Canned Souls 18

The next morning, after breakfast, Yan Xianchuan and Lu Mingqiu were driven by Su Hong to the meeting point, where they boarded the airship with the other guests and headed for the island.

If everyone had still managed to keep up appearances before departure, now the mask had slipped completely, and they were ready to draw blood.

It wasn't just to vent for her friend; Dordona had always despised hypocrites like Xie Chuxiao, and exposing his dirty laundry wasn't even slander—it was all fact.

Besides, Xie Chuxiao deliberately went after innocent newcomers who knew nothing about the industry. Thanks to his seniority, no one wanted to get involved, and he had ruined countless blameless omegas.

She might as well be doing the world a favor.

Xie Chuxiao didn't want to talk to Dordona at all, but the person across the aisle was Yan Xianchuan, who clearly wasn't about to exchange pleasantries with him either.

He turned sideways to look at Lu Mingqiu, who was chatting with Dordona about the latter's new song.

Lu Mingqiu said she wanted to invite her to sing the theme song for her next movie, and Dordona agreed—the two were deep in conversation, going back and forth.

An Ning and A Qi were also chatting, and no one paid him any attention.

The Best Actor had no choice but to turn back to Yan Xianchuan and casually strike up a conversation: "You're really impressive. I watched the last live stream replay, and you know a lot about things. Is this a hobby of yours?"

Yan Xianchuan gave him a blank look, then slowly turned her head to stare out the window as if the blue sky and white clouds had an irresistible pull, capturing her eyes, ears, and mouth, leaving no room for anything else.

"Haha." Xie Chuxiao let out two awkward laughs and shut his mouth, privately cursing her ancestors three generations.

Of the six people, the most naive was An Ning. She was truly clueless and hadn't even noticed the poor relationships among the group.

After boarding the airship, she boasted, "I went home and crammed a ton of knowledge, and I even practiced climbing trees!"

It was enviable how carefree she could be. A Qi followed along with a few compliments, and An Ning was even happier.

The airship landed, and the host, Jiang Fei, was already waiting.

"Good afternoon! After a day of rest, everyone looks refreshed and in high spirits, so you must be confident about the next challenge."

"Just in time—this time we're competing in—archery!"

He pointed to the right, where wooden strips and bowstrings were laid out on a table in the open area.

"Originally the show planned to have the guests find materials in the forest to make their own bows, but the trees here are private property and can't be cut down, so we've prepared the materials for you." Jiang Fei shook his head as if complaining, "I said we shouldn't come here, but Director Berg insisted this island was pretty. We're not here on vacation—does looks matter?"

Director Berg strolled by with a sun hat, holding an iced coconut juice. "Of course it matters."

"It's simple really. Make your bow, grab your arrows—and yes, the arrows are also prepared." Jiang Fei shrugged helplessly. "The grassy area a hundred meters ahead is fenced off, and there are plenty of animals in there right now—they'll be your lunch ingredients today."

"That's so hard?!" An Ning gasped.

Even trained archers would find it tough to kill a living animal with a self-made bow.

Not to mention these complete novices.

"What if we can't hit anything?" An Ning asked worriedly.

"Then you eat air." Jiang Fei said earnestly.

The groups weren't changed—same as last time. But this time they didn't need teamwork; everyone worked alone.

Yan Xianchuan walked over, grabbed a bowstring, and started wrapping it around the notches at both ends. Her movements were crude, quick, and done without even wearing gloves.

Seeing her, the others also stepped forward and picked up the bamboo bow bodies to test them.

The moment Lu Mingqiu touched the smooth, polished wood, a finished bow was pushed into her hands.

"Pick some arrows, won't you, dear?" Yan Xianchuan said. "I'll be done in a moment."

"Careful not to cut your hands." Concern was practically overflowing from Lu Mingqiu's eyes.

"I'll be careful, don't worry." Yan Xianchuan replied, still working on the string.

