Chapter 39: Desert Challenges and New Beginnings

But this way, your live audience will drop drastically. After all, it won’t be a survival challenge anymore—it just won’t have that edge-of-your-seat tension.

Yet, amid the excitement, Zhu Qiang couldn’t shake a hint of concern.

Whether it’s the desert guesthouse or any other project, the main clientele will undoubtedly come from your live stream. Relying on citizens from Mingsha County or nearby cities to experience desert life is nearly impossible.

“Don’t worry. Once Tianchen Culture releases an official announcement, start streaming and see how things go. Captivating viewers doesn’t necessarily depend on extreme wilderness survival.”

Xu Hao, on the other hand, wasn’t too worried.

Extreme survival may be thrilling, but finding other ways to sustain life in harsh conditions is equally engaging.

“True. Hao, am I heading to Mingsha County tomorrow?”

After a brief pause, Zhu Qiang spoke again.

Spending ten days in the desert was a rule set by the production team. Now that the challenge’s over, that rule’s gone. The sooner he leaves and registers the company, the faster he can put this desert cabin to use.

“Alright then. Check tomorrow’s weather. If it’s good, head out; if not, wait another two days—it makes no difference.”

“Hao, I’m off to chop wood. You get set for the live stream.”

“Okay!”

Tianchen Culture moved even faster than expected.

Ten minutes later, Xu Hao received a bank notification confirming a transfer of four million. The original prize was five million—the extra million was deducted for income tax.

Along with the bonus, an official announcement flashed in the live stream, declaring the desert challenge over and affirming Xu Hao’s success with official verbiage.

Good grief! As soon as the announcement went live, the stream exploded.

No one saw it coming.

Moments ago, they were watching Xu Hao and Zhu Qiang race camels, and now—less than an hour later—the official verdict was out.

“Why?”

“What else? Xu Hao’s life was already comfortable. Now, tossing in two more camels—no wonder his mindset’s completely thrown off!”

“Two camels could definitely sustain Xu Hao for at least three months.”

“Heh, not sure why, but it’s a bit amusing despite the surprise.”

“Honestly, if I were the officials, I’d lose it too. The guy’s luck defies all odds—if the challenge hadn’t ended now, he’d surely pull another stunt later.”

“Once Xu Hao finishes the challenge, will he leave the desert?”

“Most likely. With the bonus secured, why would he continue starving or freezing out there? Even the best log cabin can’t compete with home comforts. Plus, he’s a director—once he’s flush with cash, he might even start making films.”

“But what about that much-anticipated Octagonal Pavilion? I really hope he keeps building it.”

“You’ll have to ask Xu Hao, though I doubt it. Of course, there’s also a possibility he might stick around the desert to boost his streaming followers.”

“Even though he’s a director, his work is pretty scarce—live streaming makes money much faster.”

“Ask him?”

“He’ll be live soon enough; just drop by the stream and ask.”

“Sigh, what a mess.”

The official live stream attracted both Xu Hao’s fans and casual viewers. Reactions to the announcement varied, but many were eager to see how the man who rattled the production team would respond.

Half an hour later, as soon as Xu Hao went live, viewers flooded in.

Ten thousand, twenty thousand, a hundred thousand, two hundred thousand—by the time the stream stabilized, the audience had reached half a million, ten thousand more than during the camel event.

“Hao, did the bonus come through?”

Before Xu Hao could greet everyone, many fans began asking their burning questions.

“It’s in!”

“So, when are you leaving the desert? And what about the Octagonal Pavilion?”

Two users, Lady Niu and Wo Long, voiced the most concern.

“Rest assured, everyone—I’ll be staying in the desert, and I will continue building the Octagonal Pavilion! There’s no rule that says without the production team I must leave,”

“I just won’t restrict myself on food and drink anymore.”

Xu Hao laughed.

“You’re still building it? That’s great!”

Hearing this, Lady Niu immediately sent a space projectile.

Her focus wasn’t on the supplies but on the pavilion itself. Many fans heaved a sigh of relief—they followed Xu Hao not for his unbelievable luck, but because they truly loved the charm of his hand-built courtyard.

“So you’re still not using nails and wood glue?”

Excited, Wo Long pressed further.

“Yeah, still no nails or wood glue. But for lumber, I might buy high-quality materials from outside—only the best wood can build a sturdy, elegant viewing pavilion. I might even invest in some modern tools like a chainsaw.”

After all, manual labor is too time-consuming and taxing.

Xu Hao wasn’t bragging—just keeping it real.

That’s his plan. There are only so many Dry Willows in the Shadou area; he can’t cut them all down, and their quality isn’t even top-notch. If he’s going to transform this place into a guesthouse courtyard, it has to be done right.

And the log cabin at the back? It needs a revamp too—since he plans to run a guesthouse, one room just won’t cut it.

“That’s understandable—as long as it’s a purely handcrafted Octagonal Pavilion!”

“I agree!”

Upon hearing Xu Hao’s words, many fans who adored the log cabin and pavilion flooded the chat with support, and numerous small gifts started rolling in.

Of course.

Where there’s support, there are inevitably skeptics—their doubts were plenty.

“Tsk tsk tsk—you’ve really gone too far by resorting to modern tools. How can we be sure you won’t secretly use nails and wood glue? And personal streams aren’t like official ones—they can’t go live 24/7. Who’s to say you won’t cheat when you go off-air?”

“I agree. You’re not just saying that to lure in more followers.”

“Heh, hosts like these are everywhere nowadays.”

“Chances are, most of them are just after viewers’ gifts.”

However, Xu Hao anticipated these doubts and calmly replied, “Friends, rest assured—I always keep my word. If you’re not convinced, come to the desert and inspect the wood and tools for yourself!

If I ever did resort to nails and wood glue, do as you please.

After all, this isn’t a survival challenge; the restrictions aren’t that strict.”

“Huh? A live inspection?”

The viewers were taken aback—they never expected Xu Hao to be so straightforward.

Once on-site, there’d be no chance to pull any tricks.

“Of course. And when you come here, don’t worry about food, shelter, or transportation—I’ll hire a tourism company to ensure your safety the entire time.

That said, let’s be clear: any costs still have to be covered individually.”

Xu Hao continued.

“You sure are serious? Don’t think we’re not up for it!”

Many skeptical viewers were rendered speechless by Xu Hao’s generosity, some even feeling a bit diminished.

“Of course I mean it!”

“Deal. I’m following you—I live in Lanshi, Su Province. It’s just a half-day drive to Mingsha County; don’t tell me it’s already set up when I arrive.”

“Rest assured, brother—I’ll only build the pavilion once the preparations are complete. If you don’t show up, I won’t start construction!”

“I love that—if you’re not there, no work begins! I like that kind of stubbornness.”

“Count me in—I’m coming too!”

And just like that, the chaotic live stream transformed into a different vibe after Xu Hao’s few words. Not only did Tianchen Culture’s hope for a drop in followers fail, his viewer count actually increased significantly.