This variety show, ' The Great Escape ', was a new programme launched by C Station last year. Each episode ...
This variety show, 'The Great Escape', was a new programme launched by C Station last year.
Each episode featured 15 guests, 10 of whom were regulars. The remaining seats were often filled by popular celebrities or those promoting new films or songs.
However, the show's performances had always been lacklustre.
The 90 minutes of chasing and escaping were monotonous and lacked variety.
From season one to two, the viewership numbers for each episode were as uneven as if gnawed by a dog1.
Some episodes received over 100 million views, while others struggled to reach a few million.
Ratings fluctuated entirely based on how popular the guests were.
The episodes with particularly high viewing figures relied solely on fan support.
Besides, the numbers weren't entirely accurate.
Fans of each idol guest would rewatch episodes multiple times for various reasons, such as to enjoy their performances and looks, or to collect clips for edits...
Considering all this, the show's actual viewership was probably only half of what was reported.
However, C Station was obviously a hard-working baby2 who wasn't content with the status quo.
Then their dating shows started doing well!
Only then did they realise how crucial the right variety show guests were.
This time, they dropped three regulars and invited all six of the hit dating show's most popular guests to join the escape game in one go!
They even roped in Director Zhong Zeyuan, assigning him as the temporary director of this shoot!
"Director Zhong."
At this moment, Bao Ruanruan stepped into a lush garden with pavilions and towers.
Immediately, she respectfully nodded to the 'Shaolin runaway bronze man' from afar, her expression solemn.
Zhong Zeyuan, who had been roped in at the last minute, found himself both amused and exasperated when he saw her.
After the first episode of the dating show aired, the online comments came nonstop.
The main topic of discussion was the 'beast scent-marking theory' that she had introduced.
When she was absent from the second episode, viewer engagement clearly dropped as a result.
Even so, at least 30% of the viewers posted bullet comments about Bao Ruanruan.
[That message today—wonder how Bao Ruanruan would've analysed it?]
[Missing her. Is Chen really a beast or not? It's boring without Bao Ruanruan.]
[Totally. It's basically just guests blindly praising a few regular folks... so boring.]
Boring.
Bao Ruanruan only missed one episode, and the audience already found the show boring.
"Xiao Bao, we meet again. Looking forward to learning from you this time too."
In Zhong Zeyuan's eyes, Bao Ruanruan's entertainment skills already ranked her among the best guests.
"Not at all. I should be the one learning from you."
Bao Ruanruan took a polite step back.
Bronze man, you'd better not pretend to be the Sweeping Monk3.
She caught a glimpse of Zhong Zeyuan wearing another basketball tank top today, his bulging muscles on full display.
Honestly… he's way too conspicuous.
The title 'Sweeping Monk3' is simply not meant for you.
Bao Ruanruan blinked.
Zhong Zeyuan vaguely felt that the girl looked at him with genuine respect.
This reaction made him like her even more.
Meanwhile, Bao Ruanruan had wandered off to the corner to study the garden map quietly.
She soon spotted some familiar faces among the guests.
In addition to the dating show regulars, there was even Lu Wenhao, who had resolved to become self-reliant and independent.
Bao Ruanruan's heartbeat slowed instantly.
She quietly patted the life-saving agreements lying in her backpack.
She had it under control. Her wild ginseng king from Changbai Mountain!
"……"
Sensing her unfriendly gaze, Lu Wenhao instinctively took a step back.
However, remembering that he needed to quickly earn five million to repay his big brother, he gritted his teeth and stopped himself from running away.
They were under everyone's watchful eyes and even switched to a different programme.
She couldn't seriously use a life-saving card now, could she?
Lu Wenhao quietly stepped closer to Qu Feifei at the end of the line.
It was as if he had found a fellow compatriot who had shared his hardships; he could feel a slight sense of warmth.
All 15 guests soon arrived, representing artists from various fields.
"Okay, now that everyone's here, please hand in your phones and backpacks first."
Zhong Zeyuan got straight to the point.
He didn't give them any chance to get acquainted.
As soon as he said that, both Lu Wenhao and Qu Feifei immediately looked at Bao Ruanruan.
Lu Wenhao immediately felt relieved.
Qu Feifei, however, had a more complicated expression.
—She has no way of using her life-saving agreements now.
However, much to everyone's surprise, Bao Ruanruan tilted her little face and didn't put up any resistance.
She handed her phone and backpack over to the production team without hesitation.
This action stunned both Qu Feifei and Lu Wenhao.
They couldn't shake the feeling that it was a trick.
