bookbashuk Chapter 138 Construction and Daily Life
Chapter 138 Construction and Daily Life
Chapter 138 Construction and Daily Life
The next day, Xu Mo and Zhang Yun continued patrolling the F-6 area, but their route changed to a parallel line away from the riverbank.
During the patrol, Xu Mo felt that his cooperation with Zhang Yun was becoming more and more skillful. Without words, they could understand each other's intentions with just a look or a gesture. The two left a long trail of footprints on the scorched earth.
As the patrol route approached the river again, Xu Mo's extraordinary eyesight spotted several narrow shadows, slightly darker than the surrounding water, slowly swimming underwater. Their outlines were somewhat similar to the large fish that had attacked the previous day, but they seemed smaller.
These fish did not rise to the surface or approach the shore; they merely lingered in the slower-flowing middle section of the river, like sentinels lurking in the shadows.
Xu Mo raised his hand to signal, and Zhang Yun immediately stopped and stared intently in the direction Xu Mo indicated. Although he could not see as clearly as Xu Mo, he also noticed the abnormality underwater.
The two men did not make any rash moves or attempt to fire a shot to disturb the danger. They simply continued silently along the route away from the riverbank until they had left the dangerous waters far behind.
The patrol team on the other side seemed to have learned their lesson; they simply didn't appear in sight near the riverbank today. It's unclear whether they changed their route or simply didn't come this way at all.
The day's patrol ended in this eerie tranquility, a "standoff" with the shadow in the river's heart. There were no attacks, no water jets, only the mournful sound of the wind blowing across the wilderness.
In the following days, the patrol mission seemed to have entered a stalemate. Sector F-6 remained Xu Mo's area of responsibility, and the river remained a silent and dangerous boundary.
Every day, Xu Mo could see those lingering shadows underwater. They seemed to be observing and adapting, and did not rashly attack Xu Mo and Zhang Yun, but the potential threat grew day by day.
Xu Mo felt that they and the fish in the water had reached a fragile tacit understanding: you don't approach my waters, and I won't cross the boundary to attack for the time being. But this tacit understanding was built on the military deterrence and distance that could be broken at any time.
Zhang Yun gradually recovered from her initial nervousness, but her vigilance remained undiminished.
She and Xu Mo communicated more than before. Besides necessary tactical communication, they would occasionally chat about trivial things they had seen and heard, which served as a relief from their tense nerves. Zhang Yun was clearly very curious about Xu Mo's skills and his extraordinary composure, but she knew her limits and never asked him directly.
The days passed in this way, filled with repeated vigilance and a lurking sense of crisis. After each patrol, equipment was handed in, contribution points were collected, and then everyone returned home.
For Xu Mo, these seemingly peaceful days were precisely the perfect window for him to consolidate his Iron Bone Realm cultivation and observe the changes in Jiangcheng.
That day, after completing his afternoon patrol, it was still early. Xu Mo didn't go home immediately; a thought suddenly occurred to him:
He wanted to see with his own eyes what this behemoth, Jiangcheng, which was growing wildly, had become, especially the city walls that carried the hopes of countless people.
Thinking of this, Xu Mo strolled toward the edge of the inner city. The "first ring" renovation here had already begun. Many low and messy shantytowns had been leveled, revealing the uneven foundations underneath. The air was filled with dust and the smell of building materials.
In some places, new foundations have already been laid, indicating that multi-story buildings will be constructed. The process is highly efficient but also somewhat chaotic, with building materials piled haphazardly along the roadside and pedestrians and trolleys carrying materials weaving through narrow passageways.
Passing through the noisy and dusty construction site, Xu Mo walked out of the original main city wall through a temporary, guarded passage. The view suddenly opened up before him, and he was immediately struck by an even grander and more bustling construction scene.
Xu Mo's initial plan was to walk along the foundation of the "Second Ring" city wall, which was under construction, to get a feel for its scale.
However, after walking for less than twenty minutes along the section of the east side where part of the wall had already been poured, Xu Mo realized how impractical his idea was.
too big.
As far as the eye can see, the gray-white wall that is rising from the ground is like a giant dragon slowly raising its head on the earth, winding its way to the north and south, with no end in sight.
Countless ant-like figures busied themselves on and under the walls, the giant arms of tower cranes slowly rotated, and trucks transporting building materials lined up in long queues. The roar of mixers, the clanging of metal, shouts, and command whistles—all kinds of sounds converged into a huge and deep sound wave that assaulted the eardrums, and even the ground beneath one's feet seemed to tremble slightly.
Xu Mo estimated that, given his own pace, walking around the newly planned city wall would take him from dawn till dusk, or even longer, even without considering obstacles, checkpoints, and physical exertion. This doesn't even take into account that the wall itself isn't fully completed; many sections are still just foundations or steel frames, requiring a much wider detour.
