Ice Age Apocalypse: I've Stockpiled Billions of Resources

As we left the defensive range of the purple pearl, the oppressive feeling in my heart seemed to dissipate considerably as the city receded into the distance.

The deep purple amphibious vehicle, like a tireless bull, raced across the vast Martian surface.

The massive special tires rolled over the reddish-brown sand and purple mutated vegetation, kicking up clouds of dark purple dust.

"The suspension system of this car is really amazing." Zhang Min, sitting in the driver's seat, couldn't help but admire it. She held the steering wheel firmly with both hands. Although the speed had soared to 120 miles per hour, she could hardly feel any bumps inside the car. "It's more than a level better than the previous modified off-road vehicle. Before, when I went over this kind of bumpy road, my bones would have been shaken to pieces."

Lin Luo sat in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed on the outside through the one-way, high-strength bulletproof glass.

To everyone's surprise, the scenery along the way was ridiculously beautiful.

This is the edge of the purple grassland. Although it is still filled with the desolate atmosphere of the apocalypse, the wildly growing mutated plants present a strange and bewitching beauty.

Deep purple vines entwine around the weathered rocks as if they were alive, blooming with pale blue fluorescent flowers; in the distance, rolling hills are covered with a grayish-white moss, reflecting a faint silver light in the dim light.

There were no roars of monsters, no lurking of mutated beasts, only the deep, powerful roar of engines echoing across the empty plains.

"Captain, we've driven about five or six kilometers."

Karina, sitting in the back, suddenly spoke up, breaking the slightly relaxed atmosphere inside the car.

She kept staring at the radar detection terminal in her hand, her brows furrowed slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of confusion and unease that was hard to conceal.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with the data?" Lin Luo turned around and asked.

“It’s not abnormal, it’s too normal.” Karina looked up and glanced around at the tranquil scenery outside the car window, her tone somewhat heavy. “The surroundings have become very peaceful, so peaceful that it’s unsettling. Normally, especially in this untouched purple grassland area, shouldn’t we encounter danger as soon as we step out the door? How come we’re suddenly surrounded by so much… so much tranquility? This is really quite absurd.”

In the post-apocalyptic survival rules of Mars, silence often signifies an even greater terror brewing.

Hearing this, Chen Shuang, who was munching on a pack of compressed biscuits, couldn't help but chuckle. She swallowed her food and waved her hand dismissively, "Oh, Sister Karina, you're just a typical case of 'masochism.' Things are going well now, so you should be secretly happy. Anyway, I don't want to encounter any danger. If I can reach my destination safely, get my hands on that life-extending method, and then go back to eat hot pot peacefully, that would be a blessing from God."

Lin Luo nodded upon hearing this: "Chen Shuang is right. Although we should remain vigilant, there's no need to scare ourselves unnecessarily. Perhaps our vehicle is well-hidden, or perhaps we haven't detected any high-level mutated creatures in this area. I also think that since there's no danger now, we should hurry on our way and save our energy for where we really need it."

The car continued speeding along, the surrounding purple vegetation becoming increasingly lush, the originally dry and hard ground beginning to become somewhat damp, and the humidity index in the air also soaring.

About twenty minutes later, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

"I think I know why there were no mutated beasts just now."

Zhang Min stepped on the brakes, and the amphibious vehicle slowly came to a stop.

What lay before them was a huge lake.

The lake was astonishingly large, stretching as far as the eye could see. Its waters were a deep, dark green, and the surface was as still as a giant, lifeless mirror, reflecting the dim, murky sky of Mars. The lakeshore was covered with waist-high reeds that rustled in the wind.

"The road is blocked." Zhang Min looked at the giant lake before her and turned to ask Lin Luo, "City Lord, there's no road ahead. This lake looks a bit eerie. Should we go around it? Or should we just cross it?"

Lin Luo brought up the map and quickly traced a few lines on the holographic screen with his finger.

The map shows that the lake crosses a crucial section of their route, requiring them to detour around the adjacent mountains if they don't cross it.

“We can’t go around it.” Lin Luo frowned, pointing to the complex red terrain area at the edge of the map. “This lake is very large, and the terrain on both sides is all rugged rocky ridges and cliffs. If we want to go around it, we’ll have to travel at least 200 kilometers more, and although this car can travel on that kind of terrain, it will be as slow as a tortoise. It’s very difficult. We can’t afford to waste that time.”

"Shall we go through it then?" Zhang Min gripped the steering wheel, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes. "Perfect opportunity to test the launching capabilities of this so-called 'Land Cruiser'."

Lin Luo nodded, his eyes resolute: "Let's go through to the past. It's time for this amphibious vehicle to play a crucial role. Since it's designed with an underwater propulsion system, it's not just for show. Check the seals and prepare to launch."

