Chapter 22: The Log Cabin Challenge

Friends, hello everyone!

As usual, Xu Hao greeted the viewers in his livestream.

Perhaps the excitement from building the log cabin frame had worn off, or maybe because Xu Hao hadn’t streamed in a while—his channel now had just over 20,000 viewers, yet his follower count had surged to 300,000.

At this rate, it won’t be long before Xu Hao becomes a KuaiDou streamer with over a million fans.

“Hao, how did you do it? You didn’t even use a single nail!”

“Exactly!”

Watching Xu Hao on camera, as viewers flooded the chat with messages and small gifts, they couldn’t help but ask questions.

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved DIY and experimented with woodworking techniques. I never imagined I’d actually use them this time.”

Of course, Xu Hao wouldn’t reveal that he was actually a time-traveling PhD in ancient architecture restoration—instead, he offered a casually convincing explanation.

“So that’s your secret! I knew you were confident from the start.”

“I’m genuinely impressed!”

“When I saw you picking out those tools, I thought you were just faking it. Turns out you were ready all along.”

“I misunderstood you earlier. My apologies!”

Hearing his answer, many viewers showered him with a flurry of ‘666’. “Hao, when will the log cabin be finished? Gongdi Ren and Matt Loyal Fan say that once it’s done, you’ll honor your promise.”

At that moment, another viewer asked.

“Finished? We could have the doors and windows done by tomorrow afternoon, but if you’re adding a bed, it might not be ready until the morning after tomorrow.”

Xu Hao pondered for a moment before replying.

He had prepared plenty of boards last night while gathering lumber; assembling the roof and walls would take little time. The windows are just the simple, outward-hinging wooden kind—no complex craftsmanship needed.

As for a door, that was even simpler.

“Building a bed? Do you really have the energy for a bed tomorrow?”

Many viewers were taken aback by his plan.

“How else are you going to sleep? You can’t just sleep on the floor.”

Xu Hao glanced back at the fenced courtyard.

He had barely managed last night on the sandy ground; the inconsistent sounds of shifting quicksand in the middle of the night were particularly unsettling.

Yet if he made a bed and stitched together a mattress using some jumping rabbits pelt, it would be both warm and comfortable.

“Aren’t you going to collect some dry firewood? The forecast says heavy, continuous rain might start the day after tomorrow. Lord Bei, Matt, and the others have been busy moving wood into the shelter today while preparing food supplies.”

A viewer named Wo Long immediately replied.

“Rain the day after tomorrow?”

After a brief moment of surprise, Xu Hao patted his head, suddenly recalling the Production Team’s reminder from yesterday—he had been so busy preparing materials he’d forgotten all about it.

Luckily, the livestream audience’s prompt reminder saved him from what could have been a major problem.

“Right, so I think you should change the plan!”

“Exactly. I cast my vote for you after seeing your log cabin frame today—just don’t let me down.”

Clearly, his lack of preparation prompted viewers to flood the chat with comments.

Thanks to this marvelous log cabin, they’d become his true fans, eagerly following his next survival challenge.

“Also, while you’re storing the dry wood, you should look for some food too—eating only jumping rabbit meat isn’t enough.”

Wo Long once again offered his suggestion in the chat.

“Thanks for your concern and advice, Wo Long. I’ll arrange it for tomorrow—it shouldn’t be a problem.”

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Hao already had a plan in mind.

“Bro, if you can weather that downpour, I’ll even sponsor you with a space projectile.”

Perhaps spurred by Xu Hao’s approval, Wo Long’s face lit up.

“Hehe, thanks, brother. Just kidding—since the plan’s changed for tomorrow, I’m off to work for a bit before coming back later.”

Xu Hao glanced over at the cooking pot area in the courtyard.

That spot definitely needed a rain shelter; otherwise, how would you start a fire and cook meat on a rainy day? Plus, proper drainage in front of and behind the log cabin was crucial. Besides a basic gutter, some grass slabs should be laid on the sand slope behind the cabin to prevent shifting sand.

Those grass slabs were especially important.

“You go ahead and handle it—we support you all the way!”

“Count me in for support!”

“Go on, get to work. We’ll just watch through the camera.”

Before long, Xu Hao’s livestream had recaptured the lively atmosphere of a seasoned streamer, replacing doubt with trust.

“Alright, see you all tomorrow.”

With that, Xu Hao bid farewell and got back to work.

Even though he had the backing of the Long Kingdom Ancient Architecture Research Institute, he never intended to abandon the Wild Survival Challenge—after all, it’s all for the half a million prize!

By the light of the fire,

Xu Hao shuttled back and forth between the log cabin frame and a distant patch of wild grass. One by one, grass slabs began emerging behind the log cabin, gradually merging with those in the fenced courtyard to form a larger area.

These slabs, made of withered yellow hay, would look even better if a hint of green started to show—paired with the log cabin and the courtyard, the setting would be incredibly charming.

Time flew by, and soon it was ten o’clock the next morning.

Haishi – Tianchen Culture Headquarters Building

In the Operations Department Office, Liu Qing, the manager, walked up to a large electronic screen. A few young staff members were seated there, intently watching the footage.

“So, any contestants likely to drop out today?”

Glancing at the screen, Liu Qing asked.

After talking with Yang Yuan yesterday, he had assigned a task—to monitor the challenge contestants and find a way to get them to drop out as quickly as possible.

“Manager Liu, it looks like Cody might drop out today!”

At that, a female employee quickly responded.

“Cody? The contestant who’s decent at survival but refuses to wear shoes?”

Liu Qing’s face lit up at the prospect of a dropout.

“Yes. Last evening, his foot got stung by a desert scorpion, and now it’s so swollen you wouldn’t recognize it. I bet he’ll call the rescue team around noon.”

The female employee pressed a button, and Cody’s image immediately appeared on the screen.

“Daring to go barefoot in the desert? Serves him right!”

Liu Qing glanced around before turning to the other staff, “What about the others? Has anyone caught a large animal yet?”

“Manager Liu, Lord Bei and the others started gathering firewood early this morning. Many contestants’ shelters are already stocked to the brim. As for food, none of the contestants have managed to find any today.”

A chubby young man at a desk added,

“What good is that little firewood for shelters? With this rain set to last about ten days, the stored firewood might only last two or three days at best.”

A wry smile tugged at Liu Qing’s lips.

If the rain persisted in the desert, temperatures would drop to a scary level, and the fire couldn’t be allowed to go out for even a moment.

Over ten days, the volume of dry wood needed would be enormous.

With that thought, Liu Qing suddenly remembered something and turned to a young man seated in the front row.

“By the way, what is Xu Hao up to? Switch the camera to his area so I can take a look.”