Live Stream

The next day, Yue Wen and Zhao Xing'er arrived at the foot of a high-rise.

They were in the heart of Jiang City, where skyscrapers rose like a steel jungle and traffic rushed by in a constant stream. It was a sight rarely seen in the satellite cities.

The satellite cities were separated from the Wasteland Zone by only a single barrier, and strange supernatural incidents occurred there from time to time. By comparison, the safety of the city center was far better. That was simply how things worked in this era: the farther inward you went, the safer it became, so resources and talent gathered in the urban core.

A huge sign hung from the top of the building: "Wangyou Media."

After humanity had recovered most of its former technology, the internet age returned, and influencers once again took the stage. But with cultivation now flourishing, cultivators were what everyone cared about most. And so a new idea was born.

Could influencers and cultivation work together?

Some media companies tried signing cultivators to collaborate with them. From powerful figures of the Immortal Gate to young prodigies, one dazzling name after another was built up into a star, drawing adoring crowds and countless fans.

Of these, the company with the most cultivators under contract was Wangyou Media. This imposing building was only one of its branch headquarters in Jiang City.

"You've got to hand it to proper Immortal Gate disciples. They really do have connections at Wangyou Media." Yue Wen looked up at the building and shook his head in admiration.

"But Qi Dian only said we could make a lot of money. He didn't say what we'd be doing. They're not going to make us dance in revealing outfits, are they?" Zhao Xing'er looked thoroughly unwilling.

Yue Wen declared, "There's no such thing as a high or low profession."

There was gold beneath a man's clothes, and now was the time to cash in.

The day before, Qi Dian had told them about an opportunity. They'd contacted him about it earlier, but the timing conflicted with a sect mission, so he'd turned it down. The gig paid a lot for just three days. Since he'd signed a nondisclosure agreement, he couldn't reveal what it involved, but he'd recommended Yue Wen and Zhao Xing'er for it.

That morning, the two of them had been summoned here.

They were a little apprehensive.

Following the instructions they'd received over the phone, they gave their names at the front desk and went straight to the sixteenth floor. Each floor had dark, reflective flooring and bright, gentle strip lights. The elevators were set within a series of glass walls.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, a blond man in a floral shirt and tight jeans was waiting outside. He wore immaculate makeup and a conspicuous gold earring. The moment he saw them, he looked them up and down, then broke into a dazzling smile.

"Oh, you must be the two from Yue's Cultivation Firm! I'm an agent at Wangyou. Just call me A Mei." He led them down the hall, speaking in a feminine voice. "One look at you two, and I can tell you'd be perfect for our company. Even if you don't get picked for this project, don't leave—I'll sign you as artists."

"Um, A Mei..." Yue Wen asked. "What exactly is this project?"

"Impatient, are we?" A Mei turned and smiled at him. "I can't tell you yet. You'll have to sign a nondisclosure agreement before I can say anything. That young hero Qi Dian from Linjiang Gate sure came through. I can't believe he recommended two such promising newcomers."

He ushered Yue Wen and Zhao Xing'er into an office and tossed two contracts onto the desk. "Here. We can talk about the project once you've signed these."

Yue Wen skimmed the nondisclosure agreement. If they so much as let one detail slip after hearing about the project, getting caught would basically mean working off their debt to Wangyou Media for eighteen generations. No wonder Qi Dian had kept his mouth shut.

Just what kind of shady project were they so afraid of people finding out about?

"It's a trade secret, darling. I hope you understand," A Mei said from beside them.

They hadn't planned on leaking anything anyway, so they weren't worried about the penalties. They signed the contracts on the spot.

A Mei took the contracts and put them aside. Then he clapped his hands. "All right, let me introduce Wangyou Media's latest project: Wasteland Adventure Live Stream!"

Wasteland exploration, live-streamed?

The moment those words left his mouth, Yue Wen and Zhao Xing'er looked at him in confusion.

Live-streaming had made a big comeback, and every industry was getting in on it. People streamed exorcisms, pill-making, artifact crafting, and cultivation methods... But no one streamed from the Wasteland Zone.

The reason was simple: there was no signal in the Wasteland Zone.

The Wasteland Zone was an area that had turned into a desolate wilderness. Evil spirits roamed freely, and the land had reverted to a primitive state. Even places that had once been cities had long since fallen into ruin if they now lay within the Wasteland Zone.

The moment you stepped into the Wasteland Zone, you were cut off from the civilized world in the cities. Everyone knew that.

At most, powerful cultivators would record exploration videos in the Wasteland Zone. The shaky, blurry footage still satisfied the curiosity of many viewers who had never set foot there, and drew plenty of traffic.