"Understood! Full vehicle sealing mode activated, internal circulation system engaged, anti-gravity chassis switched to floating mode!"

With Zhang Min's series of skillful operations, a few slight mechanical clicking sounds came from the car body.

The heavy armor plates were tightly sealed, the wheels slowly retracted into the belly of the vehicle, and the rear propeller protruded.

"Pfft!!"

The massive purple vehicle, with an unstoppable momentum, plunged directly into the dark green lake.

The expected violent tremor did not occur; the car body only sank slightly before floating steadily on the water.

Through the huge windshield, the view of the land instantly transforms into a shimmering water surface.

"Wow, that's cool!" Natasha leaned against the window, watching the splashing water outside.

The interior space is exceptionally good, and even when driving on water, the stability is amazing.

The outside world may be filled with slightly toxic moisture and odors, but the vehicle has an independent sanitation system, allowing everyone to breathe freely in filtered, fresh air, with the temperature kept at a comfortable 24 degrees Celsius.

"Dive a little deeper, the surface is too much of a target," Lin Luo ordered.

"receive."

The tank slowly submerged into the water, leaving only a periscope and a snorkel on the surface.

The underwater world is even more bizarre and fantastical. Huge seaweeds sway in the undercurrents like ghostly hands, and occasionally a few small, ferocious-looking fish bump into the bulletproof glass and then swim away in panic.

This vehicle is like a mobile deep-sea fortress, traversing through this lake full of unknowns, giving people a strong sense of security.

However, just as everyone relaxed their guard slightly, thinking that this would also be a peaceful journey.

Danger struck suddenly!

The previously quiet, flickering radar screen suddenly burst into a blinding red light, and a piercing alarm blared abruptly inside the enclosed carriage.

"DiDi Di Di Di Di Di Di Di Di!"

Yu Na, who had been in charge of the monitoring system, turned deathly pale instantly. Her fingers flew across the keyboard, and her voice became shrill with tension: "Warning! Danger is approaching! A huge, high-energy life form is rapidly approaching from directly below at six o'clock! It's incredibly fast! It's a living attack!"

"What is that?" Lin Luo's eyes sharpened, and his hand instantly pressed on the weapon control panel.

Before Yuna could answer, everyone felt a chill emanating from the abyss.

The water ahead suddenly surged violently, and the originally murky bottom seemed to be stirred into a whirlpool.

"It's coming! It's crashing into us!" Yuna screamed.

On the holographic screen, a massive, mountain-like black shadow suddenly burst forth from the deep water. It was a gigantic, mutated fish, its body covered in iron-black scales, each the size of a shield, and its gaping maw filled with barbed fangs, seemingly capable of devouring everything.

It was like a heavy torpedo launched from the barrel, slamming into the bottom of the amphibious vehicle!

"boom!!!"

A muffled, loud bang exploded underwater, and the terrifying impact instantly spread throughout the entire vehicle.

The people inside the car felt a sudden, earth-shaking tremor, like a soda can being kicked hard by a giant.

Chen Shuang was thrown from her seat before she could grab the armrest, but fortunately Natasha reacted quickly and pulled her back.

Cups, backpacks, and other loose items were flying around inside the carriage.

"Warning! The ship has been struck heavily! Warning! The ship has been struck heavily!"

The vehicle's electronic system broadcasted announcements in a cold, robotic voice.

The amphibious vehicle was violently rolled in the water by the terrifying impact. If it were an ordinary vehicle, it would have definitely disintegrated or been flattened.

But the doomsday vehicle that Lin Luo had spent a lot of money to build demonstrated its formidable defensive capabilities at this critical moment.

Fortunately, the amphibious vehicle is relatively heavy and uses high-density composite armor. Its own weight, combined with its special structural design, allowed it to withstand this devastating blow.

After shaking violently for a few seconds, the vehicle quickly stabilized its posture thanks to the automatic balancing function of the anti-gravity system.

"Report the damage!" Lin Luo shouted, gripping the handrail tightly.

Zhang Min, sweating profusely, stared at the dashboard and quickly checked it: "The outer armor is 5% damaged, the power system is normal, and the seal is intact! There's no major impact! This iron lump is really tough!"

A fierce glint flashed in Lin Luo's eyes as he stared intently through the screen at the giant fish that had missed its first attack and was now circling in the water, preparing for a second strike.

"It's good that it didn't have any impact." Lin Luo sneered, his finger suddenly ripping open the protective cover of the weapon's firing button. "Since you wanted to use us as snacks, let's see if your teeth are as tough as my shells! Prepare to retaliate!"