ATPnovel Chapter 103 Fortress Project
Chapter 103 Fortress Project
Chapter 103 Fortress Project
That evening, when Xu Mo finished his daytime rest and sat up from his cot, he immediately noticed that the atmosphere at the temporary base was different from usual. Besides the familiar smells of gunpowder and dampness, the air was now filled with the mingled scents of cement dust and fresh building materials. Stepping out of the rest area, he was greeted by a bustling construction scene.
What was originally intended as a gathering and rest area is now piled high with sand, gravel, precast concrete components, steel bars, and various construction tools. Many construction workers, dressed in overalls and wearing hard hats, are busily working. Their main task is to pour dark-colored, circular foundations, each about six meters in diameter, into designated areas. Each foundation appears to be over thirty square meters in area, and a reasonably deep pit has already been dug beside it. Workers are operating small mixers to pour concrete into the pits.
Some survivors on leave gathered around the construction area, pointing and whispering among themselves.
Xu Mo walked closer and heard a kind-looking man next to him, carrying a rifle, saying to his companion, "They're building a fortress! See how solid the foundation is? Looks like they're going to hammer nails into it."
"A fortress?" Xu Mo's heart skipped a beat. His gaze swept over the foundations that were taking shape, then looked towards the distant, flickering fires of the position. The official intentions behind building permanent or semi-permanent fortifications in this forward area were intriguing.
With this question in mind, Xu Mo and Feng Dayong arrived at position C-07 on time. Sure enough, construction workers were also present on the position. Taking advantage of a lull in the fighting, they were building similar circular foundations in a relatively safe location behind the position. The combatants were on guard nearby to ensure the safety of the construction.
Seeing Xu Mo approach, the familiar Captain Zhao Ming beckoned him closer to cover, then lowered his voice, his face showing a hint of mystery and seriousness: "Xu Mo, did you see that? There's movement up there."
Xu Mo nodded, waiting for him to continue.
Zhao Ming looked around and lowered his voice even further: "We've received new orders. We're no longer going to hold out indefinitely. Our mission is to hold out until these forward fortifications are completed and reinforced. After that, the main force will gradually withdraw to Jiangcheng and establish a new, more flexible defense and observation system based on these fortifications."
A knowing glint flashed in Xu Mo's eyes; this aligned with his assessment of the current battle situation. Simply filling this eerie ruin with lives and ammunition was indeed not a long-term solution.
"And then?" he asked, sensing that Captain Zhao's words had a hidden meaning.
Zhao Ming licked his slightly chapped lips and looked intently at Xu Mo: "So, there's a special mission. Let's see if you dare to take it."
"Special mission?" Xu Mo raised an eyebrow, his expression questioning.
"Yes." Zhao Ming nodded. "The zombies here are appearing in such a damn weird way, like they just popped out of nowhere. If this keeps going on, even the wealthiest organization can't hold out. So the command has decided to change strategy. On one hand, we're organizing forces to quickly transport any usable and valuable industrial equipment from the Red Star Industrial Zone back to Jiangcheng; on the other hand, we're establishing these forward fortresses as observation posts and firing positions to monitor this ruin for a long time, figuring out where these freaks came from and what their patterns are."
He paused, then continued, "Each fortress will be garrisoned by one to two people. They will be equipped with sufficient weapons and ammunition, at least two months' worth of basic supplies, independent power generation equipment, and a communications radio. The initial mission duration is set at two months, during which there will be resupply and rotations."
Xu Mo listened quietly, his gaze once again fixed on the solid foundation being poured not far away, which appeared to be nearly two meters deep. Such a tortoise-shell-like fortification, equipped with ample supplies, offered far greater safety than a passive defense in open terrain, despite its precarious location. Moreover, and most importantly, it provided sufficient independence and quiet.
Zhao Ming keenly caught the fleeting hint of excitement in Xu Mo's eyes and immediately pressed his advantage: "Your combat capabilities, especially your precision shooting and composure under pressure, have been reported to our superiors by Wang Nader and me, and they highly approve. If you agree, I can recommend you directly. The mission reward in contribution points is extremely generous, more than five times that of a regular cleanup mission, and there are additional merit points and resource rewards upon completion. How about it? Consider it?"
