Wandering America: My kill threshold is far ahead

Chapter 236 Skill Building and Interviews

However, when he saw the last skill, Ma Jie couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile.

According to the text description, you can take both "One Shot Kill" and "Balanced Development" at the same time, at the cost of not being able to do tasks for 33 days.

From another perspective, it's about using a 33-day gap to get an extra 7-star skill.

Normally, Ma Jieke would feel like he'd lost out big time. "I can't even complete a seven-star mission in a month?"

Not to mention that during this period, a large number of daily and side quests can be refreshed. The total rewards are far greater than those of a single 7-star skill.

However, this assumption has a prerequisite: one must be in an idle state and have free time to do tasks every day.

However, the production team had already informed him last week that the interview was scheduled for tomorrow.

To participate in this program, Ma Jieke continuously built up his skill system, investing a lot of time and energy.

Grace, as the casting director, was full of praise for the materials he submitted, so the interview was basically just a formality. The real test was the subsequent training camp selection.

Once you enter the training camp, there's no time left to do tasks. The key question is whether you can pass the final assessment and become one of the ten lucky ones.

Having analyzed the situation to this point, Ma Jieke no longer hesitated and decisively chose the Great Demon Contract.

The skill effect of 【One Shot, One Kill】 was immediately triggered, accompanied by more than a dozen dazzling golden lights lighting up on the panel in succession, and 【Infrastructure Maniac! v3】soared all the way to 【Infrastructure Maniac MAX】.

With maxed-out building skills, it seems the plan to build a large villa in the wilderness is no longer just a dream. If you don't play the wonder-building game, are you a hardcore player?

The capabilities provided by 【Infrastructure Maniac MAX】are not just limited to building shelters, but include systematic camp construction with all supporting facilities.

Next is "Balanced Development," which is like a skill blind box; what you get depends entirely on luck.

[Sharpshooter Iv7]: Permanently increases your proficiency and shooting skills with bows and crossbows. Multiple selections can upgrade this skill.

【Fishing Master Iv7】: Permanently improves your proficiency and skills in using various fishing tackle. Multiple selections can be used to upgrade.

【Trap Master Iv7】: Permanently improves your proficiency and skill in making various traps. Multiple selections can be used to upgrade.

Hiss... Upon seeing these three rewards, Ma Jie couldn't help but gasp.

Honestly, this is a bit too lucky; all the items given are core abilities.

The archer needs no introduction; he's like a wilderness version of American Iaijutsu. If you can't even shoot an arrow, what kind of survival game are you playing?

There's not much to analyze about fishing experts. Even if you don't participate in "Living Alone in the Wilderness," it's still a very useful skill. After all, isn't fishing the ultimate destiny of every man?

Being a master of traps is also a very important skill, because both archery and fishing are risky, and while they consume physical energy, you may end up with nothing.

Setting traps is risk-free; it's a one-time investment that yields lifelong benefits. Prey will come to you on its own, and you only need to check on them periodically.

There was once a female contestant who went so far as to create hundreds of traps, resulting in an endless supply of wild rabbits to eat every day. She eventually suffered from poisoning due to consuming excessive amounts of protein, a condition known as rabbit hunger syndrome.

Majeke didn't want to make such a basic mistake, so learning multiple hunting methods was essential.

After claiming all rewards, check the skill list again.

Due to repeated selections, the Archer was upgraded directly from Iv3 to Iv10, which can almost be described as a qualitative change.

Next up are: [Infrastructure Maniac MAX], [Fishing Master Iv7], [Trap Master Iv7], [Focus], and [Cartographer].

[Resource Exploration] [Drawing a cake to satisfy hunger] [Quenching thirst with plums] [Working Holy Body] [Physical Energy Absorption] [Eagle Eye] [Little Strongman]

Skills such as "healthy physique" can all be used actively or passively.

If I had to nitpick, it would be that I didn't get the [Legendary Freeze Resistance King]. If I could increase the ice resistance, it would be perfect.

With this slight regret in mind, Ma Jieke finally slept soundly.

He hasn't had a proper rest for a week because he's been taking care of Max and Bruce.

I woke up feeling refreshed the next day, changed into a simple sportswear outfit, and drove to the Los Angeles TV station.

