harleyscars Chapter 131 Looking Up
Chapter 131 Looking Up
Chapter 131 Looking Up
Back at his own tiled house with a courtyard, Xu Mo, unusually, acted like a real estate appraiser, carefully examining the house inside and out with his hands behind his back, calculating where it would be suitable to "develop downwards".
The master bedroom is a three-room suite, spacious as it is, but digging a cellar under the bedroom seems odd. The living room in the middle is the daily activity area, with people coming and going (although hardly anyone comes), so it's not suitable for construction. He uses another room as a storage room and workspace, which is filled with all sorts of miscellaneous supplies and tools that Xu Mo has collected. Digging up the ground would make it even more inconvenient to store and retrieve things.
After much thought, Xu Mo felt that digging a cellar for living in his relatively simple house seemed neither appropriate nor necessary.
Iron Bone Realm's tolerance for extreme heat far exceeds that of ordinary people, so the cooling effect of the cellar has little appeal to him.
"How about we build a canopy in the yard?" Xu Mo walked into the yard and looked up at the scorching sun. A sunshade would not only provide shelter from the rain and sun, but also provide a relatively cool outdoor space for activities in the summer if tables and chairs were placed underneath. It seemed more practical.
Without hesitation, Xu Mo went out to inquire and quickly found a shop in an area outside the city where craftsmen gathered. The shop owner was a lean middle-aged man. After Xu Mo explained his purpose—to build a sturdy shed in his yard that could provide shade and shelter from the rain—he enthusiastically introduced the different materials available, including wooden structures, sheet metal frames, and mixed materials, each with different prices.
Xu Mo chose the most sturdy and durable option, which was also said to offer some fire resistance. However, when the shopkeeper quoted the price, Xu Mo frowned.
"So expensive?" It wasn't that he couldn't afford it; his savings of 15,000 contribution points gave Xu Mo enough confidence. It was just that the price far exceeded his expectations for a few pillars and a roof.
The shopkeeper rubbed his hands together, a professional wry smile plastered on his face: "Sir, in this day and age, what isn't precious—wood, iron, tools? People need to eat too, don't they? The specifications and materials you requested are really not expensive—"
After listening, Xu Mo didn't say anything more. Instead, he went to the tool and general merchandise market in the outer city, spent some contribution points to buy the most durable-looking military folding entrenching shovel, and picked out a few simple tools that he might need.
Carrying his newly bought entrenching tool home, Xu Mo looked at the empty yard, his gaze sweeping around before finally settling on the kitchen.
The kitchen is a small, separate room against the courtyard wall, and it's not used very often. The ground is solid rammed earth, with a natural foundation underneath. Digging here seems more suitable than breaking ground in the residential area, as it would be less noisy.
"How about we dig a small one first? Just to practice, and we can store some things too." Xu Mo weighed the heavy entrenching tool in his hand. "Anyway, I have plenty of strength."
After clearing out the few remaining items in the kitchen, Xu Mo demarcated a general area. The strength and endurance of his Iron Bone Realm cultivation were now proving invaluable. The sharp entrenching tool in his hands was like a toy; each strike deeply cut into the rammed earth, easily prying up large clods of soil.
In just one day, Xu Mo dug a pit about three meters deep with a bottom area of seven or eight square meters.
Yes, it's a hole. Looking at this hole in the kitchen, Xu Mo suddenly felt it was best not to use the kitchen at all...
Standing at the bottom of the pit, Xu Mo felt as if he were trapped. A distinct coolness seeped from the surrounding earthen walls, completely different from the heat above ground. The air was somewhat stuffy, carrying a fresh, earthy smell.
Xu Mo helplessly patted the dust off his hands. "It's definitely not suitable for living in." It would be a real joke if it collapsed in the middle of the night.
Although it's not suitable for living, it's perfect as a storage room for storing surplus supplies that aren't needed for the time being.
This day was spent in a "trap" that Xu Mo had dug in the kitchen to store miscellaneous items.
Just two days after Xu Mo dug that trap, a guiding notice was officially broadcast on Jiangcheng's radio station regarding "coping with extreme high temperatures and encouraging residents to take appropriate heatstroke prevention measures."
The notice did mention that "digging underground spaces such as cellars and basements to take advantage of the soil's constant temperature properties for cooling off" is a traditional and effective method, and provided some simple digging and safety advice, such as paying attention to ventilation, preventing collapses, and ensuring waterproofing.
But then, the tone of the announcement shifted, becoming serious: "It must be solemnly declared that any excavation or alteration of underground spaces must ensure that it does not affect the safety of the main building structure."
