Wasteland Survivalist: A Scientific Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Survival

Upon hearing this answer, Gu Lang's pupils contracted slightly.

"Received. I'm adjusting my course; it may take a few minutes to prepare."

He tried to calm the other person down with words while continuing to work with his hands.

They quickly planned the escape route and waypoints on the electronic nautical chart.

"Pearl of the Bohai Sea, my engine seems to be unable to start. I'll check the problem first and contact you later."

Without waiting for a response, Gu Lang quickly took off his headphones and shut down the dock.

"We can't wait any longer."

He slammed the accelerator to the floor, and the two diesel engines roared to life.

The bow of the boat was suddenly lifted, cutting a white trail of waves through the churning water.

The chosen escape route was the open sea to the west, away from the ferry.

This is also the direction the ocean current is currently moving in.

Almost at the same time he accelerated, two small boats around the Pearl reacted.

Like a startled wasp, the engine roared shrilly.

It shot out from under the shadow of the ship like an arrow, heading straight for his yacht.

Gu Lang took out all the weapons and equipment and arranged them neatly.

While navigating the boat, he put on protective clothing, preparing for possible close-quarters combat.

The other party's small boat appeared to be a former maritime anti-smuggling vessel.

It has a very small tonnage but extremely high speed.

The yacht was loaded with supplies, and it was powered by biodiesel.

Too bulky and lacks power.

The distance between the two sides is gradually being narrowed.

In that critical moment, Gu Lang had an idea.

They used a broom and mop to jam the rudder and maintain the course of the ship.

He went to the stern, checked his watch, and turned on the four smoke generators.

The cans retrieved from the life raft immediately emitted thick orange smoke.

It blocked the view of the two small boats behind.

Back in the driver's seat, he pressed a button on the console.

The winch at the stern slowly began to rotate, and the fishing net was quietly lowered into the sea under the cover of smoke.

The smoke generator can only produce smoke for 15 minutes, and the best time to use it is when the smoke dissipates.

Time passed slowly, and the fishing net was finally lowered completely.

Driven by the buoy, it unfolds like an underwater barrier.

After removing the tools used for positioning, Gu Lang took the helm again.

I adjusted my direction and aligned myself with the direction of the wind and waves.

This reduces the approach speed and maneuverability of the pirate speedboat.

After repositioning the rudder, Gu Lang returned to the stern.

The smoke has run out, and we only have one chance.

Two small boats were identified, both located in a fan-shaped area at a 45-degree angle to the rear of the yacht and to the sides.

"300 meters, 250 meters, 200 meters, 150 meters!"

Gu Lang calculated the distance accurately and cut the two main cables of the fishing net with two strokes.

Three seconds later, both small boats, one in front of the other, began to shake.

Its speed suddenly dropped, and it started spinning abnormally in place.

Their propellers were undoubtedly entangled in the fishing nets.

Modern high-quality fishing nets are made of materials such as polyester fiber, polyethylene, and nylon.

These materials have extremely high strength and toughness.

The yacht uses high-molecular-weight polyethylene fishing nets, with a tensile strength that can even reach 800 MPa.

It exceeds the strength of most ship hull steel.

Once tangled in the propeller, the fishing net fibers will quickly tighten.

At best, it can cause the engine to overload and shut down; at worst, it can directly damage the drive shaft or propeller, causing it to lose power.

Seeing that the tactic had succeeded, Gu Lang continued his high-speed chase at sea.

Only after confirming that there were no more pursuers on the horizon behind them did their taut nerves relax slightly.

He let out a long sigh of relief, only then realizing that his protective suit was completely soaked with cold sweat.

The adrenaline rush from that series of extreme maneuvers is fading, replaced by deep fatigue.

He slowly reduced the throttle, the engine's roar subsided to a low hum, and the speed decreased accordingly.

"This is troublesome." Gu Lang's lips twitched slightly.

During the chase just now, he made several large-scale maneuvers at sea.

Not only did it consume a lot of extra diesel fuel, it also caused him to lose his precise location.

All around was the vast ocean, with no coastline, islands, lighthouses, or other landmarks to be found.

Having sailed away from the main shipping lanes, there were no navigational markers visible on the sea at this point.

Without the aid of satellite positioning, he can now only rely on nautical charts and a compass to determine his next direction and route.

The so-called nautical compass was simply a compass ball fixed to the control panel in the driver's seat.

Cheap products costing only a few dozen yuan have extremely poor precision, with errors potentially reaching several degrees.

If you're out at sea, relying on this thing for navigation is practically suicide.

Fortunately, the Bohai Sea is a semi-enclosed shallow sea.

As long as you keep sailing roughly south, you should theoretically be able to reach land eventually.

The only problem is getting to land before the diesel runs out.

Gu Lang turned on the radio, hoping to catch some useful information.

Or at least, determine your general area.

The result only intensified the chill in his heart.

"...SOS...We need medicine and food...If there are any boats nearby, please respond..."

"...This is the 'Hai'an,' which provides temporary shelter and basic medical care..."

"...Please follow our instructions, move closer to us, and ensure your safety..."

Similar signals have appeared on multiple commonly used maritime frequency bands.

These signals sounded heartfelt, filled with helplessness and goodwill.

However, given the precedent of the "Pearl of the Bohai Sea," Gu Lang's suspicions had reached their peak.

"Another trap..." he muttered to himself.

These call patterns are similar, distributed across different channels, like an intricately woven net.

Either a normal person wants to kill and rob, or a violent person is fishing for prey.

It's even possible that normal people controlled by the madman are acting as accomplices to the tyrant.

The conclusion is harsh: this seemingly free ocean is actually fraught with danger.

It may be more dangerous than the land where the crisis is clearly defined.

On land, at least there are buildings and terrain to maneuver and hide from.

On the flat sea, the ship is like an exposed target.

Unless it's a submarine, it can't escape radar or drone detection.

With that thought in mind, Gu Lang no longer hesitated.

Since precise location is impossible, it's better to choose the simplest and least error-prone target direction.

He corrected his course and, referring to the compass, aimed the bow of the ship due south.

By abandoning the search for navigational markers, one can stay as far away as possible from potentially high-risk areas at sea.

Especially the Myo-do Islands, which he originally planned to pass through.

The area is dotted with islands and reefs, and has complex waterways, making it an ideal place for ambushes.

The yacht continued its journey amidst the monotonous sound of its engine.

Every now and then, Gu Lang would check the fuel gauge.

The slowly descending pointer felt like a dull knife cutting into his confidence.

Time passed slowly, but the scene of the sea and sky merging into one remained unchanged.

Anxiety, like a creeping vine, kept coiling around his heart.