harleyscars Chapter 32 Snow
Chapter 32 Snow
With the mountain of ammunition as a backup, Xu Mo completely let loose and raised the intensity of the afternoon's firearms training to a new level.
He no longer needed to calculate the consumption of each bullet, allowing him to focus more on refining his technique and improving accuracy. Live-fire shooting is the best teacher. With ample "nourishment" from numerous bullets, combined with the theoretical knowledge he had previously learned through online videos, Xu Mo's marksmanship improved by leaps and bounds.
In Xu Mo's hands, the AK-47 had become quite tame. His accuracy in rapid aiming and short bursts at close to medium range had significantly improved, and his hit rate against moving targets had also steadily increased. He had also become more proficient in using the TT-33 pistol. Although its effective range was limited, in close-range emergencies, the series of actions—drawing the gun, aiming, and firing—became fluid and confident.
The biggest surprise came from the AWM sniper rifle. With a gradual familiarity with the ballistic characteristics of the .338 Lapua Magnum and a deeper understanding of the reticle of the high-powered scope, Xu Mo now has a considerable hit rate against fixed targets at a distance of three to four hundred meters.
He even began to try more advanced techniques such as estimating wind drift and bullet drop. Although he was far from reaching the level of a professional sniper, this rudimentary long-range precision strike capability had already given him an unprecedented strategic advantage in these ruins.
The ability to sustain such high-intensity training is not only due to ample ammunition, but also inseparable from Xu Mo's own formidable physical qualities.
The effects of the "Thirteen Bodyguards Horizontal Training" are becoming increasingly apparent. The powerful core strength and shoulder and back stability allow Xu Mo to maintain a stable shooting posture for extended periods, quickly recover from recoil, and make the next precise shot. A virtuous cycle and tacit cooperation are forming between his body and weapon.
However, changes in the external environment constantly remind Xu Mo that the challenge of survival is not only about fighting.
The weather is getting colder at a visible rate.
The cold wind grew increasingly biting, feeling like knives cutting into your face. The most noticeable change was in the duration of daylight—by 5 p.m., the sky began to darken significantly. The longer the darkness lasted, the shorter the safe window for outdoor activities was, and the more resources would be consumed for heating and lighting.
Facing the approaching harsh winter, Xu Mo dared not slack off. After another 48-hour cooling period, he decisively made labels such as "outdoor supplies" and "emergency equipment" and began targeted scavenging of supplies.
After several explorations through "opening the door," Xu Mo gained a great deal.
He found two wood-burning stoves, which are simple in structure, durable, and highly efficient in heat generation. As long as there is firewood, they can provide continuous heat, making them a useful tool for coping with the cold winter when there is no electricity.
In addition, Xu Mo also collected several sets of professional thick thermal underwear, fleece jackets, down jackets, and fleece-lined winter boots. The materials and workmanship of these garments are far superior to ordinary clothing, effectively locking in body heat and resisting the cold.
In a warehouse that appeared to be a security equipment store, Xu Mo also found several stab-proof vests and tactical vests. Although their defensive capabilities were limited, they were better than nothing and could provide some basic protection when facing zombie minions or human melee weapons.
Furthermore, Xu Mo replaced his old, ordinary backpack with a larger 70-liter mountaineering backpack featuring a more professional carrying system. This new backpack better distributes weight, allowing him to carry more supplies for long-distance travel.
As for other miscellaneous items, Xu Mo searched even more thoroughly, collecting a high-powered flashlight and spare batteries, a multi-functional military knife, water purification tablets, paracord, waterproof matches, and so on. These items may seem trivial, but each one could play a crucial role in wilderness survival.
After carefully sorting and storing the newly acquired supplies, Xu Mo's shelter had undergone a complete transformation. Neatly stacked ammunition boxes stood in the corner, next to piles of warm clothing and equipment. Two dark cast-iron stoves sat in the center of the room, ready to be lit when needed. Although the space remained rudimentary, it was filled with a reassuring sense of security for the winter.
