Wasteland Survivalist: A Scientific Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Survival

Gu Lang carefully hid everything in his backpack.

Then, lowering his voice, he inquired about the news from the stall owner.

"Hey bro, if I want to get inside the Great Wall now, which route is the safest?"

"Within the pass? Brother, forget about it, sigh..."

He shook his head, lowering his voice even further.

"The west was hit by dozens of nuclear explosions, and almost all the cities were reduced to ruins."

That area is now a dead zone and a high-radiation zone.

It's like the land has been plowed through; there's not a single safe path to be found.

Gu Lang's heart sank, but he still refused to give up.

"Then... are there any other places I can go around? I came from the south and want to get home as soon as possible..."

The stall owner thought for a while, then slapped his thigh.

"The only option left is by sea! This is the only way that still has a slight chance."

Go to a coastal port and try to find a boat.

"Cross the Bohai Bay, then find a place to land in Shandong Province."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone carrying a strong warning.

"But! Brother, listen to my advice, the situation in the South is unclear!"

You think Liaoning was just bombed?

Which of those major cities, transportation hubs, and military bases in the south wouldn't be targets?

There are all sorts of rumors circulating now. Some say the south is also a wasteland, while others say order has already been restored.

Getting on a ship doesn't guarantee survival. On the vast ocean, navigation malfunctions and unpredictable weather mean that even a small mishap could be fatal.

He patted Gu Lang on the shoulder, his tone sincere.

"The safest course of action right now is to stay put."

At least their lives can be saved; we'll wait for official news.

Running south with your head covered is no different from courting death.

In this chaotic world, even if someone were thrown into the vast ocean, they wouldn't make a splash.

Gu Lang listened to the stall owner ramble on for a while, thanked him a few times, and then left.

The other person's words gave him a lot of inspiration.

Given the current situation, it is indeed too difficult to return to the south by land.

In comparison, taking the sea route not only shortens the distance but also avoids the radiation zone produced by a nuclear explosion.

Furthermore, there is no need to consider the condition of transportation infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and it will no longer be affected by floods.

Gu Lang opened the offline map on his phone and began to assess the feasibility of the sea route.

The Bohai Sea is a nearly enclosed inland sea, surrounded by land on three sides.

There is only one opening on the east side, leading to Huanghai.

At its narrowest point, the sea distance between Dalian and Penglai is only a little over 100 kilometers.

The route also features the Myo-do Islands, 32 small islands that resemble a string of pearls.

It provides natural navigation points and sheltered anchorages.

The Bohai Sea has an average depth of only 18 meters and is usually characterized by light waves.

Unless there is a typhoon or cold wave, there are generally no major storms.

The navigation is not difficult, and it is highly feasible to sail across the sea by oneself.

Once Gu Lang understood this, everything became clear.

By the time we left the market, it was already quite late.

The sky darkened rapidly under a heavy, leaden-gray cloud cover.

The wind became damp and cold, carrying a strong, fishy smell, and lashed violently against the street.

In the distance, a muffled, continuous rumble, like the earth's low growl, could be faintly heard.

That was the roar of the Soul River under the pressure of the flood peak.

The entire county was on edge.

The loudspeaker announcements echoed continuously through the streets.

Gu Lang frowned as he looked at the embankment not far away.

The workers and volunteers moved their shovels slowly, and the progress of the project was visibly slow.

He found a secluded corner to hide in, waiting for the opportunity to leave the city after dark.

For the next few hours, the other side of the riverbank remained the same.

They seem to be working hard, but it's all just going through the motions.

"When your moral standards are so high that ordinary honest people can't reach them, then your team is full of liars."

Gu Lang sighed; he had completely lost faith in this place.

After dark, he took advantage of the chaos to sneak back to the eastern entrance of the county town.

At the checkpoint, it was still the same few people; they hadn't been rotated.

The staff on duty, exhausted from lack of rest, leaned against the container.

They anxiously watched the commotion coming from the direction of the riverbank; tension and fear were written on everyone's face.

The vigilance on the direction of entry into the city inevitably relaxed in the face of the direct threat of the raging flood.

Gu Lang seized the opportunity and, under the cover of the deepening twilight and the sound of the wind, once again approached the checkpoint.

This time, his face displayed a mixture of ingratiation and anxiety.

He headed straight for the security officer who had confiscated his cigarettes during the day.

"Boss! Boss!"

Gu Lang lowered his voice, his breathing rapid.

"I've finally found you! I have something urgent to discuss with you..."

The security guard frowned and looked at him warily.

"What are you doing here again? Didn't I tell you to go to the disaster shelter?"

Gu Lang took a step closer and quickly pulled out the packs of cigarettes from his pocket.

Using his body as cover, he slipped it into the other person's hand.

"Hey bro, this is just a little something... This awful weather, it's cold and scary for us guys to be stuck here. Have a smoke to perk us up..."

The security officer reacted quickly and took the cigarette.

"I left something behind when I came in during the day, just a tattered bag, it's worthless."

But there's a picture of my mother inside...

Please do me a favor and let me go out for a bit. I'll be right back when I find it!

Soon! I won't cause you any trouble!

Gu Lang spoke in a very soft voice, his eyes filled with a sincere plea.

The security guard glanced quickly at his equally exhausted subordinates.

He glanced at the terrified stranger in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and then made a decision.

"Okay." The team leader nodded and waved his hand impatiently.

"Hurry up, it'll be at most half an hour! Don't dawdle!"

"If you dare to run away, or bring back anything you shouldn't, I'll shoot you dead!"

"Don't worry, I promise I'll be right back!"

Gu Lang pointed to the Soul River not far away and swore an oath.

"Xiao Liu! Open the door for him! Keep an eye on him!"

A young guard reluctantly pulled out his key and opened the iron gate with a clang.

Gu Lang bowed and thanked him repeatedly before quickly slipping out.

He almost jogged away, only slowing down when he was sure he was out of the checkpoint's line of sight.

He disappeared into the shadows by the roadside, dug out his BOB backpack, and hurried toward the ravine.

Behind me, sirens blared incessantly from the direction of the county town; I wondered what kind of trouble had occurred.

Back at the medical waste disposal center, Gu Lang removed the infrared grating detector from the wall.

The connecting cable and alarm host were stuffed into the cargo box of the light truck.

The factory was silent as he inspected it inside and out.

They thoroughly searched and looted the last remaining useful supplies.

Immediately afterwards, Gu Lang changed into a full-body protective suit and started the light truck.

A light truck covered with a glaring yellow biohazard sign quietly drove out of the medical waste disposal center.

We drove toward that faint light, threatened by floods and shrouded in human noise.

The checkpoint reappeared in view, and the sounds of alarms and chaotic shouts from within the city were clearly audible.

The guards were like ants on a hot pan, all looking towards the riverbank.

The security guard was talking into a walkie-talkie, completely unaware of the approaching truck.