Chapter 39: These two seem a bit off today…

This time, Director Song was certain he had heard correctly; it wasn’t a hallucination.

He pointed in the direction of Big Orange, hesitating for a moment before confirming with Qiao Yitong, “You mean to say, when you return home, you want to take it with you?”

Qiao Yitong nodded. Since she had encountered Big Orange here, she had no intention of parting with him.

“To be honest, I don’t have a say in this,” Director Song said after a moment’s thought. “This island is the private property of a certain lady. According to local laws, all plants and animals on the island belong to her.”

“So, I need to get her permission?” Qiao Yitong asked.

“Yes.” Director Song had never encountered such a situation before and naturally lacked relevant experience. He could only speak based on common sense. “You definitely need her consent. Of course, if you want to keep it yourself after taking it back, there will likely be some procedures to follow.”

Director Song glanced toward Big Orange again with lingering fear, while simultaneously looking at Qiao Yitong with a complicated expression. Although he had seen videos on TikTok of people in other countries keeping tigers as pets, having it happen right next to him left him with only one thought: What kind of person actually does this?

Qiao Yitong nodded thoughtfully.

“Could I trouble you to help me contact the owner of this island? I’d like to discuss a deal with her,” Qiao Yitong said, her strong sense of initiative driving her to make the request directly.

Director Song paused. “…Alright.”

He didn’t dare say no. The icy sensation of that dagger pressed against his neck still made his skin crawl when he thought about it.

“Thank you.” Qiao Yitong said nothing more and turned to leave. Since she had ruled out any danger from this side, she had no reason to stay.

Only after Qiao Yitong had completely vanished did Director Song finally let out a long breath. As he exhaled, his tightly wound nerves finally snapped back to a state of relaxation. He felt exhausted, his back drenched in a cold sweat.

Turning around, he immediately grabbed his phone and dialed the staff members stationed in the control room.

The moment the call connected, Director Song launched into a scathing tirade: “Are you all over there asleep or something?”

The people on the other end had no idea what had happened. When Director Song and his team landed on the island, they had cut the nearby surveillance feeds to prevent any accidental “bugs” from revealing the Director Group’s presence to the audience.

Being scolded so suddenly left the entire control room staff in a daze.

“We’re all here, Director. What’s wrong?” the person on duty asked tremulously, waking up several colleagues who actually had been dozing off beside him.

“Good, you’re all there. Then let me ask you, where is Qiao Yitong?” Director Song demanded.

He was truly furious.

When they landed, he had made it crystal clear that the team below the island was to monitor every guest’s movements at all times, fearing that something might go wrong.

Now, someone had quietly come and gone, and there hadn’t been a single signal from that side.

Dereliction of duty!

“Qiao Yitong…” The person in the control room immediately checked the surveillance data on the screen. “Qiao Yitong isn’t outside right now. She should still be resting in her Bamboo House. Is there something you need us to do, Director?”

Director Song truly felt he had a good temperament, as he managed to restrain himself from swearing after hearing that. Instead, he let out a laugh of pure exasperation. “Incredible. ‘Should still be resting in her Bamboo House.’ I was nearly stabbed to death by her just now.”

“Huh?” Everyone in the monitoring room was stunned.

“Share all the surveillance footage from camera position 74, from 11:00 PM tonight until just now,” Director Song ordered, having regained his composure.

After his brief flash of anger, his rationality had returned.

He didn’t actually want to make things difficult for his fellow workers.

Thinking about it, no one would be particularly guarded late at night. Moreover, considering Qiao Yitong’s mysterious, ghost-like movements, she might have actually found a way to bypass the surveillance.

“Understood.” The miserable worker, having been scolded for no apparent reason, didn’t dare talk back. He simply followed orders and quickly transferred the surveillance data for the corresponding camera.

Director Song opened the video and began watching at high speed.

Within ten minutes, his pupils suddenly constricted.

He had originally thought they had performed quite well when they landed on the island.

They had carefully landed a significant distance away from Qiao Yitong and the others, choosing a dark, windy night to professionally and methodically set up camp.

He had believed they hadn’t made any noise that would attract attention.

But looking at the surveillance, Qiao Yitong had detected them less than two minutes after they landed.

Using the cover of night, her movements were incredibly fast.

On the thermal imaging camera, a figure had merely flickered by for a split second before it could no longer be captured.

If he hadn’t been staring intently at the screen, he would have certainly thought that momentary shadow was just his eyes playing tricks on him.

No wonder she could silently bypass so many professional security guards to sneak up on him.

What exactly is Qiao Yitong’s identity? The skills she’s shown several times now aren’t something an ordinary person could have. Could she be a secret agent specially trained by some clandestine organization?

A bullet chat comment that he had previously found ridiculous suddenly popped into his mind.

