Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1239: The Mysterious World

Since the Divine Source was uncovered on Star Island, word of it spread far and wide, drawing the attention of influential groups worldwide who had been keeping tabs on it all along.

Yet, just a couple of nearby dominant forces had the real shot at claiming it.

The East Sea area of Huaxu Kingdom, along with the Columbus Ocean Fleet.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yi's group, thanks to the Dragon King's final words, had stayed vigilant over all the events unfolding on Star Island.

Thus, that very morning, Yang Xinxin updated Zhang Yi on the recent developments spotted on the island.

A heavy burden settled in Zhang Yi's chest, and he pressed hard on his temples.

"That's awful, this whole mess is truly awful."

Despite his impressive superhuman stats reaching 18,000 points now, confronting the mighty entities from those hidden realms left him feeling utterly helpless, like a mere kid.

Should that dark-armored Netherworld Gatekeeper or Bai Longzi—the one whose sacrificial spirit he had slyly taken—ever surface one day, they'd probably seek him out for payback.

A wave of urgency washed over Zhang Yi once more, filling him with deep unease.

Noticing Zhang Yi's troubled expression, Yang Xinxin spoke gently, "Brother, do you plan to head over there?"

"Head there? Better not."

Zhang Yi shook his head firmly.

Star Island was a spot he vowed to avoid until he gained far greater power.

If the Netherworld Gatekeeper had indeed marked him, returning could mean getting spotted right away.

"We'll let the East Sea Region and the Columbus Ocean Fleet deal with it."

Though he voiced that, Zhang Yi's hand balled into a tight fist out of sight.

Yang Xinxin blinked thoughtfully, paused a second, then told Zhang Yi:

"Brother, you mentioned before that folks always dread the unknown, much like dreading the night."

"Yet once people mastered fire, the darkness lost its terror."

"Shadows just magnify the worries in our minds. So maybe things aren't as risky as you think. Right?"

Zhang Yi gazed at Yang Xinxin with a smile, "Yeah, that makes solid sense."

He drew in a long breath and let it out slowly toward the window.

"That's precisely why I've been driven to uncover the real secrets of this world!"

Yang Xinxin replied, "Lately, I've delved into old historical texts. Shengjing opened their library to us, and mixing that with the two books of the 'Epic of King Gesar' from Pagyi Gesang, I've pieced together a few thoughts."

Excitement rushed through Zhang Yi.

"For real? Spill it now. I'm hoping we can dig up some hints from the past."

Zhang Yi led Yang Xinxin into the living room. Lately, everyone else had focused on taking in the strange beasts' origins to boost their abilities.

Because of that, Zhang Yi had stuck to the supplies in his Dimensional Space for meals.

He brewed two cups of coffee, passed one to Yang Xinxin straight away, and they both settled on the couch.

Zhang Yi eyed Yang Xinxin, eager for her latest findings.

Yang Xinxin started off, "The origin of humans in this world has long puzzled everyone."

"Going by evolution theory, creatures slowly adapt and change to fit their surroundings. So from apes to humans, there should've been some in-between stages."

"But none of those transitional beings have turned up."

"Darwin himself, the guy behind the 'Theory of Evolution,' admitted humans don't quite fit the pattern. We surged ahead at a wild pace, building advanced societies in a flash."

"That's why plenty of experts figure outside influences shaped how humans came to be."

Zhang Yi commented, "Sounds like a fascinating idea. Keep going."

He held back from chiming in more. This wasn't his strong suit, so he let Yang Xinxin flow freely.

Yang Xinxin went on, "Every culture has its myths. Early folks worshipped gods who gave them life, fire, crops, and lessons on staying alive."

"So," Yang Xinxin fixed her intense stare on Zhang Yi, eyes flowing like an ocean wave, "what if those hidden underground societies were the ancient gods who helped kickstart human progress?"

Zhang Yi instantly pictured Bai Longzi under the Qinling Mountains.

Head of a man, body of a snake—that sure lined up with the looks of legendary gods from old myths.

Fuxi and Nüwa, the prime human forebears, shared that very shape.

Plus, Huaxia folks have honored dragons forever, and the dragon look supposedly grew from snakes.

Nothing happens without cause in totem worship. Maybe the old-timers saw the Serpent-folk as divine and turned their form into sacred symbols.

"Your idea's pretty captivating. Still, two things puzzle me."

Zhang Yi added, "One, why would gods stay buried underground?"

"Two, the Snowy Plateau seems to have fallen under an underground rule once, called the Demon Kingdom society. They showed up later and used the locals as slaves and meals."

"That sounds more demonic than divine guidance for humanity."

Yang Xinxin sipped her coffee and laid it out calmly:

"On the first bit, history books don't say much. But legends talk of immortal lands and sky palaces."

"Once we reached space and stepped on the moon, the notion of sky-high heavens got debunked. No immortal spots up there."

"So why not below ground?"

Her eyes sparkled with an odd light.

"The Earth's surface is our heaven. But space, ocean depths, and underground—all feel like harsh zones to us."

"Those might be heavens for god-like races, though."

"Picture this world as a ping pong ball; we stick to the outside. But inside, there's way more room and riches waiting."

"Take the elemental ore we found down there, for instance."

Zhang Yi nodded along as he absorbed it. His schooling was nothing special, but Yang Xinxin's points rang true to him.

Yang Xinxin pressed ahead, "For the second issue, gods are just what we call mighty beings—our own fancy label. They might not like us at all; could view us as helpers, playthings, or things to study."

"If kind gods exist, why not cruel ones? Even among us, some are good, some bad—imagine with superior beings."

Zhang Yi sank back into the sofa, stirred deeply.

"You make a strong case there. But if they've got such immense power, why stay out of sight all this time? Why pop up now, right when humanity battles this Apocalypse?"

Yang Xinxin went quiet for a moment.

She ventured hesitantly, "Maybe they're biding time for a key moment. Like right now."

All this stayed in the realm of guesswork, Yang Xinxin's pieced-together theory from sifting through countless records.

No proof backed it up yet, but guessing was their best shot at grasping the mysteries around them for the time being.

Author's Note