Chen Ying sat in the center of the warmth, sipping her juice. For a moment, the weight of her revenge felt lighter. She watched Yaya tuck a flower behind her ear and Haoran clumsily offer the best cut of steak to her first. This was the "harmony" she had never known in the Chen household.
The sound of heavy boots on the trail broke the atmosphere.
Chen Shao stepped into the firelight. He had changed out of his suit into high-end hiking gear, but he still looked out of place. He had expected to see his sister lonely, or perhaps struggling. Instead, he saw her surrounded by people who looked at her with pure devotion.
"Yingying," Chen Shao said, his voice hesitant.
The laughter died down instantly. Haoran and Yaya stood up, looking awkward and defensive, instinctively moving to stand slightly in front of Chen Ying.
Chen Shao felt a sharp, bitter pang in his chest. 'Those are my spots,' he thought irrationally. 'I'm the one who's supposed to protect her. Why are these strangers guarding her from me?'
"President Chen," Yang Zixuan said, his voice polite but lacking its usual warmth. "The task is over for the day. Is there a production emergency?"
"I came to see my sister," Chen Shao said, his eyes fixed on Chen Ying. He held out a small box—a luxury chocolate set he'd brought from the yacht. "I thought you might want something... sweet. Since the island food is so poor."
Chen Ying looked at the box of chocolates, then at the half-eaten steak on her plate. She didn't stand up.
"We've already eaten, President Chen," she said calmly. "And Haoran made sure I had the best portions. You can keep the chocolates. Wang Bai probably needs the sugar more than I do."
Chen Shao's hand tightened on the box. He looked at Haoran—a boy with mud on his face and a cheap survival watch—and felt a wave of intense, irrational jealousy. Haoran knew how Chen Ying liked her steak. Haoran knew why she was laughing.
Chen Shao, the powerful CEO, didn't even know her favorite color anymore.
"I just wanted to talk," Chen Shao whispered.
"Then talk," Chen Ying said, gesturing to the empty space across the fire—the furthest spot from her. "But don't expect the team to leave. On this island, they are my family. You... are just a sponsor."
[System: Ding! Target Chen Shao's Heartbreak Level: High. Brainwashing Level: 28%.]
Chen Shao stood by the transport boat, his expensive hiking boots looking pristine compared to the mud-caked gear of the contestants. His phone had been buzzing incessantly—corporate mergers and board meetings waited for no one, not even a CEO undergoing a mid-life crisis.
"I have to return to the city, Yingying," Chen Shao said, his eyes searching hers for even a flicker of regret. "But I haven't forgotten our talk. I'm... I'm looking into things."
Chen Ying, who was busy sharpening a wooden spear with Yang Zixuan, didn't even look up. "Safe travels, President Chen. Don't let the doors hit you on the way out."
Chen Shao's jaw tightened. He looked at Yang Zixuan, then at Wu Haoran and Zhou Yaya, who were lighting the fire nearby. They functioned like a well-oiled machine, a family unit that didn't include him. With a final, lingering look at his sister's cold profile, he stepped onto the boat.
As the engine roared to life, Chen Shao pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant. "The investigation into the Head Maid's sister? I want the bank records for the last decade. Every cent. And find out which 'accidents' happened on the days Chen Ying was locked in her room. Now."
[System: Target Chen Shao has left the island. Current Status: Investigating. Brainwashing Level: 25% (Dissolving).]
---
The next day, "Survivors!" Director Zhao's voice boomed from the speakers once again. "Today is about teamwork and food! Head to the North Bend River. The person with the largest catch by weight wins a set of professional fishing rods and a waterproof tent!"
Chen Ying's team moved out together. With Chen Shao gone, the atmosphere was lighter. Even Yang Zixuan seemed more relaxed, helping Zhou Yaya navigate the slippery rocks as they reached the riverbank.
"I used to fish with my grandpa," Wu Haoran said, expertly casting a line with his makeshift fishing rod. "But I bet he never had a 'Film Emperor' and a 'Rebel Heiress' as his fishing buddies."
"I'm just the one making sure you don't fall in, Haoran," Zixuan joked, though his eyes remained sharp, scanning the treeline.
