Substitute Alpha Gets Confessed to by Her Ex’s Aunt on a Survival Variety Show – Chapter 46
by Little PandaThe Fifth Airdrop
The Toa River Estuary was located where the river met the coast. It took about two and a half hours to get there from the shelter.
With the airdrop scheduled for seven in the morning, factoring in the time to wake up and travel, they needed to prepare three hours in advance.
Four o’clock in the morning.
The stars and moon still hung in the sky.
The alarm failed to wake Nan Huaixu. Liu Yinxi, however, fell asleep quickly and woke up just as fast. She got up the moment she heard the alarm, washed her face, boiled some vegetable soup, roasted some cassava, and then softly called for Nan Huaixu to get up.
Nan Huaixu struggled to open her drowsy eyes. Her hot breath plumed into the night air and slowly dissipated.
“Mmn… sleepy…”
She shrank into the raincoat she was using as a blanket and lazily rolled over. A faint wisp of sweet pheromones drifted out from beneath it.
Liu Yinxi twitched her nose, stepped back, and sat on the edge of the bed. After a couple of seconds of thought, she whispered, “Teacher Nan, go back to sleep. I’ll go grab the airdrop alone this time.”
She was the only one among the eight contestants who knew the exact address of this airdrop site. The Book Transmigration Reading System had explicitly stated that the fifth airdrop would be at the Toa River Estuary. Since she had been running to the Toa River every day recently, she had long familiarized herself with the environment around the great river.
The estuary was far from the area where the contestants had set up camp. Even Huang Heshan, who was the fastest on foot, couldn’t possibly beat the knowledgeable Liu Yinxi to the airdrop without having scouted the route first. Therefore, Liu Yinxi was bound to get this airdrop. Going alone meant she wouldn’t need to look after Nan Huaixu, making her even faster.
If Nan Huaixu didn’t respond, Liu Yinxi would make the decision for her, though Nan Huaixu would certainly have opinions about it once she woke up. Even though Liu Yinxi couldn’t bear to disturb her sleep, she patted her shoulder anyway. “Teacher Nan, give me a response if you hear me. I’m going after the airdrop.”
“…” Nan Huaixu lay on her side, sleeping with her back to her.
“Teacher Nan, just nod if you don’t want to speak.”
Nan Huaixu mumbled groggily, “Mmn…”
“Alright. Rest well.”
As long as she got a response from Nan Huaixu, it was fine.
Liu Yinxi turned around and bent her knees, just about to stand up, when her right wrist was suddenly encircled by warm skin. She looked back. Nan Huaixu had sat up with drooping eyelids, her fluffy long hair scattered lazily across her shoulders and neck.
Nan Huaixu swayed drowsily. Liu Yinxi quickly supported her. “Do you want water? I boiled some hot water.”
Nan Huaixu shook her head.
She felt unwell due to her heat period. The night before last, she had guarded the shelter alone and had been so terrified she barely slept. Yesterday, she spent the whole day boiling salt and beachcombing. Last night, she had finally been able to sleep soundly, so getting up this early left her impossibly exhausted.
But she didn’t want to be left behind.
She wanted to go with Liu Yinxi.
“What’s wrong?”
Nan Huaixu sobered up slightly and answered Liu Yinxi, “I’ll go.”
Liu Yinxi noticed her poor complexion. “You should rest. Your lips are pale.”
Nan Huaixu was very insistent. “I’m going. After we get the airdrop, take me to see the new shelter.”
Liu Yinxi knew her temper. Arguing with her was useless, so she could only agree. If Nan Huaixu felt unwell halfway there, they would figure something out then.
The journey to the estuary was long and physically demanding. They needed a full breakfast and had to bring dried meat and banana tree core as trail rations to replenish their energy at any time.
Liu Yinxi carried all the food and water to lighten Nan Huaixu’s burden. After they ate, they set off.