Surprisingly, Bao Ruanruan even turned around and gave them a short educational lecture:
"When playing games, you must follow the rules, or you'll be punished."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Zhong Zeyuan indeed swept a glance at Lu Wenhao and Qu Feifei.
He looked stern and impartial.
"Yes. If you don't hand them over, I'll deduct time from your escape."
[Hahahaha what.]
[I just tuned in and already saw my Brother Lu getting shut down???]
[Feifei~ I'm here! So happy to see you've recovered! But make sure you listen to Ruanruan, okay?]
"Let me briefly explain the rules first."
Zhong Zeyuan said seriously.
"Over the next 90 minutes, your escape will be broadcast live on C Station's main channel, and viewers will be able to watch it in real time."
"Main Escape Channel — the camera will switch between the 15 escapees in real time."
"Escape Sub-Channels — each escapee will have their own live-streaming room with 90 minutes of uninterrupted personal footage."
"Viewers can enter whichever channel they prefer."
[Oh no! What do we do then? Open two browser tabs at once?]
[Me: two phones—one to watch Bao Ruanruan, one for Brother Lu—and a computer browser for the main livestream. Perfect setup!]
[Are you all new viewers? If you're into the escape concept, I recommend focusing on the main channel first—you can watch the individual cams later.]
[Exactly. For this escape show, you have to watch the main channel. That's where you can see the big picture: where the black-clad hunters are coming from, how the guests are escaping and the routes they take… It's the big picture that makes it so thrilling! But if you're just a fan who only wants to watch your idol, forget I said anything.]
[Got it.]
[Alright, I'll do the same then—hope my Feifei gets more screen time.]
[+1 Go Sis Xueni!]
The audience members all got ready one after another.
"The starting point for the escape is the garden's centre."
"The 15 escapees will set off one by one, with a one-minute interval between each one."
"One minute after the last escapee sets off, the 15 black-clad hunters will begin the chase!"
After explaining the rules, Director Zhong gestured to the group.
"You can decide the departure order among yourselves."
[WOC4! That's a huge head start—basically escaping 15 minutes earlier than the last person?!]
[The last person only gets a one-minute head start? Is that even fair?]
The main livestream camera panned across all 15 guests one by one.
They had originally been standing in a straight horizontal line for the camera.
But the moment they heard the escape rules, the formation fell apart on its own.
The rules had instantly turned them into opponents.
The order of departure had a significant impact on whether they would be advantaged or disadvantaged.
The 15 guests stirred uneasily, their expressions shifting.
But the chaos didn't last long.
Soon, those with higher status and greater popularity gradually moved to the front.
Those who knew they weren't on the same level subtly edged toward the back.
"Sis Xueni, you go first."
"Bro Minwen, you can go ahead of me."
"Bro Lu, you first?"
"Feifei, I'll stand behind you..."
Everyone instinctively followed an unspoken seating-order hierarchy within the industry.
Only those with similar popularity and status dared to joke around and jostle for position.
[Someone should @ the people who arrange seating at major banquets and fashion galas – they should take a look... this is a textbook-level order.]
[It's not just about status—ladies first, and the guys are starting to show some courtesy.]
[True to form, Bro Minwen has always been a gentleman, letting the girls go first again and ending up in sixth place.]
[My Kiddo Lu also knew to give way to his seniors—he stood in 8th place, with everyone behind him being his junior. It seems the Lu family's upbringing is strict. Thumbs up!]
[KK, that big dummy, still wants to stand in front? He won't even give way to the girls? Hahaha! He truly deserves to be called a very real rapper.]
The barrage of comments scrolled rapidly across the screen.
And finally, two lines popped up:
[Why does it feel like someone's missing?]
[Wait, where's my Ruanruan? Wasn't she supposed to be on this show?]
Everyone kept counting and recounting, and it really felt like someone was missing.
Finally, the camera panned to a spot at least five metres away from the starting group…
There stood a girl in a pale pink Pengmai sports jacket.
She was slim with snowy white skin.
Under the sunlight, she seemed to glow.
But strangely, as if unaware that everyone was lining up to leave, she lingered at the back.
Her soft pink lips kept moving as she mumbled to herself.
Sometimes, she even squatted down and drew circles on the ground.
[?]
[Drawing circles to curse someone…?]
[Kiddo Ruan, mommy's here! What are you up to~]
[Huh? Why isn't the main camera moving over to her?]
There was a reason why the main shot could not be switched to her.
Because the group of escapees had started to leave one by one.
Yang Xueni, number one, escaped 15 minutes ahead.
Hip-hop artist KK took the second slot.
