Against the Light - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Joining the Show

Early in the morning, Gu Xinran grabbed her suitcase, got into a taxi, and headed for the show's recording location.

She was dressed in a black tracksuit and a white baseball cap, wearing no makeup and traveling light.

Since this was a deserted island survival show, flashy and impractical things were the last thing she needed.

Last night, she had stayed up late to watch two episodes of the show, so she had a basic understanding of the format. This was her first time dealing with a live broadcast, and she'd heard that not only would it be streamed live, but there would also be two hosts in a studio providing live commentary.

This meant the amount of screen time each guest received would depend entirely on the preferences of the hosts and the audience.

Gu Xinran had a faint inkling as to why the production team had invited her back. Her conflict with Luo Bing had become such a spectacle, trending several times, and had brought a certain amount of heat to the show. Her continued participation was bound to attract countless rubberneckers. Those people, she figured, were probably rubbing their hands together, waiting to see her make a fool of herself.

In the car, she took out her phone and opened a video of an interview with Bai Yilan that she had downloaded the day before. Though it was only a few minutes long, she had already watched it dozens of times. She had even memorized every word Yilan said, yet she still watched it with great relish.

She noticed a detail: for some reason, Yilan had a silver ribbon wrapped around her left wrist.

At first, she thought it was just a simple accessory, but after looking through several videos spanning a number of years, she discovered that Yilan had been wearing it on her wrist almost constantly since she entered the industry ten years ago.

Some people online had questioned it, with many replying that it was a decoration or a protective amulet. But she didn't think so. The way it was wrapped around her left wrist made it impossible for her to ignore, and she couldn't help but be reminded of the Yilan from her past life.

After a moment's thought, Gu Xinran tapped her forehead, silently chiding herself for getting bogged down in details again. She always, intentionally or not, imagined the two Yilans as the same person. She just missed her so much.

Twenty minutes later, Gu Xinran arrived at the studio, which was located in a farmhouse courtyard in the suburbs. This wasn't the recording site, just a temporary meeting point. Once everyone arrived, they would depart together for the final filming location—the deserted island.

Gu Xinran arrived thirty minutes ahead of schedule. She first sent a text to Qu Qi to let her know, then entered the studio.

The staff were still bustling about, checking equipment, cameras, and props.

Gu Xinran watched for a moment before a young woman suddenly ran over to her.

"Hello, Sister Xinran. My name is Fang Jinghai, and I'll be your dedicated camera operator. I'll be in your care for the next few days." Fang Jinghai had delicate features and a very kind appearance. Her voice was clear, and she spoke concisely—she seemed very capable at a glance.

"Hello." Gu Xinran gave her a slight smile and extended her hand for a shake. "I'll be troubling you, then."

"Huh?" Fang Jinghai was taken aback by her sudden politeness. "No trouble at all. It's my job."

Gu Xinran studied her features closely. For some reason, she felt a sense of familiarity, yet she was certain the original host of her body didn't know this person. The only memory she had was of a fleeting glimpse during the last recording session.

"Is something wrong?"

Gu Xinran shook her head. "No."

"Then please have a seat and wait for a little while. We'll set off once the other guests arrive."

"Okay."

Before long, the other guests began to arrive.

Gu Xinran was fiddling with her phone when she suddenly felt several pairs of eyes repeatedly glance her way. When she turned to look, the people quickly averted their gazes.

A glance into the distance made it clear. Luo Bing had arrived.

The corners of Gu Xinran's lips curved up slightly. She turned her head to look at Fang Jinghai, who was standing beside her. "You've been staring at me this whole time. Are you afraid I'm going to hit her?"

"..." Fang Jinghai cleared her throat and scratched her cheek, looking slightly embarrassed.

Gu Xinran stood up, stretched, and looked toward Luo Bing.

She was wearing a white tracksuit and a baseball cap. From a distance, she looked full of energy, radiating an aura that just begged to be punched.

Two people arrived with her. One was a regular cast member, Huo Jie, and the other was a guest star, Luo Bing's junior, a rookie singer named Zhang Tingting. From a distance, Zhang Tingting saw Gu Xinran and curled her lip in disdain before linking arms with Luo Bing and whispering something in her ear.

Luo Bing looked over as well. When she saw Gu Xinran, her expression shifted slightly, and she appeared a little uncomfortable.

Gu Xinran narrowed her eyes. If she didn't know what kind of person Luo Bing was, she would have thought Luo Bing was afraid of the person who had hit her. But now that she understood Luo Bing's character, she immediately realized she was already putting on an act.

With such great acting skills, it was a real waste that she wasn't an actress.

The director trotted over to Luo Bing's side. After all, in the current lineup, Luo Bing was considered the biggest star—assuming, of course, that Gu Xinran's career wasn't over.

Luo Bing's arrival caused a small commotion. Several staff members stopped what they were doing and ran over to watch. Luo Bing, with her perfect, approachable charm, chatted casually with everyone. Gu Xinran propped her chin on her hand and watched with great interest.

Following behind the trio, the last two guests arrived fashionably late. They were the other regular MC, Shen Can, and a rookie actress who had just debuted, Zhao Jia.

Upon seeing the young actress, a memory flashed through Gu Xinran's mind. She was also with Light & Shadow Entertainment, under the same manager as Luo Bing, Su Cen.

Gu Xinran laughed inwardly. Was Luo Bing bringing her entire entourage? On a team of five guests, besides the two MCs, everyone else was one of her people. Were they planning to tear her to shreds?

Everyone exchanged brief greetings before boarding a large bus and heading toward their destination.

On the bus, the staff sat together, and the guests who were on good terms chatted amongst themselves. Gu Xinran felt a bit sleepy, so she found a seat by herself to catch up on sleep, paying no mind to the other guests sitting behind her.

