Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Chapter 490: Temptation

On the battlefield, what should have been the zombie horde’s ultimate weapon—the Bronze Armored Zombies—were being methodically sniped down by Zhang Yi, who had come fully prepared.

This drastically eased the burden on the allied forces!

Had they been forced to engage the Bronze Armored Zombies in direct combat, the coalition would have had to sacrifice countless soldiers just to hold the line.

The battle was still brutal and deadly, but at least they could maintain their position.

Even as Zhang Yi fought, a lingering doubt nagged at him.

The Followers of the Snow God's defenses were shockingly weak—virtually nonexistent.

No high walls, no barbed wire, just a group of fearless zealots and some Superhumans—how had they survived this long without being wiped out by the zombie horde?

"This doesn’t make any sense…"

The zombie army was endless.

He had already eliminated more than a dozen Bronze Armored Zombies, but since the horde lacked communication, they weren’t even trying to defend against him.

There were simply too many—their only directive seemed to be:

Kill everyone here.

While the five major factions held the frontline against the zombie horde, Bian Junwu’s team had taken a different route, just as they had before.

They had circled behind the horde, positioning themselves far from the main battlefield.

From their vantage point, satellite imaging revealed the sheer scale of the undead army.

Zombies kept pouring out of the subway tunnels, their numbers surging past a hundred thousand—and still increasing!

The sight was horrifying enough to make anyone suck in a cold breath.

"How many of these damn things are there? Could we actually be dealing with over a million zombies?"

Kong Sheng spoke with clear concern.

"How long do you think they can hold the line against the horde?"

Wu Di crossed his arms and sneered.

"They'll fight to the death if they have to. Survival instinct will keep them going. As long as they buy us enough time to eliminate the Zombie King, it doesn’t matter if they all die."

He didn’t care about the fate of Tianhai City’s fighters.

The only thing that mattered to him was completing the mission.

If they failed, the horde would continue to expand, spreading its infection into new regions.

That was the real concern for the Jiangnan District leadership.

A few sacrifices were a small price to pay.

Bian Junwu remained silent, simply adjusting his aviator sunglasses while watching the battlefield with a cold expression.

After what felt like an eternity, the flow of zombies from the subway tunnels stopped.

He glanced at the battlefield, watching the ocean of zombies swarm toward the Followers of the Snow God's stronghold.@@novelbin@@

Then, Bian Junwu spoke.

"Let's move. It’s our turn to act."

The zombie horde above ground was terrifying, but they knew the underground tunnels held just as many threats.

That intelligent, white-furred mutant monkey was cowardly, and it had definitely kept a large force behind for protection.

As ruthless as Wu Di’s words were, their mission was far more dangerous.

Upon arriving at the subway tunnels, they let Meng Siyu scout ahead using her detection abilities.

Moments later, she reported back with grim news.

"There’s an insane number of zombies below—including a large force of Bronze Armored Zombies."

Bian Junwu's expression remained icy cold.

"It’s a trap."

"They’ve learned from their past mistakes. They know we use this strategy to execute decapitation strikes."

"These bastards are trying to outplay us."

The Zombie King’s learning speed was frightening.

Perhaps their brains weren’t so different from humans after all.

"What do we do now?"

Baili Changqing asked.

If the zombie numbers underground were too high, it would be suicidal for just seven people to charge in.

The real problem was—if they couldn’t kill the Zombie King, then everything tonight would be for nothing.

"We wait," Bian Junwu said calmly.

"They can hold out for a while longer. Let’s wait for more zombies to be drawn out."

Meanwhile, the battle raged on.

Even with Zhang Yi’s sniper support, the overwhelming numbers of the undead couldn’t be ignored.

A rough estimate put the zombie count at over 200,000—and that didn’t even include the mutant rats.

The battlefield grew bloodier with every passing second.

The zombies fell like wheat, cut down by the thousands—but the humans, too, were suffering heavy casualties.

The sheer difference in numbers was too overwhelming.

To make things worse, the mutant rats had armor-piercing fangs, capable of tearing through the soldiers’ combat suits and inflicting serious injuries.

Had it not been for the many Superhumans holding the line, the human defense would have crumbled in minutes!

Realizing the dangerous weak points in the defense, Zhang Yi dispatched reinforcements.

He sent Liang Yue, Uncle You, and Fatty Xu to reinforce the most vulnerable sections of the front.

As for Hua Hua, it remained by Zhang Yi’s side—as always.

In many ways, Hua Hua was Zhang Yi’s most trusted blade.

Its close-combat skills were unmatched, its mobility superb, and its defensive power on par with an armored vehicle.

With Hua Hua around, Zhang Yi never had to worry about ambushes.

And if things went south—escaping would be easy.

Zhang Yi wasn’t naïve enough to throw everything he had into this battle.

His top priority was ensuring his own people survived.

Inside St. John’s Cathedral, the atmosphere was eerily calm.

Yuan Kongye stood before the statue of the crucified Jesus, hands clasped in prayer, reciting silent hymns.

