Chapter 1 Wilderness Adventure

Chapter 1: Wilderness Adventure

"Hello, everyone! Welcome to the filming location of the third season of 'Wilderness Adventure'!"

"We are currently on an asteroid at the edge of the Seventh Star System. As you know, the Seventh Star System boasts a stable stellar system, much like our former home, the Milky Way, providing consistent temperature and light to this asteroid. In fact, our on-site surveys have revealed an astonishing resemblance between this asteroid and our home planet, Blue Star!"

"Follow our camera lens—doesn’t this look just like Blue Star from those documentaries?"

A drone camera buzzed into the air, capturing a 360-degree panoramic view of the surroundings. The ultra-high-definition lens recorded every minute detail with crystal clarity.

Meanwhile, on Platform A’s live stream, countless comments flooded the screen.

"It’s finally airing! I’ve been waiting for almost half a year!"

"Wow, this asteroid is so beautiful… I bet the air is incredibly fresh!"

"Can this place be developed into a tourist planet after the show? I’d love to vacation here!"

"Dream on, folks. The environment here is so similar to our home planet—the Home Planet Resources Department will definitely protect it fiercely. The fact that the production team got permission to film here shows they have serious connections."

"Exactly, us ordinary folks shouldn’t get our hopes up. Enjoying the view through the livestream is more than enough…"

"Speaking of which, when are the guests arriving? I can’t wait to see our Yao Bao!"

"I’m here for Shen Tong. Miss Shen, please stun me with your beauty!"

"Is anyone else like me? Not a fan of anyone, just here to watch someone make a fool of themselves."

"You’re not alone, friend."

"Same here, can’t wait to see him embarrass himself, hahaha!"

After showcasing the asteroid’s stunning scenery, the host shifted the topic to what the audience was most curious about:

"As for our guests? They’re already on their way. Stay tuned~"

At the same time, a spacecraft was heading toward the asteroid.

The people inside clearly weren’t very familiar with each other. After an initial round of polite, albeit awkward, greetings upon boarding, they fell silent, each retreating to their own seats. The atmosphere was quiet and still.

In the front row was a young man with bright red hair and sunglasses that covered half his face. Surprisingly, he was holding a physical book—a rarity in the Interstellar Age, where physical books had long become antiquated. Few besides old-school scholars still read them, let alone in a spacecraft while wearing sunglasses.

Across from him sat two women who also didn’t seem to know each other well, each scrolling through their personal terminals.

Next to them was a middle-aged man leaning back with his eyes closed, resting.

In the back row, a young man was half-reclining. He wore a black hoodie with the hood pulled over most of his face, revealing only a pale, delicate chin and slightly pursed lips. His arms were crossed over his chest—a somewhat defensive posture.

He hadn’t spoken since boarding the spacecraft, and naturally, no one had tried to talk to him.

This young man was Yu Xin. Just a month ago, he had arrived in this world for the first time.

Yes, Yu Xin was not from this time or space. His original world had been ravaged by nuclear war, reduced to near ruins, with a technological level equivalent to the 21st century in this world.

Nuclear war had destroyed everything. Most regions of Blue Star were severely polluted, the ecological chain nearly obliterated. Humans could only survive by hiding in safe zones, clinging to life.

Unlike the Blue Star of this world, which had experienced a technological explosion over the centuries, humanity had seamlessly entered the Interstellar Age and ventured into the cosmos beyond Blue Star.

In his original world, Yu Xin was a search team member, spending most of his time in contaminated zones—a high-risk job.

During one mission, Yu Xin’s team was attacked by a group of mutated animals. Too far from the safe zone, their distress signals went unanswered, and the entire team was wiped out.

When he opened his eyes again, Yu Xin had arrived in this world.

Before the nuclear war, Yu Xin had been familiar with internet trends and knew his experience was called "transmigration." His body had died, but his soul had somehow crossed into this dimension and awakened in someone else’s body.

"Someone else" wasn’t entirely accurate—the body he now inhabited was identical to his own, just younger, and even shared the same name, Yu Xin.

However, in this world, Yu Xin was one of the main subjects of a sensational wealthy family scandal that had taken the entire star network by storm.

It was a cliché story: the young master raised by a wealthy family for 18 years wasn’t their biological child, while the real heir had been left to struggle in poverty on a garbage planet.

Unfortunately, Yu Xin was the impostor who had taken the real heir’s place.

