Ice Age Apocalypse: I've Stockpiled Billions of Resources

The entrance to the "ecological recycling treatment plant" on the third underground level is hidden in an inconspicuous freight elevator shaft at the end of the commercial area.

The elevator car had long since crashed, leaving only a bottomless black hole.

Above the black hole, a heavy alloy gate tightly sealed the wellhead, with a red "biohazard" warning light flashing on it.

This door is much more difficult to deal with than the ion barrier of the shop above. It is a purely physical barrier, with a thickness of more than half a meter, and has no electronic keyholes. It is entirely controlled by internal hydraulics.

“If this thing were to be blown up, it would probably turn the whole street upside down.” Natasha tapped the cold alloy surface, her voice muffled and despairing. “It seems that the ‘gardener’ doesn’t want anyone to come down as a guest.”

"Qingxue, can you handle this?"

Lin Luo didn't waste any words and looked directly at the mechanical spider on his shoulder.

Physical isolation is indeed troublesome, but the control center of this system is still connected to the main network.

Qingxue's voice sounded relaxed, even tinged with a hint of confident anticipation. "As long as it remains part of Changsheng City's facilities, I can find the back door. Even if it's designed to withstand a nuclear explosion, I can make it open obediently."

"Then it all depends on you." Lin Luo nodded, his tone filled with trust.

Upon hearing this, Qingxue's electronic compound eyes flashed a faint blue light.

Lin Luo, you don't need to be so polite to me.

As the mechanical spider inserted its probe into the wiring in the wall beside it, it spoke with a surprising seriousness in its tone, "Now that you've rewritten my core code, my logic prioritizes the survival of Earthlings above all else. In a sense, I'm now one of Earthlings too. Helping my race acquire resources for survival is what I should do."

Upon hearing this, Lin Luo's lips curled up slightly, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes: "Well done. Since you are a member of the Earthlings, then we are true comrades-in-arms. Don't worry, I will remember your contributions today, and everything you do in the future. I will never treat you as a cold, indifferent tool."

[Received. Emotion module feedback: Pleasant. Increasing processing power...]

Qingxue's voice was noticeably lighter.

For an artificial intelligence with self-awareness, being accepted and recognized seems to bring more "satisfaction" to its core logic than simply upgrading its data.

It quickly became engulfed in a massive torrent of data and began a frenzied attack on the security protocols of underground facilities.

"Crack! Rumble!"

Less than two minutes later, a muffled hydraulic venting sound came from deep within the seemingly unopenable alloy gate.

Immediately afterwards, the ground trembled slightly, and two heavy gates slowly slid open to the sides, revealing a sloping passage leading to the dark depths.

A musty, damp, but not unpleasant smell wafted over.

"It's open!" Chen Shuang exclaimed in surprise.

"Let's go down and have a look."

Lin Luo took the lead and walked down the slope.

The motion-sensor lights on both sides of the passageway were mostly broken due to years of disrepair, with only a few emitting a dim yellow light, casting long shadows on everyone.

The further down you go, the more open the space becomes.

When they finally reached the third basement level, the sight before them stunned everyone.

This is not the sewage-filled, garbage-strewn treatment plant you might imagine; rather, it's more like a giant underground botanical garden or... a high-end cold storage facility.

The walls were covered with purple vines that emitted a faint glow, making the whole space look like a dream.

In the center of the hall, there were rows of neatly arranged shipping containers, all bearing the distinctive "Gardener" logo.

Some of the containers had already been opened, and instead of garbage, they were filled with rows of precision temperature-controlled cabinets.

"Is this 'gardener' a garbage collector or a warehouse keeper?" Natasha asked curiously as she approached a temperature-controlled cabinet and looked through the glass at the neatly arranged test tubes and syringes inside.

These are the special medical supplies I saw in the log.

