《Island Rescue: A Star Team's Fight for Survival》 Chapter 1: The Unspoken Tension "Steve, Steve? Wake up." Lying on the ground, Steve felt water dripping onto his face while a voice called out to him. His head throbbed, but he forced his eyes open. All he could see was a vast expanse of white. So big! "Wake up, wake up." The voice was pleasant, slightly hoarse yet carrying a hint of childlike innocence. There was relief and surprise in the tone. Following the sound, Steve''s vision cleared, and a delicate face came into view. She had elegant willow-shaped eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a delicate nose, and soft cherry lips. Sexy yet pure, charming yet refined¡ªshe was stunning beyond words. Seeing her, Steve froze for a moment, about to exclaim, "Big Honey¡ª" Before he could finish, a rough male voice beside him chuckled and patted his shoulder. "You scared us, kid. Luckily, you''re fine. Otherwise, losing a teammate on the first day would''ve been a disaster." Steve turned toward the voice and was shocked again. "Chris Big Head?!" Chris Jiayi: ¡­ "Pfft! Hahaha!" "Cack, clack!" A burst of laughter erupted around them. Steve turned in confusion, stunned to see several celebrities he had only ever watched on TV. What the hell? He had gone to sleep at home, and now he had woken up surrounded by famous people? Before he could make sense of anything, a woman next to him smiled and asked, "Steve, how do you feel?" Steve glanced at her. She seemed to be in her late twenties or early thirties, with short hair. Though not particularly stunning, she had a warm and friendly presence. She wasn''t a celebrity, but Steve recognized her. He had seen her in short videos before¡ªshe was a well-known wilderness survival expert. People affectionately called her "Sister Bird." This woman was a legend. She had survived alone and completely unarmed in the Southeast Asian jungle for 100 days. She was known as China''s top female survivalist. A total badass. "Steve? Steve? How do you feel?" Sister Bird''s voice carried concern as she repeated her question. Did this kid get heatstroke so badly that he fried his brain? "Ah? Oh, no, I''m fine," Steve quickly replied. "Just a little dizzy." Dizziness wasn''t his biggest problem. The real issue was that he was utterly confused.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Why was he here? Why were there so many celebrities around him? He finally looked around and took in his surroundings. He was lying under the shade of a tree near a beach. Not far away were the ocean, reefs, and crashing waves. The salty sea breeze carried a faint fishy smell. The sun was blazing, and the air was so hot it was suffocating. Standing nearby, Jarvis observed Steve''s dazed state with concern. "Sister Bird, is he really okay?" "He''s fine," Sister Bird sighed. "Just suffered a bit of heatstroke. His physical condition is also terrible¡ªweak and severely unhealthy. That''s why he fainted." Her tone carried a hint of helplessness. A young man should be full of energy and vitality, yet Steve looked half-dead. Even the girls in the group seemed healthier than him. But what could she do? These were the teammates she had been assigned. For the sake of the competition, she had no choice but to accept it. At that moment, Kevin, who had been standing nearby, spoke up. "Alright, since Steve is fine, let''s get back to work. We still don''t have a shelter, and if we don''t build one soon, we''ll be sleeping out in the open tonight." As he spoke, he shot Steve a quick glance, his expression tinged with subtle disdain. Kevin was known for his tough-guy persona. He had a deep dislike for weaklings like Steve. But he knew better than to be too obvious about it, especially in public. After all, he had been a victim of online hate before. The others nodded in agreement. Despite the unbearable heat, the temperature on the island would drop drastically at night. Sleeping outside in the cold would be miserable. A night without proper shelter could even lead to illness, and getting sick in the wild was a serious problem. After making sure Steve was okay, the group left to continue their work in the scorching sun. Steve watched them walk away, sitting motionless in the shade. His mind was blank. A moment ago, he had been wondering how he ended up here. Then, suddenly¡ª A sharp pain shot through his head. A flood of unfamiliar memories surged into his brain, nearly knocking him out again. It took him a while to process everything. He had traveled through time. Or rather, he had entered a parallel world. This world was highly similar to his original one but had significant differences. Technology was more advanced. People''s living standards were higher. Society placed greater emphasis on entertainment and spiritual satisfaction. As a result, the entertainment industry had flourished beyond imagination. Celebrities were held in the highest regard, and being an artist¡ªwhether a singer, actor, or performer¡ªwas the most profitable and admired profession. With this cultural shift, entertainment content had become more diverse, from blockbuster films to groundbreaking TV shows. Among them, the most influential and widely followed program was World Celebrity Wilderness Survival Challenge. And that was exactly the show Steve had ended up in. This global reality survival challenge was a joint project organized by entertainment associations from 50 countries. A total of 500 participants took part. The rules were simple: Each team consisted of 9 randomly selected celebrities and one professional survival expert. The entire show was filmed using the latest wingless drone technology and broadcast live across major online platforms worldwide. The challenge lasted 99 days. At the end, each team would be evaluated based on survival skills, resources, and overall performance. The rewards were astronomical. The winning team would receive not only a massive cash prize but also top-tier entertainment resources, including: Lead roles in blockbuster films and TV dramas. A song composed by an award-winning songwriter. Luxury brand endorsements. Magazine covers and exclusive interviews. Even if one didn''t win, lasting longer in the competition meant more screen time, which translated to massive career growth. For many struggling celebrities, this was the perfect opportunity to become famous overnight. Which explained why so many stars had eagerly signed up despite the dangers. And as fate would have it, Steve¡ªwho had been nothing more than a washed-up idol¡ªhad also been chosen. In his previous life, he had just been terminated by his company. This was his golden ticket for a comeback. But instead of seizing the opportunity, he had collapsed from heatstroke on the very first day. And now, he wasn''t even the same Steve anymore. He had completely transmigrated into this body. "Wait¡­ since I traveled through time¡­" Steve muttered, suddenly hopeful. "Where''s my system?" As if in response¡ª Ding! System booting¡­ --- Chapter 2: This Is a Serious Survival, System, Please Dont Go Astray "A grown man is weaker than a woman? Among 500 contestants, this guy is the only one who fainted the moment he landed on the island. What an embarrassment." "Is this guy even a man? Stop insulting the word ¡®man,¡¯ please." "By the way, is he some kind of celebrity? Why don¡¯t I recognize him?" "Looks like a washed-up idol." "If you¡¯re mad about it, your whole family must be mad too." "Hey, crazy fans, come on, defend him a little more, would you?" "Hahaha, that lightning really knocked some sense into Chris. Dude got humbled real quick." "If you don¡¯t respect your seniors, karma will hit you hard." "This weakling should just quit. If he holds us back, it¡¯ll be impossible to make it to the finals." "He can¡¯t quit now. Losing a team member so early will lower our final score. Winning the championship will become much harder." "Why did we even get this deadweight?" In the live broadcast chatroom, Steve¡¯s embarrassing collapse upon landing sparked a wave of ridicule and harsh criticism. After all, this wasn¡¯t just any variety show. Despite being labeled a "reality survival competition," everyone viewed it as a global event¡ªone even more prestigious than the Olympics. Winning the championship meant bringing honor to their country. And yet, Steve had already made himself look like dead weight, so it was no surprise that he was getting roasted online. As the most-watched live program in the world, the show easily attracted tens of millions of viewers¡ªeven on regular weekdays. On holidays, the global audience could peak at hundreds of millions. Naturally, Steve had no idea he was getting flamed online. And even if he knew, he wouldn''t have had the time or energy to care. At this moment, he was far too focused on analyzing the system interface he had just unlocked. --- System Interface Host: Steve Age: 25 Strength: 31 Constitution: 30The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Agility: 46 Spirit: 55 (For reference: A normal human averages 60 points in each attribute, with 100 being the limit. Gaining 100,000 popularity points increases an attribute by 1. If an attribute surpasses 100, it takes 200,000 popularity points to increase further.) Skills: Singing: Level 3 Dancing: Level 4 Acting: Level 3 Cooking: Level 1 (Upgrading a skill requires 10,000 popularity points per level, increasing with each level.) Popularity Points: 15,389 (Popularity is influenced by audience reception and naturally declines over time. Updates daily at midnight.) Lottery Draw: Low-level draw: 10,000 points per pull Mid-level draw: 100,000 points per pull High-level draw: 1,000,000 points per pull Top-level draw: 10,000,000 points per pull Mall: Not yet unlocked Character Favorability: Not yet unlocked Newbie Benefit: 10 low-level draws for 10,000 points (discounted) --- Steve stared at his attributes and felt completely speechless. His stats were barely half of what an average person had. He was literally a professional weakling. However, after going through the memories of this body, Steve quickly understood why. The original owner had been an idol. To maintain his figure, he had been restricted to eating barely anything. At 185 cm (6''1") tall, he weighed only 110 pounds. He was so skinny that he probably needed to hold onto a pole just to stay upright. To make things worse, his management company had squeezed every last drop of energy out of him¡ªforcing him into every possible gig just to make money. It was only when his contract expired that he finally escaped that brutal lifestyle. But by then, his body was already wrecked. Today, the combination of exhaustion and extreme heat had pushed him over the edge. He had collapsed from heatstroke, which, in a weird twist of fate, gave Steve the opportunity to transmigrate into this world. Now, looking down at his pale, frail arms, Steve clenched his fists. He felt incredibly weak. That was unacceptable. If he wanted to survive here, he had to get stronger. Forget about being a celebrity for now¡ªif he didn¡¯t start improving his body, he might actually die. --- After analyzing the system, Steve realized that his strength was directly tied to his popularity points. To get stronger, he needed more points. To get more points, he needed people to like him. The more fans he had, the higher his popularity would rise. In other words, he still needed to go down the path of being a star. Steve smirked. That wasn¡¯t such a bad thing. In his previous life, he had been a nobody¡ªjust another factory worker, doing the same repetitive tasks every single day, struggling to make ends meet. But now? This was a golden opportunity. Even better, while this world¡¯s entertainment industry shared similarities with his old world, it also had major differences. This was a blessing for him. It wasn¡¯t plagiarism¡ªit was cultural continuation! Yes, that sounded much better. After all, how could it be plagiarism if these works never existed here in the first place? --- Steve glanced at the hovering drone cameras recording his every move. He knew people were talking trash about him right now. Let them. It didn¡¯t matter. Right now, the only thing that mattered was becoming stronger. Looking back at his popularity points, he sighed. 10,000 points weren¡¯t enough to improve his attributes. Still, at least the system was kind enough to provide a discount for beginners. A full 10-pull low-level lottery draw for just 10,000 points. Sure, it was called a ¡°low-level¡± draw, which already sounded like a scam¡­ But it was the only shot he had right now. Without hesitation, Steve selected the 10-pull lottery option. --- ¡°Are you sure you want to spend 10,000 popularity points on a low-level lottery draw?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ding! Beginning the lottery draw¡­¡± ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®Thank you for your patronage¡¯ (x1).¡± ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®Thank you for your patronage¡¯ (x1).¡± Steve¡¯s face turned dark. Two ¡°thank you¡± messages in a row? He knew it was a scam, but this level of scamming was ridiculous. Thankfully, it was a discounted pull. If he had spent 100,000 points on this, he would¡¯ve cried. --- ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®Wild Survival Knowledge Encyclopedia¡¯ (x1).¡± Steve¡¯s eyes lit up. Now that was useful! --- ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®10-hour Novice Protection Period.¡¯¡± ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®Scrubbing Bath 18 Styles, Level 1.¡¯¡± What the hell was this? A useless bathing skill?! --- ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®How to Quickly Put on a Quilt Cover, Level 1.¡¯¡± Steve: ¡­ His face darkened even more. --- ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®1-Minute Strength Doubling Experience Card.¡¯¡± ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®Performance Skill +1 Level.¡¯¡± ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®Kato God¡¯s Hand, Level 1.¡¯¡± ¡°Congratulations! You received: ¡®Diving, Level 1.¡¯¡± ¡­ Wait a minute. Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a serious survival game? Why was the system throwing him random nonsense? "Brother System¡­ are you sure you¡¯re not going astray?" Chapter 3: Surprise Steve''s acting skills leveled up by +1. While this wasn''t immediately useful, it was still a win. According to the system''s skill improvement rules, upgrading acting skills from level 2 to level 3 required 20,000 popularity points. But thanks to the lottery, Steve had managed to increase his level for just 10,000 points, making it an absolute bargain. However, when his gaze fell upon one of the newly acquired skills¡ª"Kato''s Hand of God"¡ªhis expression stiffened. What kind of name was that? Was the system not afraid of getting censored? Shaking his head, Steve decided to ignore it for now. Having more skills was always a good thing, even if their purpose wasn¡¯t immediately clear. Who knew? They might come in handy in the future. The one-minute strength-doubling experience card was another useful addition. At a critical moment, it could mean the difference between survival and death. But the most valuable prize from the lottery had to be the "Wilderness Survival Knowledge Encyclopedia." It contained an extensive collection of survival techniques, covering everything from finding water sources to selecting safe campsites. Though it wasn''t particularly detailed in any one area, it provided a broad understanding of various essential skills¡ªperfect for someone like Steve, who was a complete novice at wilderness survival. Another lifesaving reward was the 10-hour novice protection period. This meant that, for the next 10 hours, his body wouldn''t suffer from exhaustion, heatstroke, or other natural weaknesses. However, it wouldn¡¯t protect against external injuries. Even so, it was a massive relief. Given his current physical condition, Steve didn''t dare exert himself too much, fearing that another bout of heatstroke might end his life again. And then there was the final skill he had won¡ªDiving Level 1. Steve''s eyes lit up. Now that was useful! In an island survival scenario, knowing how to dive properly could be a game-changer. Feeling the new skills integrate into his body, Steve marveled at how natural it all felt. His fingers twitched slightly, moving at an absurd speed. "¡­Well, that''s definitely not a normal human ability," he muttered, slightly disturbed. Next, he tested his acting ability, but there wasn¡¯t any immediate sensation¡ªprobably because acting skills only showed their effects when actively used.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. However, the diving skill gave him an unexpected sense of familiarity with the sea. Only moments ago, the vast ocean had seemed foreign and intimidating. But now, he felt an odd urge to dive right in and test out his new abilities. Glancing at his teammates, who were busy building a shelter, Steve felt guilty just sitting around. He needed to contribute. Not only would it help the group, but it would also improve his image in front of the audience, potentially increasing his popularity points. And what better way to prove his worth than by catching some fresh seafood? Making up his mind, Steve scanned their limited supplies. The program had allowed them to bring ten tools to the island¡ªone per person. After much discussion, the group had chosen: An axe A machete A large waterproof cloth A fire starter A cooking pot A shovel A waterproof flashlight A fishing hook A bow (with five arrows) A spear gun These were the best survival tools available, given the show''s restrictions. Steve picked up the spear gun, grabbed a few vines for makeshift rope, and headed toward the beach. Live Broadcast Room¡ªAudience Reactions The moment Steve stepped toward the water, the live chat exploded. "What¡¯s this kid trying to do?" "Wait¡­ is he seriously going to try fishing? LMAO!" "Him? Fishing? With those noodle arms? Bro, a fish is more likely to catch him." "This is straight-up self-elimination. He''s not even trying to survive at this point." "Can we just vote him out already?" "Maybe, just maybe¡­ he might actually catch something?" "I bet he won¡¯t last 10 minutes." "Five minutes tops." "Three minutes before the rescue team drags his sorry ass back to shore." Ignoring the audience''s mocking comments, Steve waded into the ocean. The cool water immediately soothed his overheated body, making him exhale in relief. "Man, this feels amazing¡­" Wait¡ªwasn''t it supposed to be winter here? Right, this was the southern hemisphere. It was June, which meant winter¡ªbut the daytime temperatures still reached 35¡ãC (95¡ãF). At night, however, temperatures would plummet, dropping to around 12-15¡ãC (53-59¡ãF). Such extreme temperature fluctuations would be a serious challenge for survival. For now, though, he had more pressing matters. Taking a deep breath, Steve submerged himself. Underwater Exploration The sea was crystal clear, offering an unobstructed view of the underwater world. Schools of small fish darted between the rocks, and patches of kelp and sea lettuce swayed with the current. Steve instantly recognized the value of these plants. Kelp contained essential nutrients like iodine and salt¡ªcritical for survival. But food could wait. Right now, he needed protein¡ªfish or shellfish. After diving for a while, Steve noticed that his breath-holding capacity had greatly improved. One minute underwater? Easy. Three minutes? Doable. Even the water pressure at a depth of 7-8 meters didn¡¯t bother him. "Damn, this diving skill is insane¡­" Despite this, his stamina was still awful. His muscles were already beginning to fatigue. Just as he was about to turn back, something caught his eye. A large, orange shell nestled behind a reef. Steve swam closer and grinned. A coconut snail¡ªas big as a football! It had to weigh at least 10 kilograms¡ªa perfect catch! Stuffing it into his makeshift bag, he turned to leave¡­ ¡­But then he noticed something else. His heart nearly stopped. Just a few meters away, lurking within the reef¡¯s shadows, something huge moved. A yellowish-brown figure suddenly shot out¡ªits jaws wide open! Steve¡¯s eyes widened in horror. A Moray Eel! It was fast¡ªalmost too fast for him to react. Steve had seen enough nature documentaries to know one thing¡ªmoray eels had razor-sharp teeth and a vice-like bite. If this thing latched onto his arm or leg, he¡¯d be in serious trouble. Above Water¡ªLive Broadcast Room The chat exploded again. "HOLY SH*T! What is that?!" "Bro¡¯s about to get eaten LMAO!" "He just unlocked HARD MODE." "If he makes it out alive, I¡¯ll actually start supporting him." "Damn, this just got interesting!" "COME ON, STEVE! DON''T DIE NOW!" Back to Steve Adrenaline surged through Steve¡¯s veins. He had one second to decide¡ªfight or flee? Without hesitation, Steve tightened his grip on the spear gun¡­ ¡­and turned to face the predator. --- TO BE CONTINUED¡­ --- Chapter 4: Never Hide That You Are a Waste A yellowish-brown grouper suddenly emerged from a crevice in the reef. It opened its large mouth¡ªbig enough to fit an adult¡¯s fist¡ªand swallowed a passing small fish in one gulp before retreating back under the reef. The fish¡¯s coloration was almost identical to the surrounding rocks. If one didn¡¯t pay close attention, they wouldn¡¯t even notice it lurking there. When Steve spotted the big grouper, his eyes lit up with excitement. His wish had come true. He had been regretting not catching any fish, but here was one, practically delivered to his doorstep. How could he let such an opportunity slip away? He slowly and silently swam closer to the reef, raised his spear gun, took aim, and fired. Whoosh! The harpoon shot through the water like an arrow, piercing straight through the large grouper, which weighed at least seven or eight kilograms. The fish thrashed violently in shock, trying to dive back into the cracks of the reef. But as a former fisherman, Steve knew exactly how groupers behaved. If it managed to escape into the crevices, retrieving it would be nearly impossible. Moreover, the reef was covered in sharp oyster shells and coral. If the rope got caught or cut, the fish could easily escape. His only choice was to pull it out as quickly as possible. Steve let go of his spear and grabbed the rope with both hands, engaging in a tense underwater tug-of-war. If this were a fishing rod, catching such a large fish would have been difficult. But with raw strength and a rope, a fish weighing under ten kilograms was no match for Steve¡¯s hundred-kilogram frame. After struggling for only a few seconds, the grouper was forcefully pulled toward him. He quickly grabbed a large spider snail he had found earlier and used its sharp shell to strike the fish¡¯s head. Thud! With a single heavy blow, the wildly struggling grouper went limp, completely stunned. Now that he had secured the fish, Steve packed up his haul and quickly began floating toward the surface.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. He had reached his limit. His diving skill was still at level 1. Although it was already better than that of an average person, five or six minutes underwater was pushing his endurance. With a loud splash, the water¡¯s surface broke as Steve emerged, gasping for air. He took deep breaths, filling his lungs, and after a few moments, he slowly swam toward the shore. It took him several minutes to reach land. The moment his feet touched the sand, he collapsed onto the beach, completely exhausted. If it weren¡¯t for his heavy breathing, someone might have thought he was dead. Diving was an extremely demanding sport. Given his current physique, lasting this long underwater had been no small feat. From the moment he had entered the water until now¡ªjust over ten minutes¡ªhe had used up nearly all his energy. The only thing that had kept him going was sheer determination. Now, he didn¡¯t want to move at all. He just wanted to lie there forever. --- Live Broadcast Frenzy Steve¡¯s every move had been captured by an unmanned camera and transmitted to the live broadcast room in real-time. Moreover, the show¡¯s producers had decided to include his personal footage in the Kyushu team¡¯s national live broadcast, increasing its exposure. The program had a world-class live broadcast room, covering 50 different countries. It was the most-watched feed, featuring the most exciting moments from each team. Since it had viewers from all over the world, it was also the largest and most active live stream. Apart from this, every country had its own national live broadcast room, where they focused on their respective teams. Each contestant also had a personal live broadcast room, but Steve¡¯s had been the least popular out of the ten contestants. In fact, it even had fewer viewers than Bird Sister¡¯s stream. After all, there were so many famous celebrities in the competition. Who would waste time watching the personal feed of an unknown underdog? However, the underwater hunt had completely changed everything. This was the team¡¯s first successful hunt, and Steve had been a controversial figure from the start. Sensing the potential, the Kyushu production team decided to place his footage into the national live stream. The results were unexpected¡ªhis segment caused an uproar. The live chat was flooded with reactions, and his popularity skyrocketed. --- Live Chat Reactions: "What the hell? I misjudged him. This guy is actually impressive! He may be skinny, but his diving skills are legit." "Five minutes and 32 seconds?! Even professional divers struggle to stay down that long!" "Wait, how do you guys know the exact time?" "I thought he''d tap out after a few seconds, but he really pulled it off. Respect!" "Damn, I used to think he was useless. Turns out, he''s a hidden ace!" "I live by the sea, and I know plenty of divers, but barely anyone can stay down this long without goggles." "Isn¡¯t that an exaggeration? The world record for holding your breath is 22 minutes." "Dude, don¡¯t compare breath-holding to diving. Holding your breath is stationary, but diving requires swimming and exertion. Huge difference!" "This weakling looks like a dead dog on the beach now, though. Can¡¯t even stand up, haha!" "If you think it¡¯s easy, go try it yourself." --- Meanwhile, at the Shelter While Steve was diving, his teammates had almost finished constructing the shelter. "Phew, it¡¯s too hot. I can¡¯t take it anymore. Let¡¯s rest, or I¡¯m going to get heatstroke," Chen Chichi groaned, collapsing under the shade of a tree, drenched in sweat. As a self-proclaimed slacker, Chen Chichi never tried to hide his laziness. "You just took a break a few minutes ago. You¡¯re tired already?" Kevin sighed helplessly. What had he done to deserve being paired with two freeloaders¡ªSteve and Chen Chichi? And as if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, their team also included four delicate female stars, none of whom had any survival experience. Even though the girls were trying their best, their physical limits were obvious. Kevin felt a deep sense of despair about their future. Chen Chichi lay flat on the ground and whined, "Bro, I¡¯m done. I¡¯m tired, hungry, and thirsty. If I keep going, I¡¯ll die." Bird Sister chuckled, "Fine, take a break. We¡¯re almost done anyway. I¡¯ll head out to find food later. You guys just finish up the last bit of work." Kevin frowned with concern. "I¡¯ll go with you. It¡¯s too risky for you to go alone. If anything happens, no one will be there to help." "Yeah, that¡¯s true," Jarvis agreed. "Take Peng Peng with you too. More people means more food." Bird Sister hesitated but ultimately nodded. There really wasn¡¯t much work left anyway. Before heading off, she grabbed a coconut they had picked earlier. "Does anyone want coconut water? I¡¯ll open one." "I do!" Chen Chichi instantly perked up, as if his energy had been fully restored. Jarvis rolled his eyes. "If you want it, open it yourself." He turned to Bird Sister and said, "Don¡¯t worry about him. You and Kevin have been working the hardest today. Just drink it yourselves." The group laughed as they watched Chen Chichi pretend to be helpless. He simply shrugged and grinned, "I¡¯d open it myself¡­ if I knew how." --- End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5: Which Level of Waste Is Steve? "If you can''t even open a coconut, what else can you do?" Chris, standing nearby, smirked. "You can''t blame him for that. After all, my junior brother has the nickname of ''the second most useless person in the entertainment industry.'' It''s normal that he can''t open a coconut." "Who''s number one?" Bai Xiaolu asked curiously. As a newcomer in the industry, she wasn¡¯t familiar with these kinds of gossips. Her personality was straightforward, so she asked without hesitation. Everyone fell silent for a moment. Is this girl blunt or just clueless? However, Bai Xiaolu was well-liked. Not many actresses could smile so freely, showing their teeth without reservation. On top of that, she was beautiful, cheerful, and had a naturally straightforward personality, which had earned her a strong fanbase. Many believed she would become a big star as soon as she debuted. Had she not joined this survival program, she would have had four dramas airing this year and countless variety show invitations. Her schedule would have been packed. Bai Xiaolu could ask such a question, but others were more hesitant. They were just as curious, but bringing it up might offend people. Chen Chichi, who was quite familiar with that person¡ªsince they were both in the comedian circle¡ªlaughed without hesitation. "The number one waste? It¡¯s an egg." Everyone immediately understood. "Ohhh, I get it now!" Bai Xiaolu exclaimed in realization. That particular person was not very well-liked. Then someone else spoke up. "So where does Brother Steve rank?" As soon as those words left his mouth, everyone turned their heads toward the speaker, looking at him as if he had just said the dumbest thing in the world. Is this guy serious? Does he have no filter? It was Pengpeng who had spoken, and the moment he realized his mistake, he panicked. "No, that¡¯s not what I meant! I¡¯m not saying Brother Steve is useless, I just¡ª" People groaned inwardly. Pengpeng was only making things worse. Although he was more popular than Steve, and Steve was relatively unknown, his words sounded disrespectful. If Pengpeng and Steve had been close friends, it might have been a playful joke. But since they barely knew each other, the way it came out was inappropriate. Chen Chichi, always good at lightening the mood, quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Steve doesn¡¯t belong in the ranking of ¡®wastes.