Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Chapter 392: Old Classmate

Zheng Yixian proposed a daring plan, his eyes blazing with the fury of vengeance accumulated over the years.

Since the apocalypse began, the Followers of the Snow God had struggled to survive, constantly suppressed by the larger, better-armed bases. Despite growing into a congregation of thousands, they remained under the thumb of these factions.

Zheng Yixian had long waited for an opportunity to strike back.

The emergence of Zhang Yi and his formidable team presented such an opportunity.

Yuan Kongye approached Zheng Yixian, her gaze steady but inquisitive.

“You’re suggesting an alliance with Zhang Yi to stand against the other three bases?”

“Isn’t that too risky? We don’t truly know how strong Zhang Yi’s team is. If we’ve miscalculated, we’ll be dragged into a premature war with the three factions—a scenario we can’t afford,” she said, her voice tinged with caution.

Taking a deep breath, she added, “We still need time. A lot of time.”

“This can be a trial run,” he argued. “If we miss this chance, we may never again encounter a force like Zhang Yi’s: powerful yet isolated, targeted by other bases.”

“If Xishan is divided among them, our situation will only grow more precarious.”

Zheng Yixian thought back to recent attacks by Yangsheng and Chaoyu Bases against the Followers. His brows furrowed deeply.

Time was what they needed—time to build their strength and expand their congregation.

“A trial, you say?” Yuan Kongye’s piercing gaze locked onto him.

“And if it fails?”

Zheng Yixian leaned closer and whispered something into her ear.

A glimmer of understanding and intrigue appeared in Yuan Kongye’s eyes.

“If we proceed this way, we minimize the risks. It’s worth attempting,” she said with a nod.

The next day, Yuan Kongye summoned Zhao Jianhua, the Great Decree, to the chapel.

She retrieved a small wooden box from her robes and handed it to him.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

“Great Decree, this mission concerns the future of the Followers of the Snow God. I entrust it to you. Do not fail the Snow God’s will,” Yuan Kongye said calmly.

Zhao Jianhua accepted the box. Without opening it, he already knew its contents.

However, the weight in his hands was heavier than expected.

His eyes widened in surprise—it wasn’t just one.

The production of such items placed a tremendous burden on Yuan Kongye, even as the human vessel of the Snow God.

Yet she had provided two.

What kind of task required this level of preparation?

Zhao Jianhua bowed deeply. “I will not fail you or the Snow God. What must I do?”

Yuan Kongye gazed down at the gray-cloaked elder.

“Take these to Cloud Manor and deliver them to Zhang Yi. Let him see our sincerity.”

The tension at Cloud Manor was palpable.

Zhang Yi and his team knew that attacks from Yangsheng and Chaoyu Bases were inevitable, but the timing and method of the assault remained unclear.

In preparation, they had assigned everyone specific combat roles. If war broke out suddenly, they would not be caught off guard.

Still, the waiting was unsettling, fostering a sense of restlessness among the group.

To keep himself focused, Zhang Yi spent his days training in the underground sports facility on the third level.

Having learned martial arts from Liang Yue for a while, Zhang Yi had picked up some valuable combat techniques.

Combined with his superhuman acceleration, he had become a formidable close-quarters fighter. Only melee specialists among superhumans posed a real threat to him now.

After all, speed was the ultimate advantage in battle.

Meanwhile, Liang Yue was slowly recovering from the devastating loss of her students.

Her mental state remained poor, and she still seemed deeply melancholic. However, the impulsive desire to storm Yangsheng Base for revenge had subsided.

Instead, she spent her days meticulously polishing her Tang Sword, preparing herself for the inevitable battle.

Everyone could see that she needed to unleash her rage through a violent clash to finally find peace.

Zhang Yi regarded her readiness as an asset. To him, Liang Yue was a finely honed blade, now tempered and awaiting its first strike.

One night, an unexpected message shattered the tense calm.

Zhang Yi’s phone, which he had modified into a secure satellite device, displayed a notification from QQ Messenger.

This surprised him greatly.

Though QQ had been a staple app on his phone, he hadn’t used it in ages. Since the apocalypse began, no one had bothered with such platforms anymore.

The app’s servers, protected as part of a national initiative to preserve critical communication tools, had remained operational.

Out of curiosity, Zhang Yi opened the app. Rather than checking the message directly, he first navigated to the sender’s profile.

To his astonishment, the message came from a long-lost acquaintance: Xing Weinan.

Seeing the name, Zhang Yi frowned, memories surfacing.

Xing Weinan had been his classmate in elementary and middle school. The two had lived in the same old neighborhood and occasionally hung out.

However, Xing Weinan’s poor academic performance had led him to a low-tier high school, while Zhang Yi moved to a better neighborhood with his family. They had lost touch after that.

Zhang Yi had heard rumors that Xing Weinan followed in his father’s footsteps, working at a steel factory.

“So, he’s still alive,” Zhang Yi muttered. “I suppose he’s got some skills.”

The message read: “Old classmate, long time no see!”

Zhang Yi paced in the living room, phone in hand.

Given the tense times, the sudden reappearance of a former classmate felt far from coincidental.

After some thought, Zhang Yi replied: “I’m managing. How about you?”

Xing Weinan responded quickly, his excitement palpable:

“Haha! It really is you! You’re still alive!”

“I can’t believe it—you’ve become so amazing!”

“But I’m doing well too. I’m now the director of Tianhai City’s largest steel plant! How’s that, old buddy? Not bad, huh?”

The boastful tone gave Zhang Yi pause.

“The largest steel plant in Tianhai City?” Zhang Yi murmured. “That would be Qingpu Steelworks…”

Realization struck.

“You’re the leader of Qingpu Base?”

After a moment, Xing Weinan replied: “Typing’s a hassle. Let’s talk over voice instead.”

The call request came through almost immediately.

Zhang Yi hesitated briefly before answering.

“Xing Weinan, it’s been a long time.”

A hearty laugh echoed through the line.

“Hahaha! Zhang Yi, it really has been ages! I never thought you’d end up this incredible—taking down Xishan Base and all!”

“I’m not doing too bad myself. Qingpu Steelworks is mine now! Who would’ve thought our old neighborhood produced two rising stars, huh?”

Xing Weinan’s words, though excited, carried an undercurrent of pride.

Zhang Yi couldn’t help but recall the Xing Weinan of the past—a plain-looking boy with acne and average height, perpetually seated at the back of the classroom due to poor grades.

Their relationship had been decent, bonding over basketball games during breaks.

But if someone had told Zhang Yi back then that the humble Xing Weinan would rise to become a regional power, he wouldn’t have believed it.

Smirking, Zhang Yi asked, “Isn’t Qingpu Base led by someone named Xingtian? Did you change your name?”

Xing Weinan laughed again.

“Exactly! Xing Weinan didn’t sound imposing enough. Xingtian, though—now that’s a name with power!”

Zhang Yi’s smile grew. Changing one’s name to boost confidence often revealed underlying insecurity.

“Alright,” Zhang Yi said calmly. “Tell me—why reach out now? What’s on your mind?”

Author's Note