Chapter 73 Hunting

Chapter 73 Hunting

The group gathered around the fireplace and finished dividing up the nuts. The hunger pangs eased a bit, but they were still far from full.

"What should we do? There’s so little to eat around here. We still have five whole days to go—we can’t just keep stealing from squirrels every day, can we?" Ruan Qing pressed a hand against her hollow stomach, lamenting.

"Didn’t Yu Xin say yesterday that the high altitude here is why there’s snow? Maybe we could head downhill and look for food." Shen Tong’s eyes lit up as she looked to Yu Xin for approval.

"That idea could work, but these mountains are undeveloped. It’ll be exhausting to climb, and even if there are animals downhill, they won’t be easy to catch. There’s also the risk of injury. Hunting isn’t a game—anything could happen, and no one can predict it."

"Of course, you can all wait here. I’ll go hunting alone and bring back whatever I catch."

Yu Xin had already planned to go downhill, but he intended to go by himself. The mountain paths were rugged, and the production crew had only cleared the area around the campsite. If they ventured too far, there was no telling what they might encounter.

"We want to go hunting!" The younger members grew excited at the idea, completely disregarding the risks.

Hunting! Even if they couldn’t do it themselves, just watching Yu Xin in action would be thrilling. How could they pass up such an opportunity? Even the usually composed Best Actor Qin was tempted.

"Alright then. But you must follow my instructions closely. If anyone feels unwell, speak up immediately—don’t tough it out. And no one is to leave the group without permission." Yu Xin’s tone was much more serious than usual as he emphasized the rules.

"No problem, we’ll do exactly as you say. We won’t cause any trouble!"

"Yay, the hunting squad is on the move!"

"Darn, I really wish I could join them. I can’t stand this job for another day."

"Please be careful! Getting injured in the wild is no joke. These guys are way too bold."

"I think Yu Xin is getting overconfident. How could he agree to something so dangerous? If he wants to show off, he shouldn’t use others as a shield."

"How is this Yu Xin's fault? He said the others could wait at the campsite. They chose to go themselves. They’re adults—they should take responsibility for their decisions. Besides, do you think the production crew is just for show? If something really happens, they wouldn’t just sit idly by."

"Stop arguing! That's what makes it worth watching! If there’s no risk, what’s the point of watching a survival show?"

It was unanimously agreed. Yu Xin led them to select suitable tools and make preparations before setting off.

Everyone needed a weapon. Yu Xin carried a bow and a dozen arrows on his back, along with essentials like antiseptic, bandages, cotton swabs, and band-aids, just in case someone got injured and needed treatment.

They also brought some drinking water and a flashlight, traveling as light as possible since trekking through undeveloped mountain forests would be physically demanding.

They decided not to extinguish the fireplace in the cabin to maintain warmth, but without someone adding firewood, the wood already in the fireplace wouldn't last long.

That problem was easily solved. Yu Xin took everyone outside to gather firewood soaked in snow. Wet wood burns much longer than dry wood.

They also built a campfire outside the cabin to prevent wild animals from approaching while they were away. Although the production crew had cleared the surrounding area, it was still possible for animals to wander close by accident.

However, outdoor fires require extra caution—starting a forest fire would be no laughing matter.

Yu Xin dug a pit about 50 centimeters in diameter, cleared a three-meter radius of anything flammable, and filled the pit with larger, wet logs. This made the fire more durable and prevented burning embers from being blown into the forest by the wind.

With all preparations complete, they set out, ready to go.

"First, we’ll find a stream. Following it means we won’t need to mark our path step by step, and animals often come to drink near streams, so our chances of finding prey are higher," Yu Xin explained.

Melting snow from the mountaintop flows downward, forming streams. They quickly found one nearby.

"Let’s follow this stream downhill. The terrain is complex, so watch your step," Yu Xin reminded.

The mountain path was indeed challenging—rugged, winding, and obstructed by tree branches. It was easy to trip if one wasn’t careful.

Everyone had to stay highly focused, watching their footing while maintaining balance and keeping their core engaged. The high altitude meant the air was thinner, making the physical exertion much greater than usual. They were already tired after less than half an hour.

The snowy landscape and dense, endless forest felt desolate and bleak. Without the constant forward movement, they might have thought they were going in circles.

The long walk was making them irritable and impatient. The initial excitement had faded, and their steps grew heavier. But since they had insisted on coming, no one wanted to be the first to suggest taking a break.

Yu Xin had already slowed the pace to accommodate them and was clearing the path ahead. They had promised not to hold him back.