¡¯" He laughed. "After all, we are the real losers here. Steve is just unlucky. He got seasick, was exposed to the sun, and then got heatstroke from working too hard."Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. His words not only helped Pengpeng out of trouble but also cleared Steve¡¯s name. The truth was, Chen Chichi actually had a soft spot for Steve. Steve''s presence made him feel a little less useless. Chen Chichi had built his career playing up a "useless" persona in variety shows, cracking jokes and exaggerating his incompetence to entertain people. But here, on this survival show, things were different. This wasn¡¯t just about entertaining viewers; it was about survival. If someone became a burden, they would be criticized. Before joining, Chen Chichi had worried about how people would react to his performance. His career had hit a bottleneck, and he needed this show to gain exposure. He had braced himself for criticism. Then he met Steve. In comparison, Steve seemed even more useless. It was a pleasant surprise. So, unlike Kevin¡ªwho openly looked down on Steve¡ªChen Chichi didn¡¯t mind him. Steve, in a way, had become his unintentional shield. Live Broadcast Reactions As soon as Pengpeng spoke, the number of comments in the live chat exploded. "Hahaha, Pengpeng is so straightforward. He really says whatever comes to mind." "Straightforward? More like completely lacking emotional intelligence! Just because Steve is a nobody, he thinks it¡¯s okay to mock him? Haha." "Come on, let¡¯s be real. Steve should be grateful Pengpeng even mentioned his name. It gives him exposure!" "Please don¡¯t bring bad luck to Pengpeng. He didn¡¯t mean it that way!" "Actually, Chen Chichi made a good point. Steve was just unlucky. He worked really hard, diving for food and pushing himself too much. That¡¯s why he collapsed. It¡¯s unfair how they¡¯re treating him." "Has everyone forgotten about Steve? They¡¯re enjoying coconuts while he¡¯s lying on the beach, exhausted." "Yeah, it¡¯s kind of messed up. He did so much for the team, and now he¡¯s being ignored." "Are they really unaware of his condition? Or are they just choosing not to care?" Back on the Island Meanwhile, Sister Bird had already cracked open a coconut and handed it to Kevin. "Brother Kevin, you worked the hardest. You should drink first." Kevin waved his hand. "No, you girls drink first. I can wait." Kevin was known for his straightforward, tough-guy personality. Some might call it old-fashioned, but he genuinely believed women needed to be taken care of. However, not everyone appreciated this kind of mindset. Especially among younger audiences, attitudes had changed. After some back-and-forth, the coconut was eventually given to the girls first. Since they had just arrived on the island and hadn¡¯t found a stable fresh water source, coconuts were their only option. Although there were many coconuts around, they couldn¡¯t afford to waste them. If they didn¡¯t find a freshwater source soon, these coconuts would become their lifeline. There were nine people in total, and they decided that every two people would share a coconut. Sister Bird and Kevin shared one. Among the five women, one stood out the most¡ªJarvis, known as the "fox" of the entertainment industry. Not only was she a top-tier actress, but she was also rumored to be starting her own entertainment company. Her ambition was to move beyond being just an actress and become part of the industry¡¯s elite. With her stunning looks and business acumen, her status was unquestionable. In the group, only Kevin could match her in terms of seniority. That said, while Kevin had been in the industry for a long time, his fame had never reached the same heights. Among the other three female celebrities, one was Bai Xiaolu, the newcomer. The other two were also well-known. One was Gu Li Nana, known as one of the "Three Beauties of the Western Regions." Her beauty was legendary in an industry filled with gorgeous people. The last was Zhang Xiaoai, a rising star who had gained fame from a hit web drama. Her bold and energetic personality had won her many fans. Sister Bird had opened five coconuts. She shared one with Kevin, while the other four women split two coconuts between them. Chris and Chen Chichi each drank one, leaving only Pengpeng holding a coconut by himself. Perhaps feeling guilty for what he had said earlier, Pengpeng stood up, holding the coconut. "I¡­ I¡¯ll give this to Brother Steve first. I¡¯ll share one with him." With that, he ran off to find Steve, hoping to make things right. Chapter 6: The Surprised Crowd "Oh no, Brother Steve is missing!" Not long after he had left, Peng Peng came rushing back, his face flustered. "Huh? Gone? Where did he go?" Kevin¡¯s expression turned serious. Although the production team had inspected the island beforehand and confirmed that there were no large wild animals, no one could be certain of hidden dangers. Peng Peng was clearly panicked. "I don''t know! I looked around everywhere, but I couldn''t find him." Chris stood up, trying to calm the situation. "It''s okay, don''t panic. Maybe he just went to the toilet. I''ll go with you to check it out." Sister Bird frowned. "I''ll go too. We aren¡¯t familiar with the environment here. We should be cautious." Kevin nodded in agreement. "In that case, let¡¯s all go look for him together." Even though Kevin wasn¡¯t particularly fond of Steve, he didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to him. Upon hearing Kevin¡¯s decision, everyone stood up and followed Peng Peng to the place where Steve was last seen. When they arrived under the tree where Steve had been resting earlier, he was nowhere to be found. They scanned the area, but there was no sign of him. Kevin, who had been preparing for a military-themed TV series and had learned a few tracking skills, surveyed the ground and said, "There are no footprints leading into the woods. That means Steve didn¡¯t go inland. He might have gone to the beach." At the same time, Zhang Xiaoai checked the supplies and suddenly exclaimed, "The spear gun is missing! Could he have gone fishing?" Gu Limina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. "Fishing?" She hesitated to voice her doubts. Steve looked frail¡ªprobably not as strong as her. How could he possibly catch fish? Was this a joke? Sister Bird seemed to have similar concerns. Her expression changed as she suddenly gasped. "Oh no! If he really went into the water, that¡¯s dangerous. We have to go to the beach now!" She immediately took off running. Diving in the ocean was entirely different from swimming in a pool or a calm lake. Even if the surface looked peaceful, dangerous undercurrents could sweep someone away. The deeper waters also had colder temperatures, increasing the risk of hypothermia. Professional divers always paid close attention to tidal currents before entering the water. If Steve had unknowingly waded in, there was a significant chance he was in danger. Of course, since this was a reality show, there were production crew members nearby, and emergency rescue boats were stationed just offshore. But still, the group couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. As they approached the shoreline, Bai Xiaolu suddenly shouted, "Look! Over there!" From a distance, they could see someone lying motionless on the beach. The sight made everyone''s heart skip a beat. Some of the girls even turned pale with worry. Kevin instantly picked up speed, sprinting towards the figure ahead. Steve, who had been lying down to rest, heard hurried footsteps approaching. He turned and saw Kevin rushing toward him with a tense expression. Startled, he quickly sat up. "Brother Kevin? What¡¯s wrong?" Kevin, panting slightly, scowled at him. "You¡­ damn it, kid! Where were you? We couldn¡¯t find you, and we thought something had happened to you!" Hearing this, Steve smiled apologetically. "I¡¯m sorry for worrying you. I was just a little exhausted and decided to lie down for a bit. I didn¡¯t mean to cause any trouble." The rest of the group arrived moments later, surrounding Steve with a mix of concern and frustration. Some were genuinely worried about his safety. Others, however, felt slightly annoyed. After all, they had gone through all this trouble searching for him. If he wasn¡¯t going to contribute to their survival efforts, the least he could do was not make things worse. Steve could tell that some of them were irritated, but he didn¡¯t take it personally. They were all essentially strangers at this point, knowing each other by reputation but not having much of a personal connection. Now, after looking for him in distress, they were bound to have some emotions about it. Among them, the only person who seemed entirely free of complaints was Jarvis. The relationship between Steve and Jarvis was a bit special¡ªthey had been classmates once and even sat at the same table in school. Back then, Steve had been at the peak of his career¡ªhandsome, popular, and a rising star in the entertainment industry. Jarvis, on the other hand, had been just an ordinary girl at the time. Though she admired Steve from afar, she never expected to cross paths with him again in such a setting. First love¡ªespecially a secret one¡ªhad a way of lingering, even after years passed. Although she no longer harbored the same feelings for him, she still found herself subconsciously wanting to protect him. Jarvis approached Steve, eyeing his soaked clothes, and scolded, "Why did you go into the water? If you had heatstroke, you should have rested properly. Instead, you ended up causing trouble for everyone!" Though her words were harsh, her voice carried undeniable concern. Steve had just opened his mouth to explain when Chris suddenly let out a loud exclamation. "Holy crap! What a huge fish!" Everyone turned in the direction he was pointing. Behind Steve, in the shade, lay a massive fish and a pile of conchs. The fish, still bleeding slightly, had clearly been speared. Nearby, the missing spear gun was propped up in the sand. With the additional evidence of Steve¡¯s wet clothes, everything started to make sense. The group stood frozen for a moment, stunned by the revelation. Steve, seeing their expressions, held back a chuckle. He kept his face calm and said in an almost innocent tone, "I saw everyone working so hard, and I felt guilty just lying around doing nothing. Since I know how to dive, I thought I¡¯d try to get some food for everyone. I got lucky, I guess." "Lucky?!" Everyone collectively stared at him in disbelief. Steve scratched his head. "It¡¯s not much, but I figured it might help." Not much? Was he joking? With this many conchs and such a huge fish, they had enough food for at least ten people! Kevin¡¯s disbelief quickly turned into admiration. "Wait¡­ did you catch all this by yourself?" Steve simply nodded. Sister Bird smiled knowingly. "We were all busy building a shelter. Who else could¡¯ve caught them? It¡¯s not like the production team is secretly feeding us." Kevin let out a short laugh, realizing how absurd his own question had been. "Damn¡­ I take back what I said earlier. Brother, I seriously respect you now." He grinned and gave Steve a thumbs-up. Meanwhile, the girls were practically buzzing with excitement. Chen Chichi¡¯s eyes widened as he examined the seafood. "Whoa! Look at this big conch¡ªit¡¯s even bigger than Chris¡¯s head!" Chris shot him an exasperated look. "Are you even trying to be polite?" "Oh my god, it''s massive!" "It¡¯s so pretty! Does anyone know if this type of conch is tasty?" The girls gathered around, marveling at their unexpected bounty. Many had assumed they¡¯d be starving on the first night, but now, thanks to Steve, they were looking at a full-blown seafood feast. Their admiration for him grew instantly. The two youngest members, Bai Xiaolu and Peng Peng, practically jumped in excitement. Bai Xiaolu clapped her hands. "Brother Steve, you¡¯re amazing! We¡¯re gonna eat so well tonight!" Peng Peng, his earlier embarrassment forgotten, looked at Steve eagerly. "Brother Steve, can you teach me how to dive? I want to learn how to catch fish too!" Steve smiled and nodded. "Of course. There will be plenty of opportunities." Chen Chichi smirked and nudged Peng Peng. "So, Peng Peng, still want to ask where Brother Steve ranks on the ¡®waste list¡¯?" The entire group burst into laughter. Peng Peng, looking sheepish, scratched his head and muttered, "Yeah¡­ I think I¡¯ll pass on that question." Chapter 7: Hey, Ha, I... ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°Cack, clack!¡± ¡°Geese, goose, goose!¡± Everyone burst into laughter, except for Steve, who was utterly confused. ¡°What¡¯s the ranking?¡± he asked, his brows furrowed. Just as Chen Chichi was about to spill the joke, Peng Peng quickly covered his mouth. ¡°No, nothing! Nothing at all, Brother Steve! Don¡¯t listen to Brother Chi¡¯s nonsense.¡± The others just smirked and remained silent, leaving Steve even more puzzled. But he decided not to press the matter. Instead, remembering there were still some things left in the sea, he spoke up, ¡°Alright, you guys take the stuff back. I¡¯ll go into the sea again¡ªthere¡¯s some kelp nearby. I¡¯ll pick it up. Kevin, hand me the knife.¡± Kevin smiled, patting Steve¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll go instead. You take a proper rest.¡± Before Steve could argue, Jarvis, who had been watching silently, suddenly scolded him, ¡°Don¡¯t act tough. You just recovered from heat stroke, and you¡¯ve been diving for a long time. It¡¯s too dangerous to go in again. Just stay here and rest.¡± Steve let out a helpless smile. ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t go. Kevin, be careful. The kelp is just ahead, so you only need to bring back a little. Watch out for your feet¡ªdon¡¯t get tangled in the kelp.¡± Kevin chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m good at diving too. Now, go back and rest. I got this.¡± As an action actor, Kevin had excellent physical fitness. He had recently undergone military training, which included diving, so he was fairly confident in his abilities. With that, he grabbed the machete and swam out toward the deeper waters. The others began carrying the seafood and supplies back to their shelter. Sister Bird, who had been keeping an eye on Kevin, turned to Steve and the others. ¡°You all head back. I¡¯ll stay here and keep watch.¡± Diving alone was risky. It was always best to have someone on standby in case of trouble. The group nodded and continued their journey back to camp.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. At the same time, the main live broadcast screen switched to show Kevin diving underwater. Kevin¡¯s Dive Kevin swam for a while before diving beneath the surface. The salty water stung his eyes at first, but after a moment, he adjusted and began searching for the kelp Steve had mentioned. After swimming forward for about ten meters, he finally spotted a patch of kelp¡ªan underwater forest of long, swaying leaves. He moved in, slicing off several pieces before surfacing to catch his breath. ¡°Phew! Huff, huff.¡± He took in large gulps of fresh air. Diving, swimming, and cutting through kelp took more energy than expected. After another quick dive, he chopped down a few more pieces. Satisfied that he had enough, he turned back toward shore. Meanwhile, in the live chat, viewers were actively discussing Kevin¡¯s performance. ¡°Brother Kevin, are you for real? You can¡¯t even last as long as Steve underwater!¡± ¡°2 minutes and 15 seconds isn¡¯t bad! Most people can¡¯t even hold their breath for a minute.¡± ¡°Wait, but Steve lasted over 5 minutes¡­¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just naturally good at diving? That¡¯s the only explanation.¡± ¡°Yo, their team is stacked! Seafood and now kelp? I checked other streams¡ªmost groups are starving on the first day.¡± ¡°Jiuzhou is dominating! They¡¯re definitely winning this survival challenge.¡± Back at the Shelter As Steve and the others walked back, they kept asking him about his diving experience. Steve, feeling there wasn¡¯t much to tell, simply described how he gathered the conchs and speared the fish. But his teammates listened with fascination. Before they knew it, they had arrived at their shelter. Their temporary home was a simple, V-shaped structure. Though basic, it was the most practical design for their situation. Because of the strong sea breeze, the shelter faced the ocean rather than being hidden in the forest. Sister Bird had explained the reasoning behind this earlier¡ªmosquitoes. "Trust me," she had said, "mosquitoes are worse than wind. If you don¡¯t want to be eaten alive at night, build facing the wind." For now, their shelter was enough. But if they were going to survive for 99 days, they would need something more permanent¡ªespecially near a freshwater source. Tomorrow, their top priority would be finding fresh water and relocating. Steve scanned the supplies they had gathered and asked, ¡°Alright, who here can cook?¡± Silence. Everyone exchanged nervous glances. Steve¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No one?¡± Finally, Zhang Xiaoai hesitantly raised her hand. ¡°Well¡­ I can cook a few basic dishes, but I¡¯ve never dealt with seafood like this.¡± Steve sighed but chuckled. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll handle it. You guys start the fire. I¡¯ll go clean the fish and conchs.¡± Peng Peng¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I¡¯ll do the fire! I¡¯ve been dying to try.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Steve said, grabbing the fish and a shovel before heading back to the beach. He didn¡¯t have the knife, since Kevin had taken it, so he¡¯d have to make do. Zhang Xiaoai quickly followed. ¡°I¡¯ll go too. I want to learn how to clean seafood.¡± Bai Xiaolu eagerly joined in. ¡°Me too!¡± Jarvis, who had been watching the interaction, frowned slightly but said nothing. Hey, Ha, I... At the beach, Steve inspected the giant coconut snail. He had seen people pull out snail meat in survival videos before¡ªhow hard could it be? With confidence, he reached in and pulled. Nothing. He gritted his teeth and yanked harder. Still nothing. His face turned red, veins popping on his arms. He used every ounce of strength, but the snail meat refused to budge. ¡°Hey! Ha! I¡ª¡± Steve stumbled back, panting. Bai Xiaolu and Zhang Xiaoai, who had been watching, struggled to keep in their laughter. Their shoulders shook as they covered their mouths. Steve wiped his forehead, looking at the snail in frustration. ¡°Alright¡­ this thing is stronger than I thought.¡± Bai Xiaolu finally burst out laughing. ¡°Brother Steve, are you sure it¡¯s not the snail that¡¯s wrestling you?¡± Zhang Xiaoai giggled. ¡°I don¡¯t think brute force is the way. Maybe there¡¯s a trick to it?¡± Steve sighed. ¡°Yeah¡­ Maybe I should try boiling it first.¡± The girls nodded in agreement, and together, they carried their haul back to camp. By the time they returned, Peng Peng had finally managed to get a small fire going. The team cheered, and with that, they began preparing their first meal on the island. It was only the first day, but already, Steve could tell¡ªthis survival challenge was going to be far more entertaining than he had expected. To be continued¡­ Chapter 8: The Slap in the Face Came Too Quickly Steve was actually quite good at cooking. Back when he lived alone, he often prepared his own meals. There was even a time when he had a girlfriend while working at the factory. They rented a small apartment, and he cooked for them regularly. But he had no idea that coconut snails were so difficult to extract. It always looked effortless in those short cooking videos. The viewers in the live stream couldn''t stop laughing at Steve¡¯s constipated-looking struggle. "Hahaha, turns out Steve is useless after all!" "You can''t really blame him. These things are actually tough to pull out." "Brothers, I already made a meme of that face he made. Absolute gold!" "You¡¯ve taken all the bamboo shoots on the mountain with this one." "Why not just smash the shell?" "Bet he was trying to flex in front of the ladies, but it totally backfired." Steve was completely misunderstood. He only wanted to test if he could do it. But the more he failed, the more determined he became, and before he knew it, he was in too deep. Seeing the two girls trying to suppress their laughter, Steve wanted to dive into the ocean and never come back. He swore to himself¡ªonce his popularity grew, he would work on improving his physical strength. Zhang Xiaoai hesitated before asking, "Can''t we just cook the conch and eat it directly?" Steve shook his head. "Better not. If you cook such a large coconut snail whole, the meat becomes too tough to chew. If you don¡¯t cook it long enough, the inside stays raw. The best way is to take out the meat, slice it, blanch it, and then eat it." Zhang Xiaoai nodded in understanding, then looked at Steve¡¯s face with curiosity. "I didn¡¯t expect you to know so much about cooking." Steve shrugged. "Nowadays, if a guy doesn¡¯t know how to cook, he¡¯ll have trouble finding a wife." Truthfully, Steve had just watched a video about this before. In his previous life, he had been too poor to afford seafood like this. "Hahaha!" Bai Xiaolu suddenly burst into laughter. Both Steve and Zhang Xiaoai looked at her in confusion. What¡¯s so funny? This girl has the lowest sense of humor I¡¯ve ever seen. "Alright, stand back. I¡¯m smashing it with a rock. You don¡¯t want pieces flying at you." The two girls immediately stepped aside. Steve grabbed a large rock and slammed it down on the snail shell. CRACK!If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The shell shattered, revealing the thick snail meat inside. Steve pulled it out, carefully removed the internal organs, and set them aside. They could still be useful. The two girls approached again, fascinated by the size of the meat. "Wow, that¡¯s huge!" Bai Xiaolu exclaimed. Steve weighed it in his hands. "About four or five pounds. With this, the fish, and the smaller conches, we¡¯ll have a proper meal tonight." For a group of ten, preparing enough food for one meal was no small task. After a whole day of physical labor with only coconuts for lunch, everyone was starving. Bai Xiaolu stared at the snail meat, visibly swallowing her saliva. As he processed the meat, Steve explained, "You have to remove the ridges near the suction cup. This part is tough because it¡¯s used for moving and attaching to rocks. It¡¯s been worn down from years of friction, so it¡¯s nearly impossible to chew." With his shovel, Steve carefully cut away the ridges. It was much harder without a proper knife, but eventually, he managed. Finally, only the tender, white snail meat remained. He then sliced it into thin pieces, about two to three millimeters thick. "Find some big leaves to hold the snail meat while I deal with the fish," Steve instructed. "Okay!" The two girls ran off to gather banana leaves. They returned shortly with several large leaves, washed them with seawater, and placed the sliced snail meat on top. By that time, Steve had nearly finished preparing the grouper. He removed the gills, gutted it, cleaned it, and split it in half. Cooking it whole wasn¡¯t an option¡ªit would take too long. Splitting it made the process much faster. At that moment, Peng Peng came running over. "Steve! Is the fish ready? The fire¡¯s going. We¡¯re just waiting for you now!" "Yep, let¡¯s get cooking." When they returned to the shelter, Kevin and Sister Bird had also arrived. They carried bundles of kelp, which Chris and Chen Chichi quickly rushed forward to take. Sister Bird instructed, "Find a place to hang these up. Once they¡¯re dried, they¡¯ll be part of our food reserves." Chris confidently patted his chest. "No problem, leave it to me!" The moment he said that, his hand slipped, and a large piece of kelp fell onto the sandy ground. Everyone looked at him speechlessly. Chris blinked, stunned. "Damn¡­ I got slapped in the face so quickly? My dignity¡­" He let out an awkward chuckle. "Hahaha¡­ totally an accident. I¡¯ll wash it up, no worries." Nobody made a big deal out of it. Steve grinned. "Alright, let¡¯s eat." Chris shot him a look full of resentment before turning back to hang the kelp. Steve was puzzled. What was that look for? What did I do? What he didn¡¯t realize was that Chris had originally considered Steve the weakest member of the group. But now, Steve was diving, cooking, and even outshining Chris and Peng Peng. That meant Chris had become the most useless one, and it was eating him up inside. We were supposed to be the same, but you leveled up without me. This is betrayal. Steve ignored him and asked the group, "Who knows how to grill fish?" Kevin and Sister Bird exchanged glances. "Leave the cooking to you. We¡¯ve got other things to handle," Sister Bird said. Seeing that no one else volunteered, Kevin sighed. "Fine, I¡¯ll do it. Peng Peng, come here and learn." They needed to spread the workload. Wu Jing and Sister Bird couldn''t take care of eight people forever. Everyone had to start contributing. Peng Peng eagerly followed Kevin, and Bai Xiaolu joined as well. Meanwhile, the remaining three girls stayed with Steve to learn how to cook the conch. Steve built a stone circle around the fire, placing the small conches on top to roast. Since they were in shells, they didn¡¯t require much attention¡ªjust heat. Jarvis, who had been watching, finally spoke up. "What are you planning to do with the snail meat?" "Coconut milk conch soup." Everyone''s eyes lit up. Even the live chat exploded. "Coconut milk conch soup? Sounds like a feast!" "Steve¡¯s really out here running a five-star restaurant on a deserted island." "Man, I bet it¡¯s gonna taste amazing. I¡¯m jealous!" While Kevin grilled the fish and Peng Peng learned, Steve started working on the soup. Tonight, they wouldn¡¯t just survive¡ªthey would feast. --- Chapter 9: Sorry to Bother You Steve took a few coconuts, split them open with a knife, and poured the coconut water into a pot. He then chopped up the coconut meat and added it in as well¡ªnothing was going to waste. Placing the pot over the fire, he let it cook while preparing the rest of the meal. While waiting for the coconut milk to boil, Steve made a few bowls from the leftover coconut shells and crafted a few pairs of chopsticks using bamboo poles that had washed ashore. By the time the tableware was ready, the coconut milk had begun to boil. Steve added the sliced coconut snail meat directly into the pot, stirring quickly to ensure even cooking. Within ten seconds, he removed the mixture and served it into the makeshift coconut-shell bowls. Right on cue, the small conches had also finished roasting, leaving only the fish to be prepared. "Alright, dinner''s ready! Come and eat!" Steve called out. At his words, the group quickly gathered around. After an exhausting day, they were all starving, their hunger far outweighing any sense of decorum. Their eyes burned with intensity as they stared at Steve serving the soup, practically drooling. Feeling their intense gazes, Steve shivered. "You don¡¯t have to be so polite. Just dig in!" Kevin took the lead, picking up a bowl. "That¡¯s right, let¡¯s eat first!" Seeing Kevin take initiative, the rest followed suit, grabbing their bowls eagerly. "Wow, this is amazing! It''s fresh, sweet, and not fishy at all," Bai Xiaolu said, her face lighting up with surprise. Peng Peng nodded in agreement. "Mmm! This is the best conch I''ve ever had." Chris gave Steve a thumbs-up. "Seriously, this is even better than some high-end restaurant dishes!" "Delicious¡­ so good," Chen Chichi mumbled in between mouthfuls, eating at an alarming speed. Jarvis, watching Steve with amusement, smirked. "I didn''t expect you to have this kind of skill." One after another, everyone voiced their praises. Steve couldn''t help but enjoy the moment. There was something deeply satisfying about seeing people relish the food he prepared. "Haha, you guys are exaggerating. You''re making me blush," he said modestly.