Chapter 119 The Spread of the Ice Age News

Chapter 119: The Spread of the Ice Age News

As temperatures gradually dropped, the number of disease-carrying mosquitoes decreased, and the Monster waves became more predictable and controllable. The devastated Blue Star finally got a brief respite, entering a period of stability. Unbeknownst to them, an even greater disaster loomed beyond this calm.

When news of the impending Ice Age spread through the group chats, opinions split. Some believed it and quietly began stockpiling winter supplies or focusing more on farming and food storage. Others dismissed it, cursing out the messenger, as if venting all the fear and frustration they had bottled up since the apocalypse began.

Hua Diao frowned, her expression darkening as she scrolled through the barrage of curses and personal attacks in the group chats. Though the targets of their rage remained anonymous to most, she knew exactly who they were blaming, and it left her feeling sour.

A well-intentioned warning had earned nothing but vitriol. Thankfully, a few reasonable voices—urging preparedness and caution—sprinkled among the chaos kept her from feeling like her kindness had been entirely wasted.

On the bright side, the Qingcheng Special Operations Bureau took the warning seriously. Their recent supply purchases now included winter supplies.

Director Zhang, that wily old fox, had once again proven his sharp instincts. As Qingcheng’s top leader, he was truly outstanding.

As for how Hua Diao knew all this? It was thanks to two connections she had forged earlier.

The first was the quadruplet brothers. Since their joint monster-hunting operation in the abandoned park, she had stayed in touch with them. The three less-bright "Treasure" brothers occasionally leaked internal Bureau updates.

The sharpest of the four, Lin Xiaobao, had even deduced her identity as the Koi Master. Hua Diao saw no reason to deny it and repaid their loyalty by upgrading their weapons at a generous discount. Later, Lin Xiaobao scraped together enough coins to purchase a space item from her. Mutual satisfaction only deepened their cooperation.

Recently, Lin Xiaobao’s sharp mind had earned him a spot in the Bureau’s inner circle, groomed by Director Zhang himself as a potential successor. This granted him access to even more inside information.

After analyzing the Bureau’s and the Research Institute’s assessments, the likelihood of an impending Ice Age was deemed high. True to form, Lin Xiaobao didn’t forget to pass the warning along to Hua Diao.

Though she was already aware—even the original source—of the news, the gesture still pleased her.

The second informant was the over-the-top teenager, Eighth Brother.

True to Hua Diao’s early assessment of his potential, the young man had grown at an astonishing rate, building quite a reputation in the Bureau. His silver tongue and tactical brilliance had already earned him renown as the "Trash Talk King" and the "Up-and-coming Tactician."

During the recent scorching heat disaster, when a Monster wave of over ten thousand besieged Qingcheng, Eighth Brother seized the spotlight. Not only did he verbally shut down dissenters and troublemakers, but his quick-thinking leadership also amplified his squad’s effectiveness from 100% to 200%. His unit formed the core of the defense, rallying other teams to eliminate the threat before reinforcements arrived.

In no time, his name spread across Qingcheng.

More importantly, he remained grateful, frequently sending Hua Diao gifts and updates. Knowing her love for peach blossom cakes, he often delivered them personally—leading to frequent encounters with Chen Fei, to the point where the two had become close friends.

This time was no exception. After learning of the Bureau’s procurement priorities, he sent her a list, advising her to prepare early.

Coincidentally, another acquaintance from the Bureau also reached out today.

Xiao Li, the chubby-cheeked clerk at the Game Item Acquisition Counter (Window No. 2), was the only female friend Hua Diao had made in this world. They had exchanged private messages after the supermarket sale.

"Don’t tell me she’s also sending me a stockpile reminder?" Hua Diao grumbled, tapping open the chat.

Xiao Li: *Huahua, your grandparents are coming for you. Be careful.*

The message made her freeze in surprise.

Life had been so hectic lately that she’d completely forgotten about the original Hua Diao’s troublesome relatives.

What were they scheming now?

Had they gotten wind of the supermarket sale?

But they should’ve known long ago—why the sudden fuss?

Baffled, she asked for details.

Xiao Li filled her in:

That morning, on her way to her Bureau shift, she noticed Lin Mohan—a colleague—chatting with the Jiang family at their doorstep. Getting a bad feeling, Xiao Li stayed hidden inside, eavesdropping.

What she overheard confirmed her suspicions.

Lin Mohan, all sweet smiles, claimed she was just passing by to check on the Jiangs, pretending to be Hua Diao’s concerned friend. In reality, she was causing trouble—"accidentally" revealing that Hua Diao had sold the supermarkets to the Bureau.

The Jiangs had been oblivious until then. Jiang Wenwang, the youngest uncle, had once rushed to the supermarket after spotting it being looted, intending to sell it off to the Bureau before the goods were gone. But bad luck struck—Monster waves blocked his path, sending him fleeing home in terror.

Trapped indoors by subsequent disasters, the Jiangs survived on meager rations, assuming the supermarkets had been stripped bare by looters.

Now, learning that their own granddaughter had sold the stores, their fury exploded. They screamed curses, vowing to storm Hua Diao’s home and get their cut.

As the Jiangs raged, Lin Mohan slipped away, mission accomplished. Xiao Li seized the chance to warn Hua Diao.