Chapter 494: The Escape Officially Begins!

Soran nodded.

“That’s right, it’s definitely Dragon Kingdom. They’ve faced Wang Yun before and know him well. They’re holding back this time, probably thinking the same as us.”

The other three captains nodded in agreement.

“Thankfully, only Dragon Kingdom’s team shares our approach. It’s one-on-one. Aside from Wang Yun, we must secure a top-five spot!” said Myla with firm resolve, the team’s only female captain. 

“In that case, let’s study the map of Lidao Island first,” she added, pulling it out.

Her action drew gasps of surprise from the livestream viewers.

“Wow, I never expected a team from such a small country to be thinking just like our Dragon Kingdom!”

“As the saying goes, true masters rise from among the people. The more unassuming, the more surprising!”

“You’re underestimating us. Sure, everyone on our team may be ‘ordinary,’ but even regular inspectors have spent months poring over last season’s footage!”

“We may not have your strength, but we make up for it with hard work. And those five captains of ours? Top-tier talents!”

In the stream chat, many citizens of Zhilihui passionately defended their team.

Of course, the majority were still viewers from the Dragon Kingdom.

“No one’s looking down on you! We’re here in peace and friendship. Honestly, with your dedication, we believe you’ll catch plenty of fugitives!”

“Exactly! All foreign friends coming to the Dragon Kingdom to join the program are our good friends. We’re just analyzing things objectively, and we hope you make it all the way! Fight to survive!”

Messages poured in, and the atmosphere warmed noticeably.

Even the audience had changed this season.

Previously, the mood was hostile and bloodthirsty. Now, it leaned toward respectful coexistence.

***

The first group to reach the outskirts of the airport was the Skelan family—the team of law-enforcement elites.

Matyev and Matwenfu led separate squads, each deploying in different directions to begin a wide-area search.

Three additional teams were dispatched toward the nearby coastline. They brought drones equipped with thermal sensors to detect movement.

These 500 fugitives had no photos or distinctive physical features.

The only clue was a wristband—a visible mark that couldn’t be removed or concealed, but could be disguised. Attempting to hide it would result in instant disqualification. So inspectors only needed to check people’s wrists. If the band was visible, they had their fugitive.

One after another, more than two hundred people walked out of the airport.

They split into groups and began moving in different directions.

To the east of the airport lay the urban area, the most bustling part of Lidao and its surroundings, practically the most crowded place on the entire island.

Most fugitives would head east to hide.

Crowds meant safety.

In densely populated areas, there were countless buildings perfect for hiding, and perhaps even opportunities to make some quick money.

To the south was the transportation hub, where the train station, ferry terminal, and other key transit points were located.

There were only three legal ways to leave the island: plane, train, or ferry. Even private cars were useless; you’d still need a ferry in the end, since the entire island was surrounded by the ocean.

Because of this, the southern area was also a prime destination for fugitives.

After all, the program inspectors were concentrated mostly around the airport. There were thousands, even tens of thousands, of program inspectors stationed here.

Only by staying far away from them could there be any hope of survival.

As long as someone could endure for seven days, they would earn a 100,000 cash reward for each additional day they survived.

At this moment, everyone had only one goal: to make it through the first seven days.

Survive those seven days, and every day after that would mean more money in their pockets.

To the west and north lay the outskirts and the coastline. These areas were generally open and exposed, so most fugitives didn’t dare venture there.

On top of that, every street and alley in the city was covered with surveillance cameras.

This round of the escape challenge was going to be extremely difficult.

***

Wang Yun, along with his seven new teammates, had already departed. But instead of heading east or south—toward the crowds and chaos—he turned north, toward the coast.

No one knew what his first move would be.

But in the livestream, the audience was already on edge.

“What’s Big Brother doing heading to the coast? No one else went that way!”

“Don’t tell me he’s planning to hide in the sea? It’s autumn, the water’s freezing!”

“He must be trying to ditch them. Those five are dead weight!”

“If it were me, I’d just quit the show. What an insult being forced to carry these guys!”

The fans were still reeling from the previous developments.

Everyone could see the production team had deliberately stacked the odds against Wang Yun. What they didn’t understand was why he wasn’t resisting.

“Boss, where are we heading?” someone asked.

“Old Zhou, keep up! If you can’t help Boss, at least don’t fall behind!” Old Hu shouted, glancing back.

Old Zhou’s stamina clearly couldn’t match the younger team members. He was lagging far behind. Even so, he didn’t complain once, just nodded and quickened his pace to catch up.