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Kevin shook his head. "No exaggeration¡ªthis is seriously good." Sister Bird chimed in, "The sweet coconut milk pairs perfectly with the tender conch meat. No seasoning, yet it brings out the purest taste of the ingredients. It¡¯s honestly delicious." Gu Limina simply looked at Steve with wide eyes. "It¡¯s really amazing." Steve felt momentarily flustered under her gaze and quickly refocused. "I feel like you guys just want to make sure I keep cooking for you in the future." Everyone burst into laughter. But truthfully, their reactions weren''t an act. The ''Coconut Milk Conch Soup'' was indeed delicious¡ªthough perhaps not as exaggerated as they made it seem. Still, the way they devoured their food spoke volumes. Even the girls, who usually maintained an elegant image, ate heartily, leaving no trace of their usual restraint. Meanwhile, the audience in the live stream was losing their minds. "They''re feasting in the wilderness while I¡¯m crying over my instant noodles." "Is it really that good? I won¡¯t believe it until I get a taste myself." "I see what you¡¯re doing¡­ you just want a free meal." "Mina looks so pretty even while eating." "Nah, Xiaoai is the queen. Beautiful and cool at the same time." "Tsk, tsk. You kids don¡¯t get it. The little fox is the best choice." "What about Bai Xiaolu? Am I the only one who appreciates her?" "A true adult chooses all of them." "Wrong. Only children try to take everything. Adults know their limits¡­ and their kidneys can¡¯t handle it." "At first, I thought Steve was useless. But he can dive, cook, and he¡¯s handsome? I''m in love." "Get lost, you traitor! Steve is MY future husband!" "Uh¡­ I¡¯m a guy." "Oh¡­ sorry to bother you." --- After finishing his meal, Chen Chichi leaned back and let out a loud burp. "Burp~~~ Ahh¡­ that was amazing. I¡¯m stuffed." This guy truly loved his food. He was the last one to put down his chopsticks, and given his body size, he could probably last a few extra days in survival mode compared to the rest. The others also sat back, fully satisfied. They had polished off every last drop of the ¡®Coconut Milk Conch Soup,¡¯ and even the roasted conches were gone. The only thing left untouched was the giant grouper¡ªthey simply couldn¡¯t eat another bite. It was perfect, though. The fish would be fine overnight and could serve as breakfast the next morning. Steve glanced around at everyone and smiled. "All done? Alright, I¡¯ll go wash the pot." Jarvis reached for the pot before he could. "You should rest. You¡¯ve been diving and cooking all day. Let me handle this." "Sister Jarvis, I¡¯ll help too!" "Me too!" "And me!" Several of the girls rushed forward to assist. As women, they weren¡¯t able to contribute as much to the more physically demanding tasks, so they felt a little guilty. Now that they had the chance to contribute, they wanted to take it. Jarvis chuckled. "It¡¯s just one pot and a few chopsticks. No need for all of you to help. Rest up while you can. We still have fishing to do tonight." Tonight¡¯s low tide was around 12:30 AM. That meant they would need to wake up in the middle of the night to head to the beach. Without fishing nets, catching seafood was one of their only reliable ways of collecting food, so they couldn¡¯t afford to miss the opportunity. Steve watched the girls bicker over who would do the dishes and nodded approvingly. The worst thing would be dealing with someone who acted like a princess and expected everything to be done for them. Fortunately, everyone here was pulling their weight. Even though it was only the first day, their teamwork and camaraderie were solid. Things would only get better from here. Feeling satisfied, Steve turned to Peng Peng. "Come on, let¡¯s take a walk and help digest our food." Peng Peng stretched and stood up. "Alright, I¡¯m in." Bai Xiaolu, ever curious, immediately followed them. "Where are you guys going?" "Crab hunting," Steve replied casually. Peng Peng frowned. "Isn¡¯t it easier to catch crabs when the tide goes out?" Steve grinned. "Normally, yes. But there¡¯s another way. Today, I¡¯ll teach you both my secret technique. Watch and learn." Bai Xiaolu burst into laughter. "Hahaha, alright! I¡¯m looking forward to this so-called ¡®secret technique¡¯!" "You¡¯ll see. Peng Peng, go dig a hole in the sand¡ªabout 30 to 40 centimeters deep." "Lulu, go find some floating debris we can use. We¡¯ll divide the work." "Okay!" both of them responded enthusiastically, quickly setting off to complete their tasks. However, after taking only a few steps, Peng Peng suddenly hesitated and walked back to Steve. Scratching his head, he asked awkwardly, "Uh¡­ how deep is 30 to 40 centimeters exactly?" Steve stared at him for a moment before facepalming. "Just dig as deep as your calf." "Hahahahahaha!" Bai Xiaolu collapsed onto the sand, clutching her stomach in laughter. Meanwhile, Sister Bird, watching the trio from a distance, turned to Kevin. "What are those three up to?" Kevin shrugged. "Who knows? More importantly, is there anything we can do?" --- Chapter 10: Clever Little Lulu Peng Peng crouched down, sticking his butt out as he dug a hole just as Steve had instructed. The sand on the beach was soft, making it easy to dig. In no time, he had a small hole finished. "Steve, it¡¯s done! What¡¯s next?" "Good, now dig a few more, but spread them out a bit farther," Steve instructed. "Got it!" Steve watched as Peng Peng busied himself digging, nodding in approval. The kid might not be the brightest, but at least he was obedient. With Peng Peng occupied, Steve turned to check on Bai Xiaolu. It was getting dark, and letting a girl wander around alone wasn¡¯t a great idea. As soon as she saw him approaching, Bai Xiaolu lifted a float she had found and grinned. "Steve, I can handle this on my own! Look, I already found one!" The float she held resembled an oversized soda bottle. These types of floats were valuable; they could be used to store water and food. There was also a large black hollow ball nearby, another useful find. Steve gave her a thumbs-up. "Nice work! But I¡¯ll come with you. It¡¯s getting dark, and it¡¯s not safe for you to be out here alone." Bai Xiaolu looked around, realizing for the first time that night was creeping in. She hadn''t noticed before, but now that she did, a small shiver ran down her spine. Still, she refused to show any fear. Puffing out her chest, she said proudly, "Fine, we¡¯ll go together." But as they walked, she unconsciously moved a little closer to Steve. Steve smirked. "Thank you, Princess Lulu, for allowing me to protect you. It¡¯s truly an honor." "Hehehe," Bai Xiaolu giggled, finding Steve¡¯s teasing tone amusing. As they combed the beach for useful debris, Jarvis¡ªwho had just finished washing dishes¡ªglanced up from the pot in his hands and saw Steve and Bai Xiaolu chatting and laughing. He wrinkled his nose and let out a soft huff.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Not far away, Bai Xiaolu excitedly held up a foam board. "Steve, is this useful?" Steve nodded. "Yep, super useful. We can put some on our beds to make them softer and warmer." "Really? I hate the cold! I¡¯ll grab more of them!" "Go for it." The beach was littered with debris, so much that it made Steve question humanity¡¯s ability to keep the planet clean. People had even found entire containers washed ashore. Steve picked up buoys, tangled ropes, broken fishing nets, cracked bamboo poles¡ªstuff that seemed like junk but could be lifesaving on the island. When his arms were full, he called out to Bai Xiaolu. "Lulu, let¡¯s head back." She rushed over, carrying a pile of junk in her arms. "Look, I found something amazing!" Steve turned, expecting something useful¡ªonly to see her holding a broken electric fan. He stifled a laugh. "Wow, great find. Now our island home has a new appliance." Bai Xiaolu froze for a second, processing his words. The phrase our island home made her feel a little weird, but she quickly brushed it off. Rolling her eyes, she scoffed, "You¡¯re messing with me. I¡¯m not dumb. I know there''s no electricity here. Even if there were, this fan wouldn¡¯t work¡ªit''s completely busted." Steve grinned. "You never know. What if we get power later and I manage to fix it?" "I don¡¯t believe you," Bai Xiaolu said bluntly. Steve raised an eyebrow. "Wanna bet?" Bai Xiaolu smirked. "What¡¯s the wager?" "If I win, you have to do something for me. If you win, I¡¯ll do something for you. Deal?" Meanwhile, in Bai Xiaolu¡¯s live stream chat, her fans were losing their minds. "No, Lulu! Don¡¯t do it! There¡¯s a trap!" "Look at that guy¡¯s smug grin¡ªhe¡¯s totally up to something!" "Smash him with that broken fan! That¡¯ll teach him!" "He¡¯s trying to get close to our Lulu. Shameless!" "We should all go to the show¡¯s official website and demand they separate them!" "Wait¡­ I think Steve is kinda handsome, though." That last comment was quickly drowned out by an avalanche of protests. Oblivious to the online chaos, Bai Xiaolu confidently declared, "Alright, deal!" Steve blinked. "You¡¯re really not afraid I¡¯ll make you do something ridiculous?" Bai Xiaolu laughed. "I¡¯m not afraid because you won¡¯t win!" Steve chuckled. "Alright, don¡¯t regret it later." He was already thinking of something fun for her to do if he won. Maybe washing his feet? Just the thought of a famous young actress washing his feet was hilarious. By the time they returned to camp, Steve handed Bai Xiaolu the extra supplies and grabbed the buoys to check on Peng Peng. Peng Peng had finished digging the pits¡ªten in total, one for each person. Steve got to work cutting the float into bucket shapes, ensuring they could hold water once the crabs were caught. He then placed each float bucket inside a hole, making sure the rim was level with the ground so that crabs could easily fall in. Once a crab fell in, the smooth walls would prevent it from climbing back out. Peng Peng watched, fascinated. "Steve, that¡¯s it? That¡¯s all we need to catch crabs?" "Not quite," Steve replied. "We still need bait." "What kind of bait?" "The leftover conch shells, dead fish on the beach, fish scales, and guts from the fish I cleaned earlier." "I¡¯ll get them!" Peng Peng ran off enthusiastically. With their combined efforts, they finished setting up all the traps. Now, it was just a matter of waiting until morning to see the results. Bai Xiaolu, however, was skeptical. "That¡¯s it? You really think this will work?" Steve grinned. "Want to bet on it?" Bai Xiaolu quickly shook her head. "No way. What if a crab is dumb enough to fall in? I don¡¯t take bets I¡¯m not sure of." Steve laughed. "Smart move." Bai Xiaolu lifted her chin proudly. "That¡¯s why they call me Clever Little Lulu!" "Alright, Clever Little Lulu, let¡¯s head back." "Wait for me!" she called out, scurrying after him. --- Chapter 11: Stinky Sheep Steve and his companions returned to the shelter and found everyone gathered around the fire, chatting and busying themselves with various tasks. "What are you guys doing?" Peng Peng asked curiously as he stepped forward and peered at what they were holding. Chris smiled and said, "We''re making torches for night fishing. Are you guys done with your work?" Steve nodded. "Yeah, it''s all set. I made a few simple traps to catch sand crabs." As the name suggests, sand crabs are crabs that live on the beach. However, they''re not just limited to the sand; they can be found all along the shoreline. They''re small, not particularly tasty, and don''t have much meat, so most people who live by the sea don''t bother catching them. Steve remembered that when he was a kid, there was a factory that used these crabs to make spicy crab snacks, and they were actually pretty good. But nowadays, they were rarely seen. Even though sand crabs weren''t the most valuable food source, in their current situation, anything edible was precious. If nothing else, they could be kept alive for later. If placed in a bottle with seawater and some sand, they could survive for about a week. Chris smiled. "Sand crabs are good enough. We''re surviving in the wilderness¡ªwe can''t afford to waste any food. When things get really tough, forget crabs¡ªeven sandworms become a delicacy." Hearing that, Steve''s face turned slightly green. He quickly shook his head. "No way. I''d rather starve than eat sandworms." As a fisherman, he knew exactly what sandworms were¡ªcreatures that looked like a cross between earthworms and centipedes, with a strong, fishy smell. They were incredibly disgusting. Seeing Steve''s reaction, Bai Xiaolu became curious. "What''s a sandworm? Is it scary?" Steve forced a smile. "You''ll understand when you see one. It''s not scary, just... unpleasant." Bai Xiaolu''s eyes gleamed mischievously, as if she was already plotting something. But she didn''t press the question further. While the others continued making torches, Steve wanted to help, but Kevin stopped him. "Bro, take a break. You''ve been busy all day¡ªdiving for fish, cooking, setting up crab traps. You''ve already done more than enough. If I don''t step up, I''ll start feeling useless. Let me have my moment to shine. I mean, I''m a tough guy, too, you know?"Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Jarvis chuckled. "That''s right, man. Sit back and relax. Leave this to us." Gu Limena and Zhang Xiaoai didn''t say anything, but they quietly took the materials for making torches out of Steve''s hands. Steve chuckled. "It''s fine, really. I just can''t sit still. We''re a team¡ªthere''s no need to keep track of who does more or less. Those who can, do. It''s not my fault I''m so outstanding! Hahaha!" As Steve laughed, the live chat on Bai Xiaolu''s stream was flooded with reactions. "This guy''s skin is thicker than three layers of armor." "You know, after watching him all day, I have to admit¡ªSteve''s actually pretty cool. I think I misjudged him before." "Same here. I thought he was just a useless pretty boy at first, but he''s actually got skills." "Wait, what happened? I just joined the stream. Who''s this Steve guy? No, wait... should I call him a young handsome guy or an old handsome guy?" "By the way, how old is he?" "Steve was born in 2100, which makes him 25 this year. His ancestral home is in the Northeast, but he grew up in Guangdong. He moved to Beijing with his parents in high school and attended Beijing No. 14 High School. He was scouted as a trainee for Huaxing Entertainment but failed to debut after a talent show. He''s appeared in TV dramas like Hua Qing Lu and A Hundred Worlds of Love, as well as several variety shows..." "Whoa, hold up! He''s the same age as Jarvis, and they went to the same high school? Is there a backstory here?" "Wait, now that you mention it... That''s interesting!" "@JarvisFanClub @JarvisOfficialStudio." Meanwhile, Steve remained unaware that his rising popularity had led to people digging up his past again. "Ugh, shameless," Jarvis muttered with a smirk. Steve curled his lips into a silent response. Though the others couldn''t hear him, Jarvis immediately understood what Steve had mouthed. His expression changed instantly, and his brows twitched in irritation. If they weren''t on a live broadcast, he would''ve made Steve pay. Because what Steve had just mouthed was: "Stinky sheep." Jarvis''s first instinct was to yank off his shoes and shove his foot into Steve''s mouth. Then he''d ask, So, do my feet smell or not? As the two exchanged playful glares, the people around them glanced at each other in surprise. Their interaction seemed... oddly personal. Normally, unless two people were really close, they wouldn''t act like that. But since no one knew their full history, the others just assumed they had worked together before. After chatting around the fire for a while, Steve suddenly stood up and headed out. A few minutes later, he returned dragging a long bamboo pole that had washed up from the sea. "What are you doing?" Gu Limena asked, watching him curiously. Steve continued working with his hands as he replied, "Making crab clamps, so we don''t get our hands pinched when catching crabs later." Mina''s eyes lit up. After hesitating for a moment, she asked shyly, "Could you make one for me too?" She had heard that crab pinches were painful, and she wasn''t eager to experience it firsthand. "Of course," Steve agreed without hesitation. It wasn''t difficult. Besides, as the saying on the internet went: Who could resist Mina''s puppy-dog eyes? Bai Xiaolu, who had been standing nearby, immediately jumped in. "I want one too!" Steve raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you even dare to catch crabs?" Bai Xiaolu puffed up her chest. "Are you looking down on me? Just wait and see¡ªI''ll catch more crabs than you!" "Alright, I''ll hold you to that," Steve said with a smirk. He then turned to the group. "Anyone else?" In the end, everyone except Chris¡ªwho claimed he didn''t need one¡ªand Jarvis, who was too competitive to admit he wanted help, requested a clamp. And so, Steve took on a new task: making crab clamps. These clamps were simple. They were just two bamboo strips about half a meter long, tied together at one end to function like tongs. If they had fresh bamboo, Steve could''ve roasted it over a fire to bend it into shape, but since the bamboo they found had been soaked in seawater and dried under the sun, he had to use rope to hold the strips together. A small wooden stick or stone was wedged between the strips to keep them apart. It wasn''t a tool for delicate work, but it was perfect for catching crabs. After a while, Steve had finished making one for each person. Even though Jarvis hadn''t asked for one, Steve still handed him one. Jarvis looked at the clamp and curled his lips. "I didn''t say I wanted one." Steve smirked. "I know." --- Chapter 12: I Am Better At Getting Girls to Sleep "Then you don''t want it?" Steve asked as he pretended to take the clip back. Jarvis, noticing his move, reacted instantly, snatching it from his hands with a quick motion. "Hmph, since you''re so sincere, I''ll accept it with great reluctance," Jarvis said, turning away with a smug look. Steve chuckled, watching him walk off, before letting out a small sigh. His former classmate had become a top star in the entertainment industry, while he had faded into near obscurity. Every time he saw Jarvis, a sense of inadequacy crept up inside him, making him instinctively avoid direct interactions. Steve understood that kind of inferiority¡ªstanding in front of someone from his past who had soared while he remained grounded. But now, things were different. He had the system, an advantage no one else could even begin to comprehend. With the treasures he now possessed, he was confident he would rise again. --- Back at the Shelter When Steve returned, everyone was sitting on their straw beds, engaged in casual conversation. Given the limited conditions, only two straw beds had been arranged¡ªone for the men and one for the women. "You guys haven''t slept yet?" Steve asked with a smile. Kevin, sitting near the entrance, grinned. "Take a break, man. You''ve been busy all day¡ªdiving for fish, cooking, and making all those crab traps. You''ve done more than enough." "Yeah," Chris added, stretching. "I''ll be heading out for night fishing soon, so I figured I''d rest later rather than now." Steve glanced at the sleeping arrangements. On the men''s side, Kevin was closest to the entrance, followed by Chris, then Chen Chichi, and finally Peng Peng. Steve would be taking the innermost spot. On the women''s side, Sister Bird slept nearest to the door, then Jarvis, Zhang Xiaoai, Mina, and finally, Bai Xiaolu at the innermost position. He chuckled. "Looks like our sleeping spots are arranged by age. Guess that makes me the youngest here, huh?" Jarvis nearly choked on air. Among the girls, she was the second oldest, right after Sister Bird. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Bringing up a woman''s age¡ªespecially in front of a group¡ªwas unforgivable. ''This guy¡­ I''ll make sure he pays for that later,'' she thought, gritting her teeth. Kevin, unfazed, laughed. "Seems like it!" Chris shook his head and turned to Chen Chichi. "Steve''s a great guy, but damn, does he have a big mouth." Everyone burst into laughter. Bai Xiaolu laughed so hard she collapsed onto the straw bed, unable to stop. Steve smirked and turned to Chris. "Hey, Chris, you''ve been carrying that big head of yours around all day. Your neck must be sore, right?" Chris blinked, momentarily confused. "It''s fine¡­?" Chen Chichi suddenly started laughing again. Jarvis followed, unable to hold back, while the others looked on, puzzled. "What''s so funny?" Mina finally asked. Still chuckling, Chen Chichi explained, "Steve wasn''t asking out of concern. He was calling Chris'' head huge¡ªimplying it must be heavy to carry around all day." The realization hit, and the entire shelter erupted with laughter. Chris, realizing he''d walked straight into Steve''s trap, immediately got up. "You little¡ª! I''m gonna teach you a lesson!" Before he could lunge, a loud mechanical whirring sound interrupted the moment. A drone hovered outside the shelter, its speakers crackling to life. --- An Announcement "Kyushu Team, please pay attention. Kyushu Team, please pay attention." Everyone stopped laughing and turned their attention to the drone. "Good evening, members of the Kyushu Team. First of all, congratulations on successfully completing your first day on the island. We have an announcement regarding an upcoming challenge. Please listen carefully. After discussions between the joint program teams, it has been decided that a competition will be held every Sunday in a format that changes weekly. The winning team will receive rewards from the program. The first competition will be a stage performance challenge. Each team must present two performances, which can include singing, music, comedy sketches, crosstalk, or stand-up routines. Each performance will be limited to five minutes. The ranking will be determined by audience votes and scores from twenty world-class art experts. Rewards are as follows: 1st place: 3 essential items 2nd place: 2 essential items 3rd place: 1 essential item Teams must submit their chosen performance type by Friday. Any required props or musical instruments must also be requested by then. We wish you all the best. Good luck!" As soon as the announcement ended, silence fell over the shelter. Each person was processing the information, weighing their strengths and weaknesses. Then, Jarvis suddenly spoke. "Program team, Kyushu Team requests to temporarily mute all microphones." Everyone turned to her in surprise, but they quickly understood¡ªif they were going to strategize, they couldn''t let other teams overhear. The drone responded, "All members must agree before microphones can be muted. Please confirm." One by one, they all agreed. "Understood. All microphones have been muted." Jarvis exhaled. "Alright, now we can speak freely. So¡ªany ideas on what to perform?" --- Planning the Performance Everyone exchanged uncertain glances. Chris scratched his head. "What should I even do? I can''t sing, dance, or play an instrument. I''ll just sit this one out." Chen Chichi pinched his chin. "I mean¡­ my singing is okay." Chris immediately scoffed. "Come on. You? Sing? In front of a global audience?" Chen Chichi frowned. "Hey, don''t forget¡ªI once won a Singing King title." Chris rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and we all know how that happened." "Excuse me?! Are you questioning my talent?" "Yes." "Defamation! I should sue you." "Go ahead. See if I care." "Fine! Then tell me¡ªwho here sings better than me?" Silence. Then Kevin cleared his throat. "Alright, alright. Let''s settle this later. First, let''s see if the girls have anything prepared." The female members exchanged looks before shaking their heads. Most of them were actors, not singers. Actually¡ªwait. Jarvis had released an album before. Her song Death of Love had been a hit. Was her singing good? ¡­Maybe not better than Chen Chichi''s. Or, rather, they were probably equally bad. Kevin turned to Steve. "Steve, you''re an idol. What are you good at?" Steve hesitated, then smirked. "Me? I''m best at getting girls to sleep." The entire shelter fell into stunned silence. Everyone just¡­ stared at him. Was he serious?! This was a live broadcast! ¡­Wait. The microphones were muted, right? Right?! Chapter 13: Folk Dance The boys looked at Steve with admiration, their eyes practically saying: Brother, you¡¯re bold. The girls, however, had far more complicated emotions. Some felt contempt, others disgust, and a few couldn¡¯t quite put into words the strange mix of confusion and discomfort they experienced. Steve, on the other hand, seemed completely unaware of the awkwardness his words had caused. He simply shrugged and explained, ¡°Whenever I text a girl, they always reply with ¡®I¡¯m sleepy, I want to sleep.¡¯ Tell me, am I not good at getting girls to sleep?¡± He looked around, his expression completely serious, as if genuinely asking for confirmation. For a moment, there was silence. Then, Bai Xiaolu erupted into laughter. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± She rolled on her bed, clutching her stomach. Jarvis, who had initially felt annoyed, suddenly understood and sighed. She rolled her eyes at Steve before flashing him a small, amused smile. Peng Peng burst into laughter as well. ¡°Dude! That¡¯s some talent right there! Hahaha! But too bad you can¡¯t showcase that in the competition.¡± Steve spread his hands in mock helplessness. ¡°That¡¯s my only skill. The only other thing I can do is sing and dance.¡± Jarvis smirked. ¡°Well then, I guess we¡¯ll just have to wait and see how ¡®talented¡¯ you are.¡± Steve raised an eyebrow at her comment, but she simply rolled her eyes again. For celebrities, any opportunity to perform in front of an international audience was a golden one. Exposure mattered. For a rising star like Steve, this was a chance to gain new fans and increase his popularity. Even if the performance didn¡¯t turn out great, at least his face would be seen worldwide. For a top-tier celebrity like Jarvis, though, this kind of exposure wasn¡¯t as beneficial. What mattered most for her was delivering classic, unforgettable performances. Still, she was willing to support Steve in getting this opportunity. Whether or not he would be able to seize it depended entirely on him. Even though no one had ever seen Steve sing or dance, expectations were low. If he had been any good, he wouldn¡¯t be as unknown as he was now. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. But since this was just a tentative decision, there was no harm in giving him a chance. With Steve¡¯s performance tentatively on the list, the group continued brainstorming. ¡°Mina, do you have anything you can perform?¡± Chen Chichi suddenly asked. Mina hesitated before answering, ¡°I can do a folk dance, but my skills are just average.¡± Before anyone could respond, Steve suddenly burst out laughing. Everyone turned to look at him, confused. Mina¡¯s face darkened. Had he just laughed at her? Jarvis sighed internally. This idiot. He was finally behaving a little better today, but now he¡¯s offending people again. Steve, noticing Mina¡¯s glare, quickly raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Whoa, don¡¯t get me wrong! I wasn¡¯t laughing at you. It¡¯s just that the word ¡®folk dance¡¯ reminded me of a joke. I couldn¡¯t help it.¡± Bai Xiaolu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°A joke? Tell us, tell us!¡± Peng Peng leaned forward. ¡°Yeah, spill it!¡± Steve hesitated. The joke was a bit risqu¨¦, and as a public figure, maybe it wasn¡¯t the best idea to share it. ¡°Uh¡­ There are girls here, so maybe I shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± Bai Xiaolu cut him off. ¡°Oh, please! You guys always think we can¡¯t handle jokes. Trust me, we can.¡± Steve looked at the other girls for confirmation. When none of them objected, he sighed and relented. ¡°Ahem,¡± he began. ¡°So, I have this friend¡ª¡± Chen Chichi immediately interjected, ¡°Yeah, yeah, whenever someone says that, they¡¯re really talking about themselves.¡± The group burst into laughter. Steve rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine. In that case, my ¡®friend¡¯ is named Chen Chichi.