Chapter 40 The communicator in my hand emitted a piercing sound...

Yu Shuling wanted to separate, not because she didn't want to share the spoils, but because she thought that this wave of clues had given them a lot, and that others besides the two of them must have obtained other clues as well.

This is probably why the production team set up "individual battles" for them. If everyone gathered together to explore, they would all find roughly the same things. Only by separating could they get a comprehensive view. She currently maintains a good working relationship with Kawana, not only because they are teammates outside the game, but also because they may need to exchange information later on.

Otherwise, if the players were scattered from the beginning, why would some people be arranged to live together?

She roughly explained her thoughts to Kawana. Kawana had a strong comprehension ability, and even though she only vaguely understood some of the words Yu Shuling used, it didn't prevent Kawana from roughly deducing her meaning.

"I can remember."

Kawana has a great memory; even as a foreigner, she memorizes song lyrics very quickly, so Yu Shuling isn't worried about her. After receiving a positive answer, the two went back to their room together for a simple dinner. Before the sun had completely set in the afternoon, Yu Shuling tied her shoelaces, made thorough preparations, and went around to the back of the house where the NPC Wang Shangen was located.

And then it leaped up onto the roof.

Wang Shangen was completely unaware of this; no one was giving him any guidance through his headset, and the NPCs in "Wilderness Secret" had a high degree of freedom. The young man hummed a folk song as he began moving lanterns onto the small cart outside as darkness fell.

Yu Shuling hid behind the chimney of the brick house, watching him busy himself. Wang Shangen carried lanterns back and forth. There were quite a few lanterns, but none of them were lit at the moment. They were shrouded in the setting sun, yet they reflected a blood-red color that seemed to be rippling, which was particularly eerie.

No one gets married at night; at most, it's just for the banquet. Yu Shuling had been finding it strange ever since she heard his story that afternoon. At this moment, the slender girl was curled up in a standard position, only her head peeking out, a position that allowed her to easily avoid Wang Shangen's gaze. The comments section was already flooded with messages.

[I'm just a passerby. Did she bring a ladder and hide here before? How did she get up there?]

[Climbed up]

This roof must be at least 2.5 meters high. Even I, a 1.8-meter tall man, wouldn't dare say I could climb onto it barehanded.

[She seems to have some special skills, and her tackle on Wang Shangen was amazing! What did Yu Shuling do before becoming an idol?]

[Mom, what's with this weird pose?]

After watching for a while, I realized what it meant. Pass it on: Yu Shuling knows kung fu.

Viewers who had been watching Yu Shuling's live stream since the beginning of "The Wilderness Secret" began posting comments.

Her popularity isn't the highest among the guests. With a top star like Jiang Wenxi around, it's difficult for Yu Shuling to reach the top spot in viewership no matter what. Moreover, the two MCs are very good at creating drama and come up with all sorts of tricks. Zhou Ya bumps into a fitness coach and takes him to find clues. She lies down on the ground and says she's pregnant and about to give birth, which lures the village chief away from his room. Zhou Ya and Xiao Shu have a strong sense of variety show humor, so their ratings are usually among the top.

However, since the storyline reached the point where Wang Shangen appears, the number of viewers in Yu Shuling and Chuan Nai's live streams has been steadily increasing. According to the production team's story plan, this was actually supposed to happen at night.

Wang Shangen has a story, which is obvious from his behavior. However, no guests approach him during the day, as he usually catches up on sleep during the day and performs energetically at night. On the other hand, the guests who have been searching for clues all day are not so lucky. They are tired and sleepy, and they have to stay up late, so it is normal for them to miss clues sometimes.

From subduing Wang Shangen and extracting information from him, to boldly speaking out and splitting up with Kawana, Yu Shuling's performance of climbing onto the roof in no time completely overturned the audience's impression of girl group members.

Shouldn't girl groups be energetic girls who strive to maintain a perfect image on stage, whether they're sweet or mature?

Who is this handsome but utterly illogical bandit?

Even the fans were surprised.

If we're talking about dating reality shows, which are within the scope of their acquaintances—Yu Shuling is straightforward, which could be described as thoughtless, sometimes a bit temperamental, and can be quite spoiled. Some people are really annoying, while others are known as "real people in the entertainment industry." Plus, her face and figure are undeniably stunning, which has attracted a wave of fans.

But the fans really didn't expect that their idol would actually go so far as to climb onto the roof and tear down the tiles.

During the talent show, when the host asked everyone what their personal skills were, Yu Shuling hesitated and couldn't answer. In the end, she only gave a standard "word chain" answer, which was ridiculed by the crowd.

Yu Shuling's hidden personal skill can't possibly be martial arts, right?

Galaxy: Well, it's really hard to say.

**

While Wang Shangen went out to load the truck, Yu Shuling shifted back slightly, pried open a tile, and scanned the area below in the twilight. After he finished installing the last lantern and was about to leave, Yu Shuling quietly climbed down from the roof, which the photographer, who had been secretly following behind, captured in a close-up shot.

The nimble girl gripped the tiles, slowly climbing down through the gaps between them, then leaped from a height of over two meters, landing and rolling half a circle before hiding in the grass. The whole movement was as smooth and fluid as flowing water.

This was commonplace for the female general who had fought in battles, but the comments section immediately filled with a row of messages:

[Dangerous action, do not imitate.]

Wang Shangen didn't notice anyone following him and continued pushing his cart forward. It was unclear whether it was for the sake of the show or he genuinely didn't notice. The audience was overjoyed. During this time, everyone else was either resting or preparing for tasks. Apart from Jiang Wenxi, who had a die-hard fanbase, most of the organic traffic was concentrated in Yu Shuling's live stream.

