Chapter 43 Opening a Coconut Barehanded.

Chapter 43: Barehanded Coconut Opening

"They're back, they're back!"

Shen Tong stood on the shore, hand shading her eyes as she gazed toward the sea where Yu Xin and the others had sailed. Within her sight, the small boat bobbing on the waves drew closer and closer, finally making a successful landing.

Ruan Qing and Shen Tong, who had remained on shore, eagerly rushed forward. "So? So? Any luck?"

"You bet!"

Honestly, they didn't even need to ask; the excited expression on Sheng Xingyao's face alone confirmed that this trip's haul was substantial.

Working together, they pushed the boat ashore. Sheng Xingyao lifted the box they had brought for seafood and placed it before Shen Tong and Ruan Qing, boasting, "See for yourselves!"

"There's so much!" Ruan Qing exclaimed.

The half-meter long and wide box was packed to the brim with several lobsters and a pile of sea urchins. In addition, there was a grouper and two sizable squids.

The box had been pre-filled with some seawater. Because it wasn't very deep, the pressure difference between the sea bottom and the surface wasn't significant, so the seafood inside was still alive and kicking. One particularly feisty, good-sized lobster suddenly flicked its tail, splashing seawater onto the faces of the two girls.

Shen Tong pulled it out of the box and tapped its shell sharply. "Now that you're in our hands, behave yourself!"

[Wow, they actually brought back so much, impressive!]

[This seafood is so fresh! Whenever I buy some, it's either dead or frozen; the flavor suffers a lot.]

[Ugh, why did I only catch two or three lobsters last time I went out, and they weren't even as big as these? Did I go out on a fake sea or something?]

[I can't wait to see what kind of feast Yu Xin will make with this seafood (rubbing hands together).]

[Yu Ning and Ye Ran must be regretting it now, hahaha, all this delicious seafood has nothing to do with them.]

[Serves them right. Who told them to split off from Yu Xin's group? They didn't lift a finger, of course they can't expect to share what others worked hard to catch.]

Ye Ran was indeed feeling a pang of regret.

After he and Yu Ning had separated from the group, Young Master Ye found the sun too harsh and irritating to his skin, so he holed up in the tent all afternoon. At the time, watching Yu Xin and the others busy themselves cutting trees and building a boat, he secretly laughed at them for all their futile effort. Ye Ran completely didn't believe they could actually build a boat capable of going to sea; he thought their hard work would just be a waste of energy.

They'd find out soon enough how foolish it was to not listen to him and Xiao Ning, and instead believe in that good-for-nothing Yu Xin.

At noon, they ate the day's ration of nutrient paste provided by the program crew and then retreated into their tent for a nice nap. It wasn't until now, hearing the sounds of laughter and conversation from Shen Tong and the others outside, that they emerged from the tent.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw the full box of harvest from Yu Xin's group's successful return from the sea.

Ye Ran rubbed his eyes in disbelief, making sure he wasn't seeing things. They had actually managed to go out to sea in that rickety boat and brought back so much seafood!

A real pang of regret hit Ye Ran. He hadn't expected that after he was so sure Yu Xin would fail, reality would slap him in the face so quickly. If he hadn't acted on impulse and split from the other guests, wouldn't he have a share in this seafood too?

Yu Ning also emerged from his tent just in time to see Yu Xin surrounded by the others, listening to them talk excitedly. He didn't need to guess; it was definitely positive, full of praise and admiration.

How... how could this be!

How did he manage to do it again!

His delicate face was currently quite unpleasant to look at. He stared blankly at the scene of Yu Xin being surrounded, lost in thought for a long time, his mind churning with unknown thoughts.

"Xiao Ning... Xiao Ning!"

It was only when Ye Ran called his name that he snapped out of his daze. Ye Ran was looking at him with a hint of dissatisfaction. "I called you several times, didn't you hear me?"

"Sorry, Xiao Ran, I was distracted and didn't notice," Yu Ning apologized softly. "What were you saying?"

"I said, the sun is almost setting. Shouldn't we find something to eat?" Ye Ran repeated.