¡± ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± Bai Xiaolu practically collapsed, laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face. Steve smirked and continued, ¡°So, ¡®Chen Chichi¡¯ once stayed at a hotel. Not long after checking in, there was a knock at the door. ¡°He opened it and found an older woman standing there, maybe in her forties or fifties. She smiled mysteriously and said, ¡®Handsome, do you want to watch a dance?¡¯ ¡°Now, ¡®Chen Chichi¡¯ was confused. ¡®Dancing? What kind of dance?¡¯ ¡°The woman smirked and whispered, ¡®Folk dance.¡¯ ¡°He frowned and thought, Folk dance? That¡¯s boring. So he shook his head and said, ¡®What¡¯s so great about folk dance?¡¯ ¡°But the woman leaned in closer and whispered, ¡®The kind without clothes.¡¯ ¡°At that moment, ¡®Chen Chichi¡¯ immediately slammed the door shut and muttered, ¡®Lady, I already know what nationality you are without the clothes.¡¯¡± For a moment, there was silence. Then¡ª ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± ¡°GESE, GEESE, GEESE¡ª¡± Bai Xiaolu and Peng Peng were the loudest, practically rolling around laughing. The others chuckled as well, some shaking their heads at how ridiculous the joke was. Everyone except Mina. She pursed her lips, her smile tight. Her eyes, however, were full of resentment as she glared at Steve. Steve felt the weight of her stare and thought back to what he had just said. He groaned internally. Crap. She misunderstood. He cleared his throat. ¡°Mina, I swear, I wasn¡¯t talking about you¡ª¡± The room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at Steve. Mina¡¯s face darkened further. Are you serious? Bai Xiaolu exploded into laughter again. ¡°HAHAHAHAHA¡ªOH MY GOD! I CAN¡¯T¡ªHAHAHAHAHA!¡± Seeing her reaction, the rest of the group followed suit. The laughter this time was even louder than before. Steve sighed, rubbing his temples. Great. That made it worse. Jarvis, though both amused and exasperated, finally decided to step in. ¡°Alright, alright. Mina, don¡¯t take it to heart. Steve just has a habit of digging his own grave.¡± Mina sighed but nodded. ¡°Anyway,¡± Jarvis continued, ¡°this means we¡¯ve got two performances on the list¡ªSteve¡¯s singing and dancing, and Mina¡¯s folk dance. That¡¯s a decent start.¡± She then turned to Kevin, the eldest in the group. ¡°Kevin, as the big brother here, it wouldn¡¯t be fair if you didn¡¯t participate. What are you planning?¡± Kevin shook his head firmly. ¡°Forget it. I can¡¯t sing, I can¡¯t dance¡ªthere¡¯s no way I¡¯m performing.¡± Zhang Xiaoai sighed. ¡°This competition really isn¡¯t in our favor. Except for Steve, we¡¯re all actors. Stage performances need time to prepare, and we don¡¯t have that luxury.¡± Steve, however, simply smiled. ¡°You guys are looking at this the wrong way.¡± Jarvis raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? And what are we missing?¡± Steve¡¯s smile widened. ¡°We have the biggest advantage of all.¡± The group leaned in, curious. ¡°What advantage?¡± Steve¡¯s eyes gleamed with confidence. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± --- Chapter 14: Two People Go to the Sea The Mystery of the Muted Conversation "What are they talking about? Why are they laughing so happily?" "I protest! Why did the production crew turn off the sound? Turn it back on immediately!" "I suspect they were talking about something inappropriate, but I have no proof!" "Proof or not, arrest them first!" "Can anyone here read lips? Please interpret this for me!" "It''s over... Bai Xiaolu might faint from laughing." "Why does Chris look so annoyed?" ¡°Even though I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, it looked absolutely hilarious!¡± The live chat in the broadcast room was going wild. The comments flashed so fast that if you turned them on, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to see the screen properly. Meanwhile, Steve grinned and said, "We have a lot of people on our side, and voting accounts for half the points, right?" Chris''s eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands excitedly. "Yeah! Hahaha! When it comes to voting, are we even worried?" "Exactly! We have more than a billion viewers watching us!" "Then we have to give them a proper performance!" "Yes! For the audience, we have to perform with all our heart!" After some discussion, everyone finally decided to put together a short skit or play. The actors had not yet been selected. Mina would perform a folk dance, Steve would sing and dance, and Chris would sing. Sister Bird clapped her hands with a smile. "Alright, we¡¯ll temporarily decide on these four acts. Everyone should think about any additional performances they might want to add. But for now, it''s time to go catch some seafood!" "Let''s go seafood hunting!" As soon as they heard that, everyone got excited. It was only the first day, so the novelty hadn''t worn off yet. Who knew if they would still be this excited after a few days of hard survival? The team grabbed the simple torches they had made earlier, lit them up, and headed out. --- Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Hunting for Seafood At this time, the tide had receded far away, revealing a vast stretch of rocky shoals. Only shallow pools of seawater remained on the exposed reef, making it the perfect time to go seafood hunting. Seeing how excited everyone was, Sister Bird quickly reminded them, "Don''t go too far. It''s best to move in pairs or small groups. No one should wander off alone." "Got it!" "Don''t worry!" Everyone agreed. After all, their safety was at stake, and no one was careless enough to ignore the warning. Steve, however, wasn¡¯t particularly thrilled about hunting seafood. Having grown up in Guangdong, he had spent plenty of time by the sea. Even in his past life, he had worked in the area, which meant he was no stranger to the beach. He had surfed a few times and already had a decent amount of experience. He carried a torch in one hand, a small bucket made of floating debris tied to his waist, and a homemade crab claw tool in the other. Walking at a steady pace, he made his way toward the beach. Chris, however, walked beside him, speaking in a soft tone. "Have you been to the sea before?" Steve wasn''t sure why Chris had chosen to follow him instead of Sister Bird¡¯s group. It made him feel strangely uneasy. It wasn¡¯t that he disliked Chris¡ªhe just felt a certain pressure around him. Especially because Chris would occasionally show vague hints of care and protection, which made Steve feel an inexplicable weight on his shoulders. Feeling this, Steve silently cursed himself. What¡¯s wrong with me? Why am I acting like this? After hearing Chris¡¯s question, Steve nodded. "Yeah, I''ve been to the sea many times, but I haven¡¯t been to this specific one. Be careful and stick close to me." Chris smiled. "Alright. Is it dangerous to go seafood hunting?" At first, it seemed simple¡ªjust picking up seafood from the beach, right? There wasn¡¯t even much water around. What could possibly be dangerous? Hearing that, Steve immediately became serious. "Of course it''s dangerous! You should never be careless, especially in a tropical area like this. The ocean is full of strange creatures, many of which are highly venomous. You shouldn''t touch anything unless you''re sure it''s safe." He continued, "Plus, the oyster shells on the reef are razor-sharp, like little knives. If you¡¯re not careful, you could easily get cut. You need to be extra cautious." Seeing Steve¡¯s serious expression, Chris chuckled and reassured him. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful." At that moment, Steve glanced at Chris¡¯s smile and quickly turned away. Damn it, this guy looks too good when he smiles. It''s distracting. Before he could dwell on it, they heard Bai Xiaolu shouting from the distance¡ªshe had apparently found something. Steve immediately said, "Let''s go check it out!" He started walking toward the shore, with Chris following close behind, his expression carrying a hint of amusement. --- The Abundance of the Sea In Steve¡¯s opinion, or really anyone who had lived by the sea, survival at the coast wasn¡¯t all that difficult. Even if you couldn¡¯t catch big fish or find large crabs, you could always dig for clams in the sand. And even if you couldn¡¯t find clams, you could still harvest oysters from the rocks, collect edible seaweed, or catch small fish and shrimp in the shallow pools. Sand crabs were scattered along the beach as well. There was plenty of food if you knew where to look. For example, right now, Chris was crouching beside a small tide pool, happily catching tiny shrimp that were only two or three centimeters long. In truth, these shrimp were delicious. If you collected enough of them, you could fry them up for a top-tier meal. But they were in a survival situation, and no matter how many small shrimp Chris caught, they wouldn¡¯t be enough for even one person to eat properly. Seeing this, Steve sighed and said, "Alright, let¡¯s focus on the big stuff first. Once we have enough, I¡¯ll help you catch the small shrimp, okay?" Chris¡¯s face turned slightly red¡ªhe had gotten too caught up in the fun and completely forgotten about their real goal. He quickly stood up. "Alright, let''s go." "Watch your step." "Got it." Steve led Chris toward a rockier part of the shore, further away from the others. This was the lowest point of the tide, where the sea had receded the most. The ocean waves weren¡¯t too far away now. Looking back, Steve realized they were quite far from their companions. That meant it was time to get to work. "Here, hold the torch." Steve handed it over to Chris before bending down to grab a large rock. He flipped it over. Immediately, water splashed everywhere, and the sound of scuttling creatures filled the air. Chris¡¯s eyes widened in excitement. "There''s a crab! A really big one!" Steve grinned. "Yeah, I see it." He reached out with his crab claw tool, expertly pinching the crab and pulling it out. It was a flower crab, its claws waving angrily in the air. Steve tossed it into the bucket, then stirred the water in the pool to reveal some small fish and shrimp, each about the size of a finger. Not bad. Even though they were small, they couldn¡¯t afford to waste food. They continued clearing out one stone pool after another, quickly filling up their bucket. Then, suddenly¡ª "Ah! Steve, Steve, look over there!" Chris shouted in excitement. Steve turned to see what had caught his attention. And what he saw left him stunned. --- To be continued¡­ Chapter 15: Buying Goods at the Sea Steve followed Jarvis''s gaze and chuckled. "It''s an octopus, and it''s quite big." He stepped forward and grabbed the octopus with a firm grip. The startled octopus immediately wrapped itself around Steve¡¯s wrist, its suction cups sticking tightly to his skin. "Ugh, that looks disgusting," Jarvis muttered, grimacing at the sight of the wriggling creature. Steve smirked and held it out toward him. "Want to give it a try?" "I¡¯ll pass," Jarvis replied, taking a step back. Shrugging, Steve tossed the octopus into the floating bucket. "Alright, let''s keep going." Jarvis hesitated for a moment before following him. He lowered his voice and said, "You know, if it came down to it, I think I could catch it myself. It¡¯s just... since you¡¯re here, I¡¯d rather not." Steve nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I get it. It¡¯s like when you''re starving¡ªyou might turn your nose up at something at first, but if you¡¯re desperate, you¡¯ll eat anything." "Exactly!" Jarvis agreed, nodding. "When you''re pushed to the edge, you¡¯ll do whatever it takes to survive." "I''m not like that," Steve said suddenly. Jarvis raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" "I had a C-section," Steve said with a straight face. "...What?" Ignoring the confusion on Jarvis¡¯s face, Steve continued searching. The two of them moved along the rocky shore, collecting several conches, crabs, and other common seaside creatures like small fish, shrimp, and even a few sea urchins. Despite the remote location, the abundance of seafood was remarkable. Within a short time, Steve managed to find a few abalones, and soon, their small bucket was filled to the brim. Jarvis, looking at the overflowing bucket, sighed in amazement. "I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s so much food. Honestly, surviving 99 days here doesn¡¯t seem that hard."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Steve shook his head, smiling. "Don¡¯t get too confident. Not every tide brings this much seafood¡ªwe got lucky today. "The real challenge isn¡¯t just finding food; it¡¯s avoiding disease and surviving the elements. Even if we have plenty of seafood, we¡¯re not getting enough vitamins, fats, and carbohydrates. Without those, our bodies will weaken, and when sickness hits, it¡¯ll be hard to recover. "Plus, the temperature here changes a lot. A weak body won¡¯t be able to handle it. The only good news is that this part of Australia doesn¡¯t get many typhoons, and since it''s winter in the Southern Hemisphere, we shouldn¡¯t have to worry about storms." Jarvis glanced at Steve, impressed. "Wow, you know a lot." Steve shrugged. "Just common sense. I did some research before coming here." Looking back at their bucket, Jarvis frowned. "It''s completely full. What now?" Steve sighed, eyeing the octopus trying to crawl out. "We¡¯ve got no choice¡ªwe should head back. I bet everyone else has gathered a lot too. We need to figure out how to store all this before it spoils." --- Back at the Shelter Returning to the shelter, they found Chris and Kevin already there, sorting through their own piles of seafood. As expected, everyone had gathered a massive haul, and now there was another problem¡ªwhere to store it all. "What do we do with so much?" Jarvis asked, scanning the barrels of seafood. Without a large container, keeping everything alive was impossible. Most of the seafood would die if left out, and dead seafood couldn¡¯t be eaten safely. Kevin scratched his head and chuckled. "Before coming here, I was worried we wouldn¡¯t have enough food. Now I¡¯m worried we have too much!" "Why don¡¯t we dig a hole and fill it with seawater? That way, we can store the seafood there," suggested Mina, who had been quiet until now. Steve shook his head. "That won¡¯t work. The sand here won¡¯t hold water¡ªit¡¯ll just seep through. "Plus, we¡¯d have to worry about rats stealing food. And crabs? They¡¯ll dig their way out. It¡¯s not a reliable solution." Mina''s face flushed slightly with embarrassment. She had been proud of her idea, but Steve had shut it down immediately. Not noticing her reaction, Steve continued, "The best option is to dry what we can. We can dry out the conches and small fish for long-term storage. The crabs don¡¯t have much meat anyway, so we should eat them all today." Sister Bird nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a solid plan. Let¡¯s do it." The rest of the group agreed¡ªthere really wasn¡¯t a better option. But another challenge arose: who actually knew how to dry seafood properly? Steve stepped forward. "I can handle it. A few of you can help me, while the rest should keep fishing while the tide is low. We might not get another haul like this for a while." "Good idea," Kevin agreed. With that, most of the men left to continue gathering seafood, while a few of the girls stayed behind to assist Steve. --- Preparing the Seafood The first task was to boil the conches. Steve built a fire, set up the iron pot, and began boiling seawater. The steps were simple: 1. Boil the conches until the shells opened. 2. Extract the meat using bamboo sticks. 3. Lay them out to dry on banana leaves. As the first batch of conches boiled, Steve made a simple drying rack out of sticks. Since there wasn¡¯t a proper stove, the makeshift fire pit made boiling slow and inefficient. After the water boiled, Steve pulled out the conches and let them cool in seawater. He then changed the pot¡¯s water¡ªif seawater is used for too long, the salt concentration gets too high. "Just like that," Steve said, demonstrating how to extract the snail meat. "Put it on the banana leaves to dry." With some practice, the girls quickly got the hang of it. Meanwhile, Peng Peng returned periodically, dropping off more seafood. Steve¡¯s team cleaned, boiled, and dried whatever they could. Before long, a huge pile of conch shells formed nearby¡ªthere had to be at least 100 kilograms of them. But there was a catch. Most of that weight came from the shells. The actual edible meat was only one-tenth of the total, and after drying, even less would be left. Still, it was a start. As Steve worked, he thought about the long days ahead. The excitement of the first few days would wear off soon. After that, the real test would begin¡ªnot just of skill, but of mental endurance. For now, though, he was satisfied. They had food. They had a plan. And they had survived another day. --- Chapter 16: The More You Scold Fans, The More You Gain "Brother Steve, can we eat this cooked conch?" Bai Xiaolu asked eagerly, her nose twitching as she inhaled the delicious aroma rising from the pot. Seeing her impatient expression, Steve chuckled and replied, "Of course. They''re all cleaned and fully cooked, so they¡¯re safe to eat. But¡ª" Before Steve could finish his sentence, Bai Xiaolu had already grabbed a piece of snail meat and stuffed it into her mouth. She chewed twice, then her face froze. Her expression twisted in discomfort, her small face scrunching up like she had just bitten into something awful. She wanted to spit it out but hesitated, and at the same time, swallowing it seemed impossible. Steve smirked and finished his sentence, "¡ªit''s going to be pretty salty." "Ugh! Why is it so salty?!" Bai Xiaolu finally spat it out, grimacing as she stuck out her tongue in distress. Steve burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Well, it was cooked in seawater. Of course, it¡¯s salty." Bai Xiaolu glared at him with wide eyes. "Steve, you knew, and you didn¡¯t tell me?!" Steve put on an innocent expression. "Hey, I hadn¡¯t even finished speaking before you shoved it in your mouth. How is that my fault?" Bai Xiaolu wasn¡¯t buying it. She pouted and protested, "No! You have to eat one too!" "Why should I? I¡¯m not dumb," Steve retorted. "Huh? Are you saying I¡¯m dumb?" Bai Xiaolu narrowed her eyes. Steve gave her a mock look of surprise. "Wow, you figured that out? You really are a clever little Lulu." Bai Xiaolu caught the sarcasm instantly. Her face turned red, and she quickly snatched another piece of snail meat, attempting to shove it into Steve¡¯s mouth. "You have to eat one!" "Nope!" Steve dodged skillfully. The live broadcast chat room exploded with activity as their playful fight unfolded. Even though it was already past 1 a.m., countless night owls were still awake, eagerly watching the live stream.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Viewers flooded the chat: "Bai Xiaolu, stop! Let go of that man and come to me instead!" "Steve, you lucky bastard! If Bai Xiaolu fed me, I''d eat even a rock with a smile." "Get outta here! Our Lulu won¡¯t feed just anyone!" "Is no one going to talk about how close Bai Xiaolu and Steve are getting?" "That nobody Steve got lucky being on this show. If it weren¡¯t for Lulu, he wouldn¡¯t be famous at all." "Why does Steve have to do all the work? Bai Xiaolu should help too!" "Both are human. Why should Steve do everything while your idol gets a free ride?" "Our Lulu is working too! Do you think she¡¯s just sitting around?" And just like that, the chat room turned into another war zone. It wasn¡¯t the first time. Any time Steve got a little too close to a female contestant, their fans immediately went on the attack. When he interacted with Jarvis, he got scolded by Jarvis'' fans. When he corrected Mina, her fans criticized him. When he played around with Bai Xiaolu, he got dragged again. Even when he directed Peng Peng to do some work, Peng Peng¡¯s fans jumped on him. No matter what he did, there was always someone ready to curse him out. But oddly enough, the more people criticized him, the more fans he gained. Within a single day, Steve¡¯s fan base had grown tremendously. His Douyin account alone had gained over 100,000 new followers. It wasn¡¯t hard to see why. Steve¡¯s survival skills and leadership had won him admiration from casual viewers. But the real reason for his sudden rise in popularity? He was being unfairly scolded. Passersby who saw the constant attacks couldn''t help but feel sympathy for him. "Why is everyone blaming Steve?" "He¡¯s done way more than your idol. What the hell?" "This guy¡¯s actually useful. Why are y''all hating?" And before they knew it, these defenders became Steve¡¯s fans. It was ironic¡ªgetting criticized had made him famous. If Steve knew about this, he¡¯d probably be grinning ear to ear. As long as people kept talking about him, even if it was negative, he¡¯d still get attention. Whether blacklisted or loved, he was becoming well-known. Seeing Steve and Bai Xiaolu¡¯s playful fight, Jarvis frowned slightly but quickly masked his emotions. He smiled and said, "Alright, stop messing around. Finish up so we can sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow to look for fresh water." Bai Xiaolu pouted but relented. She stuck her tongue out at Steve and teased, "Hmph! I¡¯ll let you off for now. But next time, I¡¯ll make you pay!" Steve smirked. "At your service." Bai Xiaolu huffed but turned her attention back to the food. Just as they were finishing up, the rest of the group returned from the shore. "Hey, guys, check out what we caught!" Chen Chichi boasted as he held something up. Everyone''s eyes widened. "A lobster?!" the girls gasped. Steve was just as surprised. "Wait¡­ you actually caught a lobster?" He had seen people try to catch lobsters in the wild before, but the odds of success were laughably low. It was practically impossible unless you were ridiculously lucky. Yet here it was¡ªa real, live lobster. It wasn¡¯t particularly big, about two kilograms at most, but still an impressive find. Chen Chichi grinned. "Yep! Pure luck! Let me tell you, if the tide hadn¡¯t started rising, I could¡¯ve caught a few more! I saw several lobsters in a ditch about to escape into the sea, and with lightning-fast reflexes¡ª" Before he could continue bragging, Chris cut in. "Alright, cut the crap." Chris rolled his eyes. "You just got lucky. That lobster was already injured and stranded. If it hadn¡¯t been wounded, you wouldn¡¯t have caught anything." Chen Chichi gasped dramatically. "Jealous! You¡¯re just jealous! Oh, I get it¡ªyou¡¯re mad because I¡¯m handsome and caught a lobster. Sorry, buddy, but not everyone can be me." Chris glared at him. "I swear, one of these days¡ª" Before a fight could break out, Sister Bird stepped in. "Enough! Everyone, help clean up so we can get some rest. We need to wake up early." Everyone quickly got back to work. Steve and his group continued drying the conch meat. They also had abalone and small fish drying in the sun. The remaining shrimp, crabs, and octopus were set aside for immediate cooking. By the time everything was processed, it was already past 2 a.m. After washing their hands, the exhausted team collapsed onto their makeshift beds. No one even wanted to move. It had been an incredibly long day, but at least they had enough food to last a while. Tomorrow, they would face a new challenge¡ªfinding fresh water. But for now, all they needed was sleep. --- Chapter 17: Surprising Popularity Before three minutes had passed, the snoring sounds began, one after another, as if competing with each other. Steve smiled bitterly. He was a light sleeper. Unless he was extremely tired, he usually woke up at the slightest noise. With so much snoring around him, it was a bit difficult to fall asleep. After tossing and turning for a while and still unable to sleep, Steve suddenly remembered that it was already past midnight and the system''s popularity value should have updated, so he casually opened the system. Host: Steve Age: 25 Strength: 31 Physical fitness: 30 Agility: 46 Spirit: 55 Skills: Singing level 3, Dancing level 4, Acting level 4, Cooking level 1¡­ Popularity value: 1,230,687 (anti-fans included) Lottery Mall: (Not open yet) Character favorability: (Not yet available) Seeing the popularity value surpass one million, Steve counted it again in disbelief. It was indeed over a million. ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve really made it big. It¡¯s really thanks to this globally popular program. The popularity value has gone up by more than 1 million in less than a day. Isn¡¯t that incredible?¡± At this rate of increase, Steve figured it wouldn¡¯t take long to restore his physical condition to normal levels. However, after Steve saw the explanation behind the popularity value, he started to understand something. His popularity of over 1 million might not have been earned through winning everyone¡¯s love. The reason he had gained so much attention was largely due to the large number of anti-fans. Thinking this over, Steve didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. ¡°Forget it. As long as the popularity is there, it doesn¡¯t matter where it came from.¡± He thought for a moment about how to spend his 1.2 million popularity points. After some pondering, Steve felt that improving his physical fitness should come first. Everything else was secondary, and his health was the most important. Physical fitness determined whether he could avoid sickness, endure long hours of work, or withstand harsh environments. It could be said that physical fitness was the most useful of all the attributes. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Add 1 point to physical fitness,¡± Steve muttered to himself. System: ¡°Are you sure you want to spend 100,000 popularity points to increase your physical fitness by 1 point?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Steve confirmed. As soon as Steve gave the command, he felt his body tremble and go numb, and a warm current surged from his lower abdomen, flowing throughout his body. The sensation was like soaking in a hot spring surrounded by girls massaging him ¡ª it was so comfortable that he felt like he was floating in the air. Steve nearly screamed out loud. After a few minutes, the feeling slowly subsided, and Steve let out a long breath. ¡°That feels amazing. Good thing I didn¡¯t add 10 points all at once; I added them little by little. I can only imagine how intense it would have felt otherwise.¡± After adding a small amount to his physical fitness, Steve felt that all the fatigue from a long day disappeared. He felt energized and full of vitality. But something felt a bit off. Steve realized he was feeling hungry. Although he wasn¡¯t starving, the fullness from his earlier meal had vanished quickly. It was probably because the added physical condition had burned up some of the energy stored in his body. ¡°If this happens often, will I become a big eater in the future?¡± Steve mused. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t be a big deal ¡ª just eat a little more and spend some extra money. But now they were in the wild, where finding food was already difficult, and this side effect seemed a bit ridiculous. Still, compared to the side effects, improving his physical fitness was more important. After all, it was related to his life, so he had to push forward. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll just eat more. At worst, I can find extra food myself,¡± Steve decided. But he was careful not to overdo it. Otherwise, it would definitely draw attention. ¡°System, add another point to physical fitness,¡± he said. Once again, that familiar sensation returned, and Steve felt a little addicted to the warmth that spread through him. However, the feeling of an empty stomach stopped Steve from continuing. ¡°If I add more, I¡¯ll definitely feel hungry again. And it¡¯s not pleasant to be hungry late at night.¡± Since he wasn¡¯t able to sleep anyway, Steve thought it might be a good idea to go out and find something to eat. The most important thing was to improve his physical condition as soon as possible. With that in mind, Steve quietly stood up and walked out. ¡°Where are you going?¡± A voice suddenly called out from behind, causing Steve to jump in surprise. Turning around, he saw it was Jarvis. Steve sighed in relief and said, ¡°You scared me. Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep, but what about you? What are you doing sneaking around in the middle of the night?¡± Jarvis asked suspiciously. Steve rolled his eyes. ¡°Which one of your eyes saw me sneaking around? I was just trying not to wake you up. I¡¯m going to the bathroom. Are you going?¡± ¡°Pff, go by yourself,¡± Jarvis responded dryly. ¡°Bye-bye,¡± Steve said. ¡°Be careful,¡± Jarvis called after him. