Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies
Chapter 780: The Mysteries of the Deep Sea

Chapter 780: The Mysteries of the Deep Sea

The next day.

Zhang Yi slept until past ten in the morning before getting up.

Zhou Ke'er and Yang Siya were still asleep, having exhausted themselves the previous day.

Yawning lazily, he finished washing up while still in his pajamas and shuffled downstairs in slippers.

The sound of video games echoed from the living room. Peering down from the staircase, Zhang Yi saw Fatty Xu completely absorbed in mashing controller buttons, dark circles prominent under his eyes.

"Aren't you afraid of dying from exhaustion like that?"

Zhang Yi called out while leaning on the railing.

Fatty Xu jumped at the sudden voice, then let out a pig-like squeal.

Walking over, Zhang Yi saw Fatty Xu torturing himself with another brutally difficult soul-like game.

"Make me some coffee!"

Zhang Yi kicked him lightly before plopping down onto the soft sofa.

Fatty Xu obediently went to prepare coffee.

Soon, the rest of the household began gathering in the living room.

Liang Yue had risen earliest - she'd already finished her rehabilitation exercises by the time Zhang Yi woke up. As a physical-enhancement superhuman with strong regenerative abilities and Zhou Ke'er's medical care, her recovery progressed swiftly.

Once everyone assembled, Zhang Yi discussed future plans.

First was sending them to Blizzard City for modifications by Deng Group.

Old You eagerly supported this idea, desperate to grow stronger and contribute more to the team.

Fatty Xu, however, expressed fear about being turned into some monstrous cyborg.

"Will they chop off my arms and replace them with mechanical prosthetics? Like in Cyberpunk games? Maybe even implant chips in my brain!"

The thought alone made him shudder.

Zhang Yi rolled his eyes. "Those are robots. Current robots can't compare to superhumans anyway."

Mechanical technology in 2051 hadn't advanced that far yet. Robots frequently malfunctioned in extreme cold and suffered limited endurance.

Simply put, this was an era of radical mutations where supernatural abilities outperformed contemporary technology across multiple fields. Though scientific progress continued, perhaps soon the fusion of technology and superpowers would yield remarkable breakthroughs.

Yang Siya asked curiously, "Do I need to go too? My abilities are support-type after all."

Zhang Yi smiled, squeezing her delicate white hand while gazing at the endless snowscape outside.

"You're exempt."

Deng Group's modification procedures were brutally straightforward, unsuitable for ordinary people. Zhou Ke'er, Yang Siya and Yang Xinxin were all excluded from consideration. Moreover, their abilities possessed unique qualities Zhang Yi wouldn't let Deng Group study.

The final decision: Old You and Fatty Xu would go to Blizzard City for Deng Group's experiments and specialized training, while Zhang Yi took the women to Chaoyu Harbor - both to help Chen Jingguan establish defenses and to acquire an icebreaker for maritime leisure.

Old You raised no objections. Though Fatty Xu grumbled about wanting to join the vacation, Zhang Yi overruled him instantly.

"Go to Blizzard City first. I'll have the Deng family arrange some pretty young companions for you."

Fatty Xu's eyes sparkled at this suggestion, his head bobbing like a woodpecker as he immediately agreed.

Thus both matters were settled cheerfully.

After two more days of relaxed enjoyment, Zhang Yi saw Fatty Xu and Old You off on the special train to Blizzard City before taking the women to Chaoyu Harbor.

The harbor lay in ruins after the recent battle, half-abandoned with shredded shipping containers scattered everywhere like metal confetti. Fortunately, the underground shelters remained intact, allowing residents to continue living safely.

When Zhang Yi's snow vehicles arrived, nearly a thousand people were busy cleaning up the battlefield. Chen Jingguan came to receive them personally.

"Boss, you're here!" Chen Jingguan's eyes immediately noticed the women behind Zhang Yi.

Having rarely ventured out in months, they'd dressed in their finest - luxurious furs and makeup so exquisite they might have been competing in Miss World. Their glamorous appearance drew envious stares from Chaoyu Base's female residents.

"I came to check on your progress. Also, I need some skilled crew and that 'Leisure' icebreaker ship for a short maritime excursion."

Chen Jingguan's expression turned hesitant upon hearing about the sea voyage.

"Boss... there's something I should mention about going to sea."

Zhang Yi raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"If you're just cruising near shore, that's fine. But I strongly advise against venturing into deep waters. Because currently... the ocean is more dangerous than land."

Zhang Yi narrowed his eyes. "Mutated creatures?"

Oceans covered seventy percent of the planet compared to land's thirty percent, with vast vertical ecosystems containing countless undocumented species. In this era of radical mutations, who knew what bizarre leviathans now inhabited the depths?

"Have you encountered any during your voyages?" Zhang Yi asked curiously.

Chen Jingguan nodded gravely.

"Yes. We've lost two ships already. The seas contain terrifying horrors - mutated mega-fauna that can capsize ten-thousand-ton steel vessels effortlessly! Now we navigate carefully to avoid monster-infested waters. That's why I'm warning you."

Zhang Yi suddenly recalled Kanute, captain of the Tianlong Pirate Crew's Western Squadron who could transform into a massive Blue Shark. Had their battle occurred at sea instead of land, the Celestial Hound Squad might not have defeated him so easily.

"Understood. I'll just avoid deep waters then." With his current abilities, only exceptionally powerful creatures would pose a threat.

Chen Jingguan nodded. "I'll make arrangements immediately."

Zhang Yi waved a hand. "No rush. First show me your coastal defenses. That last battle exposed critical vulnerabilities against maritime attacks. We can't let that happen again."

Chen Jingguan scratched his head awkwardly, thinking to himself: If you hadn't killed so many of our people, we might actually have proper defenses now.

Naturally, he complied with Zhang Yi's request, leading him and the shelter women on a seaside inspection like a tour guide. While Zhang Yi meticulously examined defensive gaps, Zhou Ke'er and the others happily ignored the serious matters, snapping selfies against the spectacular backdrop of frozen ocean beneath the ashen sky - a breathtaking sight of endless ice stretching to the horizon.

Author's Note