Chapter 189
The queue in the square had formed into a 10×10 square. After the production team continuously added the men in black, they finally reached 100 hunters!
Here, Zhou Xiao shielded his forehead with his hand. Although the weather wasn't hot today, the sunlight was a bit more glaring. He stood there stunned as he watched about 100 people enter a large white container and never emerge. Were they really going to be locked up there for this long?
Seeing the surprised expressions of the two people beside her, Juzi calmly hummed a "hmm." Most people at the university were there to see the stars, just like her. But the few who were there for the money were placed in the front row by the casting director and the real hunters. Those in the back could leave if they couldn't stand it any longer, but those in the front had already passed the screening and couldn't leave easily, otherwise it would be a rip-off.
"100 hunters—that's too much violence!" Zhu Jian couldn't help but look at Zhou Xiao. "With so many hunters, it's only a matter of time before the artists participating in the recording get caught. How are we going to win this?"
Zhou Xiao recalled his time on Star Path 101. Because the trainees had played the censored version, he'd found the original version and watched several episodes. After a moment's thought, he replied, "Based on the original version, so many hunters should have been placed around the second-to-last game. Otherwise, they'd be eliminated so often in the early stages that it wouldn't be playable."
Although there are cases where people are eliminated too quickly, forcing the production team to temporarily launch a resurrection challenge, today's 100-person lineup is obviously a huge expense, and I think the production team will not be willing to waste this scene.
"This show is pretty good," laughed Orange. "If they hired more people each episode, it would provide so many temporary jobs for the local area! It would be even better if they could issue a certificate!"
Zhou Xiao patted Chengzi's shoulder and looked over sympathetically. "College students looking for internships, anyone who knows understands!" Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many self-deprecating jokes online about college students doing all sorts of hard labor, like stamping official seals.
"Zhou Xiao, can you take a photo for me?" Seeing the group of men in black already ready to make a move, Zhu Jian couldn't hold back any longer after they entered the container. He handed the camera to Zhou Xiao and asked her to take a photo for him. He would see if he could bribe the staff to send the photos to her later.
Orange, who had just met the two of them, had already gotten close to them because they were sharing the same burden. Although she kept muttering about how unreliable the black-clad men were, her body spoke louder than her words and she joined in the filming.
As they were taking photos, a loud blast of air was heard in the distance, followed by screams. Even from a distance, they could vaguely make out the screams of more than ten people. Zhou Xiao and Zhu Jian exchanged a glance, each seeing the "start" signal in the other's eyes.
In a corner of Happy Valley, three people stood on tiptoe, wondering what they could see. Although they knew they couldn't see, it seemed the higher they stood, the clearer they could hear. As Zhu Jian listened to the voices from the other end, he felt a little envious of his friends assigned to that area; they could actually witness a game session live!
"That was the opening game! Damn it, the production team took away our phones, and we can't even exchange some information privately." Zhu Jian, who was particularly active after entering the amusement park, turned around and said to Zhou Xiao regretfully.
Just then, the sound of running feet could be heard, and an artist wearing a blue headband appeared, walking briskly, followed by a VJ holding a camera. The two of them were walking towards the three of them. Zhou Xiao, remembering the production team's initial request, quickly grabbed the two of them and pretended to be tourists, starting to check in.
When Zhou Xiao noticed this person's appearance, he heard a roar of success in the distance. He immediately guessed that the first round was a timed game, otherwise there wouldn't be a scene where the participating artists set off alone.
After the man gradually walked away, Zhou Xiao watched him and VJ disappear into the corner, and then reminded them that they could stop for a while. Although this was relaxing, the monotony and boredom made it somewhat tiring.
"Who is that person?" Zhu Jian scratched his head and asked curiously.
Zhou Xiao began to reminisce, but her familiarity with the entertainment industry wasn't much better than Zhu Jian, who had always been involved in the entertainment industry. Orange, who was standing next to her, explained, "That guy we just passed by is called Yang Cheng, a comedian. I didn't expect the production team would invite him."
"Unexpectedly," these three words clearly sounded like they were about to gossip, and both of them pricked up their ears to listen carefully. Orange laughed, "Oh, it's nothing. He was just participating in a comedy show, and in the promotion round, he deliberately picked a new female contestant to compete with, but she ended up defeating him. Hahahaha. Anyway, his reputation is just average."
Zhou Xiao could understand that, for a large-scale reality game show like this, it wouldn't be enough to have only "positive" guests. They definitely needed to cast entertainers who knew how to play and had a competitive spirit, so the results would break free from the routine and create unexpected results.
