I have a persona specifically for acting.

When the director announced the change of map, the entire venue erupted in uproar.

After all, the “home-field advantage” is a real thing.

Among the attendees, several competitors might not excel physically but had plenty of experience in outdoor survival—children raised in rural areas had certain advantages on a deserted island, while muscles built in the gym might not be much help in the jungle.

“Why the sudden change?”

“I heard there’s a bug in the deserted island map.”

“What kind of bug? If it’s not serious, can’t we just make do?”

A host who usually livestreams cooking and advertising quietly complained, “With the map change, I’ve lost my advantage.”

“It’s pretty serious. Apparently, a member of the development team slacked off and reused some ancient data, which caused all the T-Rex eggs to hatch on the island. There’s no time to check the data, and if we use this map, we not only have to battle wild animals but also outsmart and outfight T-Rexes…”

It’s gone from “National Geographic Channel” to “Jurassic Park.”

The competitor who previously said it could be made to work fell silent for a moment, then grumbled, “Fine.”

They had to accept reality.

They had signed performance contracts, and unless there were uncontrollable factors, they couldn’t withdraw without paying a hefty penalty, as it’s practically impossible for the show to bring in replacements last minute.

[The T-Rex is killing me with laughter!]

[I want to see Tong Zhao battle the T-Rex!]

[This bug… it really shows that one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch in any industry. Luckily it was discovered in time; otherwise, finding out that a survival show turned into a dinosaur cooking show right before filming would be a huge loss.]

The entire production team was relieved.

However…

After the announcement, Director Chen sat down beside Duan Ge with a big smile: “Sister Zhao, you heard the situation just now.”

Tong Zhao’s situation was different from the others.

She was a special invited guest, and her contract was drafted separately. The sudden map change was a breach of contract by the producers, giving her the right to leave without filming.

Everyone else watched her with eager eyes.

When the map change was announced, Duan Ge’s usually calm expression showed significant signs of wavering—everyone was paying too much attention to her, even catching the slightest change in her demeanor.

Was she scared?

Although the black-box operation to change the data wasn’t particularly difficult, a sudden map change would surely have some impact.

Some competitors couldn’t help but speculate.

While they had preliminary activity data, being able to run and jump was completely different from surviving in extreme environments; otherwise, athletes could easily transition to special forces.

“Yes,” Duan Ge nodded. “I heard.”

…

And then?

There was no “and then.” Duan Ge watched him quietly, waiting for him to continue speaking.

She showed no intention of taking a stance.

In fact, Duan Ge knew he was testing her attitude—even in the apocalypse, she wasn’t just a mindless brute relying solely on force. Being a leader required a good grasp of emotional intelligence. However, her mood was currently poor, and the director had just hit a nerve.

She wouldn’t lash out at just anyone, but if he had something to say, he should be direct.

Tong Zhao was in a bad mood today…

Chen Director speculated, but he also sensed the other contestants’ unfriendliness towards her.

Who could maintain a good temper in such an environment?

There were plenty of big-name stars who loved to throw tantrums and act aloof, making cold faces and asserting their presence was not uncommon. Tong Zhao had previously seemed approachable enough to give him the impression of “maybe I can take advantage of her.” But now, with that icy glare, he quickly dismissed his earlier underestimation. He wiped the flattering smile off his face and earnestly explained the situation, sincerely apologizing and hoping she would stay.

After speaking, Director Chen was sweating profusely.

He had mentally prepared himself for Tong Zhao to explode and say she wouldn’t film anymore.

After all, Director Chen knew very well that there was no black-box operation to favor Tong Zhao; her performance depended solely on herself. The public pressure she was under was immense. If she could find an excuse to walk away, it would be understandable… While she might have confidence in wilderness survival, she might not feel the same about a city map!

An easy excuse had just been handed to her.

[Tong Zhao doesn’t want to film anymore?]

[This map change is way too sudden; who would be happy about that?]

[Only she has objections while the other contestants unanimously agree? Is she really that noble?]

Those who questioned were immediately countered by more informed viewers—

[Exactly! In terms of this variety show, she is “noble” because her contract is different. A last-minute map change generally constitutes a breach of contract, giving her the right to opt out. Didn’t you see that some contestants also had concerns? Everyone came prepared for survival on a deserted island… It’s like a science student taking a liberal arts exam, got it?]

This analogy was easier to understand.

But then the comments quickly turned into a debate about the differences between the deserted island and city maps.

…

Duan Ge: “Okay, no problem.”

“We really hope…”

Director Chen’s persuasive words were on the tip of his tongue but then paused, realizing that the other party had readily agreed: “Huh?”

“A map change is fine,” Duan Ge patiently explained. “I thought you were going to mention other issues.”

