Chapter 172 - 115: Warning

Chapter 172: Chapter 115: Warning

Soon, A-02’s calm and steady voice came over the public channel. He began the roll call, going down the list of fortress designations to tally who was staying and who was leaving:

"A-01, please report your choice. Will you remain stationed or return to Jiang City?"

"A-01, copy. Remaining stationed."

"A-02, copy that. A-03, please report your choice..."

"A-03, remaining stationed."

...

Xu Mo immediately picked up a pen and paper, his focus absolute as he listened to each response. He wasn’t just recording their choices; he was using this opportunity to definitively link every voice to its designation.

Most of them chose to remain stationed. After all, the hefty mission rewards and the relatively "safe" environment were highly attractive. A few, however, chose to return, perhaps because they missed their families or had reached their psychological limit.

Xu Mo muttered as he jotted down the responses, "...D-07, returning."

When A-02’s call reached "C-07, please report your choice," Xu Mo answered without the slightest hesitation.

"C-07, remaining stationed."

Xu Mo’s voice was calm and firm. ’Return to Jiang City? No, at least not now.’ For him, this fortress was an excellent place to train.

Here, he was far from the mundane affairs that likely plagued Jiang City.

More importantly, he could clearly feel the bottleneck in his Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Cross Training starting to give way. The formless barrier separating the cowhide and iron bone stages had grown increasingly thin, worn down by the daily, relentless scouring and nourishment of his vital energy and blood.

Xu Mo could even faintly hear a subtle sound from deep within his vital energy and blood, like a silkworm nibbling on a leaf. It was the precursor to his foundation being reforged, a sign of the metamorphosis of his muscles and bones.

’Here, I’ve found my chance to break through to the Iron Bone Realm.’ Xu Mo performed Introspection, sensing the immense energy that had permeated his entire body and was still continuously solidifying his foundation. ’The outside world is fraught with peril, and the zombie threat is a sword of Damocles hanging over my head.

’Returning to the relative safety of Jiang City before I’m strong enough would be a form of complacency. I must seize this undisturbed environment, break through the barrier in one fell swoop, and step into the Iron Bone Realm. Only then will I have what it takes to stand my ground in the greater storm that is likely to come.’

Xu Mo wasn’t lacking resources; he had enough supplements to support his high-intensity training. His safety was also guaranteed, as the fortress’s durability had been tested. This was, for now, the absolute best place for him to achieve his breakthrough.

Returning to Jiang City would mean enjoying the hustle and bustle and a more comfortable environment, but it would also divide his focus and slow his progress. In this apocalypse, personal strength is the only thing one can truly rely on.

Therefore, there was never any doubt about Xu Mo’s choice.

...

E-09, staying.

F-08, staying..."

The roll call proceeded in an orderly fashion, eventually reaching F-Block.

"F-09, please report your choice."

"F-09, remaining stationed," a clear male voice replied.

"A-02, copy that. F-10, please report your choice."

After a brief silence, a voice spoke up: "Rotating out."

The voice was quick, deep, and tinged with an almost imperceptible mumble, a stark contrast to all the clear, distinct responses that had come before.

The hand Xu Mo was writing with froze, and his gaze sharpened in an instant, becoming eagle-like.

The speaker had deliberately rushed their words and lowered their voice in an attempt to mimic a normal response. But the subtle vocal characteristics, along with a sense of haste—an eagerness to end the transmission—didn’t escape Xu Mo’s hyper-focused senses.

’That was A-02’s voice! He’s imitating the Observer from F-10 to give the response!’

"F-11, please report your choice." A-02’s voice immediately returned to normal as he continued the roll call.

"Rotating out." The same quick, mumbled response, the voice nearly identical to the one that answered for F-10.

"A-02, copy that. F-12, please report your choice."

"Rotating out." The response was identical.

A-02’s call then moved on to G-Block. All the responses that followed were normal again—each voice distinct and clearly discernible.

The roll call soon concluded, and the public channel buzzed with activity once more. People discussed the upcoming resupply and rotations, some looking forward to their return, others planning their tasks for the next cycle.

Xu Mo, however, slowly lowered his pen. His eyes were glued to the sheet of paper in front of him.

On the paper, he had heavily circled the designations for three fortresses in red ink: F-10, F-11, and F-12.

’The anomalous zone. I’ve found it.’

’It’s almost certain now. Something has happened to the Observers in those three fortresses. Jiang City clearly already knows. To avoid a panic, they’ve had the regional representative, A-02, cover it up by faking their "normal" responses.’

’F-Block is on the southwestern side of the circular fortress array...’ Xu Mo recalled the layout map, his expression turning grave.

’What exactly happened to the Observers in those three fortresses?’

’Was it Tier 2 zombies?’

’Are they still there?’