27: Three days to go, Gushan prepares for battle.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Three-Day Countdown, Preparing for Battle at Lone Mountain

The morning sun shone into the room, hitting his face. Lin Zhou snapped his eyes open, fear in his gaze and fine sweat on his forehead. The roars of zombies seemed to still echo in his ears. He sat up abruptly, got out of bed, and pushed open the window. The fresh scent of rice blossoms drifted in the air.

This place had once been a Song Dynasty mountain fortress used to resist the Yuan. The northern part of the village was the highest point of the entire mountain range, while the west and east sides were sheer cliffs two to three hundred meters deep. To the south stood a sturdy stone gate that had weathered hundreds of years of wind and rain. A few years ago, the government built a three-meter-wide concrete road that wound up the mountain. The entire village covered an area of one square kilometer. At its peak, fifty or sixty households lived here, but now only two remained.

Two years ago, his parents built a three-story cast-in-place house on the mountain. Right behind the house was an air-raid shelter left over from the Third Front Construction era, its entrance hidden by dense bushes. Standing on the second-floor balcony and looking out, the scattered villages three or four kilometers down the mountain were all in view. This unique terrain naturally formed an excellent layout that was easy to defend and hard to attack. Loofah vines under the courtyard wall climbed up bamboo poles, their emerald leaves dotted with tender yellow flowers. The crowing of a neighbor's rooster came from nearby—only Grandma Li remained to watch over the old house; her son and grandsons all worked in the provincial capital and rarely returned throughout the year.

Pulling back his scattered thoughts, his gaze swept over the calendar on the wall. The writing for July 12th was particularly jarring. In Lin Zhou's mind, a dark gold light screen flickered slowly. In the top right corner, the doomsday countdown jumped with striking scarlet numbers: 71:59:47. This was a brand-new system, crushed by space-time turbulence into fragments yet completing a three-system fusion—the Iron-Devouring red alert system.

[Iron-Devouring red alert system (Fusion: 1%, Damaged: 99%)]

- Core Module 1: Attribute Amplification (Locked): Kill zombies or devour crystal cores to obtain free attribute points to strengthen the four basic stats: Strength, Agility, Constitution, and Spirit.

- Core Module 2: Red Alert Base (Glow of the Republic Optimized Edition, Locked): Deeply optimized based on "Glow of the Republic," it supports converting designated vehicles into Base Vehicles. crystal core energy replaces game funds, unlocking resource collection, the building tech tree, and a multi-faction unit system.

- Core Module 3: Universal Devourer (Locked): Can devour crystal cores, metal, and mutated materials to convert into system energy, simultaneously strengthening red alert unit attributes and building defense efficiency. Module Fusion Derivative Ability: Portable Storage Space (Level 1, Current Volume: 3m x 3m x 3m). This is a brand-new ability born during the system's reconstruction and fusion. It can only store non-living objects. Time is frozen within the space, and the state of items stored is permanently preserved. Space upgrades are bound to the host's four-dimensional attributes and energy reserves; the volume doubles with each level. Advanced functions like weight capacity bonuses and remote access can be unlocked later. Items within a 5-meter range can be stored or retrieved with a mere thought, without physical contact.

- Unified Activation Condition: After the apocalypse begins, absorb a Tier 1 radiation crystal core or kill a Tier 1 Zombie to activate all three modules simultaneously.

This was no illusion. Three months ago, he had been swept into a parallel world overrun by zombies by space-time turbulence. The three original systems he awakened had helped him fight his way through a sea of corpses, but due to unplanned blind confidence, he ultimately fell under the claws of a Tier 6 Radiation Overlord. Now, returning to three days before the doomsday countdown with this reconstructed and fused system core, he had to take it steady this time and must not repeat the same mistakes. The black off-road SUV in the courtyard, just picked up with zero down payment a few days ago during the "Cars for the Countryside" campaign, was about to transform into a mobile fortress adapted for the apocalypse under the system's power. The portable space hidden within the Universal Devourer module was his ultimate trump card for hoarding supplies.

Lin Zhou walked quickly downstairs to the first-floor bathroom and turned on the faucet. Cold groundwater splashed into his palms. He scooped up a handful and splashed it hard onto his face. The cool sensation instantly washed over his skin, completely dispelling the remaining fear and chaos. The man in the mirror had sharp eyes, and the thick calluses on his palms from firearms training were particularly obvious. In the depths of his eyes swirled the determination to keep his family safe. Having been discharged for six months, he hadn't touched a cent of his 200,000 yuan settlement allowance. He had originally wanted to return to the village for some peace and quiet, but with the apocalypse approaching, this money combined with the system was the family's greatest hope for survival—he had to find a way to get his family home immediately!

If he spoke directly about the apocalypse, his parents definitely wouldn't believe him. Lin Zhou's eyes darted around, and an idea suddenly popped into his mind. He grabbed his phone and dialed his father's number.

The roar of machinery from the construction site came through the receiver. His father's voice was heavy with fatigue, accompanied by noisy background sounds. "Hello, Xiao Zhou? Why did you think of calling Dad at this time?"

"Dad, there's an emergency!" Lin Zhou deliberately lowered his voice, his tone carrying the urgency and bashfulness typical of a young man, and his speaking speed was faster than usual. "I've taken a liking to Xiao Fang, the daughter of the Wang family in the neighboring village. I was planning to wait until you guys came back at the end of the year to talk about it in detail, but Xiao Fang secretly told me yesterday that a family from another village has already asked a matchmaker to go to her house!"

