Ma Huayi was a photography enthusiast.
Though not a professional, he was quite talented and had made a name for himself within the circle.
He also loved nature, and human interaction with nature was his favorite subject to capture.
Usually, Ma Huayi loved traveling and then documenting the local natural scenery through photography.
Whenever he ran out of materials, he would check out the live outdoor section.
Many streamers liked to broadcast their hikes and travels; sometimes, when Ma Huayi saw a good landscape in a live stream, he would pack his bags, fill up his car with gas, and head west to capture a satisfying photo, facing the sunset or the boundless sea.
These past few days, Ma Huayi had run out of material, so he opened a live stream and found a room with decent popularity.
Out of curiosity, he clicked in, and the rest was history; from the moment Bi Fang climbed the tree, the confrontation with the Short-tailed Viper gave him an intense visual shock!
The standoff, the ambush, the fall.
Through the first-person perspective, every move Bi Fang made was as thrilling to Ma Huayi as a roller coaster ride, igniting his creativity like a gushing spring!
Especially during Bi Fang's upside-down confrontation with the Short-tailed Viper.
Dappled patches of light.
A person hanging upside down on a tree.
A deadly Short-tailed Viper hissing.
The content was top-notch, and the photographer was quite skilled; he must be a professional.
All these elements combined, conflict and harmony, color and composition, just like a balanced Tai Chi, perfectly encapsulating human interaction with nature!
Between the thick leaves, a man, a snake, a tree – could there be a more beautiful picture?
This was exactly what he had been searching for!
Ma Huayi even came up with a name for the piece, "Dangerous Contact," all that was left was Bi Fang's authorization.
"Of course, you can use it as long as it's not for commercial purposes, however you want."
With a moment's thought, Bi Fang agreed, partly because he was sent a rocket, no small gift, and partly because it would help to extend his own reach.
[Yes, I want to use that scene as my wallpaper!]
[Damn, I was so nervous just now I didn't think to take a screenshot]
[Thinking about it now, every frame was a work of art!]
[Handsome Master Fang, the dangerous venomous snake, the beautiful nature, I'm convinced.]
[Does Master Fang have a recorded video? Other devices or repostings just don't have this quality]
"Yes, I do. When this live stream ends, I'll post the recorded video in my column, and anyone can watch it anytime they want."
Bi Fang nodded; the System's equipment could not only live stream but also record, though editing was a bit of a hassle.
[Fat Cat Pete gave the streamer 3 rockets—thank you Master Fang for your approval]
"Alright, everyone, no need for that."
The successive rockets made Bi Fang feel overwhelmed, so he hurriedly steered the conversation back on track.
He was well aware that his popularity was due to the excellent content of his live streams. If he started groveling for gifts like some of the other little hosts, that would be putting the cart before the horse.
"Now, let's go see if the earthworms are still there. After all that commotion, we didn't catch anything and nearly lost our lives. Such a loss."
Just thinking about it, Bi Fang felt the pain; those were four eggs, high in protein and energy, far better than a few worms, right?
And now they were all gone.
[Earthworm: Am I destined to die?]
[What is meant to come will come]
[I'm out, let me know when he's done eating and I'll come back]
[He's done]
Watching the audience joke around in the barrage of comments, Bi Fang's mood improved somewhat, and he returned to the pile of weeds, finding the earthworms that had not escaped far.
At that moment, the earthworms that were dragged out started "panicking" again as they twisted.
He chuckled, grabbed one end of an earthworm with his bare hands, gave it a squeeze to clear out the dirt inside, and, in front of all the viewers, tossed it into his mouth and slurped it down like a noodle.
"Ugh essential oil～"
After chewing a few times, Bi Fang's face instantly turned green. He had overestimated himself; this stuff was not meant for human consumption!
The bursting sensation, the pieces still squirming in his mouth, the bitter taste mixed with the earthy flavor; each aspect made him want to vomit.