Qu Feifei was politely given the third spot.
……
The main live stream camera occasionally panned out to show viewers that Bao Ruanruan was still in the corner and hadn't come to the starting line yet.
She was still muttering nonstop.
[Ugh, I'm dying of curiosity. I can't—I'm pulling up her personal livestream now!]
[+1, I'm heading there too.]
The main livestream lost around ten million viewers instantly.
Some switched to watch Yang Xueni, who had left early, while others watched Qu Feifei instead.
However, some viewers entered Bao Ruanruan's personal livestream channel.
As soon as they did, they were hit with a visual 'attack'.
The camera zoomed in so closely on her face that it even captured the fine downy hairs on her smooth, porcelain skin.
Despite not wearing any makeup, her bare face looked radiant and glowing.
In that instant, viewers felt as if they had stepped out of a blazing summer's day into a wonderfully cool, air-conditioned room.
It was like taking a sip of chilled watermelon juice—so relaxing and satisfying.
Although it was clearly supposed to be a tense, thrilling escape game, they suddenly felt their visual experience elevate, along with an overwhelming sense of ease and zero pressure!
[Wow, so pretty—like the girl next door.]
[She feels so down-to-earth.]
[Yeah—she's really not wearing makeup? That's bold!]
If she could avoid wearing makeup, Bao Ruanruan would try her best not to. After all, she had just left a film crew where she had to wear makeup every day, and she wanted to give her skin a break.
Still, after checking today's sunny forecast, she did put on sunscreen.
At the same time, she openly observed her surroundings.
She analysed everything, quietly repeating things to herself to help her remember.
"Yang Xueni is the first to depart, 15 minutes ahead. She has a strong-willed personality. Her on-site allies are host Jiang Xu and rapper KK."
[!?]
"KK is the second to depart... a rapper, impulsive, hot-blooded personality, prone to exposure. Predicted to be eliminated within the first five. Not suitable for an alliance."
[!]
[F*ck! I'm putting my butt here5 and will come back later after verifying!]
"Qu Feifei... has developed motor skills and some martial arts abilities, but was politely offered the third spot — now owes favours to her seniors present. Strengths and weaknesses coexist. Might sacrifice herself for her allies. Unlikely to survive to the 90th minute."
[!]
[Ah, Feifei!]
[I thought she was just a beauty, but it turns out she's such a badass? Is she analysing everyone's data?]
"Zhou Minwen, sixth to depart... Buddhist-style team dad: especially protective of newcomers, indifferent to how long he survives. Not suitable for alliance."
[F*ck!]
"Jiang Xu, a host, is the ninth to depart... jogs along, has a certain competitive streak. Knows all 14 participants here, potential allies: everyone present. Weakness: high possibility of betrayal mid-game, may switch sides to other alliances. Not suitable for alliance."
As Bao Ruanruan spoke, she squatted down again.
She drew a chart in the dirt with a twig to help her remember.
All the way down:
Ο, Χ, Χ, Ο...
[Wait... are these marks indicating whether to ally or not?]
[Oh my God, this girl is amazing!]
[Wow, I've been following this underrated variety show since Season 1! This is the first time we've had such a savvy contestant! Ahh, my blood is boiling with excitement!]
[I'm obsessed with her solo cam — I'm moving in here!]
[Wuwuwu, I wish this girl could do commentary for the whole show... She's so observant!]
Bao Ruanruan: stealthily observing.JPG.
But many contestants who didn't know her assumed she was just being modest.
A few of those who had departed earlier — including KK, who didn't know her, and Xiao Qi, who had once worked with her on a show — passed by and gave her a friendly smile.
As if to say, 'Wow, you're so considerate. What a nice person.'
"Sis, call me if you need help," said the impulsive KK, even extending an olive branch.
Bao Ruanruan gave a slight smile. "No worries. Take care of yourself, good luck."
[Pfft!]
[That's absolutely brilliant.]
[Miss Strategist: "Analysis of all opponents complete."
Opponents: "She's so nice and such a good person. Thank you, thank you!"]
[KK, she clearly read you right — out of all 14 people, only you talked to her! Impulsive little guy!]
[This girl's observation and analysis skills are god-tier!]
[You all really think she's impressive? Am I the only one who thinks she's just a paper strategist? This is a chase show — all that analysis means nothing. She even starts 14 minutes late? That's fatal!]
[Ah, that's true!]
[With all due respect, she's basically guaranteed to be eliminated! The black-clad pursuers will start from here — how far can she even get in one minute?]
[Ahhh, I'm panicking, Kiddo Bao, stop analysing already!]