The amusement park they were in was large and rich in amenities. Zhou Xiao had carefully examined the map the night before, and the area they were currently in was a corner of Happy Valley. Happy Valley itself was tucked away in the corner of the map, and Zhou Xiao and the others were even further out.
Although the entrance to the amusement park is right next to it, the artists are obviously unlikely to come here when recording the show, after all, the first round of games was already held nearby.
"Hello hello" came a greeting voice not far away. Zhou Xiao looked up and saw that the other party had been lingering near the hidden dividing line set by the program team before departure, as if he wanted to challenge the bottom line of the production team.
Ju Zi, who was standing by, grabbed Zhu Jian's hand as he was about to respond, "This is either a sting operation or they're just being reckless. The show recording has just begun, don't let them trick you!"
Zhou Xiao nodded. Although Juzi was the youngest of the three, she had extensive experience as an extra, which was invaluable to both of them.
Sneakers clattered heavily on the concrete floor. Zhou Xiao turned his head and saw a hunter patrolling the area with a mechanical air. He looked incredibly oppressive, especially with a serious expression.
Seeing the other party completely disappear at the end, and only the three of them were left in the space, Zhu Jian couldn't help but sigh, "This is a real hunter!" His spirit and size clearly distinguished him from the extras gathered in the square.
In the following days, artists occasionally passed by, but they generally fled the area with panicked expressions. The Happy Valley trio, who hadn't participated in the game, could all sense the team members' deep fear of hunters.
After all, arresting two team members right at the start was quite a show of force. As for how they knew this, it was thanks to a nearby team member's shocking cry when their phone rang. While it's unknown whether the other team member was subsequently apprehended, the three people standing by, watching from the sidelines, were already mentally giving the other team a cyborg's thud.
#May the kind person who accidentally revealed the news to them have a safe journey#
A buzzing sound emanated. Zhou Xiao, who had recently been frequently exposed to drones, quickly turned his gaze upwards. He saw a drone with the "Run for Time" logo swooping down in the clear blue sky. It occasionally performed acrobatic somersaults to disrupt the team members, and a card hung from its base, tied with a silk thread.
Zhou Xiao raised her eyes and saw a purple object flash past. Then, as if realizing something, she raised the camera she had been holding, and saw the card captured on the screen was the purple number "5." And there wasn't just one drone; more drones began to appear in the sky.
With her keen observation skills, Zhou Xiao quickly captured every card flying overhead. She then handed the camera to Chengzi, who was watching her eagerly. "Let's just treat this as some fun and take turns completing the tasks with the guests!"
The drones initially flew very fast, meaning Zhou Xiao was able to quickly assemble them. As she watched Zhu Jian and Chengzi film, she noticed that the drones' initial speed was slowing down. Furthermore, their initial altitude had dropped significantly, suggesting the production team had lowered the difficulty.
At that moment, a piercing electric bell rang from a distance. The iron door of the container not far from them was opened as a spray of dry ice spray erupted, and 100 men in black rushed out in full force! Like a plague, the men in black began to lock onto the scent of their prey and capture them!
Zhu Jian, holding the camera, exclaimed "Awesome" as she took photos. The next second, she suddenly panicked and said, "Ah? Why are they coming towards us? We are just passers-by! Extras! Not even NPCs..."
"Um, um, do you have a boat ticket to the Sunshine Coast?" At this time, a female team member looked anxious and shouted at them from a distance, as if she didn't care at all that her loud voice would attract hunters.
Zhou Xiao remembered that the Sunshine Coast in the amusement park and the Happy Valley they were in were exactly on the left and right ends of the map. Watching the hundred men in black being released, she crossed her arms and raised them above her head to signal that they didn't have any tickets! Don't come over!
Unexpectedly, the man seemed relieved. After a sigh of relief, he continued to stumble in their direction. Not far from Zhou Xiao, he sat down on the grass. At the same time, the shrill ringing continued.
Zhou Xiao looked at the target of the man in black, then glanced at the woman's phone, which kept ringing. Okay, she patted Zhu Jian on the shoulder and informed him that the man in black was targeting the team members.
Soon, the three heard the sound of hurried running. When they looked up, they saw more than a dozen hunters rushing towards them. After one of the hunters pinned the woman down, the shrill ringing stopped, and a new warning bell rang out.