They walked southeast for two hours. Passing a hillside, they spotted the stone tower and branch markings Liu Yinxi had made. Liu Yinxi told Nan Huaixu that the estuary lay to the west, while the new shelter was to the east. By her estimation, it would take about half an hour to reach the river estuary from the new shelter, and over an hour to reach the beach. Jinzhou Island as a whole was oriented north-to-south—narrow from east to west, and long from north to south. Although the distance from the estuary to the beach wasn’t terribly far, it was quite a trek from the original drop zone.
Nan Huaixu memorized the route. After resting for five minutes, they continued their journey.
At first, they had to use the small lights on their bracelets to illuminate the way as they navigated the jungle. By six o’clock, the sun rose, flooding the sky with light, and the path from the dirt slopes to the estuary became much easier to walk.
The closer they got to the river, the moister the soil became beneath their feet. Mosquitoes and insects multiplied, buzzing relentlessly around their heads.
Nan Huaixu could clearly see the terrain sloping downward. They had already descended several dirt slopes. Some slopes were so high and steep that they had to descend by stepping on protruding rocks, like rock climbing.
After going up and down several times, Nan Huaixu felt immensely exhausted. She bent over, bracing her hands against her knees as her calves trembled uncontrollably… Did Liu Yinxi really walk such a difficult path twice a day? Yet every time she returned to the shelter, she only seemed very thirsty and sweaty, as if it was no big deal.
Only now did Nan Huaixu tangibly realize the physical gap between herself and Liu Yinxi. It far exceeded her imagination. It wasn’t the difference between a small stream and a large river, but the difference between a small pond and the vast ocean.
Nan Huaixu thought to herself that if she hadn’t come along, Liu Yinxi would probably have reached the estuary a long time ago.
“…” She refused to be a burden.
Liu Yinxi saw Nan Huaixu’s awkwardness. She also knew that Nan Huaixu cared about her pride and was fiercely competitive, so she couldn’t just tell her to sit and rest.
She had to use a method that would help Nan Huaixu without delaying their progress. “Teacher Nan, I’ll go down the slope first and catch you at the bottom. It’ll be faster that way.”
Nan Huaixu nodded. It was the best option right now.
Ahead of them lay a very steep, massive slope. Liu Yinxi found the path she usually took down. Gripping the dirt clumps and stepping on the rocks, she descended to the bottom. She turned around to face Nan Huaixu and opened her arms. “Come on, Teacher Nan.”
Nan Huaixu looked down at her open embrace and unconsciously clutched her collar. “How… how do I get down this?”
Liu Yinxi tilted her head up and beckoned with her hand. “Jump straight down onto the dirt clumps. I can catch you.”
Nan Huaixu stared at the nearly two-meter drop and swallowed hard. “Jump?”
“Don’t worry, it’s fine. Just jump.”
“…”
“Teacher Nan, if you’re worried, I can climb up and carry you down on my back. How about that?”
Nan Huaixu immediately lowered her legs, eyed the spot, and jumped.
“Hey, got you.”
Liu Yinxi caught her steadily. Nan Huaixu fell into her embrace, their soft chests pressing together. Her arms tightly wrapped around Liu Yinxi’s neck. Her head rested in the crook of Liu Yinxi’s neck, the strands of her hair tickling Liu Yinxi.
A sweet floral scent flooded Liu Yinxi’s nasal cavity, intoxicating her. She held her breath, carefully set Nan Huaixu on the ground, and let go. “You didn’t twist anything, did you?”
Nan Huaixu retreated as if electrocuted, covering her face and sniffing. “No.”
“Are your allergies acting up again?”
“Just a little. The sun’s out and the temperature’s rising; the change in weather makes my nose run easily. It’s fine, I brought allergy medicine with me.”
“Oh, okay. Good. Teacher Nan, have a seat for a second. I’m going to scout the path ahead.”
