At this time, Brother Zhuang stepped forward and patted Jiang Yuning and Tong Tong on their shoulders lightly. He ignored Xu Beishen’s provocation and simply said, “Let’s go now. It is almost time for us to set off.”
Jiang Yuning and Tong Tong quickly carried their backpacks and stepped out of the bus with Brother Zhuang. Much to everyone’s surprise, group number one persisted and stuck with their decision to go with the jungle route despite everyone’s attempt to dissuade them.
“They are really not afraid of dying!”
Jin Mingchen stared at Jiang Yuning’s group as they stood in front of the entrance to the jungle route. In fact, he was envious of Jiang Yuning’s group—although they had chosen the most difficult and dangerous route, they were the most united team who stuck by one another despite the criticism. In comparison, his own group had not even discussed which route they were to take.
“Moreover, Sister Xu is really very fierce and difficult to get along with.”
“I want to go together with group three on the normal route.”
“Mingchen, that would not be possible. I have already mentioned that you would have to follow the decision made by your group leader,” the production crew member gently reminded Jin Mingchen.
Jin Mingchen was not ready to take the river route that had been decided by Xu Beishen. On the other hand, the rebellious child had already started out on the river route chosen by Xu Beishen. He seemed pretty obedient right now, but who knew what antics he would pull along the way?
As soon as it turned ten, all three members of Jiang Yuning’s group officially stepped into the jungle.
“I will lead the way in front so that I can explore the route first. Tong Tong, you can go last,” Brother Zhuang said as he retrieved his flashlight from his backpack. He was already shouldering the responsibility of an elder brother and group leader.
“Brother Zhuang, both of you can walk in front of me. I can walk right at the back with the flashlight in my hands so that all three of us will be able to see what is in front of us,” Jiang Yuning replied immediately. She did not see herself as a weak and fragile woman at all. “We have only just entered the jungle and we would have to use our flashlights for the entire night. We can use mine first, then switch to using yours when mine runs out of battery. This way, we can preserve the resources that we have and make the best out of it.”
“Wouldn’t you be afraid if you have to walk at the back?” Brother Zhuang turned around to ask Jiang Yuning as he looked at her.
“I will be fine, Brother Zhuang. Do not worry. Tong Tong, make sure that you let us know as soon as you feel uncomfortable at any time. We will then find a place for you to rest and replenish some of your energy.”
Both men nodded their heads at the same time and they started to think differently of Jiang Yuning.
This girl was really very meticulous and thoughtful. Furthermore, she was extremely intelligent and she knew exactly what she was doing. In comparison to Xu Beishen, Jiang Yuning’s charms and personality made her even more precious and irreplaceable.
However, the situation and condition of the jungle was much more complicated than they had imagined it to be. Therefore, the three of them decided to take it slow for their own safety. But even so, Tong Tong’s foot got caught on one of the dead vines and he fell down to the ground because he was too weak physically.
“Are you okay?” Jiang Yuning and Brother Zhuang quickly reached out to help him up.
Tong Tong sat on the ground and stared at the cut on his knees.
When Brother Zhuang saw that Tong Tong was bleeding, he quickly reached into his backpack to retrieve his first aid kit but he was immediately stopped by Jiang Yuning. “I will go and look for some medicinal herbs for him. We do not know how many more difficulties we will face after this. Let’s try to keep ourselves from using the first aid kit unless it is really necessary to do so, okay?”
“But I am hurting! I am in a lot of pain!” Tong Tong yelled angrily.
“Brother Zhuang, please look after him. I will go and look for the herbs now,” Jiang Yuning replied without taking Tong Tong’s words to heart. She understood that in the face of adversity, anyone’s psychological defence would be at its threshold. Therefore, Jiang Yuning did not want to provoke or make Tong Tong angrier than he already was.
“Did you really intentionally choose this route because you wanted to gain the audience’s sympathy?” Tong Tong asked as he looked up at Jiang Yuning. “What rubbish were you talking about when you said that you had only chosen this route for my sake? The only reason I had refuted Xu Beishen and stood up for you earlier was because I did not want the other groups to look down on us and underestimate us!”
Jiang Yuning did not reply but she simply grabbed her flashlight and directly headed into the jungle. About five minutes later, Jiang Yuning returned, carrying some dicranopteris linearis and herba taraxaci with her in her hands.
“We are really lucky. We can apply the dicrapnopteris linearis on your wound and you can chew and swallow some of this herba taraxaci to reduce the swelling and inflammation of the wound.”
“I do not eat these kind of things! I know that you just want to keep the first aid kit for yourself!”
