Culinary God in Wilderness

It was just as that one comment had said. The plantain stem core was crisp to chew, not much different from a cucumber. It was slightly sweet, with a faint grassy smell. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

As he chewed, a gush of juice burst out, giving him the illusion of chewing on sugarcane.

"I can confirm for everyone that the person who said they’d eaten a plantain stem core before was completely right. The taste is exactly as they described."

He took one bite after another, feeling the sweet juice slide down his throat and into his stomach. The cool sensation soothed a throat so dry it felt like it was about to emit smoke, and his entire body felt much more relaxed.

After finishing the entire thing, he was both full and hydrated. He opened his mouth and let out a burp.

"BURP~"

"Although it can fill your stomach, this stuff is mostly cellulose. You can’t eat it too often or too much at once. Cellulose is good for helping with bowel movements, but since it can’t be digested, eating too much will actually increase the strain on your digestive system and cause constipation."

"Unless you have access to a large water source, it’s best not to treat this as a proper meal. At most, it should only be used to stave off hunger and stay alive."

After he had his fill of food and water, the forest was plunged into darkness.

He turned on his Hat Lamp, preparing to go nearby and gather more pine needles to surround his shelter.

The combat knife and the Hat Lamp were the only two items provided for this competition. The knife ensured basic survival, while the Hat Lamp made nighttime activity possible. Beyond that, no other tools were given.

That’s right, they didn’t even provide Bear-Repellent Spray this time, because there were no bears here. The only large predator was the Jaguar.

According to his research, of all the big cats in the world, the Jaguar has the lowest number of attacks on humans. In most cases, they avoid conflict with people.

Just like with other large animals, as long as you don’t do something stupid like trespassing in their territory or attacking them first, you won’t be in danger even if you make eye contact from afar.

What’s more, the Jaguars here were a rare species; it was unlikely he would just stumble upon one.

He wandered around the area for a long while, gathering bundle after bundle of pine branches scattered on the ground. He arranged them in a circle around his shelter and then used them to line the inside.

Pine needles naturally repel insects and mosquitoes and have a faint, pleasant fragrance. While not as effective as burning them to create smoke, it would be enough to get through the night.

After finishing all this, he ducked into his narrow shelter and waved at the camera.

"Alright, friends, that’s all for today. I’m going to get an early night to get an early start on the road tomorrow. For any viewers who haven’t had enough, you can go check out the other contestants’ streams."

"If you can, please go check on that guy Andre for me. It’d be great if he’s going hungry."

"Well then, good night~"

...

As time ticked by, most of the contestants had built their own temporary shelters.

Some dug burrows, some squeezed into rock crevices, and others simply prepared to make do for the night in the branches of a tree.

The people participating in this competition were all relatively experienced wilderness survivalists. Each had their own plans and goals. With hunting being prohibited, no one had managed to secure their first source of protein by the end of the first day.

Everyone’s strategy was quite similar: first, secure a shelter for the night, and then find a water source.

As for food, no one was really worried about it for the first couple of days.

There would be plenty of time to look for food after the shelters were sorted. They understood the difference between being full for one meal and staying full for many.

Andre also didn’t look for food today. After landing, he had a clear objective and headed straight for Lake Lagobaiano. He ended up finding a few large boulders about five or six hundred meters from the lakeshore and built a simple shelter for the night with logs and branches.

Like Lin Chen, his month of advance preparation gave him ample time to formulate a plan.

However, his luck wasn’t very good. The helicopter he had randomly boarded happened to be circling south of the lake.

If he wanted to cross this lake cluster to get to the Dalian Mountain Range, he would have to take a detour.

Although there were many areas between the lakes that seemed crossable, being surrounded by water meant he couldn’t be sure if a given patch of land was solid ground or a treacherous swamp.

He would rather spend more time taking the long way around than risk it.

The competition was an elimination format, so safety came first. He still had to beat Lin Chen and become the final winner. Besides, he had promised his wife beforehand that he wouldn’t take any risks.

Just as all the contestants, exhausted from a long day of trekking and labor, were drifting off to sleep, the feed from the production team suddenly lit up.

Under the bright lights, several trucks covered with green tarps drove up the road one after another, coming to a steady stop in front of them.

"Friends and viewers, the moment you’ve all been waiting for is about to be revealed!"

Robert deliberately lowered his voice, signaling the cameraman to focus on the trucks.

From their position, it seemed the production crew was currently on the Pan-American Highway. However, the bright lights made the surrounding area seem even darker, making it impossible to see their exact location.

Robert walked over to one of the trucks, grabbed the green tarp, and yanked it hard.

WHOOSH—

The entire green tarp was pulled off.

On the back of the truck were two levels of metal cages, packed with a dense mass of grouse. A rough estimate put the number at over a hundred.

"Everyone, take a guess. What are these grouse for?"

He gave the camera a mysterious smile and crooked his finger. The camera then followed him to the back of the truck.