Filming hadn't started yet, so there was no need to put on an act. She really couldn't stand those fake smiles.

Zhang Tingting shot a glance at Gu Xinran. "I really don't know what the director was thinking," she muttered under her breath.

Her comment was clearly directed, but the other two MCs were no fools and didn't take the bait. Zhao Jia was a rookie and wouldn't dare say anything out of line, which ended up making the situation awkward for Zhang Tingting herself.

"Let's get some rest. Filming this show is exhausting," Huo Jie said, breaking the silence. "After last week's recording, I went home and slept for a full day and night just to recover." As the oldest in the group and the main MC, she had a certain amount of wilderness survival experience.

"Right, let's get some rest. No more chatting. Who knows what nasty tricks the production team has up their sleeves to mess with us this time. We can't let them get their way." This was MC number two, Shen Can. She had a cheerful personality, a quick mind, and was full of mischievous ideas. Her only flaw was her vanity. While other people on the show worried about how to fill their stomachs, she worried about which camera angle would capture her beauty best. She was, without a doubt, the show's comic relief.

Two hours later, everyone got off the bus. After a bit of a journey, they finally arrived at their destination.

When they saw the dense forest before them, everyone gasped. It was a truly boundless jungle!

With their arrival, the live broadcast began.

The guests looked around in astonishment.

"Director, we're only on the third episode and you're already playing this hardball?" Shen Can's jaw dropped in shock.

Gu Xinran, however, was calm, showing no surprise. After all, she had lived alone in the deep mountains for decades in her past life and had a certain amount of experience. She wasn't as prone to emotional swings as the younger cast members.

"That's right. This episode's theme is 'Escape the Forest.' You have a three-day limit. The first person to reach the exit wins. Next, we'll distribute some equipment. Please hand over your luggage and cell phones."

"What? We can't even bring a change of clothes?"

"Each person may only bring one change of clothes, which must be placed in the backpacks provided by the production team."

The group immediately let out a collective groan.

"Wait a minute, Director, I just want to ask, how big is this place? Has anyone been through it before? There aren't any dangerous animals in there, are there? Like wolves, or snakes..."

"Our staff has already done a walkthrough. With sufficient food and water, the shortest route takes a day and a half, so three days is more than enough time to complete it. We didn't encounter any animals, but if you do, well, just consider yourselves lucky."

"??? Isn't that going too far?"

The director gave a signal, and the staff immediately came over to distribute the supplies.

Each person received a hiking backpack containing rope, a knife, emergency medical supplies, tissues, and other items. For food, there was only a single compressed biscuit and two bottles of mineral water.

"Next, please form your own groups. The maximum is three people per group."

"I want to be in Sister Bing's group!" The other two immediately latched onto Luo Bing.

"I don't know the first thing about wilderness survival. We should team up with someone who has experience," Luo Bing said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, as she looked toward the main MC, Huo Jie.

"Alright then, how about this: I'll team up with Luo Bing and Zhao Jia. The rest of you can..." Huo Jie trailed off, looking at the second MC, Shen Can.

Before Shen Can could even speak, Luo Bing's little fangirl, Zhang Tingting, became unhappy. "I don't want to be in a group with her," she muttered.

Gu Xinran was in the middle of checking her equipment when she was suddenly called out. She looked up, saw the girl's reluctant expression, and smiled. "Can I be in a group by myself?"

The others were stunned. They looked at her, then at the dense forest. Wouldn't she be terrified being alone at night in a godforsaken place like this??

"Uh, you can, but you should think it over carefully..."

"I'll be in a group by myself."

【Meanwhile, in the live broadcast studio, the two hosts were in position. The female host had been marveling at the jungle, and she was utterly astonished to hear that Gu Xinran wanted to go it alone. The male host was also surprised. "I'm a guy, and even I wouldn't dare to be alone at night in a place like that. Plus, in all the past episodes, no one has ever dared to go solo. She's..." "She probably knows no one is willing to team up with her and is just trying to save face," the female host said with a laugh.】

"Alright. Next, please have the three groups come forward to select a mystery item." The director pointed to a yellow cloth on the ground, and as he finished speaking, someone pulled it away.

On the ground were several items: an axe, a slingshot, a hoe, snacks, matches, a pot, and a packet of seasonings.

"Each group may only choose one item."

Group A's Luo Bing went first. She picked a box of matches, waved it at the camera, and gave a sweet smile.

Group B's Zhang Tingting went next, with Shen Can shouting behind her, "The pot, the pot, the pot! I want the pot!!"

Group C consisted of only Gu Xinran. She calmly walked forward, didn't even glance at the other items, and directly chose the packet of seasonings.

The director was dumbfounded. "Uh, you're not... not going to pick the matches?"

"No need." Gu Xinran gave him a faint smile.

"Alright then."

"Maps and compasses have now been distributed to everyone, one set per group. Be sure to keep them safe. If they are lost or damaged, you won't get replacements. The map has several routes marked on it, and you are free to choose your path. Now, the escape begins!"

【Live Broadcast Studio
Male Host: She should have picked the matches! Why didn't she pick the matches? What is she going to do at night all alone without a fire?
Female Host: This is the second time I've seen someone choose the seasoning packet. The last person who did relied on mixing it with water to drink and barely managed to make it to the finish line. It looks like Xinran did her homework and knows that this way, at least she won't starve to death.】

The bullet-comment section also erupted into a heated discussion.

【This female host is quite eloquent. Let her talk more.】

【Luo Luo's smile is so sweet! Go, my little fairy, go!!】

【As much as I want to watch Luo Luo, please give Gu Xinran a little more screen time. I'm really curious to see how she's going to get herself killed.】

【Hahaha, she knows no one wants to be in her group, so she has to put on an act. Is she trying to kill me with laughter!】

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