hsntnovel Chapter 146 Ambush
Chapter 146 Ambush
Chapter 146 Ambush (5500 words)
After passing the No. 4 forward base, Xu Mo refilled the fuel tank, which hadn't been used much before. Seeing that both the main and auxiliary fuel tanks on the instrument panel showed full marks, he felt more at ease.
Xu Mo didn't linger at the base. He simply checked the vehicle's condition and then drove back onto the old road that stretched southeast.
The wheels rolled over the last relatively smooth section of cement road outside the base, and after turning a corner, the silhouette of Forward Base No. 4 disappeared from sight.
Xu Mo knew that from this point on, he had truly left Jiangcheng.
Now, this road, and the fields and hills that stretch endlessly out on both sides, gradually encroached upon by weeds and shrubs, are completely wilderness.
The journey throughout the day proceeded unexpectedly smoothly.
The road conditions were better than expected. This old provincial highway, which connects Jiangcheng to the southeast, should have been of a high standard before the disaster. Although the road surface was full of cracks, the roadbed was largely intact, enough for off-road vehicles to travel smoothly at a speed of about 60 kilometers per hour.
The view is expansive, with abandoned farmland and scattered, collapsed farmhouses on both sides.
Occasionally, crows would be startled by the engine noise, cawing and circling for a moment before landing back on the bare branches or ruins, their dark eyes coldly watching the lonely, moving metal vehicle.
There were no zombies or obvious signs of mutated beast activity.
Time passed amidst the roar of the engine and the rustling of wheels on the road. As dusk approached, the western sky began to take on a twilight hue.
As the sun finally sank below the horizon, leaving only a dark red afterglow on the horizon, Xu Mo encountered his first practical problem since leaving Jiangcheng—where to sleep tonight?
He did see many ruins along the way, but they were either half collapsed or had cracked walls, looking shaky and barely able to provide shelter from the wind and rain, let alone a temporary shelter where one could close their eyes in peace and guard against any threats that might appear at night.
The carriage was crammed full of distributed supply boxes and personal backpacks, leaving no space to lie down and rest. The roof rack was flat, but sleeping on it was rather unreliable.
Whether for nocturnal predators or other potentially malicious individuals, being on the roof of a car is an invitation to them.
Xu Mo slowly parked the car on a relatively flat open space by the roadside and turned off the engine. As the roar of the engine disappeared, the silence of the wilderness surged in like a tide.
Xu Mo rolled down the car window, letting the cool night breeze in, and listened carefully for a moment. All around him was the rustling of the wind through the grass and the faint cry of an unknown night bird in the distance.
"Looks like I'll have to use it," Xu Mo muttered to himself, his gaze falling on the trunk.
Xu Mo restarted the car, drove it off the road, through a patch of waist-high weeds, and found a depression backed by a huge weathered rock.
This place is relatively secluded, with rocks that block the view from one direction and potential wind and rain, while the view in front is also quite open, making it a suitable location for camping.
After parking the car, Xu Mo did not get out immediately. Instead, he sat quietly in the car for five minutes to make sure there was no unusual movement around him before he quickly got out.
After clearing away a few pebbles and protruding grass roots, Xu Mo took out the heavy military tent bag from the trunk and began setting up the tent.
His movements weren't particularly skillful, but fortunately the tent was simply designed, and after about ten minutes, a low, olive-green single tent was firmly erected in the shadow of the rocks.
After setting up the tent, Xu Mo took out a few small items from the toolbox in the car. These were gadgets he had bought with contribution points before setting off. They had no other use, but they could be used as warning devices.
Xu Mo carefully set up the warning devices around the tent, covering several possible directions with a radius of about fifteen meters. He then sprinkled some insect repellent powder on the outer perimeter before completing the campsite setup.
Everything was arranged, and it was completely dark. The waning moon cast a cold, weak light that barely outlined the vague contours of the wilderness.
The night passed unusually peacefully, with no creature disturbing Xu Mo's rest. As dawn broke in the east, Xu Mo gently unzipped the tent and stepped out.
The morning's journey went smoothly as usual, with fine weather. As Xu Mo drove, he opened the tablet on the passenger seat to access an offline map and check his current location.
Roughly estimated, since leaving the No. 4 forward base yesterday, including this morning's journey, he has traveled more than 200 kilometers in the southeast direction.
This speed surprised even Xu Mo himself.
