Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1227: Secrets of the Snowy Land

Chapter 1227: Secrets of the Snowy Land

Laid out in front of Zhang Yi was the thousand-year-old sheepskin scroll, which had endured through the centuries and held immeasurable worth.

This scroll qualified as a true national treasure, preserved in its complete form solely thanks to the great chieftains of the West.

Yet, relics from ancient times like this one carried scant importance in the current world.

Antiques fetch high prices during peaceful times; gold reigns supreme amid turmoil.

Following the apocalypse, nothing surpassed supplies in true value.

Zhang Yi cast a glance toward Pagyi Gesang. This prominent leader from the Southwest Region surely wouldn't offer a meaningless gift like this.

If he presented it, some deeper intention must lie behind the act.

Zhang Yi extended his hand to grasp the ancient fragment, replying, 'Thank you for your generosity. I'll examine it thoroughly.'

Pagyi Gesang's grin broadened further. He enthusiastically guided Zhang Yi and his companions to the entrance, not heading back until they were well out of sight.

During the return journey, while seated in the vehicle, Zhang Yi turned over his right hand, materializing the sheepskin scroll in his grasp.

His silver-gray gloves, integrated into his battle gear, offered protection against even standard sniper bullets, eliminating any concern over potential toxins on the material.

'Why would he hand me this piece from the 'Epic of King Gesar'?'

Zhang Yi furrowed his brow, deep in contemplation.

Within the RV, the rest of the group eyed the fragment Zhang Yi held.

Having journeyed alongside Zhang Yi through countless post-apocalyptic trials, they had shed their earlier innocence.

They refused to accept that Pagyi Gesang's move lacked purpose.

Yang Xinxin commented, 'Why not simply check what's written inside to find out?'

'The full 'Epic of King Gesar' spans tens of millions of words. At best, this scroll holds tens of thousands. Pagyi Gesang chose this deliberately for a reason. I suspect the key lies right there on the page.'

Zhang Yi nodded in agreement at her words.

With utmost care, he began to unroll the sheepskin scroll.

Thanks to his All Things Follow Traces skill, any concealed dangers wouldn't catch him off guard.

Zhang Yi handled it delicately, mindful of the scroll's extreme age and the risk of damaging it unintentionally.

As soon as it lay fully unfurled, Yang Xinxin scooted closer to inspect it.

The surface brimmed with an indecipherable script resembling celestial writings, yet by the mid-21st century, AI tech had advanced enough for seamless translation.

The archaic plateau dialect converted effortlessly into modern Chinese via the database.

Zhang Yi scrutinized the text closely.

This segment narrated the fabled Demon Kingdom from the Snowy Plateau's lore.

It described the inhabitants as monstrous in form, towering at thirty meters with six eyes adorning their heads.

They conversed with infernal realms, drawing strength from offerings of human lives, and frequently ravaged the Snowy Plateau's folk, devouring them in gruesome feasts.

At the heart of the Demon Kingdom's city yawned a vast, shadowy chasm. Their ruler would regularly hurl masses of captives into its depths to appease the underworld entities.

The deeper Zhang Yi delved, the graver his countenance grew.

Earlier at dinner, Pagyi Gesang had deliberately brought up this tale.

And now, this epic excerpt he bestowed upon Zhang Yi revisited the Demon Kingdom's emergence from below the earth.

Wasn't this an unmistakable signal that the Snowy Plateau harbored entities akin to those in Star Island's Mist Valley and the Qinling Abyss?

Furthermore, these enigmatic, fearsome underground dwellers hadn't always hidden away; they had surfaced long ago, clashing with humanity.

Even Zhang Yi could easily grasp such a blatant motive.

Let alone the sharp-minded Yang Xinxin at his side.

She fixed her gaze on him and stated evenly, 'Pagyi Gesang is urging you to head to the Snowy Plateau Region.'

Zhang Yi lifted his head abruptly, recalling Pagyi Gesang's offer to join the Prayer Festival.

In his thoughts, he also remembered how the Southwest Region's top two leaders had skipped the Shengjing assembly.

All at once, the puzzle clicked into place for Zhang Yi.

Evidently, since the apocalypse, hidden domains like those under the Qinling Mountains were surfacing more frequently.

The Snowy Plateau faced its own crises, keeping the Lord of the Charnel Ground and the Yasha Langtai family head occupied with local threats.

Nevertheless, after venturing into the Qinling depths, Zhang Yi developed profound respect for those veiled, perilous realms.

Figures like the Black-armored Strange Man or Bai Longzi wielded power that dwarfed his own capabilities by far.

Zhang Yi had no desire to endanger himself once more.

Yang Xinxin noticed the hesitation etched on Zhang Yi's features. She glanced down at the scroll he clutched, pondered briefly, and addressed him steadily:

'Zhang Yi, that Demon Kingdom could represent something entirely distinct from the secret realms we've encountered previously.'

Her composed tone, refreshing like a pure mountain stream, pulled Zhang Yi from his reverie.

'Hmm? What's your take?'

Yang Xinxin explained, 'Remember what the text described? More than two thousand years back, the Demon Kingdom's people rose from hell to dominate that territory.'

'Then King Gesar arrived unexpectedly and toppled their dominion. That suggests the Demon Kingdom's might wasn't overwhelmingly fearsome. Consider the timeline: back then, the Huaxu Kingdom was mired in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States era.'

'This side-by-side view lets us conclude that the Demon Kingdom's strength remained bounded. Nowhere near the caliber of modern superhumans.'

Zhang Yi inclined his head, endorsing Yang Xinxin's analysis.

'The widespread rise of superhumans fosters elite powerhouses, much like cultivating gu insects. No such dynamic prevailed in earlier times, so solitary superhumans likely stayed at modest levels.'

'Still, how do we account for the subterranean world's persistence?'

This sparked yet another puzzle.

He rubbed his nose bridge and murmured, 'And what's Pagyi Gesang truly after? He likely seeks my aid on a matter, tied to whatever underground Demon Kingdom remnants exist.'

'If such hidden powers truly lurk, wouldn't uniting forces from all major regions prove more potent?'

Yang Xinxin replied, 'Brother, recall your exceptional status.'

'Across the whole Huaxu Kingdom, you're the sole Epsilon-level superhuman unbound to any group.'

'You battle solely for personal gain, free from heavy ties.'

'Involving other Epsilons would tangle everything up badly.'

'The Southwest Region's dynamics are convoluted. Pagyi Gesang leads only the second-most powerful family. I reckon he's courting you primarily to—grab control!'

Her words cast a heavy pall over the vehicle's interior.

Post-apocalyptic power grabs were all too familiar.

Numerous key areas had witnessed them.

Take Li Changgong's saga in the Northwest, or Gao Changkong's uprising in Jiangnan.

The Southwest operated under four great chieftains, lacking a dominant single authority.

Consequently, the battles for dominance and benefits there raged fiercer than elsewhere.

Zhang Yi reclined against his seat, brow creased, meticulously weighing the implications.

After prolonged reflection, he handed the sheepskin scroll to Yang Xinxin.

'Xinxin, once we're back, dive deep into the Snowy Plateau's cultural and historical records. If Pagyi Gesang indeed needs our involvement, he'll reach out shortly.'

Zhang Yi declared with composure.

Author's Note