He rubbed his flat stomach. The small ration of nutrient paste provided by the program crew at noon had long been digested. If they didn't find something to eat soon, they'd be going to bed hungry tonight.

"Xiao Ning, didn't you cram a lot of survival skills before coming on the show? If Yu Xin can do it, you definitely can too, right?" Ye Ran grabbed Yu Ning's arm, looking at him expectantly. "With you here, I definitely won't go hungry, right?"

Faced with Ye Ran's complete trust, Yu Ning instinctively avoided his gaze.

His so-called cramming on survival knowledge amounted to just reading some texts and watching videos. Now, stranded on this deserted island with nothing, he was at a complete loss. Where was he supposed to learn what to do from that?

But he couldn't just tell Ye Ran the truth. He forced a smile. "...Don't worry, I'll definitely find us something to eat."

On the other side.

Faced with all this seafood, after the initial excitement, the next problem was how to cook it all.

"Yu Xin, we have so much seafood, how are we going to eat it?" Shen Tong asked.

While catching the seafood, Yu Xin had already mentally listed numerous ways to prepare it, each one delicious. But out here in the wild, the tools and seasonings they had available were far too limited.

Especially seasonings. They only had the basic salt, soy sauce, vinegar, etc., from the survival kit provided by the program crew, plus some scallions, ginger, garlic, chili peppers, and other herbs they had gathered from the jungle. They had none of the specific seasonings required for certain seafood dishes.

This severely limited the scope of Yu Xin's culinary skills.

After Yu Xin explained the situation to them, their disappointment was palpable, especially Ruan Qing's. Thinking she might miss out on the amazing dishes Yu Xin had described, she let out a long sigh. "It's such a shame. These ingredients are so fresh and high-quality, but we can't cook them in the best way possible."

"How about this: since the audience also wants to see Yu Xin cook delicious food, why don't we go plead with the production team? Ask them to get the seasonings Yu Xin mentioned. Maybe they'll agree!" Shen Tong had a sudden idea.

"Let's not bother. There's no way the production team would be that nice to help us," Ruan Qing said, pursing her lips.

"Not necessarily," Sheng Xingyao suddenly slapped his thigh. "What if we do like last time? Let the production team set a condition. If we can meet it, they fulfill our request!"

"Huh? That might actually work!" Shen Tong jumped up excitedly, full of initiative. "Does everyone agree? If so, I'll go negotiate with the production team!"

"I'm fine with it. I just wonder what trick the production team will come up with to challenge us this time..."

Shen Tong quickly got in touch with the production team. After stating their request, the production team sent over a staff member.

"Have you decided? Do you agree or not?" Shen Tong asked impatiently.

The others also looked at the staff member expectantly.

The staff member who arrived whispered into his communicator with the director, then said to the group, "The director says he can agree to your request, but the condition is still that you must complete the challenge set by the production team."

The production team certainly wouldn't pass up an opportunity handed to them to put the guests through their paces.

"Tell us what the challenge is first," Yu Xin said.

"Wait a moment, I need to check with the director."

The staff member pressed his communicator, listening to the director's instructions on the other end. As he listened, his expression suddenly became rather peculiar.

The guests suddenly had a bad feeling. Had the director really come up with some unbelievable challenge again?

Ending the call, the staff member looked like he had something to say but hesitated, his tone somewhat sheepish. "Well, the director said... this time's challenge is... if you can open a fresh coconut without using any tools, barehanded, then you'll have succeeded."

"In that case, do you still want to accept the challenge?"

[??? What? What did I just hear? The production team wants them to open a coconut barehanded?]

[I might not even manage it with a knife, let alone barehanded?? Is the production team out of their minds?]

[What’s wrong with the Wilderness Adventure crew? They just can’t resist messing with the guests every single day, can they? Why don’t they try opening a coconut barehanded themselves?]

[Oh no, we probably won’t get to see Yu Xin’s delicious cooking methods now (crying face emoticon).]