[Mom's little one, is she really going to lose just because she was too cautious this time?]
Many of Bao Ruanruan's fans from her variety show, as well as her mom fans, were all camped out in her personal livestream room, nervously breaking out into a cold sweat for her.
But in the solo cam, she remained calm and unhurried.
Even when it was her turn, she strolled over to the garden entrance map and looked at it again.
Only then did she walk to the small pavilion where Director Zhong was and calmly pick up the special phone prepared for each contestant.
Zhong Zeyuan delivered the standard line for each person:
"Elimination updates and any new game rules will be sent to your phone."
"It also contains the contact details of all the escapees — you can call for help, or form alliances."
Bao Ruanruan listened patiently.
After taking the phone, she set off.
"Attention, everyone."
"The final escapee has now departed."
"In one minute, 10 pursuers will set off from the north, south, east, and west gates. 5 others will start from your initial launch point and follow the same path!"
[!]
[Five men in black will start from the launch point?]
Just as Bao Ruanruan stepped out of the pavilion, she heard the announcement.
She turned around and saw five men, all over 1.85 metres tall and wearing black suits, sunglasses and earpieces, stepping into position in the middle of the pavilion.
Zhong Zeyuan had begun the countdown.
"59."
"58."
The men in black had their backs to her.
And they were only one step away from the pavilion.
She clearly didn't have much time left to run.
The starting pavilion chosen by the production team was also deliberately tricky — there was almost no visible cover within 200 metres of it.
This meant that, no matter which direction she ran, the men in black would see her escape route unless she went beyond 200 metres.
On camera, Bao Ruanruan's little face gradually grew solemn.
[Now you're getting nervous? It's too late, girl!]
[Five men chasing one girl? That's way too brutal. Is the director even human?]
[Ugh, if I were her, I'd already be crying.]
[No wonder she's not moving. Being chased by these men who look like bodyguards... her legs must've gone weak; there's no way she can run.]
[Kiddo Ruan, stop zoning out! You've got this! Tap into your 100-metre sprint speed and give it a shot! Maybe the crew will go easy on you?]
But Bao Ruanruan still didn't move.
As a flood of question marks scrolled across the live stream comments, she opened her small mouth.
"The most dangerous place is actually the safest place."
"They thought I'd run, but I didn't."
[!]
[……?]
"I searched to the ends of the earth, yet I was right within arm's reach."
[She's chanting now, wow.]
[Inspired by poetry now? Is this really the time and place, kid?]
[Not afraid the men in black will hear you? Why don't you say it louder~]
Bao Ruanruan walked to the side of the pavilion and crouched down.
She looked up and called the cameraman, "Big Brother, come here with me."
As she moved forward, crouching down, she searched for a good hiding spot, pushing aside the nearby low shrubs.
"The tall trees around the pavilion have just been trimmed."
She glanced around.
"If I try to run towards the front left, there isn't a single place to hide behind along the way unless I get 300 metres away."
"There's no way to escape."
The cameraman following her shifted the camera around.
Instantly, the live stream showed the freshly trimmed greenery, fallen branches, and leaves on both sides of the path.
[Sneaky production team!]
[Oh no.]
[Gardens usually do tree maintenance around August–September. Did the show pick this time on purpose?]
[Poor unlucky Bao Ruanruan.]
[But she's so calm — she immediately assessed the situation. If she gets caught, can I vote to bring her back?]
[+1 to bringing her back! She's got skills, and it'd be a shame to see her go.]
[Even just for her looks, I don't want her to be eliminated. Wuwuwu.]
Everyone else was getting anxious.
But in her personal livestream, Bao Ruanruan crouched motionless.
She had chosen a blind spot on the left side of the pavilion.
She didn't speak or move.
As the seconds ticked by, those watching the livestream began to grow frustrated with the silence.
[She's not moving. Guys, I'm heading to the main channel first.]
[Yeah, I'm going too. I can't take this kind of silent countdown. I'll come back later!]
[Let's go back to the main channel. When the men in black move out, the camera will return to her anyway—sfter all, she was definitely the first person to fall into the net6 (dog head7).]
[Yeah, a single leaf has truly blocked her eyes8. There are five men in black on higher ground, and she's hiding behind the low wall of the pavilion—what's the point!]
[Sigh. Let's go together.]
Those who weren't die-hard fans of Bao Ruanruan quietly left her personal livestream.
They all switched to the main broadcast.
Sure enough, the main broadcast showed the other guests actively trying to escape.
