The game begins

Three days later, Tuanjie Village, H City.

The village was steeped in history and culture, as though time had stood still here for ages.

Old houses were built along the mountainside in a staggered arrangement, their walls made of stone or blue brick and their roofs covered with gray tiles.

The streets were narrow and winding, paved with flagstones and lined with quaint shops and homes.

Though these buildings had weathered the years, they still retained their original appearance, exuding a rich, classical charm.

Stepping into the village felt like traveling back to ancient times, enveloping visitors in an atmosphere of tranquility and mystery.

Lu Xingchen had arrived in Tuanjie Village the day before. Early that morning, the staff had woken him up for makeup, after which the director had everyone gather in a spacious area.

The director was a woman with ear-length hair, glasses, immaculate makeup, an efficient manner, and a commanding presence.

The night before, Wang Pengfei had told Lu Xingchen that the director's surname was Song and her full name was Song Zhiyan. He could simply call her Director Song.

Soon, the staff brought the ten celebrity guests to the area one after another.

Lu Xingchen's still-sleepy eyes flew wide open the instant he spotted a tall man with an aloof air.

"Chu!" Lu Xingchen darted past the others and ran toward Huo Chuyun in delight. "What brought you onto this show?"

In the original novel, there had been no show called Run Faster, and as far as Lu Xingchen remembered, Huo Chuyun had never appeared on a variety show, either.

Could this be a butterfly effect caused by my transmigration into the novel?

Several unfamiliar celebrities nearby stared in shock at the equally unfamiliar Lu Xingchen. They had been wondering which entertainment company was planning to heavily promote this exceptionally handsome young newcomer.

Then they saw the young man run straight up to Huo Chuyun to strike up a conversation.

They had just encountered Huo Chuyun themselves. At first, they had been stunned that someone of his stature, an undisputed top star in the entertainment industry, had suddenly come on a variety show.

Some had wanted to go up and greet him, but his unapproachable presence had been downright intimidating.

Yet Best Actor Huo, who had been so cold and distant just moments before, could not help lowering his head to say something cautionary when he saw the young man charging over. Though he looked fierce, the young man had indeed managed to strike up a conversation with him.

Just who was this young man?

"Why didn't you reply to the message I sent you a few days ago?" Lu Xingchen grumbled unhappily. "Don't you believe me?"

Huo Chuyun just managed to steady Lu Xingchen, keeping the young man from throwing himself into his arms. "I... didn't notice it."

Lu Xingchen knew Huo Chuyun was lying, so he returned to his earlier question. "Then why did you suddenly decide to join a variety show? I remember you didn't like doing reality shows before."

Huo Chuyun gave Lu Xingchen an unreadable look. He was just about to speak when Lu Xingchen seized his arm, as excited as a cat spotting a butterfly.

Lu Xingchen broke into a broad grin, revealing two cute little canine teeth. "Huo Chuyun, did you miss me but feel too embarrassed to come see me?"

Huo Chuyun did not pull free of Lu Xingchen's grip. A trace of uncertainty flashed through his eyes. "...No. I just suddenly felt like doing a variety show. The director invited me, so I came."

Lu Xingchen did not expose him, either, merely drawing out his response. "Ohhh."

Director Song called through a megaphone, "Everyone, come draw lots! The starting game is about to begin. Get yourselves ready, and warm up if you need to, so you don't get a cramp halfway through running!"

Soon, the ten entertainers present had finished drawing lots.

Lu Xingchen drew number five, while Huo Chuyun drew number four.

Lu Xingchen happily placed his long lot stick beside Huo Chuyun's. "Chu, we're right next to each other."

Huo Chuyun could not help frowning. "Being next to each other isn't necessarily a good thing."

Before long, Huo Chuyun's words began to come true.

Director Song scratched her head irritably. "The livestream is about to start. Where are the other two?"

Just as Director Song was about to tell her assistant to hurry them along, the meticulously styled Lu brothers finally arrived.

Lu Yichen's hair had been styled with wax, and he wore a low-cut cardigan and fine leather shoes.

Lu Yihao sported his usual multicolored hair and black leather jacket, one hand in his pocket and "I'm a badass" written all over his face.

Director Song's brow furrowed so deeply it could have crushed a mosquito. Hadn't she told all the entertainers yesterday that they should preferably wear sportswear and sneakers?

Forget it. There was no time.

Director Song urged the two to draw lots. Lu Yichen drew number two, and Lu Yihao drew number twelve.

The livestream began.

[Holy crap, I finally got in.]

[Aaaaaah, Huo Chuyun! Boss, if you don't make another movie soon, I'll run out of movies to watch with my meals.]

[Old Huo, pulling off something big on the sly, huh? You only posted on Weibo this morning, and now I'm sneaking a look at this variety show at my desk.]

[God! Our Yi Chen is still so gorgeous. He completely outshines all the other male celebrities.]

[Seriously, even as a casual viewer, I can't stand this. Are you blind, person above? Lu Yichen's looks are middling at best. Best Actor Huo is right there, and you dare call him number one?]

[Jingyi really deserves to be the number one female idol. She's still looking great.]

[It's Sister Zhao's first comeback after giving birth! She looks really well maintained. Oh my god, it's a husband-and-wife appearance-her husband's here too.]

[They're so shippable. Sister Zhao and her husband have been married for five years, and they're still so sweet.]

[Holy crap, Boss Huo, who's that gorgeous boy beside you? He's stunning. Which company is he with? I want to become a fan.]

[Why do I think the guy beside Best Actor Huo looks so much like Lu Xingchen?]

[Bullshit! Lu Xingchen is just some average-looking guy. How could he possibly be that good-looking?]

Since the show's official announcement three days earlier, the participating entertainers had also begun posting on Weibo one after another to announce their appearances.

Their fans had responded enthusiastically and were looking forward to seeing their favorites on a variety show with such a novel premise.

Only Lu Xingchen had not promoted it, while Huo Chuyun, who had decided to join at the last minute, had only promoted it that morning.

The livestream switched views.

Facing the camera were four gleaming silver iron cages.

Inside the cages were four muscular men, each dressed in a black suit and black sunglasses. Every man had solid leg muscles brimming with strength and explosive power.

Those leg muscles immediately stood out, stretching their trousers taut and displaying an unparalleled beauty of strength.

The starting game now began.

The entertainers who had drawn numbers one through five would step forward in order to take on a time-counting challenge. Between the five of them, they had to complete a total of sixty seconds.

Split equally, that meant twelve seconds per person.

However, the entertainers who had drawn numbers one through four could decide how many seconds they wanted to attempt, while the entertainer who had drawn number five had to take on whatever seconds the others left over.

The first challenger was Su Tianle, an actor who had started as a child star and was well liked by the general public. Both his parents were veteran actors.

Su Tianle walked into the challenge area, just four meters from the Hunter Box, while the others waited ten meters behind him.

Su Tianle had a round face and was very cute. He glanced apprehensively at the cold-faced hunters in the Hunter Box, each of them 1.9 meters tall.

"Everyone, I'll try ten seconds. Is that okay?"