parentshiftbook Chapter 90 Intelligence
Chapter 90 Intelligence
Chapter 90 Intelligence (Seeking First Subscription)
As darkness fell completely, Xu Mo stopped wandering around. His immediate priority was to find a place to settle down, properly digest the information he had gathered that day, and make plans for tomorrow.
Walking back the way he came, Xu Mo saw a converted five-story building on a relatively bustling street not too far from the vehicle rest area. A sign made of scrap metal hung at the entrance—"Safe Hotel." Next to the sign, in crooked red paint, were the words "Hot water provided, safety guaranteed."
This was considered a relatively proper accommodation within the base, at least it looked much more reliable than those drafty tents and shacks. There was even a burly guard at the entrance, carrying a rifle. At this moment, the guard was leaning against the door frame, looking rather bored. When he saw Xu Mo, who was fully armed, approaching, he merely raised his eyelids lazily and didn't say anything more.
Xu Mo walked into the hotel lobby. The room was dimly lit, and the air was filled with a strange smell of disinfectant mixed with mildew. Behind the front desk sat a middle-aged woman in a worn but still clean uniform, who was working on an abacus—a device that was more popular than easily damaged electronic calculators in the post-apocalyptic world.
"A hotel?" the woman asked without looking up, her voice a little hoarse.
"Hmm, a single room, what's the price?" Xu Mo asked.
"A single room for one night costs ten contribution points," the woman quoted the price, then added, "You can also use supplies as payment; the price depends on the items."
Another contribution point.
Xu Mo asked directly, "How are the bullets calculated?"
The woman finally looked up, glanced at Xu Mo, her gaze lingering for a moment on the sniper rifle behind him, and said in a slightly more polite tone: "Standard rifle ammunition, at the shelter's price, one round equals one contribution point, ten rounds."
Xu Mo frowned. This price was far more outrageous than the parking fee; the hotel had clearly inflated it themselves. But he couldn't be bothered to haggle over a few bullets; after all, he desperately needed a quiet and safe environment to rest and read intelligence.
"Six for one." Xu Mo countered, his tone flat. "If it doesn't work, I'll go somewhere else." He knew that hotels like this couldn't possibly charge the official price, but ten for one was indeed too high.
The woman hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. "Alright, you're a stranger, so let's be friends. Six bullets, one night's stay. Hot water is available 24 hours a day. The room is on the third floor, number 306. Here's the key." She handed over an old brass key. "Just a reminder, violence is prohibited on the hotel premises. Violators will be expelled and blacklisted."
Xu Mo took the key, paid for the six bullets, and without saying a word, turned around and went up the stairs to the third floor.
The room is about 20 square meters. Although simply decorated, it is fully equipped. A standard double bed with clean sheets is placed against the wall. The bathroom, which has a separate shower and toilet, is fairly tidy and even provides unopened toiletries. The light-colored wallpaper has yellowed slightly, but overall it is well-maintained.
For Xu Mo, who was used to sleeping outdoors, being able to take a hot shower and sleep on a clean bed was already a very comfortable experience. Xu Mo placed his backpack and main weapon within easy reach, carefully checked every corner of the room, and only relaxed slightly after confirming that there were no hidden weapons or surveillance devices. He went to the washroom to wash away the dust and fatigue of the journey, and felt much refreshed.
Back in his room, Xu Mo sat down at the table, took out the handwritten copy of "Intelligence on Jiangcheng and Surrounding Areas" that he had obtained in exchange for seven bullets from his backpack, and opened the booklet that contained valuable information.
The paper was rough, and the handwriting was handwritten, but still neat and clear. The first part was an overview of the Jiangcheng Shelter and its surrounding environment.
"Jiangcheng Shelter, built upon parts of the old Jiangcheng city and surrounding mountains and military facilities, is currently the largest known human survivor settlement in the eastern region. Its core was formed by the relocation and reorganization of the original Jiangcheng Management Committee, ensuring basic stability of order and a high concentration of military force. It oversees twelve forward bases/outposts, including Forward Base No. 6, forming an outer defense and resource gathering network."
Upon seeing this, Xu Mo nodded slightly. This confirmed his previous guess: the power of the old civilization had not collapsed, but had continued in a more efficient and centralized way. This was perhaps a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, at least maintaining the most basic framework of human civilization.
