Wasteland Survivalist: A Scientific Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Survival

Gu Lang listened, his gaze shifting back and forth between the map and Zhao Xun's excited face.

While this plan may have some theoretical feasibility, it is still considered insane.

However, compared to the current situation of being trapped on a deserted island, at least there is a concrete plan to move south.

In particular, missile boats possess two key characteristics: "radar stealth" and "high speed."

It was indeed a huge advantage when breaking through a naval blockade.

The risk is extremely high, but... it's not without a chance.

Gu Lang remained silent for a moment, his fingers unconsciously twirling the grains of sand.

Recalling the story Zhao Xun had told earlier, and the decisiveness he showed in the face of adversity.

"You need a new ally who can lend a hand in crucial moments."

After thinking for a while, Gu Lang finally spoke.

"Two people are always better at dealing with unexpected situations than one person."

Zhao Xun looked at him, his smile gradually fading, and he became serious.

"Have you thought this through? This journey might be even more dangerous than the one on Yushan Island."

Nobody knows what's going on at sea. And nobody knows what awaits us at the shipyard.

Even if we get on the ship, only God knows whether we can safely reach the south.

Gu Lang stood up and used water to extinguish the fire in the stove.

"I've heard your story. I've given you a cigarette. I'm joining your plan."

"However," he changed the subject, "we need to get your gyrocopter sorted out first; I don't want it to crash into the sea right after takeoff."

Zhao Xun also stood up and didn't say anything more.

"Do you have any tools here? I'm missing an Allen wrench. I've been having this headache for a while, that's why I've been standing here like an idiot and you caught me."

Without further delay, the two quickly got to work.

Gu Lang rummaged through the camp and found a complete set of repair tools.

Zhao Xun then carefully inspected the rotorcraft, mainly focusing on the engine connections and fuel lines.

Fortunately, apart from a few bolts that needed to be tightened, no serious damage or malfunction was found.

As for the problem with one of the instruments, Zhao Xun judged that it was due to moisture in the wiring and would not affect the flight.

"Are you sure everything's okay? The instrument panel is giving us an error message." Gu Lang patted the tail wing worriedly.

"No problem, even if this thing stops in mid-air, it will still rely on forward inertia to drive the rotor to rotate."

"You can glide down, you won't die from the fall." Zhao Xun rolled his eyes.

"Okay, by the way, what kind of fuel does your gyroplane run on? How far can it fly?"

"A full tank of 95-octane gasoline can get you more than 400 kilometers on a flight."

Gu Lang glanced at the fuel gauge, which showed that there was less than a third of fuel left in the tank, so he pulled out a map and started calculating.

"This is Xizhai Island. The straight-line distance to Kailing Shipyard is about 100 kilometers. Even if you take a one-way ticket, it's still a bit of a limit."

"In this chaotic world, it's good enough that we managed to scrape together this much gasoline. At worst, we can just land on Zhou Shan Island and walk the rest of the way," Zhao Xun said with a nonchalant expression.

Due to limited fuel, the two repacked their personal belongings to reduce flight weight.

They left all non-essential items on the island, carrying only essential fresh water, food, first-aid supplies, and weapons.

According to Zhao Xun, the maximum payload of this gyroplane is only 300 kilograms.

Before boarding the plane, Zhao Xun even made Gu Lang urinate completely.

"Are you ready, Xiao Song?" Zhao Xun put on his flight helmet and checked the instruments.

"Alright, Lao Zhao." Gu Lang adjusted his sitting position in the back seat and fastened his seatbelt.

The engine roared, and the propeller began to spin rapidly.

Zhao Xun pulled down a control lever, and the top rotor began to enter the pre-rotation state.

As the rotation speed gradually increased, it stirred up a cloud of dust on the ground.

Zhao Xun released the brake pedal, and the propeller propelled the gyroplane into takeoff.

After moving only 20 meters, the small gyroplane lightly lifted off the ground and began to climb into the sky.

Gu Lang looked back and saw the outline of Xizhai Island getting smaller and smaller until it finally merged into the sea.

The sky was a murky, leaden gray, and the north wind was howling.

Pushing this small gyroplane, it sped southwest at a speed of 180 kilometers per hour.

"The tailwind was a huge help," Zhao Xun called out, turning around. "But it also increased the load, so it evens out. Judging by the fuel level, we should be able to fly to Zhushan... about right."

"Almost?" Gu Lang asked again.

"Let's see if God will cooperate." Zhao Xun didn't say much, focusing intently on manipulating the rudder.

In less than half an hour, the undulating outline of Zhoushan Island came into clear view in front of us.

You can even distinguish the buildings of varying heights in the old town of Dinghai.

However, "almost" is ultimately too optimistic.

The gyrocopter's engine emitted an ominous coughing sound, followed by a sharp drop in speed.

The roar turned into a feeble sob, and finally fell into complete silence.

All that remained was the whooshing sound of the rotors cutting through the air and the suddenly clear sound of the wind.

"Damn it, there's still not enough oil," Zhao Xun cursed, but his voice was unusually calm.

He immediately began a series of actions to control the rate of decline.

The powerless gyroplane became a mere glider, and its altitude began to drop irreversibly.

Gu Lang's heart jumped, and he peered down from the edge of the cockpit.

The old town spread out below them, but it was a chillingly silent wasteland.

Vehicles were piled up haphazardly or overturned on the streets, and many buildings showed signs of fire or explosion.

Most of the windows were broken, like countless empty eyes.

There was no sign of human activity, only trash swirling in the wind on the empty streets.

The desolation and ruin after the virus outbreak are clearly presented from an aerial perspective.

"Hold on tight, this is going to get a little exciting." Zhao Xun's voice interrupted his gaze.

"There are many mountains below. Let's see if we can catch some updrafts and glide a little further," Gu Lang suggested.

Although Gu Lang didn't understand the principles of flight very well, he did know the impact of mountainous terrain on airflow.

On a slope facing the wind, the airflow is forced to rise, forming an updraft.

"I don't need you to teach me, I know that naturally."

Zhao Xun carefully piloted the gyroplane, maneuvering this steel "kite" along the ridgeline.

Sometimes it turns to the windward slope, using that unseen lifting force to slow its descent.

Skimming over one mountain pass after another, searching for the next airflow point.

Each time Gu Lang gets close to the mountain, he can clearly see the jagged rocks and withered shrubs on the cliff face.

With each turn, the feeling of weightlessness made his stomach tighten.

He pursed his lips, forcing himself not to think about the worst possible outcome, and instead stared intently at the back of Zhao Xun's head.

Finally, the outline of the shipyard appeared at the edge of the line of sight, but by then it was already very low.

Zhao Xun abandoned his attempt to continue searching for air currents, gripped the control stick firmly, and swooped down onto a relatively flat open area within the shipyard.