Yu Shuling didn't actually display many skills; they were just some technical movements that highly agile people could perform. Otherwise, it would be illogical and hard to explain if she did more. She followed Wang Shangen in stealth and concealment as they went, until they reached an increasingly desolate area. The sun was about to set, casting long shadows on the ground, which involuntarily created a sense of tension in viewers watching on screen.

To enhance the immersive experience, "The Wilderness Secret" largely utilizes drone aerial photography. Now, through a high-definition camera, one can clearly see the strange expression on Wang Shangen's face, a mixture of tension and anticipation. He walks to the gate of a dilapidated courtyard, parks his cart in front of it, and swaggeres in, shouting:

"Third Uncle, I'm here!"

Yu Shuling first observed and made sure no one was around before carefully following them into the courtyard. Even though the audience could see through the small window of the God's-eye view that the NPCs were gathered in the main room, they couldn't help but feel anxious as the perspective shifted.

[Didn't Yu Shuling get the hidden quest card before? I suddenly remembered.]

To be honest, the premise of this episode of Wilderness Secrets is a bit disgusting and will probably attract negative attention. I don't really want to watch it anymore.

[But Yu Shuling is a girl too. If she's found out, wouldn't that be...]

A faint, suppressed whimper drifted on the wind and reached Yu Shuling's ears. The sound wasn't actually quiet; it might be a quest notification, or perhaps an NPC acting out a particularly enthusiastic scene. On the ground lay a crudely made trap, and a large yellow dog, chained up, lay fast asleep, its belly turned up, enjoying the last warmth of the setting sun.

Yu Shuling slowed her pace, trying her best not to startle the dog. If the dog was startled, the NPCs inside would probably rush out.

She jogged to the back of the side house, peeked out from under a tree, and the setting sun painted half her face with its deep twilight colors. The other half of her face was backlit, and her slightly disheveled hair, from running, hung in front of her eyes. Her vibrant energy contrasted sharply with the young woman inside.

A small hut on the side was covered by curtains, but through the gaps that were inadvertently revealed, one could see a young woman bound hand and foot sitting on the bed, her face ashen, her eyes filled with a lifeless despair, as if her soul had been drained.

She was wooden in appearance, but her face looked young, probably around twenty years old, like a college student.

Yu Shuling stopped in her tracks.

A moment later, a small pebble hit the earthen wall below the window, making a soft thud, but it didn't wake the big yellow dog sleeping soundly at the base of the opposite wall. The woman just kept her head down, ignoring the noise outside the window. Yu Shuling tried more than ten times, but the girl inside didn't react, so she stopped.

The woman behind her looked up, but stared blankly at the parabola that had just passed by, clearly not wanting to acknowledge her. Just then, Wang Shangen came out of the main room, carrying a pack of cigarettes with only two cigarettes left. He seemed quite pleased with himself, humming a rustic tune as he walked towards the door.

Yu Shuling hid behind the earthen wall, in a gap between it and a stack of dry straw. Her slender figure made her a perfect hiding place. Seeing Wang Shangen carrying lanterns inside, she knew this must be the location for the wedding ceremony.

And what about this girl?

**

As dusk fell, the entire Longevity Village was plunged into darkness, but the tranquility of the countryside was shattered by the sound of gongs and drums. Female players Mu Yubing and Luo Ziqi walked hand in hand along a desolate path, the distant, scattered lights in the darkness resembling flickering will-o'-the-wisps, sending a chill down their spines.

Since it wasn't convenient for opposite-sex players to stay together, the two of them found a room to share. Girls can quickly become friends, and after just one afternoon of chatting during their break, their relationship became closer.

"Go to Changshou Well at 7:30 pm and wait for Aunt Mo to bring the quilt. Isn't it summer now? Why do you need a quilt?"

Mo Ziqi was more outgoing than Mu Yubing, and she kept muttering to herself to bolster her courage. The two girls' clasped hands were a little cold as they walked along the country lane, where they could hear the barking of dogs coming and going, but it didn't give them any sense of security.

The "Longevity Well" is one of the landmarks of Longevity Village and is easy to find. The NPC they met during the day told them where it was and instructed that only women could wait there. 7:30 pm is not very late, and although it was completely dark, the two of them had the courage to keep going.

The withered branches drooped listlessly in the sultry summer evening breeze, like treetops on the verge of death in winter being forcibly revived with nutrient solution, clinging to life with every last breath. The wellhead was made of stone, and there was a small sign next to it, making it easy to see when you arrived at the location.

Seeing Luo Ziqi so frightened, Mu Yubing noticed that the surroundings were empty, with no sign of "Aunt Mo," only a drone filming them indicating that the show was still in progress. Mu Yubing's heart pounded, but remembering that it was a rare opportunity to be on a large-scale reality show like "The Wilderness Secret," she took two deep breaths to calm her heart.

"I'll go check on it. If you're scared, just stand here and don't move."

Hearing Mu Yubing's gentle voice, Luo Ziqi was deeply moved, but she didn't dare to go forward. She could only grit her teeth and nod, watching Mu Yubing's back with grateful eyes.

Mu Yubing carefully walked forward step by step.

Luo Ziqi stood under a relatively safe large tree, carefully observing her every move, her cool hand gripping the safety alarm. The safety alarm was the production team's "escape route" for the guests; once pressed, staff would come to assist and suspend filming, and pressing it a second time would be considered a voluntary withdrawal from the program.

A deep, amplified voice suddenly rang out beside Luo Ziqi. A moment later, two female screams echoed from the darkness, and the communicator in Luo Ziqi's hand emitted a piercing alarm.

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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-12-19 21:16:45 and 2023-12-24 11:43:57!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Moyu (5 bottles);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!