Chapter 15: Desert Transitions

8:30 PM

“What is Xu Hao up to this time?”

“I don’t know. He just finished setting up the stove and is now shuttling between the woods and the well. Each time he comes back, he’s carrying a bundle of wood of varying sizes.”

“Carrying wood? Is he gathering firewood for the night?”

“Possibly!”

“He still hasn’t built any shelter. Tonight he can only sleep by the fire—otherwise he’ll freeze.”

“In summer, freezing to death is unlikely, but hypothermia is a real risk.”

“Honestly, Xu Hao’s stove is impressively neat—it even surpasses the ones set up by Lord Bei and Lord De.”

“That’s natural. Foreigners aren’t exactly known for their stove-building skills.”

“There’s nothing to brag about. Whether you have a stove or not, as long as you can cook your food, it’s fine.”

“Fair enough!”

11:00 PM. The desert’s night sky is deep and bright. Looking up, it feels like a dazzling river of stars. With the endless darkness and the whispering sound of wind and sand, even many viewers glued to the live stream can’t help but exclaim, “Desert nights have such an amazing vibe! Spending one night out here would be incredible!”

“Incredible? The scenery may be beautiful, but it’s dangerous.”

“True. By the way, what is Xu Hao up to now?”

“No idea! He took a short break a few minutes ago and now he’s over there gathering wild grass!”

“Gathering wild grass? What for—does he think he can catch some jumping rabbits?”

“Not sure!”

1:00 AM. “Guys, I’m off to sleep—I just can’t keep going!”

Gongdi Ren posted a comment.

Ever since the bet was made, Gongdi Ren and Matt Loyal Fan haven’t left the live stream. In their private chats, they vowed to witness Xu Hao withdraw from the challenge with their own eyes.

“You get some sleep. I can hold on until dawn.”

Matt Loyal Fan immediately replied.

“Alright then, I’ll take over at dawn.”

“Yeah, we can’t let the Production Team and Xu Hao pull any tricks.”

“I’m logging off now!”

“Good night.”

Moonset, Sunrise. In Tengli Desert, a faint light of dawn appears on the far eastern horizon. After a solid sleep, Gongdi Ren remembers his pact with Matt Loyal Fan, quickly washes up, and logs into the live stream.

“What? This… this…”

But when he saw what was on camera, Gongdi Ren was instantly stunned.

Somehow, a fence had materialized on the windward side of the dunes, neatly enclosing the well, the stove, and a nearby flat area.

The fence was crafted from bundled wooden sticks as thick as a small forearm, with long poles running through its center, looking both orderly and sturdy.

That wasn’t all—inside the enclosure, the ground was laid out in neat grassy tiles.

It not only stopped the shifting sands but also gave the place the appearance of a tiled stone patio.

Add a small cabin on that leveled ground and you’ve got yourself a quaint farmhouse oasis hidden in the desert.

That’s the exact vibe! “Tiezi, are you still there?”

Snapping back to reality, Gongdi Ren immediately tagged Matt Loyal Fan in the chat.

“You’re here?”

Matt Loyal Fan quickly replied.

“How did it all change overnight?”

Gongdi Ren still couldn’t wrap his head around it—it felt like magic. Honestly, Xu Hao’s craftsmanship has far outdone the other contestants.

“The guy tinkered all night—and now he’s sleeping on a jumping rabbits pelt! He clearly has some solid outdoor survival skills; he even knows how to use heated sand for warmth. And that pelt? Surprisingly comfortable.”

Matt Loyal Fan replied wearily.

“No cheating, right?”

“None whatsoever! I witnessed it all.”

“Alright then, you rest. I’ll keep an eye on him. Since he spent all night on these tasks, it’s unlikely he’ll start building the cabin today. And that’s good for us.”

“Okay!”

While Matt Loyal Fan and Gongdi Ren shared this view, other onlookers joining the live stream had a different take.

“Now this really has that off-grid, wild living feel.”

“Build a cabin, and every day you can feast your eyes on the desert’s starry night and breathtaking sunsets—simply stunning!”

“It definitely beats what the other contestants have to offer.”

“For some reason, I’m suddenly rooting for Xu Hao to finish that cabin successfully.”

“Same here. Xu Hao definitely has an interesting style.”

“Before, many viewers assumed that by choosing those tools, he didn’t know anything about wilderness survival. But now, look at him—storing food at multiples of what the others have!”

“Agreed. Without a shovel, Xu Hao could never have built that fenced courtyard.”

“I just hope he doesn’t quit the challenge.”

“Totally agree!”

“Once he wakes up, I’m going to drop some gifts to support him.”

Unwittingly, thanks to the fence and courtyard he built overnight, Xu Hao’s image began to shift in the eyes of regular viewers. His fan base started growing steadily.

Unlike before, when detractors dominated, this time genuine supporters were joining his ranks.

Yet, while some were keeping a keen eye on Xu Hao, others didn’t even bother to follow him.

At the headquarters of Tianchen Culture, in the CEO’s office, Xu Chen glared at the middle-aged man lounging on the sofa across from him—smoking and casually crossing his legs with smug satisfaction. Xu Chen’s expression turned dark.

He had expected that in a few days the new board would send someone over to take charge since Tianchen Culture was acquired by a foreign consortium, and foreigners invariably act cautiously.

But the new board’s moves came much faster than anticipated.

The man across from him was the new CEO sent by the board—his name is Yang Yuan. From now on, he has full control of Tianchen Culture.

This only proves that the foreign consortium had kept its eyes on Tianchen Culture for a long time. Their acquisition was no spur-of-the-moment decision.

“Mr. Xu, our team took over the company’s finance department last night. We expect to finalize the accounts for all projects and reserved funds by noon. So, Mr. Xu, you’re a smart man—you know what I mean.”

After forcefully stamping the cigarette butt into the ashtray, Yang Yuan turned to Xu Chen.

“Leaving before noon?”

“Exactly! I don’t want to see a single person from the Xu team before noon.”

Yang Yuan offered a faint smile.

His team was already on standby, just waiting to take over.

“Not a single person? Yang, what do you mean by that?”

Xu Chen furrowed his brow.

“What else? We’ll compensate everyone fairly. Not one person from your team will stay—not even the lowest-ranking staff.”

Yang Yuan stood in front of Xu Chen. “Are you still dreaming that the Xu Family can bounce back and buy Tianchen Culture again? Ha ha ha, let me tell you today: your Xu Family will never recover. Just wait until you’re in New Country to continue paying off your debts!”

“You…”

Xu Chen was furious—his fists bulging with veins.