Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies Chapter 1256: The Pudge Family

Lhasa City felt hauntingly familiar to Zhang Yi.

He pondered the thought that had it not been for the massive casualties caused by Yuan Kongye, the population of Tianhai City might have reached two or three hundred thousand by now.

Perhaps they would find themselves in a struggle not unlike the one defining Lhasa City at this very moment.

While he personally lacked for nothing, the scarcity of resources elsewhere was inevitably fueling a cycle of brutal, bloody competition between various factions.

This was, after all, the Snowy Plateau Region—a territory chronically deprived of essential supplies.

Liang Yue and her companions caught a fleeting glimpse of the scene before averting their gaze.

They found such sights revolting, yet they were powerless to change the reality; when starvation takes hold, hell on earth is the predictable outcome.

Liang Yue turned to Zhang Yi and inquired, "This misery will eventually fade, won't it?"

Zhang Yi responded with icy indifference, "As the population dwindles and resources become less restricted, this savagery will eventually wane."

"Whether it vanishes entirely? That is a matter left to destiny."

Zhang Yi looked away, though his peripheral vision caught even more grotesque displays.

Fatty Xu suddenly cried out, pointing animatedly toward the window, "Look, they’re butchering a sheep!"

Butchering?

At those words, the others exchanged knowing, grim smiles.

Fatty Xu’s expression remained animated, his tone nostalgic as he spoke.

"My family dealt in mutton. We used to hang the adult goats up just like that—skinning them, bleeding them, and breaking them down for meat."

Zhang Yi cast a sharp glance toward him.

"Observe more closely. Are you certain that is a sheep?"

Frost coated the exterior of the window, obscuring the view.

However, by engaging the vehicle’s integrated Smart System, they were able to enhance the visual feed and zoom in on the distant activity.

Following the suggestion, Fatty Xu set aside his handheld console and peered intently at the magnified image.

After a moment of confusion, the blood drained from his face, leaving it ashen. With a muffled curse, he slumped back against the sofa.

"That—that—that... that thing is a human!"

"Why such a shock? Is this your first time witnessing human nature in the raw?"

Zhang Yi remarked with unsettling calm.

Fatty Xu looked as if he were on the verge of sobbing.

"I’ve seen my share of violence, but their methods are truly skin-crawling!"

The soldiers were indeed hanging individuals up, meticulously flaying their skin and extracting organs to display on metallic trays.

Yang Xinxin provided a chilling explanation for their benefit.

"Among the esoteric sects, there are ancient, long-standing sacrificial Rites. Since antiquity, the most highly regarded offerings have always been human lives."

"Although this practice was officially banned centuries ago, I suspect clandestine believers continue to perform it in the shadows."

"It seems that in these times, such grim sacrifices have surfaced into open daylight once more."

Remembering the Bai Xue Jiao, Zhang Yi added with a sneer, "Disaster is the perfect soil for the rapid growth of religions."

Tianhai City had successfully purged the Bai Xue Jiao.

However, across the vast lands of the Huaxu Kingdom, countless individuals—desperate for some semblance of security—have turned their faith elsewhere.

Many opportunists have utilized the chaos to birth entirely new factions.

Fortunately, the five major regions still possess the military might to suppress such surges, preventing these occult groups from gaining total dominance.

But in the Southwest, they were untouchable.

The local foundation rested entirely upon the power of these esoteric sects.

Under the guidance of Lhobu, Zhang Yi’s party finally arrived at the heart of the Pagyi Family’s stronghold.

It was a massive, imposing estate—or more accurately, a sprawling palace complex.

The sheer scale of the compound easily rivaled any base found in Tianhai City.

Even from the exterior, the milk-washed white walls were heavily coated in a thick, permanent layer of glacial ice.

It was an ancient relic of a structure; centuries of expansions and structural reinforcements had only increased its staggering size.

From the distance, Zhang Yi could almost discern a distinct, lingering aura.

It was the heavy scent of time itself.

The Pagyi Family boasted a thousand-year lineage, and their architecture reflected every bit of that history.

The gates swung wide. Lining the grand thoroughfare, hundreds of women adorned in vibrant, elaborate traditional attire stood with lowered heads to offer their welcome.

A thick, crimson carpet spanned the length of the road, dusted with gold powder, while the borders were inlaid with various precious gemstones.

The interior of the estate was a masterpiece of opulence, illuminated by lanterns and decorated with banners, appearing like a serene paradise lost within the void.

Looking back at the frozen wasteland outside, however, it seemed a stark contrast.

Zhang Yi couldn't help but murmur, "At the foot of the spiritual mountain, there lies the charnel ground. The Buddhist legends were right all along."

Hua Hua, camouflaged with a yellow dye to resemble a tabby cat, perched on Zhang Yi’s shoulder. Fatty Xu and the others trailed close behind, their eyes wide as they took in the sights like bewildered tourists.

It wasn’t for lack of experience, but even the wealthiest sights they had seen previously seemed meager in comparison to this level of decadence.

Ultimately, a flower only shines when contrasted against the leaves. It was precisely because the commoners outside languished in such misery that the excessive luxury of the Southwest elite seemed so jarring.

Steward Lhobu led the way, his demeanor subservient as he attended to Zhang Yi.

"Honored guests, your quarters are fully prepared. Food and steaming water await you. Shall we prioritize a meal, a period of rest, or perhaps a relaxing hot bath?"

Zhang Yi looked at the steward and asked, "How much longer must we wait for your family head to return?"

Lhobu offered a sheepish smile. "The meetings often run long, owing to our complex traditions and protocols. It is possible this will extend late into the night."

It was just past four in the afternoon under a dismal, sunless sky. The journey had lasted over two hours, and the group was undoubtedly feeling the fatigue.

Zhang Yi considered this briefly before responding, "We will hold off on eating for now. Please show us to our rooms. And yes, a hot bath is most welcome."

Though their gear provided top-tier thermal insulation, keeping them safe even at minus one hundred degrees, the allure of a truly hot soak was impossible to decline.

Lhobu diligently guided them to the rear courtyards, assigning each person a spacious and elegant suite.

Despite the traditional Snowy Plateau aesthetic of the exteriors, the interiors were equipped with every modern luxury imaginable.

It was unclear if this was their natural way of life or if Pagyi Gesang had specifically ordered these accommodations to ensure the guests felt no friction.

But Lhobu’s arrangements were flawless, leaving no room for critique.

The most absurd detail was that every single room included a private bathroom.

Generally, a bathroom is a standard feature. But is a fifty-square-meter room with an individual stone bathing pool really considered "standard?"