Chapter 008

Wilderness Challenge was one of the hottest variety shows today. Using a “live-stream first, edit later” format, it was a fan favorite. During the live broadcast, its popularity was unrivaled, and the edited version was revisited year after year as fans looked for details they missed the first time. Consequently, even before the new season aired, the promotional material alone had already whetted the audience’s appetite.

On the day the sixth season of Wilderness Challenge began, the screen was still dark before the scheduled time, yet the White Bear Streaming room was already packed. The number of viewers had reached an impressive figure and was still climbing.

“I’m here! I’m here! Why hasn’t it started yet? I can’t wait!”

“Five minutes until noon. My lunch is ready, just waiting for the show to start so I can eat along!”

“I heard Lu Jianxing is on this season? Why hasn’t he been kicked out of the industry yet? Does a star like him, with no character and no talent, even need to stay in showbiz?”

“Is the person above living under a rock? Don’t you know his scandals were cleared up?”

“No way, right? Does anyone actually believe those clarification videos are real? If he had evidence, why didn’t he show it earlier? Did he spend the last six months photoshopping them?”

Before the show even started, the bullet comments¹ were already a battlefield. Fans from all sides jumped in, some cheering for their favorites and others bashing the stars they disliked. At exactly noon, the dark screen lit up. The audience finally set down their keyboards and picked up their lunch bowls to focus on the screen.

The first thing to meet their eyes was a vast expanse of towering, ancient trees. This was the location for this season: a remote mountain peak deep within a forest where few humans ever set foot. Aerial cameras captured the scenery below; as far as the eye could see, there was only lush greenery and endless rolling peaks.

“Another forest map? I thought last season’s island map was more interesting.”

“Forests aren’t simple. It’s so easy to get lost on a map like this. In the first season, a contestant ran into a tiger and almost lost his life.”

The aerial drone soared over the forest before diving down into the canopy. It was dim inside; the massive treetops blocked out the sunlight. The gloomy environment was fraught with peril, with danger lurking everywhere. Poisonous insects crawled on leaves, and dangerous predators lay in wait within the shadows, ready to strike. After giving the audience a comprehensive look at the vastness and danger of the area, the drone finally flew to the gathering point at the entrance.

There, the contestants for this season had been waiting for a long time.

Qiao Man gripped the hem of Lu Jianxing’s shirt. He felt countless gazes falling on him from all directions, but he wasn’t the least bit intimidated. He held his head high and his chest out, confidently accepting everyone’s scrutiny.

“Xingxing,” Qiao Man looked up and instructed, “You have to stay close to me later. Don’t get lost, okay?”

Lu Jianxing was already used to the boy’s “little adult” act. He ruffled the kid’s hair and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

After signing the contract, he had stepped up his physical training and studied a lot of wilderness survival knowledge. However, with a five-year-old as a teammate, Lu Jianxing wasn’t entirely confident.

Thinking of this, he pulled up the hood of the boy’s tracksuit, shielding him from the surrounding stares. Never mind others; Lu Jianxing himself felt like he’d gone mad. How had he actually agreed to bring Qiao Man along? He didn’t know what kind of bewitching tricks the kid had used, but in the end, not only did the three adults agree, but even the production team hadn’t refused.

Since things had come to this, Lu Jianxing no longer thought about standing out in the show. As long as he could protect Qiao Man and keep him safe here, that would be enough…

Soon, the cameras focused on the contestants as the introduction segment began.

The format had changed this season. Previously, contestants fought alone, but this time, they could bring a teammate. Before the show started, Wilderness Challenge had announced the celebrity guests: Lu Jianxing, Xie Yunqian, Xing Lei, and the only woman, a girl group idol named Zhan Yue.

Among these four, Xie Yunqian’s arrival was the most anticipated.

Xie Yunqian was incredibly popular in the entertainment industry; calling him a “top-tier star” was an understatement. Not long ago, news had even broken about him collaborating with an internationally renowned director. When the production team released the guest list, no one expected him to participate. After all, with his status, he didn’t need Wilderness Challenge to boost his popularity.

Once the broadcast started, Xie Yunqian’s fans were the most excited, frantically flooding the screen with bullet comments.

On camera, the contestants introduced themselves and their teammates.

Xing Lei was a martial arts star, and he was joined by his fellow disciple, Wu Chong. Zhan Yue’s teammate was her older brother, Zhan Yan, a retired athlete. The top star Xie Yunqian brought a junior from his agency, Pei Xiwang.

Because of his high popularity, the camera lingered on Xie Yunqian a bit longer when it was his turn. Facing the lens, Xie Yunqian said with a smile, “I’m a loyal viewer of Wilderness Challenge. I’ve wanted to try this for a long time.”

The host asked, “Then do you have a lot of confidence in this challenge?”

Xie Yunqian said modestly, “No, no. Everyone is very capable. I’ll just do my best not to end up in last place.”

He said that, but everyone present knew full well that although the season had just begun and the champion hadn’t been decided, the result for last place was already a foregone conclusion.

Off-camera, everyone couldn’t help but glance in the same direction.

The viewers in front of their screens didn’t know this. When the camera turned, they only saw Lu Jianxing standing alone.

“Where’s Lu Jianxing’s teammate?”

“Did he come by himself?”

The cameraman stepped back a bit, finally bringing the short-limbed, small child standing next to Lu Jianxing into the frame.

