Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Li Zongyu and Zhang Weiwei turned to look at Ma Wenzheng when he spoke.

Li Zongyu lowered his gaze, deep in thought, completely agreeing with Ma Wenzheng's words.

But Zhang Weiwei asked in confusion, "Mr. Ma, what do you mean by that? Are they just going to stand by and let those below run wild?"

Ma Wenzheng closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were filled with compassion.

"This ship is like an isolated island with limited resources. If I'm not mistaken, that Mr. Zhang is a very rational man."

"He initially controlled the number of people boarding to maintain balance on the ship and prevent shortages of survival supplies."

"But he didn't expect that Ms. Zhu would take matters into her own hands and burden him with over twenty additional people."

He raised a finger. "That's roughly a 12% overcapacity. A significant proportion!"

Zhang Weiwei wasn't foolish; she immediately understood the implication of Ma Wenzheng's words.

"So, they're deliberately allowing the killings below to reduce the number of people on board?"

Ma Wenzheng smiled faintly. "To be precise, this is called personnel optimization."

Zhang Weiwei frowned, finding this approach somewhat cruel.

However, having survived the crisis on Rockflow Island, she wasn't naive enough to laugh it off.

In her heart, she understood there was no alternative.

Yet she couldn't help feeling a growing sense of panic.

"But... first it's the people in the lower deck being eliminated. If something else happens later, will it be our turn?"

She looked at Li Zongyu with deep concern.

This fear wasn't unfounded.

Zhang Yi gave off the impression of being ruthless enough to do such a thing!

Li Zongyu walked over and took her slightly cold, delicate hand in his, comforting her, "Don't worry, it won't come to that! We're still very valuable to him."

He paused slightly before continuing.

"Even if something happens, it won't be our turn."

Meaning that even if personnel optimization occurred, it would start with others from the Rockflow Group first.

Zhang Weiwei sighed, but the worry between her brows didn't completely fade.

Ma Wenzheng also lowered his head in thought before finally shaking it helplessly.

He didn't say more, as at this point, they could only resign themselves to fate.

Even as a business tycoon who had maneuvered skillfully in the commercial world, he couldn't predict what other accidents might occur during this voyage.

Peace would be best.

But who could truly fathom heaven's will?

The worst outcome would be none of them surviving.

They weren't the only ones with such concerns.

In other cabins of the Rockflow Group, people were equally terrified by the agonized screams from below.

Some cried out in fear, "It's over! They're conducting a purge! First the lower deck, and soon it'll be our turn!"

White Mo buried himself under his blanket, trembling as he muttered:

"Oh my God! I knew this day would come."

"First it was Mr. Yamada, then the passengers below. Won't it be our turn soon?"

"Damn it, I never should have boarded this ship."

On the bunk above him, Xie Yunfan broke out in a cold sweat, murmuring:

"I knew this would happen! They weren't being kind by coming to rescue us."

"They must be afraid we'll reveal their secret, so they're killing us all midway!"

"Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

He pounded the bed furiously, gritting his teeth with a ferocious expression.

"I told you, you can't trust people from Huaxu Kingdom! If we'd just waited for a ship from Columbus Ocean to rescue us, we'd have been fine!"

Che Haicheng sat on his bed, his face equally grave with worry.

They had endured six months of apocalyptic crisis.

Though the situation on Rockflow Island hadn't been as dire as in Tianhai City, it had still left them with deep psychological scars.

Now, after more than ten days adrift at sea on this ship, their fears had only intensified.

On the island, they could have fled from danger.

But the Golden Edge could be their sanctuary one moment and an inescapable prison the next!

In this lawless world, Zhang Yi could annihilate them all with just a passing thought!

Yet upon hearing Xie Yunfan's words, Che Haicheng suddenly noticed something amiss.

He stood up and approached Xie Yunfan, looking up at him. "What were you just saying? What secret?"

Xie Yunfan was currently clutching his head in a frenzy.

Che Haicheng had to grab his sleeve and shout his question to snap him out of it.

Xie Yunfan gave a cold laugh. "I don't know. But think about it—Rockflow Island is thousands of kilometers from Huaxu Kingdom, and these are desperate times."

"Even Columbus Ocean with the world's strongest navy can't spare resources for rescue missions."

"So why would they go to such lengths to cross oceans and save us?"

"I know those Huaxu Kingdom people too well—they wouldn't do this unless there was something in it for them!"

Xie Yunfan spoke as if he weren't originally from Huaxu Kingdom himself.

Though the others present smirked mockingly, they weren't surprised.

After all, nearly everyone who left Huaxu Kingdom would go out of their way to slander it.

How else could they justify their choice?

Xie Yunfan's eyes bulged, bloodshot veins spreading across his pupils.

"So they must be after something. There's definitely a big secret among us, especially regarding Li Zongyu!"

His words made everyone in the cabin ponder.

"A secret—he's right! It must be connected to Li Zongyu and his wife! Otherwise, why would the captain treat them so well? Why would he agree to take even us foreigners back to their country for their sake?"

Che Haicheng's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"If we can uncover this secret, wouldn't we have bargaining chips to survive?"

"But what secret could it be? After six months on Rockflow Island, is there anything we don't know about Li Zongyu and his wife?"

"Think hard, really hard! This might be our lifeline!"

Che Haicheng looked at each person, urging them to search their memories for every detail from their time on Rockflow Island.

Back then, they had all been focused on survival, even facing life-or-death situations multiple times.

In such circumstances, no secret would have held value—they would have blurted everything out.

Yet what had seemed insignificant then might now be the key to their survival.

Author's Note