Wasteland Survivalist: A Scientific Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Survival

"There really is a survivor hideout."

The screen on the remote control suddenly started to freeze, and operation became difficult.

Seeing that the drone was about to reach its remote control range limit, Gu Lang had no choice but to operate the drone to return.

The humming sound from the quadcopter blades attracted Zhang Chao, who was not far away.

"How's the situation over there?"

"There are indeed quite a few people there, and it looks like they've set up some defensive measures."

Upon hearing this news, the other party's face lit up with joy.

"Brother Gu Lang, we are so grateful for your help yesterday. Our whole family owes you our lives!"

After last night's battle, Zhang Chao, who was originally highly vigilant, became much more talkative.

"To be honest, I hesitated for a long time before deciding not to run away."

"Haha, thank you so much! Want to come with us to Heitu Ala?"

Gu Lang looked at the photos taken by the drone on the screen and shook his head.

"Many hands make light work; it's always better than fighting alone out there," Zhang Chao continued, trying to persuade him.

"I'm used to being alone, and besides, in the current situation, having many people around isn't necessarily a good thing."

Upon hearing this answer, Zhang Chao fell silent.

"Take this, the channel is already tuned." Gu Lang handed over a walkie-talkie.

"How could I possibly take your things?"

"I will stay in the area for the next few days to search for supplies. Once we get there and are settled, please call me if you have the chance and let me know what's going on inside."

"Okay! I'll let you know as soon as I hear any news."

Zhang Chao instantly understood what Gu Lang meant.

What supplies do you need? I can look for them for you in Hetu Ala.

"The air gun I found last night has some problems. I'm going to find a metal processing plant to modify it."

"There's an auto parts factory in Banqiao Village, just a few kilometers away. I wonder if it would come in handy?"

Gu Lang took out a map and had Zhang Chao mark the approximate location on it.

At this moment, Zhang Tieshuan walked over.

"Everything's packed. Shall we go together?"

"Brother Gu Lang isn't too comfortable there, so he sent us over to scout things out first."

Zhang Chao fiddled with the walkie-talkie in his hand.

"That's true, better safe than sorry."

Zhang Tieshuan nodded solemnly.

"I hope I'm overthinking it. Have a safe trip. I'm nearby, so I might be able to help you if anything happens."

Gu Lang bid farewell to the two with a sincere expression.

I watched the Wuling Hongguang drive down the mountain and eventually disappear around the bend in the winding mountain road.

He needs more information to ensure he has options in mind.

Instead of entrusting their fate entirely to an unknown stronghold.

Seeing the Wuling Hongguang approaching the ancient city from afar, he made sure the surrounding area was safe before descending the mountain.

Banqiao Village is located near the highway exit.

Gu Lang hid his car and rode on a bicycle he had found.

They quietly bypassed the village and arrived at the auto parts factory located by the river.

The factory's metal door was tightly closed, and there was an old-fashioned padlock on it.

He did not choose to demolish it by force, as that would have made a huge noise.

He slowly crouched down, took out his toolbox from his backpack, and prepared to pick the lock.

This old-fashioned pin tumbler lock has extremely low security; it's only effective against honest people, not thieves.

With a little skill, one key can open many locks.

The difficulty level is comparable to a beginner's tutorial in lock picking techniques.

The first step is to make a torque wrench by bending the top of a thin, long piece of iron at a 90-degree angle.

Insert it into the bottom of the lock cylinder keyhole.

Then, apply a slight twisting force clockwise in the direction of unlocking.

The force must be just right.

Too light, and it cannot create a misalignment.

If it's too heavy, it will jam the marbles.

Next, Gu Lang made a pry bar and found a piece of wire.

Bend the tip into a special shape and insert it above the keyhole.

Used to move and lock the pins inside the lock.

His wrist tensed slightly as he felt the slight resistance from the spring inside the lock cylinder.

Once you feel you've applied enough force, use the curved corner of the pry bar to gently "sweep" across a row of pins inside the lock cylinder.

This is a process of "finding the feeling".

When the pry bar touches a ball, gently lift it upwards with a skillful touch.

When the lower pin is raised to a position exactly level with the lock cylinder, the lock cylinder will rotate slightly under the action of torque.

A soft click was heard.

This means that the first marble has been successfully lifted.

It got stuck on the dividing line between the lock cylinder and the lock body and wouldn't fall back down.

As this process was repeated, the feedback from the torque wrench became increasingly clear.

Finally, after the seventh click, he felt the torque wrench loosen, and the lock cylinder completed its final rotation.

He immediately loosened the torque wrench and gently pinched the padlock that had fallen off the door to prevent it from hitting the iron gate and making a sound.

Gu Lang did not push the door open immediately, but quickly put away his tools and pressed himself against the wall next to the door.

He picked up the crossbow and patiently waited, carefully observing and listening to the sounds around him.

Five minutes passed, and apart from the sound of the wind, there was only deathly silence.

He took a deep breath, slipped inside, and then closed the door slightly behind him.

After searching the factory thoroughly, inside and out, they confirmed that the interior was safe.

He went back downstairs and found the various repair tools scattered on the floor.

The headlamp was placed on the worktable, and the disassembly work began.

After some tinkering, the air gun was disassembled into several parts.

This gun features a folding stock and is chambered in 4.5mm.

It features a shrouded front sight and an adjustable rear sight, and is equipped with a feeding mechanism that holds 10 bullets.

The overall materials used are very sturdy and solid.

Except for the grip protector and the plastic gas lever handle, the rest of the gun is made of metal.

After studying the information on his phone for a while, Gu Lang finalized his approach.

The plan is to modify the rifle based on the design concept of the Girandoni air rifle.

This air gun, invented in the 18th century, is nicknamed the "Wind Gun".

Because of its advanced design concept, it was once widely used by the military.

Continuous fire coverage can be achieved through replaceable, large-capacity gas cylinders.

It has the capability to fire in bursts; a skilled soldier can fire all 20 rounds of ammunition within 30 seconds.

Gu Lang found the air brake system for a large truck in the auto parts factory.

Several thick gas cylinders were removed from the top.

By modifying the interface, the pitifully small gas chamber behind the barrel was replaced, and the original gas compressor assembly was removed.

The gas cylinder comes with a built-in valve, which is equivalent to the safety valve on an air gun.

The requirements for the airtightness of the gun barrel itself are greatly reduced.

Thanks to its threaded, detachable design, it can be quickly disassembled and replaced.

You can also pre-fill the car with compressed air using the car air pump, which can save a lot of time and effort.

Once filled, connect it to the barrel and you can fire approximately 30 times in a row.

The modified air gun became much uglier and bulkier.

The originally beautiful folding stock has been replaced with a silver-white steel cylinder.

It has a steampunk vibe.