Qi Yu asked this mainly because it was likely their last chance to sneak into the depths of this world's ocean. Recently, Qi Yu's perception of spiritual energy had grown increasingly strong, and he felt it was time to return to his own world.
If they left, they wouldn't be able to return to these waters again until the spatial gate was opened.
Chen Xi stood up and stretched. "Since you asked, of course, we're going to swim around the seabed one last time."
Qi Yu nodded.
As before, they sang in the sea all night, and finally brought up a large pile of seafood. By the time the seafood was roasted, Director Wang and Director Li had both woken up.
Director Li had been woken by the enticing aroma of roasted seafood.
As the scent wafted towards him, his mouth watered. He had intended to sneak a peek, but what met his eyes was a large platter of grilled shrimp.
Besides that, there were crabs and various other seafood from the ocean floor, some of which they had never even seen before.
Director Wang was also looking on, but unlike Director Li, he was utterly stunned.
Neither of them had ever seen such a grand display of seafood.
Director Wang, ever the manager, couldn't help but exclaim, "I once dined with Mr. Huo, and he treated us to a seafood banquet that cost several million. It was expensive, but the quantity and variety were nowhere near what we have here. At best, it was just more opulent."
Yet, they had managed to catch so much seafood in this desolate sea. To this day, he still couldn't figure out how this group had managed it.
Some of the shrimp and scallops, for instance, didn't seem like they could be found by the sea.
They had no equipment; how did they do it?
Director Wang racked his brain, wanting to ask, but every time he tried, he was politely brushed off and the topic was changed. Thus, it remained an unsolved mystery to him.
Could it be that these young masters and ladies had specifically hired people to deliver it?
That seemed to be the only plausible explanation.
Otherwise, could they have possibly caught it with their bare hands from the seabed, or perhaps a powerful being had swished its tail and sent the seafood ashore with a splash?
Director Wang felt he might have been watching too many movies, as his thoughts were becoming increasingly outlandish.
But little did he know, the reality was indeed that bizarre.
This seafood hadn't been delivered, airlifted, or bought. It had genuinely been swept ashore from the deep sea with a flick of a tail.
However, since no one would believe such an explanation, Chen Xi didn't bother to mention it and instead urged Director Wang and Director Li to come and eat breakfast.
Director Wang sat down and, after washing up, looked at the grilled shrimp in his hand with some hesitation. "We were supposed to be here for wilderness survival training, but the food is even better than usual."
Director Li nodded, also feeling a sense of awe.
He had filmed so many dramas and earned so much money in his life. He wouldn't claim to be wealthy, but at least he was no longer poor. He could afford to eat seafood whenever he pleased, regardless of the cost. Yet, he never imagined that the seafood he was eating now was something he had never tasted before.
It was a novel experience.
Qi Yu and Si Qing didn't pay much mind to the directors' reactions. They chatted with them amiably.
"If you directors like it, you can take some more with you when we leave. We still have plenty of uncooked seafood over there. We dug a pit on the beach and kept them, so they won't die anytime soon. We'll pack them into some plastic bags and take them back. They're all fresh."
"That's right. This seafood can last a long time. With the seawater, they can live for at least seven days."
Director Wang and Director Li were both astonished.
When they first heard about a pit dug in the sand, they had assumed it was just a shallow hole. They never expected it to be such a large pit on the beach, one where a person could jump in up to their shoulders.
Si Qing even led Director Wang and Director Li to take a look at the shrimp, scallops, and other seafood in the sand pit.
"I've heard that some seafood can escape by burrowing into the sand. Even with such a large pit, the surroundings are all sand. Won't they all run away after a while?" Director Li asked with concern and curiosity.
"To be precise, it's impossible for them to all escape at once. But I've made some special arrangements. These little fellows will stay quietly in the sand pit and won't run away," Chen Xi confidently told Director Wang and Director Li.
Director Wang and Director Li both looked skeptical.
The ability to burrow and escape through sand was the nature of these marine creatures; it couldn't be controlled by humans, unless they had placed a large pot or tank there.
But this was just an ordinary, albeit deep, sand pit.
How was that possible?
Chen Xi was telling the truth and felt rather wronged. Why didn't they believe him?
He was an ancient dragon; could he not command a few small seafood creatures to jump into the pit and stay put?
Chen Xi thought this to himself but couldn't say it aloud, so he could only stand by silently, gazing at the sun over the sea.
They ate by the sea, then found various plastic bags and carefully transferred the seafood from the sand pit into the bags, along with some seawater, to take back. By the time they finished, it was already afternoon.
They had originally planned to stay for another day, but they remembered the many filming and variety show commitments they had.
Ultimately, they couldn't stay longer and called for a helicopter to take them home, preparing for the wilderness survival variety show the next day.
In reality, only Director Wang and Director Li were truly going back to prepare.
Director Wang and Director Li were both quite good-looking, so a significant portion of their time back would be spent on skincare.
Qi Yu and Si Qing, however, had no such worries. The siblings ate and played as usual, mingling with everyone. It wasn't until the next morning, when the wilderness survival variety show began, that they arrived at the set, fashionably late.
On this day, two teams were participating in the wilderness survival variety show: Qi Yu and Si Qing's team, and another crew led by Director Zhou, who was always at odds with Director Wang.
