Chapter 9: A Pattern Emerges

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: A Pattern Emerges

In the middle of the night, Xu Mo woke again.

This time, it wasn’t because of a feverish heat or discomfort, but a deep-seated vigilance, as if a delicate string in his mind had been gently plucked. He rose silently, careful not to disturb the stillness of the night, and slowly moved to the window.

Outside the window, the small town remained asleep in boundless darkness and silence. Starlight barely managed to outline the contorted silhouettes of the buildings. The streets were empty, with no strange noises to be heard and no moving shadows to be seen. The bizarre sight of the massive zombie migration westward was like a thorn in Xu Mo’s side, preventing him from ever feeling completely at ease. Now, confirming that the dead silence remained, the tension in his heart eased slightly.

No news was good news. Xu Mo returned to the sheet-covered sofa, lay down again, and quickly fell back asleep. This time, he slept more soundly than he had in the past few nights.

...

Morning came, and the sunlight arrived as expected.

Xu Mo opened his eyes, his first act to carefully assess his physical condition. His mind was clear, his temperature was normal, and his throat felt fine. Even the deep-seated exhaustion that had clung to him yesterday had noticeably lessened.

’My fever’s gone.’ Xu Mo confirmed this, and a great weight was lifted from his mind. It was a clear sign that his body had successfully overcome the aggressive bacterial infection. His immune system had gained the upper hand and was now in a rapid recovery phase. A significant improvement was now a certainty.

After a simple breakfast, Xu Mo was in a good mood.

He rested for a short while, then once again assumed the stance for his Pile Training in the clearing he had made in the center of the room.

Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, chest hollowed and back straightened, head held as if suspended from above, arms in a circle... A series of key principles flowed through his mind as his body adjusted accordingly.

After practicing several times yesterday, Xu Mo felt as if his body had developed a faint memory of the posture. Although the familiar ache and soreness quickly spread through his thighs and shoulders, and the trembling began right on cue, Xu Mo could clearly feel that holding the position was a little easier than it had been yesterday. He could also maintain it for longer.

Sweat still trickled down his forehead and temples, but his mind was free from distractions. He focused all his attention on his breathing and the minute control of his muscles. He tried to find that state of being "relaxed but not slack, taut but not rigid" while persevering.

There were no shortcuts when it came to training; it was all about diligent and unceasing practice. Only through day-after-day persistence could one achieve an internal, qualitative transformation from external effort. Xu Mo understood this principle well. Especially in this post-apocalyptic world fraught with danger, any small increase in strength could be the very thing that saved his life at a critical moment in the future.

When one session of the Posture Stance was over, Xu Mo was drenched in sweat and his muscles ached, yet his spirits were unusually high. He could clearly sense his progress, and even if it was minuscule, it was enough to be a great encouragement.

He rested, rehydrated, and once his stamina recovered, he stood up and repeated the exercise.

The entire morning passed quietly for Xu Mo in this tedious yet fulfilling cycle. Sunlight streamed through the window, its patch on the floor slowly shifting, illuminating his trembling but ever-persistent figure.

When the midday sun grew somewhat scorching, Xu Mo finally ended his morning practice. He wiped the sweat from his brow, feeling the wisps of strength growing inside him.

He walked to the window and looked out at the still-desolate town, but his gaze was no longer filled with the same anxiety and confusion as before.

Xu Mo spent the afternoon in the same cycle: Posture Stance, rest, then Posture Stance again. When the sunlight outside softened, painting the horizon with a warm, orange-red hue, Xu Mo slowly concluded his practice for the day.

Wiping the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, Xu Mo felt a pleasant sense of release that came after a good workout, even though his body was exhausted. More importantly, after a full day of focused practice, his thoughts about his unique ability had become clearer and more profound.

His consciousness sank into his mind, where the invisible countdown timer was clearly displayed—less than two hours remained until the next "door opening."

’It’s time to plan my next move.’

Unlike the confusion and urgency he felt before the first two door openings, this time, Xu Mo’s mindset was much calmer. He wasn’t just thinking about what he needed; he was also starting to analyze the patterns behind the door.

’The last two times, I opened this sturdy security door right here,’ Xu Mo’s gaze fell on the metal door in the room that served as his "anchor." ’And on the other side, it always connected to a residence that also had a similar security door.’

This discovery led him to a hypothesis. ’Do the types of doors on each side correspond to each other?’

This theory invigorated him. If this pattern held true, then he could influence, or even determine, the environment on the other side of the door to some extent by choosing different types of "doors" in the real world!

’What if... I find and open a glass door?’ Xu Mo followed this line of thought. ’Where would you typically find large glass doors?’

The answer was almost immediate—stores! Convenience stores, supermarkets, clothing stores, or even... a pharmacy! Most street-facing shops used glass doors and storefronts to display their merchandise.

By that logic, if he opened a heavy metal door with a viewing window, would it lead to a warehouse or a factory floor? If he opened an ordinary wooden door, it would probably still lead to a residence. But if he opened a fire door with professional markings, could it lead to an office building or even a medical facility?

This potential pattern seemed to have opened a new door for Xu Mo, one leading to a much more efficient use of his ability. It meant he was no longer passively accepting random locations. Instead, he could proactively seek out specific types of "doors" to target the supplies he needed!

’Stores...’ Xu Mo muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

What did stores mean? They meant a concentrated supply of food, drinking water, and daily necessities. Possibly even tools! If he got lucky and found an outdoor supply store or a hardware store, the haul would be immeasurable!

His objective instantly became clear. Before his ability activated again, he needed to find a suitable glass door in this town—one that would most likely correspond to a shop—and make it his new "anchor"!

However, Xu Mo quickly calmed himself down. His body was still in the recovery phase, his stamina far from its peak. The risk of rashly going out to search for and clear a new building was too high. Besides, he had already barricaded the exit of this house with furniture, and it wouldn’t be easy to clear a path quickly.

’No need to rush.’ Xu Mo cautioned himself.

The immediate priority was to verify if his hypothesis was correct.

Xu Mo raised his head, his gaze shifting toward the stairs leading to the third floor. He remembered there was an ordinary wooden interior door on the third floor. If the "door correspondence" pattern held true, then opening that wooden door should connect to a room with a similar wooden door—most likely another residential space, not a store.