“…”

Director Chen’s bewildered expression garnered a unanimous [hahahahaha] from the comments.

In that moment, the director deeply understood one thing—

Don’t play games with Tong Zhao; just speak directly and clearly.

After sweating profusely during the off-road challenge and even swimming in the pool, the production team gave everyone an hour to freshen up and rest before gathering in the shooting studio. This film studio had space for fifty holographic filming booths and was adjacent to a villa-style dormitory resembling a resort. As a special guest, Duan Ge enjoyed certain privileges, having an entire small villa to herself, complete with a garden enclosed by a grassy wall and an outdoor bathtub. Considering her status as a female star, she only took a shower indoors.

Other contestants were relaxing in a Zen-like manner while waiting for the shoot to start.

Some hurriedly sought advice from colleagues who had experience in urban survival variety shows, trying to adjust their mindset in the limited time.

There were also a few individuals who weren’t even considered variety stars; they were merely lucky enough to be selected for a chance to earn some appearance fees, dreaming of winning the prize money. They eagerly searched for a chance to get autographs and photos with female celebrities.

However, they couldn’t find anyone.

They didn’t see anyone in the rest area, nor were they able to gather with the director, and the villa door displaying Duan Ge’s name indicated that the owner was temporarily unavailable.

Where could she have gone?

In the end, a clever contestant pulled out their phone to check the live stream of “One Life Survivor,” clicking on the camera that followed Tong Zhao throughout—

They had searched all the recreational facilities but had overlooked the gym inside the shooting studio.

Meanwhile, Duan Ge was running on a treadmill at a steady pace.

A flying camera hovered to her right.

Under the camera, Duan Ge slightly tilted her face up, and a droplet of sweat slid from her tight jawline down to her collarbone. The gym lights illuminated her, making her skin appear dazzlingly white. Perhaps because she wanted to focus on exercising, she wore very light makeup, which highlighted the striking features that seemed sculpted by divine design—her high nose bridge and full lips formed an impeccable profile, resembling a beautiful girl straight out of an anime.

Damn.

So beautiful.

Several male contestants watching the live stream couldn’t help but start imagining—

If Tong Zhao accidentally fell into their hands during the survival show, would they dare to eliminate her?

They were thankful that the intelligent AI would block and suppress any inappropriate thoughts; otherwise, they were genuinely concerned about losing control.

[Zhao Zhao is really working hard, completely different from her role in “Emperor Ming.”]

[The scariest part is that such a naturally beautiful woman is working so hard… Just finished a tiring challenge, took a shower, and now exercising. Does her stamina never run out?]

[So now are they trying to set up Tong Zhao as a strong sportswoman?]

[Huh? Is this really considered a character setup?]

The comments almost erupted again.

They didn’t because the time was up, and all the contestants gathered in the shooting studio.

Everyone lay down in the holographic shooting pods.

Duan Ge closed her eyes, waiting for the equipment to activate, and heard a faint child’s voice in her mind:

[Big sister Duan Ge, you seem really irritable lately. Are you unhappy?]

The chances for Zhao Zai to emerge were very rare.

Since it had been so long, this personality was buried deep within, and it was only during the last check of her consciousness palace that Zhao Zai had awakened.

[It’s a bit,]

Duan Ge didn’t want to scare her little self and explained actively: [Every world setting and life experience in the quick-traveling has been exaggerated—like Sister Lu almost losing her life due to betrayal by her husband, I inevitably ended up with blood on my hands in the apocalypse, and Xiao Chen developed an odd personality in the palace… Each of us has obvious character flaws, and I’m just a bit restless in peaceful times. Sorry about that.]

Zhao Zai was puzzled: [Why does sister need to apologize to me?]

Duan Ge: [Not becoming a perfect adult, I feel quite sorry for my childhood self.]

At this moment, the equipment activated, and a strong wave of uncontrollable drowsiness swept over her, pulling her into the depths of consciousness…

Zhao Zai still wanted to say something, but Duan Ge could no longer hear.

…

When she regained consciousness, all the contestants were initially in an uncontrollable state, with a full minute to absorb the introduced plot background.

In “One Life Survivor,” the contestants retained their original memories.

Only the memories related to the survival variety show would be temporarily blocked, replaced by a new unified storyline.

[This is Ganan City, an empty city.]

[It was once the city you were most familiar with. You lived here, trading your labor or knowledge for meager rewards. A war has transformed Ganan City beyond recognition; every shadow could hide danger or opportunity.]

From a bird’s-eye view, the aerial shots captured the entire concrete jungle.

If it weren’t for the signs of destruction scattered throughout the high-rise buildings, it would remind one of a promotional video for a first-tier city.