“Okay…” Nan Huaixu sat down on a severed tree root, cupping her cheeks with her hands, her palms pressed against her burning skin. Today was the third day of her heat period. She usually didn’t feel anything on the third day, so she hadn’t taken her inhibitor that morning. Was this because of her contact with Liu Yinxi just now…? Her face grew even hotter. She sniffled, took a deep breath to calm her agitated heart, and decided she would take an inhibitor tablet after securing the airdrop.
Liu Yinxi walked briskly ahead, unscrewing her water bottle to take a few gulps of cold water and soothe her dry throat. Hiking in the dark before dawn was truly difficult; even her heart rate had sped up.
The complex terrain made it impossible for the robot dogs to follow them all the way; only the diligent drones kept up with them.
【Manman’s face looks a little red, did she catch a cold? QuQ】
【Meow meow meow? (Cat head)】
【Manman didn’t sleep well the night before last, worked all day yesterday, and had to wake up early for a devil’s field march1 today. I think she’s in a really bad state.】
【To be honest, Liu shouldn’t have let Manman come along for the airdrop today. She’s too tired.】
【But Nan Huaixu insisted on going together (Speechless)】
【Xixi hurry up, Huang Heshan is almost at the estuary! (Going crazy)】
【Yuan Fang is hurrying over too, she set out at 3:30. Not getting the airdrop last time was a huge blow to her (Laugh-cry)】
【Hurry, hurry, hurry, move it!】
【So much dawdling!】
【Stop worrying about Nan Huaixu and just let her sit there, the airdrop is the priority!】
【Nan Huaixu, speed it up.】
【LMAO2, Luo Ling just woke up.】
【Does she think she won’t get it anyway, so she’s just letting it rot3?】
【Teacher Xue went to grab it; she left past five. Yunshao got stuck with a teammate like Luo, I don’t even want to say it. The crybaby4 of this season isn’t Liu Yinxi, it’s clearly Luo Ling (Facepalm)】
【 on this’ or ‘Agreed.'”]Agreed5.】
After hiking for another twenty minutes, Liu Yinxi and Nan Huaixu heard the sound of rushing water.
“We’re here.”
Liu Yinxi looked back. Nan Huaixu, dragging her heavy feet, was overjoyed at the sight.
Liu Yinxi went over to support her. The two followed the sound of the water toward the dense shrubs. Pushing aside the man-high aquatic grass, a smoke-like water mist rushed against their faces, and the broad river was fully visible, its vast waters majestic and imposing.
Crash and roar—
The torrential river reflected in Nan Huaixu’s eyes, captivating her mind. The impact of such a magnificent landscape broadened not just her horizons, but her very heart.
No wonder Liu Yinxi had said that explorers who constantly dealt with nature were very generous—because heaven and earth encompassed everything, and explorers embraced heaven and earth.
A low, rumbling hum echoed from the horizon. A gust of wind swept past, and the shadow of a helicopter glided over the eastern sky.
They looked toward the upper reaches of the estuary. Orange-red smoke plumed from the riverbank not far away.
The airdrop!
Liu Yinxi sprinted over first. Nan Huaixu followed behind. Although she was a bit slower, when they reached the site, all three crates were still there. The other contestants hadn’t arrived yet. Nan Huaixu looked delighted. For the first time, they had beaten Huang Heshan to the punch; they could take their pick of the supplies!
Nan Huaixu’s gaze swept over the three airdrop crates one by one.
Label 1: Energy Gel, Candied Hawthorn6 Flavor, 45g * 5 tubes.
The main purpose of energy gel was to serve as emergency electrolytes, replenishing sugar and salt. Since they had honey, fruits, and sea salt, the energy gels were of little use to them.
Label 2: Seven-color brown rice, 1kg * 1 bag.
Seven-color brown rice! Grains! It could provide a stable supplement of carbohydrates, and with a full kilogram, it would be enough to eat for a while.
Naturally, they should choose this one.
Liu Yinxi would definitely choose this one too.
Nan Huaixu’s gaze fell on the third crate.
Label 3: Freeze-dried rice, Tomato Beef Flavor, 125g * 2 packs.
“!”