Qingxue was also somewhat surprised. [It seems the 'Gardener' intercepted these supplies but didn't use them, instead storing them here. Many of the potions here would have been top-tier, priceless treasures even on Mars back then.]

Lin Luo walked to the largest temperature-controlled cabinet and looked at the spiral-shaped potions inside that emitted a golden glow. A thought struck him.

Now that we've arrived in the "City of Immortality," and since our purpose is survival and continuation, we must ask the most crucial question.

"Qingxue, take a look for me." Lin Luo pointed to the potions. "Are there any potions here that can directly extend lifespan? Like something that can make someone live for several more decades?"

Humans not only face external dangers, but their own lifespan is also a major limitation.

Overuse of supernatural abilities and harsh environmental radiation are draining the survivors' life force. If a life-extending drug could be found, its value would be immeasurable.

[Scanning drug ingredients...comparing with database...]

Qingxue immediately began working, a fan-shaped laser beam sweeping across the golden potions.

A moment later, its voice suddenly rose an octave: "Lin Luo, you're incredibly lucky! This is like winning the lottery!"

This cabinet of golden serum is called "Telomere Remodeling Serum-III." It represents the pinnacle of genetic biology from the late Martian civilization!

"Telomere remodeling?" Lin Luo's eyes lit up. "What are the specific effects?"

It can directly repair telomeres damaged during cell division, reversing the aging process at the genetic level.

Qingxue's tone was filled with amazement. "Simply put, injecting one vial of this serum can extend one's natural lifespan by at least 120 years while maintaining peak bodily functions! And it has no side effects!"

"How many?!"

Natasha, who was examining a vial of painkillers nearby, nearly dropped it. Her eyes widened as if she had heard something out of the blue. "One hundred and twenty years?! You mean, if I take this stuff, this old woman can live to be an old hag?"

"One hundred and twenty years..." Chen Shuang was also stunned. "The longest-lived person on Earth is no more than that, and that was in a state of extreme old age. This potion can actually maintain peak condition?"

"Yes," Qingxue affirmed. "This is a top-tier resource exclusively supplied to the Martian royal family. On Mars, ordinary people risk their lives to modify their bodies just to live a few decades longer, but this one dose can easily achieve their dream. There are... a total of thirty doses here!"

Lin Luo looked at the cabinet full of golden light, and his breathing became a little rapid.

Thirty units means thirty super soldiers who can live to be over two hundred years old!

And he was two hundred years old at his peak!

This means that the strongest humans have ample time to grow and accumulate strength, without fear of dying before achieving their ambitions. For the continuation of a race, this is even more significant than nuclear weapons.

"Good stuff, really good stuff."

Lin Luo took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and quickly took out a special shockproof box from his spatial ring, carefully putting away each vial of medicine. "This time, we really owe a debt to Qingxue."

"Without you, even if we saw these things, we'd probably just throw them away as some kind of lubricant or nutrient solution."

If you don't recognize the words on it or understand its pharmacology, who would dare to inject this glittering liquid into their veins?

I'm glad I could be of any help.

Qingxue seemed quite pleased, her mechanical feet tapping lightly on Lin Luo's shoulder. [Besides that, the blue potions nearby are "neuron regeneration fluid," which can treat Alzheimer's and brain damage; the green ones are "universal antidotes," capable of neutralizing most known biological toxins… Lin Luo, this 'gardener' has practically left us an arsenal, only an arsenal specifically for Death.]

"Take it all, leave not a single drop!"

Lin Luo waved his hand, looking like a greedy adventurer who had stumbled into a dragon's treasure vault, wishing he could scrape the ground clean.

However, just as everyone was immersed in the joy of the harvest, a very faint rustling sound, like dry branches rubbing against the ground, suddenly came from behind the dense purple vines deep in the hall.

"and many more."

Lin Luo paused, then instantly raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

His gaze pierced through the empty shipping containers, fixed intently on that dark corner.

"It seems that the owner, or rather the guardian, of this inheritance... is still at home."