Road Survival, I Have a Hint System!

After cooking the pork, Zhang Tuohai continued on his journey to collect supplies.

Although he had gathered quite a few items just now, it was still far from enough to last seven days, let alone during a disaster day.

He had to stock up on enough supplies to feel secure.

The yellow sand stretched endlessly, the road seemed to have no end in sight.

Driving on the monotonous highway was fine for a short time, but after a while, Zhang Tuohai inevitably felt a bit fatigued and even sleepy.

Suddenly, he looked up and saw a woman standing in the middle of the road.

The woman was waving her arms excitedly, standing beside a broken-down car that looked as shabby as the one Zhang Tuohai was using.

Seeing this, Zhang Tuohai stopped his car but cautiously parked about seven or eight meters away from her.

In this lawless world, being overly cautious was not a bad thing.

Who knew what this woman had in mind?

The woman was overjoyed to see Zhang Tuohai stop his car and started to run towards him.

[A woman with no ability to defend herself, her only weapon is a nail clipper. You can defeat her with one hand.]

The hint system timely provided this information.

"Stop, don't come any closer. Whatever you have to say, say it from over there." Zhang Tuohai pointed his crossbow at her.

Even though the hint system indicated she was no threat, Zhang Tuohai remained vigilant.

"Oh, don't be so cold. We're all stranded here; we should get closer." the woman said, winking at him.

Honestly, the woman was quite pretty, with long wavy hair, an oval face, big eyes, long lashes, and an outstanding figure—so much so that the Pikachu on her chest was misshapen. Her looks and figure could easily attract tens of thousands of followers if she posted a few videos online.

If it were in the past, Zhang Tuohai wouldn't mind getting to know her better.

However, in this precarious world, he had to be cautious.

"Say what you need to say. If it's nothing important, I'll be on my way." Zhang Tuohai said, scanning the surroundings to ensure no one was hiding.

[There is no one else around, no ambush.]

The hint system seemed to understand his thoughts and provided reassurance.

"Handsome, my car is out of gas. Can you lend me some?" the woman asked sweetly, throwing him a flirtatious look.

"So it's out of gas. No wonder you've stopped here." Zhang Tuohai nodded.

He couldn't help but admire her boldness for flagging down a car in the middle of the highway.

She was lucky to have encountered him; otherwise, who knew what could have happened if she met someone with bad intentions?

Zhang Tuohai didn't intend to bully the weak, but he wouldn't give away gas for free either.

He wasn't a lawless villain nor a saint; just a small person trying to survive.

"If you want gas, you'll have to trade something for it. Don't waste my time if you expect it for free."

The woman was displeased by his words.

"You're so stingy. It's just a bit of gas. Lend it to me, and I'll return it when I can. You have so many supplies; what's the harm in sharing? We're all from Earth and should help each other. Plus, are you really heartless enough to leave a woman stranded here? Don't you recognize me? Don't you watch streams?"

She glanced into his car. Zhang Tuohai had kept the rear window open to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, so she could clearly see the pile of supplies in the back seat, mostly various materials.

A breeze carried the aroma of braised meat, making the woman swallow involuntarily.

"Sorry, I don't recognize you. If you have nothing to trade, leave." Zhang Tuohai shook his head, finding her unreasonable.

Maybe she was somewhat famous online, but so what? Expecting to get resources from him for free was wishful thinking.

"How can you be like this?" The woman was getting angry.

She was a somewhat famous streamer, usually getting showered with money from fans just by acting cute or offering small favors. Her usual tricks were failing with Zhang Tuohai.

"Who said I have nothing to trade?" She got anxious as he was about to leave.

"How about I give you my stockings? Authentic and original, not fake."

"Pfft." Zhang Tuohai almost spat out water.

So, she was the one trading used items online yesterday.

Seeing him scrutinize her, the woman instinctively took two steps back.

"What are you doing? I'm not that kind of person."

"Don't worry, I'm not interested in those things. I only want supplies, food, drinks, blueprints, materials. If you have none, don't block the road. I'm leaving." Zhang Tuohai said, turning the car key.

"Wait, I have blueprints." she hurriedly shouted as he was about to leave.

"Oh? What blueprints?" He stopped.

"Steel frame car body, it can double the structural strength of the car." she said quickly.

That's useful.

Zhang Tuohai thought for a moment. This could be valuable.

Although he could kill her and take the blueprints without spending resources, he didn't want to do that.

He wasn't desperate for supplies yet and didn't want to break his moral code.

"Why don't you sell it on the trading channel?" Zhang Tuohai asked curiously.

This blueprint would surely be in high demand. If she listed it on the trading channel, it would be quickly sold.

"I asked, but they didn't offer enough," she pouted. "They either lacked water, food, or gasoline. I didn't want to trade for less."

"I see." Zhang Tuohai nodded.

"How about this: I won't shortchange you. I'll give you 40 units of gasoline, a quarter of a flatbread, and 300 milliliters of water for the blueprint. This will be enough for you to have a full meal and make two explorations. Whether you find anything is up to your own luck."

After thinking, Zhang Tuohai offered a fair deal. The blueprint could significantly strengthen the car, a lifesaving advantage in the dangerous desert nights.

"I smelled meat. Can I have some?" She hesitated.

"The braised meat isn't fully cooked yet. Eating undercooked meat might cause diarrhea. If you insist, I can give you 200 grams, but no bread or water." he replied.

"Then forget it. How do we trade?" she asked.

"On the trading channel."

The trading channel clearly displayed both parties' items, ensuring no one could cheat, making it safe and convenient, a rare benefit for players.

"You're Zhang Tuohai, the one selling water and pork?" She saw his name on the trading channel.

"I'm so stupid. Seeing you cooking meat, I should have been able to guess."

"If you get good stuff, contact me. Fair prices guaranteed."

Zhang Tuohai waved and drove away first.