Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Chapter 1233: Dividing the Elemental Ore

Running the Jiangnan Region is no easy task.

Zhang Yi naturally knew this.

The Jiangnan Region was vast, Tianhai City sat on the coast, and because of Yuan Kongye’s conspiracy, the vast majority of Tianhai’s survivors had been killed.

So now, Tianhai City’s population had dwindled, and its power structure had stabilized, with few major conflicts.

But that situation did not hold everywhere else.

Survivor populations in a mid-sized city could reach well into the tens of thousands.

Add in rural areas with relatively abundant food, and scattered survivors did not submit to the Jiangnan Region’s authority.

As a result, factions formed everywhere, small forces dotted the landscape, countless in number.

Just look at the cities around Tianhai City: there were no fewer than twenty organizations of varying sizes.

Only because everyone knew Zhang Yi was in Tianhai did no one dare approach Tianhai’s sphere of influence.

Where people gathered, fights followed. Scraps over food, heating fuel, and clothing made clashes between forces a normal occurrence.

On top of that, some animals mutated into rampaging beasts.

These were mostly wild beasts from mountains and rivers.

There were also feral dogs in remote mountain villages and mutated cat demons.

As the commander of the Jiangnan Region, Zhu Zheng’s desk was piled high every day with reports from every area, each requiring people to be dispatched to handle them.

The top post in this region looked gloriously prestigious, but it was indeed mentally taxing, not an easy job.

“What you need now is an Epsilon who answers to you,” Zhang Yi said to Zhu Zheng with a smile, then glanced at Zhu Yu a short distance behind him.

“How’s your goddaughter lately? Any improvement in strength?” Zhu Zheng asked.

“She’s developed physically to adult standards and has begun combat training. She’s one step away from the Epsilon rank,” Zhu Zheng said, his gaze tinged with regret. “But that one step just won’t go through.”

Zhang Yi said lightly, “She’s not Yuan Kongye after all.”

Zhu Yu carried only half of Yuan Kongye’s genes, so her ceiling wasn’t as high as Yuan Kongye’s.

If she were to breakthrough, so far the only method would be to use the Divine Source.

Of course Zhang Yi would not help her.

Any good resources he had would naturally go to people around him first.

Zhu Zheng knew Zhang Yi’s character, so he didn’t ask for Zhang Yi’s help. Instead he laughed:

“No more of that for now. You returned from this mission successfully, so stay today. Let’s have a proper drink, then tell me in detail about what you experienced in Shengjing.”

A group of people enthusiastically invited Zhang Yi and the others back inside.

The banquet was very formal. Unhurried, Zhang Yi pulled a cup of hot tea from his chest instead of drinking alcohol.

Zhu Zheng and the others were already used to Zhang Yi’s caution, so they showed no displeasure.

Seated at that table were important figures.

Zhu Zheng, Zhu Yu, Deng Yuanbo, Deng Shentong, and an operations minister, Tu Yunlie.

On Zhang Yi’s side, only he and Yang Xinxin sat.

After polite toasts and flattery to praise Zhang Yi and the others for their hard work, they asked about their experiences in Shengjing.

Zhang Yi glanced at Deng Shentong and gave a concise account.

Of course, he naturally omitted what should not be said.

For example, the powerful and mysterious Serpent-folk civilization they encountered below the abyss.

Even Deng Shentong and Zhang Yi had not told others about that; only those close to him knew.

Even so, what they did hear left Zhu Zheng and the others full of emotion.

Zhu Zheng said, “I didn’t expect such danger to exist beneath the Qinling. If someday the Jiangnan Region encounters such monsters, what will we do?”

He sighed, worry etched across his face.

Deng Yuanbo chuckled and looked at Zhang Yi: “Luckily we have Captain Chaos.”

Zhang Yi smiled faintly, saying nothing.

“Risks and opportunities go hand in hand. A secret realm appearing in the Jiangnan Region isn’t necessarily bad. If handled well, Jiangnan could leap up to become a top-tier power.”

Zhu Zheng laughed softly.

“That’s true. If Shengjing hadn’t obtained Divine Source and elemental ore from beneath the Qinling, how could it have become the top of Huaxu Kingdom’s six major regions?”

When elemental ore was mentioned, Zhang Yi only smiled faintly and did not respond.

Zhu Zheng prudently dropped the subject.

Halfway through the meal, Zhu Zheng said he couldn’t hold his drink and excused himself.

But he invited Zhang Yi to leave with him.

At this time, it was appropriate to get down to business.

Now the two real power holders of the Jiangnan Region were about to discuss matters others had no right to hear.

Zhang Yi and Zhu Zheng entered a back lounge. After they sat, a waitress served hot tea and then left respectfully.

The massive door closed; the soundproofing was excellent. Once shut, it felt as if the outside world had been cut off completely.

With no outsiders present, Zhu Zheng’s expression immediately turned serious and eager.

He fixed his gaze on Zhang Yi and asked, “Zhang Yi, regarding that elemental ore, did Qin Qigong say when he’d let us send people to mine it?”

Zhang Yi’s hand tapped lightly on the tea table.

“We’ll have to wait a while. That battle was too brutal, and the Ground Centipedes underground haven’t been fully cleared out.”

“Mining has to guarantee safety, don’t you agree?”

Zhu Zheng nodded. “That’s true.”

Regret briefly clouded his face; after all, he had long desired that miraculous new resource.

He lifted his cup and took a sip of hot tea.

“Zhang Yi, I heard you performed exceptionally this time and obtained more than ten percent of the Elemental Stone vein. Is that true?”

Zhang Yi said calmly, “Yes.”

He held up three fingers to Zhu Zheng: “I got a full thirty percent.”

Light flared in Zhu Zheng’s eyes, like a greedy landlord discovering a dragon’s hoard, his body leaning toward Zhang Yi.

“Thirty percent! A full thirty percent of the elemental ore—this obscene fortune has finally fallen to—” He paused, then corrected himself: “one of Jiangnan Region’s prodigies!”

Zhang Yi smiled without answering.

An ingratiating smile spread across Zhu Zheng’s face as he rubbed his hands excitedly and said:

“Zhang Yi, such a massive resource—there’s no way you can use it all. Could I trade supplies with you for Elemental Stones?”

Zhang Yi had thought of this long ago.

He had simply been waiting for Zhu Zheng to ask.

“We don’t lack basic supplies. But you can trade weapons to me for Elemental Stones.”

Although Lu Keran could make weapons, forging weapons alone consumed physical strength and her unusual abilities.

So Lu Keran was better suited to crafting high-quality weapons, not producing large quantities of standardized arms.

For Blizzard City, which already had arsenals and factories, that was not a problem.

Author’s Note