[Ducking for cover to say this—am I the only one who wants to see them try opening a coconut barehanded? Hahaha, that would be such a hilarious scene.]

[I want to see it too. When it comes to creating drama, you’ve really outdone yourselves, production team!]

"Barehanded coconut opening?? Why don’t you just say no to us outright?" Shen Tong was so angry she laughed. How was this any different from outright rejecting them?

Coconut shells are so hard—it’s tough even with a knife. Barehanded? Do they think we’re some kind of super-powered warriors??

"Forget it, they just want to make a joke out of the guests. They never really intended to agree to our request," Qin Shizhen saw right through the production team’s intentions but had no choice but to resign himself. "Let’s just think of another way."

The production team never forgets its original intention—always thinking of new ways to mess with them.

"So, your answer is to refuse?" the staff member asked again.

"Wait a moment," Yu Xin suddenly spoke up. "Who said we’re refusing?"

"Let me confirm one more time—your requirement is that as long as we can open this coconut 'barehanded,' without using any tools, it counts as us successfully completing the challenge, right?"

"That’s correct."

"Alright then, we accept this challenge."

[Yu Xin, think twice!]

[What on earth are you doing? Don’t be impulsive, Yu Xin! Don’t fall into the production team’s evil trap!]

The other guests also looked anxious. It wasn’t that they didn’t trust Yu Xin, but without any tools, even the strongest among them couldn’t possibly do it!

Qin Shizhen tried to persuade him: "Xiao Yu, maybe we should think about this a bit more…"

"No need, Teacher Qin," Yu Xin said, his voice unassuming yet full of confidence. "Don’t worry, I have my own method."

"Later, I’ll make a list. Just follow it and gather everything I need first."

***

After accepting the challenge from the production team, Yu Xin didn’t start trying immediately. Instead, he walked alone into the coconut grove where they had attempted to pick coconuts earlier.

Not long after, he emerged from the grove with a massive crab with long, misshapen limbs, looking almost like a giant spider.

Shen Tong curiously poked it with the stick in her hand, and the creature responded by clamping its huge claw firmly onto the end of the stick.

With a sharp crack, the thick stick was snapped clean in two.

"Whoa, this crab is incredibly strong!" Shen Tong exclaimed in surprise. "Yu Xin, is this the secret weapon you mentioned that’ll help us complete the challenge?"

"Exactly," Yu Xin said, tapping the strange creature struggling fiercely in the bucket with the tip of his foot. "Don’t judge it by its looks—completing the production team’s challenge all depends on this."

"Will... will this really work?"

Everyone looked at the ugly crab, pinned on its back by Yu Xin and clumsily moving its limbs trying to flip over, deeply skeptical about the chances of success.

"Now we can call the production team over. It’ll be just in time to get the things I need before we start making dinner," Yu Xin said.

When the production team heard they were ready for the challenge, they immediately sent someone over—the same staff member as last time.

When he arrived, he seemed a bit doubtful. "Are you sure you want to complete the challenge now?"

It had been less than an hour since he announced the challenge. Had they really figured out a way that quickly?

"Of course. Why else would we call you over? Let’s get started quickly—we don’t want to delay making dinner," Yu Xin urged.

Seeing Yu Xin’s confident demeanor, the staff member had no choice but to say, "Then the challenge begins now. Bring over the coconut the production team prepared in advance."

[Oh my god, are they really going to open a coconut barehanded? Is that even humanly possible?]

[Looking at how confident Yu Xin is, it seems like he really can do it.]

[Help, I’m so curious! What method will they use to complete the challenge? Hurry up, hurry up!]

To prevent the guests from secretly using any tricks, the coconut for the challenge was specially prepared by the production team. It was in its prime, with an incredibly hard shell, feeling like a heavy shot put when held.

"The coconut is ready. Who will you send to take on the challenge?"

"Well…" Yu Xin mysteriously brought over a bucket, removed the covering, and revealed a strange crab nearly half the size of a washbasin.

"It’s this."

??

The staff member wondered if he had misheard.

Is this a joke? They’re going to use this thing to complete the challenge?