"It seems we can only look at a part of it." Xu Mo chuckled self-deprecatingly, walked to a mound of earth by the roadside that wouldn't obstruct construction, paused to look into the distance, and then walked closer to a section of wall that had already been poured and was about four or five meters high.
Upon closer inspection, the building's ruggedness and sturdiness become even more apparent. The walls are astonishingly thick, tapering upwards in a trapezoidal shape. The concrete used for its construction is clearly not the standard grade used in peacetime; it is darker in color, appears exceptionally dense, and retains traces of the rough texture of the formwork and some air pockets on its surface. Some critical areas, such as those reserved for future entrances, firing ports, or pipeline passages, already have thick steel bars and special alloy components embedded in them, gleaming with a cold, hard luster.
"Such thickness and strength, just to resist zombies?" Xu Mo was very suspicious.
Leaving this section of the wall, Xu Mo strolled along the area that had been initially cleared on the inner side of the city wall. What might have been farmland, wilderness, or scattered ruins had now been extensively leveled. Further towards the inner city, there was a bustling residential construction site.
Unlike the gradual replacement of old buildings in the inner city, the construction here is more like a blueprint on a blank sheet of paper being rapidly transformed into reality. Next to large areas of makeshift shacks are rows of multi-story residential buildings that have already sprung up, their gray concrete frames exposed. The buildings look square and lack any aesthetic appeal, but their structure is very clear, with uniform apartment layouts and compact layouts, clearly products of standardized design.
Xu Mo walked to the vicinity of several buildings that were nearing completion and carefully observed them. The distance between the buildings was much wider than that of a residential area in peacetime. This was obviously to ensure necessary lighting and ventilation, as well as to facilitate evacuation and deployment of defenses in an emergency. The load-bearing columns and wall thickness of the buildings were also significantly higher than the standard for ordinary residential buildings. The window openings were smaller, and the structure was reserved for installing reinforcing fences or defensive panels.
"Not for comfort, but for survival and defense." Xu Mo understood the logic. These future "Second Ring Road" residential buildings were designed with the harshness of the post-apocalyptic environment in mind. They are not only places to live, but also small fortress nodes that form part of the city's defense system. The sturdy walls can withstand stray bullets and small-scale impacts, the reasonable layout facilitates management and resource distribution, and the wide spacing reduces the risk of fire and the spread of epidemics, while also providing firing range for ground defenses.
This is undoubtedly an extremely pragmatic, even somewhat cold, architectural concept, but it works.
In a post-apocalyptic world with limited resources and surrounded by powerful enemies, providing a relatively safe, standardized living space that can accommodate a large population is a remarkable achievement in itself.
Xu Mo also noticed that besides a large number of ordinary residents and survivors engaged in manual labor, there were also many technicians in uniform and safety helmets directing and measuring on-site. Although there weren't many large machines, they covered key aspects such as lifting, mixing, and transportation. The entire construction process, though noisy and chaotic, was subtly orderly, demonstrating strong organizational capabilities and the support of a gradually recovering industrial base.
Looking at the busy figures on the scaffolding, and the simple but sturdy "fortresses" rising from the ground around him, Xu Mo felt a mix of emotions.
On the one hand, he was shocked and even admired by the tenacious vitality, strong mobilization capabilities, and clear survival logic shown by Jiangcheng.
This is not a mere dragging out of existence; it is rewriting the prologue of human civilization from ruins, using steel and cement as pens. Satellites are launched, giant walls stand tall, and skyscrapers rise one after another—every step is heavy yet resolute.
On the other hand, Xu Mo was also clearly aware of the enormous resource demands implied behind this rapid expansion and construction.
Internal management pressures, and—potentially, attention, covetousness, and even hostility from the wider outside world.
Jiangcheng is like a bonfire that grows ever brighter in a dark forest, providing warmth and light while also attracting all eyes in the darkness.
As the sun set, it cast long shadows of the city walls and the new buildings. Temporary lights illuminated the construction site, and the night shift workers began their shift change, but the hustle and bustle of construction continued unabated.
Xu Mo turned and embarked on his journey back to his residence. Behind him, the vast outline of the city was gradually being swallowed by the twilight; ahead, the relatively warm lights of the inner city shone.
He recalled a remark he made with Zhang Yun: "There are more and more bad things happening."
Looking back, Xu Mo felt that perhaps it wasn't that there were more things, but rather that when your firelight is bright enough, everything that was originally hidden in the depths of darkness begins to stir.
Jiangcheng is desperately building walls, desperately expanding, desperately trying to illuminate itself. But is this wall truly meant to keep danger out, or to provide a solid foothold when an even greater storm arrives?
Xu Mo didn't know the answer.
Back in the courtyard, it was already late at night. Gazing at the bright moon and sparse stars in the night sky, Xu Mo frowned and stared for a long time before finally going back to his room to rest.