[Before the withdrawal of your country’s army, three supply points were left in Ganan City.]

[Compared to the unpredictable airdrop resource packages that could land on your head or in front of the enemy, these three supply points offer you fair competition.]

A low, soft male voice emphasized “fair competition.”

On the live broadcast, the map of Ganan City slowly unfolded, with the locations of the three supply points highlighted in bright yellow circles. Next, fifteen equally long routes in different colors were shown—this ensured that the “spawn points” for the five four-member teams were at equal distances from each supply point, making it a “fair competition.”

This information was marked as “For Audience Only” on the live stream, and the contestants were unaware.

Some contestants might notice this detail and deduce their opponents’ approximate positions.

For those who couldn’t figure it out, they would just have to guess.

[Ganan City has no other living people. Your goal, as a group of twenty, is to survive for fifteen days. To stay alive, you must search for limited resources in this wasteland and learn to hide yourself in danger…]

[Due to periodic gas attacks from the enemy, the area available for safe activities will keep shrinking. Try to find enough supplies while you still have the chance to explore!]

[Alternatively, stealing from other teams is also a good option.]

[You five teams come from five different countries, and the seeds of suspicion and conflict have long been planted in your hearts. Do you really have enough trust to collaborate and achieve a win-win situation across language barriers?]

The “Language Barrier” option lit up on the live stream.

All the guests were from China, and this was a difficulty setting to prevent full cooperation among them.

[—Just try your best!]

[You are respectively the Cloud Team, Sun Team, Star Team, Moon Team, and Thunder Team.]

As the deliberately slowed narration played, the live stream switched between different teams. Since the storyline hadn’t fully been introduced, they were still unable to control their bodies, forced into a half-awake sleep as the plot unfolded.

It was like an unskippable opening CG.

[Friendly reminder: Enemy assassins are wandering in Ganan City, searching for their prey.]

[You can attempt to kill or capture her, and both will yield generous rewards.]

While all the contestants were asleep, the camera shifted.

It landed on a gray concrete floor, where a pair of pure black military boots walked steadily.

The footsteps were light.

The camera slowly panned up, revealing a section of a fair leg, followed by a woman dressed in tight black gear.

She walked outside, and the rising sun broke through the clouds, unveiling the entirety of Ganan City, casting light on her face and outlining her cold, beautiful features—

The special guest of “One Life Survivor,” Tong Zhao.

[Only when you kill, capture, or are killed by her… ]

[Will you know the name of this assassin.]

[Hiss—]

[The temporary change in the map’s storyline setup is really exciting! Tong Zhao is so cool QAQ]

[Assassin!]

[Shall I call out the name of the Assassin?]

[The previous Assassin was referring to the killer.]

Duan Ge woke up particularly early.

Unlike the other guests who slept until the opening CG finished, she had been wandering around for a while.

The storyline she received was different due to her “faction,” and much shorter than that of the other contestants—

[You are an imperial assassin.]

[Your mission is to identify the living hidden in this city and eliminate them all.]

[This is not a simple task, as you will be facing twenty opponents.]

[Your superiors expect you to die on this mission and have not provided you with any weapons or resources; you must provide proof of your kills to exchange for survival resources.]

In her mind, a special watch appeared, the kind worn by the other contestants.

[You don’t want to die.]

[If you want to survive, you must hunt down these twenty survivors.]

[Your codename is—]

[Hunter.]

As the deep, powerful male voice finished the last English syllable, Duan Ge tilted her head back, her dark eyes seemingly locking onto those of the audience watching the live stream. The background noise faded into a whisper, leaving only her cold gaze and vibrant lips.

[…If ABO really existed, Tong Zhao would undoubtedly be an Alpha.]

[I’m crazy! Too Alpha! I used to think I was straight until I met Tong Zhao.]

[Target! Aim! Shoot!]

In the large crowd of Tong Zhao’s female fans, they excitedly discussed the live stream content, relieved that their sister didn’t adopt the same values as the male viewers; otherwise, they wouldn’t have witnessed her cold and cool side! Of course, the sweet and charming Tong Zhao had once captivated them at first glance, but the Tong Zhao in “One Life Survivor” made the fans want to marry her!

They wanted to be taken out by the assassin sister!

…

The assassin sister wore a displeased expression.

She had every reason to be unhappy.

Her unscrupulous superior was pushing her toward a deadly mission, which was why she was given such a challenging task.

To ensure the show began with excitement, the production team cruelly set Tong Zhao’s initial hunger level to thirty, equivalent to waking up after ten hours of sleep and having just one dry piece of bread.

Meanwhile, everyone else started with an eighty hunger level.