I passed by a barbershop and even asked the stylist to cut my hair to ensure that my personal image and mental state were at their best.

When he arrived at the scene, there were already 5 men and 3 women sitting on the bench outside the interview room.

The interview was scheduled for 9 a.m., and there were still 15 minutes until it started. I didn't expect that people would arrive early to line up.

No, who told me Americans live a relaxed life? This is just an interview, and she's already this tangled up. What will she be like during training camp?

There was nothing he could do but sit obediently at the back of the line; it was his own fault for being late.

As soon as he sat down, his competitors glanced at him, their eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

At this moment, the black guy next to him struck up a conversation: "Bro, the programmer job is next door, did you come to the wrong place?"

Upon hearing his reminder, Ma Jie looked completely bewildered. So, in your stereotypes, Asians can only be programmers alongside Indians?

"Dude, who told you I'm here to apply for a programmer job? I'm here for the interview for season 10 of 'Solo in the Wild'."

These words caused a small commotion, with some players who knew each other even starting to whisper among themselves.

An Asian, going for an interview? Are you sure you didn't bring your own funding to get this role? If you're not related to the TV station executives, I can say whatever I want.

Ma Jie put the Bluetooth earphones in his ears, listened to music while closing his eyes to rest, and thought, "Say whatever you want, I'm too lazy to pay attention to you."

He didn't know how much time had passed when he finally heard someone call his name. He quickly stood up, took two deep breaths, and walked into the interview room with the help of the staff.

Behind the desk sat three interviewers, one of whom was a familiar face, Grace, who sat on the right side, next to two middle-aged men.

Perhaps because the interviews had been going on for so long, everyone looked a little tired. But when they saw MaJack come in, Grace immediately perked up and said warmly, "Hello MaJack, it's a pleasure to have you invited to this interview. Please take a seat. I'm Grace, the casting director for the tenth season of 'Living in the Wild'."

After introducing herself, she pointed to the main interviewer in the middle: "This is the executive producer, Mr. Carson De Niro, and the other is Instructor Rayman Stein, who has 40 years of wilderness survival experience and is responsible for the training, rescue, and technical support for this season of 'Solo Survival in the Wild'."

Ma Jie then greeted the three men, among whom the one with the most authority was undoubtedly Mr. Carson in the middle.

The role of executive producer mainly involves coordinating the operation of the production team, ensuring the implementation of the producer's instructions, negotiating fundraising, selecting key creative personnel, and handling post-production publicity and distribution.

They also have to oversee the quality of the program, the filming schedule and the flow of funds, as well as the signing of contracts with important performers. In short, they have considerable power.

After they finished going through the formalities, Carson spoke first, his voice sounding very calm: "Mr. Ma, I've seen your application materials. Your personal story is quite legendary. You were a homeless man on the streets before, which honed your keen eye. Later, you won the championship in the 'Warehouse Treasure Hunt King' competition, and with the prize money you won, you opened a scrap metal recycling station, turning your life around. If this were written into a novel, it would probably sell very well."

At this point, he suddenly paused, a hint of doubt in his eyes: "But I kept flipping through the pages and didn't see any information about your wilderness survival experience. You know, the contestants who make it to the interview stage either participated in similar competitions before and achieved good results, or they are wilderness survival experts with nationally recognized certificates, working as outdoor leaders, camping trainers, etc. But you haven't even joined the ACA (American Camping Association). This is really hard to believe."

Faced with the interviewer's difficult questions, Ma Jieke was well prepared: "Sir, I have loved outdoor adventures since I was a child and have a wealth of wilderness survival experience, but I only regard it as a hobby, not a means of making a living. I don't like to record or share it; I just enjoy it."

"Really?" Carson hesitated upon hearing his explanation.

Undeniably, there are people in this world who never post on social media and don't like taking photos.

But you can't conclude from that that this person just stays at home playing video games all day and never goes anywhere. Maybe he secretly climbed Mount Everest a long time ago.

To seize the opportunity, Ma Jieke appeared very proactive: "Of course, words can deceive, but ability cannot. I am proficient in construction, archery, fishing, and trap making, all of which are verified in the video footage I submitted."

"I've watched your video." At this moment, Instructor Lehman, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. His voice sounded very rough. "It is indeed as you said, that you have a certain level of skill, but apart from the archery hunting which is passable, there's really nothing particularly outstanding about it."