Excavation must be carried out without damaging public utility lines or endangering the safety of adjacent buildings. Unauthorized excavation is strictly prohibited beneath load-bearing walls or columns, along known utility lines (water, electricity, communications), or in areas too close to public roads or other buildings.
"Any unit or individual that violates the above regulations by carrying out dangerous excavation operations without authorization, causing safety hazards or actual damage, will be severely punished in accordance with the law, including but not limited to hefty fines, mandatory backfilling, and even holding relevant parties accountable. In cases of serious circumstances that result in major accidents, the matter will be transferred to the court for trial."
"The neighborhood management committees and security teams will strengthen patrols, and residents also have an obligation to monitor and report violations. Safety must be the top priority in preventing heatstroke and cooling down."
The warning over the loudspeaker was resounding, and Xu Mo nodded slightly after hearing it; that made sense.
Jiangcheng is densely populated, and most of its buildings are remnants from the old era or hastily constructed after disasters, making structural safety paramount. If everyone digs around indiscriminately, with one person digging through another's foundation today and another severing the water supply line tomorrow, the city will collapse on its own, not even waiting for zombies or scorching heat. Strict official control is absolutely necessary.
This made Xu Mo's vague conjecture clearer: Jiangcheng, or rather the management of Jiangcheng, may have long ago built a large-scale and well-equipped underground project.
That could be a wartime command center, a vital supplies depot, a critical production line, or even a final refuge for the worst-case scenario. It is precisely because Jiangcheng itself possesses more advanced and secure underground spaces that they are more aware of the dangers of unplanned excavation, and thus so strictly prohibit unauthorized excavation by civilians.
"A cunning rabbit has three burrows; in the apocalypse, you really can't rely solely on the surface for survival," Xu Mo said thoughtfully.
Xu Mo carefully covered the newly dug trap entrance with a cut stone slab, leaving the inside empty for the time being. He didn't know if the trap would be of any use.
In the courtyard, Xu Mo ultimately didn't build a canopy himself. However, he changed his approach and used his contribution points to exchange for some lightweight and sturdy sunshade nets and a few bamboo poles. He then simply erected a retractable sunshade in a corner of the courtyard. Although rudimentary, it was sufficient for emergency sun protection.
The heat was still intense, but Xu Mo had already found a sliver of shade for himself.
With the pergola issue resolved, Xu Mo's life seemed to have returned to a regular and leisurely rhythm. He even went to the flea market to find a decent-looking old rattan recliner, cleaned it, and placed it in the shady spot under the pergola in the courtyard.
After finishing his daily cultivation and calming his qi and blood, Xu Mo would lazily lie down in the creaking rattan chair, perhaps with a glass of water beside him. He would look up at the sunlight, which had become soft and dappled after being filtered by the sunshade net, listen to the faint sounds of the city in the distance, and feel the coolness brought by the summer breeze on his skin.
This was a long-lost, almost luxurious tranquility. There was no need to be constantly on guard against the roars of zombies, no need to worry about the threat of flocks of birds overhead, and the food crisis was temporarily relieved. It was as if all the cruelty and pressure of the apocalypse had been temporarily shut out from outside the courtyard walls. Xu Mo even occasionally felt a sense of disorientation, recalling those ordinary yet peaceful afternoons before his transmigration.
However, this tranquility, like an exquisite ice sculpture under the summer sun, is beautiful but destined to be fleeting.
In the afternoon, Xu Mo was comfortably reclining in a wicker chair, preparing to take a short nap. The radio mounted under the eaves played the prelude to the hourly news broadcast.
The announcer's voice rang out, still that familiar, slightly magnetic male voice. But today, it seemed to contain a barely suppressed yet still surging excitement and anticipation, like boiling magma about to erupt. So much so that the first few words trembled slightly: "All residents of Jiangcheng, this is Jiangcheng Broadcasting Station. We are now broadcasting some exciting news of great historical significance!"
This opening line alone made Xu Mo, who was about to close his eyes, open them again and tilt his head slightly to listen.
The announcer took a deep breath, the subtle sound of which was clearly transmitted through the airwaves, and continued to announce in an unprecedentedly solemn and uplifting tone: "Under the strong leadership of the Management Committee, and through the arduous efforts and unremitting work of all scientific researchers, engineers, and related support units in Jiangcheng over a period of one year and three months, we have successfully restored and mastered the key manufacturing and launch technologies for artificial satellites."
"Whoosh—!"
Even through the radio, Xu Mo could almost hear the suppressed cheers or gasps of shock that might be coming from the control room behind the announcer.
