From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I hesitated for a moment, carefully considered my words, and replied earnestly:

"Anran, to be honest with you, the core purpose of this live stream is not to make quick money in the short term, but to cultivate an account, build a persona, and generate buzz across the entire internet. I want to use this wave of traffic to make you the first hardcore outdoor female streamer on the entire internet."

"So I have two cooperation models. The first is a pure payment settlement. I will pay you a fixed appearance fee, but all traffic revenue, sales revenue, and account ownership throughout the live stream will belong to the team and have nothing to do with you."

"The second option is that there is no fixed compensation. All traffic revenue, platform subsidies, and pre-sale resources generated from this live stream will belong to you personally. The only condition is that your account will be managed and bound by our team long-term."

I explained the pros and cons clearly, and left the choice entirely to her.

Whether she focuses on short-term gains or gambles on long-term future development depends entirely on her vision.

After the message was sent, the phone remained silent for a full five minutes.

Those five minutes felt incredibly long. My heart was pounding with anxiety, fearing that she might be tempted by short-term gains and reject long-term cooperation altogether.

Finally, An Ran's message popped up:

"Brother Lin, I understand what you mean. If I go, all the profits from this live stream will be mine, right?"

"Yes," I replied immediately, "but there's no basic compensation. You need to think it through carefully, or you'll regret it later and cause trouble."

Another few minutes of waiting.

Just when I thought the talks were likely to fall apart, An Ran's voice came through slowly: "Actually, I've wanted to try outdoor live streaming for a long time, but I haven't had a suitable opportunity. I'll treat this trip as an experience on a completely new track. I'm in."

I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders; the weight that had been hanging over me for so long had finally been lifted.

Before I could reply, Anran cautiously pressed on, "Let me confirm two last questions: How many people are traveling together this time? Does anyone in the team have experience traversing uninhabited areas?"

I immediately replied: "It's confirmed that there are five people traveling together, including two professionals with extensive experience in trekking, who will lead the team throughout the trip, so there's no need to worry about safety."

This time, she didn't hesitate at all and replied decisively, "Okay, I've thought it over, I'll take this order."

"Okay, then wait for my notification. I'll finalize all the procedures, supplies, and approvals, and contact you as soon as possible. Just prepare in advance."

My tone was light and cheerful, full of relief.

"How long will it take? I'd like to plan ahead."

"We will definitely depart within a week."

"No problem, I'll wait for your message."

I put down my phone, let out a long breath, and relaxed my tense nerves.

Although Qiqi gave up, her safe joining directly filled the team's last remaining gap.

I quickly weighed the pros and cons in my mind, and the more I thought about it, the more pleasantly surprised I became.

Qiqi is talented and has a large and loyal fanbase, but her persona and style are too gentle and don't fit the hardcore outdoor track.

In contrast, An Ran has a more outstanding appearance.

More importantly, they don't have fixed personas or labels, making them extremely versatile.

Moreover, her straightforward, open-minded, adventurous, and daring personality perfectly matches the image of a hardcore outdoor female anchor, making her even more suitable than Qiqi for this live broadcast in the no-man's-land.

Su Qing, who was standing nearby, noticed the change in my expression and casually asked, "An Ran agreed?"

"Yes, it's done." I nodded and smiled. "Now the core anchors, logistics, and directors are all in place, the team is taking shape, everything is ready, we just need the final push."

Su Qing was stunned for two seconds upon hearing this. Instead of being happy, she frowned and her expression became increasingly gloomy.

I knew in my heart that she didn't approve of me taking this risk, but she just couldn't overcome my stubbornness.

But my mind is made up.

Unless Party A terminates the cooperation voluntarily, no one can stop me.

Back at the riverside courtyard, I didn't stop. I immediately organized a detailed list of personnel, team division of labor, and preliminary itinerary planning.

As per Awang's request, I checked all the information one by one and sent it all to his email address.

I couldn't help but think to myself, Ah Wang is really an extremely strange person.

These days, from the elderly to children, everyone is glued to their mobile phones.

Ironically, this rough-around-the-edges man in his early thirties, who spends most of his time in the wilderness, doesn't use a cell phone and communicates entirely via email.

However, I can only try to understand, since we'll be living together for another month or two, and I have to get used to his strange personality.

While I was having dinner in the evening, a notification popped up on my phone's email inbox; it was a reply from Awang.

I immediately clicked to view it and was instantly impressed by his professionalism.

The email contained a very detailed list of supplies and equipment, ranging from outdoor clothing, thermal underwear, emergency medicines, oxygen supply equipment to vehicle tools.

Each item is clearly labeled with its model number, specifications, quantity, and usage scenario.

In addition, there is a complete route plan and a daily itinerary, which is clear at a glance and takes into account all the details.

These documents not only need to be submitted to Party A for review and filing, but also need to be submitted to relevant departments to obtain legal permits for crossing the border.

The coming week is destined to be incredibly busy.

From review and approval, to material procurement, vehicle preparation, and team cohesion, every single task requires meticulous attention.

Most importantly, I want to go back to my hometown before I leave to see my mother.

If all goes well, this trip to the no-man's-land will take a full two months to get home.

But if they encounter an accident along the way, no one can say for sure whether they can return safely.

I stared intently at the densely packed route maps and risk warnings on my phone screen.

Finally, Su Qing across from her lost her temper, her tone full of impatience: "Are you ever going to stop? Eat your food properly, stop staring at your phone like that, the food's getting cold!"

I glanced up and replied casually, my eyes still glued to the screen: "I didn't interrupt your meal, you can eat yours."

Su Qing's face turned completely cold, and she said in a deep voice, "I think you've truly gone mad. You look so confident and fearless now, but once you step into the no-man's land, you'll regret it sooner or later!"

I put down my phone, looked up at her, and said solemnly, word by word:

"Once I, Lin Ye, have made up my mind, I will never regret it in this lifetime!"

"Hey, wait a minute!"

Su Qing's eyes lit up, as if she had caught me red-handed. She quickly pulled out her phone and shoved the screen in front of me.

The recording interface was clearly displayed on the screen.

"Come on, say what you just said loudly again!" She raised an eyebrow at me, her eyes full of smug anticipation for a good show.

I saw right through her little scheme; she just wanted to keep evidence so I could prove her wrong when I was thwarted later.

With a clear conscience and without a trace of fear, I declared loudly, "Listen to me! The path I, Lin Ye, have chosen, I will never regret, even if it means facing nine deaths and a lifetime of danger!"

She pressed further, "Then let me ask you, what if you regret it halfway through and can't keep going?"

Looking at her proud and serious expression, I couldn't help but chuckle: "Just say what you want to say."

"You told me to say it!"

Su Qing immediately straightened her back and said smugly, "If you regret your decision and back down in the no-man's-land, you must respectfully call me Sister Qing from now on!"

I was immediately dumbfounded, shaking my head helplessly: "You're being so childish, actually betting with me?"

She tilted her head, stubbornly insisting, "Forget everything else, just tell me if you dare to bet!"