Qiao Man tilted his head back, looking curiously at the camera pointed at him. When it was his turn to say hello, he gave the camera a huge smile. Two deep dimples appeared on his cheeks, making him look incredibly adorable.

“My name is Qiao Man,” he introduced himself to the camera. “I’m Xingxing’s teammate.”

[???]

[??????]

After a massive wave of question marks flooded the bullet chat, the entire audience exploded!

[Lu Jianxing, are you out of your mind? There are better ways to grab attention than this! How could you bring a child on a show like this?!]

[I’m done. I just started to like Lu Jianxing, thinking it was a pity he’d been smeared for so long… But now, seeing him dare to bring a child on a survival show, I’m questioning his character. Maybe those clarification videos were fake after all?]

[Poor baby. Did his parents actually agree to this?]

[Lu Jianxing, have some humanity!]

The bullet chat was a storm of insults. Even Lu Jianxing’s fans couldn’t find the words to defend him at this moment.

Regardless of the chaos in the comments, Qiao Man remained blissfully unaware. He tilted his little head up confidently, accepting the scrutiny from everyone both on and off the screen. “I’m here to protect Xingxing.”

The host knelt down in front of him and handed over the microphone. “Sweetie, do you know what you’re here to do?”

“I know. I’m here to protect Xingxing,” Qiao Man said. “Xingxing said it’s very dangerous here, so I have to protect him.”

This was a father’s responsibility!

Of course, before he came, Sister Yun had repeatedly warned him that he could only call Lu Jianxing “Brother” in front of the cameras and couldn’t call himself “Dad” anymore. Qiao Man felt a bit wronged, but to secure his spot as a teammate, he had to agree to this condition.

The host teased, “Since you know the mountain is dangerous, are you scared?”

Qiao Man said calmly, “It’s okay. I’m very strong.”

“Sweetie, you’re that strong?”

Qiao Man patted the Little Yellow Duck Backpack on his back. “I’m well-prepared. Don’t worry!”

The host glanced at the Little Yellow Duck Backpack. Though curious, he didn’t ask further.

The next segment involved opening their bags to check the supplies they had brought.

According to the rules, besides the essential survival gear provided by the production team, everyone could only bring one item. There were no restrictions on what that item could be; it was up to the guests’ discretion. In a previous season, a guest had tried to be clever by bringing a phone, only to find the area equipped with signal jammers, leaving them with no internet or phone service.

With the experience of the previous five seasons, everyone’s choices leaned toward practicality. Fire was a crucial tool, but since the stingy production team didn’t provide fire-starting equipment, most people had tacitly agreed to bring their own.

Additionally, martial arts star Xing Lei and his junior brother, Wu Chong, brought a box of anti-inflammatory medication.

Zhan Yue and her brother brought insect repellent spray.

The top-tier idol group also showed their flint. Besides that, the other item they chose was an Amulet.

Xie Yunqian claimed the Amulet. “This is mine. I was sickly as a child, so my family got this Amulet for me. They said I must always keep it with me, or bad things will happen.”

Xie Yunqian’s fans were very familiar with this Amulet; he had carried it since his debut. However, in a survival show, it felt like a bit of a waste of a precious supply slot. A few people in the bullet chat voiced minor complaints, but they were quickly drowned out by Xie Yunqian’s fans.

The host didn’t press further and moved on to the next group.

The next pair was Lu Jianxing and Qiao Man.

When it was his turn, Qiao Man enthusiastically opened his Little Yellow Duck Backpack. It was stuffed full, packed to the brim with… Talismans.

The host was stunned. “These are…”

“They’re Talismans,” Qiao Man said steadily.

The host: “…”

Of course he knew they were Talismans!

But who brings a backpack full of Yellow Talisman Paper to a wilderness survival challenge?!

What use were they? To use as kindling if they couldn’t find firewood?

But they hadn’t brought any fire-starting tools either!

Qiao Man tilted his head. “Am I not allowed to bring these?”

The host was at a loss for words and looked toward the director behind the monitors for help. Having filmed so many seasons, this was the first time the director had seen a contestant bring such things. However, since there were no restrictions on the items, he nodded.

Qiao Man thanked him sweetly, “Thank you, Uncle.”

But no matter how many he brought, what was the point? Looking at the child’s cute face, the director couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt, wondering if he was being too heartless.

Of course, what Qiao Man didn’t mention was that there was more than one type of Talisman inside.

He had prepared them specifically before leaving. He’d spent an entire day drawing them until his hand was sore, and he only felt better after eating two ice creams. There was a complete variety of Talismans for every situation, now stuffing the backpack so full they were practically overflowing.

The host looked at Lu Jianxing, speechless. At least there was one reliable adult in this group.

The “reliable adult,” Lu Jianxing, lowered his head to avoid his gaze. He reached into his bag and pulled out a… Luo Pan???

“The director said we could bring anything,” Lu Jianxing said vaguely. “This should be fine, right?”

The host: “…”

It was fine, technically. In theory, as long as it didn’t break the rules, they could bring anything. But the host had never seen these two items on this show before.

[?????]

[Between preparing and cheating, they chose to perform a ritual???]

[Why has the vibe of this season’s Wilderness Challenge suddenly become so strange?]

Was this team really going to be okay!?

Translator’s Notes