This time, Jiang Yuning could no longer control her anger. She walked up to Tong Tong and grabbed his collar immediately. “I was being nice and patient with you earlier, but that does not mean that I do not have a temper. Since you are already aware of how physically weak you are, why did you still choose to participate in this program? Since you are already a part of this program, shouldn’t you participate in the recording instead of whining and pushing the blame to others when you are facing a little bit of difficulty? If it was not because of you, Brother Zhuang and I could have easily taken another route.”
“Who would not want to go on the easy and straightforward road on the island? However, if we were to encounter any difficulties or should you feel discomfort along the way, where would we be able to find any medicine for you? Do you think that we could survive by using the first aid kit? We are going to be on this island for twenty-four hours. It has barely been fifteen minutes and you have already fallen down and injured your legs. Without any medicinal herbs, the first aid kit would definitely not be adequate for you!”
“You are complaining because the other groups are not going through the jungle now, but even if we do not go through the jungle at night, we would still have to go through it during the day anyway.”
“Do you understand now?”
Tong Tong was stunned when Jiang Yuning finally lost her temper and he kept quiet after she was done reprimanding him.
At this time, Brother Zhuang suddenly noticed the injury on Jiang Yuning’s ankle.
“Yuning, are you injured?”
“It is okay, I must have cut myself somewhere when I was getting the herbs.” Jiang Yuning finally let go of Tong Tong before she mashed the dicrapnopteris linearis into a paste and applied it on Tong Tong’s knees. She then grabbed a bunch of herba toraxaci before stuffing it into Tong Tong’s mouth.
“Do you still have any other complaints?”
Tong Tong lowered his head and when he saw the blood on Jiang Yuning’s ankle. He quickly shook his head as a sudden surge of guilt rushed over him.
“Sobs. Sobs. I am sorry, Sister Yuning.”
“Tong Tong, Yuning is right. If she was really acting out of her own selfish desires, she would have chosen the easy and straightforward route instead. She would not have considered the jungle route because of your weak body. I think that what you said earlier was really too much,” Brother Zhuang suddenly spoke up for Jiang Yuning.
“Sorry. I was wrong.”
Although Tong Tong was a very intelligent boy, he had never been through such hardship and difficulties in his life. Therefore, the moment that he injured himself and was in pain, he could no longer think straight or control his own emotions.
Jiang Yuning extended a hand and helped Tong Tong stand up before she asked, “Will you be able to continue walking now?”
“Sister Yuning, do you want us to clean your injury and put some medicine on it first?”
“No, it is just a small cut. I am fine,” Jiang Yuning replied as she shook her head. “Let’s continue moving forward. Since you have already chosen to participate in the program, I believe that you are also hoping to make a breakthrough in your life. Give it your best shot and continue holding on. We can only think about giving up when you can no longer take it anymore.”
Tong Tong was finally obedient and he quickly nodded his head.
The production and filming crew had successfully recorded the dispute between the three team members and at this time, they were all very impressed with Jiang Yuning’s performance. Not only was she intelligent, but she was also very brave and capable.
Initially, the production team had thought that Jiang Yuning’s group would definitely face the most difficulties to complete their mission within the next twenty-four hours. After all, Tong Tong was really a deadweight that would hold them back.
However, now it seemed as though these three people were the most united among the three groups.
Perhaps this was the most important trait that they needed to survive .
“Can you walk?”
“Yes.” Tong Tong mustered up the courage and started to walk forward again. “Sister Yuning, I will not cause any more trouble to you and Brother Zhuang. My wound no longer hurts…there is a cooling sensation now.”
“Alright then, I will give you another good thing.” After that, Jiang Yuning handed some pine needles over to Tong Tong. “These will help to keep the bugs and mosquitoes away from you.”
After explaining herself, Jiang Yuning also handed some pine needles over to Brother Zhuang.
“Sister Yuning, why do you know so much?”
“Because…I have my own secret weapons.”
As soon as Jiang Yuning mentioned that she had a secret weapon, the production crew immediately had suspicions that Jiang Yuning was breaking the rules and that she in possession of a cell phone. Otherwise, why would she be so knowledgeable regarding survival on a desert island?
Therefore, the production crew had an impromptu discussion and they finally decided to ask one of the female staff to search Jiang Yuning’s body.
“I mean…are you guys really serious or what? We are in the middle of a desert island. Even if I did have a cell phone on me, do you really think that I would be able to get cellular signal out here?” Jiang Yuning asked helplessly.
“Hahaha. Sorry if we are offending you, Yuning.”
The production crew member then proceeded to search Jiang Yuning’s body but they could not find anything on her.
“I despise all of you!”