She made it look quick and simple, as if just tying the string around both ends would do. But the others soon realized it was much harder than that—just getting the bowstring taut was a hassle.

Lu Mingqiu took twenty arrows, divided them between two small baskets, slung one on her back, and carried the other to hand to Yan Xianchuan as she walked over.

"Have you ever shot a bow before?" Yan Xianchuan asked.

"No." Lu Mingqiu shook her head.

"That's fine. I'll teach you," Yan Xianchuan said.

The two came to the fence's edge. Inside, some wild rabbits were grazing, and others were starting to dig holes. A few sheep and spotted deer strolled lazily, heads down, munching as they walked.

"Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Don't grip it like that—turn the back of your hand toward you, and lift up."

"Index finger on top, middle and ring fingers below. Don't hold too tight."

"Like this?" Lu Mingqiu drew the bowstring back.

Yan Xianchuan raised her hand and gently placed it on Lu Mingqiu's arm, where the sun-protective sleeve covered her, without touching a single patch of bare skin.

"Like this."

She stood to Lu Mingqiu's left rear and adjusted her posture in what looked like an intimate gesture, yet it was perfectly measured. Apart from their wrists brushing, no other part of them touched.

Lu Mingqiu's perfume was faint... no, not perfume—it was the fragrance from her hair.

—A subtle scent of grass and wood.

Yan Xianchuan lowered her eyes and whispered, "Aim at your target, then gently let go."

"Release."

The arrow pierced the air with a sharp swish and embedded into the ground right in front of the grey rabbit, which startled it into a frantic hop away.

"Ah... I missed. What a shame." Lu Mingqiu turned around, frustrated, her cheeks puffing slightly.

"It was only off by a little—that's already very good." Yan Xianchuan let go of her hand and stepped back. "Try it yourself now."

She walked aside, took an arrow from the basket, and nocked it onto the string. The higher-than-normal warmth on her fingertips made her feel a little uneasy.

Yan Xianchuan hadn't always been so averse to physical contact, until one dungeon she fell into a ghost's domain piled with mountains of severed arms and legs. Mere body parts didn't bother her, but these things not only moved—they seemed especially fond of cuddling up to the living.

She was forced into three days and three nights of intimate contact with those limbs. The slimy, cold, wriggling friction gave her a lasting mental scar.

That was back when she was young and not fully matured. It was much better now—she didn't feel strong disgust, just a lingering dislike.

Luckily, she genuinely had a good impression of Lu Mingqiu; otherwise, she wouldn't have touched her willingly.

Although it was supposed to be about doing what fit their public image—she saw comments saying the two never had any close contact, never even held hands.

But if it had been anyone else, even if everyone said they were a fake couple, she wouldn't have done this.

Yan Xianchuan rubbed her fingertips, gripped the arrow's nock, and with a pull and a release, the arrow spun off the string and pinned a grazing grey rabbit to the ground. Its hind legs kicked a few times before slowly going still.

Lu Mingqiu, feigning rookie status, saw this and lowered her bow, crying out in surprise and delight, "Achuan, you're amazing! A hit on your first shot!"

Her eyes sparkled, full of admiration.

Yan Xianchuan met her gaze, met this azure mirror, and suddenly felt that the two of them becoming friends might not be a bad thing.

After all, after all, she was this exceptional, right?

"What would you like for lunch?" Yan Xianchuan drew another arrow.

"I actually want to try a bit of everything," Lu Mingqiu said. "But they look too cute. I can't bring myself to eat them."

"Lamb, venison—I love both. Actually, I also really enjoy spicy rabbit head." Lu Mingqiu leaned on the fence. A bold fawn trotted over and sniffed her fingertips.

"But now that I've touched it, I can't bear to kill them. Do you think I'm being hypocritical?"

"No," Yan Xianchuan said. "Compassion and pity are emotions most people feel. Humans eat other animals and plants to survive, but that doesn't mean showing kindness toward them is hypocrisy or wrong."