Xu Mo walked to the window on the third floor, looking at the increasingly dark sky outside and feeling the biting cold in the air. With better weapons, more skilled techniques, and more abundant winter supplies, the uncertainty about the future still existed in his heart, but it was no longer as frightening as it had been at the beginning.
Time seemed to lose its meaning amidst the shortening days and increasingly biting winds. Finally, on a leaden afternoon devoid of sunlight, the long-awaited heavens made their move.
At first, only cold rain fell from the sky, then the rain began to be mixed with some fine, almost invisible white particles. The white particles hit the broken glass and wooden planks left in the window, making a rustling sound.
Upon hearing the rustling sound, Xu Mo stopped his stance training and went to the rooftop to observe his surroundings. The world was shrouded in a gray haze, with rain and snowflakes falling in a mixture, adding to the damp and desolate atmosphere of the already lifeless town.
But this is just the beginning.
Before long, the rain and tiny ice crystals gradually disappeared, replaced by increasingly dense and clear snowflakes. They fell from the gray-white sky, initially hesitant and sparse, but soon becoming firm and generous.
Snowflakes, like goose feathers, swirl and fall silently, covering the ruins, streets, and abandoned vehicles, attempting to bury all the past wounds and chaos with their pure white coldness.
By evening, a heavy snowfall had blanketed the land. As far as the eye could see, everything was a vast expanse of white. The dense snow curtain obscured distant objects, and only the outlines of nearby buildings could be barely discerned amidst the swirling snowflakes. The entire world seemed to have been muted; even the sound of the wind seemed to be absorbed by the thick layer of snow, leaving only an endless, chilling silence.
Xu Mo did not sleep well that night; the warmth from the fireplace contrasted sharply with the silent yet powerful force outside the window.
When he woke up again and habitually went to the observation hole, he was deeply shocked by the scene before him, even though he was mentally prepared.
The entire world as far as the eye could see was now a frozen wasteland!
The town, which had appeared dilapidated and gloomy just last night, was now completely covered by a thick, pristine layer of snow. Rooftops, streets, abandoned cars, collapsed walls... everything was uniformly draped in silver. The snow was almost knee-deep, completely burying many low-lying objects and debris.
The sky remained overcast, but the reflection from the snow made the outdoors brighter than usual. However, this brightness carried a cold, lifeless quality. In the distance, the taller buildings stood silently in the snow-covered plain, like enormous white tombstones. There was no trace of birds or beasts, no sign of life, only a pure, utterly frozen stillness.
Xu Mo took a deep breath of the icy air, put on a thick down jacket and winter boots, and went up to the third floor. He hadn't made any insulation modifications here, maintaining a temperature close to the outside. An old-fashioned thermometer that he had hung here before now clearly showed a mercury level of minus seven degrees Celsius.
"Minus seven degrees..." Xu Mo muttered to himself, his breath instantly turning into a cloud of white mist. This was only indoors; outdoors, with the added effect of wind chill, the actual perceived temperature was probably even lower.
Looking out the window at the snow-covered world, which was also fraught with danger, Xu Mo felt a sense of relief.
"Luckily, I prepared these things in advance." Xu Mo looked back at the room downstairs, where warm clothing, fuel, and food were piled up. Without the continuous heat provided by the two cast iron furnaces and without these professional cold-weather suits, he probably wouldn't have been able to survive for more than a few days in this temperature with just the thin clothes he had when he first transmigrated and the rags he had picked up. Even if he didn't freeze to death, he would most likely have fallen seriously ill, which would be tantamount to a death sentence in this apocalypse.
The heavy snow acted as a natural barrier, completely isolating the town from the outside world and locking Xu Mo firmly inside this small shelter. But he felt little panic; instead, he felt a calm composure born of thorough preparation.
Xu Mo went downstairs and skillfully added a few pieces of dry firewood to the iron furnace, watching the flickering flames and feeling the warmth gradually spreading. Outside the window was a frozen world, while inside was a vibrant fire and a testament to the will to survive.
This winter is destined to be long.