Be it in his past life or in this one, this was Bi Fang's first attempt at consuming such bizarre things.
Even during his days with the Wilderness Survivalist team, field research was commonplace, but he'd always eaten rations, never having to endure such ordeal.
[Ew, I saw the earthworm burst…]
[I thought I was the only one who saw that.]
[I threw up.]
[Earthworm: Although I'm not human, you're the real dog.]
[As a female fan of Master Fang, I feel I've become a fan too early.]
[Hahaha, Master Fang's face has turned green.]
[Aren't they worried about parasites or bacterial infections?]
The audience in the live stream was bombarded once again, with those who were eating unanimously putting down their food.
At the same time, gifts in the live stream also followed with a wave of amenities, including fishballs and shark fins, dedicated to treating Master Fang to something good.
"Phew..."
"To tell the truth, this thing tasted worse than I imagined, not only does it have a strong earthy smell, but it's also quite bitter."
Bi Fang furrowed his brows tightly, took out the earthworm from his pant pocket, hesitating whether to throw it away or not, but after thinking for a moment, he put it back in: "It seems I'm not starving to the point yet. I'll keep it for now, maybe we'll come across a river and can use it to fish."
It takes time for protein to convert to energy, about an hour.
Now that there was something in his stomach, Bi Fang felt much more comfortable.
"Indeed, by eating an earthworm to ambush the stomach acid, drawing its attention, my stomach doesn't feel so bad anymore."
[God damn ambushing the stomach acid...]
[Why not eat them all? Direct full-scale invasion!]
[Why not wait until ten o'clock to eat? Maybe pull a Trojan horse?]
[Why not eat dirt first? Logistics come first?]
[Why not drink more hot water first, wait for the stomach acid to be worn out, then launch a major attack?]
Bi Fang: "..."
He was just trying to liven up the atmosphere.
[But eating them like that, aren't you afraid of parasite or bacterial infections?]
[Right, this seems really unsanitary.]
Wow! Finally, some normal bullet comments!
After pondering for a while, Bi Fang spoke: "Regarding the risk of infection, I can only say two things. First, don't underestimate our stomach acid, and second..."
"Only the living are qualified to get infected."
Bi Fang looked at the drone, speaking in an extremely calm tone, yet it sent shivers down everyone's spine!
"In the wilderness, everything is based on survival. If you can't make it, everything else is irrelevant."
[Yeah, survival in the wilderness is no child's play. Without true skills, you simply can't make it.]
[After all is said and done, there is only one word: Master Fang is awesome!]
[That's one word?]
[I seriously suspect Master Fang is a special forces soldier.]
Special forces?
He wished.
Bi Fang watched the comments in silence. Having the identity of a special forces soldier would be incredibly convenient; it could endorse his expertise and effortlessly build a strong persona. Previous survival experts like Bear Grylls and Grandpa De did just that, but he had no such opportunity.
"Of course, if possible, it's better for everyone to cook their food when in the wild. In a moment, I'll teach you how to start a fire."
After a bit of trouble, it got late.
If they moved on, they wouldn't be able to set up camp before dark.
After one last look at the bird's nest, Bi Fang noticed that the Short-tailed Viper had disappeared. Of course, it could also be hiding too well; a Short-tailed Viper with brown spots is not so easy to find once it's hidden.
He shook his head and stopped thinking about it.
"Alright, let's get back on topic, let's determine the time again."
Bi Fang interrupted the conversation, squinting at the sun: "Look at its altitude, it's clearly slanting westward. It's about five in the afternoon now. I mentioned before that it gets dark quickly in the mountains, and the temperature varies greatly. So although it's late September, we need to start building a shelter quickly."
[Let's watch the host conjure a tent out of thin air.]
[You got nothing, how are you gonna set up a tent?]
[Ding, please check your airdropped tent.]
[Did the host forget to bring a tent?]
Seeing the audience's puzzled faces, Bi Fang pretended to be mysterious.
"Just watch closely, everyone."