Lingering fear, accompanied by a sense of collapse, surged in Director Song’s heart.

“This Qiao Yitong… she couldn’t really be a secret agent, could she?”

Just as Director Song had composed himself, the phone beside him lit up again. He looked over; it was another message from Norma.

“By the way, old friend, although this isn’t necessarily related to our bet, I have a favor to ask. After the show ends, can you arrange for me to meet Qiao Yitong? The food she makes looks so delicious, I want to try it,” Norma said.

Director Song: …

With a stony, expressionless face, he sent a voice message: “You two certainly have a psychic connection. She just came over and said she wanted to meet you.”

Seeing this, Norma called him directly.

“Oh! Then we really are destined. But how did you run into her? How did you end up chatting?”

Director Song recounted his recent brush with death to Norma, only to be met with a wave of heartless laughter.

Norma wiped away the tears from her eyes on the other end of the line. “Alright, alright, I’m not mocking you. I’m feeling sorry for you. You have to believe me, my old friend.”

Director Song: “…” You could at least stifle your laughter a bit before saying that.

Once Norma finished laughing, her expression turned slightly more serious. “So, you’re saying she wants to find me to negotiate a deal for the tiger?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’m afraid I must disappoint her. I found Platinum by chance. It is very intelligent but difficult to tame, so I specifically placed it on my island and even stocked the land with plenty of prey for it. I love that tiger, so even if it’s Qiao Yitong, whom I currently admire, she cannot take it away from me,” Norma said.

“Unless…” Norma hesitated after speaking.

“Unless what?” Director Song prompted.

“Unless she can let me taste a delicacy unlike anything I’ve ever had before,” Norma said.

Director Song chuckled. “Then you might as well just reject her outright. You’re such a gourmet that you’ve probably experienced the finest dishes from the world’s best chefs over the years. What could possibly catch your eye now?”

Norma smiled, acknowledging Director Song’s assessment. However, a flicker of sorrow passed through her eyes after hearing his words.

It was true. Over the years, she had tasted almost every renowned delicacy in the world. Her threshold was so high that nothing could impress her anymore.

To never again taste a flavor that could strike the soul was, in its own way, a kind of tragedy.

“Alright, contact me if there are any new developments. I’m willing to trust your eye for talent now. This Qiao Yitong you recommended is truly very interesting,” Norma said.

“Mm, talk later,” Director Song responded.

Just as they were about to hang up, a thought struck Director Song like a bolt of lightning. He asked hurriedly, “Wait, you just said the tiger was placed on this island specifically, and you also specially prepared the food it needs to eat?”

“Yes, is there a problem? Those are all in Area C. You mentioned before that the guests wouldn’t easily enter Area C, so I didn’t tell you.”

“We’re doomed, we’re doomed,” Director Song repeated subconsciously.

“Hmm?” Norma didn’t understand.

“Qiao Yitong hasn’t even entered Area C to get the food resources you threw in there, and she’s already caused this much chaos. If she discovers the situation in Area C, then…” Director Song felt that Qiao Yitong was likely to stir up a lot more trouble for him.

When they first promoted this variety show, the main selling points were hardship and cruelty.

Now, the cruelty was long gone, and hardship could only be seen occasionally through Shisan and the others.

The production team’s credibility with the audience was almost non-existent.

Everything was like a runaway horse, galloping further and further away from the script he had originally set.

And now, Norma was telling him that Area C had even richer resources?

Maybe he should consider just renaming the show to: “The Island Life We Yearn For.”

Director Song wore a stiff expression, looking far from happy.

Norma laughed. “But the show is getting more and more fun, more and more worth looking forward to, isn’t it?”

…

After confirming Director Song’s intentions, Qiao Yitong headed back toward her Bamboo House with a relaxed mind. She felt a bit strange, a bit melancholy.

This world was indeed vastly different from her past one.

In this world, even in a variety show environment where people were used as entertainment, those in high positions would still show mercy and revere life when people encountered danger, choosing to rescue them even at the cost of breaking the rules.

But her previous world was not like this.

There, they had a complete gladiatorial system where humans were merely toys for the amusement of the elite.

They craved the sight of blood, the sight of humans slaughtering one another.

Every day, countless people gave their lives just for the entertainment of those individuals.

She loathed that system to the core but was powerless to resist it.

Though she hadn’t been here long, she was starting to like this world a little.

Suddenly, a faint sound came from not far away, and Qiao Yitong paused. Deng You was there.

She intended to bypass him in silence. In any world, privacy was very important. She had stumbled upon him by accident and had no intention of spying.

But sometimes, one couldn’t just walk away the moment they wanted to. As she turned, a low, faint sob came from Deng You’s direction. Qiao Yitong paused, frowning slightly.

She stood frozen, unsure of what she should do at this moment.

