Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Chapter 278: Strength of Captain-Level Superhumans

In the recent battle, the ACE Special Forces, including three modified Superhumans, suffered 23 casualties. It was laughably tragic. These were elite warriors, unmatched in individual and coordinated combat skills, destined to achieve great things in the apocalypse. Yet, they died most ridiculously—blown up by their own explosives.

From beginning to end, they never even saw what Zhang Yi looked like.

Life is fragile. It doesn't matter if you're a prodigy or someone with high status; in death, you're just another worthless corpse.

Zhang Yi watched from afar. The area was ablaze, making it impossible to determine the full extent of the damage inflicted on West Hill Base. He could only wait and see their next move to make a rough assessment.

On Ling Feng's side, the atmosphere was unbearably tense. Ling Feng's expression was fierce, like a wild beast ready to devour anyone in sight.

"What the hell was that power just now?" Ling Feng asked, glaring at Academician Wu. His face remained calm, but his barely contained fury was palpable.

The esteemed captain of the ACE Special Forces had led a mission, expecting to end the fight in just three hours and capture Zhang Yi alive. Yet, after days, they still hadn't breached the shelter. Instead, they lost many elite soldiers. Each fallen warrior was a precious asset to West Hill Base, nearly irreplaceable. Ling Feng's pride was in tatters.

They had exhausted their latest strategy, only to see it backfire. What now? Would they resort to a suicide mission to manually detonate the explosives? Even that would be a foolish move, as Zhang Yi's counterattacks were formidable. Plus, no one was willing to be a sacrificial pawn.

Academician Wu adjusted his glasses and analyzed, "Based on our previous assumptions, his space ability can absorb attacks and then redirect them. Shen Hong and his team were defeated this way. The energy from the last explosion was partially absorbed, and Zhang Yi used it to repel the incoming explosives."

Ling Feng took a deep breath. "So, what can we do to avoid being affected by his power?"

Facing Ling Feng's intense gaze, Academician Wu coughed awkwardly. "Based on my calculations, most of the explosive energy was indeed absorbed. If all 500 kilograms of TNT had been detonated normally, it would have completely destroyed a wall. Zhang Yi likely stored some of the blast's energy and used only a fraction of it to deflect our explosives."

"This approach won't work anymore."

Ling Feng, though expecting this answer, couldn't help but grimace when hearing it confirmed by a professional. Everyone else looked equally troubled. Nothing seemed to work. Was Zhang Yi really that difficult to deal with?

Ling Feng forced himself to stay calm. He was furious that he didn't have a missile on hand—otherwise, he would have obliterated Zhang Yi's shelter and ended this nightmare. But even standard missiles would only destroy the structures above ground; they wouldn't touch the more fortified underground levels.

Contemplating their next move, Ling Feng pondered aloud, "What if we dug our way underground and attacked from below? We could plant enough explosives to send the whole place sky-high!"

Academician Wu shook his head. "Typically, apocalypse shelters are built underground, with their subterranean parts much stronger than the above-ground structures. Below, there's no need for aesthetics or lighting; only durability matters. If we can't breach the top, attacking from below is even harder."

Ling Feng's resolve didn't waver. "We're not afraid of challenges; we're afraid of failing the mission!"

Academician Wu hesitated before replying, "But with our current resources, this isn't feasible. We lack the heavy machinery used centuries ago. Even breaking through the frozen ground by hand is an impossible task. And if we're not careful, Zhang Yi will detect our tunneling efforts, making it all for nothing."

Shi Dayong suddenly suggested sinisterly, "Isn't Xu Family Town home to over a thousand people? We could force them to dig!"

Academician Wu objected, "Even if they have the numbers, asking them to dig in this extreme cold with primitive tools would be a death sentence! If not properly managed, the noise alone would alert Zhang Yi."

Shi Dayong fell silent, clenching his fists and glaring hatefully in the direction of the shelter. Ling Feng, however, still hadn't completely abandoned the idea. His only goal was to complete the mission, even if it required sacrifices.

As the smoke cleared, Zhang Yi looked outside. The snow had melted completely, and many houses and dead trees were burning. The surrounding air was unusually warm, with the intense heat vaporizing any water from the melting snow.

Cloud Manor, once Tianhai City's most luxurious villa district, was now half-destroyed by multiple explosions, with only a few solitary villas still standing.

"Now that your turn is over, it's my turn!" Zhang Yi muttered, confirming the enemy's failed attack. He was not one to let others attack without retaliation.

"Dimensional Gate, open!"

Zhang Yi positioned the Dimensional Gate in front of the window and ordered Xiao Ai to open it quickly. He then set up his newly modified heavy sniper rifle and aimed at the group two kilometers away on the small hill.

Ling Feng and his team, still reeling from their losses, were strategizing on how to breach the shelter. Suddenly, an urgent voice came through the radio.

"Captain, he's aiming at you with a sniper rifle!"

Ling Feng's eyes narrowed just as he felt a rush of wind. Time seemed to slow as he spotted a bullet, enhanced by Superhuman powers, speeding toward his forehead.

"Whoosh!" Ling Feng tilted his head, and the bullet grazed his ear. He turned his gaze towards the shelter and caught sight of Zhang Yi behind the window.

Ling Feng's eyes were bloodshot with hatred. "Zhang Yi!!"

Zhang Yi, seeing Ling Feng's reaction, was impressed. "He truly deserves to be their leader!" Though disappointed that his shot missed, Zhang Yi wasn't surprised. Many fighters at West Hill Base had Superhuman abilities that enhanced their physical strength, speed, or durability.

Still, Ling Feng's strength far exceeded that of Liu Ziyang, Shen Hong, and others Zhang Yi had faced. "He's a tough one!"

Wasting no time, Zhang Yi shifted his aim towards the next most obvious target—the giant snow gorilla, Shi Dayong. Ling Feng warned his team, "Watch out, sniper!" No one expected Zhang Yi to be able to snipe from such a distance.

Despite Ling Feng's warning, Shi Dayong, lacking agility, couldn't dodge in time. Blood splattered as the bullet pierced his forehead, but instead of collapsing, Shi Dayong yelled in pain and pulled out the bullet embedded in his skull.

"Damn, that hurt!" Shi Dayong growled, his monstrous defenses proving as tough as a tank. These core members of West Hill Base's special forces were far from easy prey. Ordinary weapons were almost useless against them.

Before Zhang Yi could fire a third shot, Ling Feng and his team had already taken cover, disappearing from his line of sight. A sharp whistle pierced the air as two sniper bullets came at Zhang Yi from different directions.

Both shots were swallowed by Zhang Yi's Dimensional Space. Without a moment's hesitation, Zhang Yi redirected the bullets back to their original shooters. The enemy snipers, elite marksmen, were hit by their own bullets, each shot returning with deadly precision, striking their chests.

Both snipers died without ever realizing that the bullets that killed them were fired from their own guns.

Author's Note