Chapter 163 - 113: Going Out

Chapter 163: Chapter 113: Going Out

Although he knew deep down that a bird migration of this scale couldn’t possibly escape Jiang City’s monitoring systems, Xu Mo still followed protocol to the letter. He sent a formal report to Command over the encrypted channel, detailing his observations: the flock’s size, its flight direction, the migration’s duration, and the traits of the mutated birds he’d spotted.

At the end of the report, Xu Mo hesitated for a moment before adding a follow-up question: "Command, this is C-07. Have there been any reports of similar anomalies from Jiang City or other areas? Or have any other unexpected incidents occurred?"

The radio on the other end went silent for a few seconds, seemingly for consultation or confirmation, before a formulaic reply came through: "C-07, Command copies. Everything is currently normal in Jiang City and the surrounding areas. We have not received any other anomaly reports. Please continue your observation mission. Stay vigilant. Over."

The reply didn’t surprise Xu Mo. At times like these, Jiang City would always choose to maintain public order and avoid unnecessary panic.

This "everything is normal" was more like a standard line. The real situation behind it was far beyond what a frontline Observer like him was privy to.

Xu Mo even suspected that some information was known only to a select few within Jiang City.

"C-07 copies. Thanks for the reply. Over." Xu Mo calmly ended the transmission and shut off the radio.

Setting aside the troubling news from the outside world, Xu Mo returned to the open space in the center of the observation room to begin his daily, ironclad training routine. ℴ

On the regional public channel, the initial storm of shocked and intense discussion following the bird incident had gradually died down, leaving only sporadic chatter about daily trifles.

But the calm of the outside world could not quell the turmoil in Xu Mo’s heart.

The potential threat of a tier-two mutated zombie was like a Sharp Sword hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment.

Moreover, the eerie, sky-blotting flock of birds today was a clear sign that the outside world was undergoing some unimaginable, drastic change.

These two anxieties intertwined, creating an immense pressure that weighed heavily on Xu Mo’s mind, making even his training feel sluggish.

’No, I have to go out and see for myself.’

Xu Mo felt that if he didn’t go out and take a look, he wouldn’t be able to focus on his training at all.

After putting on his combat suit, Xu Mo equipped all his necessary gear. The AK-47, his handgun, and the Mountain-Cutting Saber were essential. Just in case he ran into a tier-two mutated zombie, Xu Mo also slung the Barrett over his back before heading down to ground level.

Once at ground level, Xu Mo pressed his ear against the wall, listening for any sounds from outside. Though the walls were thick, he could still faintly hear the zombies.

He used the manual hydraulic system to open the exit a crack, and a zombie’s arm immediately shot through the gap, clawing blindly.

’Definitely hasn’t been maintained in a while.’

An expression of disgust crossed Xu Mo’s face as he looked at the zombie’s arm. Peeking through the crack, he saw that several other zombies had gathered around the exit, likely drawn by the scent of a living person, and were letting out meaningless roars.

The skin of these zombies was mostly a rotten, grayish-brown. Their eye sockets were sunken, and some had patches of facial muscle missing, revealing ghastly white cheekbones and gums. Their clothes were in tatters, covered in dark stains.

’You know, these zombies are ugly in a really special way. To sum it up: they’re just especially ugly.’

With a wry internal comment, Xu Mo took a high-explosive grenade from his pocket, pulled the pin, and tossed it through the gap. He then ducked behind the stone bricks to shield himself from the blast.

BOOM!

As the explosion roared, Xu Mo felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. He glanced over at the zombies that had been clustered at the door. They had all been scattered about in a rather spectacular fashion. The only shame was that each of them had been scattered into many, many pieces.

In the distance, other zombies that had heard the commotion began shambling toward the fortress. Xu Mo seized the opportunity to widen the gap in the entryway and slip outside.

"The sweet air of free—FUCK!"

Xu Mo had just stepped out of the fortress and was about to exclaim about the air of freedom when a zombie lunged at him from the side, cutting his poetic moment short.

The base of the fortress was round, and due to the angle, this particular zombie hadn’t been killed by the grenade. So, it was the first to rush over and "show its support."

Of course, Xu Mo wasn’t about to accept this kind of "support." Dodging the zombie’s lunge, he drew his Mountain-Cutting Saber, flipped his grip, and slashed upward.

The saber’s sharp blade sliced clean through the zombie’s neck. With an almost imperceptible hitch in the motion, the zombie’s head parted ways with its "home."

No arterial spray followed. As the headless corpse fell, only a thick, black sludge oozed from the stump. It was clear this zombie was also severely dehydrated.

Xu Mo glanced at the still-open entrance behind him and frowned, then looked at the zombies steadily approaching him.

’There’s no one inside to close the door. What if some uninvited guests let themselves in? Maybe today’s trip is just... stepping outside?’

Pursing his lips, Xu Mo ignored the open entrance and charged toward the oncoming horde. He still had grenades in his pack. If things got dicey, he could just "treat" the zombies to a few.

Seeing Xu Mo charge in their direction, the zombies in front grew agitated. Even from more than ten meters away, they reached out with their claws, roaring as if ready to tear him to pieces.