Before he could voice his doubts, Yu Xin had already preempted him, taking the coconut from the staff member and tossing it directly into the bucket.

Everyone curiously peered into the bucket. The enormous crab, delighted to see the coconut, quickly dragged it underneath itself.

Then, it extended its massive claw and without hesitation clamped down on the coconut’s hard shell. Amid everyone’s gasps of surprise, it easily shattered the coconut shell—something even a knife would struggle to crack—into pieces.

"Holy sh—my god," Sheng Xingyao caught himself mid-sentence, switching to a more polite expression, utterly astonished. "It… it actually opened it??"

The staff member was also stunned.

How is this even possible??

Yu Xin gestured with his chin toward the crab in the bucket and the now-shattered coconut. "No tools, barehanded, coconut opened. We’ve met all the conditions."

"So," he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, "our challenge should be considered successful, right?"

[Hahahahahahaha, I’m speechless. How the hell did this even work??]

[He’s absolutely right, hahahaha. Barehanded, no tools, coconut opened—they did it all.]

[I’m dying of laughter. Yu Xin’s brain is something else—how did he even think of this?]

[It’s a success! The production team should honor their bet. Hurry up and get Yu Xin everything he needs!!]

"This… how can this count? The crab opened it, not you guys," the staff member retorted, his face flushed with panic, voice trembling.

They never expected Yu Xin and the others to complete the task this way, completely catching them off guard.

"Why doesn’t it count? It was agreed beforehand—whoever it is, as long as the coconut is opened barehanded, it counts as our success. You never specified who had to do it. Now we’ve met all the conditions—are you trying to welch on the deal?" Ruan Qing reacted quickly, immediately teaming up with Yu Xin and turning the question back on the staff member.

[I testify!! They really didn’t specify that the guests had to be the ones to complete the challenge!]

[Pff, besides the guests, there are no other living beings on this island. Who would’ve thought they needed to add such a condition?]

[I don’t care, the challenge was successful! The production team better not try to weasel out of it!]

After Ruan Qing finished speaking, the guests exchanged glances and wordlessly surrounded the staff member. Sheng Xingyao rolled up his sleeves as he walked, and said with a smirk, "The last variety show I participated in was about ancient Chinese martial arts training. I spent three whole months there. Heard someone wants to go back on their word?"

The staff member cornered in the middle: …I didn’t, I wouldn’t! Can’t I just check with the director first…

He connected his communicator and spoke quietly with the director, reporting the situation.

"Alright," the staff member hung up and announced helplessly, "This time, the challenge counts as successful."

"But Yu Xin, you have to explain something to us. How did you know this crab is strong enough to crack coconuts open with its claws?"

Everyone was also very curious and turned to look at Yu Xin, waiting for his explanation.

"This type of crab is called a coconut crab. It’s a species of terrestrial hermit crab, and coconuts are their main food source."

Yu Xin lifted the crab from the bucket—which was still eating heartily—and displayed its massive claws in front of the camera.

"Don't let its appearance fool you. It can even climb coconut trees to pick coconuts, let alone crack them open."

As for how he knew this… in his previous life, one of his teammates had foolishly provoked a mutated coconut crab on an island. The aftermath of that incident was something Yu Xin didn’t want to recall.

Compared to the monstrous mutated coconut crab from his past life, this one was much more harmless.

[Learning something new every day! Another day of gaining knowledge through variety shows.]

[This thing is incredibly strong. It cracked open such a hard coconut shell so easily—I bet it could break my toes too.]

[Hmm… am I the only one wondering what this thing tastes like?]

[Honestly, me too… It looks like it has a lot of meat (gulping).]

Yu Xin returned the coconut crab to the bucket and didn’t forget to ask the staff, "Since we’ve completed the challenge, have you prepared the things you promised us?"

"Everything’s ready," the staff member said. "We’ll have them brought over soon, okay?"

"Hurry up!! We can’t wait any longer!!"

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Author’s note: Next chapter—seafood feast!!

Thank you all so much for your support! I’ll keep working hard!