Chapter 488: Identity Swap!

“What? It’s starting already?”

Gasps of surprise echoed across the stage as the announcement rang out. This was two hours earlier than expected.

“All program inspection teams, prepare for deployment!”

The stage voice continued, completely upending Mr. He’s original schedule. He had planned to introduce the remaining ten inspection teams—now, there was no time.

But in a way, this abrupt start only underscored the authenticity of the show.

No script. No rehearsal. Just a pure, unfiltered game of cat and mouse.

“I won’t waste any more time,” Mr. He said quickly. “We’re starting two hours ahead of schedule. Everyone, get moving! Remember the rules. Personal safety above all. Time isn’t the enemy, elimination is.”

With that, he briskly wrapped up the opening ceremony.

Everyone on stage sprang into motion. There was no panic, only swift, orderly action as they moved offstage.

Each inspection team had its own private control room. Inside, they couldn’t see the full livestream feed. If anything unusual occurred, staff would relay the information. Only the viewers and the director had full access to both the inspectors’ and the fugitives’ livestreams.

From their perspective, they were playing God.

At the same time, the viewers’ screens split into thirteen feeds, each one representing a different program inspection team’s channel.

Audience members could now enter any livestream channel that interested them.

And unlike previous seasons, this time there was a major change in viewing rules.

Previously, once you chose a team to watch, you were locked in; you couldn’t switch. Now, you were free to jump between channels at will.

As for the locals living on the outer islands, they were still restricted from viewing the broadcasts, just like last time.

First, to prevent them from watching a fugitive’s feed and aiding in a manhunt.

Second, to eliminate external interference and ensure that every capture and every escape depended solely on individual skill and strategy.

No help. No hints. Pure ability.

“OMG! It’s finally starting! I’m heading straight for the Apollo Royal Family stream. Stanley is so hot!”

“I’m going too! Eve is drop-dead gorgeous. Totally my type!”

“I’m picking the Hahabaye Tribe. I wanna see how those primitive-looking guys pull off a manhunt!”

“You’re all traitors chasing the new and shiny. I’m sticking with Big Bro’s stream. He hasn’t even landed yet, and I’m still here for him!”

Viewers swarmed into their favorite livestreams based on personal preferences.

Within moments, the numbers began to diverge wildly.

In just thirty minutes from the start of the broadcast, viewership had soared from twenty million to sixty million.

Wang Yun’s channel, despite being offline, still had an astonishing thirty million people waiting inside.

That meant the other thirty million were now split among the thirteen program inspectors and the five hundred fugitives’ streams.

Due to the rushed start, Mr. He hadn’t had time to introduce the five hundred fugitives in detail. But that didn’t matter. Each fugitive’s stream had a profile panel in the lower right corner providing key background info.

Fugitive Codename 001:

Former rock-climbing champion, age 35.

Holder of 32 international awards.

Specialties: Rock climbing, wilderness survival.

Rating: Rank C — 3 points.

Fugitive Codename 008:

Active world traveler.

Expert in camouflage and terrain analysis.

Adapts quickly to new environments and formulates detailed strategies.

Rating: Rank D — 2 points.

Fugitive Codename 083:

Shaolin-trained martial artist.

Excels in hand-to-hand combat, speed twice that of an average person.

Capable of taking on five enemies solo.

Rating: Rank B — 4 points.

Fugitive Codename 0453:

Hollywood action choreographer.

Skilled in combat, observation, stamina, communication, and disguise.

Top-tier intelligence and physical ability.

Rating: Rank A — 5 points!

Each stream featured this kind of profile box, giving viewers a quick snapshot of the fugitive’s identity and skill set.

The stronger the fugitive, the higher their rank, and the more points they were worth.

These five hundred fugitives weren’t just random criminals. They were elites from around the globe.

Some drew more attention than others. Kolyev from the United States, Wang Yue from Dragon Country, Captain Longshou (Dragon Hand) from India, Captain Werner from the Will Nation, and Captain Minami from the Sakura Nation.

All of them had joined the show this season.

But they played the role of fugitives.

That revelation stunned everyone. Of course, each of them had an A-Rank rating.

There were also fifty-six women among the fugitives.

Don’t underestimate them, thirty-two were A-Rank, making up more than half of the top tier. Among them was Ying Yuezi, a name already familiar to many.

And similar to Ying Yuezi, another woman stood out: Beibei, from Dragon Kingdom.

Her name was clearly a pseudonym, and her age was marked as confidential. But her appearance left the viewers in awe.

She looked like a living doll—adorable, petite, standing barely 1.55 meters tall. Small, delicate, and dressed like a full-on loli character.

And yet—she was A-Rank.

If Beibei and Ying Yuezi stood side by side, the contrast was jarring. A complete visual clash:

A loli and a queen.