Chapter 22: No Wonder They Survived

Qiao Yitong listened to Lu Cheng’s words and looked over at him.

Lu Cheng was staring at her with trepidation, as if he were terrified of being abandoned.

Qiao Yitong: …

In truth, she had always been a loner.

Even in her previous life in the Wasteland, she had only ever stayed by her Master’s side. She didn’t have a single friend.

Maintaining relationships was exhausting.

She had no desire to establish any deep connections with anyone.

However, looking at Lu Cheng’s current state, she knew that if she answered him honestly, he might actually have a breakdown.

They were the only two people on the island right now. She couldn’t leave, and if Lu Cheng’s mental state shattered, she would be the one stuck dealing with it. It was a hassle.

“I won’t,” Qiao Yitong replied.

Lu Cheng’s mood brightened instantly, a spark of light flickering in his eyes. “Sister Tong, don’t worry. Once we’re off this island, no matter what you want to do, I’ll definitely give you my full support.”

“Okay,” Qiao Yitong acknowledged.

She stood up and walked toward the Bamboo House. The sky had grown dark, and she wanted a quiet place to rest and cultivate.

As soon as she stood, Lu Cheng followed suit.

She took two steps; Lu Cheng followed for two steps, watching her expectantly.

He wouldn’t leave her side.

Qiao Yitong: “…”

“I’m going back to my room,” she said.

Lu Cheng suddenly felt a bit awkward. “I… I’ll keep watch for you, Sister Tong.”

After being rescued from the brink of death by Qiao Yitong, Lu Cheng’s entire sense of security was now derived from her.

Qiao Yitong remained silent. She looked over at the wood Lu Cheng had already gathered but hadn’t yet used to build his shelter. “If you aren’t sleepy, chop the wood. A rainstorm is coming.”

Leaving him with those words, Qiao Yitong opened the door to the Bamboo House and stepped inside.

Lu Cheng watched her figure disappear into the house, standing there as if he wanted to say something more.

Ultimately, logic overcame his dependence on Qiao Yitong. He gritted his teeth and walked to the side, beginning to chop the timber he had collected over the past two days for his own hut.

This scene was captured entirely by the netizens’ eyes.

• I can’t watch this anymore. How is Lu Cheng this kind of person? What happened to the “Cool Boy” persona? –

• Does no one else think they’re strangely ship-worthy? The cold, powerful boss x the pitiful puppy. –

• The person above with the romance-brain has had enough. You can ship anything, can’t you? Have you all forgotten the things Qiao Yitong did in the past? Just because she’s performing slightly better in a variety show, you’re all starting to whitewash her? –

• The hater above is honestly getting embarrassing. You call this performance “slightly better”? Why don’t you go out there and show us what “slightly better” looks like? –

• To be honest, Lu Cheng’s behavior is actually kind of cute. My puppy is just like that; he follows me wherever I go, never leaving my side by even half a step. –

…

After returning to her room, Qiao Yitong sat cross-legged on the bamboo bed she had fashioned over the past few days and closed her eyes.

The Spiritual Qi she had absorbed during the day circulated through her body, undergoing purification and refinement.

She then employed breathing techniques from her past life, allowing the Spiritual Qi to nourish her entire body and repair the old injuries left behind by the original owner of this body.

If she wanted to become an excellent Culinary Cultivator, her own health was the top priority.

After meditating for a long while, Qiao Yitong finally opened her eyes.

She heard movement outside the Bamboo House; Lu Cheng was still chopping wood.

She had felt Lu Cheng’s dependence on her today, and it left her feeling a bit dazed.

Thinking back, she had once depended on someone like that too…

In the Wasteland world of her previous life, she had been an orphan for as long as she could remember. At just four or five years old, she had barely managed to survive by avoiding the conflicts of the outside world.

When she was hungry, she would wait for a quiet moment to quietly rummage through trash cans, scavenging for scraps to eat.

Until one day, while she was scavenging, someone suddenly appeared behind her. That person wore white robes that were completely out of place in the Wasteland, looking down at her with pity in his eyes.

Her first instinct was to run.

In the Wasteland, there was no sentimentality, only the survival of the fittest. At that time, she was too fragile; anyone could have killed her on a whim.

But just as she was about to bolt, the man reached out.

He held no weapon. All he had was a piece of flatbread.