Some of the other 14 guests fled in a panic, some sprinted without looking back, and some managed to sneak into old houses in the garden, drawing cheers from the audience for their cleverness.
"3, 2... 1... Pursuers in black, go!"
All 15 escapees instantly received the chase alert!
One by one, they looked down at their phones and appeared on camera, their anxious faces visible.
This included the last person to leave, Bao Ruanruan.
However, unlike the others, she didn't even glance at her phone.
[The men in black are right above her. Why bother reading the message?]
[Holy sh*t! Don't those messages make noise? She's totally exposed now!]
[???]
[!]
The bullet comments descended into chaos.
The five men in black on the pavilion spun around the moment they heard the signal to move out.
They all took off their sunglasses.
They quickly descended the pavilion steps, their pairs of cold, eagle-like eyes sweeping sharply towards the wall below.
[!]
[As expected! They heard what Bao Ruanruan said just now!]
[WOC4, I told you she shouldn't have spoken so loudly!]
But just as the main livestream camera shifted—
All five men in black froze mid-step.
A flash of confusion appeared on their fierce faces.
The camera followed their gaze… but there was nothing below the wall.
Not a single person!
Bao Ruanruan had disappeared!
[???]
[!!!]
[Holy sh*t!]
[What the heck just happened!?]
[She tricked them!]
"I never trick people."
Bao Ruanruan was explaining to her personal livestream cameraman that she was an honest girl.
"I searched to the ends of the earth, yet I was right within arm's reach."
"There's a second line."
In an instant, countless viewers who had just left her personal livestream rushed back in.
They arrived just in time to hear this line.
"I searched all within arm's reach—yet I'm already at the ends of the earth."
In the personal livestream, Bao could be seen clutching a bunch of freshly pruned branches in both hands and sprinting at full speed.
Even the camera lens shook violently as it tracked her!
[!]
[Holy sh*t! Hahahahahaha!]
[...What a big liar, lololol]
[Men in black: "I fell for your nonsense!"]
As she ran, the camera shook wildly from side to side.
The audience could clearly see her escape route.
With the pavilion at the centre, she dashed furiously towards the front left direction.
[Wait—didn't she just analyse earlier that there was no cover at the front left and that it was nearly impossible to escape within 300 metres?]
[Yes......]
[Bao Ruanruan: "It's tough, but I'm still picking this path."]
[Bao Ruanruan: "The most dangerous place is the safest — in this case, I really wasn't lying."]
[?? But she's only been running for half a minute. Can she get more than 300 metres away in that time? Isn't that still unsafe?]
"It is hard to get away," Bao Ruanruan panted, "but I don't need to escape their line of sight."
"If I keep a hundred metres ahead of them, they won't catch me."
"Camera bro, are you tired? Do you want to take a break?"
[Pfft!]
[D@mn, so that's it. Everything she said before was just a smokescreen...]
[D@mn, she totally misled me.]
[You can see me, but you can't catch me... hahahaha]
[Oh my god, I can't take it—I have to watch Bao Ruanruan's personal cam; she's way too funny!]
[I'm camping on her personal stream now. If anyone is watching the main channel, be a kind soul and report back about the guys in black~~~]
[Update: 5 men in black—1 is chasing her, the other 4 went different ways. Looks like they won't catch her, the gap's kinda big. She's safe!]
[F*ck, that move was 66669.]
Meanwhile, on her personal cam:
Bao Ruanruan kept sprinting with the cameraman for over a hundred metres before finally escaping the men in black's line of sight.
The camera shook constantly, her little face slightly flushed, and she breathed heavily.
She finally slowed to a stop inside an old residence in the garden.
She made a hand gesture.
"Rest here. Camera bro, put the camera down and take a deep breath. Need water? I'm afraid you won't be able to run later."
[......]
[Translation: "Camera bro, you're a burden."]
[Corporate-level translation, hahaha.]
But they soon realised how serious the situation was.
Even though they had stopped running, the camera was still shaking nonstop, accompanied by the cameraman's heavy, panting breaths.
Clearly, the cameraman was utterly exhausted from the sprint.
And as for the man in black who had been chasing them, it was unclear whether he was still coming or when he might show up.
If they had to start running again right away, the cameraman carrying the heavy equipment might not be able to keep up.
The mood in Bao Ruanruan's personal livestream quietened down in an instant.
Everyone started to worry about her.
Staying put was dangerous, but she had no choice but to rest.
"Huh? Xiao Bao, you actually managed to escape?"
Soon, a familiar male voice appeared on Bao Ruanruan's personal cam.
Moments later, Jiang Xu emerged from the back room of the old residence and entered the front hall, appearing on camera.
