Road Survival, I Have a Hint System!

Apart from the statue, which surprised Zhang Tuohai quite a bit, the message from the other person also amused him.

“Zhang, I know you're someone with a lot of resources. Can you help me get some liquor? Don’t try to fool me with that beer that's like water, and I don’t want wine either! I want strong spirits! Whiskey, rum, baijiu, or shochu will do, but vodka would be best. I’ll make it worth your while!”

Zhang Tuohai clicked on the person's photo to take a look.

Turns out he was a Russian.

Well, that made sense.

Zhang Tuohai glanced at a box of aqua vitae (life water) sitting beside him. Seems like he found a market for it.

He pulled a bottle out of the box, snapped a photo, and sent it over.

“You should recognize this, right? Aqua vitae, 96% vodka. Name your price.”

Zhang Tuohai said with a smile.

He believed that Mr. Vladimir, who looked very much like Su Suizong, wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation.

Sure enough, Vladimir immediately replied.

“Oh, my dear comrade, I knew you’d come through! You must sell it to me, or I’ll die without it!”

Even through the screen, Zhang Tuohai could feel the urgency from the other side.

“So, what's your offer?” Zhang Tuohai asked, still smiling.

“Wait a moment. I’ll give you an offer you’ll be satisfied with. Please, don’t sell it to anyone else!”

Vladimir hurried off to gather something.

Zhang Tuohai wasn’t in a rush either. He first completed two other deals, exchanging for a high-grade skinning knife and a tactical combat suit.

The resources needed for these items weren’t much—just some ordinary metal ingots and fabric. Zhang Tuohai crafted them quickly.

The high-grade skinning knife was more intricate and sharper than the regular one, with complex patterns on the handle, making it look more like a work of art.

The tactical suit, like the combat boots, was black, with a vest on the outside for attaching equipment and inserting bulletproof plates. It could block handgun shots at close range, providing more protection than an anti-stab suit.

“If I could get a tactical helmet, that’d be perfect,” Zhang Tuohai muttered, looking at his motorcycle helmet and sighing.

Before long, Vladimir’s response arrived.

“300 pounds of bear meat, one heart, and two bear paws as a bonus. I’ve heard you guys love those. Is that price okay?”

“You killed a bear? Do you have a gun?” Zhang Tuohai asked in surprise.

“Who needs a gun for that?” Vladimir scoffed. “I was drunk, and this thing knocked on my car window. I tend to be grumpy when I wake up, so I got out and beat it up. Turns out it wasn’t as tough as I thought—it actually died from the beating. I ate part of it, and the rest is here. That should be enough for one bottle of vodka, right?”

Zhang Tuohai: “???”

Zhang Tuohai wiped the sweat from his brow, silently deciding never to provoke Vladimir when he hasn’t had enough sleep.

This guy’s fighting power was off the charts, killing a bear with his bare hands! Who could handle that?

No wonder they call Russians a warrior nation. Fighting a Siberian hamster must be like child's play to them.

After composing himself, Zhang Tuohai started doing the math.

300 pounds of bear meat, a heart, and two bear paws for a bottle of vodka? This deal was insanely good.

The bear meat alone, if made into sausages, would last him over three months. Even if he traded it for resources, he could get a lot. And to think all this for just one bottle of vodka, with a heart and two bear paws thrown in!

As expected of a big brother, the deal was generous.

Zhang Tuohai happily accepted the trade, exchanging a car repair kit and a bottle of aqua vitae for the blueprint of the Goddess of War’s Protection and 300 pounds of bear meat, plus one bear heart and two bear paws.

The bear meat was fresh; from Zhang Tuohai’s estimate, it was killed just this morning.

Without hesitation, Zhang Tuohai made sausages from the meat.

The bear heart, when sliced and stir-fried, would be the most delicious.

As for the bear paws, Zhang Tuohai didn’t know how to cook them, so he set them aside for now.

If he didn’t figure out how to cook them in a few days, he’d just make sausages out of them.

After settling everything, Zhang Tuohai thought for a moment and sent a message to Su Mu, sharing the blueprint of the Goddess of War’s Protection.

“Interested in this?”

Zhang Tuohai liked dealing with the two sisters because, besides him, they were the only ones in this channel who could drive a level 2 car.

Although their combat abilities weren’t enough to absolutely crush wild beasts, their need for this blueprint was the strongest, and they’d pay the highest price.

Also, when it came to serious business, Su Mu was more reliable than her younger sister, Su Qi.

Indeed, Su Mu was more level-headed. After a while, she sent back a picture of a blueprint.

[Ice Maker: Appliance, uses purified water to make ice cubes and slushies.]

[Materials Required: Metal Ingots: 1 unit, Metal Parts: 10 units, Glass: 5 units, Electronic Components: 1 unit.]

“Don’t try to negotiate. You know the value of this. In a few days, it’ll be a double sun event, and you can make a fortune with it.”

Su Mu added a message after the picture.

As expected, the elder sister was far more shrewd and less cute than the younger one.

Zhang Tuohai scratched his head. “But it uses up water.”

“And your Goddess of War’s Protection doesn’t guarantee immunity from wild animal attacks either—it only lowers the chances,” Su Mu countered.

“If it’s so valuable, why don’t you sell it yourself?” Zhang Tuohai asked, curious.

“I’ve already made one; this is extra.”

“Rich lady, feed me, I’m hungry.”

“Only a grill combo set, no more. The ice business will be a joint venture; we’ll split the profits equally. Whoever gets the business keeps the money.”

“Deal!”

Zhang Tuohai successfully traded for the ice maker and a dual-use grill.

To his surprise, the grill was electric.

That would save him a lot of wood.

Zhang Tuohai examined the grill, thinking how great it’d be to grill meat on one side while boiling mutton on the other.

He almost wanted to go online and ask for lamb slices right then.

But after careful thought, he decided against it.

People’s lives were already tough enough. Flaunting online might get him beaten to death.

For the sake of future business, Zhang Tuohai gave up his late-night snack plans with great reluctance.

After completing the deal, Zhang Tuohai checked the regional channel. Finding nothing useful, he lay down.

“Xiao Ai, lights off, time to sleep.”

“Good night, Commander.”

The screen dimmed.

Perhaps it was because of the heavy losses in the day’s rally, but there were no wild animal attacks that night.

Zhang Tuohai was woken up by the car shaking.

“Xiao Ai, are you driving?” Zhang Tuohai asked, rubbing his eyes.

“Good morning, Commander. I found a rabbit on the road, and I thought you’d like a rabbit breakfast, so I ran it over.”

Zhang Tuohai: “Rabbits are so cute, but… well done!”