Chapter 483

The next day, after packing up their tents, the production team continued their journey. Jane had assumed that after yesterday's experience, her sister would give up on that metal detector of hers. But to her surprise, her sister was just as enthusiastic as the day before, scanning the ground as they walked. However, the others weren't as energetic as Mina. When they first entered the desert yesterday, everyone had been filled with excitement and curiosity. But the monotonous, unchanging landscape of the vast desert quickly drained their spirits. The children, in particular, were visibly worn out. Jane pressed her jelly-like, rosy lips into a tight line, her chubby cheeks puffing with determination as she trudged forward step by step. As they ventured deeper into the desert, their water supply dwindled, and the sun blazed mercilessly overhead. Teacher Belle had already instructed them to ration their water. The little ones, with their delicate, dewy skin, quickly showed signs of dehydration their once-plump lips now dry and peeling. Unlike the lush, resource-rich island they had been on before, where food was abundant and easy to forage, the desert offered almost nothing. Watching from their screens, the audience couldn't help but feel anxious. "Back on the island, when Fatty Xing said trekking through the thorny bushes was just the show's warm-up, I thought he was exaggerating for hype," one viewer sighed. "But now... well..." The production team is really giving them nothing! No food is one thing, but now they have to ration water too. My poor baby girl's lips are already chapped! Does the production team really have to be this strict? These guests are just kids Jane and Ariana are only four, and even the oldest, Leonard, is just eight. How can you be so heartless? Are you guys actual demons? Production team, just sneak the kids some food and water. We’ll all turn a blind eye we didn’t see a thing! Damn, that’s ruthless! I’ll sign a petition in blood get those kids some food and water ASAP! ... Director Xing was starting to feel the pressure too. While he wanted the show to be dramatic, he was even more worried about the kids’ safety. His plump frame jiggling with every step, he wiped sweat from his brow as he hurried over to Bear for the umpteenth time. "Bear, how much longer do you think it’ll take to find water and food?" Bear glanced at the sky, then surveyed the desert, but before he could answer, little Jane tugged at Director Xing’s sleeve. "Uncle Xing, don’t worry! We’ll find water and food soon. We can hold out!" Encouraged by Jane, the other kids chimed in. Leonard: "Yeah, we can do it!" Ariana and Hazel: "Us too!" Little Elijah planted his hands on his hips, tilting his head with a proud smirk. "Brave Elijah fears no hardship! What’s a desert? Elijah isn’t scared!" Mina, looking every bit the boss, fixed Director Xing with a knowing stare. "Uncle Xing, you keep asking Bear the same thing. Are you hoping we’ll give up so the production team can just hand us food and water?" "Don't forget, this show is live. If what you advertised doesn't match reality, you're not just deceiving the audience you're looking down on us kids too." "Whoosh, whoosh..." Before Mina's voice had even faded, the sudden sound of running water cut through the air. Hazel's eyes lit up instantly. "Water!" she exclaimed, already scampering toward the sound on her tiny feet. Jane quickly grabbed her arm. "Hazel, don't go!" Mina's initial excitement gave way to a frown. "That's not water—it's a rattlesnake." Ever since returning from the island and learning their next destination was the desert, she and Little Jane had researched basic desert survival knowledge. She knew rattlesnakes mimicked the sound of flowing water with their tails to lure thirsty animals, turning them into easy prey. Pulling out the surgical knife Lester had given her, Wallace Mina declared, "No water, but we've got dinner!" At the mention of "rattlesnake," Director Xing broke out in a cold sweat—or maybe it was just the heat. Beads of perspiration rolled down his forehead as his chubby frame moved with surprising agility to yank Wallace Mina back just as she was about to charge at the snake. "Mina, no! That thing's venomous—deadly venomous!" he shouted. Eyes blazing with determination, Wallace Mina struggled impatiently. "Uncle Xing, let me go! The snake's getting away!" No way was Director Xing releasing her. Just then, Bear took three quick strides forward, seized the snake precisely behind its head, and with a few deft movements too fast to follow left the creature limp in his grasp. Only then did Director Xing loosen his grip. With an exasperated sigh, Mina fixed him with a look. "Uncle Xing... this is supposed to be a wilderness survival show, right?" "Exactly!" "We agreed earlier that we'd survive on our own abilities, and unless it's an emergency, we wouldn't let Teacher Bell step in, right?" "Right!" "So why did you stop me just now and force Teacher Bell to intervene? What was that about?" Director Xing: "..." Mina patted Director Xing’s forearm and continued in a patient, lecturing tone, "Uncle Xing, when making a show, we have to stay true to our original vision. We can’t just let external factors sway us. Only then can we create something truly exciting and worthy of our audience, don’t you think?" Director Xing looked thoroughly chastened. Though everything Mina said was true, and though he really did want to stick to the original plan and play it straight with these kids… But… The big shots from the Wallace family were all watching from behind the screens. He really, really couldn’t afford to cross them! Just then, a faint rustling sound like something skittering across the sand caught their attention. Mina’s focus snapped toward the noise, her sharp eyes locking onto the source. A massive black scorpion was crawling over the dunes. This time, even the nimble Director Xing didn’t have a chance to react before Mina’s scalpel shot out, piercing straight through the scorpion’s back and pinning it to the sand. She lifted the blade, eyeing the scorpion still twitching on its tip. "Nice try, little guy. Where do you think you're going?" Turning back to the group, she pumped a fist in the air, brimming with enthusiasm. "Let’s catch a few more. We’ve got another dish for dinner!" Ariana whispered to Jane, "Are we really going to eat snakes and scorpions?" Jane nodded. "If we can't find anything else... They're actually not bad. Packed with protein good energy boosters." Ariana hung her little head. "But I still don't want to eat scorpions." Hazel chimed in softly, "Me neither." "Then let's keep moving forward and see if we can find something else!" Jane gazed ahead at the desert. Nothing but endless yellow sand and rolling dunes stretched before them. The patches of green vegetation they'd frequently spotted just yesterday had all but vanished today. It was proof the deeper they ventured into the desert, the scarcer the groundwater became. And with it, the plants that could survive here dwindled too.