He originally expected that advancing 100 kilometers per day would be good, but then he thought it was reasonable, since this area was still on the periphery that Jiangcheng's forces could theoretically influence.
"At this rate, I might be faster than I expected—" A glimmer of optimism just rose in Xu Mo's mind, but he immediately suppressed it. "I can't be careless. The real trouble is probably in the area 500 kilometers away from Jiangcheng, or even further. The extent of road damage, the density of zombies and mutated creatures, and the potential unknown threats there will be the real test."
Xu Mo composed himself, fixed the tablet back onto its stand, and refocused his gaze on the winding road ahead.
However, Xu Mo overestimated the buffer provided by "distance" and underestimated the omnipresent dangers of the wilderness.
The real test often comes suddenly when you let your guard down and think that everything is still under control.
Around 2 p.m., under the blazing sun, Xu Mo was driving through a hilly section of road with slightly higher ground on both sides, covered with dense shrubs and scattered rocks.
The terrain here was somewhat complex, and visibility was somewhat obstructed. He subconsciously reduced his speed from over 60 kilometers per hour to around 40 kilometers per hour, and scanned both sides more vigilantly.
Just as the car was about to leave the hilly road and a relatively open riverbank wasteland appeared ahead—
A chilling, bone-deep cold, without warning, like the forked tongue of a venomous snake, suddenly licked the back of Xu Mo's neck!
That wasn't a change in temperature, but an instinctive warning of a deadly threat! It was the tremor that erupted from the depths of a prey's soul when it was targeted by a master hunter!
"Danger!"
Before the brain could even process the specific information, the body reacted before consciousness could. Xu Mo's muscles tensed instantly, his right foot slammed down on the accelerator almost instinctively, and at the same time, he jerked the steering wheel sharply to the right with both hands!
"Squeak—creak!!"
The high-performance off-road vehicle emitted a screeching sound of tires rubbing together, and its massive body tilted violently due to inertia, roaring as it charged toward the soft roadbed on the right side of the road!
Just as the car body shifted sideways and veered off its original lane, "Bang!!!"
A crisp, short pop ripped through the dullness of the afternoon wilderness!
It was gunfire! And the bullets hit the vehicle!
Xu Mo's heart was pounding in his chest. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, his left hand had already unbuckled his seatbelt with lightning speed, while his right hand grabbed the AK rifle that was on the passenger seat.
Instead of getting out of the car from the more convenient left side, which might be directly in the direction of the gunman, Xu Mo suddenly pushed open the right-side door, performed a standard tactical roll, and plunged into a shallow ditch next to the car.
Upon landing, Xu Mo immediately lay prone, pressing his body as close to the ground as possible, with the muzzle of his rifle pointed to the left side of the vehicle, which was roughly the direction from which the gunfire was coming.
Even now, the sound of the gunshot and the dull thud of the bullet hitting metal still seemed to echo in Xu Mo's ears. Xu Mo held his breath, slightly raised his head, and his sharp gaze, like that of a hawk, quickly swept over the spot where he had just been driving.
The bulletproof glass was intact, and there were no obvious bullet holes in the car door. His gaze shifted down to the left side of the front of the car.
There, on the sturdy steel front bumper, was a dent! In the center of the dent was a deformed and twisted bullet, reflecting a dull luster in the sunlight.
"A sniper—or at least a skilled user of a precision rifle with an extended barrel," Xu Mo judged instantly.
The enemy targeted his driver's seat, intending to kill him with a single blow. Fortunately, his almost premonition of danger and quick reaction allowed him to steer in advance, causing the bullet, originally aimed at the driver's window, to hit only the front bumper.
"Damn it!"
Even with Xu Mo's calm and collected nature, he couldn't help but curse under his breath. He'd only traveled a little over 200 kilometers from Jiangcheng when he encountered this deliberate ambush! And the attackers were clearly seasoned veterans, having chosen this terrain with limited visibility, making it easy to hide and retreat.
Anger flashed through my mind, but was quickly suppressed by icy calm. Now was not the time to be angry.
The enemy knew they had gotten out of the car and that their ambush had been exposed. What followed was a test of patience, experience, and willpower. Whoever lost their composure first, whoever revealed their exact location first, was likely to be the first to die.
Xu Mo remained prone, crawling towards a lower depression behind him. He couldn't stay near the vehicle; it was an obvious target. He had to move, hide, and then take control.
