Chapter 186 - 121: Adaptation

Chapter 186: Chapter 121: Adaptation

The cool, clean water washed away the foul-smelling, sticky black filth, revealing renewed skin beneath. Xu Mo dried himself off and changed into a set of clean clothes, feeling as though he had cast off heavy shackles and been reborn.

This was more than just physical cleanliness. Xu Mo could clearly feel that his body was like a volcano on the verge of erupting, containing an unprecedented, immense power. Every inch of his muscle pulsed with explosive strength, his bones were as hard as iron, his internal organs were robust, and his breathing was long and deep.

Xu Mo even had the feeling that if he encountered another Level 2 mutated zombie like the one from the edge of the Red Star Industrial Zone’s core, he was confident he could take it on head-on and hold his own.

Beyond the significant increase in strength, Xu Mo discovered his six senses had also grown sharper and clearer. He could see the fine patterns on the walls with greater clarity and distinguish the subtlest particles of dust and scents in the air.

His hearing was the most obvious change. Xu Mo felt he could even faintly hear the low, intermittent roars of zombies in the distant ruins, right through the thick metal walls of the fortress.

That would have been absolutely impossible before.

The leap in his strength brought a greater sense of security, but it also sparked the idea of testing his own limits.

Recalling the Cultivation Technique’s description of the Iron Bone Realm—"impervious to common blades, able to withstand handgun bullets"—Xu Mo’s gaze fell upon the TT-33 pistol. He took a deep breath and silently circulated the qi and blood that surged through his body like a great river.

As his qi and blood circulated, Xu Mo immediately felt his skin, muscles, and especially the marrow of his bones being instantly infused with energy, becoming denser and harder. He could even feel the energy circulating rapidly just beneath his skin, forming an invisible, resilient barrier.

Without much hesitation, Xu Mo raised his left hand, held the gun in his right, and aimed the muzzle at his palm—

Then he put the gun down.

"Are you kidding me? You think I’d actually test this on my own hand? What if it doesn’t work? It’s not like I can ask for a refund!"

"Forget it. No need to maim myself," Xu Mo muttered.

’Testing my strength is about defining my safety limits, not about seeking death.’

Xu Mo performed a simple test of his strength and speed. Although the fortress was too cramped for him to go all out, just by moving heavy supply crates and performing short bursts of movement, he could clearly feel the difference. His strength and speed were several times greater than when he was in the Cowhide Realm—it was a qualitative leap.

The massive boost in strength set Xu Mo’s mind racing. ’Maybe I should head deeper into the core zone to do some reconnaissance.’

But he quickly suppressed the thought.

’Going out is fine, but there’s no need to deliberately push deep into the core zone. Who knows what kind of zombie might crawl out of there.’ Xu Mo quickly calmed himself.

’A power-up doesn’t make me invincible. The core of the Red Star Industrial Zone can "spawn" zombies and even produce Level 2 ones. The level of danger there is definitely beyond imagination.’

’These reckless ideas are probably just a side effect of my sudden power boost—a bit of overconfidence and agitation. This is precisely when I need to be most cautious. I’d better not go out for the next few days. Otherwise, this blind arrogance could get me killed.’

’Besides, I’ve just broken through and I’m not yet adept at using this new power. If I charge in recklessly and draw out an even more terrifying creature, or get trapped in a hopeless situation, the loss would far outweigh any gain. The prudent course of action is to gradually expand my operational range and scouting efforts, prioritizing safety above all.’

Furthermore, his experience rescuing the Sharp Sword team had given Xu Mo a more direct understanding of the strength of so-called "Superpower Users." The six members of the Sharp Sword team (not counting the one who was killed) were all officially recognized Superpower Users. But judging from their combat performance, they struggled significantly against a horde of Level 1 mutated zombies and had no choice but to flee from a Level 2 one.

In contrast, he had been able to handle Level 1 zombies with relative ease back in the Cowhide Realm. Now, after breaking through to the Iron Bone Realm, his strength far surpassed theirs.

’Are Lu Chuan and his team just low- or mid-tier Superpower Users? Or is my cultivation path stronger than that of a typical Superpower User at a comparable level?’ Xu Mo pondered.

This discovery gave Xu Mo more confidence in his own path of cultivation, but it also served as a reminder: there were many types of Superpower Users with different abilities. Not all of them specialized in close-quarters combat, so he couldn’t make sweeping generalizations.

Suddenly, Xu Mo remembered something and slapped his forehead.

’I almost forgot what I was supposed to be doing! I need to report to headquarters!’

The thought sent a jolt through Xu Mo, sobering him from the excitement of his power-up.

’How long did this breakthrough take?’ He felt a bit uneasy, unsure how much time had passed while he was completely absorbed in the breakthrough and his subsequent cleanup. Had he missed the scheduled communication window?

Wasting no more time, he immediately went to the military-grade encrypted radio fixed on the console. He skillfully powered it on, tuned it to the designated encrypted frequency, and picked up the handset.

"C-07 calling Command, C-07 calling Command. Routine status report. Current zombie status shows no anomalies. Fortress condition is normal. My personal condition is good."

After a brief crackle of static, a calm male voice came through the radio’s speaker: "Command copies, C-07. Report logged. Maintain observation and stay safe. Over."