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Steve replied, then walked out of the shelter and looked around. Where could he find food? There were plenty of options ¡ª kelp, sun-dried snail meat, and even some grilled grouper from earlier that hadn¡¯t been eaten. However, these were reserved for everyone, and Steve felt too embarrassed to take any of them. After thinking it through, he decided to try to find some food on his own. As Steve walked along the beach, he suddenly remembered the crab trap he and Kevin had set earlier that evening. He figured he¡¯d check it to see if any crabs had been caught. At this hour, there weren¡¯t many people watching the live stream. It was almost 3 a.m., and dawn was just around the corner. The time zone in their location was nearly identical to that of China, so most people there were already resting. Even though there weren¡¯t many viewers, considering China¡¯s large population base, there were still tens of thousands watching the live stream. They saw that Steve wasn¡¯t asleep in the middle of the night and wondered what he was doing. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this kid doing up at this hour instead of sleeping? Is he planning to do something bad?¡± ¡°Could it be that he can¡¯t control himself after being surrounded by so many beauties and wants to release some energy?¡± ¡°Then why are you still awake? What¡¯s your excuse?¡± ¡°No, if there was anything to do, I¡¯d be asleep by now.¡± ¡°I bet he¡¯s out to catch crabs.¡± ¡°No way? Even if he wants to show off, he shouldn¡¯t skip sleep.¡± ¡°It looks like he¡¯s grilling the crabs he caught. Damn, he wants to have a barbecue.¡± ¡°Holy crap, this kid is nuts, releasing poison in the middle of the night. This is inhumane.¡± ¡°F**k, this kid is too much, who can stand this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a delivery job anytime, where¡¯s the work?¡± That¡¯s right ¡ª Steve was planning to barbecue. While sand crabs didn¡¯t have much meat, they could still be delicious if cooked with the shell crispy. Fortunately, there were plenty of sand crabs around here, with dozens caught in just a few hours. Although the crabs were small ¡ª only slightly bigger than the tip of a finger ¡ª this was actually the usual size for these crabs. Steve threaded the crabs onto sticks or bamboo skewers, making dozens of strings of crabs. Then, he placed the crab skewers upright near the fire and began to roast them slowly. Soon, a tantalizing fragrance filled the air. The crabs gradually turned red, signaling they were almost done. If Steve wanted to cook them further, he could leave them a little longer to make the shells crispy and the meat even more flavorful. Chapter 18: You Cant Eat Pigs After grilling for another ten minutes, Steve thought the crabs were almost done, so he picked up a skewer and took a bite. Crunch, crunch, crunch. "Mmm, crispy and delicious. Are there any family members still awake and watching the live broadcast? Are you hungry? Want a bite?" Steve shook the crab skewers in his hand towards the camera, teasing the audience in the live broadcast room. There''s no point in eating alone, and since he had time anyway, he figured he''d interact with the audience. Whether they were fans or haters, it didn''t matter¡ªthey were still contributing to his popularity points. Even if there weren''t many people at this hour, every little bit helped. After all, no matter how small, any attention was worth it. At this time, the audience in the live broadcast room were drooling at the sight of the delicious crabs. It was the middle of the night, and dinner had long been digested, so they were now hungry. How could they tolerate Steve deliberately tempting them with food? "This guy''s been blacklisted his entire life." "This is too much. Not only did he start a midnight barbecue, but he''s also rubbing it in. I can''t stand it anymore. I have to find something to eat." "I''ve searched my house thoroughly, and luckily, I found two packs of instant noodles. Sure, they''re expired, but I couldn¡¯t resist." "Heh, I was smart. When I saw him grilling, I ordered takeout. Though this crayfish is way too spicy, and the beer''s too cold." "That''s outrageous. Why is there no takeout in our small town after midnight?" Although Steve couldn''t see how many people were watching the live broadcast, he estimated there had to be quite a few people scolding him. It didn''t matter, though. The system had said black fans were still fans. As long as there was popularity, it didn¡¯t matter how it was earned. "Okay, here''s your chance to eat," Steve said, savoring his meal when suddenly a voice came from behind him, startling him. In the dead of night, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned around and saw it was Jarvis, standing there with a mischievous grin.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "Big sis, scaring people like that could give someone a heart attack. Why are you out here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?" Seeing Steve tremble with fear, Jarvis covered her mouth and laughed. "Haha, who told you to stay out for so long and not go back? I thought you got lost." She tilted her head and gave him a teasing look with her big, mesmerizing eyes. "Look at me, I care about you so much. Aren¡¯t you touched?" "Thank you so much. Here, do you want to eat?" Steve handed over a bunch of roasted crabs. Jarvis shook her head. "No, eating this late will make you gain weight." Steve couldn¡¯t help but laugh and replied, "For us, putting on weight isn''t easy. You should try to gain as much weight as you can now. Later on, even if you want to gain some, you won¡¯t be able to." Jarvis paused, and then it hit her. "Oh, right, I thought we were still out on location. Okay, give me a bunch to try." She hadn¡¯t realized it at first, but her long habit of dieting had made her avoid eating at night. Now, she hesitated. Steve handed her a skewer of roasted crabs and said, "Try it and see how good my cooking is." Jarvis took the skewer, but as she was about to take a bite, she suddenly froze. She didn¡¯t move, staring at the crabs in her hand. "What''s wrong? Don''t you like the taste?" Steve asked, confused. Jarvis shook her head. "No, it''s just¡­ in that moment, I felt like I¡¯ve experienced this before. It felt so familiar." Steve smiled knowingly. "Ah, so you get that feeling too? I have it all the time. It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve experienced this before." He paused for a moment, looking pensive. "I even looked it up once, and I''ve heard all kinds of theories. The one I believe the most is that it''s from a previous life¡ªjust a fleeting memory from then." Jarvis raised an eyebrow, curious. "You really believe that?" Steve shrugged. "I didn¡¯t believe it before, but now? I think I have to. After all, I¡¯ve lived through it myself." Jarvis gave him an odd look. "Why do you believe it now?" Steve laughed. "Because of me. I lived again." Jarvis stared at him, not sure whether to laugh or be serious. But she changed the subject, "Why don¡¯t you sleep? You''re always awake." "I¡¯m hungry. Plus, they¡¯re snoring too loudly. I can¡¯t sleep, so I came out to eat," Steve explained, stuffing another crab skewer in his mouth. At that moment, he felt another wave of hunger hit him, but he ignored it. He was enjoying the food too much. Jarvis watched him eat so fast and immediately cautioned, "Eat slowly! Didn¡¯t you have enough for dinner? You¡¯re eating like a starving ghost!" Steve couldn¡¯t explain why he was eating so much, so he simply nodded. "Well, I¡¯m still hungry. There wasn¡¯t enough food at dinner, so if I were full, you wouldn''t get any." Jarvis blinked, stunned. "Wait, seriously? You can eat this much?" "You''ll see," Steve said, continuing to devour the skewers. In just a few minutes, he had eaten four or five skewers. He didn''t stop. His stomach felt like a bottomless pit, and the crabs kept coming in. He paused after finishing off a few more. His physical strength value was now 41 points. There were still 100,000 popularity points left, but Steve decided to hold onto them for a while. He was saving up for a low-level 10-draw combo, hoping for something good. Jarvis was left wide-eyed, watching in disbelief. "I¡¯ve seen people eat, but I¡¯ve never seen someone eat so much," she muttered. "Those crabs were small, but there were so many of them. You¡¯ve eaten at least 10 kilograms worth of crabs¡ªshells and all." With an appetite like that, he might as well be the reincarnation of a legendary eater. Steve leaned back, his belly full, and with a satisfied burp said, "That¡¯s enough for today. Let¡¯s head back to sleep." Jarvis looked at him, her face filled with concern. "You''re not going to get bloated, are you?" Steve grinned. "What¡¯s that? I¡¯m only half full. I¡¯m nowhere near sick." Jarvis took a breath, reassured by Steve¡¯s relaxed demeanor. "You eat way too much. Even pigs don¡¯t eat this much." Steve nodded seriously and replied, "That¡¯s true. No one¡¯s appetite compares to mine," and ran off. Jarvis was stunned, then suddenly realized what he meant. "Hey, stop running!" she shouted, chasing after him. Steve chuckled, looking back at her and calling out, "Hahaha! If you don¡¯t catch me, you¡¯re a pig!" --- Chapter 19: Little Love "Damn, Steve is really greedier than a pig. He actually ate a bucket of crabs." "F**k, if this guy participates in the competitive eating contest, he¡¯ll definitely win the championship." "Almost. The world¡¯s biggest eater ate nearly 10 kilograms of food in 20 minutes." "I think Steve isn¡¯t much worse. He said he hasn¡¯t eaten enough yet." "Wouldn¡¯t it be uncomfortable to eat so many crabs? Is this still a human being?" "Let¡¯s not worry about whether it¡¯s uncomfortable or not. I feel like there¡¯s something going on between this guy and the little fox queen." "Bah, him? He¡¯s not even qualified to lick the Queen¡¯s toes." "I am qualified, let me do it." "You¡¯re just dreaming." When Steve and Jarvis returned to the shelter, everyone had already gone to bed. Steve whispered goodnight to Jarvis and lay down on his bed. With a smile on her face, Jarvis slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep soon after. She always smiled in her dreams, though Steve didn¡¯t know what good things she was dreaming about. On the other side, Steve couldn''t fall asleep, and it wasn''t because he ate too much. It was because of the 11 points he added to his physical condition. He had so much energy that he didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all. In desperation, Steve opened the system again, ready to spend the last 100,000 popularity points. "System, I want to draw a lottery," Steve said silently in his heart. "Please select the draw level." "Low-level lottery, 10 times." "Please confirm." "Sure." "Congratulations to the host for receiving the ''Thank you for your patronage'' award." "Congratulations to the host for receiving the ''Thank you for your patronage'' award." "Congratulations to the host for receiving the ''Thank you for your patronage'' award." He started with a triple "thank you for your patronage," which made Steve¡¯s mouth twitch. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Congratulations to the host for achieving level 1 of the skill ''Weaving.''" Finally, the fourth skill was released, and it was pretty good. The weaving skill would be very useful in the wild. "Congratulations to the host for receiving the ''Thank you for your patronage'' award." "Congratulations to the host for receiving the ''Thank you for your patronage'' award." "Congratulations to the host for winning the music piece ''The Street Where the Wind Lives'' (including arrangement and performance)." "Congratulations to the host for receiving the ''Thank you for your patronage'' award." "Congratulations to the host for receiving the ''Thank you for your patronage'' award." "Congratulations to the host for receiving the ''Thank you for your patronage'' award." Hmm? That¡¯s it? 100,000 popularity points, and I only got two skills? No, the second one is just a song. Although I¡¯ve instilled my own way of playing it, it¡¯s only limited to this song. It¡¯s useless if I try to play something else. Damn, this is too bad, right? I didn¡¯t even gain as much as last time. Forget it, at least a skill has been released, which is a consolation. As for that piece of music, it can be used in the performance on Sunday, so it¡¯s not wasted. Steve looked at the system interface again. There were still more than 30,000 popularity points left. He would leave them alone for now and draw again when he had 100,000 points. He estimated that it would increase a lot tomorrow. By the way, there was also a performance this weekend. It was an opportunity to be broadcast live to the world, which should increase a lot of popularity. He must seize the opportunity. Steve was lost in thought and didn¡¯t know when he fell asleep. When he woke up again, it was already daybreak, but the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet. Steve shook his head, as if he had just fallen asleep for a while and then woke up. Fortunately, he had just improved his physical condition the night before, so he didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable. Steve rubbed his eyes, walked out of the shelter, and found that someone had gotten up earlier than him. "Good morning, Xiaoai. Why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer?" Looking at Zhang Xiaoai, who was adding firewood to the fire, Steve greeted her with a smile. Zhang Xiaoai looked back at Steve and responded with a smile: "Good morning, Brother Steve. I just got up because I moved to a new place, and I¡¯m not used to it." As she spoke, she added the firewood she had found to the fire little by little. Steve stepped forward and said, "Rest is the best way to recover your strength in the wild. We can¡¯t keep up with our nutrition, so we can only rely on sleep to recover." Zhang Xiaoai nodded obediently: "Okay, I understand. I¡¯ll pay attention to it next time. By the way, are we going to make breakfast?" "Let me do it, you go get me some coconuts." Steve said, carrying the lobster that Chris caught last night and walked toward the beach. This lobster was still alive and kicking after a night. Steve slaughtered the lobster, cleaned it, threw it into the pot, added some other seafood, and then poured in coconut milk to start stewing the soup. In fact, Steve didn¡¯t like drinking soup very much, but he knew that under such conditions, stewing soup was the best way to maximize the nutrition of food. Moreover, stewed soup was easy to digest and wouldn¡¯t cause too much of a burden on the stomach and intestines, which was just right for them. After stewing the lobster and coconut milk seafood soup, Steve also grilled the grouper that he had cooked yesterday and some leftover crabs as breakfast this morning. Seeing Steve busying himself, Zhang Xiaoai stepped forward and said, "Brother Steve, can I help you with something?" "No, it¡¯s all very simple. It¡¯s all done. We just need to wait for it to cook, and then we can call them to eat." Zhang Xiaoai smiled a little embarrassedly: "Okay, I¡¯ll go call them later." "Well, we have to go find water today. We should set off early before the weather gets too hot." Zhang Xiaoai nodded silently without saying anything. She squatted beside the fire, lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking about. She was a person of few words. Such people were sensitive, thought a lot, but weren¡¯t very good at expressing themselves. After a while, the soup was ready. Zhang Xiaoai saw Steve preparing to serve the soup and hurriedly stood up to call the others. She didn¡¯t expect that after squatting for so long, her legs became numb, and she couldn¡¯t stand for a while, almost falling into the fire. Fortunately, Steve was quick to act and hugged her, thus avoiding a tragedy. Although he held the beautiful girl in his arms, Steve didn¡¯t focus too much on it. He supported her, whose face was as red as a cooked lobster, and quickly let go. "Be careful, don¡¯t rush, it¡¯s very dangerous." "Well, thank you." Zhang Xiaoai blushed, said thank you in a very low voice, and hurried to the shelter. If Steve hadn¡¯t had good hearing, he wouldn¡¯t have heard that thank you. Smiling helplessly, Steve continued to pour the soup into bowls. It was getting late, so they had to wait for everyone to wake up, eat, and then discuss their plan for the day. Steve had just served the soup when everyone came out one after another, each with sleepy eyes, looking as though they hadn¡¯t fully woken up. "Everyone, come over and eat. It¡¯s getting late. After eating, we have to go out to find water." Steve called to everyone. Sister Bird looked at Steve apologetically and said, "I¡¯m sorry, I got up late." Steve waved his hand and said, "What are you talking about? I just got up a little earlier than everyone else. Besides, you got up with everyone else, so it¡¯s not too late. Sister Bird, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to tell you. After all, you¡¯re just an ordinary person. You¡¯ll get tired and exhausted. Don¡¯t make yourself out to be a superwoman. Although you have rich experience in wilderness survival, you¡¯re not omnipotent. Don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re carrying the hopes of the entire team. Whether you can persevere to the end depends on everyone¡¯s efforts, not just yours alone. If you collapse from exhaustion, our losses will be even greater." --- Chapter 20: The Girls Feed Steve could see that Sister Bird was under a lot of pressure. She was afraid that something might happen to the team members and they wouldn''t survive. As a result, she took on all the work herself, leaving the others, including Chris, Jarvis, and Kevin, often scrambling, not knowing what to do. This approach was clearly not sustainable, so Steve couldn''t help but speak up to offer some guidance. Jarvis stepped forward and hugged Sister Bird, comforting her: ¡°Sister, survival is not just your responsibility. We may not be doing well enough now, but you need to train us. If we don''t learn and improve, we won¡¯t survive. This is our shared responsibility. If you take it all on alone, you''ll exhaust yourself. And what will we do then?" Sister Bird felt both warmth and sadness upon hearing this. No one truly knew the immense pressure she was under. The team consisted of stars who were used to a life of comfort¡ªfine clothes and delicious food. They had everything they wanted, but they were not equipped to survive in the wild. It was impossible for her to rely on them. As the survival expert, her greatest responsibility was to lead everyone to victory. If she failed, it would fall on her shoulders. She also knew that a team of ten could not be led by one person alone. Yet, even if it seemed impossible, she had insisted on carrying that responsibility, believing she had to bring glory to the country. Hearing everyone¡¯s concern, Sister Bird¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as a touching smile spread across her face. "Thank you... thank you, everyone. Don''t worry, I''m fine." At that moment, Kevin came over, placing a hand on Steve''s shoulder. ¡°Brother, I owe you an apology. Yesterday, I underestimated you and treated you poorly. I thought you were... well, you know. I didn¡¯t expect you to be more capable than me. I let you take care of everything, handling all the chores and responsibilities. I won''t say anything more. If you¡¯ll accept me, we¡¯ll be brothers moving forward.¡± Steve chuckled. ¡°Kevin, why act all formal? We haven¡¯t known each other long, but we have a long road ahead. I already see you as an older brother.¡± Being acknowledged like that made Kevin feel much better. Although his popularity was limited, he believed it would help Steve in the future. Peng Peng, who had been standing nearby, awkwardly stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m also guilty. Seeing Steve yesterday, I thought he¡¯d be a hindrance, but turns out I was the one who was a hindrance. I¡¯m sorry, Steve.¡± Steve smiled and patted Peng Peng on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It wasn¡¯t your fault. I hadn¡¯t rested properly, and that heatstroke caught me off guard. I wasn¡¯t in shape when we arrived on the island.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Stop saying that. Now I feel even worse,¡± Chen Chichi lamented. ¡°I thought I¡¯d be better than you, but now I see how capable you are. I¡¯m still the weakest.¡± Zhang Xiaoai then joined in, flashing a playful smile. ¡°Brother Steve, thank you for teaching me how to cook and for saving me.¡± ¡°Hey, it was nothing,¡± Steve replied with a smile. ¡°Saved you? What happened?¡± Jarvis asked, his curiosity piqued. Zhang Xiaoai recounted the incident that morning, and everyone immediately turned to praise Steve once again. "Hey, hey, hey," Steve interjected with a smile. ¡°Can we not make such a fuss about this? It¡¯s just the first day. Moving forward, we¡¯ll all need to contribute. If you really want to thank me, show me through actions, not just words.¡± Kevin laughed heartily. ¡°Hahaha, no worries. If you ever need anything, just come to me, your brother. I¡¯ve got your back.¡± ¡°Count me in too,¡± Peng Peng added with a grin. ¡°Whatever you need in the future, just let me know.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here for you too,¡± Chen Chichi said. ¡°Brother Steve, don¡¯t forget about me if you need anything!¡± Zhang Xiaoai chimed in. Seeing how everyone was so eager to help, Steve couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Since everyone is so enthusiastic, I won¡¯t be shy. So, who can help me pay the mortgage this month?¡± A sudden silence fell over the group as everyone exchanged glances. "Uh, is the meal ready?" someone asked. "Yes, yes, the meal is ready. Let¡¯s eat quickly." ¡°Oh, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take two bowls.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s eat.¡± Just like that, everyone dispersed, eagerly heading toward the meal. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing? Don¡¯t run¡­¡± Steve laughed. The room filled with laughter as the group enjoyed their breakfast. The live-stream audience, watching from afar, couldn¡¯t help but join in the fun. ¡°Hahaha, this Steve is hilarious. Did he just ask them to pay off his mortgage?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know Steve was also a comedian.¡± ¡°These people are so disloyal. They were all praising him earlier, but now, they¡¯re running away the moment he asks for help with the mortgage?¡± ¡°Steve¡¯s shameless! Asking people to pay his mortgage after all that praise.¡± ¡°Seriously, anyone with a brain can tell he¡¯s just joking.¡± The lobster coconut soup was a hit. Everyone had a bowl, along with a large portion of grilled fish and two crabs, leaving everyone feeling full and satisfied. Jarvis, concerned that Steve hadn¡¯t eaten enough, offered him some of his crabs and fish. ¡°Here, eat some. I can¡¯t finish all of this.¡± Steve was taken aback for a moment, then remembered that it was due to his appetite the night before¡ªno, it was actually from that morning¡ªthat Jarvis thought he was still hungry. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m fine,¡± Steve quickly declined. ¡°I haven¡¯t even finished digesting yet. You eat, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jarvis asked, still skeptical. ¡°Really,¡± Steve reassured him. ¡°You should eat. I¡¯ll be fine later. I¡¯ll find something to eat tonight.¡± Seeing the two of them pushing food onto each other made everyone exchange amused glances. Were they flirting? Things had certainly progressed quickly. Noticing the stares, Jarvis quickly explained, ¡°Oh, Steve ate a whole bucket of crabs last night. That¡¯s why he¡¯s not hungry now.¡± The group stared at Steve in disbelief. He ate a whole bucket of crabs? Was he even human? Steve, realizing everyone had misunderstood, quickly explained, ¡°It was a one-time thing. I was just really hungry, and I ate a lot to recover. It¡¯s not something I do every meal.¡± ¡°Brother, are you sure you weren¡¯t born in the year of the camel?¡± Chen Chichi teased. Kevin patted Steve on the shoulder. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t hold back next time. Eat as much as you need, but take care of your health. Eating too many crabs isn¡¯t good for you, especially out here in the wild.¡± Bai Xiaolu then handed Steve her crab. ¡°Brother Steve, eat mine too. I can¡¯t eat this much.¡± Zhang Xiaoai also offered her crab. ¡°Here, have mine. You¡¯ll need all the energy to keep working.¡± Mina, seeing the others share their food, felt a bit out of place for not offering hers. She reluctantly handed her crab to Steve as well. ¡°Here, Steve. You should eat too.¡± --- Chapter 21: Minas Danger Steve was dumbfounded. He had no popularity points to add to his score. If he ate that much, wouldn¡¯t he end up vomiting? ¡°Thank you, everyone. This is enough for me. Don¡¯t worry, if it¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll definitely not be polite about it.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s not enough food, don¡¯t hesitate.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a polite person.¡± After hearing this, everyone gave up on insisting. Finally, Steve breathed a sigh of relief after declining the girls¡¯ requests to feed him. As they ate breakfast, the group discussed how to divide into teams to find a water source later. They were living by the sea, with the beach to the south and the forest to the north. The only way to find water was by heading east or west along the shore. They weren¡¯t exploring the woods yet, as this tropical area was home to many dangerous and poisonous animals. If they wanted to go into the forest, they¡¯d need to be cautious. After thinking for a while, Steve suggested, ¡°How about this: Chris, Mina, Chi Chi, Bai Xiaolu, and I form one team, and the rest of you form the other team.¡± After hearing Steve¡¯s proposal, the group looked at each other, and they agreed that this was a balanced distribution. However, one person seemed somewhat dissatisfied. He shot Steve a glare and walked off angrily. After dividing into teams, the group took a few chopped coconuts for sustenance and set off. Before leaving, Sister Bird reminded everyone, ¡°Remember, you must return before noon. Don¡¯t venture into the woods.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t joke around with our safety.¡± The other team agreed eagerly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two teams set out in opposite directions to look for water. The sun had just risen, and the weather was still mild, so Sister Bird suggested that everyone hurry and cover some distance before it got too hot. Several members of the team agreed with her, and they quickened their pace, not stopping for a conversation. Walking along the beach was more physically demanding than walking on flat ground, and after half an hour, everyone except Sister Bird was exhausted and out of breath.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°There¡¯s no way.¡± Everyone looked up at the rocky mountain in front of them with serious expressions. The beach had disappeared and was replaced by a towering mountain. The team looked at each other in confusion. The only way around this obstacle was to take a detour through the woods. Sister Bird turned to Steve and the others. ¡°You all rest here. I¡¯ll go explore the way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Steve said, standing up. ¡°No need. I¡¯m just going to scout ahead. I¡¯m not going into the woods, and I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± With that, Sister Bird left without hesitation. After watching her leave, the group found a shady spot under a tree and sat down. Since the shade wasn¡¯t very large, they ended up sitting very close together. Steve found himself sitting next to Mina, and he could smell the pleasant scent coming from her. I have to admit, Mina was beautiful. Even though she hadn¡¯t taken a shower in a day, she still smelled nice. Mina sensed Steve getting too close and subtly moved away without saying anything. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so tired. I feel like my feet have been disconnected from my body.¡± Chi Chi rubbed his calves with a painful expression. Steve smiled mischievously. ¡°Brother, you look a little weak. Can¡¯t handle such a short walk?¡± Chi Chi immediately got defensive. No man likes to admit weakness. ¡°Bah! I¡¯m not weak!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s weak. Look at you, all sweaty and pale,¡± Steve teased. Indeed, Steve was sweating profusely. Despite improving his physical fitness by 11 points yesterday, he still wasn¡¯t quite at the level of a normal person. After walking so far, he was absolutely exhausted. But of course, he wouldn¡¯t admit that, so he stubbornly said, ¡°Tsk, I just have a physique that sweats easily.