On the opposite bank, Wang Bai and Zhang Rui were struggling. Wang Bai was standing in the shallow water, her designer "outdoor" wear already ruined. She watched Chen Ying's team laughing and pulling in fish after fish. Every sound of their joy felt like a needle in her brain.
'Why is she happy?' Wang Bai's thoughts were a dark, toxic swirl. 'She should be crying. She should be alone.'
Suddenly, a rustle came from the dense bush behind Wang Bai. A massive, dark shape emerged—a grizzly bear, its fur matted and its eyes small and hungry. It had been drawn by the scent of the fish, but it was agitated.
Wang Bai froze. Her first instinct was to scream. But then, she saw Chen Ying's team just across the bend, focused on their nets. A horrific, twisted idea took root.
Instead of backing away quietly, Wang Bai grabbed a bucket of fish guts they had discarded and threw it toward the path leading straight to where Chen Ying and others were fishing.
She then retreated silently behind a large boulder, her eyes wide and fearful, yet gleaming with a sick anticipation.
"Look!" Zhou Yaya whispered, pointing. "Is that... a bear?"
The creature let out a low, guttural growl, its nose twitching. It smelled the guts Wang Bai had thrown and began to lumber across the water, its eyes fixed on the movement ahead—towards Chen Ying's group.
"We have a bear! Why aren't the tranquilizers here?!" Director Zhao's voice screamed through the earpieces of the crew.
"The area was cleared! It must have wandered from the deep forest!" a panicked producer replied.
The bear was now thirty feet away, huffing, its massive paws splashing through the water. Zhou Yaya was paralyzed; Wu Haoran grabbed a rock, his hands shaking. Yang Zixuan stepped in front of Chen Ying, his makeshift spear leveled.
"Get back!" Zixuan commanded. "Yingying, run!"
Chen Ying didn't run. She felt the surge of power from her improved physique—her reflexes were sharper, her mind clearer. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the 'Influencer's Instant-Ambience' Sparkler.
'You stinky system, if this thing doesn't work, I'm taking you down with me,' she thought.
[System: (Panicked beep) Trust the aesthetic, Host! Crank the intensity to MAX!]
Chen Ying stepped around Zixuan. "Close your eyes! Now!"
The bear roared, rising onto its hind legs, a wall of muscle and fur. Just as it prepared to lunge, Chen Ying clicked the rod.
FLASH.
A blinding, multi-colored magnesium light eruption exploded from her hand. It wasn't just a sparkler; it was a supernova of shifting neon blues, golds, and violets. The bear, whose eyes were adjusted to the dim forest light, let out a confused, pained bellow as the "aesthetic" light scorched its vision.
"Haoran, the pot! Zixuan, the spear—hit the rocks, make noise!" Chen Ying shouted.
While the bear was disoriented by the blinding light, the team followed her lead. The cacophony of metal on stone and the terrifying, unnatural light was too much for the predator. It turned, stumbling back toward the opposite bank.
In its confusion, the bear charged right toward the boulder where Wang Bai was hiding.
"AHHHH!" Wang Bai's scream echoed across the river as she had to scramble up a tree, her "Goddess" image completely shattered as she sobbed in terror, watching the bear swipe at the trunk beneath her.
Chen Ying stood her ground until the bear finally lumbered off back into the deep woods. She clicked the sparkler off, the rod still cool to the touch.
Yang Zixuan turned to her, his heart hammering against his ribs. He looked at the small thing in her hand, then at her calm, steady face. "A... sparkler? You chased off a grizzly with a sparkler?"
Chen Ying shrugged, tucking it back into her jacket. "I told you. Ambience is everything."
[User 'LogicFirst': DID SHE JUST FLASHBANG A BEAR WITH A GLOWSTICK?]
[User 'TeaSpiller': Look at Wang Bai stuck in the tree! Did anyone see her throw that bucket earlier? Because the drone caught it...]
[User 'HeartEyes': Chen Ying didn't even flinch. She's not an Ice Queen. She's a General.]
[Points Earned: 100 (Crisis Averted + Skill Mastery). Current Balance: 462 Points.]