In the Wasteland, a piece of flatbread was an incredibly precious food. In her memory, it was something only the powerful were worthy of eating.

In that moment, her eyes were fixed solely on that bread.

She even thought to herself that even if she were to die in the next second, it would be worth it if she could eat this bread before she went.

The man simply watched her as she wolfed down the bread. He patted her head and turned to leave.

At that moment, driven almost entirely by survival instinct, she rushed forward and grabbed the hem of his robe before she had even finished the bread.

“I travel alone. I don’t have a team,” the man said.

His voice was very pleasant, very gentle.

She understood his meaning. The greatest kindness he could offer was likely just that piece of bread.

She understood, so she let go of his robe.

However, for every two steps he took, she followed for two.

She had no other thoughts, only the instinctive voice in her mind: Follow him and live; leave him and die.

That white-robed figure became her sole source of security during her childhood.

Sensing her stubbornness, the man in white crouched down helplessly. “My abilities are limited. I cannot protect you.”

She remained stubborn and did not leave.

It was as if a contest of patience had begun between them. Aside from giving her that one piece of bread, the man displayed the same indifference as everyone else in the Wasteland. Even as she followed behind him, nearly dying of hunger, he did not give her another bite to eat.

She also displayed a level of stubbornness and persistence that did not belong to her age. Even when she was exhausted from trying to keep up with his pace, she would crawl if she had to, just to stay by his side.

When she finally collapsed again from a lack of energy, scraping her knees and unable to get up, the man finally stopped. He turned back to look at her once more.

The man crouched down, looking at her scarred legs and arms, and let out a soft sigh.

He gently bandaged her wounds and used Spiritual Power to help her heal.

Once she was about seventy or eighty percent recovered, he asked again, “Are you certain you want to travel with me? The things I do are very dangerous. Traveling with me might mean you die even faster. I will not protect you.”

This was his final warning.

Yet she had nodded firmly.

From that day on, he became her master.

But what he actually did was entirely different from what he had initially said.

He claimed his work was dangerous, yet he frequently sent her away whenever he faced those perils.

He even ventured deep into treacherous lands alone, just to find ingredients to aid her cultivation.

He said he would not protect her.

Yet time and again, in moments of crisis, he used his own body to shield her from harm. He would be covered in wounds while she remained unscathed.

In her memories, her master had preferred wearing white. After taking her as his disciple, however, he rarely wore it.

She could guess why. When one is injured, white looks far too bloody and cruel.

…

Past memories replayed bit by bit in Qiao Yitong’s mind. Sitting on the bed, she gazed into the distance and let out a soft sigh.

The next day.

Qiao Yitong woke up early. When she pushed open the door and stepped out, Lu Cheng was already standing guard at the entrance.

Seeing Qiao Yitong approach, he hurried over and handed her a coconut shell. “Sister Tong, there’s water inside, not coconut juice. I just boiled it, so it’s at a perfect lukewarm temperature now. It’s better to drink warm water in the morning.”

“Oh, and Sister Tong, I was thinking I can’t let you work so hard catching fish every time. But since it’s dangerous for me to go into the sea, I made a fish trap.” Lu Cheng showed Qiao Yitong the result of his hard work from the previous night.

He truly lived up to his background in weapon smithing; he was exceptionally skilled at using available resources to create various tools.

This fish trap was one of them.

He had seen this contraption made by the survivalist Ed Stafford while watching variety shows before.

At the time, he had done a simple study of it but never tried making one.

Now, using the small strips of Horned Bamboo that Sister Tong had cut down earlier, he had managed to recreate it.

Fiddling with the trap, he explained to Qiao Yitong, “The principle is a basket-within-a-basket. The outer opening is large, but the inner one is small.”

“I saw it used mostly in shallows back then, so I’m not sure if it works in the sea. Considering the ocean is vast, I made the overall trap larger. I also braided bamboo strips into a rope to anchor it to the shore so it won’t get washed away.”

“I just felt like I shouldn’t leave everything to you, Sister Tong, so I made this to give it a try. If it works, you won’t have to worry about catching fish anymore.”

Lu Cheng kept explaining his invention to her.

Qiao Yitong looked at the device, then listened to his explanation of the mechanics, finding it quite interesting.

The humans of this world lacked Spiritual Power and could not cultivate, leaving them without naturally powerful hunting abilities. Yet, through their wisdom, they had created many fascinating things.