Nan Huaixu’s eyes locked onto it.
It was tomato beef.
One of her favorite home-cooked dishes. She hadn’t eaten it in so long.
She really wanted to eat it.
But… what use were two packs of freeze-dried rice?
They would enjoy a bite or two, and then what?
This was a survival competition. They couldn’t abandon a long-term, stable food source just to satisfy a craving.
Nan Huaixu looked at Liu Yinxi, who was standing beside the seven-color brown rice, and said, “I have no strength left. You take it.”
Liu Yinxi’s eyes were gentle. “Which one do you want?”
Nan Huaixu smiled and pointed to the ground beside Liu Yinxi’s feet. “The rice, of course.”
“Are you sure? Huang Heshan should be here soon.”
Nan Huaixu took a deep breath. She raised her eyes, her brow resolute. “I’m sure.”
Liu Yinxi picked up the airdrop crate. “Alright, let’s go. We’ll find a place to rest for a bit, then go see the new shelter.”
She carried the crate with one hand and turned toward the woods.
Nan Huaixu glanced back at the crate of freeze-dried rice one last time before hurrying after Liu Yinxi.
Not far away, Liu Yinxi stopped at a grassy spot bathed in sunlight. “Let’s sit here and rest for a bit.”
Nan Huaixu was indeed tired. Her legs were sore and aching. She found a dry rock to sit on, massaging her calves as she sighed silently.
“I’m going to step away to the bathroom. I’ll be right back, don’t leave this spot,” Liu Yinxi said suddenly.
“Mmn.” Nan Huaixu kept her head down, responding weakly.
Her thoughts raced wildly as she constantly reasoned with herself.
It’s just a processed meal pack, entirely made of artificial technology. It isn’t the same thing as Grandmother’s stewed tomato beef.
It’s definitely synthetic food—probably soy protein with artificial beef flavoring.
The tomato is probably just an artificially flavored sauce, without any actual tomatoes.
It’s not good, it’s not good, stop thinking about it, it’s not good…
“Teacher Nan.”
Nan Huaixu looked up. Liu Yinxi had returned and placed the crate in her hands right in front of her.
The label on the crate had changed.
—Freeze-dried rice, Tomato Beef Flavor.
Nan Huaixu’s eyes instantly widened. “Why did you swap it?! We could eat the rice for a long time—”
Liu Yinxi interrupted her. “If we like it, we take it. You stared at this box for a long time. And we can’t swap it back anyway; Huang Heshan already took the rice.”
A wave of warmth surged through Nan Huaixu’s chest, and her nose stung. “But, this is only enough for two meals…”
Liu Yinxi set the crate down, squatted in front of her, and coaxed her softly. “Listen to me. I might not have any other skills, but in a resource-rich tropical rainforest, I will absolutely never let my Captain go hungry.”
“What you like is the best.”
Nan Huaixu hugged her favorite supply crate, lifting her head to wipe at the hot corners of her eyes.
This person—who was always lecturing her on the grand principles of the survival of the fittest in the natural world—had chosen the most impractical supplies just because her gaze had lingered for a moment.
When preference triumphed over rationality, some practical benefits were lost.
But, it won her heart.
Footnotes
- A field training march (lāliàn). The phrase 'devil's field march' (móguǐ lāliàn) is used as slang for an exhaustingly rigorous hike or physical ordeal.
- An internet slang term (xiào s). The 's' stands for 'sǐ' (death), making it the equivalent of 'laughing to death' or 'LMAO'.
- An internet slang term (bǎilàn), literally 'to let it rot.' It refers to actively giving up and allowing a situation to deteriorate because it seems hopeless.
- A slang term (jiāoqi bāo) for someone who is overly delicate, squeamish, or easily spoiled—a crybaby or delicate flower.
- ”An
- Candied hawthorn (bīngtánghúlu) is a traditional Northern Chinese winter snack consisting of skewered hawthorn berries coated in a hard sugar glaze, offering a sweet and tart flavor.
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