¡± Chi Chi sneered. ¡°Haha, if it weren¡¯t for your legs shaking like a sieve, I¡¯d have believed you.¡± The two girls chuckled as they watched the bickering. They were chatting happily, but they didn¡¯t notice a green figure slowly crawling among the leaves above them. The figure blended perfectly with the leaves, and it was hard to notice unless you looked closely. It was a snake, but usually, it wouldn¡¯t attack anyone unless it was provoked. Unfortunately, Steve and the others didn¡¯t see it, but someone in the live broadcast room noticed the snake. ¡°Look, is there a snake above them?¡± ¡°Oh my god, it really is a snake. It¡¯s green, and it¡¯s moving.¡± ¡°There really is a snake? What kind of snake is that?¡± ¡°The program team should notify them immediately.¡± ¡°No, the production team can¡¯t interfere. It goes against the rules.¡± ¡°What should we do? What if they get bitten?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It might be a non-venomous snake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but that¡¯s a green mamba, a relative of the black mamba.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they in danger? The production team can¡¯t just ignore this, right?¡± In fact, the production team had also spotted the snake. Once the observer noticed it, they immediately reported it to the director of the Kyushu program team. The director was equally anxious but didn¡¯t have the authority to help the guests directly, so he immediately contacted the headquarters joint program team. However, before they could act, the situation on the island escalated. A gust of sea breeze suddenly blew in, shaking the branch. The snake fell with a snap. As fate would have it, it fell right onto Mina¡¯s head. Mina was covering her mouth with her hands, laughing, when she suddenly felt something cold land on her body. She didn¡¯t react immediately. But when she turned around, she saw the snake¡¯s tail coiling on her shoulder. She froze in an instant, too shocked to scream. Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt the cold, slithering sensation. ¡°Don¡¯t move! Don¡¯t scream!¡± Steve suddenly whispered urgently. Mina was about to jump up in shock, but her body froze in place. Fear overtook her, and she dared not move. Her eyes turned red as tears fell. The snake continued to crawl slowly over her body, and its cold touch gave her goosebumps. She didn¡¯t dare even breathe loudly, terrified of disturbing the snake. Steve, too, was startled when the snake fell. The snake was over a meter long, with a slender body and a bright emerald green color. Its tail brushed against him. Bai Xiaolu and Chi Chi turned around and saw Steve¡¯s serious expression as he spoke. Had they not heard Steve tell Mina to stay still, they would have screamed out loud. Chi Chi¡¯s face turned pale. He wanted to speak but was too scared to do so, not wanting to startle the snake and risk Mina being bitten. Bai Xiaolu¡¯s legs turned to jelly, and she almost wet herself from fear. The snake¡¯s head was now less than 30 centimeters from her face. If she wasn¡¯t careful, it could bite her at any moment. Steve, too, was panicking. He had lived in the city in his previous life. Aside from seeing snakes from a distance at a zoo, this was the first time he had such close contact with one. Snakes naturally exuded a cold, dangerous vibe. Steve, like most people, was terrified the first time he encountered one up close. But he knew fear wouldn¡¯t help. He had to think fast to remove the snake from Mina before anyone got hurt. --- Chapter 22: Mina, Do You Need Artificial Respiration? This was not the time for hesitation. There was no room for doubt now. Who knew when the snake would suddenly lash out and attack? Steve looked at Mina, whose face had gone pale and her eyes were glazed over in a daze. He whispered, "Don¡¯t be afraid, Mina. I¡¯m going to catch the snake. Don¡¯t move and don¡¯t disturb it." Mina barely registered Steve¡¯s words. She wanted to say something, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak. Instead, her eyes welled with tears, pleading with him silently. The pitiful look in her eyes could melt even the coldest of hearts. Steve, sensing the urgency of the situation, took a deep breath, mentally praying, Master System, it¡¯s time to test whether your skills are truly reliable. Slowly, Steve extended his hand, inching it closer to the snake. It felt as if time had stretched out. The short distance of less than half a meter seemed like an eternity. Mina''s body had become stiff with fear. She could feel herself slipping into panic, as if she might collapse at any moment. She regretted moving away from Steve earlier. If she had stayed closer, maybe he would have already caught the snake by now. Chris and Jarvis were equally tense. They held their breath and watched Steve¡¯s every movement. They didn¡¯t question whether Steve could catch the snake. After all, if he was going to try, they believed he must have the skills for it. After all, he could dive, cook, make crab claws, and even dry conchs. Catching a snake? He could surely manage that. But the reality was, Steve had never caught a snake before. This was the first time he was so close to one. His heart raced in his chest as he continued to stretch his hand forward, inch by agonizing inch. At this moment, Steve¡¯s hand was just 20 centimeters from the snake. The snake, already aware of his movements, began to react. Its tail began to twitch, and its upper body lifted slightly, preparing to strike. This was a warning. The snake was telling Steve to back off, or it would strike. But Steve didn¡¯t know any of that. He had no idea how quickly this creature could move. All he knew was that he was so close. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to suppress the fear and nausea that churned in his stomach. He took one more step forward and grabbed the snake¡¯s head. What Steve didn¡¯t realize was that no matter how fast a human could move, it was nothing compared to the speed of a snake, especially not a green mamba, known to be one of the fastest snakes in the world. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The attack speed of a snake is around 50 milliseconds, while a human¡¯s blink takes roughly 200 milliseconds. This means that in the blink of an eye, a snake can strike up to four times. Who could hope to dodge an attack that fast? Moreover, the snake¡¯s body could withstand an astounding 30g of gravity when it strikes. To put that into perspective, even the best pilots would faint under just 10g of pressure. With such speed and power, the snake¡¯s strike was almost inevitable. Just as Steve was about to grab the snake, it opened its mouth wide and lunged at him, its fangs aimed directly at his hand. For a split second, it seemed certain that Steve would be bitten. If that happened, he might not die, but his chances of being eliminated would be almost guaranteed. Meanwhile, back in the live broadcast room, experts who knew about snakes had already predicted what would happen. They were sure that Steve would be eliminated. The animal and plant experts invited by the program team had also spotted the danger. They were preparing the necessary antivenom, just in case. The world was watching, and many were waiting to see Steve fail. Countries that were rivals to Kyushu, like Chouguo, Xiaobang, and Xiaobaga, secretly gloated, eager to see Kyushu¡¯s contestant be the first to be eliminated. The program team even broadcasted the footage of Steve attempting to catch the snake in the global live stream. The barrage of comments flooded the screen: "This guy clearly doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing. Is he planning to feed himself to that snake?" "I really hope to see him get eaten by the snake, but that¡¯s impossible, right? I hope the show team has the serum ready." "Wow, is Kyushu the first team to be eliminated? I thought they were supposed to be the strongest." "Yo Xi Yo Xi, die and die." "Haha, this guy¡¯s arrogance will be his downfall." "Kyushu is out! Our team will surely take first place now." Steve, however, had no idea that he was being watched by millions around the world. If he had known, he might have been more confident. But at this moment, all his focus was on the snake in front of him. His hand was just 0.01 centimeters away from the snake¡¯s open mouth. To the naked eye, their movements were too fast to follow. But a high-speed camera would have caught every detail. At that exact moment, when it seemed the snake would strike, Steve¡¯s hand moved in a blur, dodging the attack in the nick of time. The snake¡¯s fangs missed him by a hair¡¯s breadth. Steve then quickly grasped the snake¡¯s neck, pinning it down with incredible speed. The snake might not have had a distinct neck, but Steve¡¯s hand was firm around its vital spot, preventing it from moving. It was a move only possible with Kato¡¯s Hand¡ªa technique Steve had perfected. This skill relied on rapid hand movements, fast enough to break through any defense. In the past, Kato had used this skill to break countless records. No one could withstand it for more than three minutes. Now, Steve used it to subdue the snake with ease. The snake wrapped its body around his arm in an attempt to constrict him, but it was no match for his strength. It was a small snake, not a massive python, so Steve had no problem overpowering it. With a sigh of relief, Steve tightened his grip on the snake¡¯s head, ensuring it couldn¡¯t escape. He quickly stood up, keeping the snake away from the others. The sweat on his face poured down, but he remained focused. Meanwhile, Mina, who had been holding her breath the whole time, finally couldn¡¯t handle the stress. The moment Steve secured the snake, she collapsed into Bai Xiaolu¡¯s arms, fainting from the overwhelming fear. Bai Xiaolu, horrified, cradled Mina¡¯s limp body and shook her gently. "Sister Mina! Sister Mina! Wake up!" When Jarvis saw Mina¡¯s unconscious form, he rushed over, shouting, "Steve! Mina has fainted!" Steve was at a loss. What could he do now? He had just caught the snake, and now Mina had fainted. Did he need to perform artificial respiration? He looked down at the snake still in his hand, then back at Mina¡¯s pale face. Panic surged in him as he wondered what he should do next. He quickly scanned the area for a solution and spotted a large rock nearby. Without wasting a moment, Steve placed the snake on the rock, raised the stone above his head, and brought it down with all his strength. The snake¡¯s head was crushed instantly, its body convulsing a few times before it lay still. Steve didn¡¯t even bother to wash his hands. He ran to Mina¡¯s side, kneeling beside her. His mind raced. Should he try artificial respiration? Would that even help? He wasn¡¯t sure, but he knew he had to do something. In a moment of panic and confusion, Steve gently pressed his hand to Mina¡¯s chest. As he prepared to take action, his thoughts raced, hoping that whatever happened next, it wouldn¡¯t be too late. --- Chapter 23: Minas Love "Mina? Mina? Wake up!" Steve gently patted Mina''s face. It was smooth and delicate, but he wasn¡¯t in the mood to appreciate it right now. Seeing Mina unconscious, Steve began to worry. Could she have been bitten by the snake? It was possible. Although he hadn¡¯t seen it, the snake could have bitten her when it fell. Thinking of this, he quickly picked her up and carefully checked her neck and head but found no bite marks. Just when Steve was about to ask if the cameras could be turned off so Chris could check if Mina had been bitten, Mina''s eyelashes fluttered. She slowly opened her eyes. Seeing her wake up, Steve let out a relieved sigh. "Mina, are you okay? Did the snake bite you?" The mention of the snake made Mina¡¯s pupils contract. She hugged Steve tightly, her body trembling with fear. With the warm, soft beauty in his arms, Steve swallowed nervously. But now was not the time to think about that. "Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ve already caught and killed the snake. It won¡¯t hurt you anymore." Steve gently comforted her, knowing that she was frightened. He embraced her tighter. Mina, in a state of extreme fear, saw Steve¡¯s arms as the safest place and clung to him, unwilling to let go. At that moment, Sister Bird, who had been out exploring, returned. She froze when she saw the two of them hugging. Chris and Jarvis were standing by, looking helpless. "What¡¯s going on? What happened?" Sister Bird asked, her confusion evident. "I was gone for just 10 minutes, not 10 years! What¡¯s going on here?"This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Chris hurried forward and explained what had happened. After hearing the details, Sister Bird looked worried and quickly approached Mina, asking, "Mina, are you okay? Did you get bitten?" Mina, still holding onto Steve, nodded slowly, as if reassuring herself. She whispered, "I¡¯m fine, Sister Bird." Sister Bird breathed a sigh of relief. "I¡¯m glad you''re okay. You should rest. I¡¯ll get you a coconut." Mina wiped her tears away, feeling comforted by the others¡¯ concern. Meanwhile, Chen Chichi, curious, found a stick and began poking the dead snake. After making sure it was lifeless, she used the stick to lift it and asked, "Sister Bird, do you know what kind of snake this is?" The sight of the snake again startled Mina, who immediately buried her face in Steve¡¯s chest, like an ostrich hiding from danger. Steve, without hesitation, held her tighter, comforting her: "It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. The snake¡¯s gone. Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re safe now." Meanwhile, the scene of Steve holding Mina was broadcasted live, and Mina¡¯s fans began reacting angrily. "Let go of our Mina, you jerk!" "How could she let another man hold her?" "Steve is so disgusting. He¡¯s taking advantage of our Mina! He deserves to be kicked out." "Unbelievable, I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s letting him hug her!" "Some of you fans need to use your brains. Steve saved her life! And you¡¯re still criticizing him?" "Sick of people who live in fantasies about idols. What¡¯s wrong with YY idols?" "Yikes, calm down. Your idol fantasies are showing." Sister Bird swiftly chopped open a coconut and handed it to Mina before walking over to examine the snake. After a brief inspection, Sister Bird spoke seriously: "This is a venomous snake known as the Green Mamba. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of the Black Mamba¡ªthis is its cousin. It¡¯s not as aggressive or venomous, but still very dangerous. We were lucky nobody got bitten." Everyone shuddered at Sister Bird¡¯s words. Mina clung tighter to Steve¡¯s arm. She couldn¡¯t even imagine what would have happened if she had been bitten. Bai Xiaolu sighed in relief, slapping his chest. "That was so scary. Thank goodness Steve knew how to handle snakes, or it could have been bad." Steve¡¯s face turned pale as he heard Bai Xiaolu¡¯s praise. He quickly shook his head. "No, I don¡¯t know how to handle snakes. I just had to catch it to save Mina. I didn¡¯t think twice. If I had, I wouldn¡¯t even want to touch that thing." Sister Bird was taken aback. "You don¡¯t know how to catch snakes?" Steve smiled bitterly. "How could I? I grew up in the city. I¡¯ve never dealt with a snake outside of a zoo." Sister Bird couldn¡¯t help but admire Steve. "You¡¯re amazing. You just went for it without hesitation, and it was a venomous snake, too. You could have been in serious danger." The others looked at Steve with admiration. If they had been in his shoes, they knew they wouldn¡¯t have been as brave. It was easy to say they would save someone, but facing that danger themselves was another story. Steve shrugged casually. "There was no other choice. If I didn¡¯t catch it, the snake might have bitten Mina. I didn¡¯t have time to think. I just did what had to be done." Mina, still not letting go of him, looked up at Steve. At that moment, she felt that Steve was the most handsome man in the world, without a doubt. Her heart was completely taken by him. It was at that very instant that Steve¡¯s name was imprinted in her heart forever. Chapter 24: Love Brain Mina Steve said it with ease, but everyone knew just how much courage it took to make such a decision. Although the "hero saving the beauty" trope is one of the oldest clich¨¦s, it¡¯s still incredibly effective. After all, no woman can resist a man who is willing to risk his life for hers, especially when she¡¯s at her most vulnerable. The shock of that moment often stays with a person forever. Of course, the prerequisite is that the man must be handsome. If he¡¯s not, you might have to repay him in the next life. "Sister Bird, how¡¯s the exploration going over there?" Steve asked, taking the initiative to change the subject. If the conversation continued, it would seem as though he was boasting about his heroics. Sister Bird frowned, looking up from the map. "We have two options. One is to wait until the tide recedes to see if we can cross the sea. The other is to go through the woods, but we don¡¯t know how far it will take." Steve thought for a moment. "If we want to get there, we¡¯ll have to go through the woods. Waiting for the tide to go down and walking along the beach isn''t realistic." Bai Xiaolu looked confused. "Why? Isn''t the beach easier to walk on?" Steve shook his head. "Do you remember what time you went to the beach last night? It was a little after 12 o''clock. That means the low tide at noon today was around 1 o''clock, and the low tide at night will be at around 2 o''clock. The high tide won¡¯t come until after 1 o''clock. We¡¯d have to wait at least four or five hours. The low tide lasts only about two hours, so if we can''t get through and get stuck in the middle, it could be dangerous. The biggest problem is that we don¡¯t know how it¡¯ll look once the tide recedes. What if we walk a short distance and can¡¯t cross? We''d waste hours.¡± Bai Xiaolu was taken aback. "Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t realize there were so many factors." Steve smiled and patted Bai Xiaolu¡¯s head. "Little kid, you still need to learn more." "Go away, you disgusting person," Bai Xiaolu rolled her eyes at Steve. "Mina, can you still walk? If you¡¯re tired, you should head back first," Sister Bird asked, her tone filled with concern. When Mina heard that she was being asked to go back, she subconsciously grabbed Steve¡¯s hand. "I¡¯m fine. I can do it," she insisted. Steve furrowed his brows slightly and took a deep breath. "I suggest that Chichi, Mina, and Xiaolu head back while Sister Bird and I travel light," Steve proposed.Stolen novel; please report. "I don¡¯t want to. I want to stay with you," Mina said, holding Steve¡¯s hand tighter. "Mina, listen to me¡­" "Oh! Brother Steve, what happened to your hand?" Bai Xiaolu, who had been watching Mina and Steve with a gossipy look, suddenly noticed a drop of blood dripping from Steve¡¯s hand. The others looked over and saw the blood. Mina, still holding Steve¡¯s hand, lifted it up. There were two or three small cuts on Steve¡¯s hand, each about one centimeter long, and blood was oozing from them. Mina¡¯s eyes widened with concern. "Does it hurt?" When Mina¡¯s fans saw this on the live stream, they were heartbroken. "It¡¯s over. Our Mina has fallen. Just look at the way she¡¯s staring at Steve. She¡¯s melting." "I think it¡¯s time to cremate him. Give me back Mina, you b*****d." "Why wasn¡¯t I the one who saved the beauty? I can¡¯t accept this. I¡¯m so jealous." "You say that as if you¡¯d even dare to catch the snake in the first place." "Ah, the most beautiful flower in the entertainment industry has been picked. It was delivered straight to his door." "Steve¡¯s so lucky, right? He¡¯s got Yang Xiaohu in front of him and Mina behind him. What a scumbag." "I¡¯m heartbroken. I¡¯m going to get drunk. My Mina doesn¡¯t belong to me anymore." In the live broadcast room, not only Mina¡¯s fans were lamenting, but her agent was also disappointed. Does this girl not have a brain? I¡¯ve told her so many times not to fall in love, and if she does, not to make it public. Most of your fans are here because of your looks. If you fall in love, it will hurt your popularity. If this gets exposed, there¡¯s no saving it. All we can do is hope this silly girl doesn¡¯t make it too obvious next time. Otherwise, there¡¯s nothing we can do. Steve smiled, trying to downplay it. "It¡¯s fine, it doesn¡¯t hurt. These little scratches are nothing. I got scraped by an oyster shell while I was holding a stone. It¡¯ll heal in no time." He gave a nonchalant wave and gently pulled his hand away. Steve could feel the shift in Mina¡¯s attitude towards him. It was so obvious that only a fool would fail to notice. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know how to respond. He assumed it was just a reaction to Mina¡¯s emotional fluctuations, which would likely subside soon. It wasn¡¯t something to take too seriously. To change the subject, Steve quickly said, "Forget about me. Let¡¯s discuss my suggestion. Let the three of them head back, and Sister Bird and I will continue forward. What do you think?" Sister Bird paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I think that¡¯s a good plan. A smaller group will move faster. Ideally, I should go ahead alone, and you four should go back." The meaning was clear: the fewer people there were, the faster they could get things done. Steve knew that, with his current condition, he was more of a hindrance than help, but he still shook his head. "That won¡¯t work. If I go alone, there¡¯s no one to look out for me. What if something dangerous happens? We¡¯ll go as two people. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t slow you down." "Alright then," Sister Bird agreed. It was indeed risky to be alone. The three remaining people exchanged glances, unsure of what to say. Is this his decision? Doesn¡¯t he want our opinion? They realized that, considering the circumstances, it would be better for them to stay behind. If they went along, they would only slow the group down. Mina, though reluctant, knew this wasn¡¯t the time to be selfish. She stood quietly, her silence speaking volumes. Meanwhile, Steve¡¯s group was much luckier. After walking for over an hour, they found themselves on a flat beach. Even when they needed to take a detour, it was just a patch of grass that was easy to cross. Along the way, they encountered several coconut trees, replenishing their water supply. "Hey, look, isn¡¯t there a small river over there?" Jarvis pointed ahead, surprised. They all turned their heads and saw a stream flowing from the woods into the sea. The water source was right in front of them, and excitement spread across their faces as they rushed toward it. When they reached the creek, they found that it was indeed a fresh water source. Since this was the river mouth, many fish had gathered there. As they approached, the fish scattered, rushing back into the sea. "It¡¯s definitely a river, but I¡¯m not sure if the water is fresh or saltwater. It could be seawater coming from the other side of the island," Chris observed as he studied the river. Upon hearing this, Kevin dropped the machete in his hand and grinned. "What¡¯s there to think about? We¡¯ll find out when we try it." He crouched down, cupped his hands, and scooped a handful of water to drink. --- Chapter 25: Water Source "It''s fresh water! Haha, it''s fresh water!" Kevin laughed out loud, his face filled with surprise. The rest of the group hurried to the stream, scooping up water to taste. They all found that it was indeed fresh. "That''s fantastic! We¡¯ve finally found fresh water. The surroundings are also great. We can set up camp here," Zhang Xiaoai said excitedly, taking in the view. Upstream, there was a forest, and to the east, in the direction they came from, a large flat grassland stretched out. To the west, there was a shallow beach, lined with many reefs in the sea. This was also the estuary of the stream, meaning fish resources were abundant. ¡°You won¡¯t have trouble finding food here. There are no large carnivores, so this is an ideal place to settle,¡± Kevin concluded. ¡°Let¡¯s explore and find the best place to build our shelter,¡± he suggested. After over half an hour of searching, they found an ideal spot for their camp. ¡°This spot is perfect. The protruding rock in front blocks the sea breeze, and there¡¯s shelter at the back. Plus, the wind blows from all directions, so when it gets windy, we won¡¯t have to worry about mosquitoes. And, it¡¯s close to the water source, which is really convenient,¡± Kevin said, pleased with the location. Everyone agreed, nodding in approval. Kevin glanced up at the sun, thinking for a moment. "I have an idea. Do you think it could work?" "What idea?" they asked. ¡°I suggest we send someone back to tell Sister Bird and the others to move here. The rest of us will stay behind to build the shelter. It¡¯s about a two-hour walk back, so it¡¯d be a waste of time for everyone to go,¡± Kevin explained. ¡°The four of us will stay here and try to build a shelter today. We¡¯ll finish another one tomorrow.¡± The plan was to build two shelters: one for the men and one for the women, since it wasn¡¯t convenient for them to live together. Everyone agreed that it made sense, but the issue was deciding who should go back.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°It would be best to send a girl back, as the boys are stronger and better suited for building shelters,¡± Kevin suggested. The group hesitated, not wanting to send a girl alone in the wilderness. So, the decision came down to Chris or Jarvis. ¡°I¡¯ll go back. You guys stay here and work on the shelter,¡± Chris volunteered, stepping forward. ¡°No, you stay. I¡¯m not much help here anyway,¡± said Jarvis. His reasoning was sound, but the group still disagreed. Chris shook his head. "No, I¡¯ll go back. We can¡¯t be sure that you¡¯ll be safe by yourself. I¡¯ll be back in an hour.¡± Kevin nodded in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s head back now while it¡¯s still cool. It¡¯ll be much hotter later.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll drink some water first and then head out,¡± Chris said, cracking open a coconut and drinking its water in one go. Afterward, he turned to leave. After walking a few steps, Chris turned back and said, ¡°If I get back and they¡¯re not there, I¡¯ll leave a message on the beach and return here.¡± Kevin thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Good idea, but be sure to leave the message far from the beach so it won¡¯t get washed away by the waves.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Chris said, then left. With Chris gone, Kevin gathered the remaining group to start building the shelter. A shelter large enough to accommodate ten people would take time, so they worked quickly to get a basic structure built before nightfall. Meanwhile, Chris had already made his way back to the camp. He was walking with urgency, eager to find the others. When he arrived at the camp, he saw Mina, Bai Xiaolu, and the rest of the group. "Why are you back alone, Chris? Where are the others?" Bai Xiaolu asked, looking around. ¡°We found a fresh water source,¡± Chris said. "I came back to inform you all. We need to move to that location. They''re staying there to build the shelter. Let''s head there quickly.¡± Bai Xiaolu looked around. "Where are Steve and Sister Bird?" Chris sighed. "They encountered a snake on the way. Steve caught it with his bare hands. They continued exploring, and we came back." ¡°Seriously, Steve caught a snake with his hands?¡± Bai Xiaolu¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s fine. We¡¯re all okay. Let¡¯s move to the new shelter and leave a message for them to follow.¡± Mina, who had been silent up until that moment, suddenly spoke up. ¡°You guys go ahead. I¡¯ll wait for them here. I think it¡¯s safer to leave a note, so I¡¯ll stay.¡± Chris was surprised. He looked at Bai Xiaolu, who gave him a knowing glance before smiling. ¡°Are you sure you can stay by yourself?¡± Chris asked. Mina nodded firmly. "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just waiting here for them. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Bai Xiaolu hesitated, then added, "Should I stay and keep you company?" Mina shook her head. "No, you go. The weather will get hotter, and you¡¯ll be more uncomfortable traveling at noon." After exchanging glances, the group agreed that Mina was determined to stay. There was no convincing her otherwise. So, they left her behind as they took a few supplies and continued walking toward the new shelter. Mina, left alone, had nothing to do but wait. She sat on the beach, staring out at the sea as the tide slowly receded. She would need to gather seafood soon. Despite being alone, she was determined to stay busy. The sea breeze tousled her long hair, and her beautiful face occasionally furrowed in concentration, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. It was obvious that the girl was falling for someone¡ªher feelings for Steve were undeniable. Meanwhile, Steve and Sister Bird had been trekking through the jungle for over two hours. The weather had gotten hotter, and the humidity was unbearable. Mosquitoes buzzed around them, adding to their discomfort. But they couldn¡¯t stop searching. If they didn¡¯t find the water source, they¡¯d be in trouble. There was another group searching too, but Steve knew better than to rely solely on them. His body was weaker than most, and after hours of walking through the humid jungle, he was exhausted. But he couldn¡¯t stop, not now. ¡°Hey, Steve, listen. Do you hear that?