Then, Xu Mo saw a description that made his gaze freeze: "In the early days of the shelter's establishment, resources were extremely scarce. In order to quickly acquire survival supplies, industrial equipment, and absorb people, the Jiangcheng Shelter organized several large-scale, organized cleanup operations," systematically plundering the surrounding towns. Among them, the first operation, codenamed "First Cry," targeted Qingsongling Town and its surrounding area, which was the closest and expected to face the least resistance. The operation almost emptied the town of all usable resources and forcibly relocated the vast majority of the survivors found—"
"Operation 'First Cry in Qingsongling Town' —" Xu Mo repeated these two words in a low voice, a complex expression on his face.
He recalled what he had seen and heard in Qingsongling Town when he first transmigrated to that world. Why was it so barren, with nothing but ruins and hardly any decent supplies? Why were there almost no other survivors except for the mutated rats and later the wolf pack? The answer was here.
In the early days of the apocalypse, the Jiangcheng Shelter swiftly and decisively swept through Qingsongling Town and its surroundings, like combing hair. Almost everything useful and movable was taken; those who were alive and willing to leave were also mostly taken away. What remained was an empty shell, its value completely drained.
"I don't know whether to say I'm lucky or unlucky—" Xu Mo leaned back in his chair and muttered to himself.
He was unlucky because he was born in a "wasteland" where resources had been completely depleted, starting on hellish difficulty and making progress extremely difficult. He was lucky, perhaps because the area had been "cleaned up" by the military, and powerful mutants or large gangs in the early stages were likely wiped out along with it, preventing him from encountering insurmountable threats during his weakest phase.
Moreover, it was precisely because the road leading to Jiangcheng had been "cleared" to some extent by the early operations that he did not encounter many organized groups of survivors or large zombie hordes along the way. Instead, he dealt more with the natural environment and newly emerging mutated creatures.
Xu Mo continued reading; the second part was about the power structure within Jiangcheng.
Within Jiangcheng, power is highly concentrated in the management committee, composed of former high-ranking officials and some technical experts, which oversees the city defense force.
The internal affairs forces, resources department, technology department, and other institutions do not possess any independent power capable of rivaling Jiangcheng.
The "so-called major forces" are actually relatively large civilian groups that exist within the framework of the Reward and Punishment Sanctuary, or with its tacit approval. These mainly include: the Hunter's Guild: a loose alliance composed of free survivors, mercenaries, and scavengers. It is responsible for issuing and accepting mandatory missions outside the sanctuary, such as hunting specific mutants, exploring unknown areas, and collecting rare materials; it is an important platform for civilian information exchange and the flow of resources. Its membership is diverse and includes both good and bad individuals.
"Workers' Association: A group of skilled workers, engineers, weapon modifiers, etc. They possess certain manufacturing and repair capabilities, cooperate closely with the sanctuary and the Hunter's Guild, hold a detached position, and generally do not wish to get involved in conflicts."
"The Merchant Alliance: They control most of the unofficial commercial activities within the base, from street stalls to the black market, their influence is everywhere. They are well-informed and wield considerable power, but they are in competition with the Jiangcheng Resources Department."
"Brotherhood (Questionable): A rumored underground organization that operates in secrecy and is said to engage in shady activities such as smuggling contraband, intelligence trading, and assassination. Jiangcheng has cracked down on it multiple times, but it still exists like weeds. Warning: Avoid any association with it unless absolutely necessary."
Seeing this, Xu Mo gained a clearer understanding of the internal structure of Jiangcheng. It was a typical "strong trunk, weak branches" structure. The so-called forces were more like vines with different functions attached to the great tree of Jiangcheng as a sanctuary; they might have their own ulterior motives, but they would never dare to shake the foundation of the tree. This reassured Xu Mo somewhat, at least the apparent order was guaranteed.
Next, Xu Mo saw the part he was most concerned about—the part about people with superpowers.
"After the apocalypse, some individuals began to exhibit abilities beyond those of ordinary people; these people are called superhumans."
"Awakened Superpowers: A very small number of individuals suddenly awaken a supernatural ability under the influence of unknown factors, possibly related to viruses, radiation, or mental shocks. The method and conditions of awakening are unknown and highly random. There are many types of superpowers, and those currently known to be recorded include: "Elemental: Manipulating fire, ice, lightning, earth, etc. Highly aggressive and widely applicable, they are the main force among superpowered individuals."
Enhancement type: One or more physical attributes such as strength, speed, defense, and senses far exceed those of ordinary people, and may even lead to mutation, resembling a humanoid ferocious beast.