When Yu Xin first arrived in this world, he tried to gather information about his new identity. He searched his name on the star network and was bombarded with news articles—most of them negative.

In this dramatic tale, the real young master had grown into a resilient "little white flower" from the slums, working his way to the capital planet before being reunited with his family. Humble, polite, and unassuming, he hadn’t let sudden wealth cloud his judgment, earning widespread praise.

In contrast, the impostor Yu Xin seemed like his polar opposite. Having enjoyed 18 years of luxury, he had become a spoiled, spendthrift heir. Initially indulged by his parents as the youngest son, he was quickly overshadowed once the real heir returned.

Refusing to accept this, the impostor repeatedly tried to prove himself superior with a series of foolish and malicious actions. Eventually, the wealthy parents could take no more and, despite the real heir’s pleas for mercy, kicked the impostor out of the family.

In the highly connected Interstellar Age, privacy was scarce. Netizens had virtually witnessed the entire saga unfold, from the real heir’s return to the impostor’s expulsion—dubbing it the year’s most dramatic wealthy family scandal.

The outcome was equally satisfying to the public: the impostor’s relentless self-sabotaging led to his downfall, while the real heir’s kindness shone through as he pleaded for mercy for the person who had stolen 18 years of his life.

What a living saint, touching the hearts of the entire interstellar community!

The scandal was still fresh, and netizens were relishing every detail. It was no surprise that the star network’s opinion of the impostor Yu Xin was overwhelmingly negative—he was practically universally hated.

After being expelled, the original Yu Xin lost all sources of income. Accustomed to a lavish lifestyle, he quickly burned through the little money his wealthy parents had given him.

It was then that the survival reality show "Wilderness Adventure" approached him. With public curiosity still high, the invitation was clearly aimed at capitalizing on his infamy.

Out of options, the original Yu Xin accepted the offer.

By the time Yu Xin transmigrated into the body, the original host had long given up on life, holed up in a rundown rental apartment gaming day and night until he eventually died from exhaustion.

Initially, Yu Xin wanted to decline the show. After all, he wasn’t the original host, and exposing himself to public scrutiny posed significant risks. He also dreaded trouble. But after checking his terminal’s account balance and the penalty clause in the electronic contract, he realized he had no choice but to accept.

He decided to take things one step at a time. At least the show was filmed in a natural environment, which slightly reduced the risk of his secret being exposed.

The technology here was far more advanced than in his original world, and Yu Xin had struggled to adapt. It took him a month to barely grasp the basics.

As the spacecraft approached the target planet, it slowed down and began its descent.

Through the window, Yu Xin saw vast stretches of green below, lifting his spirits slightly.

People in the Interstellar Age didn’t seem to prioritize greenery. Wealthy areas were better off, but where Yu Xin currently lived, green was virtually nonexistent. Astonishingly, some even projected images of plants onto walls to deceive themselves!

Even in his original world, he had rarely seen such vibrant green. As Yu Xin gazed at the scenery outside, he felt a faint glimmer of anticipation for this variety show journey.

Boom— The spacecraft’s landing stirred up powerful air currents, startling a flock of birds into flight. The hatch slowly lowered, and a swarm of cameras immediately crowded around, blocking the exit completely.

The first to disembark was the red-haired youth Sheng Xingyao, a top-tier idol with immense popularity.

He still held that physical book in his hand, casually removed his sunglasses with one hand, and greeted the camera: "Hello everyone! I'm Sheng Xingyao, long time no see—did you miss me?"

At that moment, the bullet comments exploded with fangirl screams, nearly overwhelmed by Sheng Xingyao’s fans:

"Ahhhh Yao Bao! Yao Bao!"

"So handsome, so handsome~ Yao Bao’s looks are serving as always today~"

A few scattered comments also appeared: "Am I seeing things? Is that a physical book in Sheng Xingyao’s hand?"

"Reading a physical book on a spacecraft... and he was wearing sunglasses... Is he okay?"

"LMAO, the top star's persona maintenance is still going strong~"

Next were two female guests. The first one confidently tossed her long curly hair, her fluorescent manicure sparkling under the sunlight—stunningly beautiful with an edgy attractiveness.

Her name is Shen Tong, a wealthy social media influencer who’s always been very active on social media. Well-liked by the public for her looks and wealth, she entered the entertainment industry half a year ago. Her bold, unapologetic personality has attracted many fans.

The girl behind her had long straight hair and an oval face, appearing very quiet—which she truly was. Her name is Ruan Qing, a sweet and pure singer with several hit catchy sweet songs.