After the sobbing, she heard what sounded like a metal lid being opened, followed by a very weak human voice coming from within.

“Youyou, Mama feels… a bit… like I have no strength left. I’m sorry, Mama might… not be able to keep… accompanying… you… but… Youyou, even without Mom and Dad… you must live well. Remember… Mommy and Daddy love you… always love you.”

It played once, then again. By the third time, Deng You had buried his face in his knees, his hand tightly clutching the metal necklace he always wore around his neck. He gripped it very, very hard.

After a long time, he finally calmed down. He looked up at the peaceful moonlight in the distance, a bitter smile appearing on his face as he whispered to himself, “Don’t you think you’re being very cruel?”

No one could answer him. The only response was the small speaker in the metal necklace repeating for the third time: “Mommy loves you.”

Hearing this, Qiao Yitong felt a dull, inexplicable discomfort in her chest. She didn’t want to listen anymore. With that thought, she lowered her head and walked away quickly.

Deng You never knew that Qiao Yitong had been near him. After a long while, once his emotions had finally settled, he put the necklace back around his neck with a calm expression, the small speaker resting tightly against his heart.

He hugged his knees to his chest, gazing at the distant moonlight.

“But… Mom, Dad, lately, I think I’ve met a few really, really good people.”

…

Aside from those directly involved, no one knew how much had happened that night.

As night fell and the guests drifted into sleep, the cameras went still and the audience in the Live Stream Room began to disperse.

The departure of Shisan and his group had sparked some interest among the viewers regarding their future, but compared to the ups and downs of the previous days, the current calm had caused a significant drop in popularity.

However, they never expected that early this morning, a video would be posted online that would act like a heavy bombshell, sending the entire internet into a frenzy.

The video was posted by Director Song himself. It featured drone footage captured by Norma, showing exactly how Qiao Yitong had subdued the wild boar.

The netizens had already been intensely curious about what happened in Area C, lamenting that the production team’s setup hadn’t reached that far and caused them to miss such a thrilling scene.

Who could have imagined that just as they had given up hope of the production team providing any footage, a clip like this would be released?

The netizens were ecstatic. When they clicked on the video and saw Qiao Yitong’s clean, decisive movements as she took down the wild boar, they were collectively stunned.

The internet went wild, and comments exploded across every platform.

• Does anyone else get this?! Am I really seeing this? Mom, I’ve seen a real-life Valkyrie! –

• WTF, is this real or fake? If the previous things were just weird skills, how do you explain this? One strike and the boar is done for. It’s a waste of talent if she doesn’t go into action movies! –

• What movie is this from? Did they release a clip just so fans could start marketing her? A Valkyrie? Did the “fragile little white flower¹” persona stop working, so she’s switching lanes? –

• @The person above, you clearly haven’t been following Qiao Yitong lately. This isn’t a movie, it’s a Survival Variety Show. No special effects, all real events. Qiao Yitong is nothing like the fragile little white flower we imagined! –

• Exactly. A word of advice to those in the front: the entertainment industry has changed. Those of you blindly hating on Qiao Yitong should hold back and go learn what’s been happening recently before you start typing. Otherwise, you’re just going to slap your own face and look stupid! –

• Agreed. I used to join in on the hate when she was being blacklisted by the whole internet, but now I just want to say I was a total fool. With her strength, she could take me out in seconds! –

• Ahhh, I can’t take it! Qiao Yitong’s movements are the coolest martial arts I’ve ever seen. I’ve got this on loop and I can’t stop. I’m stanning² her so hard! –

• To the person above, watch your language. This is a public space, mind your behavior on the internet! –

As soon as the video came out, netizens flooded the comments. Whether it was because Qiao Yitong’s movements were so incredible and cool, or because her taming of the “big cat” defied logic, the heat surrounding her rose in wave after wave.

The production team didn’t even need to do any marketing. They just had to leave the video there, and it spread across Weibo, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Bilibili, and every major domestic and international social media platform.

#TopHunterQiaoYitong#

#OneMoveToTameAWildBoar#

#QiaoYitongKidnapsABigCat#

#ThisIsTheActionWeWantToSee#

Hashtags climbed the charts one after another. Even some strange tags that people couldn’t immediately decipher turned out to be discussions about Qiao Yitong’s incomprehensible feats.

The speed at which the popularity soared brought nearly five million new viewers into the Live Stream Room within a single day. The massive influx of data nearly crashed the servers.

Facing this sudden surge in traffic, Director Song sighed helplessly. This Qiao Yitong truly gave him both a headache and a reason to be grateful.

The headache came from the fact that every step she took was so unconventional that it left him scrambling, ruining all his plans and even forcing him to work overtime on the island.

Yet, at the same time, he had to admit that the traffic Qiao Yitong brought had already earned the show over eighty million in revenue.