Day after day, patrolling Zone F-6 gradually became a routine. Apart from the silent confrontation with the shadow in the river, life seemed to proceed as usual.
While waiting at the rendezvous point to assign or return equipment, Xu Mo and Zhang Yun would occasionally exchange a few words with other squads that had completed their patrol missions. The conversations were nothing more than asking each other about the situation in their respective areas, chatting about the weather, and complaining a bit about how tedious the missions were or how little contribution points they could make.
Most people gave surprisingly consistent answers: "It was alright, nothing special." "Same as always, went around and didn't see anything." "Besides the heat, nothing else."
"Hot" was the word that appeared most frequently. Almost everyone mentioned that the water they carried on patrol was not enough to drink. The scorching heat seemed to have sucked all the moisture out of their bodies, and even breathing felt like a burning sensation.
Some people lifted their sweat-dampened shirts to fan themselves, revealing their sun-reddened chests; many more people kept raising their water bottles, taking small but frequent sips.
Listening to these complaints and looking at the people in front of him, drenched in sweat from the sweltering summer heat, Xu Mo's heart suddenly stirred slightly.
He subconsciously looked down at himself. His combat uniform was neatly worn, the zipper pulled up to just below his collarbone, the cuffs tightly buttoned, and underneath was a sweat-wicking and breathable tactical lining.
It wasn't because he wasn't sweating, but rather because the Iron Bone Realm's powerful thermoregulation and blood circulation made Xu Mo's tolerance to environmental temperature far exceed that of ordinary people.
The scorching sun and the sweltering heat from the ground felt like an invisible film to him; he could sense it, but it was difficult to truly penetrate his core, let alone trigger the embarrassing heat dissipation reaction of sweating profusely.
Xu Mo lamented that he had been so immersed in his cultivation and vigilance that he had overlooked this "incompatibility" with his surroundings.
Pretending to look up casually, Xu Mo's gaze swept over the surrounding crowd once more. He and Zhang Yun were among the few dressed in full combat gear. Although Zhang Yun was also wearing long-sleeved camouflage, his collar was open, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. Fine beads of sweat were clearly visible on his forehead and neck, and his breathing was slightly heavier than usual.
Just then, Zhang Yun seemed to notice Xu Mo's gaze, turned his head, looked at him with a slightly puzzled look, and then followed his gaze to look at the people around him who were shirtless and sweating profusely. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Xu Mo's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface, naturally shifting his gaze. He looked up at the blazing sun and casually remarked, "This damn weather is getting hotter and hotter, it's making me dizzy."
This remark immediately resonated with several hunters nearby who were chugging water.
"You're right! It's only past noon, and my kettle is almost empty!"
"If this keeps up, even patrol officers will have to carry water tanks on their backs!"
"Why didn't the higher-ups say they'd distribute more heat-relief supplies? —"
Hearing Xu Mo's remark, Zhang Yun wiped the sweat from her brow and replied, "It is hot enough. Xu Mo, you don't seem to sweat much?" Her tone carried a hint of pure curiosity and inquiry.
Xu Mo smiled calmly, his tone relaxed: "Maybe it's because I walked steadily and didn't do much strenuous activity." He then pointed to himself and the complaining hunters, "Look at them, many of them are highly vigilant when patrolling, and their movements are large, so they naturally expend a lot of energy. I just walked step by step to conserve my strength."
This explanation sounded reasonable, and Zhang Yun nodded in agreement. He picked up his water bottle, took a sip, and turned his attention back to the registration desk where tasks were being distributed.
Soon, it was Xu Mo's turn to hand over the duties. Leaving the noisy and sweltering assembly point and walking back to the inner city, with those sweating figures around him no longer a reference point, Xu Mo became more aware of the abnormality in his body.
A gentle breeze carried a wave of heat, yet the clothes underneath remained dry. The body's Qi and blood circulated smoothly, easily neutralizing the external heat.
"Looks like I'll have to be more careful from now on," Xu Mo reminded himself silently. The extraordinary qualities that come with the Iron Bone Realm are an advantage in normal circumstances, but in a crowd, if not concealed, they can easily become an "abnormality" that attracts attention. In the apocalypse, being too different is sometimes not a good thing.
Back in the courtyard, he closed the door, shutting out the noise and heat of the outside world. Xu Mo took off his combat uniform and outer shirt, leaving him in only a thin short-sleeved shirt, enjoying the rare coolness, even though it wasn't essential to him.
Looking at the neatly folded combat uniforms, Xu Mo pondered whether he should leave his jacket open or roll up his sleeves like Zhang Yun did on his next patrol.
Walking to the dressing table in the courtyard, Xu Mo scooped up a handful of cool water and washed his face, water droplets sliding down his well-defined cheeks.
Looking at his reflection in the water, Xu Mo's eyes were calm.
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