"We’ve been walking for so long. Surely we’ve covered a lot of ground? Why is there still no sign of any animals?" Sheng Xingyao panted, finally speaking up.

"First, we haven’t gone far at all. The terrain and physical strain are creating that illusion. We might not even have left the area cleared by the production crew. Second, wild animals are much more alert than we are. With all the noise we’re making, they’ve long since fled," Yu Xin bluntly pointed out.

"Alright..." Sheng Xingyao accepted the reality, feeling somewhat discouraged. Wild animals were far more cunning than he had imagined. With their group, could they really catch anything?

Yu Xin might manage on his own, but with the others in tow, their movements were clumsy and noisy. Any nearby animals had likely already fled.

Hunting was much more tedious than he had expected—nothing like the thrilling adventure he had imagined. They hadn’t even glimpsed a single animal, let alone caught one.

"...But that doesn’t mean there are no traces of animals at all. If you observe carefully," Yu Xin added, changing tack.

But they were already using all their effort just to watch their steps—how could they spare the energy to observe their surroundings?

"Guess it’s true—people shouldn’t push themselves beyond their limits," Sheng Xingyao said with a bitter smile.

"Finally facing reality, huh? Haha."

"Honestly, the other guests are just slowing Yu Xin down. Without them, he’d have covered kilometers by now and might already have caught something."

"Don’t say that. Yu Xin agreed to bring them along—he must have a plan."

"Exactly. If they just waited at the campsite for Yu Xin to bring back food, the others would have no sense of participation, and it’d be boring to watch."

"Look over there! I think I found something!" Ruan Qing suddenly exclaimed, then lowered her voice to avoid startling any potential prey. "Footprints! Maybe an animal passed by recently?"

Everyone hurriedly looked where she pointed. Sure enough, several footprints were imprinted in the damp soil by the stream. Based on their size and shape, they likely belonged to an herbivore like a goat or deer.

"Wow, they’re so faint. How did you spot them?" Sheng Xingyao craned his neck to look, surprised.

How had he missed them?

"Wow, Qingqing, impressive!" Shen Tong gave her a thumbs-up.

Yu Xin walked over, crouched down, and carefully examined the footprints, pressing a finger into the bottom of one.

"An animal was indeed here. The shape suggests it might be a blue sheep. But the impressions have a thin layer of ice over them, so it probably left a while ago." Yu Xin stood up, brushing the dirt from his hands. "Footprints mean there are indeed animals active around here."

He didn’t forget to praise Ruan Qing: "Great observation skills."

Ruan Qing smiled, pleased with the compliment.

"Yay, Qingqing gets a +1 from Guide Xiao Yu!"

"Qingqing is amazing. I noticed in the earlier episodes that she picks up on details others miss. Plus, she’s really strong—really suited for wilderness shows."

"I always thought Ruan Qing was a delicate girly-girl, haha. Guess you can’t judge a book by its cover."

This discovery lifted everyone's spirits and gave them a real feel of hunting.

Continuing to trudge through uneven terrain, they finally saw less and less snow in their line of sight, and patches of green gradually emerged on the ground.

This indicated they were nearing the end of the snow-covered area. The wildlife would gradually increase ahead, greatly increasing their chances of catching prey.

With such high energy expenditure, the nuts they had eaten in the morning wouldn't last them long. Seeing everyone’s pace slowing down, Yu Xin finally showed mercy and allowed them to stop for a rest.

"Finally, we can rest!"

The big stars plopped down on the ground without caring about their image, feeling like this was even more exhausting than yesterday when they were sawing wood and hammering nails to build the shelter.

"If I’d known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have come. We haven’t even seen a shadow of any prey, and my feet are about to blister," Shen Tong muttered regretfully, rubbing her sore calves.

The soles of her feet were burning. If it weren’t for the cameras, she would have taken off her shoes and soaked her feet in water.

While the others rested, Yu Xin stood nearby, observing the surroundings. Unlike the others, he seemed tireless, with frighteningly good stamina.

In the wild, he often walked dozens of miles of mountain paths in a day. With extensive experience in mountainous terrain, he knew how to pace himself to save energy during long treks.

After resting for over ten minutes, they finally felt their energy returning. Sheng Xingyao started to say they should get moving again when Yu Xin brought a finger to his lips, signaling for silence, then pointed in a certain direction.

He immediately fell quiet, his eyes going wide as he looked in the direction Yu Xin indicated.

Not far from them, in a bush, several long branches stuck out. Though there wasn't a breath of wind, these branches were trembling slightly.

Author's Note:

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Thank you all so much for your support. I will keep working hard!