There was still more than half the time left in the schedule. That profit figure would only continue to multiply.

It truly was a mix of joy and worry.

He was also relieved that he had anticipated the reaction before releasing the video. He had contacted the streaming platform to add more servers in advance, which allowed them to catch this massive wave of sudden traffic.

However, the crowd that rushed into the Live Stream Room early that morning didn’t get a chance to see Qiao Yitong’s heroic display of defeating the boar.

Instead, the first thing that caught their attention upon entering was Lu Cheng and Deng You.

As the sky began to brighten and the sun prepared to peek over the horizon, Lu Cheng pushed open the door to his room. He picked up the empty bamboo containers sitting next to their house and headed toward the spring.

Deng You, who had been sleeping outside, woke up immediately when he heard Lu Cheng moving.

“What are you doing?” Deng You asked.

“Getting water.” Lu Cheng glanced at him. “Otherwise, when Sister Tong needs water later, she’ll have to get it herself.”

Deng You looked at his “diligent” appearance and remarked with a hint of harmless sarcasm, “You certainly are good at playing the sycophant.”

After saying that, he took another look at Lu Cheng’s appearance.

Everyone on the island was covered in dirt and grime, as the conditions didn’t allow for much grooming.

But this kid Lu Cheng, taking advantage of having a wooden cabin, had kept himself remarkably clean.

To be honest, Deng You was a bit envious of Lu Cheng’s look.

It made sense. If a clean, handsome face and a dirt-covered face stood before you at the same time, there was no question which one people would prefer.

“Not only are you a sycophant, you’re also peacocking³,” Deng You added another jab, this time laced with a bit of bitterness.

Lu Cheng: ???

Lu Cheng was nearly driven to a frustrated laugh. Before he could decide how to respond, he saw Deng You carrying two buckets, also heading toward the spring.

“What are you doing?” Lu Cheng asked warily.

“Is only you allowed to do things for Sister Tong? I’m not allowed?” Deng You glanced at him sideways, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

That air of entitlement made Lu Cheng feel inexplicably uneasy. He pursed his lips and didn’t waste time arguing with Deng You, instead quickening his pace.

Two buckets of water were actually quite heavy. Once he finished filling them, he quickly hauled them back. Then, he immediately grabbed the last two empty buckets, intending to bring back two more.

Deng You was a step behind him. Seeing this, he reached out for a bucket. “Hey, give me one of those.”

“Why should I?” Lu Cheng shot him a look, clutching the two buckets tightly.

Deng You let out a scoff at the way he was guarding them like a dog with a bone. “Fine, you go then. I’ll go gather firewood,” Deng You said.

He looked perfectly composed, but his unconsciously quickening pace betrayed him. He was clearly terrified that Lu Cheng would finish the water run at lightning speed and come over to snatch the firewood duty as well.

After all, ever since they started following Sister Tong, everything had become so simple that the opportunities to prove their worth were becoming increasingly scarce.

Every task stolen was one less chance to shine.

Deng You maintained his calm facade while gathering wood with great speed. When he returned, he saw that Lu Cheng had already taken the initiative to start boiling the water.

He remembered that Lu Cheng seemed to have learned a porridge recipe from Sister Tong yesterday. It involved taking a bread-like fruit, scooping out the pulp, putting it in a pot with water, and adding other cleaned and pitted fruits. After simmering it all together, it would turn into a pot of something resembling fruit porridge.

The only catch was that this porridge took a relatively long time to cook.

Watching Lu Cheng’s movements now, Deng You suddenly realized something. If the porridge started simmering now, wouldn’t it be ready exactly when Sister Tong finished her morning exercise and took a break?

He cursed inwardly. How could he have forgotten the timing? He’d let this kid beat him to the punch again.

Deng You paced around the beach, racking his brain for something else to do.

Fishing? After Lu Cheng improved the nets a while back, they just had to cast them and pull them back in after two or three hours. Going into the sea himself would just be a nuisance, so he quickly dismissed that idea. Helping Sister Tong clear the nearby weeds? That didn’t seem necessary either.

Deng You stared at the smug Lu Cheng for a long time.

The sense of indignation in his heart grew stronger and stronger, and he nearly ground his teeth to dust.

Finally, just as the sun fully crested the horizon, the door to Qiao Yitong’s Bamboo House opened.

The moment Qiao Yitong stepped out, the two men on the beach whipped their heads around. Their gazes locked onto her instantly as they spoke almost in unison:

“Sister Tong, the porridge is almost ready.”

“Um… I’ve gathered all the firewood we’ll need for the next two days.”

Hearing these two sentences the moment she opened her door, Qiao Yitong blinked in surprise. She nodded hesitantly. “Oh. Okay.”

Translator’s Notes