Wasteland Survivalist: A Scientific Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Survival

The main road leading to the county town appeared grayish-white in the morning light.

As you approach the edge of the city, the scene changes abruptly.

Huge red shipping containers and rusty iron railings were stacked together.

A temporary city wall was formed, brutally cutting off the road.

Several figures in uniforms, carrying rifles, walked back and forth on top of the shipping container.

The area was surrounded by barbed wire, and a sign that read "Entry Checkpoint" was hung at the entrance.

Gu Lang put on his mask and slowed his pace, trying to make himself look tired.

When they were thirty meters away from the checkpoint, a hoarse voice shouted sharply:

"Stop! What are you doing? Hands up! Walk over here slowly!"

Gu Lang obediently stopped, raising his hands high to indicate that he was harmless.

Under the watchful and cold gazes of several people, he moved step by step toward the narrow entrance of the checkpoint.

Two men with guns stood at the entrance; one was dressed in brocade, and the other in camouflage.

"Backpack! Put it on the ground! Hands behind your head, turn around!"

One of them pointed the muzzle of his gun at the ground, and Gu Lang immediately did the same.

Another security officer leading the group began to roughly slap his body.

Underarms, waist, trouser legs, cuffs—every possible hiding place for a weapon was carefully searched.

When those hands reached down to his lower back, Gu Lang's heart sank.

"What is this?"

The security guard pulled out a dagger, and Gu Lang seemed to feel the gun barrel behind him rise a few degrees.

"Leader..." Gu Lang tried his best to make his voice sound hoarse and weak.

"In this day and age, the roads are dangerous, so you always need something to protect yourself. You really can't do anything like digging for wild vegetables or opening a can of food without a knife."

"For self-defense?"

The security guard picked up the dagger, weighed it in his hand, and sneered.

"Rules are rules! All weapons are confiscated! If you want to enter the city, behave yourself and don't try anything funny!"

He casually tossed the dagger into a nearby tin can filled with various contraband, making a loud clanging sound.

"Alright."

Gu Lang swallowed hard, forcibly suppressing the explanation that was about to come out.

After the body search was completed, Gu Lang's backpack was completely emptied.

The contents were shaken off one by one and examined on the table.

The compressed biscuits were crushed to check for any hidden contents, and the water bottle was also unscrewed and smelled.

When the security officer touched a pack of cigarettes, he visibly paused for a moment.

He subtly twirled the cigarette pack between his fingers and looked up.

Gu Lang winked at the other person and smiled.

The man gave Gu Lang a meaningful look, then casually put the cigarette into his pocket.

"Alright, it's nothing serious."

The security officer clapped his hands, his tone softening considerably.

"Please register. Name? Where are you from? What is your purpose in coming to the city?"

"Gu Lang came from Siping City to escape the flood and planned to go to Fushun to stay with his relatives."

"There's no need to go. Fushun was attacked by more than twenty nuclear bombs, and all the survivors have been evacuated."

The security inspector scribbled a few lines on the dirty register and stamped it.

I tore off a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to him; it had a number on it.

"Take this and go to the 'New Star Elementary School' disaster relief shelter in the east of the city to register. Meals will be provided, and there will be a place to sleep. Remember, obey orders and don't cause trouble! Let's go!"

Gu Lang took the note and silently stuffed the scattered items on the table back into his backpack.

Only after turning away from the checkpoint did his tense jaw relax slightly.

With a gentle flick of his tongue, he spat out a golden bean and stuffed it into his pocket.

The county town exhibited a fragile order, with militiamen patrolling everywhere.

The streets were relatively clean, with no obvious piles of garbage.

There weren't many pedestrians, and most of them seemed to be in a hurry, looking hungry.

Several mobile generators can be seen roaring on the street.

The slogans on the wall and the loudspeakers repeatedly emphasized "unity in disaster relief", "obey orders", and "reporting is rewarded".

The air was filled with a damp, dusty smell, and Gu Lang put on a mask and deliberately avoided the main road.

Walking through relatively quiet streets, I caught snippets of conversations.

"...The rain upstream hasn't stopped, and the Soul River is rising abnormally..."

"...More people have been brought in on the riverbank. They've been carrying sandbags all night, and their backs are about to break..."

"...The propaganda team said that as long as you're willing to work hard on the riverbank, you can get double the food at the disaster relief point..."

"...My money is completely wasted, I need to find a way to get some supply vouchers..."

"...Those soldiers all had their guns cocked, and their eyes were terrifying..."

"...Well, if all else fails, I'll just have to sell this gold bracelet and get something else in return..."

The fragments of information gradually pieced together a clear picture.

The greatest threat at present comes from the Soul River itself, on which the county town depends for its survival.

A massive flood peak brought by torrential rains upstream is forming, and the fragile river embankment in the county is in grave danger.

Meanwhile, the managers are using food and shelter as bait to drive everyone, including outsiders, to reinforce the dikes.

Following the middle-aged woman who wanted to sell a bracelet, Gu Lang quickly found a gold shop.

The shop had its roller shutter door half-closed, and several militiamen were guarding the entrance.

After the older woman came out, he bent down and went inside.

He took the gold nugget out of his pocket, wiped the saliva off it with his sleeve, and rubbed it on the corner of his clothes to make it shine.

Even in the dim light, the gold still emitted a faint glow.

"Selling goods." Gu Lang placed a gold bean on the counter.

The shop owner took out a flashlight and briefly examined the color and texture of the golden beans.

After weighing, the crucible and spray gun were taken out from under the counter for a high-temperature burning test.

The saying goes that true gold fears no fire; gold will not oxidize or change color at high temperatures, but will only become brighter as it is heated.

Once cooled, the color will return to its original state.

"30 grams of gold, good purity." The shop owner nodded.

After exchanging his gold for supply vouchers, Gu Lang immediately went to a grain and oil general store.

Surrounding the shops is a market made up of various stalls.

Paper money has now completely lost its purchasing power.

Supply coupons, which could be exchanged for food, became hard currency and temporary money.

After browsing through several stalls, he found the items he needed.

A special model of radio, featuring a unique knob and push-pull switch.

Gu Lang chose this old-fashioned radio because push-button radios are very easy to accidentally press.

When placed in a bag during vigorous activity, the switch may be accidentally pressed, causing it to start unexpectedly.

In environments with wild animals or enemies, the sounds made can be deadly.

In addition, he also acquired a high-powered motor, a battery power meter, and a telescope.

Compared to expensive food and drinks, these items are not expensive.

The last few supply coupons were exchanged for a few unopened packs of mid-range cigarettes.