How could anyone livestream from a place where you couldn't even make a phone call?

And even if some new technology could make that possible, why would they ask the two of them? At the Third Realm, they might not even be able to protect themselves in the Wasteland Zone. What help could they possibly be?

"You're both wondering about this, aren't you?" A Mei said with a smile. "There's no consensus within the company about whether to roll this project out on a large scale, so we're going to try it here in Jiang City first and see how it goes. He Caihua will lead the Jiang City Wasteland Adventure Live Stream, bringing a few young talents along on camera as they explore the mysterious, perilous Wasteland Zone..."

"The starting commission for each participating cultivator is a hundred thousand yuan. You'll also get five percent of the tips earned during the stream. If viewers tip your individual camera feed, your cut will be fifty percent. Add it all up, and three days of streaming could earn you hundreds of thousands, maybe even over a million!"

"If we're going to the Wasteland Zone, we might not be strong enough," Yue Wen said cautiously, not letting the money go to his head.

He didn't doubt that the livestream would rake in the cash. He knew He Caihua's name. She was one of Jiang City's most popular cultivator influencers, and her videos were all about fighting various demons and monsters.

Plenty of people made videos like that, but she was stunning, with a voluptuous figure, and always dressed rather lightly. The slightest movement in battle made her scenery sway beautifully, putting her in a league of her own.

But she was only at the Third Realm.

Like he'd said, it was no good earning money if you didn't live long enough to spend it. If Yue Wen really had to risk never coming back from the Wasteland Zone, he'd rather dance in revealing outfits.

"You silly thing." A Mei gave him a playful smile. "You're not supposed to be strong enough. What would be interesting about watching someone from the Upper Three Realms steamroll the Wasteland Zone? The whole point is to have handsome men and beautiful women facing danger at every turn and struggling to make their way through. That's what keeps people on edge!"

His gaze turned distant as he spoke, growing more and more excited. He was clearly caught up in the idea.

Zhao Xing'er's eyes lit up. "That sounds so thrilling!"

"What are you getting excited about?" Yue Wen said with a bitter smile. "We're not the viewers. We're the ones risking our lives in there!"

"You silly things." A Mei turned back to them. "The danger's all fake. They'd never send you into the real Wasteland Zone. The company might not care about you, but why would they risk He Caihua's life?"

It stung a little to hear, but it was the truth.

They could easily find another cultivator at the Third Realm, but a top influencer with millions of followers wasn't something they could just produce on demand.

"You'll explore a simulated Wasteland Zone. It'll only look real," A Mei explained. "You can rest assured it's safe. But you haven't been officially accepted into the project yet. You'll still have to pass a selection round."

"A simulated Wasteland Zone. No wonder they made us sign a nondisclosure agreement." Yue Wen mulled it over. "So it's just a complete scam?"

"Typical heartless capitalists. They'll come up with any ugly scheme to make money," Zhao Xing'er said.

"And we still have to pass a selection round." Yue Wen exchanged a glance with Zhao Xing'er. "I thought the money was already in our pockets, and it was just a matter of whether we wanted it."

"Figures," Zhao Xing'er sighed. "Even getting the chance to work like a dog for heartless capitalists means you have to fight for it."

"..."

A Mei stared at them speechlessly. "You two do realize I'm right here, don't you?"

After their conversation, A Mei took them to another floor, the twentieth.

It was an enormous training hall. On the other side of a glass wall was a viewing room, where more than ten people were gathered.

At the head of the conference table sat a woman with wavy hair and striking features. She had almond-shaped eyes and red lips, and her features were vivid and bright. Her short red top hugged her full chest and left a sliver of pale skin at her waist. She sat with her long, snowy legs crossed beneath a pair of black denim shorts. Her beauty was truly arresting.

It was He Caihua, the famous Jiang City influencer. Many people said they'd be happy to spend their whole lives driving luxury cars and living in a mansion if it meant marrying her.

She was just as stunning in person.

Eight young people of all kinds sat on either side of the conference table. They all looked like cultivators, their eyes bright with spiritual light. They were probably the others who would be taking part in the project with them.

The young people looked at Yue Wen and Zhao Xing'er with faint hostility.

"Sister Hua." A Mei hurried over and quietly reported, "The two freelance cultivators I recommended are here. Their looks and cultivation levels both meet our requirements, so I brought them up. You can include them in the selection."

He Caihua looked Yue Wen and Zhao Xing'er over and nodded with approval, then addressed the group:

"All ten of you are young talents from Jiang City, but this project only needs six people. Liu Yuanjun and Fei Xia already have confirmed spots. The remaining four will be selected from among the other eight."

"You're all cultivators, so I say we settle this with a straightforward match."