He looked completely surprised, with his cameraman following behind.
"I thought you'd get caught for sure."
After the chase started, Jiang Xu had escaped to this house, and thinking it was well hidden, he had been hiding there ever since.
Seeing Bao Ruanruan now, he couldn't hide his shock.
After all, she had only a one-minute head start on the man in black.
"You've got guts and a careful mind, Xiao Bao. Want to form an alliance?"
Jiang Xu smiled as he extended the invitation.
[…What a coincidence.]
[Brother Jiang, Bao Ruanruan has already tagged you as likely to flip sides and betray…]
[Everything is going just as Bao Ruanruan predicted. Tsk, tsk!]
[Jiang Xu, don't be too sad about getting rejected. Hahaha!]
But a fair little hand reached out in front of the camera.
It clasped Jiang Xu's.
Then it gave a sincere shake up and down.
"Okay, Brother Jiang."
Bao Ruanruan nodded earnestly at the camera.
She accepted.
[!]
[???]
[She's at a disadvantage now, so forming an alliance is understandable. It's just bad luck that it's with Jiang Xu—definitely a last-choice teammate.]
Just as Jiang Xu was about to speak with a smile, Bao Ruanruan beat him to it and quietly said:
"Brother Jiang, I saw five men in black earlier—they're really strong."
"I have two suggestions about our alliance. Want to hear them?"
Jiang Xu looked slightly stunned.
"Go ahead."
He hadn't encountered the men in black yet.
"In this escape game, we'll have a better chance of surviving if we split up instead of staying together."
Jiang Xu nodded. "Yes, I also thought of splitting up. We can still stay allied by sharing info via our phones."
Bao Ruanruan nodded. "If I see any men in black, I'll message you, Brother Jiang."
Jiang Xu smiled immediately. "Great, I'll message you too."
"I also have another important piece of information to share with you, Brother Jiang."
Bao Ruanruan's face was serious, and her eyes were clear.
"If we figure out the hidden rules of the game, then we might have a real chance to escape."
Jiang Xu was startled. "You were the last to set off. Did you get any kind of clue?"
Bao Ruanruan nodded nervously and lowered her voice.
"Our location might have been leaked to the men in black by the production team."
Jiang Xu: "!"
[!]
[???]
"I was the last to set off just now, so I tested something."
Bao Ruanruan immediately explained the decoy move she had used earlier when hiding under the small pavilion.
"Just as I expected, the men in black went straight to where I initially hid."
"That proves my info was leaked during that time frame."
[Bao Ruanruan, didn't you say Jiang Xu can't be trusted?]
[That's why she's demonstrating her value by providing useful information! She's playing this smartly, boosting her worth as an ally so that Jiang Xu will value the partnership more. That lowers the chances of betrayal!]
[Soga10!]
[So nowadays, if I don't have a bit of intelligence, I can't even watch a variety show properly, huh?]
[Sigh, this is just like the workplace—showing your value to the boss.]
[! Lesson learned.]
[Are you sure it wasn't just that you were talking too loudly and the men in black overheard? (dog head7)]
In front of the camera, Jiang Xu furrowed his brows.
"This really is important information, but if that's true, doesn't it mean there's no point in running?"
But the next second, Bao Ruanruan dropped another bombshell.
"Brother Jiang, calm down."
"Based on my guess, the production team probably found our location through the cameras following us."
Jiang Xu's mouth dropped open.
The live comments also floated by, filled with ellipses.
Jiang Xu asked with a wry smile, "But we can't just ditch the cameraman, can we?"
[...Though valid, that doesn't help—there's no way to deal with the camera issue.]
[Yeah, what are you gonna do—ditch it and stop the livestream? 2333311]
[I beg you, I want to keep watching, don't you dare ditch the camera!]
"We definitely can't ditch it."
Fortunately, Bao Ruanruan was the voice of reason.
"We can't abandon our teammate."
Jiang Xu paused momentarily, feeling helplessly amused again, and could only go along. "Alright."
"But we can switch."
Bao Ruanruan held up two index fingers and swapped their positions.
Jiang Xu: "??"
[?!]
Bao Ruanruan lifted her face up to the camera and said,
"Each camera probably has a fixed ID number assigned by the chief director. For example, I'm No. 15, and Brother Jiang, you're No. 9."
"When the director's trying to ‘harvest' us, he tells the men in black where we are. He has to switch to the corresponding camera feed to check our location."
She didn't finish the sentence.
But Jiang Xu pieced it together himself and let out a sharp breath.
