Chapter 147 - 107: Barrett and the Collaboration

Chapter 147: Chapter 107: Barrett and the Collaboration

With his mind made up, Xu Mo took out a pen and paper. After a moment’s thought, he clearly wrote a line on the paper: "Large-Caliber Sniper Rifle Warehouse."

Paper in hand, Xu Mo walked to the sturdiest door in his home—the high-end security door to his bedroom—and affixed it.

From past experience, he knew the type of door and its "sign" influenced the Otherworld scene it opened into. This particular door was top-of-the-line, usually leading to important locations. Combined with the highly specific sign he’d intentionally written, he was fairly certain he could pinpoint a warehouse storing this exact type of weapon.

All that was left was to wait. Since Xu Mo had been opening the door to explore the moment the countdown ended for the past few days, he still had some time to kill.

Time trickled by as he trained and observed. By afternoon, the silent countdown ticking away in his mind finally hit zero once more.

[00:00:00]

Xu Mo took a deep breath and, with a mere thought, pushed open the bedroom door.

With a flash of faint light, the scene behind the door transformed. It was no longer his bedroom but a space thick with the smell of metal and machine oil. A spacious warehouse lay before him, its cold white light illuminating gray metal shelves and wooden crates. The air was filled with the distinct, mixed scent of new firearms and gun oil.

His eyes were immediately drawn to the wall just inside and to the left. There, a row of powerful-looking firearms, each with a unique design, was mounted on a gun rack. And in the most prominent spot, hung the exact prize he was after: the Barrett M82A1.

Its design was unmistakable: the iconic, heavy barrel tipped with a high-efficiency muzzle brake to tame its terrifying recoil. The sturdy aluminum alloy receiver sported a cold, hard black finish. Below the barrel, a foldable bipod was attached for stable support in the prone position, while the stock featured a rubber pad to further cushion the shooter from the kick.

More importantly, the rifle on the wall was practically fully kitted. An extra-long Picatinny rail ran along the top, securely holding a massive, high-magnification telescopic sight with a thick tube. It even had a tactical flashlight mounted on the side. A standard magazine was already seated in the well, though it was impossible to tell from the outside if it contained any rounds.

The perfect setup made Xu Mo’s heart skip a beat, but then he recalled the AWM model he’d acquired on his first trip—a painful memory.

Xu Mo strode into the warehouse and walked swiftly to the Barrett. It was cool to the touch, its heft far surpassing that of the AWM. This authentic weight sent a jolt of joy through him. He expertly worked the bolt, which slid back with a smooth, metallic sound. The trigger resistance felt authentic, the scope lens was pristine, and the adjustment knobs had a crisp, tactile click. Every detail pointed to one conclusion: this was the real deal.

"It’s real!"

A glint of excitement flashed in Xu Mo’s eyes. Without further hesitation, he carefully lifted the massive weapon from its rack. The long, thick frame was more than half his height, and he could feel its immense power through his hands.

Cradling the Barrett, Xu Mo quickly scanned the area. He immediately spotted a rectangular, hard-plastic gun case with a handle sitting under a nearby shelf. The case was emblazoned with the Barrett logo and model number. Xu Mo lifted it with one hand. It was heavy, but perfect for storing and protecting the rifle.

Less than twenty seconds had passed.

However, just as Xu Mo was about to breathe a sigh of relief, another thought surfaced in his mind. ’What about the ammo?’

’When I checked the rifle,’ he thought, ’the magazine was in, but they’re usually kept empty. And for a high-caliber weapon like this, how could it possibly come with just one magazine?’

Xu Mo immediately set the gun case down and began a frantic search. His eyes scanned the shelves, which were lined with all sorts of firearm accessories, maintenance tools, and tactical gear. He even spotted several empty magazines made specifically for the Barrett hanging nearby.

But as for ammunition, he couldn’t find a single round.

There were no crates of ammunition, no loose belts of bullets, not even a single spent shell casing.

A sense of foreboding washed over Xu Mo. He sped up, ripping open several small crates that seemed likely to contain ammunition, only to find them empty or filled with miscellaneous junk. A check of the corners yielded nothing.

Resigned, Xu Mo grabbed the few empty magazines, stuffed them into the case, and headed back to his stronghold.

Time was up. His bedroom reappeared before his eyes.

Xu Mo stood there, the cold, heavy Barrett in his arms and the equally heavy gun case in his hand.

He had thought of using a sign for precise targeting, he had confirmed the rifle’s authenticity, and he had even grabbed spare magazines. The one thing he hadn’t anticipated was that the most critical component—the ammunition—would be missing.

With a long exhale, Xu Mo placed the Barrett by his bed. He wasn’t overly disappointed; this wasn’t the first time he’d run into an unexpected snag, and he was getting used to it. ’It’s perfectly normal for things not to go exactly as planned. In fact, it would be a problem if they did.’

’I’ll just have to wait for the next 48-hour cycle.’

Still, this was for the best. Now his objective for the next trip was crystal clear: find 12.7×99mm NATO ammunition.

Carefully peeling the "Large-Caliber Sniper Rifle Warehouse" sign off his bedroom door, Xu Mo smoothed out a fresh sheet of paper and wrote clearly: "Ammunition Storage."

This time, he focused his intent, aiming for a description precise down to the ammunition specifications to prevent any possible ambiguity. After firmly sticking this note, which carried his new hope, onto the door, Xu Mo felt the tightness in his chest ease slightly.