Wasteland Survivalist: A Scientific Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Survival

The night provided the best cover, and the light truck moved forward steadily.

In addition to needing to concentrate to combat fatigue, there's also the occasional need to navigate around the wreckage of accident vehicles blocking the road.

This trip was arguably the most relaxed one he had taken in a long time.

This is thanks to the persistent weather disturbances caused by nuclear winter and volcanic eruptions.

The sky remained overcast, with no moonlight or starlight visible.

Compared to the frantic hunt we experienced during the day.

Traveling in the quiet of the night under the cover of darkness is nothing short of peaceful.

The constant roars and ubiquitous traps were gone.

Even the roads have maintained relative integrity due to their location in a remote mountainous area.

Around midnight, he successfully completed the nearly 100-kilometer run as planned.

Following the road signs, the car entered the territory of Xiuyan County.

Gu Lang did not rush into the city, but chose to spend the night resting in an uninhabited temple on a mountaintop.

By noon the next day, as was customary, drones were used to reconnoiter the situation within the county.

The scene before him made his heart sink.

Significant subsidence occurred on two nearby mountains, burying almost a third of the county town.

He guessed that it must have been an underground military facility that had been attacked by a bunker-buster nuclear weapon.

The mountain collapsed completely in the subsequent earthquake.

Because it was an underground nuclear explosion, the radiation levels in the surrounding environment were not high.

The county town is situated on a terrain that slopes from north to south, with a complex topography featuring crisscrossing valleys and surrounded by water on three sides.

The former urban area is now mostly submerged in murky yellow muddy water.

Clearly, the devastating floods that ravaged the area not long ago have left a deep mark on this place.

The silt on the buildings indicates that the water level is slowly receding.

However, using the lampposts as a reference point, the water depth on the main road is estimated to be around half a meter.

The low-lying areas may be even deeper.

Perhaps due to the combined effects of the nuclear bomb and the flood, the city was deserted.

The murky water was filled with all sorts of garbage and debris, and some bloated corpses could be seen bobbing up and down.

The map shows that to avoid this marshland, one would need to take a very long detour through the mountains to the north or west.

Not only does it take several times longer, but it also means venturing into unknown and dangerous areas.

Gu Lang weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

The uncertainty of taking a detour is too great, while the standing water in front of us is troublesome.

However, it is not insurmountable if the method is appropriate.

For a regular gasoline-powered car without a snorkel, it would be impossible to pass through this level of floodwater.

Not only is it very easy for water to enter and cause the engine to shut off, but it can also lose its grip on the ground due to buoyancy.

But he was driving a hybrid light truck with a high chassis, and it was also carrying several tons of supplies.

Furthermore, the vehicle's drive motor, motor controller, and lithium iron phosphate battery pack that provides power.

All of them adopt a strict sealing design, achieving the IP68 dustproof and waterproof standard.

This means that the entire core three-electric system can withstand immersion in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes without any problems.

After parking the car on a secluded hill, he started the engine.

It took a while to fully charge the battery.

The range extender engine itself is not afraid of water, but it needs air to work.

Once water gets into the tank, repairs become extremely difficult.

After Gu Lang turned off the engine, he opened the engine hood.

The air conditioning vents and engine air intakes were completely sealed off with waterproof insulating tape.

After making preparations, the light truck descended the mountain and arrived at the Xiaoyanghe Bridge.

Although the bridge has been submerged by floodwaters, its main structure remains intact.

It is a two-way, six-lane road constructed of reinforced concrete.

He got out of the car and went to the bridge to check the situation; the water was up to his calves.

Fortunately, the water hadn't reached my knees yet, and I was barely able to resist the current and move forward.

The river water flowed rapidly from right to left across the bridge, and the railing pillars cleaved through the white spray in the rushing water, making a continuous splashing sound.

"The water is about 40 centimeters deep, and the current is about 3 meters per second."

Gu Lang quickly assessed the situation, secretly pleased.

To wade through water, you must follow the "knee rule".

If the water is above knee-deep or the current is so fast that it is difficult for an adult to stand in the water.

For most vehicles, the risk would be too high.

Back in the driver's seat of the light truck, Gu Lang adjusted the vehicle's direction.

We entered the rightmost lane and cut into the bridge at a 15-degree angle to the left.

This allows the wheels to bear the force sequentially, rather than the entire front of the vehicle bearing the impact.

The vehicle jolted slightly, and Gu Lang immediately felt the powerful thrust of the water flow acting on the vehicle.

It was as if an invisible giant hand was pushing him to the left side of the bridge.

His arm muscles were tense, and he turned slightly to the right to counteract the force.

By using a "point east, hit west" driving technique, the car successfully maintained its position in the water.

I learned this skill when I was hiking in a stream in a 4x4 vehicle with fellow hikers in Gulang.

If you choose to go straight through, the water flow can easily push the rear of the car downstream, causing the vehicle to veer sideways.

It is extremely dangerous if a car is parallel to the direction of the water flow.

The car was unable to start again on its own and had to be towed away by other vehicles.

"Walk slowly through water, walk quickly through sand, and walk at a moderate pace through mud."

Gu Lang muttered to himself as he kept the car speed at around 8 kilometers per hour to avoid stopping or accelerating in the water.

This is because a rolling wheel has better grip than a stationary wheel, which helps control its direction.

Any interruption of power could cause the car to instantly lose its ability to resist the water flow.

The light truck swayed and moved forward in the rapids like a drunkard.

Every tiny correction in direction is a delicate interplay between people and the water flow.

When the wheels finally left the bridge, Gu Lang realized that his back was already soaked in cold sweat.

Although the wading process lasted less than three minutes, it exhausted a great deal of his mental energy.

The danger did not disappear after entering the city.

Because the water was murky, the road surface was not visible.

The water surface may appear calm, but it is no safer than the bridge surface just now.

The biggest threat comes from manhole covers that are washed away by water pressure and disappear silently.

Gu Lang stared wide-eyed at the streetlights and traffic lights.

Use this as a reference to determine the road location and carefully maneuver the truck to avoid dangerous areas.

The location of manhole covers follows a pattern, usually situated in the center and on either side of the traffic lane.

They are often found in the center of intersections and near bus stops.

Along the way, large trash cans could be seen standing upright in the water, without floating.

These are important warning signs indicating that the trash can is stuck directly over the uncovered manhole.

The light truck avoided every possible water source as much as possible, heading towards the highlands in the northwest.

Gu Lang was completely focused, as if he were playing a game of blindfold chess.

Based on the common locations of manhole covers in my memory, I can construct a safe route in my mind.

As the terrain rose, the tactile sensation from under the car gradually changed.

From floating and uncertain to solid and powerful.

The water resistance was significantly reduced, and most of the tire was exposed again.

The car finally left the flooded national highway and entered the G16 expressway.