novelsite Chapter 54 Radio Waves
Chapter 54 Radio Waves
It was just past two in the afternoon, and outside the window it was pitch black, no different from the dead of night. Only inside the shelter, the orange-red flames leaping in the heater dispelled a small area of darkness and chill, casting Xu Mo's shadow flickering on the wall.
Xu Mo did not change his routine because of the unusual weather. He sat cross-legged on a mat next to the stove, and with the steady light, he was intently adjusting a multi-band radio in his hands.
He'd picked up this radio from a corner that looked like an electronics store during his last search for lighting and energy supplies. Xu Mo's initial thought was simply that in this information-isolated post-apocalyptic world, a radio might serve as a window into the outside world. After all, without satellite and internet networks, this ancient method of transmitting information via terrestrial radio waves might become the last resort for the various surviving factions to disseminate information and maintain communication.
Xu Mo carefully examined the radio. It was a model that could receive FM, AM, and SW signals, and it also had a manual power-generating crank, which took into account the power supply in extreme situations.
In today's world, with no satellite signals and all base stations paralyzed, the main signals we can rely on are medium-wave signals, which have a longer transmission distance and are relatively stable despite being affected by terrain, and short-wave signals, which can achieve ultra-long-distance transmission under certain specific conditions but are unstable and susceptible to interference.
As for FM, due to its straight-line propagation characteristics and small coverage area, in today's environment, it can probably only be received inside shelters or at very close range, so it is not very useful.
Xu Mo inserted the dry cell batteries he had scavenged into the radio, turned on the power switch, and the long-lost hum of electricity and background white noise began to play. He first tried the medium wave band, slowly and patiently turning the tuning knob. Most of the sound coming from the speaker was a "hissing..." noise, occasionally mixed with some faint, ghostly fragments of signals that were hard to distinguish, but none of them could be received stably.
Xu Mo was not discouraged and continued to search patiently, as time passed amidst the continuous noise.
Just as Xu Mo was about to finish searching the medium wave band and was about to switch to short wave, suddenly, a regular voice signal with obvious signs of artificial modulation broke free from the noise and became clear and distinct.
"Buzz... This is... Jiangcheng Shelter Radio Station... Buzz... Repeat, this is Jiangcheng Shelter Radio Station... Now broadcasting the daily news..."
It worked! It was received!
Xu Mo's spirits lifted. He immediately stopped turning the knob and slightly adjusted the antenna angle and the radio's position to make the signal more stable and clear. A clear male voice echoed through the speaker in the silent shelter.
"First, an important weather and survival alert: Based on data from our weather stations and the assessment of our scientific team, the current extreme low temperatures and sharp reduction in sunshine will continue and may even intensify. The coldest period has not yet arrived. All survivors still holding out in the wild or small settlements must make every effort to stockpile warm clothing, high-calorie food, and fuel to prepare for even harsher conditions."
Hearing this, Xu Mo's eyes narrowed slightly. Sure enough, even the official shelter had confirmed that this awful weather wasn't over yet.
"Secondly, a report on the current status and policies of the Jiangcheng Shelter. Our shelter is currently operating smoothly, with relatively complete fortifications, basic medical facilities, and a food production system. We always welcome all law-abiding survivors to join us and weather the apocalyptic winter together. Please note that the shelter operates on a system of distribution according to work; all members must undertake corresponding work based on their abilities in exchange for survival supplies and residency. At the same time, we respect individual choice; you are free to come and go, but those who leave will no longer enjoy the protection and resources provided by the shelter."
Hearing this, Xu Mo nodded to himself. The policy sounded reasonable, as it combined collective constraints with a certain degree of individual freedom, making it better than purely dog-eat-dog or extremely militarized management.
"Finally, a safety announcement. Thanks to the significant reduction in zombie activity during winter, our shelter's armed forces have recently taken proactive measures, effectively clearing several zombie gathering points in the surrounding area, greatly improving the security level around the shelter. However, we still need to be vigilant about the possible activity of mutants. All survivors are urged to remain alert."
This message confirmed two things for Xu Mo: First, ordinary zombies do indeed become "sluggish" in winter due to the low temperature, which provides a window of opportunity for cleanup and action; second, the Jiangcheng Shelter has a certain degree of proactive attack and area control capabilities, and its condition is better than he expected, and they are also aware of the existence of mutants.
After the Jiangcheng Shelter's broadcast played several times, the signal began to weaken. Xu Mo noted down the approximate location of the shelter mentioned in the broadcast, and then began trying to search for shortwave bands.
The noise in the shortwave band was more complex and unpredictable, and the signal was erratic. Xu Mo spent more time carefully fine-tuning, trying to capture any possible man-made signals.
Persistence pays off. At a certain frequency, another different sound, intermittently interspersed with the fading and interference caused by ionospheric reflection, was captured by him.
"Zzz... This is... Rock Fortress... Zzz... Calling all survivors who can hear... We are located at... location... Zzz... Survivors are also welcome to join... Share resources and get through the winter... Be sure to... stockpile supplies... Beware of the cold and... mutated monsters..."
This shelter, which called itself "Rock Fortress," broadcast content similar to that of the Jiangcheng shelter, urging survivors to seek refuge there and emphasizing the need to stockpile supplies and be vigilant against danger. Although the signal quality was poor, and much crucial information was lost or blurred due to interference, Xu Mo could still barely make out their method of determining direction during the day using the North Star and simple tools.
Although the broadcasts from the two shelters were concise and contained limited information, they were like a faint ray of light, piercing through the thick fog surrounding Xu Mo.
Xu Mo gleaned some crucial information from these radio waves and drew some conclusions: at least larger organizations like Jiangcheng Shelter and Rock Fortress had initially restored order and were capable of conducting regular external broadcasts in an attempt to integrate and guide the scattered survivor forces. This was far superior to the loose state of Wang Meng's team or Zhang Hao's team, which were struggling to survive.
Moreover, both shelters are consciously sending out critical information, such as weather warnings and safety notices, which are invaluable lifelines for isolated small groups and individuals. Both sides explicitly mentioned the threat of mutants, indicating that this is no longer an isolated phenomenon, but a common enemy that all survivors must face.
Ultimately, all the shelters in this chain, whether calling for refuge or reminding people to stockpile supplies, all point to the same core message—sticking together for warmth and stockpiling resources to cope with this seemingly endless harsh winter.
"It seems that the outside world, though still cruel, is not entirely hopeless. At least the embers of order are still burning stubbornly in some places." Xu Mo turned off the radio to save electricity. The light from the fireplace illuminated his pensive face.
This information undoubtedly broadened his horizons significantly, giving him a more macro-level understanding of his environment. The Jiangcheng shelter seemed to be in good condition and was relatively close by. This provided a potential direction for his future choices.
Of course, Xu Mo wouldn't rashly decide to go based on just a few broadcasts. He knew that what was shown on the broadcasts was inevitably a embellished version of events, and the true internal situation, factional struggles, and details of resource allocation were far more complex than could be summarized in just a few words.
But regardless, the voice from the radio waves made Xu Mo feel that he was no longer completely alone in facing this frozen, perilous world. In the distance, there were also humans struggling, organizing, and trying to rebuild the glimmer of civilization.
Xu Mo carefully put the radio away. In the future, listening to these broadcasts regularly to understand the outside world will become another important daily task for him, following his cultivation and vigilance.
The sky outside was already as dark as midnight. But in Xu Mo's heart, these bits of information seemed to have lit a faint lamp pointing into the distance.