stonecrandall Chapter 107 document
Chapter 107 document
Chapter 107 document
Time slipped by quietly amidst the regular observation and practice, and in the blink of an eye, it had been fifteen days since Xu Mo had entered the C-07 fortress.
As usual, after completing his observations in the early morning, Xu Mo turned on his radio on time to prepare for his daily routine report.
"C-07 calling command center. Today's observation report: The number of zombies is fluctuating periodically and is currently in the accumulation phase, estimated at approximately 270 to 300. Three agile mutants and one strength mutant have been observed. No other abnormalities reported. Report complete."
He finished his report smoothly and prepared to wait for the usual "received" from the other end of the call before ending it.
However, today was different. After a brief silence on the other end of the radio, instead of the expected cold confirmation, came a slightly younger voice tinged with helplessness and doubt: "C-07, this is command post. The report has been recorded. Um... Comrade Xu Mo, if I may ask, have you not turned on your assigned laptop since you arrived?"
Xu Mo paused slightly, holding the microphone, and froze.
computer?
He instinctively replied, "Yes, the staff told me it's for future network communication and daily entertainment, but I haven't used it yet."
A thought flashed through his mind: Could it be that the computer wasn't just for entertainment?
Sure enough, the voice on the other end said with a "I knew it" tone, "Comrade Xu Mo, some entertainment and relaxation can make time pass faster. You can take a look. That's all."
With such an obvious hint, Xu Mo immediately realized that he might have missed some crucial information. The staff's understated explanation was probably just a way to downplay the sensitivity of the information.
"C-07 understands."
After ending the call, Xu Mo strode to the control panel next to the radio, where the black laptop had been sitting quietly. He pressed the power button, the screen lit up, and after a brief boot-up, he entered the system desktop.
The desktop was very clean, with only a few system icons and one particularly conspicuous document file named "[Fortress Garrison Mission Instructions and Precautions]".
Xu Mo took a deep breath and opened the document using the touchpad.
A flood of information rushed into his view in an instant.
The document began with a detailed introduction to the fortress garrison mission, which was identical to what he already knew. However, the content that followed immediately made Xu Mo's expression turn serious.
The auxiliary mission explicitly states that the stationed personnel sometimes need to cooperate with investigators who come to the Hongxing Industrial Zone to carry out special missions, providing them with temporary supplies, rest areas, and necessary intelligence support.
In addition, there was a document mentioning the addition of a new communication channel. The document indicated a brand-new, higher-encryption reporting frequency band, requiring all future reports to be switched to this channel. To Xu Mo's surprise, the document also mentioned that a hidden compartment under the bed in the bedroom contained a regional walkie-talkie for short-range communication with personnel stationed at other fortresses within the Red Star Industrial Zone.
Upon seeing this, Xu Mo immediately got up and returned to the bedroom. He lifted the mattress and, sure enough, found a cleverly concealed compartment in the center of the bed. Inside, a sturdy-looking military-grade walkie-talkie lay quietly.
"I see, this is the complete communication configuration." Xu Mo picked up the walkie-talkie, feeling its heavy weight. Jiang Cheng clearly hoped that a small, mutually supportive information network could be formed between the various isolated fortresses.
Returning to his computer with the walkie-talkie, Xu Mo continued reading. What followed gave him an even greater sense of excitement.
This is a zombie database. The documents contain extensive details about the various types of zombies that have been officially confirmed, including detailed characteristics, behavioral patterns, and weakness analyses of agile, strong, and venomous types, as well as confirmed information that they can evolve by devouring each other. This completely confirms his previous observations and speculations.
Moreover, the document revealed to Xu Mo for the first time Jiangcheng's system for classifying zombies:
Ordinary zombie: Slow-moving, basic zombie.
Mutant Zombies: They have undergone some mutations, but their strength has only increased to a limited extent, making them unsuitable for inclusion in the ranking system.
Level 1 zombies include agile, strength, and venom types, possessing one or more abilities that significantly surpass those of ordinary zombies, posing a huge threat.
Level 2 Zombies: Evolved from Level 1 Zombies, their abilities are greatly enhanced, and a new type, the "Zombie Leader," has emerged. The data mentions that these zombies are suspected of possessing mind control or guidance abilities, capable of influencing or even commanding ordinary and Level 1 zombies within a certain range.
Level 3 Zombies: The Jiangcheng Shelter has not yet encountered them, but their existence is confirmed based on information shared with other shelters. These zombies experience a dramatic increase in size, a qualitative change in their abilities, and begin to possess rudimentary intelligence, making them extremely terrifying.
The document not only included text descriptions but also many clear pictures and even short video clips, instantly elevating Xu Mo's understanding of zombies to a completely new and systematic level.
Finally, the text briefly mentions the root cause of the problems in the Hongxing Industrial Zone. According to the information, the Hongxing Industrial Zone was thoroughly cleared by Jiangcheng, and at one point, personnel even moved in to attempt to resume some production. However, overnight, a large number of zombies inexplicably emerged from this ruin in the core area, as if from an invisible "source."
