Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1232: Escaping is shameful but useful

As for Li Yangyang's feelings, Fatty Xu had never given any reply.

All could comprehend this, since anyone facing such an incident would likely struggle to come to terms with it for some time.

Yet time waited for no one, and Zhang Yi had no intention of delaying further, so he instructed the group to gather their things and prepare to depart.

On the following morning, Zhang Yi and his companions exited the courtyard. Upon passing through the main entrance, Zhang Yi vaguely detected a distant gaze fixed upon them.

He wasn't alone in this awareness; Liang Yue and Hua Hua picked up on it too.

Zhang Yi glanced back and spotted Li Yangyang positioned beneath a distant pavilion, her hand propped against a column, her eyes reflecting a mixture of emotions as she watched them.

He faced forward once more and clapped Fatty Xu on the back, nodding his head toward her location.

Fatty Xu had been distracted these past days, his hair disheveled like a chaotic nest, his facial hair overgrown and neglected for several days.

Jolted by Zhang Yi's touch, he peered in that direction.

One look was all it took for him to drop his gaze like a frightened bird, acting as if he saw nothing at all.

Zhang Yi rolled his eyes. "At minimum, she shares a solid bond with you and even rescued you back in the Qinling Abyss. Isn't ignoring her like this going too far?"

Fatty Xu grumbled, "I get it! But at this moment, I don't know what kind of face to put on when I see her."

Zhang Yi found himself at a loss for words. "So you're opting to flee?"

"Fleeing could be embarrassing, but it works!"

Fatty Xu defended himself.

Zhang Yi gave a shrug, inwardly concurring with Fatty Xu's statement.

Individuals who urge bravery in confronting abrupt dilemmas are typically either extroverted socializers or mere spectators.

For those directly involved, maintaining composure while dealing with it all proves exceedingly challenging.

Occasionally, avoidance turns out to be a viable choice.

Liang Yue seldom interjected in others' personal matters.

However, on this occasion, she made an exception by advising Fatty Xu, "Regardless of your ultimate decision, you ought to offer her an honest reply at the least."

"I understand, I really do."

Fatty Xu hung his head low, intentionally shifting to the opposite side of the path to let the others shield him from view.

"I'll have a proper conversation with her soon."

He lacked the boldness for a direct confrontation. Maybe only upon arriving back in Tianhai City would he manage to express those thoughts via the digital tools he knew so well.

Zhang Yi joked, "If those final words hadn't quivered, you wouldn't grasp the difficulty, huh?"

Fatty Xu's cheeks turned a vivid red.

"Boss, enough already."

"Fine, fine, as you wish."

Zhang Yi dismissed it with a wave.

Prior to their departure, Qin Qigong and the rest came personally to bid them goodbye.

Currently, their regard for Zhang Yi carried growing admiration.

Admiration demands proof through capability, and the prowess Zhang Yi revealed in the Qinling Mountains quietly surpassed that of even Li Changgong and Han Shanzuo.

That feat alone secured him true esteem.

"All goodbyes come to a close. Kindly escort us no further, everyone. Upon my return, I'll consult with the Jiangnan Region's leaders and promptly dispatch personnel to the Qinling Mountains."

Zhang Yi remarked to Qin Qigong and Shang Daowen right before ascending the aircraft.

Qin Qigong smiled and nodded in agreement.

"No need to hurry with this. It hasn't been long since the previous Ground Centipede elimination, so we wouldn't risk hasty extraction from the Elemental Stone Vein."

"Next, we'll dispatch squads step by step to assess the nearby terrain first. Mining will commence only after confirming safety."

Zhang Yi acknowledged with a nod.

"Wise approach. We'll talk more about it later."

The Elemental Stone Vein under the Qinling Mountains was immense, harboring boundless power.

The Shengjing Region had no room for deceit in this affair either.

Furthermore, on that final descent, Zhang Yi had already extracted a massive amount of Elemental Stone ore, now piled into numerous lofty heaps inside his Dimensional Space.

Thus, he felt no pressing urgency at present.

Following farewells to the Shengjing contingent, Zhang Yi and his team climbed aboard the plane.

The elongated Fu-37 soared from the enclosed airstrip, diving into the dense clouds and speeding southward.

Fatty Xu occupied the window seat, resting his chin on his palm, his gaze brimming with inner turmoil and sorrow.

A female crew member approached and inquired worriedly, "Mr. Xu, do you feel ill?"

Fatty Xu abruptly buried his face in his hands and bowed his head. "No issue. I'm just feeling a bit down, nothing more."

Observing from the rear, Zhang Yi sensed a vein throbbing on his temple.

"That's meant to be *my* line!"

Zhou Ke'er and Yang Xinxin next to him stifled laughs that bubbled over into chuckles.

Shengjing City shrank in their view, eventually becoming a faint speck.

Across the desolate expanse of Shengjing City's terrain, Li Yangyang raised her gaze, tracking the aircraft as it vanished into the horizon, before quietly dropping her eyes once again.

"Ultimately, was it too tough to embrace?"

She tugged at her hat's edge, then pivoted and strolled off into the distance. Flakes of snow settled lightly on her shoulders and hat, forming spots of crisp white.

Zhang Yi and his group initially headed back to Blizzard City.

Having accomplished the task, they were duty-bound to brief Zhu Zheng promptly.

This stemmed from courtesy toward him.

The update on the successful operation had reached Zhu Zheng via Deng Shentong earlier, leaving him especially jubilant that day.

Once the group alighted from the aircraft, a welcoming party headed by Zhu Zheng himself greeted them enthusiastically.

As the door swung open and Zhang Yi descended, Zhu Zheng hurried forward with eager steps, seizing Zhang Yi's hand in a tight grip.

"Chaos, ha ha, my very own Captain Chaos, you're indeed the pride of our Jiangnan Region!"

"Who could've imagined this issue wrapping up so flawlessly, all in under a month."

"You all stand as the valiant champions of the Jiangnan Region!"

Trailing Zhu Zheng stood Zhu Yu, Baili Changqing, Wu Di, and various others, including several longtime associates of Zhang Yi.

Zhu Zheng had deliberately included them to appeal to Zhang Yi's sentiments.

Zhang Yi smiled to himself.

Zhu Zheng surely had ways to learn that Zhang Yi now held thirty percent control over the Elemental Stone Vein.

He was likely gearing up to boldly request a bigger portion from Zhang Yi.

Zhang Yi traded a few light remarks. Upon closer inspection of the reception group, he recognized numerous additional faces.

Besides Blizzard City's core superhumans, there were plenty from the old Superhuman Federation during the Erosion Moon's assault on the Jiangnan Region.

These superhumans, dispersed to manage order in different areas, had advanced remarkably amid two years of the Apocalypse.

Certainly, some may have fallen, replaced by emerging superhumans in their domains.

Nevertheless, survivors to this point were far from ordinary.

At the very least, over half from the initial Superhuman Federation assembly had integrated into Blizzard City.

"Blizzard City keeps expanding its might. Well done!"

Zhang Yi remarked to Zhu Zheng smilingly.

Zhu Zheng let out a soft sigh. "The Jiangnan territory is immense, burdened with endless complications. Manpower always falls short, forcing constant recruitment."

Author's Note