Chapter 499: Is Ying Yuezi Cosplaying Too?

The entire livestream chat burst into laughter.

“Yes, you’re a good person.”

“Here, have your Good Person Card. Carry it with you for life!”

Of course, not everyone was amused by BeiBei’s stunt. Some viewers found it distasteful, even unethical.

After leaving the scene, BeiBei seemed to reflect on that, and she spoke to the camera with a casual mutter.

“If you all really care about the show’s reputation, then pay that guy back, for both the money and the meal. Obviously, I’m not the one footing the bill. That’s your job.”

The staff member assigned to her let out a helpless sigh. She was doing this on purpose, no doubt about it. And now, not only had he heard it, the entire livestream audience had too.

There was no way the production team could ignore it—not over a trivial sum like that. The show’s reputation was on the line.

“We’ll reimburse the person in full,” the staff replied seriously, “but this is a warning. Don’t use such tactics again.”

Pfft!

BeiBei burst out laughing.

Just as the viewers began wondering what she found so funny, a bright red line of text appeared across the stream:

“The production team will fully compensate the bystander and formally warn BeiBei: no more improper conduct allowed. Heh, but didn’t Big Brother Wang Yun get away with all kinds of shady stuff last season? You never said accepting money from strangers was against the rules. And it’s not like I stole it or snatched it. The guy gave it to me of his own free will. What are you gonna do, sue me?”

BeiBei fired back without missing a beat.

The entire chat immediately caught on.

That red-text warning had clearly been fed to her through her earpiece, and she was laughing at how childish it was.

Within seconds, the tide of public opinion flipped. Now, viewers were rallying behind BeiBei, turning their criticism on the production team.

“Wang Yun straight-up stole stuff last season, and it was worth tens of millions!”

“Compared to that, Bei Bei’s move is nothing!”

The staff went silent.

BeiBei ignored them, too. She strolled confidently through the bustling city streets, a takeaway box in each hand. From time to time, she even stopped to browse the jewelry shops lining both sides of the road.

The scene was a stark contrast to the other fugitives’ frantic attempts to stay hidden.

***

Apart from BeiBei, the most-watched livestream belonged to Ying Yuezi.

She had a loyal fanbase of her own.

Last season, she had been the strongest female captain on the inspection team. Well, the only female captain, actually.

Her viewers were now flooding her stream with exclamation marks.

Why?

Because Ying Yuezi was headed northeast, toward the coast. The same direction as Wang Yun. Her goal was also the same: seafood.

But unlike Wang Yun, she wasn’t diving into the ocean herself. She was playing middleman.

“Boss, these oysters look pretty fresh!”

Wearing a tracksuit, Ying Yuezi squatted in front of a seafood vendor, smiling as she spoke.

“Yep, just pulled from the water. Eating or gifting?” the vendor asked enthusiastically, seeing it was a young woman. He pried one open and handed it to her.

On this island, it was common to eat seafood raw. The marine life here was bacteria-free, clean, and boasted excellent texture and flavor.

Ying Yuezi didn’t hesitate.

She tilted her head back and slurped down the palm-sized oyster.

The meat was tender, sweet, and silky smooth. No grit, no fishy aftertaste. Absolutely clean.

She nodded with satisfaction. Her movements had the calm confidence of someone who knew her stuff.

“Not bad at all. I’ve been looking for oysters with this kind of mouthfeel for ages.”

Then she added smoothly, “You’ve heard of Darqi Restaurant, right? I’m the executive chef there. I handle all the fresh ingredients.”

She paused, watching the vendor’s eyes widen in disbelief.

“Normally, our seafood is flown in from the Dwarf Kingdom. But lately, we’ve had logistics problems. Officially, we told customers the cold chain failed due to internal mishandling. So now, I’m out here myself, trying to find something suitable to fill the gap.”

Her delivery was flawless. There was no stammer, no hesitation.

The vendor blinked, stunned.

“Darqi? Michelin three stars? You’re the executive chef?”

He stared at her in disbelief. Her face was sharp, striking, refined yet angular. He thought she was too pretty to be a chef. And yet, her presence carried authority.

Ying Yuezi nodded with a faint smile.

“I can’t just show up with cameras and lights. You know how it is, three-star places live and die by reputation. But don’t worry, I’m not scamming you. These oysters are excellent. I’ll take the whole lot. Name your price. Shipments from the Dwarf Kingdom won’t resume for at least six months. If your prices are fair, we can make this a long-term deal. Naturally, we’ll need a confidentiality agreement.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a card.

Printed right on it was the Darqi Restaurant logo and name.