Chapter 227: 227 A War

Chapter 227: A Showdown

Lu Xu, Shao Yao, and Zheng Xiao’s “Mountain Group” never acted superior or put on airs. To this day, there hasn’t been any online buzz about the three behaving like divas. In fact, Lu Xu even has a reputation for being known for putting divas in their place.

It might’ve taken an episode or two, but with *Light and Shadow Journey* now into its third episode, everyone else naturally had them figured out.

The first two trips were to rivers and deserts, and this one was to the mountains—where climbing became the main challenge for the guests.

*Light and Shadow Journey* wasn’t one of those shows that made guests pinch pennies by tracking expenses. For this episode, the production team had loaded them up with snacks and drinks in advance. Some guests carried milk tea up the mountain, while others brought snacks along.

Originally, the crew thought carrying milk tea looked too informal, but with regional specialty teas gaining popularity everywhere, last episode showed Lu Xu holding a cup from a certain brand. The next day, fans had already listed the brand’s must-try flavors.

The filming location was more than happy to welcome such “marketing.”

In fact, every detail of Lu Xu and his companions’ appearance on this episode—from what they wore to what they used daily—was picked apart by fans. Most of Lu Xu’s casual clothes came from Brand G, while his sportswear choices were more varied. The T-shirts and sneakers he wore sold out almost immediately after their brands were revealed.

“Lu Xu… has unreal sales influence.”

“He really makes things look good—it’s hard not to want them. I actually went to the store and got a men’s version, and it turned out to fit me surprisingly well.”

“It was hilarious—I bought one for my partner, and sure enough, proof that clothes look better on pretty people.”

Not everyone could afford Brand G, but sportswear was another matter. Everyone knew that among celebrities, Lu Xu wasn’t exactly a fashion icon. Yet even when he wore the most basic styles from mainstream brands, the effect was still beyond imagination.

……

The group cheerfully hiked up the mountain with snacks in hand. At first, everything felt fresh—the path wasn’t too steep, and the climb still held some novelty.

Lv Yiyang and two others, eager to prove themselves, sprinted up the mountain using all their energy. Zheng Xiao wasn’t about to be left behind and joined the race. Although Lu Xu and Shao Yao were just following along, it wouldn’t have looked bad if they’d kept up instead of lagging behind while the others ran ahead.

Fans had expected this to be a lighthearted competition to the top, showing off the youthful spirit of these young filmmakers. Once at the summit, they’d share movie memories, sit together watching the sunset, and sing the film’s theme song—just like in the first two episodes.

After all, *Light and Shadow Journey* was always cozy and laid-back.

But then, the tone changed. Lv Yiyang was the first to get gassed out, followed closely by Zheng Xiao. Surprisingly, Lu Xu and Shao Yao turned out to be the last ones standing. The two casually sat down on the steps, unpacking snacks and sipping milk tea.

This mountain was a popular local attraction, often visited by tourists. As the crew sat there, passersby couldn’t help but stare. Those who recognized Lu Xu greeted him warmly and asked for photos.

With the director’s permission, the cameraman took a bunch of photos.

“I’m so jealous!”

“The photographer’s skills are insanely good—Lu Xu and the tourists all look so lively!”

Viewers had assumed this would be a fun episode highlighting guest interactions with tourists, full of positive vibes—until suddenly, just as Lu Xu finished taking photos and the group was snacking away, they found themselves completely surrounded by monkeys.

Audience: “….”

At first glance, it seemed like something the production team had planned. But no scriptwriter could’ve predicted a scene where the guests got ambushed by wild monkeys.

“Hahaha! They got robbed!”

The monkeys weren’t polite at all. Lv Yiyang and Zheng Xiao had their milk tea snatched right from their hands. Zheng tried to protect his drink, dodging to escape—but the monkey was faster, grabbing it before he could move.

Zheng’s tea was strawberry-flavored, packed with toppings like taro balls, boba, and coconut jelly. Lv’s was classic pearl milk tea. Strangely, the monkey took a sip of Zheng’s drink, made a face, and tossed it aside after barely tasting it. Then it moved on to Lv’s pearl milk tea, savoring it with great delight.

Lu Xu’s snacks were gone the fastest—he hadn’t even taken a bite before the monkey was already chewing loudly.

“Pathetic.”

"LOL, Lu Xu is totally me—just standing there like a deer in headlights with no way to deal with the alpha monkey."

"OMG those monkeys even went through their bags! Lv Yiyang snapped into action trying to protect his bag—epic fail."

"Monkeys vs. guests—it’s a complete wipeout!"

The cameraman unapologetically captured the entire scene, and the editing team mercilessly included every bit of it, showing zero mercy for the guests' dignity.

"So brutal, all I can say is—give us more, please?"

"LOL, the whole 'deer in headlights' crew."

Even crazier, after Lv Yiyang failed to protect his snacks, the others instantly sprang into action and started a chase with the monkeys on the mountain steps—just how fast they were running could be seen from the shaky camera footage.

But unfortunately, the second round still ended with the guests getting completely wiped out.

Not only did they fail to outrun the monkeys, but they also had to go back and pick up the discarded bubble tea cups and snack wrappers left behind by the monkeys.

"Useless guys—now two more of them."

"So tragic, it can literally be described as a panicked escape—can someone please get a monkey handler to control these monkeys?"

"LOL, when those monkeys showed up, I was floored—and then the follow-up was just... PFFFT HAHAHA isn’t this way more entertaining than any rehearsed scenario?"