“It’s very good,” Qiao Yitong praised sincerely.

Lu Cheng’s eyes instantly crinkled as he broke into a wide grin.

• Hiss… help, I really can’t watch this anymore. Why does Lu Cheng’s expression look so much like a devoted puppy? Is it just me? –

• Lu Cheng’s inner monologue: She praised me! She actually praised me! –

• This kid is a lost cause. When the national media praised his work before, I never saw him look this excited. –

• Well, obviously. In Lu Cheng’s heart, how can the national media compare to Qiao Yitong? (Dog head emoji) –

The viewers teased Lu Cheng in their hearts, yet every single one of them understood him.

If they put themselves in his shoes, they knew they would likely react the same way.

When someone so powerful appears in a desperate situation, anyone would lose their composure and subconsciously become dependent.

After her praise, Qiao Yitong ate a simple meal and prepared to head into the forest again with her backpack.

Finding the Horned Bamboo yesterday had been a pleasant surprise. she was looking forward to seeing how many more treasures recorded in the “Way of Food¹” existed in this world.

At the very least, she intended to explore the entire island before these thirty days were up.

To her surprise, as soon as she took a step forward, Lu Cheng followed right behind her like a shadow.

Qiao Yitong stopped and arched an eyebrow.

Lu Cheng offered an explanation: “I’ll go with you, Sister Tong. I can clear the path and carry your bag.”

Qiao Yitong: “…”

“No need,” she said.

Lu Cheng’s expression instantly crumbled.

Qiao Yitong glanced toward the campfire, her Bamboo House, and the pile of wood Lu Cheng had prepared. “If you leave, no one will look after this place.”

So it was because he was needed for other tasks.

Lu Cheng’s mood brightened again.

“Alright, then I’ll wait for you here. Be careful, Sister Tong,” Lu Cheng said.

“Mm.” Qiao Yitong plunged back into the jungle.

Back at the shore, Lu Cheng sat obediently by the sea, tending the fire. He occasionally snacked on the coconut fruit Sister Tong had picked and left for him, enjoying the sea breeze. It was quite pleasant.

He had carefully lowered the fish trap into the sea, though he wasn’t sure if something that worked well in streams would be effective in the ocean.

He checked the water periodically, observing any movement near the trap.

In between, he organized the branches and wood he had gathered, preparing for his own small shelter.

Most of the time, however, he kept looking back toward the direction where Qiao Yitong had disappeared, waiting and hoping for her return.

His separation anxiety seemed even worse than before.

Having not seen Qiao Yitong for half a day, he felt restless and panicked.

• Wait, is Lu Cheng for real? After joining this show, I feel like his entire persona has collapsed. He wasn’t like this in my memory. –

• But I have to say, Lu Cheng’s current state looks so relaxed. They’re supposed to be on Deserted Island Survival, but Lu Cheng has turned this variety show into “Back to Field².” –

• Honestly, I’m jealous. Give me a Qiao Yitong and I could survive on a deserted island too! –

• Why is the camera only on Lu Cheng? Where’s Qiao Yitong? Is she dead? –

• ???? –

• Where did all these random comments come from? Why are they so toxic? Is it another group of haters coming for Sister Tong? –

• “Sister Tong” this, “Sister Tong” that. Hilarious. How do Qiao Yitong’s fans dare to show their faces again after just a few days? –

A sudden influx of discordant comments appeared in the stream, causing the regular viewers to frown.

“Where did this group of filthy people come from? If you don’t like it, get out. Don’t pollute our eyes here.”

Someone lashed out in the comments.

Seeing that a flame war was about to erupt in the bullet chat, someone finally noticed the issue and stepped up to explain.

“Tong-fans, stay calm. Don’t argue with them. This group came over from the Main Live Stream. It looks like the people over there followed the tracks Sister Tong left behind and found their way here. That’s why they’ve flooded the stream. Everyone stay cool; don’t waste your breath arguing with the ignorant.”

One sentence cleared up the confusion.

“I’ve been in this stream the whole time and haven’t checked the Main Live Stream. What’s going on? Weren’t they doing just fine where they were? Why did they suddenly come looking for her?”

“I’m watching both. The people over there simply can’t survive anymore. They heard the broadcast a few days ago saying Sister Tong was doing well over here, so they decided to move.”

“So basically, this mob is coming to snatch her resources. I didn’t see them being this eager to find Sister Tong when they kicked her out of the team.”