Due to time constraints, Ma Jie didn't have the opportunity to record new material, so the video he submitted only showed his strength before he obtained the 7-star skill. Given that his opponent was a survival master, it's not surprising that he looked down on him.

"Okay, let me ask you a professional question. Think it over before you answer."

Before Ma Jie could speak, Lehman asked, "Suppose you go through countless hardships, pass the interview and training, and become one of the ten finalists, but on the very first day of the competition, you suddenly receive devastating news: a loved one has been in a serious car accident and wants to see you one last time before dying. Would you choose to withdraw from the competition or continue the challenge?"

This may seem like a multiple-choice question, but it's actually full of traps. If you don't answer it well, you'll lose a lot of points.

After a moment of silence, Ma Jieke replied, "Sir, I think the most important thing is not the choice itself, but whether I can reconcile with my own heart afterward. Personally, I would most likely choose to withdraw from the competition because life is only once, but the competition happens every year. Although doing so will harm the interests of the production team, I must follow my heart."

"Of course, choosing to continue the challenge is also understandable. These are two incomparable value rankings, and everyone has their own answer in their heart. I can only speak for myself, that's all."

Hearing his answer, Lehman smiled with satisfaction: "Very good, young man. You were not misled by the question itself. This is the most sincere answer I have heard today. Following your heart is more important than anything else. As the bishop, I agree to let you join the training camp selection."

"Thank you, Instructor. I am very grateful."

Ma Jie quickly stood up to thank him. He never expected that the old man's review would be so lenient. He had originally thought that he was the most difficult one to deal with.

The main target for our next attack should be Carson De Niro.

Just as he was preparing to answer the next question from the main interviewer, Carson had already turned his gaze over: "Don't get me wrong, friend. The instructor's agreement to let you join the training camp only represents himself. According to the interview rules, you have to impress all three of us at the same time to be selected in the end. So you've only just gotten one point, and the competition isn't even halfway over yet."

This bucket of cold water caught Jack Ma completely off guard. Is this an interview or America's Got Talent? Why don't you just put a button in front of you so you can tap it on your head and the light will turn on?

"Miss Grace, this contestant was recommended by you, shouldn't you say something?"

Carson crossed his arms and passed the buck to Grace. As the chief interviewer, he naturally had to make the final decision to demonstrate his status.

Grace didn't waste any words and explained clearly, "OK, my reasons for recommending him are very simple. First, Jack is an ordinary person who has never been exposed before. This is a hard requirement that the director mentioned to me, and this one has been met. Second, Jack is Chinese. In the previous nine seasons of the show, oh, including this season, it's ten seasons now, there have been a total of one hundred contestants, including black people, white people, men, and women, but there has never been an Asian face. This helps to increase the topicality and the freshness for the audience."

"But our program is not aimed at Asian audiences, and so far no Chinese platform has been able to reach an agreement on copyright issues."

"Now is now, and later is later." In response to Carson's somewhat conservative assessment, Grace chose to let the facts speak for themselves: "The Chinese market is enormous right now. Whether it's film, television, or games, they're breaking box office and sales records every year. I think now is the perfect time to bring in Chinese contestants. It will help further enhance the show's global influence. If Jack wins, do you think those buyers will still complain that we sold the rights for too high a price?"

"Oh, come on, Grace, how could you say something so crazy? Is it because you two know each other...?"

*Smack!* Just as Carson was about to continue, Grace suddenly picked up a newspaper and slammed it on the table, rudely interrupting him.

"Sir, did you know that a week ago, there was a terrorist attack at the Warren Department Store? Our interviewee, Mr. Ma Jack, was a victim of that attack. Not only that, he and another female victim successfully rescued themselves, providing valuable tactical intelligence to the FIB and LAPD, and successfully rescuing hundreds of hostages. Even the governor himself commented in the Los Angeles Times, jokingly calling him Captain Los Angeles. You don't appreciate a candidate like that? Do you have to bring in Bruno Mars before you'll give him a chance?"

"What?" Carson was stunned. His gaze fell on the newspaper in front of him. The cover featured a color photograph of an Asian man covered in blood, carrying a dog, rushing out of a building full of ruins.

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