Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1249: Heading to the Snow Region

The decision to journey to the Snowy Plateau was finalized just like that.

Once Zhang Yi had settled on a plan, it was rare for anyone to sway him, considering he never chose paths impulsively.

He might not claim the title of the cleverest in the Shelter, yet his caution stood unmatched.

As a result, his setups left no room for criticism.

"Incidentally, for this expedition, we'll pose as mercenaries."

"Those not involved in fights will stay concealed in Mu Yan's Shadow Space."

Zhang Yi announced, glancing at the veiled girl tucked away in the living room's corner.

Mu Yan gave a nod. "Lately, thanks to everyone's support, my Shadow Space is stocked with plenty of living essentials, turning it into a real haven. Lingering there for extended times works just fine, though it gets a tad monotonous."

Zhang Yi started listing the members.

"The frontline fighters will consist of me, Hua Hua, Liang Yue, Fatty Xu, and Old You."

Fatty Xu, engrossed in his game with eyes fixed downward, jabbed a finger at his cheek in astonishment at the mention.

"Me?"

Zhang Yi didn't spare him a glance.

Zhang Yi had reviewed the battle records from the Qinling Abyss incident afterward and noted Fatty Xu's showing.

When his battle rage kicked in, this chubby fellow displayed surprisingly strong fighting skills.

Should he shake off his sloth and commit to powering up, with Zhang Yi's guidance, rising to squad leader status among superhumans was inevitable.

Brushing aside Fatty Xu's pitiful look, Zhang Yi pressed on with the assignments.

"All of us must adopt new personas. Upon arriving at the Snowy Plateau, stay vigilant and keep low."

"Stick to basic codenames when speaking. Starting now, I'm 'A', Hua Hua's 'B', Liang Yue's 'C', Fatty Xu's 'D', and Old You's 'E'."

Fatty Xu let out a woeful groan, "This is seriously 'D'-pressing!"

Zhou Ke'er murmured gently, "If we're concealing who we are, we have to go all in. Half-measures might still let our true selves slip out. Remember, we're pretty well-known across the Huaxu Kingdom these days. The big groups surely dug into our backgrounds."

With a grin, she lifted her hands—elegant, pale, and slender like polished jade, perfect in every way and nimble as carved stone.

"My power lets me tweak your physical forms a little. Reshaping bodies fully is tough, but shifting looks is straightforward enough."

And so, Zhou Ke'er assisted the four humans and one feline fighter team in altering their faces.

By tweaking feature ratios and nudging bones slightly, they morphed into entirely new visages, impossible to link to their old ones.

Grabbing a mirror, Zhang Yi examined his reflection. The determined youth had become a sharp-featured, aloof figure. His angular visage radiated a natural 'back off' vibe from its leanness.

This matched the rugged mercenary role Zhang Yi had outlined perfectly.

Zhang Yi tilted his head this way and that, quite pleased with the new look.

"Ke'er, how long will this disguise hold?"

Zhang Yi asked.

Zhou Ke'er replied, "Roughly a month. But you can refresh it once it fades!"

She beamed as she spoke.

Zhang Yi dipped his head, "Excellent. That cuts down on headaches."

Now, Fatty Xu and the rest had also undergone the change, appearing as total strangers.

Even Hua Hua shifted from black tabby to yellow tabby—the simplest switch, merely dabbing on safe dye.

Species transformation, though? Out of the question.

Swapping a cat for a dog delved into genetic impossibilities.

At that moment, Zhou Haimei shot her hand up and posed a query, "Hold on, if everyone heads out, who guards the place?"

Zhang Yi chuckled, "Frog will handle it!"

Post-departure, the sole home concern for Zhang Yi was the Ground Centipede breeding area.

Frog had grown utterly obsessed with tending Ground Centipedes, sharing meals and rest with them.

Indeed, literally cohabiting, snatching a few underperforming ones to snack on when peckish. Utterly cozy.

The domestic matter wrapped up without fuss.

Still, as always before departing, Zhang Yi made rounds through the three key bases to scan for risks.

And to gauge if any disloyalty had sprouted among them.

In truth, all of Tianhai City fell under his vigilant surveillance.

He even commanded the local slice of the Huaxu Kingdom's satellite network. Sneaking actions past him proved nearly unattainable.

Yet, habit drove Zhang Yi to inspect regardless.

That said, conditions remained largely unchanged.

Tianhai City's existence stayed overly serene. Beyond the Dragon King's frantic resistance, the rest passed in total calm.

This stirred deep reflections in Zhang Yi.

He'd faced countless trials abroad, evolving at breakneck speed alongside his allies.

Conversely, those in the nearby bases had softened into pampered captives, shedding their feral edge.

The three bases' heads now lagged far behind even deputy squad leader might.

Zhang Yi could offer little fix. He merely urged caution and safety vigilance.

Plus, monitoring for mutation signs in their circles.

Upon his return, the Ground Centipede harvest ought to be ripe.

Then, he'd methodically train top-tier superhumans and assemble the Tianhai City Superhuman Defense Force.

He couldn't micromanage daily; that would prove far too mortifying.

...

No need to dwell on the initial setups. Essentially, Zhang Yi geared up thoroughly and slipped away with his team toward the Snowy Plateau.

The Huaxu Kingdom spanned immense territories, yet spatial jumps proved remarkably swift.

In merely half an hour or so, Zhang Yi ferried his group to the Snowy Plateau's fringes.

The Southwest Region encompassed slices of Sichuan-Chongqing and the Snowy Plateau.

Yet, the esoteric sect's Charnel Ground Lord emerging there swiftly claimed supremacy over the whole Southwest.

Whoever seized control of the esoteric sect would reign as the ultimate authority on the Snowy Plateau—and across the Southwest.

To immerse fully and dodge doubts,

Zhang Yi played the everyday outsider mercenary role, feigning a start from Sichuan-Chongqing bound for the Snowy Plateau.

He unveiled a huge snowmobile. The quartet and feline boarded, surging forward over the expansive, barren, snow-swept expanses.

Access routes to the Snowy Plateau lay long entombed in thick drifts, rendering every spot a route.

Luckily, armed with Pagyi Gesang's Southwest satellite charts, they'd avoid wandering astray in this frozen wasteland illusion.

Deep into the Snowy Plateau, boundless peaks loomed afar, linking like colossal white serpents sprawled over the earth.

These formed the Kunlun Mountains.

A legendary Dragon Vein in Huaxia's lore, its sway rivaled the Qinling's.

Mythic tales painted it as the gods' abode and a holy realm for myriad cultivators.

Zhang Yi donned thick battle gear. Beneath hid the Hidden Dragon armor.

The featherweight suit mimicked advanced tactical outfits outwardly, but their protective edge diverged vastly.

Today's top regional battle suits barely endured a squad leader superhuman's peak blow.

Still, Zhang Yi's Yi Metal-crafted Hidden Dragon armor boasted over thirtyfold superior shielding.

To date, it ranked as the globe's premier defensive gear in strength and excellence.

The snowmobile, akin to a gleaming silver beast, charged through the infinite white fields. Its treads ground ice and frost, etching twin faint trails.

Author's Note