"You can't bear it because you've formed a connection with them. I, on the other hand, wouldn't feel that way." Yan Xianchuan nocked another arrow and shot down another grey rabbit.

"If I told you dinner was roast steak, would you feel sorry for the cow?"

Lu Mingqiu shook her head.

"That's the point," Yan Xianchuan said. "Don't let it weigh on you. Humans are just contradictory creatures with complex emotions."

Yan Xianchuan suddenly asked, "Want to make a flower crown?"

Lu Mingqiu blinked in surprise. "How did you know—"

Yan Xianchuan cut in, "You made one in 'Wild Grass.'"

Then she tilted her chin toward the meadow. "Go on. By the time you get back, they'll already be in the pot."

This time, they didn't need to hunt for cookware—the production crew had set up a simple kitchen.

Yan Xianchuan used a hook to snag the rabbit, pulled her catch out, and was about to leave when A Qi called out to her.

"Miss Yan! Wait, please—could we make a deal? I'm actually a pretty good cook. I can help you prepare the rabbits..." A Qi fidgeted, hands clasped behind his back. "Could you, uh, catch two for us?"

An Ning squeezed next to him, nodding like a pecking chick. "A Qi has a chef's certificate—he really cooks well!"

Archery was simply too difficult for them. They barely managed to put together their bows, and every arrow they loosed went wildly off target.

Plus, the show's arrows weren't unlimited—each person only had ten, and once you ran out, you had to go into the fence yourself to retrieve them.

There were roosters and white geese in there, and even the seemingly docile sheep had small, sharp horns. Nearby, Xie Chuxiao was being chased by a big white goose, shrieking as his shoe flew off.

The Best Actor had thought it all out—if he couldn't hit anything with his arrows, he'd just go in and catch them by hand, right? The crew didn't stop him.

It wasn't until the goose pecked him several times that he realized why they hadn't stopped him, and his regret knew no bounds.

Seeing that scene, the remaining three quickly abandoned any thoughts of going inside to fetch arrows.

It was Dordona who came up with this idea. She'd watched the replay and noticed Yan Xianchuan and Lu Mingqiu weren't great cooks themselves, so A Qi tentatively asked. If it worked, everyone was happy; if not, they'd think of another way.

As for what happened to Xie Chuxiao—that wasn't their problem.

Yan Xianchuan thought for a moment and asked, "What grade chef's certificate?"

A Qi hastily replied, "Grade A! I can make cold-eaten, braised, spicy, dry-pot, and yellow-braised rabbit!"

"Fine. One flavor for each." Yan Xianchuan handed over all five rabbits she'd shot. "What do you all want?"

Surprisingly easy to deal with!

They'd thought they'd be turned down flat—after all, for days now this person hadn't said a single word to any of them.

"Anything's fine, anything's fine." The three spoke all at once. "We'll eat anything. We're not picky!"

"Can you make a whole roast lamb?" Yan Xianchuan suddenly asked.

"Yes, yes I can!" A Qi nodded.

"Then add a whole roast lamb to the order," Yan Xianchuan said. "We'll all eat together later."

"Shouldn't we let Sister Qiuqiu know first?" A Qi glanced at Lu Mingqiu, who was off in the distance picking flowers.

Yan Xianchuan explained, "It's precisely because she'd say that that I suggested it."

She pulled out an arrow, twirled it in her hand, and headed left to find a good angle to hunt the sheep.

The three who remained exchanged looks, and An Ning said, "I'll go tell Sister Qiuqiu."

The other two carried the five rabbits to the kitchen. Dordona could cook a few things too—in fact, most omegas were no strangers to the kitchen. They had courses in school, electives, but many people still took them.

Those like Lu Mingqiu, who was completely clueless, were the rare exception.

Xie Chuxiao finally made it over the fence, tangled with grass, his clothes disheveled, as if he'd rolled around on the ground a hundred times. He was utterly pitiful.