He paused and deliberately emphasized his tone, sounding flustered and urgent. "If you guys don't hurry back and settle this with her parents, I'm afraid someone else will beat us to it! If this falls through, I..."

Before he could finish, the roar of machinery on the other end suddenly quieted down. His father's voice instantly rose, full of surprise and excitement, and even his breathing became a bit heavy. "Really?! That's wonderful news! I've seen that girl; she looks decent and has a good personality! You rascal, you kept it well hidden!"

"Dad, now's not the time for that!" Lin Zhou struck while the iron was hot, his tone even more urgent. "Xiao Fang's parents are old-fashioned; both sets of parents have to meet in person. You guys need to buy tickets and come back as soon as possible! One step late and we might lose the chance!"

"Good, good, good!" His father said "good" three times, his laughter impossible to hide even through the receiver. "It just so happens this construction site is about to finish. I'll tell the boss I'm not going to the next one. I'll tell your mom right now and book the tickets online. We'll pack tonight and should be able to take the bus back tomorrow morning. Don't worry, kid, leave this to us!"

"Also, stay safe on the road. Call me in advance when you get to the town, and I'll pick you up!" Lin Zhou quickly reminded him, fearing his parents might neglect safety in their rush.

"I know, I know!" His father's voice was still full of joy. "Don't overthink things at home. Just wait for us to get back!"

After hanging up, Lin Zhou let out a long sigh of relief. He immediately switched numbers and dialed his sister's phone. She was a sophomore at Shanghai University. His tone was more serious than ever: "Xixi, is anyone with you?" "Brother, I'm alone in the dorm. What's wrong?" "Xixi, I'm transferring two thousand to you. Pack your things immediately and buy the fastest ticket home. You must be home tomorrow. The apocalypse is coming in three days; there will be zombies everywhere. You're only safe by my side. Don't tell anyone about this. No matter who asks, just say there's an emergency at home. If you say one more word, the whole family will be in danger."

After a brief silence, his sister's firm voice came through: "Okay, I believe you! I'm going to buy the ticket now!"

After hanging up, Lin Zhou's eyes grew hot. His younger sister had trusted him unconditionally since they were children. This certainty became his warmest comfort at this moment. He sent another WeChat message to his parents, adding some details like "Xiao Fang's parents are pushing hard, we can't be lacking in etiquette." Sure enough, his father replied instantly with a string of "Don't worry" messages and even said he'd bring some local specialties from near the construction site for his future daughter-in-law.

Lin Zhou gripped his phone, the coldness in his eyes softening slightly. The marriage proposal was a lie, but saving their lives was real. When the apocalypse arrived, he would make his parents understand that he wasn't fooling around—he really intended to protect them and help them survive!

Lin Zhou opened the memo app on his phone and tapped the keyboard quickly, drafting a survival plan:

First, Supply Procurement List

- Protection: Purchase four sets of tactical helmets, cut-resistant and puncture-resistant gloves, high-top combat boots, and camouflage tactical uniforms from a military enthusiast shop in the county seat. Include matching tactical knee and elbow pads, puncture-resistant vests, and tactical backpacks. Also buy several composite bows and matching arrows.

- Medical: Purchase common medicines and first-aid supplies such as cold medicine, fever reducers, antibiotics, iodophor, gauze, and tourniquets.

- Food: Bulk purchase a two-month supply for four people of compressed biscuits, canned meat, and dehydrated vegetables from the supermarket. Also get appropriate amounts of vacuum-packed noodles, rice, seasonings, and beans. Ten cases of purified water, along with chocolate and energy bars for emergencies. Anyway, I'll have to go out and collect supplies later.

- Energy & Tools: Two diesel generators, high-power solar panels, and battery packs. Purchase angle grinders, welding machines, high-strength seamless steel pipes, nail guns, and woodworking saws from the Hardware Store.

- Key Consumables: 4 rolls of fine wire mesh, 200 meters of load-bearing rope, two boxes of steel nails, 5 manganese steel machetes, and 4 survival whistles.

He wouldn't leave a single cent of the 200,000 yuan settlement allowance. After the apocalypse, money would be waste paper. Only things that could be obtained immediately to fill the portable space were king.

Second, Shelter Location: His own mountain house

Build the core defensive line based on the standalone three-story cast-in-place house on the mountain. Convert the air-raid shelter behind the house into a hidden warehouse and emergency shelter. At the narrowest point of the only concrete road up the mountain, order a high-priced thickened steel gate. Install another steel gate at the ancient southern village gate to form two defensive lines in depth. Later, reinforce the house floor by floor with steel. As for Grandma Li living alone next door, I hope she doesn't turn into a zombie!

Third, Pre-war Preparation: Replicating the Optimal red alert Opening

- Vehicle Modification: Replace the black off-road SUV's tires with thickened off-road tires, reinforce the chassis, and install a front bumper winch, in preparation for the system's activation to convert it into a Base Vehicle. At that time, it will be safe to travel back and forth down the mountain to scavenge for supplies.

Putting away his phone, Lin Zhou grabbed his car keys and set off to shop according to plan. Just as he got into the car, his phone vibrated. His sister sent a message: "Brother, I bought the ticket. I'll arrive at the county station at 3 PM tomorrow. Pick me up, okay?"

His father followed with another message: "Son, the tickets are bought. We'll arrive at the county station around 7 PM tomorrow."

Looking at the two messages, a bitter yet warm smile appeared on Lin Zhou's lips. Once his family was gathered, his Lone Mountain defensive line would truly be established.