After discovering this problem, Jiangcheng organized several extermination efforts, but they were unable to eradicate it completely. The zombies seemed endless, which finally led to the formulation of a long-term plan to establish a forward observation fortress for long-term monitoring and research.
The document concludes by reiterating that all future reports must use the new frequency band. It also clearly lists several "force majeure" circumstances under which stationed personnel can evacuate unconditionally without incurring any liability. These include: irreparable severe damage to the fortress structure; confirmation of a direct attack by level two or higher zombies that cannot be defended; complete communication disruption and supply delays exceeding one month.
Xu Mo leaned back in his chair, digesting the massive flow of information.
"Level 2 Zombie, Zombie Leader, Mind Control —"
"The source that appeared overnight—"
"Unconditional evacuation is permitted."
All of this indicates that Jiang Cheng's understanding of the situation is far deeper than he imagined, and that their environment is far more complex and dangerous than it appears on the surface. This computer is the key for him to truly integrate into this "observer" system and access core information.
After reading all this, Xu Mo picked up the area radio he had taken from the hidden compartment under the bed. It felt heavy in his hand, and the casing was military camouflage, looking very sturdy. Following the simple instructions in the computer document, he turned on the power switch and tuned it to the designated shared channel.
After a slight electrical noise, a somewhat noisy conversation broke the long silence inside the fortress.
"Hey, how do you beat the boss in the third level of 'Wasteland'? I've been stuck for three days, and my bullets can't even penetrate its armor," a young-sounding male voice complained, his tone full of frustration.
"Tch, what's so fun about your crappy game? I saw a mutant one here yesterday, it was incredibly fast, it scared the hell out of me!" another, more gruff voice replied, tinged with lingering fear and a hint of boasting.
"Really? Lao Liu, you've found an agile one too? I found one a couple of days ago, but it seemed a bit smaller and thinner than the ones I've encountered before, though more agile." Another different voice joined the discussion.
"Slim? I heard those things can evolve, could it be a new model? The information from command didn't mention this category?"
"Who knows? This place is really creepy. The number of zombies on my side is starting to rise again; it'll probably spawn another wave tonight. It's so annoying."
"It's all the same, like the tides, very accurate. By the way, how's it going over Area C? That fortress C-07, it seems like there's been no movement at all? Its designation is C-07, right? I've never heard it speak on this channel."
Xu Mo was initially just listening casually, like listening to background noise, but when he heard the number "C-07", his attention immediately focused.
"Yeah, C-07, I remember it was assigned to a survivor named Xu Mo, right? It's been half a month, and there hasn't been a sound. Could something have happened to him?" Old Liu said in a rough voice, his tone carrying a hint of concern and speculation.
"It's hard to say. This job looks safe, but who knows what unexpected situations might arise? Maybe his walkie-talkie is broken."
Hearing this, Xu Mo realized that his "silent neighbor" status had attracted the attention and concern of others. He cleared his throat, pressed the call button, and said in a calm voice, "This is C-07, Xu Mo, please speak."
A brief, almost frozen silence fell over the walkie-talkie, as if everyone had been put on pause by the sudden sound.
Immediately, the channel erupted in chaos.
"Holy crap! C-07! It's Brother Xu Mo?! Are you alright?!" It was the burly Old Liu, his voice filled with surprise.
"Comrade Xu Mo? How are things on your end? Have you run into some trouble and been unable to contact us?" It was a relatively calm voice, sounding like a soldier.
"Dude, you finally spoke up! We thought you were—" That was the young voice complaining about the game.
"Xu Mo, are you alright? Do you need any backup? Report your condition!" Another urgent voice interrupted.
The channel was instantly filled with a cacophony of questions. Despite the noise, Xu Mo felt a long-lost warmth belonging to the "crowd," even though that warmth was separated by a cold walkie-talkie and a thick concrete wall.
Xu Mo waited a few seconds until the sound on the other end subsided slightly before pressing the call button again to explain, "I'm fine, everything is normal, and I haven't encountered any insurmountable danger. It's just that I didn't know this walkie-talkie existed before, nor did I check the mission documents on my computer. It was only during today's routine report that the communications officer at command center reminded me, and that's when I turned on my computer and found it."
After these words were spoken, the channel fell silent again, then erupted into an even louder roar, this time filled with more astonishment and admiration.
"What?! You haven't checked the computer?! It's been half a month?!" Old Liu's voice was filled with disbelief.
"My God—brother, you're really patient. You've managed to stay here for half a month with just those basic instructions?" the young voice exclaimed in amazement.
"Impressive! Comrade Xu Mo, I'm impressed by your mental fortitude." The calm military voice also carried a hint of admiration.
"You're ruthless! Absolutely ruthless! We spend our days chatting and playing single-player games to pass the time, and you, on the other hand, have gone straight into ascetic mode, huh?"
