Chapter 3: Little Sister~

Qiao Yitong’s choice caught everyone off guard.

In a desolate wilderness like this, where danger lurked behind every step, the group felt uneasy even when huddled together. How could anyone dare to leave the team?

And of all people, a girl who looked like she couldn’t lift a finger and was delicate to a fault?

Qiao Yitong had already walked back several paces, clearly on the verge of leaving, before the others realized she wasn’t joking.

“Hey, what are you doing? Are you really leaving just because of a few comments? We don’t have any communication devices on this island. If you leave the team, no one can look after you,” Shisan, the survival blogger, shouted at her.

As the only blogger in the group with survival experience, he had naturally assumed the role of team leader.

Having a member leave before they even encountered a real crisis was a direct challenge to his authority as leader.

Qiao Yitong acted as if she hadn’t heard a word. Her pace remained quick and determined.

In her previous world, she had always been detached and disliked social interaction.

Aside from speaking a few extra words to her master, she was unwilling to waste a single breath on anyone else.

To her, Shisan was just “anyone else.”

As Qiao Yitong reached the back of the line, an arm blocked her path.

She looked up. It was the doctor who had just bandaged her hand.

“This is a deserted island. Your supplies consist of only three bottles of water. If you run into danger, you have no means of self-preservation,” the doctor reminded her.

His tone wasn’t exactly caring; it was more of a humanitarian statement of fact.

Qiao Yitong glanced at him, then looked away.

She raised her bandaged hand and said, “For just now, thank you.”

With that, she pushed his arm aside and continued walking back. This time, no one stopped her, and no one tried to persuade her otherwise.

The group fell silent. They watched Qiao Yitong walk away without a hint of regret. Such a scene occurring right at the start of filming left everyone feeling somewhat at a loss.

They just stood there, watching her figure recede.

Qi Qing looked deeply worried, her voice still trembling from the earlier fright. “Shouldn’t we try to talk her out of it? There are pythons on this island! If she goes off alone in such a dangerous place, what will happen if she runs into trouble?”

“Exactly. And it makes it look like we’re ostracizing her,” someone added.

Those two comments snapped everyone back to reality.

Among the twelve, some shared Qi Qing’s neutral stance and felt genuine concern for Qiao Yitong’s solo departure.

Others, however, maintained an air of indifference from start to finish, as if it were none of their business.

Shisan felt his ego bruising and felt a twinge of guilt. “Whether we’re ostracizing her or not, everyone knows the truth. It’s not our fault. In a situation like this, she leaves without a word of explanation. She has no sense of organization or discipline. Someone like that would have only dragged us down sooner or later anyway.”

Peppa Lamb stood nearby, a flicker of complexity crossing his eyes, though it was quickly replaced by coldness and a faint sense of excitement. “Right. I don’t care what kind of spoiled rich girl temper she has on the outside, but in a place like this, no one is going to keep coddling her like a child. She’s an adult; she should be responsible for herself. We can’t be expected to sacrifice our own safety just to revolve around one person, can we?”

No one refuted his words.

Even those who had initially wanted to say something chose to remain silent after thinking it over.

Everyone knew that in this situation, their top priority had to be their own safety.

Humans are naturally inclined to seek benefit and avoid harm.

Faced with the current circumstances, everyone knew exactly which side to choose.

In the middle of the crowd, a nineteen-year-old uploader had been silently watching everything unfold.

From Qi Qing’s fall that implicated Qiao Yitong, to Peppa Lamb’s manipulation of the narrative against her, to Qiao Yitong’s solitary departure out of grievance.

He had seen it all.

He suddenly chuckled, using a branch in his hand to part the crowd in front of him. “Excuse me, let me through, please.”

The crowd parted to make a path. Lu Cheng handed a combat knife to Shisan. “Brother Shisan, here’s your knife back.”

A bad premonition flashed through Shisan’s mind. “Lu Cheng, what are you doing?”

“Brother Shisan, she’s a girl after all. It’s not right for her to leave alone. I’m going with her,” Lu Cheng said with a smile.

Hearing this, Peppa Lamb’s eyelid twitched.