This was to urge her to quickly hunt down the other contestants.

Duan Ge found herself on the top floor of a building disguised as a ruin, where she could send signals to headquarters for resource exchanges via a special watch—her base as a hunter and her sleeping place—

which was just a simple nylon bed.

It was identical to the one in Tong Zhao’s consciousness palace, likely a gag by the production team.

“So annoying…”

Duan Ge clasped her hands and moved her joints.

The intelligent AI did not broadcast her inner thoughts, leaving the audience to guess.

At the same time, the members of the five teams gradually woke up.

After receiving the background setting, their reactions varied. Some first-time participants were overwhelmed by the dire situation and burst into tears while holding onto their teammates.

“I want to go home…”

“Can we really survive for fifteen days? There’s no food, and we can’t even hide to get through this.”

A short-haired man, about 1.8 meters tall, cried on his teammate’s shoulder.

People are easily influenced by the atmosphere; listening to his muffled sobs, the remaining three teammates felt the pressure and couldn’t find comforting words to say, only managing to awkwardly say, “Stop crying, it won’t help.”

This only made him more distraught.

[While it’s human nature, given the circumstances, why do I feel like laughing?]

[Laughing 1, I hope some narrow-minded elementary students realize that vulnerability isn’t exclusive to women; stereotypes that discriminate against women also oppress men.]

[If I were in their shoes, not knowing it’s a variety show, I would definitely be scared…]

In the live broadcast, the other four teams had cautiously begun to explore. Everyone recognized the importance of the supply points, and with three supply points to be divided among five teams, conflicts were highly likely. The best strategy was to reach one first and secure the resources.

Only the team with the emotionally broken member stood still, each person looking troubled. The contestants only had vague information about the supply points.

They didn’t know the exact locations of the supplies.

For example, Point A was marked as the McDonald’s at 280 Qilisi Avenue, but it was a larger McDonald’s. Where exactly inside the store were the supplies kept? That would require the contestants to go in and search for themselves.

Once found, they had to transport the supplies quickly.

Otherwise, they risked being outpaced by others or getting into a conflict that would leave both parties worse off.

At this moment, two groups were approaching the McDonald’s at Point A, one right after the other.

The two teams had about a five-minute time difference.

The first team to arrive successfully entered the McDonald’s. Upon entering, they immediately noticed that the kitchen was devoid of any food, and even the straws and tissue boxes that were supposed to be available in unlimited quantities were empty. After confirming that the inside was relatively safe, the leader signaled for his teammates to come in—he remained vigilant, indicating that they should pay attention to the other door in case other teams entered, so they wouldn’t get trapped inside and forced into a conflict.

As two of them entered the kitchen, one stayed outside to keep watch.

“Captain!”

He Su excitedly called the captain over when he discovered a box in the storage room, eager to take credit.

Since all useful supplies in the store were gone, he instinctively thought he had found a supply pack. Just as the captain came over, delighted, he heard a strange noise: “Wait, there’s something odd inside.”

Tick-tock… tick-tock…

A faint, strange sound that could only be detected by careful listening.

There was a broom by the door, and the captain held the broomstick, slowly prying open the box.

At the moment the stick lifted the lid, a spark ignited—

Boom!

The two of them instinctively fell back, only to be hit by a noxious chemical smell.

Fortunately, the explosion’s force was minor, and since they had anticipated it, they managed to retreat in time. Aside from being covered in smoke and their hearts racing, they suffered no injuries.

But if someone had been right next to the box when it exploded or had opened it barehanded, they might have lost an arm or worse.

“If I had just opened the box directly…”

The terrifying image flashed through He Su’s mind, leaving him shaken.

“Every dark corner may hide danger or opportunity,” the captain repeated the words left by their reinforcements.

In Ganan City, there were dangers left behind by the enemy, which could be a small “surprise” or an unreasonable landmine.

To navigate this city in search of survival, without extraordinary luck, one had to be extremely cautious!

“What happened?”

The earlier explosion had attracted the attention of other teammates. A young boy, Chen Xiangtai, peeked in and said, “I found a cardboard box under the cash register in the dining area. Captain, come check if it’s what we’re looking for!”

The captain quickly and concisely briefed Chen Xiangtai on what had just happened and acknowledged his caution: “Well done. We need to move quickly; that explosion was loud, and it’s possible others heard it.”

This time, they had successfully found a supply box filled with food and drinking water.

Another team would arrive in two minutes.

Fortunately, they hadn’t heard any noise from the kitchen.

Only a pair of eyes, which had captivated countless souls, stood at a high vantage point observing the activity on the street.

“Ah, I see food!”

Duan Ge’s gaze fell on the second team rushing toward point A.