"You mean that if we switch cameramen and the director tries to eliminate me, he'll find you instead when he cuts to my camera?"
"Yes." Bao Ruanruan nodded. "That way, I've just saved Brother Jiang's life."
Jiang Xu was stunned. "...?"
Something felt off.
If they came after Bao Ruanruan, wouldn't they end up targeting him instead?
He wasn't gaining that much from this.
"But my legs are shorter than yours, Brother Jiang."
"And when they cut to the feed, the director will be momentarily confused. During an escape, every second counts. By the time the director realises why our camera feeds don't match, you'll already be at least 100 metres away. Won't the danger be over by then?"
Jiang Xu made a noise of realisation. "That... kind of makes sense."
He was seriously tempted.
He wasn't stupid.
Swapping probably wouldn't help much with the actual escape.
But it would definitely become a highlight and a comedic moment when the show aired!
In the final edit, he and Bao Ruanruan would get more screen time and better exposure than the other guests.
It was worth it.
After thinking it through, Jiang Xu agreed. "Let's switch."
Bao Ruanruan looked at her original cameraman with a sense of ceremony.
"Thank you for your hard work, big brother. I'll come back for you after the show ends."
Jiang Xu's individual livestream had only just over a hundred thousand viewers.
Bao Ruanruan had hit two million viewers at the very start.
And just like that, the two of them switched cameramen.
[???]
[!]
[F**k!]
Viewers of Jiang Xu's personal livestream were left speechless.
[Do we have to move house again?]
[So now... should I switch locations?]
[I'm out — I gotta follow Brother Jiang.]
[Let's go, let's go, go check out Brother Jiang Xu on Bao Ruanruan's live stream!]
Everyone in Jiang Xu's stream was ready to shift base.
But, in a split second, before anyone could leave, a flood of viewers surged into the live stream!
The room instantly jumped to 2.96 million viewers, and the chat started spamming nonstop.
[Sympathising with Brother Jiang for one second.]
[Goodbye, Brother Jiang...]
[Brother Jiang, you actually trusted Bao Ruanruan... I'm impressed.]
[Bao Ruanruan is a genius! In under a minute, she had completely won me over with her flashy move!]
???
??
All the Jiang fans in the room were stunned.
They didn't leave either.
One by one, they refused to accept this!
[I'm a Gingerbread12 Fan, so what?]
[What's wrong with switching cameramen?]
[Brother Jiang would never be tricked. He's the one who plays others, hahaha! Stop laughing like fools! It'll be Bao Ruanruan who'll be crying!]
It wasn't long before the new viewers' 'hahaha-style' comments stopped.
[Help! Do Jiang Xu fans think he's getting the better end of the deal?]
Soon, Jiang Xu's fans had their entire worldview flipped.
[Before setting out, Bao Ruanruan had already figured out that Jiang Xu couldn't be trusted — he's likely to turn traitor.]
[!?]
[Hey Jiang fans, don't you think the camera in the new livestream room is super shaky~~~]
[Think about it: Bao Ruanruan was the last to set off, yet she arrived in just one minute. How much energy did the cameraman burn carrying that heavy camera? Jiang Xu and his cameraman must have been resting here for ages!]
[Wake up, wake up! She used her cameraman, whose HP was 90% empty, in exchange for your celebrity's full-HP cameraman!]
[!!!]
[Bao Ruanruan: "Oh yeah! I finally ditched that out-of-breath cameraman!"]
[Little Ruan: "Now I can easily run again in no time!"]
Jiang Xu's fans suddenly realised how cruel the world was.
Still in a daze, the crowd slowly shuffled to the new solo livestream channel.
They looked at Jiang Xu —
The camera view was super shaky.
And there was Jiang Xu, grinning as he leaned against the old mansion wall, scheming how naïve Bao Ruanruan was to tell him everything while thinking about who to ally with next to get new intel. His fans almost burst into wide, noodle-like tears13.
— Bro, wake up! You're the one who just got played!
Meanwhile, Bao Ruanruan was like a fish in water14 in her new solo livestream room.
Smiling at her new cameraman, she said, "Second Bro, here's to a pleasant, short-lived partnership~"
[Pfft! Cameraman No. 2 is now Second Bro? ]
[Uh... ‘short-lived partnership'? Sounds like there might be a Third Bro on the horizon — should I be looking forward to it? (dog head7) ]
On camera, Bao Ruanruan pulled a mini bottle of alcohol from her tracksuit pocket and wiped the hand that had just shaken Jiang Xu's.
A wave of ‘2333311' floated across the livestream.
She took out her phone and immediately switched it to silent mode.