The gently held down female team member lay motionless on the ground, seemingly completely exhausted. Seeing her in this state, Zhou Xiao glanced at the mineral water tank the production team had placed for the team members' convenience, walked over, grabbed a bottle, and handed it to her. By the time the woman thanked him and gulped down the water, Zhou Xiao and the other two had already recognized who they were.
Fu Chuyu was taking off the phone strapped to her arm and throwing it to the ground. It was clear she was still a bit angry. Her hair was completely wet, and the beads of sweat on her forehead clearly showed how difficult it was to record this program. It was a stark contrast to her usual appearance in TV dramas.
Seeing that the other party had recovered enough and was ready for the interview with the VJ, Zhou Xiao quickly led the other two out of the area. This caused the VJ, who had been about to start a tantrum and throw a tantrum, to feel a lump in his throat when he realized there was no one behind him. Fu Chuyu, observing her VJ's constipated expression, felt a pang of amusement.
Zhou Xiao and the other two came to another area of Happy Valley. Seeing that no one, whether a staff member or an NPC, was stopping them, they relaxed and began to look around.
Arriving in his new surroundings, Zhu Jian immediately spotted the novelty. "Look!" He pulled Zhou Xiao's hand, motioning her to look to the side. The hunter's box beneath a large tree had been opened, and the overturned tables and chairs surrounding it showed that this place had undoubtedly been the scene of a fierce struggle.
Zhou Xiao, on a whim, took the camera from Zhu Jian and began filming the scene. The staff monitoring the video looked at the three extras playing the obedient passersby and, after some thought, didn't bother directing them back to their original location. They shifted their focus and began searching elsewhere.
"Da da da!" From afar, the sounds of intense pursuit echoed. Zhou Xiao, holding her camera, quickly pointed it in the direction of the sound. As she caught sight of the orange-colored youth in the sunlight, like an arrow from a bowstring, dashing around the corner like a cheetah towards them. Driven by adrenaline-fueled passion and speed, sheer strength once again widened the gap between him and the hunter behind him in the straight line.
A forked road left the hunter, having lost his target, stuck where he was. From Zhou Xiao's angle, he could see the man's back heaving violently. He turned his back on everyone's gaze, still standing there, recovering his strength.
This split-second sprint not only caused the hunter to lose track of his target, but also momentarily lost the subject he was filming with his camera. Just as she was thinking about replaying the video, she keenly heard increasingly heavy breathing. Zhou Xiao and Zhu Jian exchanged a glance, then both shifted their gaze to the back of the opened hunter's box.
After the hunter left, Zhou Xiao took a step back and met a pair of shining peach blossom eyes. Ji Shao, who was leaning against the trunk of a large tree, looked a little embarrassed but smiled brightly. "Hey, help me see if the hunter has left?"
"Hmm!" Zhu Jian and Cheng Zi, who were standing by, subconsciously knew who was hiding inside when they heard the sound, and quickly echoed Zhou Xiao, "Let's go! Let's go!"
When Zhou Xiao saw Zhu Jian and Cheng Zi helping Ji Shao up, she was about to help close the hunter box door. She saw the camera in her hand and suddenly, she subconsciously looked at Ji Shao and asked, "By the way, where's your follow-up camera?"
Seeing the two men reaching out, Ji Shao, who was leaning against the tree, waved his hand, signaling that he didn't need help. Having regained some strength, he held onto the tree and cautiously pulled the door of the hunter's box closer to him...
"I guess I lost him while running." He scratched his eye and looked at the three people in front of him who had already realized something. "Are you all here as a group to act as extras?"
…
The VJ filming Ji Shao was squatting on the ground, reporting to the director team that he couldn't find Ji Shao. He had already contacted the hunter VJ who was chasing Ji Shao. Unfortunately, even after splitting up, neither of them could find him.
In the monitoring room, two staff members were reviewing surveillance footage from ten minutes ago. Starting from a mutually agreed-upon starting point, they quickly tracked down Ji Shao and the hunter. A bespectacled staff member standing nearby couldn't help but gasp at the intense chase on screen; the scene was even more thrilling than their hunter training.
"Wow, awesome! They are so agile. Oh, so they are hiding here." After watching it two or three times, the two staff members were sure of the two people's current location.
When the two VJs received the news and headed for the target area, several more people had already come out of the monitoring room.
“Did the drone capture this?”
"Director, don't worry, we got it!"
"It's a shame the ground-level perspective is missing, but without the ability to shake off the camera, this iconic shot wouldn't have been possible!"
“…”
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