Xu Mo hid in a shallow depression partially surrounded by several weathered rocks and dense shrubs. The view from here was relatively open, allowing him to observe most of the area in the direction of vehicles and the road, while also providing good cover for himself.
He gently adjusted his breathing, steadily rested the butt of the AK against his shoulder, and locked his eyes on the general direction from which the gunshot came—a hilly area to the left of the road, higher in elevation and covered with rocks and bushes.
The sun was blazing, making the rocks scorching hot, but Xu Mo didn't seem to care.
The Iron Bone Realm granted him not only strength and defense, but also endurance far exceeding that of ordinary people. The discomfort caused by intense heat and maintaining a fixed posture for a long time had little effect on him.
Time flowed slowly in the silence. Half an hour passed, and apart from the sound of the wind and the occasional bird call in the distance, there was no other movement. An hour passed, the sun was slightly setting in the west, but the sunlight was still scorching, and the heat radiating from the ground was even more intense.
The other party also seemed extremely patient, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, motionless, waiting for its prey to make a mistake or lose patience and expose itself.
Xu Mo's heartbeat had long since returned to a normal rhythm, his self-awareness remained sharp, and his patience seemed inexhaustible.
A test of patience? He'll play along to the very end.
About forty minutes later, the afternoon sun began to take on a golden hue.
Just as Xu Mo was about to suspect that the other party had quietly withdrawn, a very faint sound, but definitely not a natural wind, reached his ears.
"Shh—shh—"
It looked as if a person or animal had moved their body or adjusted their posture very carefully in the bushes, and their clothing had brushed against the branches and leaves.
The direction was exactly in the middle of the hilly area he had targeted, a spot obscured by several large rocks and dense, dry shrubs. The sound came from slightly to the right and closer to the top of the hill than he had initially estimated.
"Could it be that you couldn't hold back any longer?" A cold glint flashed in Xu Mo's eyes.
In a flash, Xu Mo made a decision. He abruptly crouched up from the depression, pointed his AK at an open area slightly to the left of the source of the sound, and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
"Bang!
""
The crisp sound of gunfire broke the silence of the wilderness once again, the bullets piercing the tall grass and sending dry grass fragments flying.
This is like stirring up trouble!
If someone is hiding there, even if the shot misses, it will be enough to startle them and make them react.
As he fired, Xu Mo's gaze swept rapidly across every detail in the direction the gun was pointing, like a radar.
The instant after firing the shot, Xu Mo swiftly rolled to the right, leaving his original position and disappearing into another lower patch of grass. The entire process was so fast that he only left a blur in his wake.
Just as he fell, before his body had fully touched the ground—
"Whoosh—Pfft!"
Almost half a meter to the left of where he had been crouching, a small crater suddenly appeared in the dry ground, sending dirt and grass roots flying everywhere!
This shot came from the hilly slopes, but it was more precise and accurate.
The opponent was indeed provoked, and their reaction and marksmanship were extremely skillful. If Xu Mo hadn't moved quickly, this shot might have hit!
However, this shot also completely revealed the gunman's exact location.
There will inevitably be muzzle flash when a gun is fired. Even if it may have been treated to suppress the flash, under Xu Mo's focused observation, that momentary flash and the fine dust it kicked up were as clear as a lighthouse in the dark!
Xu Mo lay prone in his hiding place, his heart beating steadily, as if the danger he had just experienced had never happened.
He had already clearly sketched out the specific details of the other party's hiding place in his mind: it was on the right side of the middle of the slope, behind a gray-brown rock about half a person's height, and in front of the rock was a clump of hay that was disguised and slightly different from the surrounding environment.
The opponent was an experienced ambush hunter who knew how to use the terrain and camouflage, had excellent mental fortitude, and was a crack shot. But unfortunately for him, he encountered Xu Mo, who possessed extraordinary perception and reflexes.
Without hesitation, Xu Mo moved again, this time choosing not to engage in a firefight. His opponent held a higher position, sheltered by rocks, giving them the advantage in the exchange. He needed to close the distance or create chaos.
Xu Mo crawled silently back to the SUV. The other party had missed him with that shot, and their attention was probably still focused on the area where he had fired and fallen. They wouldn't expect him to return to the car.
When he got to the SUV, Xu Mo took out two smoke grenades from his pocket. If he had known he would be attacked, he would have put high-explosive grenades in his pocket.
