"No problem, sir."
After leaving the hotel, Su Wei crawled back into Suoluode.
The engine started right away this time, but the idle speed was unstable, with the tachometer needle swinging back and forth between 600 and 900.
Second stop, Golden Dragon Supermarket.
Golden Dragon is a medium-sized supermarket in town with a full range of goods; a corner of its signboard was knocked off by the wind and snow.
There were only a few cars parked in the parking lot; there were hardly any people.
Su Wei, carrying a shopping basket, pushed open the plastic curtain of the supermarket.
The heating wasn't working properly, and two of the light bulbs between the shelves were flickering.
The passive feedback from [ Cooking LV3 ] was activated when he entered the fresh food section.
It's not a system prompt, but a more fundamental perception.
The nasal cavity can precisely filter odors, and the eye can automatically lock onto the color and texture of ingredients.
Spice section.
Su Wei's fingers traced a row of common spices, then landed on a few glass jars at the back of the shelf without pausing.
Hungary paprika powder, dark red in color, with a fine texture.
This can is two grades higher than those bright orange ones in the front row.
Smoked sea salt, from Iceland, has large grains with uneven gray edges.
Italy dried oregano.
Su Wei unscrewed the cap and took a sniff; it had a bitter, herbal scent, spicy but with a clean finish.
Three jars of spices were put into the basket.
The liquor shelf was at the very back of the supermarket, Su Wei found two bottles of aged port wine in a corner on the bottom shelf.
Made in Portugal, dated 2011, with the wax seal intact.
Port wine is sweet and full-bodied, making it suitable for after-dinner drinking as well as for adding to dishes.
Charles can't drink strong liquor, but a warm glass of aged port paired with caramelized venison is enough to make his taste buds remember the meal.
Su Wei then went to the condiment shelf and found a bottle of black truffle sauce.
The glass jar revealed a dark brown paste, with a layer of olive oil floating on top.
Upon opening the lid, a strong aroma of earth and mushrooms wafted out.
[ Cooking LV3 ] immediately determined that the truffle content of this sauce was no less than 8%.
Buying this quality item in Kodiak Town is a real steal.
The bill came to $167.
The old lady at the cashier put the items into a brown paper bag, and Su Wei carried it into the car.
The third stop was the pharmacy.
The CVS Pharmacy in town is located on the corner of the main street. It has a small storefront but a full range of medicines.
Su Wei went inside and headed straight for the health products shelf.
He took two boxes of high-purity glucose oral solution.
Hypoglycemia is the most insidious killer of elderly people in extremely cold environments.
Charles usually works in a temperature-controlled office building, so his blood sugar levels don't fluctuate significantly.
However, once exposed to temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius outdoors, the body's energy expenditure will push blood sugar levels to dangerous levels, potentially causing fainting without any warning.
The two boxes of oral liquid were put into a bag.
He stood in front of the counter for another ten seconds, then picked out an adrenaline auto-injector and a box of fast-acting nitroglycerin tablets.
Adrenaline is used to treat anaphylactic shock, and nitroglycerin is used to treat angina.
Whether you need it or not is one thing; whether you bring it or not is another.
He didn't know Charles's complete medical history; it wouldn't be surprising if a 78-year-old man had problems in any part of his body.
The female clerk at the pharmacy glanced at what he had bought, her eyes showing a strange look.
Su Wei didn't explain, swiped his card and left.
The Suoluode started again, but the decay of the ignition coil made each start-up feel like a gamble.
As Su Wei turned the key, his left hand was already on the steering wheel, feeling the vibration frequency of the engine.
The diagnostic signal from [ Mechanical Repair LV3 ] was transmitted back.
The ignition timing deviation between cylinders 1 and 3 has widened, the spark plug insulator has excessive carbon deposits, and the breakdown voltage is unstable.
The car can still run, but every time it's started, it's wearing down its remaining lifespan.
It doesn't matter anymore.
After today, this beat-up car can be returned.
Suoluode drove along the coastal highway toward the industrial area to the east of town.
1:13 PM.
Apex Polar Power ' factory appears on the left side of the road.
It was a huge steel structure building with the Apex logo painted in black and red on its gray exterior.
Several heavy pickup trucks, half-dismantled, were parked on the open ground in front of the factory.
Su Wei parked the Suoluode outside the factory gate and turned off the engine.
The soles of my boots crunched as I stepped on the frozen pebbles.
The factory's roller shutter door was half-open, and the sounds of pneumatic wrenches and metal clanging could be heard from inside.
Su Wei bent down and crawled inside.
The smell of oil, metal dust, and antifreeze was overwhelming.
A black Ford Raptor was parked nearby, with four brand-new, specially made snow tires already installed.
The car body was wiped clean, and the paint gleamed with a metallic sheen under the factory lights.
Daniel Ross slid off the chassis of a Hummer.
He lay on the inspection board, his gray work clothes stained with oil.
He sat up and pulled over a piece of cotton gauze to wipe his hands.
" Su Wei."
He raised his chin and pointed at the Raptor.
Go check your car.
Su Wei walked over.
He pressed his right hand against the Raptor's cool hood, System Diagnostics of [ Mechanical Repair LV3 ] automatically activated.
Three seconds later, the data scanned over each component below.
FOX 3.0 bypass shock absorbers, four in total, with DSC dynamic adjustment valve, uniform nitrogen pressure, and no leakage.
The control arm is reinforced with a pair of fisheye bearings, one pair at the top and one pair at the bottom, with a bearing clearance of less than one-hundredth of a millimeter.
The chassis armor is made of 8mm aerospace-grade aluminum alloy with uniform welds, free of porosity or incomplete welds.
The engine has an independent heating system, the wiring harness connectors are tight, and the torque of each bolt meets the standard.
There was not a single loose connection, not a single loose bolt, and no corner-cutting in the workmanship.
The assembly precision of each component has reached the upper limit of industrial grade.
Su Wei lifted his fingers off the hood.
This is a machine that has been treated with care.
Daniel walked over, a cotton shawl draped over his shoulders, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Seventy-two hours a day, my people worked in shifts."
He patted the Raptor's fender, leaving a faint oil mark on the paint.
"The entire suspension has been replaced."
"Full chassis armor coverage."
The heating system has its own power supply and does not rely on the main battery.
It can still ignite at minus forty degrees Celsius.
Daniel paused for a moment, then tilted his head.
"Don't mention the expenses."
"It's clearly stated in the contract that you owe us one video."