Wasteland Survivalist: A Scientific Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Survival

After closing the map, Gu Lang climbed back into the cargo box from the driver's seat.

While he still had some free time, he planned to build a high-powered hand-cranked generator.

In extreme cases, electronic devices are charged manually.

His previous experience of taking refuge in the basement of the health center made him realize that he could not rely solely on the thermoelectric generator on the wood-burning stove.

After arranging all the necessary raw materials neatly, the DIY work began.

First, they made the joystick. Gu Lang found two pieces of iron.

One piece has screw holes drilled at both ends, and the other piece is bent into a U-shaped connector.

After being secured together with screws, it was installed onto the motor shaft.

Next, by disassembling the dashcam, four Faraday capacitors were obtained.

He used a soldering iron to connect the capacitor to the motor's output with wires.

Then disassemble the battery meter and remove the internal display screen.

Then, we disassembled another car charger adapter and removed the internal circuit board.

The display screen and circuit board are soldered together in parallel to the capacitor.

Turn the handle, and the numbers on the display screen begin to jump, showing the current voltage and current.

Gu Lang quickly cranked the handle a few times and saw the numbers gradually rise.

I plugged in the USB cable and connected it to my phone, and the charging indicator light immediately lit up.

Finally, after securing the wiring with heat shrink film and waterproof tape, a DIY hand-cranked generator was completed.

Most of the hand-cranked generators sold on the market are not practical.

The output voltage and current will fluctuate drastically with the speed and force of the shaking.

The alternating current generated cannot be used to directly charge the equipment.

It takes an internal rectifier bridge to output a meager 5 volts and 0.5 amps of power.

Charging requires rapidly and continuously shaking the handle, which is extremely strenuous.

In actual use, its power and efficiency are too low, not much better than a toy.

The self-made device in Gu Lang's hand uses a 24-volt high-power motor, which can output a maximum current of 1.5 amps.

Adding a capacitor is like having a "temporary warehouse".

The unstable electrical energy generated by cranking the handle will be stored first.

After the energy storage stabilizes, it is released once again.

When the handle is turned to generate electricity, it can be used even when the machine stops to rest.

It can provide a stable power supply to the device before the electrical energy in the capacitor is depleted.

This allows for improved charging efficiency while saving effort.

When the dashcam was disassembled, four intact wide-angle cameras and an infrared fill light were also found.

Gu Lang fixed the cameras to the front, rear, and left and right sides of the car.

The camera is connected to the phone via a USB cable, directly powering it and transmitting the image.

Four mobile phones are fixed on the wireless charging base and powered by the car's power supply.

Next, the external situation can be monitored in real time from inside the cargo compartment.

After enabling the camera's sentry alert function and testing that the monitoring is working properly, proceed with the task.

Gu Lang crawled into his sleeping bag, ending his day's work.

In his dream, he saw himself wearing protective clothing and returning to the security checkpoint in Qingyuan County.

At first, everything was pretty much the same as what happened in real life.

Until the patrol car reappeared, the team leader got out and shot him without warning.

Gu Lang, who had fallen to the ground, stared in astonishment at the grinning man before him.

Just as he was about to call for help, he suddenly noticed that everyone around him was wearing the same smile.

"Bang!"

Gu Lang woke up with a start as he dreamt that he had been shot in the head.

He touched his forehead to make sure his head was unharmed.

I glanced at the surveillance camera; all I could see outside the car window was a white blur, and I couldn't make out anything.

The alarm was functioning normally and was not triggered.

Gu Lang breathed a sigh of relief, unscrewed a bottle of water, and took a few gulps.

The cool liquid slid down my throat, relieving my thirst after a night of dryness.

Stepping outside the car, a strong, damp chill hit me.

Thick fog billowed, visibility was so low that objects more than ten meters away were barely visible.

"Why has the area outside suddenly turned into a mute village?"

Gu Lang speculated that it might be the result of the combined effects of the cooling effect of nuclear winter and the moisture from the flood.

In this situation, he was also unable to conduct the reconnaissance using drones as planned.

Without GPS signal positioning, relying solely on visual operation, once it flies out, it might be impossible to bring it back.

He returned to his car, turned off the siren, and put away the infrared grating detector.

When the light truck is started, the faint light of the daytime running lights illuminates.

After hesitating for a moment, Gu Lang turned on the headlights.

Light shone through the lens, illuminating the road ahead.

Leaving the woods, the car drove onto the Nanzhamu Bridge.

As planned, we headed southwest along Provincial Highway S203 towards Xinbing County.

After crossing the bridge, the car slowly drove into the town.

The streets were deserted; not a single car could be seen.

The doors and windows of the shops on both sides were dark, making it impossible to see what was inside.

The thick fog obscured the view and made the silence seem even more vast and oppressive.

Gu Lang parked his car next to the square in the center of the town, but still didn't see anyone.

"Something's not right. This place has an eerie vibe."

Just in case, Gu Lang turned the car around.

After putting on protective gear and organizing his backpack and weapons, he slowly got off the vehicle.

The Geiger counter showed normal radiation levels, and the surrounding buildings appeared undamaged.

The investigation began at the nearest pharmacy.

There were some commonly used medicines scattered under the counter, but nothing else seemed out of the ordinary.

"They weren't completely looted. Did they have to evacuate?"

Gu Lang, puzzled, sorted and selected the medicines before stuffing them into his backpack.

The small restaurants next door were locked.

Through the glass windows, it's clear that the business has been closed for some time.

There's a convenience store across the street, and there seems to be a cherry blossom tree painted on its window.

Countless blooming red flowers are quite a sight.

Gu Lang then thought he would try his luck and scavenge some food.

As he slowly approached, his expression changed drastically when he finally saw the pattern on the shop window clearly.

He immediately took the crossbow hanging on his backpack and cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

The "cherry blossoms" blooming in the shop window are actually made up of countless bloody handprints.

Gu Lang quickly took out his holster from his bag, took out his revolver, and put it in his pocket.

Compared to the crude, unsightly homemade guns, standard-issue weapons have a greater deterrent effect on ordinary people.

Regardless of its actual power, at least it can be recognized at a glance.

The convenience store door was wide open, and the interior was dimly lit.

He lowered his body and slowly walked into the store.

With the faint light filtering through the shop window, one could barely make out the interior.

The shelves tipped over, scattering goods all over the floor.

The ground was sticky and slippery, making an unpleasant sticky sound when stepped on.

Thick, dark blood splattered radially across the walls and ceiling.

Some unidentifiable fragments were scattered on the ground.

It appeared to be a scalp covered in hair and several limbs with exposed, white bone fragments.

Behind the counter, a lone leg was soaking in a pool of blood that had long since congealed and turned black.

After searching every dark corner with a crossbow in hand.

He confirmed that there was no one inside, only a terrifying scene resembling a battlefield.

So I left the convenience store. Next door was a hot pot restaurant, and I could hear some noise coming from inside.