He wasn’t stupid; he was very good at looking out for himself. He had dared to bully Qiao Yitong so ruthlessly only because, after weighing the pros and cons, he decided she was useless to him.

If she left, she left. If she died, she died.

Aside from losing a source of clout to leech off of, she served no other purpose.

But Lu Cheng was different.

Despite his young age, he was already a popular uploader on Bilibili¹ with a million followers, famous for his DIY weapons.

He had a talent: no matter what materials you gave him, he could tinker with them and produce a decent weapon.

The production crew was stingy.

When they arrived on the island, everyone was equipped with supplies corresponding to their popularity in the pre-show audience vote.

The weapons the entire team possessed amounted to only three machetes and five military combat knives.

One of those machetes belonged to Lu Cheng.

In the wilderness, weapons were essential.

Having Lu Cheng meant having an endless supply of various tools and weapons.

Conversely, losing Lu Cheng was like the team losing its left and right arms.

Anxious, Peppa Lamb blurted out, “Lu Cheng, don’t be impulsive.”

Lu Cheng glanced at Peppa Lamb as if seeing right through him. His lips curled into a slight smirk as he replied, “I’m not being impulsive. Isn’t my behavior based on the exact same concept as yours?”

Peppa Lamb felt a sinking feeling in his gut.

“You framed and slandered Qiao Yitong for the sake of traffic². I’m leaving with her for the sake of traffic. Is there a problem?”

Peppa Lamb was speechless.

The two of them left just like that, catching everyone off guard.

The remaining ten people looked at each other, the atmosphere thick with awkwardness.

Filming had barely begun. Only two hours had passed out of the thirty days, and the team of twelve had already dwindled to ten. Everyone felt a complex mix of emotions.

This variety show was proving to be even more difficult than they had imagined.

Not only did they have to survive, but they also had to pick sides?

“Brother Shisan, this… what should we do next?” someone asked.

“Don’t worry about them. They’re adults; if they run into trouble, they’ll come back to find us on their own. We need to keep looking for a water source. Given the rate at which we’re losing body fluids, our current water supply will only last a day and a half. If we can’t find water soon, forget a month – we won’t even last a week,” Shisan said.

The group’s tension spiked instantly.

He was right. Now was not the time to be worrying about Qiao Yitong.

They had to save their own lives first.

The group of ten continued to move cautiously through the Redwood Forest, exploring deeper into the area, their hearts yearning for the sight of water.

Meanwhile, due to the departure of Qiao Yitong and Lu Cheng, the Live Stream Room’s comment section exploded once again.

• ??? I’m just full of questions. What is Qiao Yitong doing? Just leaving like that? That’s so irresponsible. What does she think the rest of them are? –

• She’s a purebred egoist. It’s not like she hasn’t done this before. Backstabbing her old agency, acting like a diva without any regard for the crew’s hard work, dragging the whole production down… aren’t these all things she’s done in the past? –

• Heh, Qiao Yitong can’t do anything right and she’s always causing trouble. It’s better that she’s gone, so she doesn’t drag everyone else down and ruin their rhythm. –

• The show said before it started that everyone should support each other. Qiao Yitong is great, isn’t she? Just pats her butt and leaves. A textbook example of moral bankruptcy. –

• Let’s congratulate Qiao Yitong in advance for being the first person to die. –

• Look, even if what she did was immoral, maybe the production team should just let her withdraw under these circumstances? Send someone to rescue her. It’s a human life, after all. Surely no one actually wants to see her die here? –

• I’m more interested in what Lu Cheng just said. Framed? Stepping on others? –

…

Qiao Yitong had been born in the Wasteland, where she spent every day on high alert for her own safety. She truly lacked any sense of collective identity.

Especially when that collective was one that rejected her entirely.

She quickened her pace. After leaving that den of trouble with her only three bottles of water on her back, she felt a sense of total relief.

The hot, humid air of the island brushed against her cheeks. The scents of soil and vegetation flowed into her nostrils, carrying a hint of salt and brine from the nearby sea.

To those people, this island was called a Deserted Island.

But in her eyes, it looked like a treasure trove.

With just a glance, she could sense the abundance of resources.