“I have a bad feeling about this. That crowd doesn’t look like the reasonable sort. It’s one thing to be here, but if they’ve come to cause trouble for Sister Tong’s peaceful life, I’m going to start throwing insults.”

“It’s obvious. A group of people who can’t even find food isn’t going to bring anything good to the table.”

…

Due to the influx of the massive audience from the Main Live Stream, the viewer count in the sub-stream skyrocketed, and the bullet chat became increasingly crowded.

Under the “welcome” of these comments, the figures of Shisan and the others made their first appearance in the sub-stream.

The eleven of them walked together in a line, their clothes tattered and their appearance utterly wretched.

Driven by hunger and thirst, every face was etched with exhaustion and the weariness of the road.

Their lips were cracked and dry, and they looked hollow-eyed, tormented by fatigue and despair.

It wasn’t until they neared the beach.

Pushing aside the shrubs blocking their path, their eyes met a scene of sunlight spilling over a fine sandy shore. Not far away was a well-like structure, with a clear spring gurgling out from within.

A breeze swept past, carrying the distinct saltiness of the sea, feeling crisp and refreshing.

Looking a bit further, rows of coconut trees swayed along the shore, catching the eye and making it impossible to look away.

This beautiful scene was worlds apart from their dilapidated, stench-filled camp.

“My goodness… no wonder Qiao Yitong and the others could survive. Turns out they had great luck and found a place like this, with clean water and a comfortable beach.” Peppa Lamb had long since reached his limit. Looking at the beautiful scenery now, he felt like he had come back to life.

“If I’d known it was this good over here, why the hell did we suffer so much back there!” someone nearby chimed in.

Shisan instinctively felt a bit uncomfortable. Every word these people said was a rejection of his leadership.

But he had to admit, the environment Qiao Yitong had now was indeed better than their previous one.

He regretted his reliance on experience; he had been too conservative at the start, afraid to lead everyone further out to explore.

However, now that they had found a better environment, he needed to rebuild their trust as quickly as possible.

Shisan took a step forward and suddenly felt the soil beneath his feet was somewhat soft, different from naturally formed ground.

He looked down and saw signs of it being turned over.

Suspicious, Shisan used his machete to flip the earth, and immediately saw fish bones buried in the soil.

“They can actually catch fish here!” Even Jing Xueqin was shocked, his voice carrying an undeniable longing and joy.

He hadn’t had a proper meal in far too many days.

Under the assault of hunger, he had regretted his choices several times. Why had he chosen to believe this group of useless fools?

He had donated all his food for everyone to eat together, and what did he get in return? He had followed them and eaten snails for two days!

Just thinking about it made him want to collapse.

“We’ve arrived. Hurry, get some water, find a place to start a fire, and rehydrate.”

The moment Shisan finished speaking.

The skinny otaku³, who had come on the show because he ran out of money from gaming, was the first to reach the spring. He cupped the water in his hands and gulped it down.

“Hey, don’t just drink it!” Shisan tried to stop him.

The skinny man had already downed three handfuls. After drinking, he ignored Shisan and turned to the others. “This water is sweet, and there are no impurities or weird tastes. It must be a natural spring; you can drink it directly.”

With those words, the people who were already at their breaking point snapped out of it. Some used bottles to collect water, while others, like the man, simply used their hands to drink.

After drinking dirty water that tasted like old socks for so many days, suddenly tasting such sweet, cold spring water felt like being in heaven.

Shisan: “…”

Licking his own cracked lips, he followed the others and drank the water.

As the spring water nourished his body, Shisan also felt, in that moment, that he had returned to life.

Suddenly, he felt a twinge of jealousy—jealous that Qiao Yitong’s luck could be so good after being kicked out of the group, finding a place like this.

If they had found this place earlier, why would they have had to suffer so much?

“Lu Cheng is over there!” someone spotted Lu Cheng and shouted.

Everyone looked over.

Lu Cheng was sitting right by the sea. There was a campfire next to him, and beside him sat a pile of delicious-looking fruit and coconuts.

That leisurely, carefree appearance was enough to make anyone’s eyes turn red with envy.

The fitness blogger in the group had reached his limit long ago. Usually, he worked out a lot, so he naturally ate more.

He hadn’t had a full meal once since arriving on the island.

Not to mention these past two days of constant travel, during which he had eaten almost nothing.

