Hunting Wilderness: Starting with the Butcher

Chapter 11 Nowhere to Hide Under Live Broadcast

As night fell again, Chen Duling, washing her hands as she gazed at the clear stream that had been channeled into the shelter, still found it hard to believe. The other contestants probably never imagined she was already using "tap water."

Although it's only her second day on the island, she's already very confident she can complete the thirty-day challenge. A sturdy bamboo hut, a readily available water source, and now even tables and chairs for meals—it's clear she chose the right partner.

Looking at the dinner set on the bamboo dining table, Chen Duling felt that she wasn't here for a survival challenge, but rather for a vacation. There was chicken soup that she had personally stewed, chicken and bamboo shoots stir-fried by Yuan Linghan, and cassava as the main dish.

Since arriving on the island, even Chen Duling, who doesn't eat much, still feels hungry at every meal. Even though she ate seafood last night, she still felt hungry this morning. This shows that seafood really can't be eaten as a meal!

"Dudu, tonight's meal is to celebrate the fact that our shelter is taking shape. Tomorrow, I'll finish building the kitchen, bathroom, and toilet, and then install the doors, windows, and railings. Our survival shelter will then be complete."

"Yeah, Brother Yuan, you're really amazing. I'm so glad I chose you as my partner."

"Should I say thank you for your choice? Okay, the food tastes better when it's hot."

"Okay, I understand."

As the two sat down in front of the bamboo house to enjoy a sumptuous dinner, the performances of the other challengers remained unsatisfactory. Unlike last night, today some contestants finally took advantage of the low tide to go to the beach to collect seafood.

Some other contestants also discovered wild cassava on the island. To Yuan Linghan's delight, the cassava he had previously found in the jungle was sweet cassava. This type of cassava tastes better and contains less toxicity than bitter cassava.

Chen Duling found the peeled and boiled cassava quite delicious, even after trying it for the first time. Although Yuan Linghan had brought back a lot of cassava, they didn't cook too much for dinner. In Yuan Linghan's words, cassava could be a staple food, but it shouldn't be eaten in large quantities.

Chen Duling was initially puzzled, but after they finished eating, Yuan Linghan explained quietly, and she couldn't help but blush. She had initially thought cassava tasted similar to sweet potato, so eating more wouldn't be a problem. Now that she knew it could cause constipation, she naturally dared not eat too much.

Fortunately, cassava is very filling, and paired with chewy and crisp chicken pieces and bamboo shoots, plus a bowl of fragrant chicken soup, Chen Duling couldn't help but burp. Just as she was blushing, Yuan Linghan smiled and said, "Looks like you're really full after this meal."

"Yeah, I didn't eat much before. But since I came here, maybe because I'm burning more calories, I feel like my appetite has improved."

"Being able to eat is a blessing! With your current figure, it wouldn't matter if you gained a few more pounds. To survive on the island for thirty days, we need to stock up on both supplies and fat reserves. So here, don't always think about controlling your diet."

"Okay, I'll do as you say!"

As usual, Chen Duling was in charge of cleaning up the mess. Yuan Linghan, having finished his meal, didn't rest either; he picked up an axe and stood in front of the pile of chopped bamboo. There was a lot to build tomorrow, and some materials could be prepared in advance.

Chen Duling, who had finished washing the dishes, was about to come and help, but Yuan Linghan said directly, "Duling, no need. You've had a long day, go wash up and rest! If you can't sleep, sit and watch the moon for a while!"

"Oh! Isn't this a bit inappropriate?"

"What's wrong with that! Since we're partners, our roles will definitely be different. You certainly can't handle preparing the materials. Don't be fooled by how easily I chop these bamboos; these freshly chopped bamboo strips are very sharp."

We'll be living here for quite a while, and if we get injured, it'll be a real hassle. I'll get the bathroom set up tomorrow morning. If you want to shower, it's best to do so around noon.

If you shower at night, the stream water will be too cold for you. I'll think of a solution later, maybe I can get an outdoor water heater. That way you can have warm water to shower in the night.

"Okay, then I'll trouble you. Perfect timing, I'll go tidy up the room."

Carrying a camping lamp, Chen Duling stepped into the somewhat empty bamboo hut. Seeing the thick layer of banana leaves and dry grass already laid out under the single tent, she felt a warmth in her heart. She hadn't felt very comfortable sleeping in the tent last night.

But tonight, she thought, would be much more comfortable. It was just that she hadn't showered for two days, which still made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. But she knew that given her current conditions, she was already very lucky to have her current living environment.

Meanwhile, another group of contestants, not far from the two's campsite, looked at the completely devoured food and asked the female guest Zhao Liying, "Brother Tietou, should we go out to sea a little longer tomorrow and try to find more seafood?"

"Iron Head Brother" is an outdoor blogger on the TT video platform with millions of followers. Actress Zhao Liying is also a recognized acting talent in the entertainment industry. However, she comes from humble beginnings, lacking connections and a reliable platform.

The agency helped her get this show on the show because they felt she was hardworking. Plus, she hasn't participated in many variety shows, and these days variety shows are both lucrative and generate viewership, so the agency ultimately persuaded her to take the role.

When choosing a partner, Zhao Liying specifically watched Tie Tou Ge's previous desert island survival videos. In her opinion, Tie Tou Ge had been to so many island challenges, so he must be very experienced. Partnering with him would greatly increase the chances of completing the challenge.

But once we actually got on the island, we found that this guy's outdoor skills were actually pretty average!

The problem is, Zhao Liying had no idea that these outdoor bloggers all had teams. Many of the videos they posted on the platform were edited. They showed them enduring hardship in the videos, but what were they doing off-screen?

"Okay, Ying-jie! We now know the tide times for this area. Tomorrow, let's try to find a spot with lots of rocks and search thoroughly. We should find even more."

For an outdoor blogger like Ironhead, having the opportunity to participate in this challenge is like a windfall. But as anyone with experience knows, this is the real challenge; there's no team behind him to help him!

In contrast, actress Jiang Yan is the oldest of the three, but the least famous. If we were to rank them, Zhao Liying is still a step away from being a top-tier actress, while Chen Duling has high recognition but few representative works.

The industry's salary for Chen Duling is calculated at the level of a second-tier star, while Jiang Yan is considered a third-tier artist. Although she has appeared in many films and television dramas, Jiang Yan mostly plays supporting roles, and she only gained popularity through variety shows.

Although Jiang Yan didn't have much outdoor experience, her cooking skills were quite good, and she grew up by the sea. Her partner was also an outdoor blogger recommended by the platform. However, during their two days on the island, the two of them subsisted on instant noodles and wild vegetables.

Without ingredients, even if Jiang Yan is a great cook, he has no use for his skills!

When the list was first announced, many speculated that Chen Duling's participation in the desert island challenge was just a formality. However, after watching today's live broadcast, these viewers suddenly felt that Chen Duling was the female celebrity most likely to succeed in the challenge.

The reason netizens changed their minds was naturally due to Yuan Linghan's performance; he was undoubtedly the strongest among the amateurs participating in this desert island challenge. Those so-called professional outdoor bloggers had nowhere to hide under the watchful eyes of millions of viewers in the live stream.

Fortunately for the production team, no contestants dropped out on the second day on the island. However, how long these contestants can persevere remains to be seen. If all the contestants fail to complete the challenge, the news will turn into a scandal!