Psychic type: Involves telepathy, mental impact, illusion creation, memory reading, etc. These abilities are bizarre, difficult to defend against, and extremely rare.
Special type: Includes unclassifiable and peculiar abilities such as healing, spatial manipulation, and shapeshifting. Extremely valuable and usually under strict protection.
Important Note: The number of people with supernatural abilities is extremely small, one in ten thousand. Furthermore, their abilities are usually weak in the early stages of awakening and require time to develop and grow. Currently, over 80% of registered supernatural individuals are absorbed, recruited, and protected by the Jiangcheng Shelter, serving its purposes. Wild supernatural individuals who remain outside the city are either deeply hidden or have already attached themselves to certain large civilian organizations.
Xu Mo carefully read the descriptions of superhumans, his mind racing. Elemental, enhancement, mental, and special types—this was indeed a bizarre and fantastical world. His "Thirteen Protectors' Horizontal Training" clearly belonged to the category of ancient martial arts cultivation, and it seemed to be a rather authentic and profound external training method. The defense and strength brought by the "Bullhide Realm" had already surpassed the initial performance of an ordinary enhancement-type superhuman.
"Is the awakening of superpowers completely random?" Xu Mo pondered. This meant uncertainty in the acquisition of power, and also implied a potential source of chaos. The Jiangcheng Shelter's vigorous recruitment of superpowered individuals was not only to strengthen its forces, but also likely a means of control.
Moreover, after reviewing the formidable defenses and powerful firepower of the Sixth Forward Base that he had witnessed, Xu Mo became even more convinced of his idea: individual strength, unless it reaches some incredible level, still appears insignificant in the face of organized military forces and heavy weapons.
Whether they are superhumans or people like him who possess external martial arts skills, their value at this stage is more evident in small-scale conflicts and special missions.
"However, disguising myself as an enhancement-type ability user is not a bad choice," Xu Mo pondered.
The comprehensive improvement in physical attributes brought about by the Bullhide Realm perfectly matches the performance of the Enhancement System. This can well explain his extraordinary strength and defense, and avoids prematurely revealing the foundation of the "Thirteen Protectors Horizontal Training" technique.
The subsequent part of the intelligence report detailed the types, habits, and weaknesses of common mutated creatures in the surrounding area, including mutated wolves, mutated rats, and preliminary information on several aquatic mutated species he had encountered. It also included descriptions of the base's unspoken rules, such as which areas should not be visited alone at night, precautions to take when dealing with different groups, and how to determine the reliability of black market brokers.
The message attached at the end, "Quickly Obtain Contribution Points," directly directed Xu Mo to pay attention to an exploration mission issued by the Hunter Guild. The target was an industrial area in the northwest of the base that had just been exposed by the receding floodwaters. It was said that there might be unremoved mechanical parts or chemical raw materials left there, and the reward was considerable. However, it warned that the area was suspected to be a new type of mutant nest, and the risk was extremely high.
Closing the manual, Xu Mo let out a soft breath. Was those seven bullets worth it? In terms of the amount of information, it certainly gave him a comprehensive understanding of Jiangcheng, avoiding many blind spots in his knowledge. Although some information seemed a bit superficial, the parts about the power structure, the superhuman system, and the internal unspoken rules were undoubtedly very valuable.
"It's not a loss, but it's not a gain either," Xu Mo commented. "At least, the direction is clear."
After putting the manual away, Xu Mo lay down on the bed. He sorted through the information he had gained: he was a cultivator with a unique inheritance, the "Thirteen Protectors Horizontal Training," and even if he was exposed, he could disguise himself as an "enhancement-type ability user."
This place is situated within the Jiangcheng Shelter's absolute dominant order system, where civilian forces are deeply entrenched but constrained, and superhumans exist but are highly controlled by the authorities.
Surviving here, the short-term goal is to acquire contribution points to solve survival and consumption problems. If I keep relying on bullets to exchange for contribution points, it might attract the attention of some unscrupulous individuals, which would be unnecessary. Right now, I'm only at Forward Base Six on the outskirts of Jiangcheng, not yet in Jiangcheng itself. There's likely stricter control there, and more likely to be deeper information about various supernatural forces.
My next step is to utilize the rules and resources here to quickly establish myself and enhance my strength.
The faint sound of patrol footsteps and the sporadic noise of the market outside the window added a touch of human warmth to this apocalyptic night, while also reminding Xu Mo that the interior of this last fortress of humanity was far from peaceful.
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