"LOL, the producers really went all out—they sneakily retitled the third episode after filming Lu Xu and the others being chased by monkeys."

"PFFFT HAHAHA originally this episode was called 'Mountain Quest,' but they sneakily renamed it to 'The Panic Escape.'"

What shocked the audience the most was that the three "trail crew" buddies actually reenacted the scene where Zheng Xiao’s bike got stolen—on the monkey-chased mountain path, these three desperately tried to divert the monkeys' attention, throwing each other under the bus to buy themselves time.

In such situations, the one who gets the short end of the stick is usually the most honest—Shao Yao.

"So chaotic 23333, I suddenly understand what 'run for your life' really means."

"Lu Xu and Zheng Xiao, can you two act like decent humans? How far are you going to push Shao Yao?!!"

"'Light and Shadow Journey' has turned into 'Journey of Being Chased by Monkeys'—how could mere mortals ever match the Monkey King's might?"

The more the guests were chased by the monkeys, the more intense the live comment discussions became. Many viewers even rewound to the moment when Lu Xu and the others were surrounded by monkeys just to leave "warning: chaos ahead" comments.

Meanwhile, on trending topics, the moment the scene of the guests battling monkeys aired, marketers slapped the embarrassed images of Lu Xu and the others up on the platform without hesitation.

The viewership of 'Light and Shadow Journey' instantly skyrocketed.

Last week’s episode was already ranked third on the variety show charts, but this episode climbed even higher. When Lu Xu and the others were surrounded by monkeys, the real-time ratings surged to second place—and as the buzz kept growing, the ratings shot straight to first!

"Observing monkey behavior respectfully."

"Upstairs, are you talking about human monkeys or actual monkeys?"

"LOL, real monkeys driving the ratings—how could such a coincidence even happen AHHH!"

"I’m actually kind of impressed by the guests now."

"HAHAHAHA Lv Yiyang sprinted all the way to the top and completely forgot about his senior Lu Xu. After escaping the monkeys, he suddenly realized he’d left Lu Xu stranded right in the middle of the monkey swarm—he must’ve been sweating bullets."

"Lv Yiyang is basically me in meetings."

"When you tell your boss you have a car but end up giving them a ride on your e-bike—welcome to the series."

"Hahahaha, panic-inducing! No wait, Lu Xu isn’t scary at all, okay?"

What impressed viewers most was that despite the *Light and Shadow Journey* crew going through the entire monkey ordeal—even the director took a snack to the face from those monkeys—once they reached the summit, the guests still spoke eloquently about the scenery and films, not letting the monkey business derail their pitch.

"Not professional long-distance runners, but definitely actors who do their homework."

"Awesome!!"

Since *Light and Shadow Journey* hit #1 in the ratings, it stayed at #1 for variety shows from start to finish this episode.

Even viewers who don’t care much about movies now know Huayu TV has launched a show called *Light and Shadow Journey*.

The execs were grinning ear to ear.

Although produced by Huayu TV, this variety show was a joint project with the film department, meant to be fun and educational. At the beginning, the network didn’t expect much in terms of ratings.

These shows typically get good reviews, but don’t always catch on with viewers. They make decent travel shows, but if the pacing is too slow or lacks exciting moments, the ratings usually end up just so-so.

But somehow this show became the weekend’s top-rated program.

To be exact, *Light and Shadow Journey* had blown past Huayu TV's expectations since its debut.

After locking in Lu Xu as a guest, the execs knew he’d at least guarantee the show wouldn’t be forgettable—it would get people talking—but how high the ratings could go, no one predicted.

Variety shows pay big bucks these days, with many actors once considered "low-key" jumping into the game, even some big names. But having star power doesn’t always mean better ratings—in fact, how funny and talk-worthy a guest is often more important than their fame.

Lu Xu hadn't done variety since before entering the film industry, and *Light and Shadow Journey* is the only show he’s ever completed from start to finish—that alone was already a big draw, though its actual impact was anyone’s guess.

If Huayu TV had to explain the show’s success now, the execs would call it “Lu Xu’s Variety Show Voodoo.”

His audience appeal, which carried over from TV dramas to films, has finally extended to variety shows.

After the first three episodes killed it, *Light and Shadow Journey*’s fourth naturally drew even more attention.

Though the ratings weren’t skyrocketing, they remained steady with a loyal viewership. Thanks to the guests’ enthusiasm, more and more films gained recognition. The spots they visited in the first two episodes saw a surge in tourism, boosting local economies.

Notably, the milk tea Lv Yiyang and Zheng Xiao drank in Episode 3 got slapped on with bold new labels at the shop: “Zheng Xiao Monkey Brawl Edition” and “Lv Yiyang Monkey’s Favorite Edition.”

Viewers: "..."

"Such sharp business sense."

"The shop totally skipped mentioning Zheng Xiao’s 'monkey edition' is something even monkeys wouldn’t drink."

"LOL, the store keeps looping clips from *Light and Shadow Journey*—c’mon, give our 'Pitiful Squad' a break! Is losing to monkeys really something to brag about? Let them mourn privately!"

"Bought Zheng Xiao’s 'Monkey Edition.' Honestly, way too many toppings—even as a non-monkey, I can’t stand it."

"Uh... phrasing it like that makes Zheng Xiao sound like the monkey. It should be 'Zheng Xiao Monkey Brawl · Zheng Xiao Defeat Edition,' to show how intense the battle was."

Zheng Xiao: "..."

One slip-up, endless shame. Next time, I won’t lose.