All sorts of strange but highly functional plants, unknown fruits, and various secrets hidden within the leaves and marshes – to someone fresh from the Wasteland, all of these were treasures.

Her fingers lightly brushed against the vegetation.

To a Culinary Cultivator, ingredients were their faith.

Without having to face that group, Qiao Yitong let herself go. She stroked the plants with a touch that bordered on the devout, the feeling of vibrant life traveling through her fingertips to awaken her senses. She felt comfortable in both body and mind.

Qiao Yitong closed her eyes, her expression relaxed, a faint smile gracing the corners of her lips.

This scene fell clearly into the eyes of some viewers through the cameras.

To ensure no one’s footage was missed, the secondary live stream channels had a section dedicated specifically to her.

The viewers who had followed her just to watch the drama unfold were suddenly stunned by what they saw.

• Wait, she didn’t leave the main group because she was throwing a tantrum? She didn’t want people to chase after her and coddle her to establish her “little princess” status? Why is it that instead of crying after leaving, she looks like she’s finally breathed a sigh of relief? –

• +1, I also feel like she’s more relaxed after leaving the team. Does she really think the others are a burden? –

• Give me a break, she’s faking it! Qiao Yitong is calculating. She knows everything is being streamed 24/7, so she’s intentionally acting for us. –

• Let her fake it all she wants. I’ll see if she can still keep up the act when she runs into real danger! –

…

Qiao Yitong had no idea that her every move was being watched by so many people.

Even if she did, she wouldn’t have cared in the slightest.

She was still immersed in this vast storehouse, taking stock of the treasures that belonged to her, when the sound of footsteps behind her suddenly put her on alert.

The relaxation she had shown while alone vanished instantly, replaced by a mask of indifference.

“Big sister, why are you walking so fast? Wait for me.” Lu Cheng was still panting slightly when he caught up.

Qiao Yitong stopped and watched him quietly.

“Hello, let me introduce myself. I’m Lu Cheng, a DIY weapons uploader.” Lu Cheng reached out to shake her hand, but seeing how dirty his own hand was, he pulled it back.

“What are you doing here?” Unaccustomed to interacting with people, her question sounded stiff in both tone and delivery.

“Protecting you, big sister,” Lu Cheng said with a grin. When he smiled, he looked like a puppy³ wagging its tail at someone. Even someone who disliked dogs wouldn’t feel any animosity toward a face like that.

Qiao Yitong didn’t respond. She continued to watch him silently, clearly not buying his story.

Finally, Lu Cheng couldn’t keep up the act anymore and raised his hands in surrender. “Fine, I’ll tell the truth. I’m actually your fan.”

Qiao Yitong glanced at him, unconvinced.

Knowing the original owner’s situation and reputation, she didn’t believe anyone would admit to being her fan in front of the whole world. It was a thankless task.

“I can make weapons. If I follow you, I can at least make bows and arrows or some simple traps. It’s all benefit and no harm for you.”

“Let me follow you, okay, big sister?” Little Puppy Lu continued to wag his tail.

Qiao Yitong gave him a sidelong look and turned to continue her exploration. “Whatever.”

Lu Cheng’s lips immediately curled upward, and he followed happily behind her.

“Big sister, what are you planning to look for?”

“Hey, Miss, do you need a weapon? Or at least hold a stick to clear the path? I’m worried you’ll get hurt otherwise.”

“Miss…”

Finally, after an untold number of calls, Qiao Yitong suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned around.

The turn was so abrupt that Lu Cheng jerked to a halt, pausing for a beat.

“Miss, what’s wrong?”

A vein on Qiao Yitong’s forehead throbbed slightly. Her tone remained stiff as she said, “Use my name. Qiao Yitong.”

Lu Cheng asked blankly, “Is ‘Miss’ not good?”

“It’s unpleasant and annoying.”

The moment that four-word critique left her lips, the bullet chat froze for a second, mirroring Lu Cheng’s own reaction.

And then…

[Hahahahahahahahaha!]

[Hahaha, I’m dying! Lu Cheng, you finally met your match!]

The entire screen was instantly flooded with a sea of “Hahas.”

Translator’s Notes