¡± Sister Bird suddenly asked, her voice alert. Steve paused, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. He strained his ears, listening carefully for the sound. Chapter 26: Injured Steve was so tired that his ears were ringing. How could he hear anything? He weakly replied, ¡°What? I didn¡¯t hear anything.¡± Sister Bird, who had been leading the way, strained her ears and said, "Listen carefully, I think it''s the sound of flowing water. A waterfall, perhaps?" Steve stopped for a moment, taking a few deep breaths to calm his rapid heartbeat. Gradually, he realized she was right. He could faintly hear the distant sound of water. ¡°There does seem to be water ahead,¡± Steve said with a hint of relief. Finally, they might be able to rest. No more walking¡ªhe could hardly keep his eyes open. Sister Bird¡¯s face lit up with excitement. She had been in the jungle for over two hours, and the exhaustion was starting to weigh heavily on her, but now, the thought of water made her spirits soar. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry,¡± she said eagerly. ¡°It¡¯s just ahead.¡± Steve, though his legs felt like jelly, mustered enough energy to follow. He caught up with her, despite his exhaustion. He couldn¡¯t wait to drink some fresh water and cool off under a waterfall. As the two moved closer, the sound of rushing water became louder. The scent of damp earth and water vapor filled the air. It was refreshing. Sister Bird, nearly unable to contain herself, quickened her pace. The sound was growing louder, the scent sharper. She could feel the water¡¯s proximity, and she was more than ready to dive in and wash off the grime from their trek. Steve, struggling to keep up, gritted his teeth and followed. They walked one after the other, with Sister Bird leading the way, her face covered in sweat and dirt, a smile barely visible underneath. But, as often happens in the wilderness, danger lurked when they least expected it. Without warning, Sister Bird''s foot caught on something hidden beneath the vines. A sharp scream escaped her lips as she tumbled forward, her body sliding into an unexpected hole in the ground. A natural pit, disguised by thick vines and leaves, had suddenly opened beneath her. Before Steve could react, Sister Bird¡¯s body disappeared into the pit, her scream echoing through the jungle. The pit had a steep slope, nearly vertical, leading down into a deep, dark abyss.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Ah!¡± Sister Bird screamed again, a mix of panic and terror in her voice, as she slid uncontrollably down the slope. In those brief, heart-stopping moments, she was headed straight for the bottomless cave below. But, in a flash of instinct, she stretched out her hands to grab whatever she could. Vines¡ªnumerous thick, strong vines¡ªwere growing all around the edge of the pit. She reached out, grabbing one with both hands, and though the vines provided some cushion, they were quickly pulled with her weight. Slowly, as if in slow motion, the vines began to slide along with her, heading toward the abyss. Steve stood frozen above, unable to do anything at first. Then, with a surge of desperation, he lunged forward. He grabbed onto the vines that were slipping through his fingers, but his bare hands couldn¡¯t keep hold. They continued sliding, faster and faster. The friction between his palms and the vines was unbearable. Steve¡¯s hands bled, his skin tearing, but he refused to let go. The pain was excruciating, but the thought of Sister Bird falling into that dark hole was far worse. ¡°Use the strength-doubling card!¡± Steve thought in a panic. Instantly, he felt an overwhelming surge of energy, and his grip on the vines tightened. The sliding stopped. He was able to hold the vines in place, stopping them from sliding any further. Sister Bird, having experienced this life-saving moment, seized the opportunity. She grabbed the vines more securely with one hand and reached for the rock at the edge of the cave with the other. Slowly, carefully, she pulled herself up just enough to stop her downward fall. Steve¡¯s chest heaved with relief as he saw her secure herself, but his heart was still pounding. ¡°Sister Bird, are you alright?¡± he shouted. Sister Bird, her back aching with a sharp, burning pain, couldn¡¯t immediately respond. Blood trickled down her back, staining her clothes and soaking into the fabric. Her entire back was drenched in blood. It was clear: her injury was serious. Even if she managed to survive, she wouldn¡¯t be able to continue the program. The thought was crushing. Sister Bird, always the resilient one, had thought she could make it through anything. She had imagined herself as the last one standing, pushing through the trials no matter how hard they got. But now, the reality was harsh. She was the first to be eliminated, and the bitter taste of failure was more than she could bear. As her thoughts spiraled, her throat tightened. She wanted to speak, to tell Steve she was okay, but the words wouldn¡¯t come. All that escaped her was a choked, desperate hum. Tears welled up in her eyes. Steve, his heart breaking at the sound of her pain, trembled. ¡°No¡­ No, this can¡¯t be happening,¡± he thought. He couldn¡¯t accept the idea that his teammate, the wilderness expert, would be taken out so soon. He shouted again, ¡°Program team, please send someone to rescue us!¡± His voice cracked as he called out, panic rising in his chest. He couldn¡¯t let go of the vines; he couldn¡¯t risk it. If he did, Sister Bird might not even survive the wait for help. A calm voice came through the drone¡¯s speaker. ¡°Steve, hold on. The rescue team is on its way. They¡¯ll be there in three minutes.¡± Relief washed over him at the sound of the team¡¯s response. The rescue team was already on their way, but three minutes felt like an eternity when every second mattered. ¡°Sister Bird, just hang on! The rescue team is almost here!¡± Steve shouted, his voice full of urgency. Through her pain, Sister Bird managed a faint, choked voice, ¡°I heard you¡­ don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll hold on.¡± Steve nodded, even though he knew she couldn¡¯t see him. His heart raced as he glanced around, searching for something to help him. There were no trees nearby that he could use, so he wrapped the vine tightly around his waist, trying to stabilize himself. The strength-doubling card would only last a minute. He was terrified he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on if the power wore off before help arrived. Every time Steve moved his hand, sharp pain shot through his body. His hands were raw, his muscles screamed in protest. But he knew he couldn¡¯t give up. He had to hold on. The vines burned his palms, but the image of Sister Bird in danger, the helplessness he felt, pushed him forward. He knew she was counting on him, and he wouldn¡¯t fail her. Not now. Not when they were so close to safety. All they had to do was hold on a little longer. --- Chapter 27: Sister Bird Withdraws Steve wrapped the vine tightly around his waist, making sure it wouldn¡¯t slip off. Only then did he finally allow himself to look at his hands. His frown deepened as he saw the damage. The skin on his palms had been worn away, leaving deep grooves in his flesh. Blood flowed freely from the wounds, and the sight made him wince. Up until this point, he hadn¡¯t felt much pain. The adrenaline had kept him focused. But now, as he relaxed, the cramping pain surged through his hands, causing his face to turn pale. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as the realization of his injury set in. At the same moment, the audience watching the live broadcast also saw Steve¡¯s injuries. "Ah! Look at Steve¡¯s hand! Oh my god, it¡¯s injured so badly. That must be agonizing," one viewer commented. "How could it not hurt? Just look at the cold sweat on his face," another person said, echoing the concern. "I think it¡¯s over. After such a serious injury, Steve will definitely quit. If Sister Bird also has to quit, then only Kevin will be left. But he probably won¡¯t last much longer either," a third voice observed. "Sister Bird is in worse condition," another viewer added. "Her entire back is soaked in blood. She might not survive much longer." "Ha, looks like the two strongest players of the Jiuzhou team are about to be eliminated. The rest are just working their butts off." "Go back to your country of sanitary napkins, you bastards, and stop disgusting us here," someone angrily shot back. "Dammit, except for the teachers who have both virtue and talent, no one here is any good." "Nobody wants things like this to happen," one viewer sighed. "At least Steve reacted in time and was able to hold on. If he hadn''t, Sister Bird wouldn¡¯t just be eliminated¡ªshe might have lost her life." "Steve really impressed me today. I can¡¯t imagine how he managed to hold onto those vines through all that pain." "I used to think Steve was just the kind of guy who¡¯d scream if bitten by a mosquito. But now? I completely understand what a real man is."This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. "Isn¡¯t that what a hero is? He might not seem like much in normal times, but when it counts, he steps forward, no matter the cost." "I can¡¯t do it, but I really admire people like him." "Steve, don¡¯t worry about quitting. It wouldn¡¯t be shameful at all." Just then, a buzzing sound of machinery broke through the tension in the jungle. Steve looked up, squinting against the sunlight, and saw several drones flying overhead. Curious, he watched as they approached. What were they doing here? And then, just as he was starting to wonder, the drones swooped down toward the pit where Sister Bird had fallen. Could these drones actually rescue her? Just as his thoughts raced, the program team''s voice came through the drone¡¯s speakers. "Steve, hold on a little longer. Sister Bird will be rescued soon." Steve nodded, silent but thankful. The rescue team was on its way. He kept his eyes on the scene below, anxiously waiting. Moments later, the drones emerged from the cave, each one carrying a steel cable. At the other end of the cables was Sister Bird, being carefully pulled from the depths of the abyss. "Okay, Steve, you can let go now," the program team''s voice instructed. Without hesitation, Steve released the vines that had been wrapped around his waist and made his way toward Sister Bird. The drones gently lowered her to the ground. As she settled onto the earth, Steve got his first clear look at her injuries. Her entire back was soaked in blood, most likely from the rocks she had scraped against while falling down the pit. The severity of her wounds was undeniable. Without immediate treatment, it could become life-threatening. But there was no way around it¡ªtreating her injuries would mean she had to withdraw from the competition. Sister Bird¡¯s face was ashen from the loss of blood. Her expression was one of defeat, and it pained Steve to see her like this. "Sister Bird, how do you feel?" Steve asked, his voice laced with concern as he crouched beside her. Sister Bird forced a weak smile, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. "I¡¯m fine, Steve. But¡­ I don¡¯t think I can continue walking with you. I¡¯m sorry." Steve¡¯s heart sank. It was clear that Sister Bird, the backbone of the team, wasn¡¯t just struggling with her injuries. She was struggling with the emotional weight of having to quit. She had always been the one to push forward, the one who refused to give up. And now, to see her so defeated, it shook Steve deeply. Sister Bird, despite the blood soaking her clothes and the pain she must have been feeling, wasn¡¯t thinking about herself. She was worried about her team, about not being able to help them anymore. Steve sat down beside her and took her hand. "Sister Bird, listen to me. It¡¯s not your fault. We¡¯ll make it. You don¡¯t have to worry about us. We¡¯ll keep going, and you don¡¯t have to feel guilty. This was an accident, and accidents happen. We understand. You need to get treated¡ªyour health comes first." Sister Bird looked at him, her eyes filled with tears, and nodded slowly. "I believe you, Steve. Thank you." Steve smiled and squeezed her hand gently. "You just need to cheer us on from the outside. Watch us on the live broadcast, and know that we¡¯re going to keep fighting. When we win the championship, we¡¯ll celebrate together." "Okay," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I¡¯ll be waiting for you." As the conversation quieted, the sound of a helicopter could be heard approaching. The rescue team had arrived. The helicopter hovered above them, and several medics descended quickly, first aid kits in hand. Among them was James, the director of the Jiuzhou program team. He looked down at Sister Bird, shaking his head with a quiet sigh. It was a bitter moment. The survival expert who had once been the strongest member of their team was now out of the competition, eliminated so early. And now, the remaining team members¡ªChris, Jarvis, and Kevin¡ªwere left to face the challenges ahead, and it was unclear how much longer they would last. James glanced at Steve, whose face was tense with concern, and gave him a small nod of acknowledgment. He had no doubt that the remaining team members would push on, but he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they would be able to last much longer without Sister Bird. "Well," James muttered to himself as he watched the medics tend to Sister Bird, "I guess I can take a vacation now." --- Chapter 28: Rewards From The Program Team "Hi, Sister Bird, are you okay?" Director James asked, his gruff voice cutting through the air. He was a burly man with a thick beard, resembling more of a truck driver than a program director. His unkempt appearance contrasted with the seriousness of the situation. To ensure fairness in the program, directors from all national teams were interspersed, and the staff was the same. There were only a few members from the Kyushu team, and their job was primarily to monitor whether players from their own country were being treated fairly. Sister Bird looked up at him, her face clouded with frustration. "Not very good," she replied, her voice low and weary. James sighed and shrugged. "Unfortunately, it seems like you''ll need some treatment." Sister Bird nodded silently, too exhausted to say anything further. Her body was battered, and the emotional toll of the situation had left her drained. Noticing how downhearted Sister Bird appeared, James tried to lighten the mood. "Don¡¯t worry too much. This is just a small setback in the grand scheme of your life. You¡¯ll be back on your feet before you know it." Chris, who had been standing nearby, couldn''t hold back his frustration. "Director James, I think what Sister Bird needs right now is treatment, not motivational speeches," he snapped. "Can we get to the point? She¡¯s seriously injured." "Ah, yes, you''re right, Chris," James replied with an understanding nod. Without further delay, he called for the medical team. The team quickly arrived, cleaned Sister Bird¡¯s wound, stopped the bleeding, and bandaged her up. They carefully loaded her into a helicopter for evacuation. Before leaving, James looked back at Steve, who was still standing there, silently watching the scene unfold. "Steve, are you sure you don¡¯t need medical attention for your wound?" Steve, his face pale and his expression tight with pain, glanced at James. "If I had the option to get treated without quitting, I¡¯d be happy to take it," he replied dryly. James raised his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "I wish I could help you, Steve, but I don''t have the authority to make that decision." Steve gave a curt nod. "Then goodbye, Director James." "Goodbye, Steve. Take care and good luck," James said before boarding the helicopter and leaving with the medical team. Steve was left alone in the dense forest, surrounded by the thick heat of the afternoon sun, the air heavy with humidity. It was around one or two o''clock¡ªby far the hottest part of the day. Steve picked up the machete that Sister Bird had dropped earlier, sighed, and continued on his way. Now that he had found the water source, he wasn¡¯t about to just stop there. He needed to see it for himself, to confirm it was a viable option for the team. He unzipped his shirt, using his knife to cut a piece of the lining and fashioning it into a makeshift strap to wrap around his injured hands. The wounds were deep, but at least the bleeding had stopped. It still hurt, a lot. He could only hope that his physical fitness¡ªboosted by the system¡¯s upgrades¡ªwould speed up the healing process. When he¡¯d added points to his physical fitness the previous night, he¡¯d noticed some changes in his body, like how the mosquito bites had disappeared. Increasing his fitness seemed to have a healing effect, though he wasn¡¯t sure if it would work for such a severe wound. If it didn¡¯t, he would likely be forced to quit the competition before things got worse. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Though disappointed by the injury, Steve wasn¡¯t desperate. With or without the system, he had resources in another world to back him up. He knew that, sooner or later, he would rise above the rest. For now, he had no regrets about getting hurt while saving others. Cautiously, he walked through the dense underbrush and soon reached the river. The water was flowing fast, about two or three meters wide. It cascaded down from a cliff above, creating a deep pool before flowing away. The sight was a relief¡ªfinding the water source meant they were one step closer to survival. But as he stood there, examining the river, Steve¡¯s thoughts returned to his hands. The injuries were still fresh, and the last thing he wanted was to expose them to river water, which was teeming with bacteria that could cause infection. For now, he had no choice but to leave the wound untreated. Sighing, Steve knelt by the river and took a drink. The water was cool and refreshing, with a hint of sweetness. It was clear and clean, a much-needed reprieve from the harsh environment around him. Looking up at the blazing sun, Steve realized it was far too hot to continue pushing forward right now. He decided to rest for a while, find some shade, and wait until the temperature dropped a little before continuing on his journey. Meanwhile, back at the live broadcast, viewers were reacting strongly to what had happened. "I feel so bad for Steve," one viewer wrote. "The production team is being heartless. All they need to do is give him some basic disinfectant and bandages." "Yeah, that¡¯s way too much to ask? He saved two lives today. Shouldn¡¯t he be rewarded for his heroism?" another person chimed in. "If Steve hadn¡¯t saved people today, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt, but Sister Bird would have definitely died. That pit was so deep¡ªat least ten stories¡ªand there were rocks at the bottom. If she¡¯d fallen, she would¡¯ve been done for," one viewer pointed out. "Exactly. He saved two lives. We can¡¯t just let the hero suffer like this." "Those who work for the greater good should never be left out in the cold. Let¡¯s head to the official website and demand they give Steve some medical help." "Yes, let¡¯s go! We can¡¯t let the hero bleed without doing something." "I¡¯m in. Let¡¯s do it for Steve!" Before long, the number of people commenting skyrocketed, and the official website of the program was nearly overloaded. The sheer volume of feedback forced the program team to take action. James hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should make the call himself, but ultimately decided to escalate the matter to the headquarters of the joint program team. After some discussion, the decision was made. In recognition of Steve¡¯s selfless actions and to promote his heroism, the program team would reward him with a bottle of disinfectant and two rolls of bandages to treat his injuries. Crucially, this reward would not require Steve to quit the competition. Naturally, some representatives from other countries disagreed, but Kyushu, as one of the dominant powers in the world, had enough support to make the decision stand. The announcement was quickly made, and the audience in Kyushu was pleased with the program team¡¯s decision. However, the fans of Xiaobaga and Xiaobang were not as happy. Still, their dissatisfaction was irrelevant. The decision had been made, and there was nothing they could do about it. So, as Steve rested by the river, a drone carrying a plastic bag flew in front of him, its buzzing noise breaking the silence. Steve blinked in surprise, staring at the drone. What was this? He hadn¡¯t expected anything more from the production team. When the drone hovered near him, it dropped the bag of supplies. Inside, Steve found a bottle of disinfectant and bandages. Confused, he looked up at the drone. "What¡¯s this? I told you I¡¯m not quitting." The program team''s voice responded from the drone¡¯s speaker. "Contestant Steve, due to your heroic performance in saving lives, the program team held a meeting and decided to reward you with a bottle of disinfectant and two rolls of bandages to treat your injuries. The use of these items does not require you to quit the competition." Steve¡¯s lips twitched into a small, reluctant smile. He hadn¡¯t expected this, but it was a nice gesture. At least the program team acknowledged his efforts. With a deep breath, Steve prepared to continue his journey. The challenges were far from over, but he wasn¡¯t about to give up now. --- Chapter 29: Steve Is Spoiled? Steve¡¯s eyes lit up. Is there really such a good thing? Why were they being so polite? After Steve took the bag, he found that the contents were quite simple: two rolls of gauze, a bottle of iodine, and that was it. Although it was a small supply, it was better than nothing. Steve carefully put the items away and didn¡¯t rush to use them. He thought it would be a waste if he used them too soon. When he returned, he planned to ask his companions to help bandage his wound. If he didn¡¯t need to use them right away, he could save them for future injuries. After all, if anyone got hurt later, these supplies could still be used. After organizing his things, Steve noticed it was getting late, so he stood up and continued on his journey. Meanwhile, back at the original camp, Mina was staring blankly at two barrels of seafood. The afternoon¡¯s sea fishing had been quite productive. She had picked up two small buckets of seafood, mostly conchs and similar shellfish, on her own. However, there was one problem: there was no fire. The fire sticks had been left at the new camp. Mina had expected Steve and Chris to return soon, but even after the sun went down, there was no sign of them. Mina grew increasingly anxious. She kept pacing back and forth, unable to stay still. Finally, she could no longer bear it and stood up, heading east to meet Steve and the others. Just a short distance into her walk, she spotted a figure walking toward her with some difficulty. It was Steve! Though it was already dark and she couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, Mina immediately recognized him as the man who had occupied her thoughts all day. Her heart racing with relief, she quickly stretched her legs and ran toward him. "Steve!" she called out, her voice full of concern. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! "It¡¯s me," Steve responded weakly. When Mina reached him and saw the miserable state Steve was in, her heart ached. "Are you tired? Let me support you." As she spoke, Mina stepped forward and took Steve¡¯s arm, but accidentally brushed his injured hand. Steve gasped in pain. "Hiss¡ªno, be careful not to touch my hand." A puzzled expression crossed Mina¡¯s face. Was he really in that much pain? Those small cuts from earlier this morning were practically healed. Could they still be that painful? She glanced down at Steve¡¯s palm, which was wrapped in black cloth. The bandage covered it so tightly that no blood could be seen, especially in the dim light. Looking at the tightly wrapped palm, Mina didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. Was it really necessary to make such a fuss over such a small injury? But despite her amusement, she couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of tenderness. Steve¡¯s behavior was almost childlike, like a spoiled child, and it made Mina feel protective, as if she were caring for someone in need. "Alright, I won¡¯t touch your hand. By the way, where¡¯s Chris?" It was only then that she realized Chris was missing. Beauty, they say, is in the eyes of the beholder, and for Mina, her focus was entirely on Steve. Steve sighed when he heard this question. "Let¡¯s talk about it when we get back." Mina frowned, her heart sinking slightly. She didn¡¯t press further and instead helped Steve back to the shelter. A while later, the two returned to the shelter. Before entering, they noticed a figure holding a torch walking toward them from the west. As the figure drew closer, they recognized him: it was Jarvis. "Steve! Mina!" Jarvis called from a distance. "It¡¯s us, Sister Jarvis." At last, the group had reunited, now including Jarvis, Kevin, and Peng Peng. When they saw Steve¡¯s condition, the group quickly rushed over. "What happened to you?" Jarvis asked, her voice full of concern. "Your hands?" Kevin added, eyeing the cloth strips wrapped around Steve¡¯s hands with a confused expression. Steve nodded. "Let¡¯s talk inside." He turned and walked toward the shelter. Once inside, he collapsed onto the bed. The exhaustion from the day¡¯s ordeal and the blood loss had left him incredibly weak. Finally lying down to rest, Steve felt a wave of relief. Thankfully, they hadn¡¯t moved the bed when they shifted to the new shelter, as they had thought it would be too much trouble. Now, Steve had no strength left in him. His lips were dry, and he felt both thirsty and hungry. "Here, drink a coconut first." Mina handed him a coconut. Steve was eager to drink but realized his hands were in no condition to hold such a large coconut. He looked at Mina awkwardly. "My hands aren¡¯t very useful right now. Could you feed me?" Mina¡¯s face flushed a deep shade of red. She hadn¡¯t expected Steve to make such a request in front of so many people. He really knew how to act spoiled. She gently lifted the coconut to Steve¡¯s mouth. Steve, trying to keep his hands as still as possible, adjusted the coconut with his wrists and began to drink deeply. The three onlookers exchanged strange glances, unsure of how to react. Bai Xiaolu had already informed them about Steve¡¯s minor hand injury. The oyster shells had caused several small cuts, and he had bled quite a bit. But, in all honesty, it shouldn¡¯t be that serious. A few small wounds didn¡¯t usually require someone to feed you water, right? Kevin shook his head inwardly. It was clear that Steve had never really faced hardship. Though he worked hard and was knowledgeable about the ways of the world, Steve was still young and inexperienced. After all, these were just tiny cuts. There was no need for him to act as though his life were in danger. Kevin felt that it was time for him to step in and help Steve learn to toughen up. After all, he was a man now, and small injuries should never hold him back. Peng Peng, standing nearby, couldn¡¯t help but suppress a laugh. The idea of Steve needing help to drink water was simply too much. He recalled Bai Xiaolu¡¯s description¡ªjust a few small cuts less than one centimeter in size, and Steve¡¯s hands were wrapped so thoroughly that anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think he had broken a bone. As for Jarvis, she was growing increasingly frustrated. When had Steve become so delicate? And why did Mina have to feed him? Why couldn¡¯t she do it? She was convinced Steve was playing his own game with Mina. --- Chapter 30: Its A Bit of A Waste to Use Medicine on Your Wound Steve gulped down the entire coconut in one go, letting out a long breath afterward. Drinking the coconut milk helped Steve regain some of his strength. "Huh, Chris was injured and had to withdraw," Steve suddenly blurted out, shocking everyone around him. Chris quit? How could that be? She was their survival expert. She quit¡ªwhat would happen to the remaining people now? How was she injured? Before anyone could ask, Steve began recounting the events. As Steve explained, the expressions of the group shifted, from worry to fear, then to tension, and finally, to a sense of relief. "That¡¯s what happened. Chris was too badly injured to continue, so she had no choice but to withdraw." After hearing Steve''s story, everyone fell silent. They had never wanted an accident to occur, but now that it had, there was nothing they could do except accept it. But now that Chris was gone, how long could the remaining people hold out? It wasn¡¯t that they were underestimating themselves or lacked confidence, but the truth was, they were all star artists with no survival experience whatsoever. Forget about hunting or finding food¡ªthey wouldn''t even recognize wild vegetables if they were placed in front of them. If they relied solely on seafood, they¡¯d be dealing with stomach problems within days. And in the wild, if you had a stomach ache, there was little to do except quit. Since quitting seemed inevitable, did it even make sense to keep pushing forward? At this point, it might be better to... Steve looked around at the depressed faces of his companions and said, "Everyone, cheer up. Even though Chris is gone, we can¡¯t give up so easily. