Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies

Chapter 266: Intelligence

Not only Shen Hong but all the soldiers warmly invited Fatty Xu to join them for dinner, drinking, and chatting. Natural-born Superhumans were treated as team captains in the ACE Special Forces as soon as they joined West Hill Base. Everyone wanted to be on good terms with Fatty Xu, their potential future leader.

"Old Xu, go get more food and drinks; today, we're going to have a great time with this brother!" Shen Hong waved at Xu Dongtang, ordering him to prepare more provisions.

Xu Dongtang's face turned awkward. Seeing the soldiers, who treated him, the town chief, with indifference, show such enthusiasm for his nerdy grandson was a bitter pill to swallow. But he didn't dare protest and could only smile and nod in agreement.

Fatty Xu never expected the soldiers to be so welcoming. It wasn't until he started chatting with them that he understood why. People like him were given special treatment at West Hill Base.

Shen Hong explained, "Natural Superhumans have limitless potential. Take our captain, for example. He wasn't all that much stronger than us initially, but after awakening his powers, he's grown leaps and bounds. Now, he can single-handedly take on an entire company."

Shen Hong's tone was full of envy as he patted Fatty Xu on the shoulder. "Brother, when you make it big, don't forget about us!"

Fatty Xu laughed. "Of course, of course!"

As they drank and talked, Fatty Xu carefully probed for information about West Hill Base. Shen Hong and the others, unaware of Fatty Xu's secret dealings with Zhang Yi, only knew of the animosity between Xudong Village and Zhang Yi. They assumed that the entire village held a deep-seated grudge against Zhang Yi, and thus, they had no suspicion of Fatty Xu. They openly shared some light yet valuable information.

"That Zhang Yi is really tough to deal with! Our advance team wasn't adequately prepared and paid a heavy price," Shen Hong admitted. "But don't worry, Brother. West Hill Base has plenty of soldiers and talent. Taking down his little shelter will be a piece of cake!"

Fatty Xu nodded, praising them. "That's right! You guys are professional soldiers; how could an ordinary man like him compare?"

Shen Hong agreed. "An individual's strength can't compete with a powerful base. It's impossible."

"The problem is the harsh winter. A lot of our heavy weapons are unusable in this weather. Otherwise, we'd have leveled his shelter in minutes!"

Fatty Xu poured more wine for Shen Hong and casually asked, "So when is your main force arriving? I can't wait to see you take down Zhang Yi!"

"That Zhang Yi deserves to be skinned alive! He's caused over a hundred deaths in our village. I can't wait to eat his flesh!" Fatty Xu declared dramatically.

Shen Hong swirled his wine glass, laughing confidently. "Brother Xu, don't rush. His fortress is sturdy, and even blowing it up takes time to prepare."

"Oh? Isn't it just a matter of using more explosives?" Fatty Xu asked curiously.

Yu Lang, sitting nearby, explained, "It's not that simple! Executing a pinpoint demolition requires a detailed survey of the terrain. We then upload the data to our engineers and demolition experts. They analyze it to find the optimal blast points and the amount of explosives needed to achieve the best effect."

"If we use too much or too little, it could ruin the operation."

Fatty Xu nodded thoughtfully. "Oh, so that's how it works! That's some serious expertise."

He remembered everything they said. After finishing the meal, he immediately relayed all this intelligence to Zhang Yi.

Upon hearing the information, Zhang Yi couldn't help but look at Fatty Xu with newfound respect. The chubby guy was learning to be cunning, perhaps due to the influence of love. Something like the power of love, as ridiculous as it sounded.

"I see. Thanks for the intel."

"But Fatty, are you sure you don't want to join West Hill Base? Following me might not be the best choice," Zhang Yi said teasingly.

Fatty Xu smiled confidently. "Boss, I trust my instincts."

Though he hadn't known Zhang Yi long, Fatty Xu could tell that Zhang Yi was honest with him. In contrast, the soldiers from West Hill Base always made him uneasy, especially the way they looked at the villagers—as if they were livestock. It made him uncomfortable.

Fatty Xu felt that while Zhang Yi might not be a noble person, he was at least genuine, which made him more trustworthy than the mysterious West Hill Base.

"You won't regret your choice today, Fatty!" Zhang Yi chuckled.

If Fatty Xu ever betrayed him, Zhang Yi wouldn't be surprised. However, if Fatty Xu chose to stay loyal, Zhang Yi would ensure that he was well-rewarded.

"Keep observing them. Your intel is crucial right now. Report any changes immediately."

"Yes, Boss!"

After hanging up, Zhang Yi began strategizing based on the new information. "Demolition really is their best option against me."

"I'm sure West Hill Base has enough explosives to flatten ten shelters. But to carry out the demolition, they need to get close and plant the charges. And that's where I have the upper hand. This is my turf!"

Zhang Yi wasn't overly concerned. Given the shelter's strength, it would take a massive amount of explosives to breach it. Plus, he could always retreat underground and abandon the above-ground structure. The three underground levels were even more robust, impervious to bombs and even missile strikes.

After considering it, Zhang Yi made a decision. He called all the women in the shelter together and briefed them on the situation.

"West Hill Base will attack soon. For safety, we're temporarily abandoning the top two floors and moving everyone underground."

The women looked tense at the news.

"But don't worry, I'm here!" Zhang Yi reassured them with a smile. "I'm well aware of West Hill Base's capabilities. They can't threaten our safety!"

With the vast amount of information he had gathered, Zhang Yi had already formed a rough assessment of West Hill Base. Tianhai City had no major military garrisons, and the number of soldiers was limited, so West Hill Base's armed forces couldn't be overly powerful. This was evident from the performance of their rescue team.

Additionally, the extreme cold and heavy snowfall had neutralized their greatest advantage—heavy firepower—significantly weakening their combat effectiveness. Now, they had only numbers and a surplus of weapons and equipment.

But Zhang Yi already had plans to counter them.

Author's Note