CHAPTER 61: CHAPTER 61 PROTECTIVE SUIT

Opening the wardrobe, Chen Xin intended to find a jacket to upgrade it through the system into a Protective Suit.

The wardrobe held all of Chen Xin’s current clothes, including regular jackets, essential winter down coats, and the outdoor survival gear he used with Mo Qingyan and others in the past.

After some consideration, Chen Xin did not take a regular jacket or a down coat but chose a red cold-weather jacket and a dark brown tactical poncho.

"Outdoor Cold-weather Jacket"

"Upgrade Option One: Upgrade to long-fleece cold-weather lining, add a cold-weather mask, enhance insulation, improve outer layer waterproofing effect, survival points required for upgrade 20"

"Upgrade Option Two: Upgrade acid and alkali resistant outer fabric, add digital camouflage coating, add protective breathing mask, enhance hazardous environment protection, survival points required for upgrade 35"

"Would you like to provide materials such as long-fleece cotton, waterproof fabric, gas masks, digital camouflage paint for the upgrade?"

"Material for Option Two provided with the tactical poncho, reducing survival points required for upgrade by 15, survival points required for upgrade 20, do you choose to upgrade?"

This was the first time Chen Xin chose to upgrade an item. Although the upgrade process seemed similar to previous upgrades, the item upgrade was more of a tool synthesis.

The tactical poncho served as the material for the cold-weather jacket upgrade, but the upgraded cold-weather jacket clearly retained the functions of the tactical poncho.

After some consideration, Chen Xin chose to upgrade and also added an old down vest, further reducing the survival points needed for the upgrade while enhancing the cold-weather jacket’s thermal capabilities post-upgrade.

The cold-weather jacket, post-upgrade, transformed into a long, trench coat-like design in gray-black digital camouflage. Its surface felt as smooth as the tactical poncho, but thicker, and the outfit included numerous Velcro and tactical storage pockets, convenient for Chen Xin to carry various items.

Inside, a quite thick detachable down lining appeared, looking undoubtedly warm.

What satisfied Chen Xin most was the lining extended to the hem, but instead of merely fixed to the bottom, it came with a waterproof fabric cover, effectively preventing the splash of mud from dirtying the inside hem.

Along with the Protective Suit, a pair of pants made from the same material was included.

The hood, originally stored in the collar, was enlarged significantly and included a waterproof brim.

This ensured coverage for the head while blocking rain from the face without hindering vision.

Particularly, the hood connected to a detachable protective breathing mask, wrapping around the entire face, eliminating the need for an additional gas mask.

Chen Xin picked up the entire outfit, tried it on, jumped twice in place, flexed his arms and legs, and felt the outfit’s warmth, and though thick, it was not heavy.

The tailored arm design didn’t restrict movement, ensuring flexibility during outdoor activities.

This made Chen Xin very satisfied, as such an outfit was highly beneficial for outdoor activities in the current environment.

With the Protective Suit, Chen Xin finally felt confident to venture outside.

After preparing everything needed, Chen Xin used the remaining 5 survival points to make two magazines and a box of bullets, placing them into the ammo pouch attached to the Protective Suit for emergencies.

This time, Chen Xin left without using a car.

While driving might be more convenient for hauling supplies, this time he primarily aimed to explore the external environment and search for possible supplies. Walking was more covert and flexible, allowing him to reach places inaccessible to vehicles.

Regarding the transportation of supplies, Chen Xin believed that finding the supplies and identifying the location first would be better before driving there.

After all, driving consumes gasoline, and a trip could easily cost over ten liters, making fuel consumption a crucial consideration for Chen Xin.

Although resource availability hasn’t ceased, and there are still ways to obtain gasoline, every resource is precious in the post-apocalyptic world, requiring careful and frugal usage.

After packing all necessary items into his backpack, securing his pistol’s safety and placing it into the tactical bag of the Protective Suit, and fixing the upgraded Samurai Sword onto the Protective Suit with Velcro, Chen Xin fastened the breathing mask onto his face, donned his hood, and stepped out of the shelter.

Despite wearing the thick and warm Protective Suit and fastening the breathing mask over his face, Chen Xin still felt a slight chill, with his breath forming a mist layer on the mask.

He looked around; the sky remained as gloomy and dark as before, even darker, akin to night, as a drizzle fell from the sky.

Though the rain was light, barely more than a drizzle, with the rainproof Protective Suit, Chen Xin wasn’t bothered by it, but it was ultimately not a good sign.

Because aside from possible acid rain, rain brings cooling, which is why Chen Xin felt cold even in the warm Protective Suit.

Many people might have experienced this: if it doesn’t rain around September to October, the weather remains hot as if summer hasn’t ended.

But once it rains, the temperature drops immediately, as if autumn has arrived suddenly.

The south might fare slightly better, but in the north, after autumn, rain often heralds a temperature cliff drop; one day it might be thirty degrees, the next only twenty.

It seems that autumn passes swiftly with these rains, replaced quickly by the cold winter.

Originally, this time should be late May to early June, when the weather should be gradually warming, but with this persistent drizzle, Chen Xin, lacking a thermometer, judged the temperature was possibly below ten degrees just by the moisture on his breathing mask.

This inevitably made Chen Xin feel a wave of worry and concern; the temperature was dropping faster than he expected, not a situation anyone could take lightly.

Even though he stayed in the shelter, with the ground as an insulation layer and the insulated containers, continued temperature drops meant that heating must soon be addressed.