He was leaning against the railing catching his breath when he heard a whistle nearby. Xie Chuxiao looked up and saw Yan Xianchuan release her grip—the arrow flew off the string and precisely pierced the neck of a sheep that had also raised its head.

The sheep, in pain, bolted at full speed, bleating and careening into other animals, sending the whole enclosure into chaos with chickens flying and dogs jumping.

Yan Xianchuan calmly and slowly drew another arrow. She wasn't a marksman—an expert could have sent an arrow straight through the eye into the brain. She, playing it safe, had aimed for the neck.

She could wield most cold weapons with some degree of skill, but was no master of any. Survival in the dungeons relied more on reflexes and wits—ghosts wouldn't engage in hand-to-hand combat with humans, flourishing blades and guns.

After three hits, the rampaging sheep finally crashed to the ground. It had lost too much blood and couldn't stand.

Yan Xianchuan vaulted over the fence with one hand, walked over to the sheep with its soft white curls breathing faintly, and her gaze suddenly turned serious.

"You're going to be delicious, don't worry."

She reached out, covered the sheep's eyes, and carried it out of the pen.

Yan Xianchuan couldn't cook, but she could handle the prep work. She skinned the sheep, chopped the rabbit meat into chunks, and was busy at work when Lu Mingqiu returned, holding two flower crowns.

"One for each of us." She bent down and set a crown onto Yan Xianchuan's head.

Yan Xianchuan's features weren't particularly cold or hard—it was her aloofness that made her seem unapproachable. The flower crown softened that aura, and when she looked up at that moment, there was almost something endearingly dazed about her.

Lu Mingqiu crouched beside her, hiding a smile. "How did you know I'd have them eat with us?"

"Because you're kind," Yan Xianchuan said. "Move over a bit—there's a strong smell of blood here."

She rinsed her hands with the water hose, and beside her, a paper towel was handed over.

"Thank you, dear."

"Compared to you, I feel so useless, I can't do anything," Lu Mingqiu sighed.

Yan Xianchuan replied, "That's fine—you serve a purpose in the looks department."

Lu Mingqiu tilted her head, expression blank.

"Exactly right!" An Ning was the first to agree loudly. "Sister Qiuqiu is so beautiful—just standing here gives us tons of motivation!"

"I'm actually a fan of Sister Qiuqiu too," A Qi chimed in while stirring the wok, turning his head briefly. "I wanted to say it last time but was too shy. Could Sister Qiuqiu sign an autograph for me?"

"I have an 'Azure Dragonfly' poster!"

"What!" Dordona whipped around. "You never told me that!"

"I was scared you'd take it," A Qi said, sounding a little deflated.

"We've known each other all these years, and you don't trust me one bit." Dordona glared at him.

"Would you take it?" A Qi shot back.

"Yes." Dordona nodded.

Lu Mingqiu laughed at the exchange. "I'll sign for all of you—everyone gets one. Since we still have a day of filming left, bring your posters and I'll sign them one by one."

"And a group photo!" All three chorused.

"Alright, no problem." Lu Mingqiu agreed readily.

Yan Xianchuan left the cooking to them, asked the crew for two chairs, and set them up for herself and Lu Mingqiu.

"I didn't know you could do archery, let alone that well." Lu Mingqiu bent down to pick a wildflower, observing the other's reaction from the corner of her eye.

Yan Xianchuan showed no reaction at all, like she had facial paralysis. "Because I never said."

"So what else haven't you told me?" Lu Mingqiu asked with casual curiosity. "What other impressive skills do you have?"

Yan Xianchuan looked into her eyes. "What kind of skills are you asking about?"

She knew quite a lot—could she conjure up a dessert at any moment?

"Hmm... can you ride a horse?"

"Yes."

"Do you prefer driving a Silver Panther or a Wylie?"

"I can't drive."

"Can you fight?"

"Decent."

"Can you play an instrument?"

"No."

"Skydiving?"

"Never tried."