Xu Mo didn't answer immediately; he quickly weighed the pros and cons. The risks were obvious: he would need to be on the front lines for an extended period, facing the unknown ruins. But the rewards were equally enticing: a high reward, a private space, and an undisturbed environment—it was practically a training ground tailor-made for him.
"This is a rare opportunity," Xu Mo thought to himself. The authorities were clearly forced to adopt this long-term monitoring strategy by the strange source of the zombies, and he needed just such an opportunity.
"I am indeed somewhat tempted," Xu Mo finally spoke, raising a practical issue, "However, Captain Zhao, I just rented a house with a yard in the inner city of Jiangcheng, and I still need to pay contribution points every month. If I take on this mission, this house—"
"Hey, what's the big deal?" Zhao Ming immediately patted his chest and assured him, "Don't worry about that. As long as your application is approved and you're officially included in this fortress garrison plan, Jiangcheng will take direct control of your housing situation. During the mission, your house will be temporarily sealed off, so don't worry about deducting anything. After the mission, you can keep or return it as you see fit. This kind of privilege is still available to personnel performing such long-term, high-risk missions."
Hearing this definite answer, Xu Mo's last remaining concerns vanished. He nodded and said in a deep voice, "Okay, Captain Zhao, I agree. Please recommend me."
"Great job!" Zhao Ming smiled and patted Xu Mo's shoulder hard. "I knew you were a good kid. Don't worry, I'll submit your name right away, and it should be approved soon. It'll take at least four or five days for the fortress to be fully built and the equipment to be debugged. Once it's approved, I'll give you time to go back to Jiangcheng to pick up some personal and handy equipment. After all, you'll be staying for at least two months, so it doesn't hurt to be well-prepared."
And so the matter was settled. Xu Mo stood on the position, looking at the desolate and dangerous ruins ahead, and then at the bustling construction scene behind him, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He never expected that his first official mission upon arriving in Jiangcheng would escalate to this point. From clearing the outer perimeter to defending the position, and now to guarding the forward fortress, he seemed to be being pushed step by step into the heart of this fog of mystery.
However, Xu Mo did not feel fear; instead, he felt a faint sense of anticipation. Beneath those ruins lay the secrets of the apocalyptic catastrophe, and perhaps also the opportunity for evolution. This soon-to-be-completed fortress would be his outpost for exploring all of this, and also his secluded retreat on the path to becoming stronger.
That night, perhaps due to a change in official strategy, or perhaps due to the disturbances caused by construction, the attacking intent from the ruins direction was greatly reduced. By dawn, only fewer than a hundred ordinary zombies had charged, and their positions were easily overwhelmed.
Early in the morning, after the shift change, Zhao Mingxing excitedly found Xu Mo, who was preparing to go back to rest, and brought good news: "Xu Mo, your application has been approved. A transport convoy will be returning to Jiangcheng this morning to deliver building materials and supplies, and you can go back with them. You have one day to handle personal matters and prepare your equipment; just come back tomorrow to report for duty. As for your housing issue, someone will handle the paperwork, so don't worry about it."
"Thank you, Captain Zhao," Xu Mo said sincerely.
"Don't mention it. Take care of yourself once you get to the fortress." Zhao Ming waved his hand, his tone carrying a hint of comrade-in-arms advice.
Xu Mo found Feng Dayong and briefly explained that he had accepted a special mission and needed to leave for a while. Feng Dayong was taken aback at first, then revealed an "I knew it" expression, with a hint of envy and admiration: "Brother Xu, I knew you were no ordinary person. This kind of mission is dangerous, but the rewards are truly enviable. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on things here, and I'll let you know when you get back."
After bidding farewell to Feng Dayong, Xu Mo boarded an infantry fighting vehicle escorting a convoy. Besides him, there were six other people inside. One of them, like him, was a wiry-faced, taciturn survivor, presumably also a selected fortress garrison member. The other five were fully armed combatants, likely rotating back to the rear for rest or other missions. The atmosphere inside the vehicle was silent; everyone leaned against the walls with their eyes closed, or vigilantly observed the outside, and no one spoke.
The infantry fighting vehicles followed the convoy away from the temporary base and returned to Jiangcheng along the same route they had come from.
