PDLP Chapter 65: Liberation, Champion Mentality!
Chapter 65: Liberation, Champion Mentality!
The 100-day "lonely life in the wilderness" is not even halfway over, but the remaining five contestants have truly experienced the cruelty of the show. Especially when the snow season arrives, the unpredictable weather makes the contestants suffer greatly.
All the athletes who have made it this far have stockpiled a large amount of supplies before winter. However, once the snow season arrives, if they cannot replenish their food supplies, they will inevitably face elimination.
Listening to the howling wind outside the camp, Yuan Linghan, sitting in front of the shelter, would occasionally look up at the treetops of the two large trees that served as doorposts. The branches swayed wildly in the cold wind, demonstrating just how strong it was.
Sipping his warm, sweet and sour berry tea, Yuan Linghan shook his head and said, "It seems I won't be able to go out for the next day or two. With such strong winds, I doubt I can withstand being outdoors for long!"
His concerns were quickly proven true. While Yuan Linghan was ice fishing on the lake, the other competitors also went out, hoping to hunt for new food. One of them, however, was clearly less lucky.
He was unable to return to the shelter immediately before the fierce winds swept through the mountains and forests. By the time he realized he was in trouble, he found he could no longer find his way back. Most importantly, as the wind raged, the temperature in the jungle also plummeted.
Even though this contestant had extensive wilderness experience, he immediately abandoned his plan to return to camp. Instead, he found a sheltered spot, built a makeshift shelter, lit a fire, and waited for the storm to pass.
But as night fell, the contestant, who hadn't brought any cooking utensils or food, quickly realized he was in trouble. Although he had temporary shelter and a campfire, how long could he last without food and water?
If he suffers from hypothermia, he may not survive long enough for the production crew to arrive and rescue him. Food supplies are already limited, and his health has been poor recently. Is he really willing to risk his life for this final chance at the championship?
After much deliberation, the contestant addressed the camera with a helpless expression, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry, although I really want to continue, I'm afraid I won't even make it through tonight due to my current situation."
After explaining himself, the contestant finally pressed the rescue signal. The production team, upon learning that one of the contestants was out and unable to return to the shelter before the blizzard hit, prepared for a rescue.
The rescue signal devices provided to the athletes all have location tracking capabilities. When this athlete's signal device started flashing wildly, the rescue team members, who had been waiting for a long time, braved the raging wind and snow and arrived at the athlete's location in less than half an hour.
Seeing the somewhat disheveled and exhausted contestant, the rescue team leader said at the opportune moment, "Congratulations, you're finally free!"
"Yes! We're finally free! I'm so sorry to have troubled you to come and rescue us in this awful weather!"
"I understand! As long as we receive your distress signal, we will do our best to come as soon as possible."
Unaware that another contestant had withdrawn, Yuan Linghan was currently in the shelter, cooking the lake fish she had caught that day. After eating salted dried fish for so long, the taste of fresh meat was naturally different.
"Great! The fish fillets fried in lard are much more fragrant than those fried in fish oil. The dried fish we used to make could only be fried or stewed. It feels so wonderful to taste these fresh fish again."
The fish head and bones, removed from the fish fillets, were combined with previously stored wild mushrooms to make a very sweet and flavorful soup. In addition to the pan-fried fish fillets, the fish roe and swim bladders from today's catch were also used for stewing in a clay pot.
The multiple ways to enjoy the fish certainly made Yuan Linghan very happy. In contrast, the other four contestants simply ate some stored dried meat as before, and then lay down in their sleeping bags, hoping to reduce their physical exertion.
The problem is, unless they can lie down until the end of the show, they still need to eat every day. Prolonged malnutrition will cause their health to decline rapidly. At the next routine checkup, they will ultimately face the fate of being asked to leave the show.
This sudden weather change has lasted for nearly three days. Yuan Linghan, who goes out of the shelter every day to patrol around the camp, can clearly feel that the temperature has dropped significantly again after this weather change.
"Sigh, this kind of weather is tough for us competitors, and the animals that live here are probably having a hard time too. The 100-day competition is almost halfway over, and Black Bear Bay will officially enter its harsh winter mode."
While black bears mostly choose to hibernate, relying on the fat stored in autumn to survive the long, cold winter, other wild animals that remain active throughout the winter face an even tougher existence. The closer winter gets, the more animals migrate out of the mountains.
Because temperatures are lower in the deep mountains, it becomes more difficult for animals to find food. This also means that the few remaining competitors will have more hunting opportunities once the animals migrate to the vicinity of the lake area.
Of course, the large-scale migration of animals to the vicinity of the lake area also increases the hunting risks for the athletes. While the athletes want to hunt animals for food, those hungry carnivorous beasts are certainly not going to ignore them.
On the day the snowstorm stopped, Yuan Linghan still chose not to go out. Instead, as he had done before, he cleared the thick snow around the campsite. He couldn't clear the snow in other places, but he had to ensure that the campsite was easily accessible.
Considering the height of the snow-covered city wall was already sufficient, Yuan Linghan piled all the cleared snow onto a slope. Although the slope was also covered by heavy snow, the addition of a large amount of snow would make the snowpack even thicker.
However, Yuan Linghan believes that using the snow cleared from the camp to cover the normally falling snow around the camp will make the snow around the camp even thicker. This will make it more difficult to walk if animals approach.
In contrast, Yuan Linghan wears fur-lined skis when he goes out, so he doesn't have to worry about not being able to go out. The previously constructed ice and snow walls are now frozen solid. The newly fallen snow continues to increase the height of the walls.
Because Yuan Linghan spared no effort to clear the snow from the camp, many viewers were surprised to find that there wasn't much snow left in Yuan Linghan's camp.
Sometimes, when Yuan Linghan doesn't want to cook at the shelter, he will come to the outdoor fire pit to set up a campfire. The brick kiln that was previously used to fire pottery has now become his simple outdoor oven.
This obvious difference prompted many viewers to remark, "The other contestants stayed in wilderness shelters, but Xia Guoling treated the campsite like his home. No matter how tough it was, he still kept his campsite spotless."
"Isn't Xia Country a country that prohibits guns and hunting? Why is this guy's wilderness survival skill so amazing?"
"Unlike other contestants who entered a period of intense struggle, this young man from the East seems to be enjoying the life of being alone in the wilderness."
"It's truly remarkable that someone can maintain this state of mind even when alone in the wilderness."
When the videos collected during the fourth inspection day were broadcast, viewers of this season of "Wilderness Solitary Living" could clearly perceive the gap between Yuan Linghan and the other remaining contestants. It wasn't just about food reserves, but also the difference in their mental state.
Those contestants who are currently struggling will have a very slim chance of success if they want to get through the remaining time. On the other hand, Yuan Linghan, who is methodical and seems to be busy every day, shows no change in his mindset.
This composure is precisely the mindset a champion must possess. Viewers of previous seasons know that for contestants participating in the wilderness survival challenge, the hardest part isn't the food, but the daily loneliness and isolation!