Chapter 33: Desert Trials and Unexpected Alliances

Nonchalantly tossing a few cacti from his neck into the courtyard, Xu Hao carried Zhu Qiang into the log cabin.

Before long,

Xu Hao returned to the courtyard, gathered the cacti, retrieved a jumping rabbit, and busied himself by the stove.

Earlier that morning, after picking up some sand grains to bring back to the small courtyard, he had also placed two kilns’ worth of charcoal and some pre-prepared dry firewood by the stove.

Only after ensuring the supplies wouldn’t get wet from the rain did he set off again.

He continued walking steadily along his path,

Unconsciously, he had wandered beyond the designated two-kilometer zone; he hadn’t given it a second thought, confident in his stamina.

However, after over an hour more and after hauling a few cacti, when he planned to return, he discovered Zhu Qiang on the cooler side of a sand dune, teetering on the edge of collapse from hypoglycemia.

When they arrived in Mingsha County, Zhu Qiang and he had exchanged a few words; Xu Hao couldn’t just leave him behind—a life was worth far more than any stored supplies. Thus unfolded the dramatic scenes captured on the live broadcast.

Thanks to the ready food and firewood, it wasn’t long before Xu Hao brought the pot of stewed rabbit meat into the log cabin.

He first fed Zhu Qiang some cactus juice before helping him sit up.

“Drink some water before you eat the rabbit meat; your stomach won’t handle it otherwise,”

Xu Hao instructed.

Though the live feed made Zhu Qiang seem as if he had lost consciousness, in truth he remained aware—only his body was too weak to move.

“Thank you, Brother Hao! If it weren’t for you, I might have already…”

Zhu Qiang weakly nodded.

“Don’t call me Brother Hao. You’re older than me. Anyway, spare the words and eat to regain your strength.”

“Alright!”

After a few sips, Zhu Qiang began eating slowly.

In the space of an hour, the dangerous hypoglycemic state receded, and Zhu Qiang gradually recovered.

As his strength returned, so did their conversation.

“Brother Hao, I really appreciate you! When I blacked out earlier, I thought I was destined to die in the Tengli Desert!”

Surveying the modest interior of the log cabin, Zhu Qiang expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

For someone used to battling the harshness of the wilderness, he knew all too well how perilous his state had been.

“Don’t call me Brother Hao. I’m only twenty-six!”

Xu Hao added a bit more charcoal to the firepot.

Though the firepot looked unimpressive, it had taken considerable effort to fill it with wet mud he had dug out from the bottom of the well.

“You saved my life—what’s wrong with calling you Brother Hao? From now on, if you need me to take on any trial, I’m game!”

Zhu Qiang straightened up, speaking with sincere determination.

“Alright, do as you please.”

Noticing Zhu Qiang’s excitement, Xu Hao could only smile helplessly—too much adrenaline wasn’t ideal for his recovery.

“From now on, just call me Qiangzi,” Zhu Qiang added.

He quickly followed up with,

“Sure—titles don’t change our friendship.”

Clearly a straightforward man, Zhu Qiang’s demeanor won Xu Hao’s nod of agreement.

“Brother Hao, I’m really at a loss for words. I’ve wasted two days’ worth of supplies! Wait a moment—I’ll call the Production Team to have them pick me up,”

Zhu Qiang said, pausing with a look of genuine remorse. He knew he had effectively forfeited his chance at the challenge.

“Call the Production Team? Actually, never mind—look at the message they just sent,”

Xu Hao immediately handed over his phone.

“A message from the Production Team?”

As Zhu Qiang read the message, his face darkened instantly.

“What? Even if I quit now, they won’t come for another ten days? Isn’t that just a ploy to drain our supplies?”

“That’s standard procedure!”

“Standard procedure? No way—I have to call them back. If they don’t answer, I’ll find my own way out.”

“Stop calling—it’s useless! Just stay put for now. Crossing the desert alone in the rain without a professional rescue team is too dangerous.

When the skies clear, if you want to continue the challenge together, we can do that; or if you get bored, heading back later won’t hurt.

Besides, spending time in the desert is rather dull, and it’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

Xu Hao smiled as he took back the phone.

“What do you mean ‘useless’?”

Zhu Qiang paused for a moment.

“The Production Team seems to be targeting me.”

“Targeting you? Because of your log cabin and the supplies you’ve gathered? Are they afraid you’ll win the challenge?”

Zhu Qiang’s anger grew more intense.

A seasoned survival expert who also trained in Sanda boxing, he nearly burst out to confront the Production Team—if not for his current condition.

As for Xu Hao’s so-called ‘miracles,’ Zhu Qiang was well aware of them.

Every night, when hunger became unbearable, he’d distract himself by watching replays of other contestants’ challenge broadcasts on his phone.

“It must be so. Yesterday, the Operations Manager from Tianchen Culture called, offering money for me to drop out of the challenge—I refused,”

Xu Hao replied with a light smile.

He had received that message while cooking—sudden, but not entirely unexpected.

From the moment he hung up Liu Qing’s call, he knew that ever since the Xu Family’s bankruptcy, Tianchen Culture would stop at nothing, using every trick to force him out of the challenge. No mischief would be out of line.

“Forcing you to quit? Tianchen Culture simply can’t lose!”

“Who knows? Maybe they have other moves planned. Anyway, enough about that mess. What are you planning next? How about staying to help build this desert small courtyard?”

Xu Hao shifted the topic.

“Brother Hao, I’d love to help, but as you’ve seen, the food in the challenge zone barely feeds one—let alone two people.”

Zhu Qiang shook his head repeatedly.

Guilty about wasting Xu Hao’s supplies, he felt unable to stay any longer.

“So what now? Are you going to attempt another survival challenge elsewhere?”

“No more challenges! I’m going back to my old trade.”

“Your old trade?”

“Yeah. I never really noticed it before, but after facing death today, I suddenly realized my previous mindset was too extreme—I believed only brutal survival could offer a unique sense of achievement.

Now I see that life’s meaning isn’t confined to extreme challenges; many other pursuits are worthwhile.”

After a pause for thought,

Zhu Qiang fixed a serious gaze on Xu Hao.

“By the way, Brother Hao, what about starting your own company? I could work for you! After all, in my old trade I was working for someone else—it could be better to work for you.”

Uncertain how to repay Xu Hao for saving his life, he felt this was the only way to ease his conscience.

After all, business management was far from his strong suit.

“Start a company?”

Xu Hao paused to consider.

Ever since learning about the Xu Family’s bankruptcy, he had entertained many ideas of launching a company.

“Brother Hao, I’m serious! I believe the desert small courtyard you’ve built over the past few days has tremendous commercial potential. With proper management, it could transform into a one-of-a-kind desert hotel—possibly even more profitable than the challenge prize.”

Mentioning business prospects straightened Zhu Qiang’s posture, his eyes lighting up.

“Just this small courtyard in the desert?”

“Exactly. The rarer what you build, the more profitable it becomes!”