Wasteland Survivalist: A Scientific Guide to Post-Apocalyptic Survival

In a normal chemical laboratory, anhydrous sodium sulfate is usually chosen as the dehydrating agent.

It's not difficult to produce; Gulang has the necessary sulfuric acid and caustic soda readily available.

But it's a waste to use such a precious resource as concentrated sulfuric acid in a place like this.

He had already come up with a better alternative and headed directly to the nearby Gushan Town.

Gu Lang uses drones to scout the surrounding area every day.

He had already confirmed that the town was deserted and that there was a large shopping mall nearby.

Upon entering the supermarket, most of the shelves had already been emptied.

As expected, there's practically nothing left in the warehouse.

But there will always be some things that no one cares about, and they're considered to take up too much space in your bag.

For example, the silicone desiccant bag in front of Gu Lang is designed to be hung in the closet to prevent moisture.

It contains a large number of desiccant beads and is commonly found in shoe boxes and electronic product boxes.

If he couldn't find it in the supermarket, he planned to look in shoe stores and clothing stores as well.

Gulang will require approximately 360 liters of dried biodiesel, and the water content of the washed biodiesel is expected to be above 0.1%.

High-quality silica gel can absorb up to 40% of its own weight in water, but its drying efficiency will decrease significantly when it absorbs up to 25%.

This means that 1 kg of silica gel can effectively remove 250 g of water.

These four 100-gram desiccant bags on the shelf are clearly not enough.

However, silica gel desiccant is renewable; once it becomes saturated with water and changes color, it can be heated in a pot.

Slowly frying over low heat will evaporate the moisture.

The same batch of silica gel can undergo dozens or even hundreds of regeneration cycles until it is physically pulverized.

After leaving the supermarket, Gu Lang noticed a pet store next door.

I quickly went inside, and it was just as messy; even the pet food had been looted.

But Gulang's target is not canned cat food, but natural deworming powder.

Its main ingredient is diatomaceous earth, which Gulang has been searching for, and it is the key stabilizer for making the "blockbuster" product.

Since silica is a natural and non-toxic insecticide, it is often used to treat fleas on pets.

Sometimes you can find them in plant shops; they are also suitable for insect repellent purposes.

After searching for a while, he indeed found several large bags of white powder that no one had bothered with.

Then, satisfied, they returned to the dock.

On the third day of the oil extraction process, the mixture had successfully separated into layers.

The lower layer is dark, viscous glycerol and saponified substances, while the upper layer is a lighter-colored crude biodiesel product.

Gu Lang carefully turned the oil pump to draw out the crude diesel fuel, avoiding mixing it with glycerin.

Then all of it was transferred to three oil drums with their tops cut off.

Crude diesel fuel contains residual catalysts, saponifications, and methanol.

Gu Lang poured 40 liters of clean, warm water into each container and gently stirred them with a stainless steel mop handle.

Allow the water to come into full contact with the crude diesel oil and let it stand for 2 hours.

After the water and impurities settle to the bottom, the biodiesel that has been washed and purified is extracted.

After rinsing the water three times, the water at the bottom finally became clear.

Gu Lang immediately began the final drying step, putting silica gel desiccant into the biodiesel to absorb moisture.

After repeatedly absorbing water and drying the silica gel, the biodiesel finally turned into a clear, transparent amber color.

Gu Lang took a small dish of oil and went outdoors to test it.

Wet a piece of cotton cloth and light it with a lighter.

Then, the bright flames began to burn steadily.

"Success! All that help wasn't for nothing." Gu Lang nodded in satisfaction.

The biodiesel produced totals less than two barrels.

It's only about 350 liters, and the conversion loss is slightly greater than expected.

Gu Lang immediately moved the oil to the dock and poured it into the yacht's fuel tank.

After removing the saponified and sedimented portions, he also obtained 50 liters of crude glycerin.

This is also a very useful resource in the apocalypse, as it can be used as a raw material for fuel and disinfectant.

Alternatively, activated carbon can be used for further filtration and purification, and the nitrated product can be used to treat "Berserkers".

After all the supplies were properly stored on the ship, it was already 5 p.m. and the sky was getting dark.

Gu Lang stood on the main deck of the yacht, quietly looking back at the T5DM light truck parked beside the dock.

This vehicle accompanied me through the ruins and helped me collect supplies; it was truly a meritorious service.

Everything useful in the car has now been removed.

He took out his phone from his pocket and solemnly took a picture of the truck, as a kind of ceremonial farewell.

I just previewed the photos when something suddenly came to mind.

"Wait, there are still about fifty liters of gasoline left in the truck's fuel tank."

He immediately took out the oil pump and a hand-held oil drum, flipped over and jumped back to the dock, rushing to the back of the vehicle.

He deftly opened the fuel tank cap and inserted the plastic tube.

Begin transferring the gasoline into a portable fuel container.

Just as I was about to transfer the gasoline into the large oil drum, something suddenly happened outside.

"Bang—Clang!!"

A loud crash and the sharp whistling of metal twisting suddenly came from the direction of the passenger station entrance.

The sound echoed in the empty dock area, sounding particularly jarring.

"Was the retractable fence breached?"

Gu Lang froze instantly.

They immediately realized that they probably hadn't been discreet enough when they went to Gushan Town to look for supplies.

We left a trail behind, and now people are following the clues and coming after us!

Although driving this "biochemical transport vehicle" has the special effect of "thousands of troops avoiding yellow signs" for ordinary people, it is still a unique vehicle.

However, it is still too eye-catching and easy for people to remember.

Time allowed no room for hesitation; his survival instinct and accumulated experience led him to make a decision immediately.

A fierce and resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he stopped trying to extract the remaining gasoline.

Instead, he simply picked up the full 20-liter portable fuel can and poured the gasoline onto the light truck without hesitation.

The pungent smell of gasoline quickly filled the air.

Then, he pulled open the car door, climbed into the driver's seat, and started the motor.

Turn the steering wheel and aim at the narrow pier connecting the dock to the land.

That was the only access road for vehicles to enter the dock.

Then, he quickly jammed a brick that he had prepared on the daytime onto the accelerator pedal.

Just as the vehicle sped off, he nimbly flipped over and jumped out, landing heavily on the concrete ground.

He turned around without looking back and sprinted as fast as he could.

I untied the two mooring lines and jumped onto the swaying yacht.

Upon reaching the cockpit, he quickly started the yacht's engine, and a deep roar followed.

At this moment, the approaching vehicles could be seen through the porthole.

100 meters away, a police car collided with a light truck and came to rest sideways, blocking the entrance to the pier.

He recognized it at a glance; it was the same car driven by the group of berserkers who had chased him.

An ambulance and a familiar Wuling Hongguang followed behind.

The car door was suddenly pulled open, and a large number of people rushed out of the vehicle.

"Tiger Brother" appeared, and right next to him was Zhang Chao.

A dozen or so berserkers let out inhuman howls and rushed forward to try to push aside the light truck blocking the road.

"They're all acquaintances." Gu Lang's lips curled into a cold smile.

"If it's going to be this lively, let's have a barbecue together!"