Then she took the large leafy branch she'd been carrying while sprinting and forced the cameraman to wrap it around his camera.
With a serious look on her face, she then took off her pink Pengmai sports jacket.
Her action revealed a light purple long-sleeved shirt underneath.
[What are you doing? Going into battle lightly equipped??]
[?! D@mn, are you seriously starting to take this seriously? No way — watching this variety show feels like watching an action blockbuster!]
But on screen, Bao Ruanruan didn't discard the jacket.
Instead, she flipped it inside out and put it back on.
She zipped it up.
In an instant, the pink jacket turned camouflage!
It was actually a reversible tracksuit!
She even took a small eyeshadow palette from the camouflage side's pocket.
Then she began applying brown-and-green camo makeup to her little face.
"What a bright and sunny day — perfect for camouflage~ for camouflage~📹She probably sang to the tune of this song: "
[Pffft hahahahaha——]
Then, she squatted down.
She pulled up the loose left pant leg of her tracksuit.
This revealed a collapsible telescope tied to her fair calf with a string.
[!]
[Detective Bao: "…Let me see where you're hiding, black-cloaked villain!"]
[2333311 Black-cloaked one, you can't escape now! Secretly hiding props — so badass!]
[Hahaha, why did she stop singing?]
Unfortunately, Bao Ruanruan stopped singing.
She had her back turned and appeared to be secretly lifting her shirt at the waist and fiddling with something.
It looked like a bit of a struggle.
She tugged at it for a while.
There were even some sounds of tape being torn off.
About ten seconds later—
She finally turned around.
Her camouflage outfit looked a little rumpled.
Now, however, she was holding several dark-coloured electronic devices, as well as a round, white one.
"Infrared motion-sensing alarm — you deserve one15."
[Pffft—!]
Author's Note:
Ruanruan: Never go into battle unprepared.~
Footnotes Full List
- 就像是狗啃一样 (jiù xiàngshì gǒu kěn yīyàng) — This metaphor suggests that the numbers are wildly uneven, jagged, and chaotic, lacking any consistency or smoothness.
- In internet slang, 努力宝宝 (nǔlì bǎobao) is a cute or playful way to praise someone for working hard — like calling someone a 'hard-working cutie' or a 'try-hard sweetheart'. It combines praise + affection + a bit of humour.
- 扫地僧 (sǎodì sēng) — "Sweeping Monk" is a legendary hidden master from Jin Yong's martial arts novels, who appears lowly but is secretly a supreme martial artist.
- woc: Internet slang, abbreviation for "卧槽" (wò cáo), a casual or crude exclamation meaning "WTF" or "damn."
- In common internet slang, 放一个屁股 (fàng yī gè pìgu) is used by people to mark their presence in a thread or comment section, indicating they are interested in the discussion and will return later. It's akin to saying "I'm here," "Saving my spot," or "Commenting to follow."
- 落网人 (luòwǎng rén) — Literally "the one who falls into the net," meaning "the one who gets caught." Commonly used in police or game contexts.
- 狗头 (gǒutóu: dog head emoji) — A meme symbol implying sarcasm or teasing. Often used to soften mocking comments like saying "no offence" after roasting someone.
- 一叶障目 (yīyèzhàngmù) — Literally "a single leaf blocks your eyes," meaning being blinded by something small and missing the bigger picture or reality.
- '6666' is internet slang meaning "awesome," like saying "sick move" or "epic." The more sixes, the higher the praise.
- Slangy phonetic from Japanese "sō ka", meaning "I see" or "ohhh I get it!"
- "23333": Internet slang equivalent to "LOL", originating from Chinese forum code where 233 was the emoticon for laughter.
- (姜饼粉 (jiāngbǐng fěn): Wordplay on "Jiang (姜)" (ginger) and "Binggan (饼干)" (cookie/biscuit), forming "Jiangbing (姜饼)" = "gingerbread" — a cutesy term for Jiang Xu's fans.
- "宽面条的眼泪" (kuān miàntiáo de yǎnlèi: wide noodle-like tears) is internet slang for exaggerated crying, often used to describe extreme emotional reactions comically or dramatically — like cartoonish sobbing.
- "如鱼得水 (rúyúdéshuǐ)" is an idiom meaning someone is in an environment perfectly suited to them, totally at ease, thriving
- This line mimics the tone of TV commercials or infomercials. The phrase "你值得拥有 (nǐ zhídé yōngyǒu)" ("you deserve it/one") is a cliché from Chinese product ads, often used ironically online when someone unveils something flashy or over-the-top.
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