ATPnovel Chapter 25 Choice
Chapter 25 Choice
Xu Mo sat back on the sofa, his fingers unconsciously tracing patterns on the floor, his mind replaying every possible "door" he had seen during his investigation yesterday.
Doors flashed through his mind, but Xu Mo always felt that something was missing.
"In this small town, it's probably difficult to find a gate that perfectly matches the image of an 'armory' in my mind," Xu Mo concluded with a touch of helplessness. The town's layout and the function of its buildings limited his options.
So, what about settling for the next best thing?
Xu Mo's thinking began to change. Since the most ideal solution could not be found, he would make full use of the rules and make more targeted attempts.
His gaze fell on the home security door again. If he activated it with the "arms room" sign, based on the previous rules of "door type matching" and "sign guidance", where would it most likely connect to?
"It's most likely a private gun enthusiast's collection room, or a small shooting club's armory," Xu Mo speculated. Using a home security door for such a place is perfectly reasonable. The advantage is that the target is clear, and there might be some results within sixty seconds. But the disadvantage is that the scale is definitely small, the types and quantities of firearms are limited, and these firearms are very likely stored in a sturdy safe, making them difficult to access in a short time.
Another, bolder, even counterintuitive idea popped into Xu Mo's mind:
"What if... I found the most ordinary, inconspicuous-looking door, even one of those green metal doors you see on construction sites, and put the 'Armor Room' sign on it?"
This thought made Xu Mo's heart skip a beat.
Logically, behind a metal door should be a tool shed, storage room, or temporary warehouse. But it is precisely because of its ordinariness that it is full of room for imagination. Could the rules, because of this stark contrast between "form" and "signature," connect to some unexpected place? For example, a makeshift weapons depot in a field military base? Or a secret arms depot disguised as an ordinary warehouse?
"Iron door...military..." These two words formed a connection in Xu Mo's mind. The thought of the potential gains hidden behind that dark green, military-looking iron door made Xu Mo's breathing quicken slightly. If successful, the gains would far exceed the small collection room behind a security door.
Risk and reward go hand in hand. The uncertainty behind the metal door is even greater; it could really just be a tool shed full of clutter, a wasted opportunity. But it could also be a huge harvest.
After much deliberation, Xu Mo ultimately decided to play it safe.
"Let's try a sturdier security door first," he decided.
For his first attempt at a high-return activity like the "gun room," Xu Mo needed to first confirm its basic feasibility and gain some basic experience and potential rewards, even if it was just one or two guns, rather than gambling on a "jackpot" with an unknown probability.
Holding the "Armor Room" sign tightly in his hand, Xu Mo already had a target in mind—he remembered that when he was investigating yesterday, there was a three-story villa with its own courtyard on a relatively quiet street. The security door of that building looked particularly thick and sturdy, and was obviously different from the doors of ordinary houses.
"That's it." Xu Mo made up his mind and waited for the next countdown to end.
Having made a clear decision, Xu Mo felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, no longer dwelling on the various possibilities. He carefully put away the "Armor Room" sign, ceasing his thoughts and turning his attention back to the present moment.
A new day begins with a decent breakfast. Xu Mo used the small pot and solid alcohol stove he had found earlier to boil water, made a steaming bowl of instant noodles, and ate it slowly with a vacuum-packed braised egg and a few slices of braised beef. In the apocalypse, this was an unimaginable luxury.
I've been in this apocalyptic world for almost a month now.
Recalling the panic and despair of being on the verge of death from a high fever when he first transmigrated, and the extreme fear of facing unknown zombies and the environment, it all seems like a distant memory. Now, Xu Mo has completely adapted to living alone.
Loneliness remains the dominant theme. But this loneliness, which initially felt suffocatingly oppressive, has gradually settled into a habit, and at certain moments, it has even transformed into a rare tranquility.
After breakfast and a short rest, Xu Mo began his daily training routine without fail.
Standing meditation, slapping, strength training... after a series of procedures, sweat had already soaked through his newly changed hoodie. But unlike the initial feeling of painful torment and having to rely entirely on willpower to persevere, Xu Mo was now enjoying the process more.
Xu Mo could clearly sense the flow of qi and blood within his body, his muscles becoming firmer during the struggle, and his strength slowly increasing after exhaustion. Each recovery after exhaustion made him feel that he was getting a little closer to the vague threshold of the "Bullish Realm".
After the exercise, my blood and energy were boiling.
After calming his blood and qi, Xu Mo took out a glass, pinched a small amount of the green tea he had scavenged last time, and slowly brewed it with boiling water.
Watching the emerald green tea leaves unfurl in the cup, wisps of steam rising with a refreshing aroma, Xu Mo picked it up, carefully blew on it, and took a small sip. The slightly bitter yet sweet taste spread through his mouth, and a warm current slid down his esophagus into his stomach, as if washing away the fatigue from his workout.
This simple sense of ritual in life is a small comfort that one can win for oneself in the gaps between life and death struggles.
Xu Mo took his teacup, walked to the window, looked at the still deserted street outside, and sighed inwardly.
He remembered that when he first arrived here, he didn't even dare to light a fire.
Later, as he confirmed the town's "empty" state and his own strength and resource reserves increased, he gradually became bolder. He started cooking a pot of rice and boiling some water during the day, or like today, making a bowl of noodles and a cup of tea.
Hot food, something insignificant in civilized society, is an important symbol of maintaining the feeling of being "human" in the apocalypse, rather than just being "alive." It brings warmth, satisfaction, and a faint simulation of normal life.
If we ignore the ruins outside the window and the potential unknown dangers, Xu Mo's current life in this small house could even be described as "comfortable." He has a relatively safe shelter, steadily growing strength, sufficient basic supplies, and can even enjoy a cup of hot tea.
"Heh..." Xu Mo couldn't help but chuckle, a hint of self-mockery in his voice, "If it weren't for the apocalypse, it would be even better."
This brief period of "comfort" is built upon a foundation of immense disaster and the loss of countless lives. This tranquility is as fragile as a soap bubble, and could be shattered at any moment by any unexpected event.
Xu Mo finished the remaining tea in his cup in one gulp, savoring the last bit of warmth.
After the break, Xu Mo calmed himself down and focused his attention again. He planned to practice the basic chopping motions of the cleaver for the rest of the time.