Chapter 285: Recalling the Past, Reality Meets the Show!

With Xiao Gang and Wang Zi gone, Wang Yun pinned the blame squarely on the program inspectors. If it weren’t for their relentless pursuit, the four of them wouldn’t be in this situation. Wang Zi’s hand wouldn’t have been injured, and he wouldn’t have fainted either.  

In short, these old and new grudges would all be settled with them eventually.

Brother Hu nodded when he heard Wang Yun’s words. He was unusually quiet, his face practically broadcasting his sadness.  

Wang Yun looked at him, sat down next to him, and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.  

“To be honest, if you think about it, maybe Xiao Gang and Prince being out of this is a kind of relief for them. They’ve been with me through thick and thin, always on edge, never knowing where their next meal would come from. Surviving in a place like this… it’s a heavy burden for anyone.”  

Wang Yun’s voice was softer than usual, gentle in a way that was unlike him.  

Brother Hu nodded as he absentmindedly played with the bread in his hands.  

“I know… but it just feels so empty inside. Those two were always with us, chatting away, keeping things from feeling too dull.”  

He smiled a little after saying that.  

“No matter what they think, I’ve never had a single complaint following you, boss.”  

After saying that, Brother Hu glanced around. The surrounding forest had fallen silent, even the wind had stopped blowing. It was as if the world itself shared in their sadness.

“Honestly, before I met you, Boss, I never thought life could be so colorful. I always saw myself as a plain, unremarkable guy. When the show was recruiting actors, I applied just for the heck of it. I was nearly out of money, had just wrapped up work with a different crew, and of course, I was only a temp. I never expected to be picked. Maybe I looked too mean or ugly, so the producer chose me right away. Then I met you. Went to prison, broke out, and started running for my life. For the first time, I realized I could do all these things—without a script, no character to play, just me, improvising everything. There were moments when I really thought I was a hardened criminal, believing I was someone unforgivable!”  

Brother Hu recalled the past.  

Normally, actors weren’t allowed to go off-script like this on the show. Doing so could break the immersion for the viewers. But Brother Hu’s words were so heartfelt that even the producer couldn’t bring himself to interrupt.  

Wang Yun just listened, quietly watching as Brother Hu shared his story.  

The world around them grew even quieter. Even the birds stopped chirping, as if everything was pausing to hear him out.  

“It’s you who helped me find the value in my life,” Brother Hu turned, his eyes shining as he looked at Wang Yun. “No matter how long I can stay with you, or how much longer I last on this show, during this time, I’ve had my chance to be the lead! Even if no other shows want me after this, and I go back to being just a background extra—looking back on this experience, it’ll still have been worth it!”  

Brother Hu smiled.

This time, Brother Hu laughed from the bottom of his heart. His smile was full of gratitude toward Wang Yun, hope for life, and anticipation for the future.  

Wang Yun didn’t say anything, just nodded. He too felt a bit melancholic inside. He was in the same boat. When this show ended, he would also feel lost.  

But it didn’t matter—since things had come to this, he’d just roll with it.  

“Don’t overthink it. I don’t know what’s happening outside, but haven’t you noticed how the number of program inspectors keeps growing? And the stronger the captains are, the more sponsors there are. That just means the show is a huge hit. Once you’re out of this, you definitely won’t be some unknown extra anymore. Live-streaming could be your thing too.”  

After Wang Yun finished, Brother Hu burst into laughter.  

“Live-stream what? Guns?!”  

The two of them broke out into loud laughter.  

At that moment, only the sound of their laughter echoed through the jungle. 

*

Zhao Youcheng stared at the computer screen, still finding nothing.  

‘It seems Wang Yun and the others have made it to shore by now. Otherwise, we would’ve seen some sign of them by now. Or maybe they didn’t take the water route at all and stuck to the cliffs instead.’ 

Zhao Youcheng speculated in his mind.

“Rock team, how’s it looking over there? Have you found any trace of Wang Yun?” Zhao Youcheng asked the climbing team over the intercom.

“Not yet. The path here is tough to climb. There’s no road beneath us anymore, so we’re scaling the rock face. Progress is a bit slow. But we’re certain that Wang Yun and the others passed this way. We’ve found fresh scratch marks on the stone and dagger-made holes,” the climbing team leader reported.

“Alright, just be careful and don’t rush.” Zhao Youcheng replied.

He then checked in with Wu Yaoming’s team. 

At this point, all hope rested on Captain Wu’s squad. The water and stone routes were already ruled out—Wang Yun had moved on. 

The most likely scenario was that Wang Yun and his team had already made it ashore and were now in the jungle around the mountain.

“Reporting to Mr. Zhao, we’ve just arrived at the foot of the mountain and are setting up. The vehicle carrying the gas masks is about ten minutes out. Once we’re fully equipped, we’ll head into the forest right away.” 

Wu Yaoming’s voice came through the intercom, panting heavily. It seemed like they had just reached the mountain’s edge.