bookrandom Chapter 64 All Beings Running
Chapter 64 All Beings Running
The thought of needing a reliable vehicle to carry his special "door" instantly cleared Xu Mo's previously stagnant thoughts. Yes, once the transportation issue was resolved, carrying a door, while still conspicuous, would at least be physically feasible. He could simply secure the door to the roof, or find a way to tuck it into the trunk or onto the roof—wouldn't that be much easier and more convenient than carrying it by hand?
However, just to be on the safe side, Xu Mo decided to conduct a crucial test first. He found some tools and carefully removed the security door from the frame. The heavy metal door panel leaned against the wall, and Xu Mo opened the door again.
The faint light arrived as expected, and the portal opened smoothly. Xu Mo eagerly looked inside—the canned food and biscuits that had been placed there earlier were still safely in their original positions.
"Great!" Xu Mo breathed a long sigh of relief, the last weight lifted from his heart. Changing the physical location of the door wouldn't affect the dedicated space it connected to. This meant that as long as the door itself wasn't damaged, his "mobile warehouse" would be stable and reliable.
The next step was to acquire a suitable vehicle. This wasn't out of reach for Xu Mo, who possessed the ability to "open doors." He didn't even need to risk wandering aimlessly through the ruins like ordinary survivors, nor would he have to deal with potential vehicle malfunctions, dead batteries, or running out of fuel.
"Once the snow melts, we can find a large warehouse, put up signs for 'Garage' or 'Vehicle Showroom,' and that'll be a piece of cake, right?" Xu Mo already had a clear plan in his mind. He even started to wonder whether it would be better to get a high-performance off-road RV or a more spacious and durable car.
Of course, that's a plan for later. Right now, the most important thing is to systematically transfer all the supplies I've stockpiled in this two-story shelter into my private space.
This is a tedious and patient project. Since the cooling time after each door opening is as long as 48 hours and the "exclusive door" is only opened for a brief 60 seconds each time, Xu Mo must carefully plan each move.
He first inventoried and categorized all supplies, prioritizing weapons and ammunition, tools, valuable medicines, and core survival kits to ensure they were moved in first. Next came large quantities of food and fuel, the foundation of survival. Following that were various spare supplies, clothing, bedding, lighting equipment, batteries, and so on.
The process is tedious. Xu Mo can only "move" for one minute every two days. He needs to organize and pile the items to be moved in advance by the door, and then deliver them into the space behind the door as quickly and in the most reasonable order after the door opens.
During this process, Xu Mo also needs to arrange the items neatly and leave passageways for easy access in the future.
At first, Xu Mo was a bit flustered, and the 60 seconds flew by, feeling like he hadn't moved much before the time was up. But as he did it more often, he became more and more skilled, even able to plan his movements precisely in his mind, significantly improving his moving efficiency.
Even so, it took Xu Mo quite a while to move all the supplies that had filled almost half the floor. When the last box of spare batteries was delivered to his private space, Xu Mo looked at the room, which had become empty again, and a feeling of indescribable "refreshment" welled up inside him.
The space that had been occupied by various boxes and supplies was now revealed, and the entire second floor seemed exceptionally spacious, with only some supplies that would be needed in the near future remaining outside. This feeling of "traveling light" was completely different from the "abundant but bloated" state of being surrounded by supplies before, and Xu Mo felt his body and mind become lighter.
During this period focused on "moving," Xu Mo was not completely isolated from the outside world. He remained vigilant and often observed his surroundings from the rooftop.
Xu Mo noticed that the moving points of light on the distant "road" leading towards Jiangcheng were becoming more frequent. Small groups of survivors, and even convoys of vehicles, could often be seen heading in the same direction. Against the eternally dark background, the headlights appeared both small and resolute.
These scenes silently tell a story: after nearly a year of brutal apocalyptic trials, many small shelters and survivor groups may have already succumbed to the multiple pressures of resource depletion, internal strife, and external threats. They have finally come to terms with reality, realizing that going it alone or clinging to one place is not a long-term solution, and have begun to seek refuge with larger shelters that possess greater strength, more stable order, and richer resources.
Jiangcheng's "Everlasting Light Project" and its previously demonstrated powerful military projection capabilities act like a beacon in the darkness, attracting these long-wandering survivors. It may be a high-stakes gamble, betting that they won't face annihilation on the way to Jiangcheng, betting that Jiangcheng can provide the shelter and order they crave, but clearly, more and more people believe it's worth a try.
Xu Mo watched all this silently, his heart unmoved. He understood the choices these survivors had made.
After finishing his practice, before lying down to sleep, Xu Mo did not immediately fall asleep. Instead, under the warm light of the bedside lamp, he gazed at the eternal darkness outside the window, his thoughts churning.
He carefully calculated the time. Since the eternal night officially descended and the sky was completely shrouded in darkness, roughly speaking, more than two months have passed.
"Winter should be almost over, right?" Xu Mo muttered to himself, a reasonable deduction based on his existing knowledge.
However, the appearance of the eternal night had already disrupted all the laws of nature. The end of winter did not mean the return of light. Official broadcasts only predicted that temperatures would rise after the eternal night ended, but no one knew how long the eternal night would last.
"Since such an illogical 'eternal night' has appeared, could there also be a corresponding 'eternal day'?" This thought naturally came to Xu Mo's mind.
Polar night and polar day are natural phenomena in the high latitudes of the planet, but if they occurred on this land today, or even globally, it would be another catastrophe. Imagine a sun that never sets, continuously scorching the earth—what a terrifying scene that would be! Perpetual night tests one's spirit and endurance in the cold; perpetual day would likely test one's heat tolerance and water resources.
Thinking of this, Xu Mo frowned slightly. The extreme weather made him think of temperature changes.
"Winters are so cold now, often dropping to tens of degrees below zero. What if summer brings extreme heat?" This is a chilling question. We can combat the cold by adding layers of clothing, finding shelter, and making fires for warmth—as long as fuel and supplies are plentiful, there's always a way. But what about the heat? In a post-apocalyptic world where effective cooling methods may be lacking, persistent high temperatures will lead to dehydration, heatstroke, food spoilage, increased water evaporation, and could even trigger large-scale fires…
Xu Mo seemed to already feel the suffocating heat. He subconsciously glanced at the drinking water stored in the corner of the room, then touched his tough skin. The Bullhide Mirror might give him stronger resistance to ordinary heat and cold, but it probably wouldn't be enough against the extreme heat that might occur.
"Cooling measures, more water, well-ventilated shelters... these all need to be considered in advance." Xu Mo realized that the challenges of survival could be constantly changing. Having survived the crises of bitter cold and eternal night, the next test might be scorching heat and drought. He couldn't wait until problems arose before scrambling to catch up.
Suppressing these chaotic thoughts for the time being, Xu Mo tightened his sleeping bag and slowly closed his eyes under the light of the lamp that was on. No matter how the outside world changes, sufficient rest is the foundation of everything.