the snowy environment, his powers were at their peak. If the monster attacked, he could bury it under tons of snow.

Feeling embarrassed, Fatty Xu scratched his head. "I guess I was just too scared earlier."

Zhang Yi didn’t criticize him further. Fatty Xu had the least combat experience and was the most timid among the three. Over time, with more battles, his strength would undoubtedly grow. Superpowers alone didn’t determine combat effectiveness; intellect, courage, and even luck played crucial roles.

With Fatty Xu’s powers as their foundation, Zhang Yi’s absolute defense, and Uncle You as a strong shield, they were not afraid of facing the monster underground.

Zhang Yi stored their snowmobiles in his spatial space, and the three descended into the monster’s tunnel. Upon landing, they discovered an intricate network of tunnels beneath the snow, all carved out by the monster.

The tunnels were dark, so Zhang Yi lit a mining lamp, illuminating a hundred meters ahead. Even in the darkness, the monster couldn’t ambush them. Zhang Yi also produced two boxes of crayons, explaining, "We’ll use these to mark our path so we don’t get lost."

"But how will we find our way in this labyrinth?" Fatty Xu asked.

Uncle You sniffed the air cautiously. "There’s a strong smell of blood."

Fatty Xu quickly added, "It must be from the monster. Who knows how many it has eaten? We should follow the tunnels with the least blood scent."

Zhang Yi rolled his eyes. "With all three of us here, especially in the snow, you should be more confident. If we encounter the monster, it should be the one running away."

He retrieved a golden handgun and methodically loaded bullets. Uncle You recognized the weapon immediately. "Golden Desert Eagle!"

"Yes," Zhang Yi replied. The Desert Eagle, one of the most powerful handguns in the world, had ten times the firepower of the police handgun he had previously used. It surpassed even the renowned AK-47 in terms of kinetic energy. Its drawbacks were its weight and strong recoil, making it difficult for an average person to handle.

Armed with armor-piercing rounds, Zhang Yi was confident that the Desert Eagle could significantly damage the monster if they faced it again. After loading the weapon, he chambered a round and said, "Uncle You, your scouting skills are the best. Lead the way following the monster’s path. It will head towards any living people for food, and we’ll find them by following it."

Fatty Xu was still nervous, but Zhang Yi’s confident words reassured him. "Yes, Boss!"

Following Uncle You’s lead, they traced the scent of blood. Zhang Yi marked their path with crayons, embedding the tips into the snow walls to avoid detection and destruction by the monster.

Teacher Liang Yue and the dozen or so surviving students had been at the Tianqing Academy gymnasium for three days. Their last food search was also three days ago, leaving everyone hungry. Liang Yue faced a difficult dilemma. The monster circled nearby, ready to strike if they showed any weakness. She couldn’t leave the students to search for food alone, but sending others would be a death sentence.

Due to the thin air, they risked suffocation in the confined space under the snow. Liang Yue had the strength to fight the monster but couldn’t simultaneously protect the students and search for supplies. They had tried before, and the monster had ignored her, attacking the students instead, resulting in heavy casualties.

Liang Yue guarded the gym entrance for three days with her Tang sword. The monster hadn’t attacked again, but her instincts told her it was still nearby. "We can’t hold out any longer," she thought, fatigue evident in her eyes. She had eaten very little, and the hunger made her anxious and uneasy.

Protecting all her students was her duty as a teacher and a hired bodyguard, but the reality was harsh. She had to make difficult choices.