If he hadn’t found food today, he was prepared to gnaw on tree bark.

Seeing the food beside Lu Cheng now, he didn’t stop to think.

He rushed forward in a few strides, grabbed a fruit from beside Lu Cheng, gave it a quick wipe, and shoved it into his mouth.

Lu Cheng had been staring blankly at the horizon. The sudden appearance of a figure startled him, making him leap up. “Who’s there!”

As he spoke, the other ten people gradually revealed themselves.

Lu Cheng took a moment to compose himself before he recognized that this group of savage-looking creatures was the same team he had started with on the island.

The group spotted the food beside Lu Cheng and, before he could even react, they pounced like a pack of starving wolves, tearing through and divvying up his supplies in seconds.

They looked as if they would fight to the death against anyone who dared to snatch a morsel away.

Lu Cheng’s expression flickered with uncertainty and alarm; the state these people were in was genuinely frightening.

He instinctively gripped the hilt of the dagger he carried at his side.

After a long while, once everyone had finished eating and their frantic energy had subsided slightly, Lu Cheng asked, “What are you all doing here?”

Shisan naturally stepped forward as the leader again. “Lu Cheng, I was about to ask you the same thing. You found a place like this and didn’t think to notify us? You left us over there to suffer. Aren’t we supposed to be on the same team? We talked about mutual aid before we even stepped onto the island.”

Lu Cheng didn’t bother hiding his disdain and rolled his eyes right in Shisan’s face.

Same team? Mutual aid?

Where was all this talk of mutual aid when the whole group was targeting Sister Tong?

If Lu Cheng had maintained a neutral stance toward Qiao Yitong when they first arrived on the island, these past few days had shifted his loyalty entirely to her side.

Anyone who had a problem with Sister Tong had a problem with Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng’s blatant eye-roll made Shisan visibly uncomfortable.

Before Shisan could say anything more, someone nearby suddenly shouted, “Everyone, come look! There’s actually a Bamboo House over here!”

The group’s attention shifted instantly.

“Good grief, it really is a Bamboo House! And it’s so beautiful! The production crew must have prepared this beforehand.”

“So we really did screw ourselves over? I knew the crew wouldn’t give us such impossible survival conditions. If we had stayed in that other environment, we never would have made it. It looks like everything we needed was prepared in advance; we just hadn’t found it yet.”

“They even prepared a house for us. I get it now—this is the real survival site. Alright, alright, let me get inside and check it out.”

It was only then that Lu Cheng fully processed what was happening. He bristled instantly, reacting as if someone had stepped on his tail.

It was one thing for them to steal the food Sister Tong had left for him, but she had built this Bamboo House with her own two hands. Even he didn’t feel he had the right to just walk in. What did these people think they were doing?

“Stop! You can’t touch that house!” Lu Cheng roared, sprinting toward the building and shoving aside the person who was reaching for it.

“Why not? You don’t actually think that just because you found it first, it belongs to you, do you? Anything provided by the production crew is public property. We won’t hold it against you that you’ve been using it all this time, but from now on, we’ll have to figure out how to allocate it. We should be sharing resources,” the Beauty Influencer said.

He hadn’t showered in a week and was at his breaking point; he desperately wanted a private space to wash up.

“Get the hell away from here! Public property my ass! Sister Tong built this house herself!” Lu Cheng snapped, unable to hold back his fury as he cursed at them.

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Translator’s Notes

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1. Way of Food: The title of a fictional manual or classic text (食道, Shidao). In the context of the story, it likely contains knowledge about spiritual ingredients, culinary cultivation, or rare flora and fauna, which the protagonist uses to identify valuable resources in the wild. ↩
2. Back to Field: A reference to the popular Chinese variety show ‘向往的生活’ (Xiangwang de Shenghuo), literally ‘The Life We Long For.’ The show features celebrities living a slow-paced, idyllic rural life, farming and cooking their own food. The commenter is contrasting the intended ‘hardcore survival’ genre of the current program with the relaxed, cozy atmosphere Lu Cheng is enjoying. ↩
3. otaku: A translation of the Chinese term ‘zhainan’ (宅男), which literally means ‘house man.’ It refers to a subculture of people, often men, who avoid social life and spend most of their time at home focusing on hobbies like gaming or anime. In this context, it highlights the character’s lack of physical preparation for a survival show. ↩