Pulling out the safety pin, Xu Mo estimated the angle and distance, and forcefully threw the first smoke grenade towards the left front of the rock where the gunman was hiding. Immediately afterwards, the second smoke grenade was thrown towards the right front of the rock with a slightly lower parabola.
His arm strength was astonishing; the two smoke grenades flew through beautiful arcs and landed precisely in the designated area.
"laugh""
"laugh"
Thick, grayish-white smoke billowed from the bullet almost instantly, spreading rapidly. Blown by the breeze, it quickly formed an irregular band of smoke in front of the rock where the gunman was hiding. Although it did not completely obscure the rock, it greatly interfered with the enemy's vision and firing range.
The moment the smoke rose, Xu Mo moved. He didn't rush into the smoke, but instead used the smoke and the vehicle itself as cover to quickly and silently zigzag around to the side of the hillside. He wanted to get to the side or rear of the other side!
Xu Mo was extremely fast, unleashing the full power and agility of his Iron Bone Realm. He moved across the rugged slopes as if they were flat ground, yet skillfully kept his footsteps as quiet as possible, his figure appearing and disappearing in the shadows of rocks and bushes.
On the hillside, amidst the mist.
The gunman, dressed in a homemade ghillie suit and almost blending into the surrounding rocks and withered grass, felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
He hadn't expected the target to react so quickly and decisively, and to have such good accuracy and timing in throwing the grenade.
The smoke severely hampered his aim, causing him to lose track of the target's movements.
"Damn it, we've run into tough nut to crack—" the gunman spat, knowing the ambush had failed and the most important thing now was to get out. He cautiously peeked out from behind the rocks, trying to observe the situation outside the smoke and determine the target's possible location and escape route.
Just as his gaze peered warily through the gaps in the smoke towards the downhill slope, "Bang!!"
A gunshot rang out from behind a boulder about thirty meters to his side!
Before the gunman could even react, he felt a sharp pain, as if his left scapula had been smashed by a tremendous force!
He was pulled forward and stumbled, his vision went black, and his ears rang.
"How—how is it possible—so fast—" This was the last clear thought in his mind.
"Bang! Bang!"
Two more gunshots rang out, one striking him in the back of the head and the other shattering his cervical spine.
The figure in the ghillie suit froze completely, then collapsed softly to the ground, the rifle with a scope and modified barrel slipping from his hand and falling to the side, kicking up a little dust.
Xu Mo emerged from behind the boulder, holding an AK-47 in his hand, a wisp of smoke still clinging to the muzzle. His face was expressionless, his eyes chillingly calm.
Maintaining a vigilant posture, Xu Mo quickly approached the fallen gunman. Only after confirming that the man was completely dead did he crouch down and use the muzzle of his gun to pry open the rough but practical ghillie suit.
Below is a man in his thirties, with a rugged face, dark and rough skin, showing obvious signs of a long-term life in the wild.
Blood gushed from the bullet wounds in his left shoulder and back, soaking the ground beneath him. The fatal wounds were to his heart and neck; the 7.62mm intermediate-power bullets from the AK-47 were deadly enough at close range.
Xu Mo quickly searched the body and found, besides the modified rifle and a few empty shell casings, a deflated water bottle, a few pieces of dark jerky, a small bag of salt, and a simple compass.
There were no obvious markers, no signs of organization. This was a typical wilderness hyena, roaming the wilderness and making a living by ambushing lone travelers or small groups.
His goal was clear: Xu Mo's car, and the valuable supplies that might be on it.
Xu Mo stood up and looked around. Apart from the sound of the wind, there was no other noise.
Back at the car, Xu Mo inspected it and found no damage other than bullet holes in the front bumper. He used the car's tools to clean the bullet dents and then temporarily covered the hit area of the bumper with camouflage tape, a simple rust prevention treatment.
After doing all that, Xu Mo threw the captured modified rifle and the remaining bullets into the trunk. As for the other items, he glanced at them but didn't touch them.
There was no intention to bury the bodies; in the end times, this was their final resting place.
Xu Mo sat back in the driver's seat and started the car.
The engine roared again. Xu Mo glanced in the rearview mirror; the ambush victim's body had become an inconspicuous dot in the wilderness background.
This was another lesson the apocalypse taught him after he left Jiangcheng, a lesson that was bloody and direct.
The road ahead is still long. And this "lesson" may have only just begun.