The sounds of gunfire and battle cries echoed clearly through the church walls.

The Followers of the Snow God hiding within the cathedral wore anxious expressions.

Yet, despite the raging chaos outside, Yuan Kongye’s face remained serene—as if the battle had nothing to do with her at all.

Zhou Ke’er sat on a wooden pew inside the church, her medical kit resting beside her.

Though she wasn’t a believer, she still prayed silently in her heart.

"God, if you truly exist… please protect Zhang Yi and the others."

She intertwined her fingers and whispered softly.

Just then, a cold and serene voice sounded above her.

"Only the most devout believers receive the blessings of the divine."

Zhou Ke’er looked up, meeting the clear, captivating gaze of Yuan Kongye.

There was something hypnotic about those eyes—an almost soul-piercing intensity that made it difficult to look away.

"You… hello," Zhou Ke’er smiled awkwardly, quickly shifting her gaze away.

Yuan Kongye studied her carefully before speaking again.

"You're troubled, aren’t you? You feel helpless, unable to aid your man in battle."

Zhou Ke’er's heart skipped a beat.

She wasn’t used to having her inner thoughts exposed so bluntly.

With a small, self-conscious laugh, she touched her neck and replied, "Maybe… a little. I’m a doctor—I belong in the rear lines. There’s no way I could be on the battlefield with him." ℞𝔞𐌽Օ฿ЁS̩

Yuan Kongye’s voice became even more alluring.

"Perhaps… you have the potential to become a Superhuman."

Those words struck deep.

Superhumans—an existence Zhou Ke’er had always envied.

She never felt the desire strongly before, but ever since Yang Siyah awakened her powers, the longing had only grown stronger.

Once upon a time, she had been independent—a woman of high status and strong ambition.

Born into a wealthy family, highly educated, and with a successful medical career, she had earned a reputation as one of the youngest attending physicians at Tianhai City’s First People's Hospital.

But now?

Standing beside Zhang Yi, she felt herself fading into the background.

A reality she refused to accept.

Even though Zhang Yi still treated her well, she knew one thing for certain—Zhang Yi wasn’t someone who put emotions first.

If, one day, someone more capable replaced her role, wouldn’t she fall further and further behind?

She had to think ahead.

Zhang Yi was constantly evolving.

But what about her?

The moment Yuan Kongye spoke, her words stirred the deepest insecurities within Zhou Ke’er.

But…

Zhang Yi had warned her—not to trust the people of the Followers of the Snow God.

So Zhou Ke’er remained distant in her response.

"Is that so?" she smiled politely. "No one’s ever told me that before."

Yuan Kongye’s icy fingers suddenly reached out, gently caressing her cheek.

"Don’t underestimate yourself. Many times… all you lack is an opportunity."

"Believe in yourself. You have the potential to become a Superhuman."

Zhou Ke’er's heart pounded.

She wasn’t so sure anymore.

Could she really awaken Superhuman abilities?

She always thought becoming a Superhuman required extreme risks, a gamble with life itself.

One failure, and death was the only outcome.

She never had the courage to take that chance.

But then, Ice Soul appeared… offering her a new possibility.

Yuan Kongye’s gaze remained locked onto hers.

Her eyes were crystal clear, yet held an unexplainable power—a force that commanded obedience.

Simply staring into them made one feel overwhelmed, as if surrendering was the natural choice.

"We need strength," Yuan Kongye murmured.

"Your man needs your help."

"Zhou Ke’er, I can help you awaken."

"Will you accept?"

Zhou Ke'er's heart raced.

She knew this woman held the power to awaken others.

But she also knew… this woman was dangerous.

Too dangerous.

Zhou Ke’er hesitated for only a few seconds, before finally steadying herself.

With a calm smile, she replied, "Thank you… but I don’t need it."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, her tone cool and unwavering.

Yuan Kongye's expression faltered briefly—just for a moment, a flicker of disappointment flashing through her gaze.

"It’s alright," she said softly.

"You can take your time. When you change your mind, come find me."

"Divine blessings are a rare gift—not everyone is offered the chance."

With that, Yuan Kongye turned away, returning to her silent prayers before the altar.

At the back of the church, a family of three—Li Jian, his wife, and his child—sat together with Xu Beibei.

As non-combatants and high-ranking members of the Followers of the Snow God, they were granted special privileges to take shelter here.

Yet, Li Kaile refused to even glance at Yuan Kongye—the woman who had destroyed his happiness.

Hatred.

And fear.

He wrapped himself tightly in a blanket, avoiding her gaze at all costs.

Beside him, Xu Beibei squeezed his hand, silently offering comfort and reassurance.

Outside, the sounds of war intensified.

The roars of the zombie horde, the screeches of the mutant rats, the thunder of gunfire and explosions—

Even covering their ears, they could still hear it reverberating in their skulls.

And yet, all they could do was pray—

Pray that the warriors outside would win this battle.

Author's Note