Road Survival, I Have a Hint System!

This was a mine.

And not just any mine—it was an abandoned mine that had been out of use for who knows how many years.

Who could say for sure if there was a risk of cave-ins?

In a lot of disaster movies, mines are often depicted as the lairs of monsters.

If he accidentally barged into a monster's nest, it would be like walking straight into a trap.

What made things worse was that outside the mine, Zhang Tuohai found a few strands of spider silk in a corner.

This was a barren mountain. Any spider silk found here must have been left no more than a few days ago—otherwise, it would have long since decomposed.

Moreover, these strands of spider silk were noticeably thicker and stronger than ordinary ones.

They were almost as thick as fine cotton thread.

“If there are no monsters in this mine, I’ll write my name backward!” Zhang Tuohai said confidently as he looked into the dark, deep mine.

However, an awkward problem now presented itself.

He wasn’t planning on crossing that dangerous railway bridge again.

But if he stayed here, he might have to face an unknown number of spiders.

And there was one more crucial thing to consider.

If he didn’t retrieve the orange supply box, all his previous suffering would have been for nothing.

“System, is there a risk of a cave-in inside this mine? Also, how many monsters are in there, and is there a safe way to get the orange supply box?”

[There are a few weak points inside the mine. If these areas are damaged, they could cause localized cave-ins.]

Zhang Tuohai felt a chill in his heart.

[In the depths of the mine is the nest of desert mutant spiders.]

Zhang Tuohai felt a twinge in his liver—maybe leaving was the better option after all.

[Yes.]

Zhang Tuohai suddenly felt that perhaps the mine was worth exploring.

As long as there was a safe way to get the orange supply box, he could manage.

“Alright, let’s go. Xiao Ai, keep an eye on the car. If anyone tries to steal it, run them over,” Zhang Tuohai instructed.

“Got it, Commander! (^-^)ゞ” Xiao Ai responded.

Zhang Tuohai grabbed a powerful flashlight and his Remington, got out of the car, and entered the mine.

The inside of the mine was dark and deep, and cold drafts sent shivers down his spine.

However, Zhang Tuohai’s black coat finally came in handy.

He moved carefully, step by step.

There were scattered black chunks of coal everywhere in the mine, evidence that this used to be a coal mine. Every five or six meters, he could see pillars that had been put up to prevent collapses.

However, because of how old they were, these pillars were decayed and fragile, as if they could collapse at any moment.

Walking in a place like this, Zhang Tuohai didn’t even dare to breathe heavily.

He was afraid that a single sneeze might break one of the pillars and cause a collapse.

That would be a disaster.

Zhang Tuohai carefully made his way through the mine, even suppressing the sound of his breathing.

The entire mine was eerily silent, as quiet as a grave.

After about fifteen minutes of walking, he came to a fork in the path.

Not just two paths, but eight.

Eight dark tunnels stretched into the distance, disappearing into the unknown darkness. Who knew what lay hidden in that endless blackness?

“Wow, eight forks! They really don’t want people to pick the right one. Even if I rolled a die, I’d still be two numbers short,” Zhang Tuohai muttered as he inspected each of the tunnels.

As he expected, he found nothing of use.

The only discovery he made was that each of the eight tunnels had spider silk near the entrance, indicating that spiders had been active in all of them.

“Damn, no clues at all. Am I supposed to just get lucky and pick one?”

Zhang Tuohai gritted his teeth in frustration. As someone who was used to being unlucky, he hated relying on chance.

[If you want a close encounter with the Spider Queen, take the first path on the left. If you want to become food for baby spiders, take the second. The third leads to a dead end. The fourth has the scent of treasure...]

“Of course, the hint system is always so reliable,” Zhang Tuohai muttered as he was about to step into the fourth tunnel on the left.

But the hint system continued.

[However, there are 20 cave-dwelling spiders lying in ambush beyond the treasure.]

Zhang Tuohai stumbled and quickly pulled back his foot.

[The fifth path on the left leads to nothing. To obtain the orange supply box, you must take the sixth path on the left.]

“Why not just tell me to take the third path from the right next time? Almost got myself eaten by spiders,” Zhang Tuohai grumbled as he quietly entered the sixth path on the left.

This tunnel was almost identical to the others: a dark, deep mine filled with scattered coal chunks. Walking through it gave him an oppressive feeling as if something was hiding in the shadows, ready to leap out and kill him at any moment.

Zhang Tuohai gripped his Remington tightly, held his flashlight firmly, and continued deeper into the mine.

After walking for another fifteen minutes, he encountered another fork—this time with four paths.

Following the system’s advice, he entered the first path on the right.

After walking for another fifteen minutes, he came to yet another fork—this time with only two choices.

With the system's help, he chose the left path.

“How deep does this mine go? Shouldn’t I be at the end by now?” Zhang Tuohai mumbled quietly.

As he continued forward, the air grew colder, almost as if he were approaching an icehouse.

Suddenly, Zhang Tuohai’s surroundings opened up.

He found himself in a massive underground cavern.

The cavern was about the size of a football field and at least ten meters tall. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, stretching down toward the floor, resembling giant pillars.

In the center of the cave sat an orange supply box.

“The final orange supply box!”

Zhang Tuohai’s eyes lit up at the sight.

All his previous struggles had been for this orange supply box. Now that it was right in front of him, he couldn’t help but feel overjoyed. He strode eagerly toward the box.

However, just as he approached, the system’s voice suddenly sounded.

[Beware of the cave-dwelling ape's sneak attack from behind!]

“Behind me?” Zhang Tuohai instantly knew something was wrong. He quickly turned and raised his gun.

As he waved his flashlight around, searching for the enemy, a shadow suddenly lunged at him.

The figure moved incredibly fast, knocking the flashlight out of his hand.

The creature was powerful, slamming Zhang Tuohai to the ground.

By the dim light of the fallen flashlight, Zhang Tuohai finally saw the creature clearly.

It was a large ape, covered in black fur. Its face was dark, with a long snout, resembling a chimpanzee. Its forelimbs were strong and muscular, clearly built for climbing.

In the ape’s hand, it held a sharp stone knife, which it now brought down viciously toward Zhang Tuohai’s head.