Chapter 44: The Octagonal Pavilion Challenge

Otherwise? What do you think an octagonal pavilion is supposed to look like?

Seeing the excited viewers, Xu Hao couldn’t help but retort.

Could it be that my understanding is flawed?

“Exactly! Exactly! Brother Hao, you’re absolutely right—traditional octagonal pavilions are the best! The bolder your challenge, the more I admire it.”

Coming back to reality, one viewer immediately sent a thumbs-up.

It’s truly fascinating to witness someone challenge themselves by building an octagonal pavilion without nails or wood glue—complete with decorative painting.

“Exactly. Just two hours ago, Tianchen Culture officially announced another wilderness survival event in the desert of Ning’an. I was planning to check it out, but now it seems Brother Hao’s challenge is on a whole different level.”

“I agree—the survival challenge doesn’t even come close to what Brother Hao is doing.”

“Anyway, I’m all for Brother Hao!”

“Same as always: once you finish, Brother Hao, I’m going to spam space projectiles.”

After confirming Xu Hao’s words, the chat exploded. Although there was no official push and only just over ten thousand viewers, the barrage was as intense as in streams with over a hundred thousand.

“By the way, Brother Hao, when will you let us join? I can’t wait any longer—I want to spend a night in the desert.”

After a flurry of messages, Lady Niu reappeared.

“Alright, everyone, please hang on a bit. I’m making some final preparations so that when you finally get here, you have a proper experience. We can’t have you arriving to find nothing—not even proper places to eat or use the restroom, right?”

After a moment’s thought, Xu Hao replied.

He had long discussed this with Zhu Qiang; if they’re going all out, every detail must be flawless. It’s like those desert tour groups that leave behind chaos, with trash scattered everywhere.

How can we expect future viewers if we leave a mess behind? “Huh? I agree, Brother Hao, but some of us just can’t wait!”

“Yes, and besides the pavilion, I also want to see those two wild chickens. I heard one of them laid an egg—we’ve never even seen a wild chicken egg before.”

“By the way, Brother Hao, are you saying that we have to build the guesthouse first before constructing the octagonal pavilion? Isn’t that going to be too slow? What if I bring my own camping tent?”

Lady Niu asked again.

“So, you mean even if we bring our own tent and food, it’s not allowed?”

After she spoke, the comments section was bombarded once more.

“Bringing your own tent and food is fine, but we still need to purchase trash bins and such—right? Rest assured, everything will be ready in just a few days.”

After pondering for a moment, Xu Hao said,

“Everything else is acceptable, but desert litter is a line we will not cross.”

“Alright then, we’ll wait for your good news, Brother Hao.”

Seeing Xu Hao’s firm resolve, the audience quieted down; they knew all too well the pitfalls involved.

“Okay, everyone, wait for my announcement. I promise you won’t miss a moment of the pavilion building process.”

“Alright!”

The KuaiDou platform boasts over a billion users, and there are far more streamers than just Xu Hao. At a five-star hotel near Tianchen Culture, a man in his thirties dressed in outdoor gear was also interacting with viewers. He was none other than Zhang Chi, a rising star promoted by Ziyun Live.

“Family, tomorrow we head to the Ning’an desert for a challenge. Our Chijia Army has little gifts—so spread the word and boost the hype!”

Zhang Chi said proudly.

Originally, his fanbase numbered 500,000, but this event is his chance to break the million mark and become a million-view streamer.

Once he hits that milestone, he’ll join the first-tier streamers of Ziyun Guild and earn a higher revenue share.

“Chi, what’s the prize for this challenge? Still 5 million as before?”

A viewer sporting a fan badge asked.

“Yeah!”

“Good, otherwise that would be too stingy.”

“Not bad. Tianchen Culture is a big company—they can afford this much money.”

“By the way, when you tackle that challenge, are you planning on building a log cabin too? I saw that last time Xu Hao built one, and it really boosted the live effect—drawing in tons of fans.”

Another viewer commented.

“Of course! Not only will he build a log cabin, but also a pavilion. Brother Hao can pull off every trick without leaving anything out.”

Zhang Chi smiled confidently.

“Chi, are you building a pavilion too?”

At that, the chat exploded in excitement.

“Yeah, and you don’t even need nails or wood glue. Honestly, what Xu Hao is doing is basic stuff for any DIY enthusiast. I’ve even worked at a replica architectural firm—this is just child’s play.”

Zhang Chi’s lips curled into a barely perceptible smirk.

Both Ziyun Guild and Tianchen Culture had privately briefed him; they even designated specific areas with marked spots for nails and wood glue so that viewers wouldn’t notice a thing.

“That’s great. Looking forward to your challenge, Chi.”

“I told you, building a log cabin without nails or wood glue isn’t hard—yet some people just refuse to believe it.”

“Exactly. Lately, Xu Hao’s fans have been showering him with endless praise—it’s nauseating.”

“Chi, then it’s up to you to prove them wrong!”

“Start your stream already—I’m going to @ Xu Hao’s fans when the time comes.”

“Hahaha, exactly!”

Before anyone knew it, small gifts began to stream in.

“Don’t worry, brothers. Just watch!”

“Alright!”

Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was 3 p.m.

Yan City, Second Ring – Long Kingdom Institute of Ancient Architecture Culture

Second Floor.

Director Li Jue, having just finished watching the video, slowly sat up straight.

“Lao Liu, our Xu Hao is really getting into it—the stakes are getting higher, and now he’s even adding decorative painting.”

Pausing briefly, he looked toward Vice Director Liu Shan.

“It’s quite unexpected. I thought he’d merely build an ordinary pavilion, but he’s gone all out! If he really pulls this off, it won’t just be a replica—it’ll be a genuine ancient pavilion.”

The only question is, which dynasty’s style will his pavilion reflect?

Liu Shan shook his head with a wry smile.

It turns out they had underestimated Xu Hao after all.

“Lao Liu, since things have been quiet at the institute lately, I want to make a personal trip to Mingsha County!”

After a brief silence, Li Jue continued speaking.

“You want to go to Mingsha County?”

“Yeah, since it’s accessible, why not see for myself how Xu Hao applies those mortise and tenon joints? Who knows, I might even learn something. More importantly, only by witnessing his skills firsthand can I feel comfortable assigning him the restoration of Wanchun Pavilion! The one behind 49 Imperial City has been delayed long enough.”

Li Jue let out a long sigh, got up, and poured himself a cup of strong tea.

“But the desert is barren right now, and you’re getting older. What if something happens while you’re spending the night out there?”

Liu Shan looked a bit worried.

Yet he knew that once Li Jue had made up his mind, no one could stop him.

“Don’t worry—I’m still in good shape.”

Li Jue waved his hand, signaling that Liu Shan need not worry too much.

“How about I come with you?”

“No way—you can’t go too, or who will stay and manage the institute if something urgent comes up? We need someone to keep watch.”

“How about this: I’ll call the local authorities and have them make arrangements. We can’t exactly end up sleeping in the desert at night! And let’s also call Xu Hao so he can meet up with you.”

After a moment of thought, Liu Shan shared his idea.

“Well, involving the locals and Xu Hao might be a bit iffy since we don’t have any official project.”

“What’s wrong with that? Xu Hao is now a Level 3 researcher at our institute. It’s only natural that he handle reception for the director. It’s settled then—if you’re going alone, I can’t agree.”

“Alright, then. We’ll do it your way. I’ll have Xiao Bai book a ticket shortly.”

“Alright!”