Faced with the barrage of well-intentioned teasing and admiration pouring in from the channel, Xu Mo was momentarily at a loss for words. He wasn't one to enjoy crowds and idle chatter, and the loneliness he had experienced before wasn't unbearable; on the contrary, it had brought him a sense of calm and contentment.
He could only press the call button again and say simply, "I'm sorry to have worried everyone by just following the initial instructions and focusing on observation and training."
His tone was calm, without pride or complaint, as if he were talking about something perfectly ordinary.
This attitude, on the contrary, made the other people in the channel feel that he was even more "unfathomable".
After casually answering a few more questions about "what kind of kung fu you're practicing" and "what new discoveries you've made about the zombies outside," Xu Mo said he needed to continue observing and recording, thus ending his first appearance on the walkie-talkie.
Although he stopped talking, he didn't turn off the walkie-talkie. The discussion about him, this "tough guy who went into seclusion for half a month," continued for a while before gradually returning to the previous casual chat.
Xu Mo turned down the volume on the walkie-talkie, making it part of the background noise. He sat back down in front of the observation hole and continued to observe the situation of the zombies around him.
Listening to people in the channel chatting about getting stuck in the game, complaining about the monotonous food, sharing interesting zombie stories from their respective areas, or exchanging tips on how to pass the time in the fortress —
These trivial, ordinary, and even somewhat boring conversations formed a stark contrast to the desolate and dangerous ruins outside his window. At this moment, Xu Mo realized more deeply that although he was alone in this perilous place, he was not completely isolated from the world. Above this death zone, there existed a faint but tenacious network of humanity, connected by radio waves.
He remained the same quiet watchman, but knowing that there were "neighbors" made him feel integrated into the group, which diminished the faint sense of loneliness he had felt before.
Since that day, Xu Mo felt that time seemed to pass a little faster. Regular cultivation and periodic reports remained the skeleton of his life, but keeping the walkie-talkie on and listening to his complete strangers chatting about all sorts of things became the flesh and blood that filled in the gaps.
Xu Mo usually doesn't participate in discussions, but simply listens silently. He listens to people arguing heatedly about a puzzle in a single-player game; he listens to them reminiscing about a certain snack from before the apocalypse; he listens to them discussing which observation hole offers a more "spectacular" view of the zombie farce; he even listens to some sentimental guy humming an old song with indistinct lyrics in the dead of night.
These sounds dispelled the almost solidified silence within the fortress, giving Xu Mo a vague sense of connection to the larger, human-owned sanctuary outside.
Of course, Xu Mo's gaze was mostly fixed on the deep ruins in the distance, trying to find clues about the "refresh" mechanism. The zombies on the ground were like chess pieces controlled by an invisible hand, accumulating to a certain extent before suddenly decreasing, only to be replenished by a new batch from the depths of the ruins, repeating the cycle endlessly. This eerie regularity was more unsettling than the chaos itself.
Faced with this situation, Xu Mo also considered whether he should go out and check it out someday.
Inside the fortress, Xu Mo's AWM sniper rifle only roars under one condition—when a venomous zombie appears within its field of fire. These mutants, capable of long-range corrosive attacks, pose too great a threat; if their numbers increase or they evolve stronger spitting abilities, they might potentially threaten the fortress's concrete outer shell and firing ports.
As for other ordinary zombies, even agile and strong ones, Xu Mo wouldn't waste bullets on them as long as they didn't attempt an organized assault on the fortress.
Xu Mo remembered clearly that observation, rather than elimination, was his core mission.
Days passed in this constant vigil, punctuated by background noise, until one morning, Xu Mo had just finished gathering his qi and was preparing for his morning exercise when a heavy voice came through the walkie-talkie on the table, breaking the usual routine of starting with casual conversation: "Hey everyone, are you all awake? This is Lao Liu from B-04. Take a look down at your fortress, something's not right. There are way more zombies gathered here than usual, and it looks like they're surrounding us?"
Old Liu's voice carried obvious confusion and a hint of barely perceptible tension.
These words, like a pebble thrown into calm water, immediately created ripples on the walkie-talkie channel.
"B-04, mine is A-11, and mine is too. I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't reminded me."
"E-09 confirmed that the zombie density has increased significantly, and an approximate number is being tallied."
"G-05 is the same————"
The channel was instantly flooded with confirmation messages from various fortresses, sweeping away the lazy atmosphere of the early morning and replacing it with a gradually spreading solemnity.
Upon hearing this, Xu Mo's eyes sharpened, and he immediately strode to several observation holes at different heights and facing directions, especially those near the bottom of the fortress, and carefully looked down.
really.
Previously, the zombies that had been sparsely wandering around the fortress had now increased significantly in number. At a rough glance, there were no fewer than forty or fifty zombies gathered just below the C-07 fortress, and this number seemed to be slowly increasing.
Xu Mo pressed the call button, his calm voice entering the channel: "C-07 confirmed, zombies are abnormally gathering below the fortress, numbering about fifty, their behavior patterns have changed, and they are showing initial encirclement."
His report was concise and accurate, and there was a brief silence on the channel.