Upon hearing the words "artificial satellite," he felt as if he had been struck by a high-voltage current, and he sprang up from the creaking wicker chair! The movement was so swift that it even created a gust of wind, causing the water glass on the small table next to him to shake.
"What?!" A whisper of surprise, almost instinctively, escaped her lips.
Xu Mo's pupils contracted slightly, his face filled with disbelief and astonishment. He had guessed about the technological accumulation in Jiangcheng.
Some speculated that Jiangcheng might secretly possess a pre-war strategic weapons arsenal, including nuclear warheads sufficient as a final deterrent; others speculated that Jiangcheng might have constructed a vast and fortified underground city as a last refuge; still others speculated that they might have made breakthroughs in certain biotechnology or energy research—
But Xu Mo never imagined, nor dared to imagine, that Jiangcheng would regain the ability to launch satellites.
This isn't about repairing a few tanks, restarting a production line, or building a radio network; this is aerospace engineering! It involves an extremely complex system encompassing rocket manufacturing, fuel purification, precision instruments, orbit calculations, ground tracking and control, and much more.
A highly integrated, top-level systems engineering project that requires the support of a massive industrial system.
Even in its golden age, it was an important symbol of a great power's comprehensive strength.
Having survived global catastrophe, social collapse, resource scarcity, and being surrounded by powerful enemies, Jiangcheng not only managed to stand firm, support millions of people, and rebuild a rudimentary industrial and social order, but now it's even setting its sights on the stars?! Is it beginning to attempt to restore its existence in space?
The announcer's excited voice continued, detailing the launch plan: "According to the plan, we will launch our first experimental communications satellite, Jiangcheng-1, in five days." Its main mission is to test long-distance signal relay and stable communication capabilities, laying a solid foundation for establishing a stable, reliable, and geographically barrier-free information network with other large shelters in the future. This will be a crucial step for human civilization to reconnect and unite after disasters.
The communications satellite is intended to contact other large shelters.
Xu Mo slowly sat back in the rattan chair, but his body remained slightly leaning forward as he listened intently to every word. The shock in his heart was gradually replaced by a complex emotion that was hard to describe—admiration, awe, and deeper contemplation.
Just how profound were the foundations of Jiangcheng Shelter, or rather, the nation's preparations and remaining strength before the catastrophe? Did those "Dragon City," "Spark," and "Dawn" that disappeared in broadcasts and rumors also possess similar, or even stronger, abilities?
The flame of human civilization may not be flickering as it appears, but rather burning tenaciously deep within certain solid "fortresses," even attempting to rekindle a wider sky.
The broadcast was still reporting on some technical details, the selection of the launch window, and matters requiring cooperation from relevant regions, but the outside world had already begun to buzz with excitement.
Almost as soon as the broadcast ended, Xu Mo heard the once quiet streets and alleys erupt like a lake surface hit by a boulder.
Cheers, screams, and incredulous shouts converged from all directions, breaking through the barriers of doors and windows and soaring into the sky.
The cheers were more enthusiastic than when the summer harvest ended, more unrestrained than when the bird infestation was lifted. It was a total outburst of long-suppressed despair and isolation, the most direct and passionate expression of hope and the future.
As Xu Mo walked out of Jia and arrived at the intersection, he saw many people surging onto the street, excitedly hugging, jumping, and high-fiving each other, regardless of whether they knew each other or not. Some people shouted at the top of their lungs, "Long live Jiangcheng!" "Long live humanity!" Their voices were hoarse but full of power.
Immediately afterwards, a series of crackling sounds rang out. It wasn't gunfire, but rather someone setting off fireworks—something they'd been saving for who knows how long.
The firecrackers were perhaps already damp. Others started banging pots and pans, creating a cacophony of clanging and banging that blended into an absurd yet exhilarating symphony of victory.
Xu Mo saw the streets teeming with people, each face beaming with almost manic joy. Many shop owners rushed out, pasting red paper signs on their signs proclaiming things like, "Celebrating the satellite launch, all items 20% off!" and "Proud of Jiangcheng, drinks half price today!" even though they didn't actually have much to sell. A festive, carnival-like atmosphere swept through every corner of the city at an astonishing speed.
The radio had already begun playing rousing marches and hopeful slogans on a loop.
Xu Mo closed the door, shutting out the noise outside. He lay back in the wicker chair, but his mood could no longer regain its previous calm.
Looking up at the sky, it seems as if my gaze is trying to pierce through the azure canopy and reach the vast universe.
Five days later, a burning rocket, carrying humanity's indomitable will and remaining wisdom, will break free from Earth's gravity and soar into the long-silent starry sky.
>