"Miss Shen’s outfit is on point, her figure is really amazing www"

"Qingqing is so cute too, waving her hand like a little girl~"

The middle-aged man is a household-name award-winning movie star, surnamed Qin, named Qin Shizhen.

The audience of this show has always been very enthusiastic, and since the previous guests were quite popular, the comments kept pouring in.

But when the last person appeared, the chat suddenly peaked, densely packed, almost covering the entire screen.

"Here he comes, the phony heir is finally making his appearance."

"I can’t wait... Wait, is that Yu Xin?"

"?? Wasn’t he always flamboyant? Why is he so plain now?"

A retro subculture trend is currently sweeping across the galaxy, and the original person was a devoted enthusiast. His previous social media image was always full of metal chains and skull motifs, with his hair changing colors almost every month.

But the young man who nimbly jumped out of the spacecraft now wore a plain black hoodie without any patterns, appearing very simple compared to the other meticulously dressed guests.

Yu Xin’s expressionless face, his short black hair neat and tidy. Unlike the other guests, he didn’t greet anyone. Only when he noticed the camera pointed at him did he lift his head and shoot a piercing look toward the lens.

He was already at the borderline between adolescence and young adulthood. Stripped of excessive accessories, his pale, delicate face revealed strikingly refined features. Dressed like this, he didn’t look shabby at all—instead, he exuded a boyish charm.

With his feline, youthful features—a small, exquisitely sculpted face, round eyes with long, upturned corners—usually hidden under all sorts of bizarre bangs, that one glance gave off an unexpectedly cool allure.

"Am I crazy? That glance was actually kinda attractive?"

"The difference in Fake Yu is way too big—you can tell he’s been through some major trauma."

"I think he might just be broke... Actually, he looks pretty decent like this..."

"Why is everyone suddenly praising him? Don’t forget why we’re here. No matter how he changes his appearance, he’s still a worthless fraud inside."

For a moment, the chat was filled with all sorts of comments, though most were still mocking Yu Xin.

The director checked the real-time engagement metrics and leisurely took a sip of hot tea, very satisfied with his decision to insist on inviting Yu Xin despite opposition.

With all guests present, the show officially began recording, and staff came out to brief everyone.

"Welcome, everyone, to Wilderness Adventure! Are you ready to take on the thrilling challenges of the wild?"

The guests all politely applauded.

The staff continued to explain the rules.

Wilderness Adventure is a live-streamed survival show set in the wild. Its first season became a hit across the galaxy due to its bold approach. The production team invites a group of glamorous celebrities and drops them on undeveloped, remote planets. The show provides only basic supplies and tools, and the guests must rely on these to survive in the wild for five full days and nights, without any modern technology.

It’s important to note that people in the interstellar era are long accustomed to the conveniences brought by various tech products. Most don’t even do household chores, leaving everything to smart home robots. Coming home, a smart home system can arrange everything perfectly.

Now, suddenly placing them in a desolate wilderness cut off from any technology, forcing them to rely entirely on their own hands to survive, is almost as absurd as asking a baby to independently prepare a full meal.

Yet, this very show, which seems to delight in putting guests through hardships, has won the hearts of netizens. Watching usually polished celebrities roughing it in the wild is especially entertaining.

Naturally, the celebrities coming on this show were psychologically prepared, listening to the rules without flinching.

"But," the staff abruptly changed tone, "this season we’ve made some adjustments to the rules. We’re only providing each person with one day’s worth of nutrition packs and drinking water. If you want to fill your stomachs, you’ll have to work for it yourselves."

Hearing this, all the guests except Yu Xin visibly changed expressions.

The live chat exploded.

"Did I hear that right? Are you kidding? The past two seasons were tough, but at least there were enough nutrition packs and water. Now you’re not even providing those?"

"Before, guests suffered but at least didn’t starve. Fun fact: starving for four days is manageable, but four days without water can be fatal."

"This season is really pushing limits. Can’t wait!"

"Boo-hoo, quit this show! What kind of terrible program is this? Yao Bao, let’s go home!"

Seeing the guests’ now uneasy looks, the staff smiled and added, "Nature is full of nourishment. Our ancestors relied on hunting and gathering these resources to gain wisdom and develop step by step to where we are now. As their descendants, I believe you all will do even better than they did. You can do it!"

Author’s Note:

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A great start to the story! I’ve wanted to write a culinary novel for a long time, even if it’s disguised as a survival show premise ()