Chapter 136 - 103: Moving In

Chapter 136: Chapter 103: Moving In

Xu Mo listened quietly as Feng Dayong spoke. His words confirmed Xu Mo’s own observations and suspicions from the road. The pressure on the core defense line was indeed increasing dramatically, to the point where breaches had begun to form. The government’s emergency reinforcements and accelerated construction of fortresses were clearly meant to deal with the deteriorating situation.

"It seems the situation is even more grim than I imagined," Xu Mo said gravely.

"Tell me about it," Feng Dayong sighed. "Xu, you have to be extremely careful when you go to that fortress. That place is right at the very front."

"I will." Xu Mo nodded. "Feng, you take care of yourself here, too." ℯℯ𝑙.

The two exchanged a few more words. Seeing it was getting late, Xu Mo excused himself to Feng Dayong and turned to head for the designated location to attend the training for fortress personnel.

The training took place in a relatively intact factory building. By the time Xu Mo arrived, over forty people were already seated inside. His gaze swept the room, and he saw that most were soldiers, their expressions solemn, their postures ramrod-straight. Only eight or nine were survivors like himself, scattered throughout the crowd. Every one of them radiated competence and had sharp eyes. They were clearly all hand-picked experts.

After a wait of about ten minutes, a sharp, middle-aged officer with a major’s insignia on his shoulders strode in. He stood before the makeshift lectern, his gaze sweeping over the attendees like a bolt of lightning. He introduced himself in a resonant voice, "My name is Zhu Wei, and I am the director of the ’Forward Observation Post’ initiative. Welcome, everyone. And thank you for choosing to undertake this arduous and vital mission."

After the brief opening remarks, Major Zhu got straight to the point. He first took out a roster to call roll and confirm all personnel were present. Afterward, he began to read out everyone’s assignments.

"Xu Mo," Major Zhu called out.

"Here!" Xu Mo replied, rising to his feet.

"Assigned to Area C-7, Fortress 07. Approximately thirty meters behind the original C-07 position."

"Sir!" Xu Mo acknowledged. ’So it’s just as I expected,’ he thought. ’The same defensive sector I was in before. Being familiar with the terrain will be a small advantage.’

With the assignments completed, the training officially began. Major Zhu first clarified their core duties: observation and recording.

"Your primary mission is not to kill the enemy. It is to observe and record: the frequency, quantity, and types of zombies that appear, their patterns of activity, and any anomalous phenomena. Things like unusual sounds, glows, and so forth must all be documented in detailed written records."

"Every day, you are required to radio in a status report—’no anomalies’ or otherwise—at least once. At minimum, a detailed observation log must be submitted every two days. Your communication equipment must be kept open, with batteries charged in rotation to ensure you are contactable at all times."

His tone became exceptionally grave. "If any fortress goes silent for three consecutive reporting periods—that’s six days—without sending any signal or responding to calls from headquarters, Command will declare that fortress fallen. The corresponding mission rewards... well..." He trailed off, but his meaning was perfectly clear.

Next, he explained the mission duration and supply arrangements.

"The initial garrison period is tentatively set for two months. After two months, a rotation can be arranged, depending on the situation. During each rotation, a standard resupply will be delivered to you via helicopter or armored transport convoy. In special circumstances, you may also request an emergency resupply, but you will need a compelling reason."

"When the two months are up, if a rotation is required, personnel will typically be extracted via helicopter—either by rope or a short landing—while the new occupants are brought in."

After saying this, Major Zhu added with special emphasis: "Rest assured, the fortresses we have built use the highest standard of defensive design. The main structure is high-strength reinforced concrete with an average thickness of one-point-five meters—thicker at the top and in key areas. It can withstand heavy artillery bombardment and the impact of conventional bombs. Your safety is absolutely guaranteed."

Major Zhu Wei paused, then added a detail: "Additionally, for security reasons, the fortress will not have a conventional main entrance at its base. There will only be an access point, sealed with a trapezoidal block, large enough for one person to pass through. Except in special circumstances, use of this exit is strictly forbidden, and leaving the fortress without authorization is even more strictly forbidden."

Xu Mo’s mind stirred at these words. ’That last sentence felt more like a reminder than a hard rule,’ he thought. ’But then again, who in their right mind would go outside when they’re surrounded by zombies?’

Finally, staff members distributed a form to everyone for requesting additional supplies and making suggestions about the fortress’s internal facilities. Xu Mo glanced at the form and primarily requested specialized ammunition for an AWM sniper rifle, 7.62mm rifle rounds, 12-gauge shotgun shells, and some high-explosive grenades. He made no special requests regarding the fortress’s facilities.

The first day of training ended in a serious atmosphere. The second day was dedicated to specialized training on using the radio equipment, learning how to operate and calibrate the communication sets, and the procedures for encrypted calls.

The next few days consisted of more basic training, which Xu Mo found surprisingly interesting.

After the training ended, all that was left was to wait for the fortresses to be completed and for the equipment to be installed and calibrated.

Using this downtime, Xu Mo made a special trip to his assigned C-07 area. From a distance, a peculiar structure came into view. It stood alone in a cleared plot of land behind the position, its dark concrete tones blending almost perfectly with the lead-gray sky, exuding a silent, resolute aura.

As Xu Mo drew closer, the building’s shape became clearer, and its uniqueness more apparent. Its base had a relatively small diameter, roughly seven or eight meters by his estimation, but its silhouette didn’t rise vertically. Instead, it expanded outward, slanting up at a powerfully angled curve to form a distinct inverted trapezoid, almost like a massive altar from some ancient civilization. This counterintuitive design was obviously intended to maximize stability, allowing it to effectively deflect and disperse frontal impacts.