Director Zhou's crew was also filming a Xianxia drama.
Although both were planned, Director Zhou's dramas were always filled with big stars. Wang Li, who had left earlier, had joined Director Zhou's crew to play the female lead.
Wang Li had initially disdained acting in such a drama.
After all, she had suffered a setback with Director Wang's crew. If she went to another crew now, it would give the impression that she had been kicked out of Director Wang's drama and was now just trying to get back at him.
Although that was indeed the case.
Wang Li didn't want to admit it.
Once the two crews stood in front of the program's cameras, the host of the wilderness survival variety show, aware of Wang Li's situation, didn't dwell too much on her departure. Instead, he focused on introducing the plots of the two dramas and showed VCRs on screen to promote them in advance.
Director Wang expressed his gratitude and cooperated with the advertising for investors and sponsors.
Director Zhou remained indifferent.
His crew was different from Director Wang's "shabby" crew.
His crew consisted entirely of A-list actresses, and even the male lead was a popular film emperor.
With such a grand lineup, the fans of just these two stars alone numbered in the millions.
Therefore, this wilderness survival variety show was merely a way for him to greet viewers who didn't frequently check Weibo.
In reality, he didn't care whether this program could generate traffic and publicity, so he wasn't as enthusiastic as Director Wang.
The variety show host didn't seem to mind the attitudes of the two directors.
He continued his commentary and jokes as usual, maintaining a harmonious atmosphere. Those who didn't know better would have thought both crews were genuinely enjoying the wilderness survival variety show.
After the introductions, the preparation for the wilderness survival began. Each crew had 30 minutes to shop in the supermarket for what they deemed necessary. Each person only had one chance. If everyone bought food but no one prepared water, tents, or other essentials, they would have to spend the next few days living outdoors with just food.
Therefore, this segment truly tested the team's默契 (mòqì - tacit understanding/chemistry).
Director Zhou's crew knew about this segment before the program started, but knowing in advance didn't mean they had prepared beforehand.
Whether it was a major film emperor or a renowned actress, they all considered themselves the bosses of this program and should be in charge.
Therefore, they disdained discussing such matters. Upon entering the supermarket, they each chose what they wanted without considering the needs of the entire group.
When they emerged from the supermarket, almost everyone had brought complete sets of items.
This was both good and bad.
Everyone had a tent, which was good, as there would be no shortage of shelter for sleeping on the island at night.
The bad part was that most of the food each person had was only enough for themselves. If they ate a few more bites, it would be gone.
Especially Wang Li, who chose food items she liked to eat.
And the food she liked was usually the first to be finished.
Therefore, they might later have disputes over food shortages or imbalances.
However, Director Wang's team was different.
Apart from Director Wang himself, everyone else could communicate using spiritual energy. So, even though they entered the supermarket one by one, while selecting what they wanted, they also considered the needs of the entire group and divided tasks.
Furthermore, since everyone had spiritual energy, there were no disputes over carrying heavy luggage.
Therefore, after finishing their shopping and on the way to the island, Qi Yu and Si Qing, although appearing to be silent and lounging in their seats, were actually communicating using spiritual energy.
Only Director Li and Director Wang were truly silent and seriously contemplating what they would do once they reached the island.
The wilderness survival variety show was being live-streamed.
At this very moment, the live-stream chat was already filled with viewers.
A group of people were engaged in heated discussions about the situations of Director Zhou's and Director Wang's crews.
[I think Director Wang's crew is better. Look at Director Wang's crew; although no one is speaking, the atmosphere is harmonious, and the items they bought considered each other. They even care about Director Wang's feelings.]
[Yes, yes, I felt it too. It seems like the actors in Director Wang's crew are very considerate of Director Wang, I mean, they truly care about Director Wang and prioritize his safety and preferences.]
[You guys are just flattering. In my opinion, Wang Li is the most impressive. After saying goodbye to that crew, Wang Li immediately became the female lead in another crew. And look at the food, water, and tent Wang Li chose; they are all sufficient.]
[Wang Li, where? Although she took a lot of things, they were all things she liked to eat. And the tent she took was for herself alone. If her husband doesn't say anything, but the food and water are all things she likes, she might run out in two days. Whose food will she eat then?]
[To be honest, although I like Big Eyes very much, I think Director Zhou's crew, if they encounter a shortage, no one will reduce their own share. After all, everyone only bought food they liked. In this situation, the food they bought is for themselves, and it's all their favorite food. This means it's very easy for this to happen. They might not last a month.]
[Even so, how much better can Director Wang's group be? They're not talking either, and everyone is only taking what they want. They say they're taking great care of Director Wang, but I doubt it.]
[Why are you guys arguing over a variety show? I think it's all the same.]
[Speaking of which, both crews seem to be filming Xianxia dramas. Which one do you prefer?]
[Does this question even need asking? Of course, I support Sister Li. Sister Li is always my goddess.]
[Director Wang is using all newcomers this time, right? Although I haven't seen them much, I'm a bit worried about their acting skills, but the male and female leads' looks are definitely top-notch.]
[Heh. If it weren't for her pretty face, how could Director Wang have kicked our Sister Li out and promoted this newcomer to the female lead role?]