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. If not for anything else, we owe it to those who are supporting us and to Chris. We must persevere. I don¡¯t know what your plans are, but I promised Chris that I¡¯d stick it out until the very end, no matter what." This was Steve''s true conviction. He didn¡¯t want to quit. Even though he could easily make a name for himself by leaving, thanks to the system and his experience from his past life, this program was his best opportunity to gain attention. It could save him time and avoid many unnecessary detours. "I¡¯ll stay with you," Jarvis suddenly said. As soon as she spoke, she seemed to realize how ambiguous her words sounded. Her face flushed slightly, and she quickly turned her head, silent afterward. Mina¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise as she glanced at Jarvis. Clearly, she hadn''t expected Jarvis to express such an interest in Steve. Although it wasn¡¯t explicitly stated, anyone with common sense could understand what was being implied. However, it wasn''t that surprising. After all, who wouldn¡¯t be drawn to Steve? He was a good man, and Mina thought it was worth competing for him. She then turned her attention to Steve and spoke firmly, "I won¡¯t give up either. I¡¯ll stay with you until the end." Kevin and Peng Peng exchanged a look, as if silently asking if they were unnecessary in this situation. Jarvis stared at Mina and narrowed her eyes. The two women locked gazes, and it felt as though a spark of tension had ignited between them. As the two women made their declarations, the live broadcast room exploded. "Wow, wow! This is so exciting¡ªtwo women fighting for the same man? It¡¯s so obvious!" "Is this a clear competition? Will there be a fight? I¡¯m so looking forward to it." "I don¡¯t get it, what¡¯s so special about Steve? Why are two goddesses like Jarvis and Mina so interested in him?" "Steve¡¯s my role model now. From now on, I¡¯ll hang a poster of him above my bed to bring me good luck in love." "Brother, could your bad luck with women be because you¡¯re ugly?" "Could it be that Steve has some hidden talent we don¡¯t know about?" "How long is it? Is it longer than mine?" "Stop bragging. Your wife told me your thing is too small to even use for picking your teeth." "It¡¯s only been one day, and he¡¯s already won over two women. If it lasts a month, will they both have children?" "The remaining Lulu and Xiaoai must hang on! Don¡¯t let that guy Steve get away with it." The live stream was full of lively comments, but the atmosphere in the shelter grew awkward. Steve glanced between the two women and suddenly felt a headache coming on. He hadn¡¯t expected to become so popular. But if the two of them actually started fighting, that would be an even bigger problem. So, Steve quickly changed the subject. "Uh, Kevin, can you come over here and help me change the bandages?" Both of his hands were injured, and it was a bit inconvenient for him to do it himself. Kevin looked at Steve¡¯s hands, wrapped tightly in bandages, with a helpless expression. After thinking for a moment, Kevin spoke up directly: "Steve, you really don¡¯t need to wrap your small wounds this tightly. As long as they don¡¯t get wet, they should heal by tomorrow morning." Steve blinked in surprise. "My wounds will be healed by tomorrow morning? Kevin, do you have some misunderstanding here?" Kevin nodded confidently. "Misunderstanding? There¡¯s no misunderstanding. By tomorrow noon at the latest. Be a man, be strong. This little injury is nothing." Kevin really wanted to help Steve break this habit of overreacting to minor injuries, so he spoke bluntly. After all, Kevin wasn¡¯t one to sugarcoat things, which was why he often found himself in the middle of debates with the young fans who followed the handsome stars. "Huh? Steve, where did you get all these bandages and potions?" Peng Peng asked, staring at the items Steve had pulled out with wide eyes. When Peng Peng spoke up, the others noticed the plastic bag Steve had taken out, which contained the medicine and bandages. The group¡¯s expressions shifted immediately. If someone brought in items without permission, not only would they be forced to withdraw from the program, but their team would also face penalties. "What¡¯s this? Oh, it¡¯s a reward from the program team," Steve replied casually. The others froze. "A reward?" "Yeah, because I saved Mina and Chris, the program team gave me two rolls of bandages and a bottle of potion to treat the wound on my hands." Kevin hesitated for a moment, then looked at Steve with a serious expression. "Brother, using these things on your minor injury is a bit of a waste." --- Chapter 31: You Quit Steve... Is it really okay for you to be so blunt? Looking at the others, it was clear that they were all thinking the same thing. With no choice left, Steve began to untie the cloth wrapped around his hands, one painful inch at a time. Since it was already afternoon, the blood had coagulated and dried. Each time he pulled at the bandages, the pain was so intense that Steve couldn¡¯t help but gasp and grimace. Seeing Steve¡¯s exaggerated reactions, the others were at a loss as to whether to laugh or cry. Finally, Jarvis stepped forward, grabbed Steve¡¯s hand, and said, "Let me help you." She smiled at him, clearly amused. She hadn¡¯t expected him to be so afraid of pain. When she touched the wound, sweat broke out on her forehead. "Be gentle, gentle, slow, slow, slow!" Steve kept muttering in pain. Everyone looked on helplessly. His injury was so minor, but the way he was acting, it seemed like it was the worst thing ever. When the last layer of cloth was peeled away, a grotesque wound was revealed. It ran through his palm, and the muscles were exposed, turning outward. The wound slowly oozed blood, and the pale fascia at the deepest part could even be seen. The faces of the group instantly changed, and the mocking expressions they had were replaced with concern and shock. Jarvis froze for a moment, her face turning pale as she carefully held Steve¡¯s hand. Tears started to flow freely down her face, and she looked up at him with a mix of heartache, guilt, and self-blame. She opened her mouth to say something, but her sobs choked her words. "You... you..." Mina, too, stared at the horrifying wound with a pale face, her own tears streaming as she asked, "How did this happen? How could the injury be so serious?" Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Steve, looking at the two girls with tears in their eyes, smiled faintly, his face as pale as ever. "It¡¯s okay, it just looks worse than it is. These are just flesh wounds. They¡¯ll heal soon. Kevin said that, at the latest, by tomorrow noon, I¡¯ll be fine." To lighten the mood, Steve even teased Kevin, who had been more concerned than anyone. Kevin¡¯s face flushed a deep red. "Steve, I was too self-assured earlier. I¡¯m sorry. Let me help you apply the medicine." Peng Peng, who had been silently observing, was now visibly shaken. He looked at the wound in fear, his legs shaking as he tried to steady himself. Steve was about to thank Kevin, but before he could say anything, Jarvis interrupted him. "No, I¡¯ll do it." Her tone carried a hint of resentment, clearly directed at Kevin for his earlier comment about Steve being spoiled. It was almost as if she had forgotten that, not long ago, she had been silently laughing at Steve¡¯s fear of pain. This might just be the magical theorem: Whatever I say to my people is fine, but if others say it, it¡¯s a problem. Kevin smiled bitterly and stepped aside. Mina wanted to help as well, but she was too afraid of making things worse, so she could only watch from the side, her face full of anxiety and concern. "Does it hurt?" Mina asked softly, her eyes filled with heartache as she looked at Steve, tears still streaming down her face. Steve forced a grin, though it was hard to mask the pain. "Isn¡¯t that a silly question? Of course, it hurts." Mina raised her delicate hands and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "If it hurts, cry. Crying helps you forget the pain." Steve shook his head, his lips curving into a reluctant smile. "It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll hold on." Jarvis had no time to feel jealous. She was too focused on carefully cleaning away the dried blood around Steve¡¯s wound. As she was wiping, Jarvis suddenly paused, as if she had made an important decision. With red eyes, she looked at Steve and said something that completely changed the mood. "You should quit." Steve was taken aback. With a forced smile, he asked, "What do you mean? It sounds like you want me to leave, but I¡¯m not going anywhere. I still want to win the grand prize." Jarvis sniffed and glared at Steve. "I¡¯m not joking. You¡¯re seriously injured. You can¡¯t afford to delay. If you get infected or develop tetanus, it¡¯ll be a nightmare. You need to leave and go to the hospital right away." "Yes, I agree with Jarvis," Mina chimed in. "You should get treatment right away. If it¡¯s delayed, it could be disastrous." Before Steve could even argue, Kevin joined in: "They¡¯re right, Steve. Your injury isn¡¯t small¡ªit¡¯s serious. If something goes wrong, you might lose your hand." "I agree too," Peng Peng said, raising his hand awkwardly, as if to prove he was also concerned. Seeing everyone so unified in their concerns, Steve grew serious. "I¡¯m not quitting. I promised Chris I¡¯d stick it out until the end." He gave them a sincere smile. "Thank you for caring, but I won¡¯t change my mind. I¡¯m confident this injury is nothing, and I¡¯ll recover soon." As he spoke, Steve tried to reassure them, but deep down, he knew he had to be cautious. If his injury got infected, it could force him to quit, even if he didn¡¯t want to. Kevin spoke up quickly, his voice urgent. "Now isn¡¯t the time to act recklessly. Your health is the most important thing. You¡¯re in a dangerous situation if you don¡¯t withdraw." "Steve, please quit. I promise you, I will carry on for you. If I win the grand prize, I¡¯ll give it all to you. But please, go out and get treatment," Jarvis said, her voice full of emotion and pleading. Steve¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He could tell just how much Jarvis cared for him¡ªif she wasn¡¯t extremely worried, she would never have said something like that. But despite how much he appreciated her concern, he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to agree. --- Chapter 32: The Little Fox With A Sharp Tongue And A Soft Heart Mina also followed up, saying, "Steve, I¡¯ll give you the bonus if you agree to go out for treatment." Steve really wanted to ask Mina, Can¡¯t you come up with your own words? She always just copied Jarvis, without any creativity. How is she supposed to chase a guy like that? "You should get the bonus first," Steve said helplessly, looking at Mina. If he really quit, Steve was certain that they wouldn¡¯t last even a month, let alone get a bonus. "Give me a day. If my wound gets infected, I¡¯ll quit immediately. If not, I¡¯ll hang on." Jarvis couldn¡¯t help but get angry when she saw how stubborn Steve was despite what everyone had said. "You... I don¡¯t care about you anymore," Jarvis said, turning her head away angrily, refusing to look at Steve. Steve smiled bitterly, replying, "You won¡¯t help me change the bandages?" "I won¡¯t help you get infected," Jarvis shot back, still not looking at him. "Mina, what about you?" Steve asked, turning toward her. Mina was stunned. "Me? I... I don¡¯t dare. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll hurt you." "Mina, you¡¯re not allowed to help him," Jarvis said sharply from the side. With both women refusing to help, Steve was left with no choice but to look at Kevin. Kevin looked around, considering the situation. He couldn¡¯t just let Steve go without changing his bandages. "Okay, I¡¯ll help you." He gave Steve a look, as if to say, See? We¡¯ve still got each other. Women can¡¯t be relied on. Just as Kevin was about to step forward, Jarvis suddenly pushed him aside. He stumbled, almost falling to the ground. Then, Jarvis¡¯s voice, cold and firm, came through: "Don¡¯t bother, Kevin. We can do it ourselves." Kevin froze for a moment, unsure how to react. When he looked up again, he saw Steve¡¯s apologetic gaze. Kevin swore to himself, If I help you again, I¡¯ll be a dog. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Jarvis was just being petty. She cared deeply for Steve¡¯s injury and wanted him to quit and get treated. How could she just ignore him? As she tended to Steve¡¯s bandages, her gaze lingered on his wound, and tears began to fall. Steve gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and finally, the bandages were changed. His already painful and numb hands throbbed again from the washing. The pain was unbearable, making Steve¡¯s face turn pale as sweat poured from him. Looking at Steve¡¯s painful expression, the two girls could only worry, but there was nothing they could do to help. At this moment, the audience in the live stream was also shocked by the sight of Steve¡¯s wound. "Hiss¡ªIt¡¯s so scary. I can even see the bones. That must hurt like hell." "Steve is a real man. I admire him. Not only is he enduring such intense pain, but he¡¯s also not giving up. If he had quit, Sister Bird would be done for." "I can¡¯t imagine what kind of determination it takes to hold onto the vines even when it¡¯s so painful." "If nothing else, Steve deserves to have fans just for his courage to sacrifice himself to save others." "Oh my god, he¡¯s such a hero. What¡¯s his name? Steve?" "According to the investigation, Steve has some blood from Little Bang country, so he¡¯s actually a Little Bang person." "Baga, you¡¯re much worse than us Little Bagas. We don¡¯t even feel pain when we have a C-section." "If getting hurt can win the hearts of two beautiful women, I think I can handle it too." "Isn¡¯t it just a superficial injury? Why is everyone making such a big deal out of it? When I was stealing my neighbor¡¯s wife, my leg was broken, but I still held it in without screaming." "What kind of monsters are these?" Meanwhile, Sister Bird was resting on the cruise ship used by the program crew. Though she had numerous serious wounds on her back, after receiving treatment, she only needed an IV drip. As soon as she finished tending to her wounds, Sister Bird picked up her phone and started watching the live broadcast. When she saw that Steve had been seriously injured while trying to save her, her eyes filled with tears. She never imagined that someone she had just met a day ago would endure so much pain to help her. How could she not be moved by that? She silently decided in her heart that Steve would be her lifelong benefactor. Back with Steve, after the bandages were changed, he lay down exhausted. But the pain in his hand kept him from being able to sleep. He silently prayed, hoping that it would be midnight soon. Once the fan value updated, he could start increasing his physical fitness. The pain was unbearable. "By the way, are the others okay over there? Have they eaten?" Steve asked, suddenly remembering the four teammates on the other side. Jarvis, seeing how miserable Steve looked, responded irritably, "You should take care of yourself first. Haven¡¯t you eaten yet? I¡¯ll go find you something to eat." Steve shook his head, "Where are you going to find food? It¡¯s so late, and it¡¯s dark outside. Don¡¯t go. I¡¯ll just eat a few coconuts." Mina suddenly stood up, saying, "Oh, by the way, when I was fishing here at noon, I picked up two buckets of seafood. I¡¯ll grill them for you." Steve¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard this. Since he hadn¡¯t eaten anything tonight, he knew his physical condition wouldn¡¯t improve without proper food. He didn¡¯t expect Mina to surprise him like this. My popularity value will definitely be high today, so I can order a lot of food as long as there¡¯s something to eat. However, I can¡¯t eat too much right now. I have to wait until after midnight. Looks like I¡¯ll have to save some popularity points for next time. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll be eating in the middle of the night every time, which will be hard to explain. --- Chapter 33: I Still Like Your Unruly Look "Let¡¯s grill it later. I¡¯m not hungry yet." Steve stopped Mina, who was about to grill the seafood. Mina rolled her eyes. "You haven¡¯t eaten all day, and you¡¯re not hungry? Who are you trying to fool?" "I¡¯m really not hungry. Don¡¯t worry. If I get hungry later tonight, I won¡¯t hesitate." "By the way, Kevin, how¡¯s the new shelter coming along?" Steve asked. Kevin was making eye contact with Peng Peng when he heard Steve¡¯s words. He said, "It¡¯s just like this place, a simple shelter, but it¡¯s enough for us to sleep." Steve thought for a moment. "Why don¡¯t we go over there now? We don¡¯t want them to worry when they see that we haven¡¯t returned." Kevin quickly shook his head. "Forget it. You should rest. You¡¯re badly injured, Steve. Stop pushing yourself." "It¡¯s fine. My injury¡¯s on my hand, not my feet. It won¡¯t affect my journey," Steve insisted. Steve still wanted to go. It wasn¡¯t a big deal to split the two groups. Besides, he wanted to stall for time and wait until they were somewhere more comfortable to find shelter and have a proper meal. "Alright, stop being so stubborn and rest. If it really becomes an issue, Kevin and Peng Peng can go back and inform them," Jarvis said, putting a hand on Steve¡¯s shoulder. "My Queen, you just need to be strong." Kevin and Peng Peng exchanged a look. Aren¡¯t we human beings? You want us to walk a long distance in the middle of the night? You¡¯re not worried at all? Do you think we¡¯re in the way? Would it be easier if you took Mina with you instead? In the end, Kevin and Peng Peng left. They were worried about Chen Chichi and the others, but the unbearable stench in the shelter, a sour smell coming from dog food, was the main reason they couldn¡¯t stay any longer. With Kevin and Peng Peng gone, Jarvis and Mina became even bolder. Jarvis stayed by Steve¡¯s side, taking care of him every step of the way, no longer concerned with the live broadcast. Stolen novel; please report. Steve had no choice but to find something for them to do. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t get a moment of peace. If the two of them started fighting, it would be chaotic. "I¡¯m a little hungry. Go help me roast some conchs. Roast a lot so I can have some as a midnight snack." "Okay, I¡¯ll go right away. Call me if you need anything," Jarvis said, standing up. Steve nodded. "Well, thank you for your hard work." As soon as Jarvis went out to roast the conchs, Mina immediately asked, "What about me? What can I do for you?" Steve shook his head. "Nothing." "No, I want to help you too," Mina pouted. Steve couldn¡¯t help but smile in exasperation. "But there¡¯s really nothing else I need you to do." "You can have this." Mina pouted again and crossed her arms, looking cute. Who could resist that? People say that being in love is difficult, but that¡¯s only because they aren¡¯t in love with you. If there¡¯s a beautiful woman who cares about you wholeheartedly, would you really turn her away? "Then why don¡¯t you stay here with me?" Steve decided to take action, mainly because he wanted to rest quietly for a while. After a long day of activity and research, he was exhausted. The pain in his hand had become more of a numbness, no longer as painful, and he just wanted to take a short nap. Steve¡¯s words hit the mark. Mina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, and her face turned bright red. "Well, I¡¯ll stay here with you then." Yes, why did she have to find something to do? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to stay here with Steve? As for Jarvis, humph, let her do the work. Steve breathed a sigh of relief. This girl was a bit clingy, but honestly, he liked her original cold and unruly demeanor. Steve slowly closed his eyes, whispering, "I¡¯ll take a nap. Just put the food aside when it¡¯s ready. I¡¯ll eat it when I wake up." "Good." Steve, too exhausted to stay awake, fell asleep quickly, despite the soreness in his hands. His physical condition was much worse than that of most people. After everything he had been through today, his body had reached its limit. Just as Steve drifted off to sleep, the world outside was in an uproar. "Jiuzhou Team¡¯s survival expert eliminated!" The news instantly became a hot topic worldwide. Naturally, people abroad were extremely sarcastic, and on the Internet, most of the comments were gloating over Steve¡¯s misfortune. There were also constant arguments in the country. "Isn¡¯t this the end? There are no survival experts left, just a bunch of lazy celebrities who don¡¯t even know how to eat. They can¡¯t even last until they finish their food, let alone survive out here." "How did this happen? Isn¡¯t Steve just trash? He¡¯s holding everyone back. If it weren¡¯t for him, Sister Bird wouldn¡¯t have been eliminated." "Are you blind? What does this have to do with Steve? It was just an accident. Bad luck¡ªwho can control that?" "At least it¡¯s true that he didn¡¯t protect Sister Bird, right? A grown man couldn¡¯t even protect a woman. What a waste." "Steve tried his best. He suffered a serious injury trying to save Sister Niao. How many people would have done that? If it weren¡¯t for him, Sister Niao wouldn¡¯t have survived." "Why argue with those incompetent idiots? They¡¯re just venting their frustration. If it were them, they wouldn¡¯t even be one percent as good as Steve." "It¡¯s pointless to argue now. Sister Bird has been eliminated. How long can the remaining people hold out?" "Logically speaking... three days?" "Three more days? If they last two days, they¡¯re doing pretty well." Steve, sleeping peacefully, had no idea that, after this incident, he had become famous. There were those who admired and liked him, those who despised and hated him, and the majority who had no strong feelings either way, just passing through. --- Chapter 34: Adding Recovery Points Before they knew it, night had deepened, and Steve woke up. He was awakened by the pain. After a few hours, bacteria began to multiply around the wound, causing it to swell and hurt. This was a normal process for any traumatic injury. Typically, there wouldn¡¯t be an issue with using antibiotics at this stage, but Steve didn¡¯t have any. So, he could only endure it and quietly pray that he wouldn¡¯t develop a fever. If a high fever set in, things would become more complicated. Looking at the two girls already sleeping beside him, Steve sighed inwardly. Now wasn¡¯t the time to think about romantic relationships. Instead, he decided to check the system¡¯s popularity points. Host: Steve Age: 25 Strength: 36 Constitution: 40 Agility: 47 Spirit: 56 Skills: Singing level 3, Dancing level 4, Acting level 4, Cooking level 1, Weaving level 1... Popularity: 4,765,888 Lottery Mall: (Not yet open) Character favorability: (Not yet available) The first thing Steve noticed was the changes in his attributes. His strength had increased by 3 points, and his agility and spirit had both increased by one point each. Steve was a little confused by the inexplicable increase in several attribute points. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it What¡¯s going on? I didn¡¯t add anything to these. I only focused on physical factors. After thinking for a while, Steve seemed to understand. If a person¡¯s physical fitness improves, other aspects of their body naturally improve as well. This was inevitable. With this realization, Steve smiled. Didn¡¯t that mean from now on, he only needed to focus on improving his physique? He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about anything else. This time, I really hit the jackpot. But then, Steve noticed something strange. Why had his physique decreased slightly? He clearly remembered that the total was 41 points yesterday. Why had it dropped a little? Looking at the wound on his hand, Steve wondered if this was the reason. It seemed that adding points to the system didn¡¯t mean completely digitizing his body. Instead, it appeared to speed up the absorption of energy from food in some way. In other words, the system didn¡¯t make his body infallible. If he didn¡¯t eat for a few days or neglected his body for too long, even if he exercised 10 times a day, his physical condition would still deteriorate. However, this seemed better than having the system control everything. The system was just an aid¡ªit didn¡¯t transform his body into mere data packets. Although various attributes could decrease, as long as Steve took care of his body and got enough nutrition, there would be no problem. If all else fails, I can just add more points. After reviewing the changes in his attributes, Steve looked at the popularity value again and almost cried. More than 4 million popularity points! Finally, he could increase his physical strength to the level of a normal person. He was no longer a fragile being, at risk of death at any moment. No need to hesitate, let''s do this. As Steve gave the command to add points, he instantly felt a warm current spread through his body. However, when the warm current reached his palm, it was blocked. Steve frowned. Probably because of the wound. After being blocked, the warm current didn¡¯t retreat. Instead, it swirled around his palm several times, using up its energy before disappearing. Steve could clearly feel that each time the warm current passed over the wound, his hand would feel numb and itchy. It was as if countless ants were gnawing at the wound, causing an unbearable tingling sensation. Steve wanted to scratch the spot, but stopped himself halfway. He knew that if he interfered now, the wound would reopen. So, he endured it. Even though the sensation made him want to laugh and cry at the same time, with his face turning red, he resisted the urge to scratch. Fortunately, the feeling was brief¡ªlasting no more than 10 seconds. Once the warm current dissipated, the numbing and itchy sensations faded away as well. Steve sighed in relief. Damn, that was torturous. But what he had suspected was right. Adding some physical strength could indeed help the wound heal. Steve just wasn¡¯t sure how fast it would heal. He hoped it wouldn¡¯t be too dramatic. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be too over the top, right? If it healed completely overnight, that would be too scary. He figured he would be taken away and sliced into pieces for study. After thinking about this, Steve quietly removed the gauze to check the wound. There didn¡¯t seem to be any noticeable changes. Let¡¯s try adding a little more. So, Steve added a bit more. The tingling and numbing feeling came again, and Steve could even see the flesh around the wound trembling slightly. After the sensation faded, Steve saw that the wound had changed a little, though the difference was small and might be unnoticeable without close inspection. He moved his hand slightly and felt less pain. It seemed to be working. Let¡¯s continue. Steve added two more points in succession, and now he could see more noticeable changes¡ªthe wound was almost closed. Moreover, the redness and swelling around his hand had gradually subsided. He estimated that the wound would be completely healed in another 10 hours or so. At that point, while it might seem a bit exaggerated when changing the dressing tomorrow, it would be an acceptable result. However, Steve didn¡¯t dare to add any more points. He was so hungry that he had to find something to eat quickly. Thinking of this, Steve quietly got up, planning to find some food. Unexpectedly, his movement woke up the people beside him. ---