Ice Age Apocalypse: I Hoard Billions of Supplies-Chapter 796: The Hypocrite

Chapter 796: The Hypocrite 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Zhang Yi spent two hours on this island in South Taku, eliminating all the bandit groups he discovered.

Apart from these people, he also found some kidnapped women.

Like those women in the ship's hold, they were all chained up as playthings for the bandits.

As for the men from the plundered ships, they had all been killed and used as food.

Out of humanitarian concern, Zhang Yi burned all the corpses he found, allowing them to rest in peace.

However, regarding how to handle those women, apart from leaving them some food, Zhang Yi couldn't do much more.

Given their current mental state, even if they were set free, they probably wouldn't survive for long.

But there might still be a few with strong wills among them.

At this time, Zhu Yunque had already come ashore.

She reported the incident to Zhu Zheng.

Zhu Zheng's instruction was that all matters during the voyage should be decided by Zhang Yi.

As long as they didn't clash with major forces, Zhu Yunque shouldn't interfere.

But when it came to handling the kidnapped women, Zhu Yunque insisted on voicing her opinion.

"We can't leave them here, or they'll just die!"

Zhu Yunque stared firmly at Zhang Yi. "We can take them on board and bring them to the Jiangnan Region. You have plenty of supplies anyway, so taking a few more people won't matter."

Zhang Yi widened his eyes, looking at Zhu Yunque in disbelief.

He had thought so-called do-gooders only existed online, but now the young lady of Blizzard City turned out to be one too?

"Do you have any idea how troublesome it would be for us to take these women?"

Zhang Yi frowned and retorted.

"Do you know who they are? If we take them aboard, what if our mission gets leaked?"

Zhu Yunque, however, said earnestly, "No matter the circumstances, human lives come first. I can't bear to abandon so many lives—they're living, breathing people!"

She took a step forward, staring at Zhang Yi. "You should know that if you leave them behind, they'll all die!"

From her gaze, Zhang Yi realized one thing—this woman was dead serious.

It suddenly occurred to him that Zhu Yunque had studied abroad for a long time, so her mind was filled with Western ideals.

Zhang Yi admitted that if he were one of the kidnapped, he would very much hope to meet someone like Zhu Yunque.

But he wasn't.

And he wasn't some kind-hearted saint either—he was just an ordinary, selfish person.

Facing Zhu Yunque's questioning, Zhang Yi sneered inwardly.

Slowly, he opened his mouth and asked in return, "Miss Zhu is absolutely right. Your nobility fills me with admiration."

"But let me ask you this—when the apocalypse first struck, where did Jinling City's fifteen million people go?"

"Why are there fewer than two million left, and why were so many elderly who couldn't work driven out to fend for themselves?"

Zhang Yi's eyes were full of mockery.

"Where were you, the kind-hearted Miss Zhu, back then?"

His words left Zhu Yunque flushed with embarrassment.

In Blizzard City, she had no say in such matters.

"Th-That was different! Blizzard City didn't have the resources to support so many people back then!"

"But it's different now! You have enough supplies to keep them alive!"

Zhang Yi shot back, "Why should I? Yes, I have plenty of supplies, but if I were to share, I'd give them to my own people—not some strangers from a foreign land."

"Miss Zhu, save your cheap sympathy! This is the apocalypse!"

Looking at the women wrapped in filthy blankets, Zhang Yi sighed inwardly.

He took out enough food from his Dimensional Space to last them a week, then turned and walked away.

Zhu Yunque watched the women scrambling for the food, then turned helplessly to Zhang Yi.

Without Zhang Yi's approval, she couldn't save them—the sailors wouldn't listen to her.

Angrily, she shouted at Zhang Yi, "But what's the point of what you're doing? Giving them some food to ease your guilty conscience? You know they'll die—you know it!"

"You're just lying to yourself!"

Hearing this, Zhang Yi suddenly burst into laughter.

"You're right. I left them food just to make myself feel better. Truth is, I don't care about them at all—I'm not compassionate enough to look after everyone."

Hypocritical? Pretending to be kind?

Zhang Yi couldn't care less about Zhu Yunque's judgment of him.

He didn't consider himself a great man—if anything, he was somewhat wicked—so no label bothered him.

Pointing at Zhu Yunque, he mocked, "Actions speak louder than intentions. At least I helped them. And you, the kind and noble Miss Zhu—what have you done?"

Later, in her anger, Zhu Yunque left behind her own three-day ration.

And Zhang Yi, ever the gentleman, informed the kitchen that they needn't prepare meals for her for the next three days.

The Golden Edge continued onward.

Zhu Yunque sulked in her room, refusing to come out.

Zhang Yi couldn't care less—three days without food wouldn't kill her.

Zhou Ke'er, however, advised Zhang Yi, "She is Zhu Zheng's niece, after all. Aren't you worried she might complain to him about you?"

Zhang Yi shrugged. "Zhu Zheng isn't foolish enough to let this affect our relationship. If I still had to kowtow to those in power now, what was the point of surviving the apocalypse?"

Smiling, he stroked Zhou Ke'er's fair cheek.

"Don't worry. Right now, it's Blizzard City that needs me—not the other way around."

The only reason Zhu Zheng could maintain his position as commander of the Jiangnan Region was because Zhang Yi had chosen to save him back then.

Otherwise, Gao Changkong would have killed him long ago.

Zhou Ke'er chuckled. "I still think it's best to inform Zhu Zheng. Some things are better cleared up. Even if he doesn't say anything now, any lingering resentment might cause trouble later."

Zhang Yi thought about it and followed her advice. He took out his communicator to contact Zhu Zheng.

Being far out at sea, the signal was poor, but fortunately, they had brought an advanced communications system from headquarters before departure—the Golden Edge had its own base station.

Using the world's most advanced Huawei base station, signal quality wasn't a concern at all.

Zhu Zheng received Zhang Yi's report and laughed.

"My apologies for the trouble! My niece means well—she's just inexperienced and doesn't understand how cruel reality can be."

"That's exactly why I sent her with you—so you could teach her a lesson. Don't hold back—just do as you see fit!"

With Zhu Zheng's reassurance, Zhang Yi's last trace of hesitation vanished.

Now he was acting on Old Zhu's orders—if Zhu Yunque threw another tantrum, his palm was ready to teach her a lesson.

Disobedient children needed their bottoms spanked, after all.

Author's Note