Chapter 288: 285: Contestant's Diary
A total of four helicopters and even an off-road vehicle, medical team, supervisory team, security team, and coordination team surrounded the entire clearing. Except for a few who remained in front of the screen to monitor safety, the large group of over twenty people completely encircled the area.
Bi Fang scanned the field, which was blocked by helicopters and off-road vehicles, effectively forming a natural barrier around them.
It looked like they didn’t even need to change locations.
After the hunt, there was the removal of the innards and skinning, the scene was rich with the smell of blood, which could easily attract keen-smelling predators. But even a brown bear, seeing the current scene, would probably not dare to approach, right?
There were over a dozen tranquilizer guns, more than five professional soldiers, one top-level adventurer, and a full complement of cars and helicopters, even emergency live firearms; any coming beast would only be delivering its own head.
Dozens of people bustling about, hauling out barbecue grills, pouring out piles of charcoal, the lighting of which released the distinctive fragrance of fruitwood, invigorating anyone who caught the scent.
After consuming canned food for three days straight, the opportunity to have fresh roasted venison had everyone working fervently.
A large deer, just in pure meat, weighed over a hundred pounds, on average.
Bi Fang, looking at the cumin and salt beside him, was quite surprised. Having a barbecue grill was already inconceivable, let alone all sorts of seasonings, including even ginger and garlic!
“How did you manage to prepare so thoroughly?”
“Hahaha, it’s not that we were prepared, we just wanted to do this. We planned to have a hunting feast after the show ended.”
Pondy sliced a piece of deer leg meat, putting it into a pot on a nearby temporary stove to simply boil with a lot of ginger and cooking wine to remove the gamey flavor, then skewered it with an iron stick and placed it over the fire to grill.
The wild deer had a strong gamey taste; it needed some treatment.
Bi Fang squatted down to take a look; the stove was burning biomass pellets, completely setting the scene for a camping trip.
Jerry, seeing everyone’s enthusiastic involvement, suddenly had a burst of inspiration.
What if there was a show where hunters and cooks hit the road together, competing to see whose hunted game, cooked under primitive conditions, tasted better?
It seemed promising.
But it was still just a budding idea, something to consider well once he got back.
The charcoal fire was fierce, and the venison was quickly roasted. Bi Fang grabbed a skewer to taste, and his eyes lit up.
The venison was brimming with a smoky flavor, the fat was almost bursting from the meat layers, giving a fluffy and delicate texture, the cumin was rich, complemented by the salt crystals that had just been sprinkled on and not yet fully melted, creating distinctly layered flavors, far more delicious than anything he’d eaten in the wild before.
He patted Pondy’s shoulder, “Not bad, do you barbecue often?”
“I camp quite a lot, so naturally, I’ve picked up a few tricks.” Pondy replied cheerfully, clearly pleased with the praise. He carried a large platter of meat towards the others.
A staff member nearby, holding a small bottle of wine, tossed it to Bi Fang, “Catch, Mr. Bi!”
Bi Fang reached out and caught the bottle in his hand.
Countless viewers watching this scene were dripping with envy, especially the international audience.
For the production crew, it was only around eight, but in China, it was already late at night. This ceremonial arrangement was tantamount to a late-night temptation, utterly inhumane!
“Damn, I’m so hungry!”
“I really want to join in too!”
“Contestant’s Diary: Another night curled up in the shelter, watching the bright bonfire party in the distance, I tightened my clothing around me, just hoping the cold night would pass quickly, that tomorrow I wouldn’t have to eat worms again, with 200 hours left until the competition ends. I hope to survive until then.”
“The good days are still to come (sly).”
“My heart is filled with nothing but gratitude.”
Seeing the barrage of comments, Bi Fang chatted with the audience for a few more sentences and then ended the live broadcast directly.
There wasn’t much to see next. It was just the queueing up in the wilderness this time.
After working for three days straight, everyone relaxed properly tonight, only parting at ten in the evening to take the helicopters back to their posts.
After clearing the traces from the scene, Bi Fang left the large pile of reindeer entrails for Nature. If the pack of wolves hadn’t gone far, they might come back and find a meal waiting for them.
Due to years of hunting by humans, the wolf population in the Rocky Mountains had dwindled. That’s why Bi Fang had only killed the alpha, not even exterminating the scout wolf that had taken a piercing blow to the abdomen.
With the wolf’s self-healing capabilities, if luck wasn’t too bad, those wounds could still heal.
The supervisory team was still working, watching the screens, making sure that nothing went awry, while the others, having eaten their fill, gradually fell asleep.
Bi Fang reshuffled his sleeping bag and squeezed in with everyone else.
What developments would tomorrow bring?
Quite exciting indeed.
The third day, the live broadcast continued.
The contestants had now experienced two full days and three nights, and many who were once confident in their survival skills had begun to doubt themselves, creating a bizarre scene for the audience.
Many of the contestants who were already awake didn’t take any action and instead stared vacantly at the countdown of over two hundred hours remaining on their wristbands, seemingly lost in thought.
Wondering what they were thinking about.
Bi Fang shook his head and said softly, “They’ve shaken their own confidence and determination and are starting to doubt if they can hold on. To be honest, this is not a good sign. In Wilderness Survivalist, when one’s resolve begins to loosen, it often marks the beginning of failure. Many times, it’s not that people cannot endure, but rather their will is not firm enough.”
Even Doligong, whom Bi Fang initially favored, had begun to waver.
As a man who had faced down a Brown Bear, his strength didn’t seem to be as formidable as thought, and he even began to ponder whether to continue his trek.
Bi Fang believed there was a high chance that he might seek out a cabin, using it as a base to build a shelter.
The audience recalled a classic survival case Bi Fang had mentioned a long time ago.
Moro, who got lost in the Sahara from a marathon, and Pan Lian, who persisted over a hundred days at sea, were such cases. Were they born from special forces?
No, they weren’t, especially Pan Lian, who was just an ordinary person yet managed to accomplish what others could not.
The audience was well aware that the watershed of strength had already appeared.
Forget making comparisons with Bi Fang from last night—that was plain bullying. The disparity in the statuses among the contestants themselves clearly revealed the difference in their levels.
Ji Zuodong, Bonuo, Mugalen, and even the duo showed certain advantages. They got up early without any hesitation, abandoning their shelters to venture into the unknown forest.
They moved forward with decisiveness, without the reluctance seen in other contestants.
Especially the duo, having hunted eight groundhogs, their food crisis was resolved. As long as they found a water source, surviving a week wouldn’t be a problem, and their mental states were both good due to mutual support.
As for Bonuo and others, being special forces, their willpower was much stronger than that of ordinary people. Without that resilience, not to mention becoming special forces, one wouldn’t even pass the basic selection.
Bi Fang sighed, “That’s why I say today and tomorrow will still be a period of high elimination. If a contestant can’t get through this phase, there’s no hope of competing for the championship.”
Many people agreed deeply, with few doubting his judgment would be wrong. Such was the transcendence brought about by Bi Fang’s status.
Though he didn’t want to be an authority, the people regarded him as one.
At this moment, a member of the monitoring team suddenly pulled Bi Fang aside as if having something to say.