Xu Mo observed the outside world through the firing port. Compared to when he arrived, the scene on the road was different. He saw more small teams of survivors patrolling and clearing out areas on the outskirts of the designated, relatively safe industrial zone. He could hear sporadic gunfire from time to time, indicating that they were clearing out any zombies they had discovered. He also saw many heavy freight trucks entering and leaving some factory areas, loaded with various dismantled pieces of machinery.
"Moving industrial equipment—" Xu Mo recalled Captain Zhao's words and then thought of the heavily injured superhuman squad he had seen the day before yesterday. "It seems that the squad's operation was not a complete failure. They may have obtained crucial intelligence or cleared some obstacle, which allowed the authorities to enter the depths of the industrial zone relatively safely to implement their plan to install these equipment and build the fortress."
Thinking of this, Xu Mo couldn't help but recall the red-haired woman and the pale-faced young healer. "I wonder how her injury is. Even if the bleeding can be stopped, the subsequent treatment will probably be anything but easy."
After a bumpy ride for most of the day, the armored vehicle finally arrived at the magnificent outer city of the Jiangcheng Shelter in the afternoon. The familiar steel walls and clamor made it feel like a different world.
The vehicle stopped at the assembly point in the outer city. The officer in charge jumped out and said to Xu Mo and the other survivor who was traveling with him, "You have one night to reunite with your families and prepare your equipment. Report to the assembly point at the west gate of the outer city at 9:00 AM sharp tomorrow morning. Latecomers will not be waited for. Remember, the mission is confidential."
"Understood!" Xu Mo and the survivor replied simultaneously.
Without further ado, the two quickly got off the bus and merged into the bustling crowds of the outer city, soon disappearing from sight.
Without delay, Xu Mo passed through the heavily guarded inner city checkpoint and returned to his rented tile-roofed house with a courtyard. Pushing open the courtyard gate, a strange yet familiar quiet atmosphere rushed towards him, a stark contrast to the tense and noisy environment at the front lines.
Back home, Xu Mo first took a nice hot shower to wash away his fatigue, and then began to carefully pack the equipment he needed to bring.
He took out the AWM sniper rifle, carefully wiped and maintained it, and placed it, along with the remaining dedicated sniper ammunition, into an extended tactical gun holster. Xu Mo also found the few shotguns that had hardly been used, selecting one to take with him. These weapons might prove surprisingly effective in the relatively confined space of a fortress, or in dealing with unexpected close-quarters combat.
Of course, the most important thing is one's own foundation—cultivation resources.
Xu Mo locked the door and stepped into his storage space, a place where time seemed to stand still. Inside, a large amount of supplies he had collected in Qingsongling Town and during his previous explorations were neatly piled up. He had focused on selecting medicinal herbs, concentrated nutrients, and high-energy foods that were particularly effective in replenishing qi and blood and strengthening muscles and bones. There were quite a few of these tonics, piled up like a small hill.
"Breakthroughs to the Iron Bone Realm require a massive amount of energy; otherwise, forcing an attempt will only deplete one's life force." Xu Mo looked at the supplies with a determined gaze. "The fortress garrison presents an excellent opportunity. These nourishing items must be brought along, just in case."
Finally, Xu Mo's gaze fell on the "door" he had brought all the way from Qingsongling Town as his storage space. After much deliberation, he decided to leave the door at home, since having it would look rather strange.
After arranging everything, Xu Mo lay down on the bed, relaxed, and soon fell into a deep sleep. This was the most restful and deep sleep he had had since leaving Qingsongling Town.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xu Mo woke up naturally, as gathering Qi was an essential part of his daily routine. After finishing his practice, Xu Mo checked all the equipment and backpack he had prepared to carry. Once he was sure everything was in order, he locked the courtyard gate and strode confidently toward the outer city rendezvous point once again.
At 8:50 a.m., Xu Mo arrived at the assembly point on time. The survivor who had been in the same car as him yesterday was already there, still silent, only nodding slightly to Xu Mo. There were also three unfamiliar faces, two men and one woman, all of whom looked capable and were probably also members of Project Fortress. Including the five combatants responsible for escort and handover, the team consisted of ten people in total.
At exactly nine o'clock, the armored vehicle appeared on time. Without much conversation, everyone boarded the vehicle in unison. With the engines roaring, the armored vehicle once again drove out of the massive Jiangcheng shelter, speeding along that familiar road towards the Red Star Industrial Zone.