Chapter 188 - 121: Adapting

Chapter 188: Chapter 121: Adapting

He also kept up with using his "door" ability, which was available every 48 hours. The moment it was ready, Xu Mo would open the portal to the world where time stood still and scavenge for supplies.

Five or six days passed uneventfully. Xu Mo felt he had mostly adapted to the power of the Iron Bone Realm. He could now control it at will, and his everyday movements no longer felt out of control. The restlessness born from his sudden surge in strength—that urge to immediately go out and test his mettle—had also subsided considerably. It was replaced by a more sober assessment and careful planning.

After his workout that day, Xu Mo changed into a sturdy black combat suit and checked his equipment: a Triangular Spike, an AK47, a TT33 pistol, and several magazines. This excursion was primarily for reconnaissance of the surrounding area. He was traveling light to stay nimble.

His objective this time was also clear. Xu Mo decided to check on the current status of the three fortresses that had previously reported issues: F-10, F-11, and F-12.

After all, the Sharp Sword Superpower User squad’s original mission had been to investigate the anomalies in this very region. Their encounter with the Tier-2 Venom Zombie was likely connected.

It had been five or six days since the Sharp Sword squad was brought back to Jiang City. What was the city’s follow-up plan? Had new Observers been dispatched to the three fortresses, or did they remain empty? Did other dangers still lurk in the area? These questions swirled in Xu Mo’s mind. He wanted to see for himself.

Pushing open the entrance to his fortress and stepping back into the ruins, Xu Mo immediately sensed something was off.

’The zombies scattered about seem slow to react to my presence.’

Previously, whenever he came within a certain range of the zombies, even at a distance, the creatures would instantly be drawn to the scent of a living person, roaring as they charged. But now, he had walked more than ten meters from his fortress, yet the few zombies shambling aimlessly nearby showed no reaction whatsoever. They continued on their original paths as if he were a rock or a dead tree stump.

Surprised, Xu Mo deliberately slowed his pace and approached the nearest zombie. He got to within two meters, practically within arm’s reach, before the creature finally reacted as if startled from a dream. It violently twisted its rotting head, its cloudy eyes locking onto Xu Mo. A low growl rumbled in its throat as it lunged, claws outstretched.

With a quick sidestep, Xu Mo easily dodged the sluggish lunge. A casual flick of the Triangular Spike in his hand ended the creature’s "confusion." The more he used the Triangular Spike, the more he felt it was a better fit for him than the Mountain-Cutting Saber.

After dispatching the zombie, Xu Mo became thoughtful. It wasn’t that the zombies were ignoring him; their ability to perceive him had diminished.

Xu Mo tested this a few more times, and the results were roughly the same. As long as he kept a distance of about two to three meters and avoided any sudden movements, the ordinary zombies paid him no mind.

However, the moment he entered this "alert radius," or if he actively projected clear hostility or moved too quickly, they would be triggered.

’Is it because I’ve reached the Iron Bone Realm? My vital energy is contained, my life force is locked within my body, so the aura I give off has been drastically reduced?’ Xu Mo thought of a possible reason. His cultivation was a process of constantly refining his body, strengthening himself, and containing his essence, energy, and spirit.

Upon breaking through to the Iron Bone Realm, his physical functions and control had taken a leap forward. His ability to contain his own aura had likely been greatly enhanced as well. This made the "scent of the living" he gave off extremely faint, making it difficult for these ordinary zombies, which relied primarily on primal senses, to detect him.

’Whatever the principle behind it, this is definitely a good thing.’ A slight smile touched Xu Mo’s lips. This meant his ability to move covertly through the ruins had increased dramatically. He could now avoid unnecessary entanglements with much greater ease, a major advantage for both reconnaissance and repositioning.

After getting his bearings, Xu Mo wasted no more time. He set off at a run, speeding toward the location of the three fortresses in Sector F.

He still used the terrain for cover, but he moved faster and more lightly than before. His figure disappeared into the distance after a few bounds across the broken walls and ruins.

The three fortresses—F-10, F-11, and F-12—weren’t very far from each other, forming a loose triangle. It didn’t take Xu Mo long to reach the vicinity of each one.

He didn’t approach the fortress entrances rashly. Instead, he found a high vantage point or a concealed spot nearby and observed them carefully through his binoculars.

The situation was clear at a glance.

The distinctive outer walls of all three fortresses bore clear signs of battle—dark green patches of varying sizes with irregularly corroded edges. These were the tell-tale marks left behind by exploding venom globules.

Most of the venom globules had only left pits of varying depths on the outer walls without causing structural damage. This was a testament to the fortress’s high-quality materials and construction, which could clearly withstand a fair degree of acid corrosion.

However, the observation ports were the weak point.

Xu Mo could clearly see that on each fortress, among the several observation ports facing different directions, at least one or two had obvious signs of venom corrosion on their edges or inside. The observation ports on Fortress F-10 were particularly bad; the edges of several had been severely corroded and melted away, widening the apertures significantly.

One could only imagine what would happen if an Observer had been pressed against an observation port at that moment. A sudden globule of venom splattering against the opening would have sent corrosive liquid splashing inside instantly. The consequences would have been unthinkable.

The entrances to all three fortresses were slightly ajar, not fully locked and sealed. This likely meant that after the Sharp Sword squad had inspected them, they hadn’t been re-garrisoned.

Either way, it pointed to the same conclusion: the three fortresses were currently empty and unguarded.

Xu Mo had no intention of going inside to investigate. The interior would either be a post-battle mess or an empty shell already cleaned out by a follow-up team. There wouldn’t be any more valuable information, and he might leave unnecessary traces of his own. He had already accomplished his objectives: confirming the Tier-2 Venom Zombie’s attack method, verifying the theory about the missing Observers from Sector F, and learning that Jiang City had not yet re-staffed the posts.

’It seems that Tier-2 Venom Zombie was most likely the culprit behind the disappearance of the three Observers. When Lu Chuan and his team came to investigate, they must have run into it or disturbed it...’ Xu Mo sorted through the clues in his mind. ’Now that the zombie has been dealt with, the secret of the ’source’ remains. Jiang City will definitely make another move.’

After one last look around the eerily silent area, Xu Mo didn’t linger. He turned and silently retraced his steps back to Fortress C-07.

The reconnaissance mission had been short and smooth, and the intel gained was clear. More importantly, he had unexpectedly discovered another benefit of the Iron Bone Realm: a distinct advantage in stealth. This was a crucial asset for his future, more in-depth explorations.