Live Streaming: Great Adventure in the Wilderness

Chapter 521: Chapter 518 This Isn’t To Ward Off Fans

In front of all the professional hunters, Mugalen, who was plagued by social anxiety, left his seat and walked straight up to the table. Following the marked locations, he found Wakayama Prefecture and realized that this place was far from any spot he had pre-selected.

Japan’s regional division has its own unique characteristics, divided into 47 primary administrative regions nationwide: 1 metropolis, Tokyo Metropolis, also commonly known as Tokyo. As for where it is commonly seen, that need not be elaborated—the knowledgeable will understand.

1 circuit: Hokkaido.

2 prefectures: Osaka Prefecture and Kyoto Prefecture.

43 prefectures.

The whole of Japan is divided in this way, and within these 47 primary administrative regions, cities, towns, and villages are established.

The reason for this segmentation has much to do with history, ultimately boiling down to Japan not being a unified central state for most of its existence, with the central government only controlling a part of the area around the capital.

After the Meiji Restoration, the central government finally became the true ruler, consolidating 274 domains into 47 prefectures and provinces.

The metropolis, circuit, and prefectures were economically robust and unique domains, thus each was established independently.

In modern times—well, since there haven’t been any major issues using this system for over a hundred years, there’s no need to change it.

Therefore, what corresponds to a prefecture is actually equivalent to a province in Huaxia, so Taiji Town is not small at all.

Don’t always be misled by the concept of a tiny country; Japan is small because it has a giant neighbor. By Huaxia’s standards, most countries in the world are small.

In the whole of Europe, only six countries are larger than Japan in area, including the Polar Bear.

If Central Country were halved in size, it would be significantly smaller, and Germany is not as large as Japan. The larger appearance on maps is simply an illusion created by the Earth being opened up and flattened.

Typically, a hunter’s range of activity is about the level of a town, and might need to be expanded to a larger level in order to track the prey.

But the spot Bi Fang chose, it’s not just Taiji Town—there weren’t even news reports of Black Bear attacks throughout Wakayama Prefecture.

If someone else had chosen this place, Mugalen would have assumed that the person was either unskilled or had noticed something, but with insufficient strength, deliberately ran towards a safer area to avoid attracting more Black Bears with the scent of blood, which could lead to being attacked by two or more bears.

But the person choosing now is Bi Fang…

Something’s not right, definitely not right.

Mugalen’s eyes widened as he stared intently at the marks on the map, trying to find something different.

Is it the terrain, the weather, or maybe the migration of the Black Bears?

Do Black Bears even migrate? That’s unheard of.

Or has some development occurred, something been built, that has driven the Black Bears over there?

Seeing Mugalen staring at the map on the table after a brief chat with Bi Fang, the other hunters also became vigilant.

Regardless of their opinions of him, Bi Fang’s status required their attention, and some even contemplated choosing the same area as him, wondering if they could outperform him.

As if by agreement, more and more people left their seats, approached Mugalen’s side, trying to strike up a conversation and sneakily inquire.

Little did they know that the old drunkard’s intent was not the wine.

No one would imagine that in Bi Fang’s eyes, this hunting season is just a game, his attention not on the Black Bear at all. Even if there were not a single Black Bear in Taiji Town, he would still choose this place in the end.

Soon, all thirty-five hunters had arrived.

When someone took a seat in the thirty-fifth chair, a sharp whistle sounded, followed by the fluttering of wings. A pigeon flew through the corridor into the room and alighted on the table.

Someone with sharp eyes exclaimed, “There’s a paper attached to the pigeon’s leg!”

Mugalen, with fast reflexes, grabbed the pigeon and took the paper from its leg, spread it out on the table, and was about to read the competition rules line by line, but then he discovered…

Damn it, it’s in Japanese!

Most of those present were foreigners; this was clearly picking on them. Would it have killed them to provide a bilingual version?!

Sato, with a hearty laugh, took the note and read out the competition rules in English, “Ladies and gentlemen, based on your seat number, please select your dart and insert it into the designated area, in no particular order.”

In the cabin with its stone fireplace, bear skin map, and dim orange light, a group of cold-armed hunters caught a pigeon to study the hunting rules, marking their chosen territories with their own darts as if setting boundaries.

[This is so cool, isn’t it?]@@novelbin@@

[Damn, Little Japan has made it quite interesting!]

[I’m feeling it, I’m feeling it. That’s the feel!]

[Feels like I’ve traveled back in time, awesome!]

Not just the audience, but even Bi Fang and the others were drawn into the scenario as if they had truly returned to decades earlier, when a group of highly skilled and courageous hunters were drawn by a notice about a man-eating bear, sitting together to discuss how to bring peace back to the small town.

Which place should I choose?

Kogawa Kobayashi energetically hosts in the live broadcast room, judging who will make the first choice, where they might choose, and the basic rules of hunting.

Inside the cabin, whispers filled the room. People had already formed small groups discussing whether to cooperate or head to the same area.

Cold-weapon hunting, without the use of oversized weapons like heavy crossbows, is extremely dangerous when acting alone.

Considering the size differences of the Black Bears, this competition is still point-based; a mature adult Black Bear measuring one meter five in length, with small wounds and an intact body, scores ten points.

Points are added or deducted based on various factors. Significant damage, missing limbs, or pre-existing illness result in point deductions, while larger size and higher body integrity lead to bonus points.

For each extra length of the body, an extra point is added; for each extra length of a wound, a point is deducted, with the system being very detailed and fixed.

Furthermore, the organizing committee does not restrict cooperation, but the points gained through teamwork must be divided equally, with a certain percentage deducted.

For a two-person team, the total score is multiplied by 90 percent; for three people, 80 percent, and so on. The maximum is a five-person team, after which the total points are divided equally among each member.

It seemed quite fair, even considering the advantage that more people might bring.

The incandescent light flickered.

The fake bearskin map was marked with numerous little red dots, indicating the locations of attacks in recent years, along with many yellow dots, noting where people had seen Black Bear.

At first glance, it looked as if Black Bear was everywhere on Kyushu Island, but this wasn’t the case.

Hunters needed to decide where they could hunt more Black Bears based on their own experience.

“No one’s choosing?”

A voice broke the silence.

“Then I’ll go first.”

A large hand reached into the stone bowl, rustled around, and flipped out a wooden dart; before anyone could react, it swiftly landed on the coastal area of Honshu Island, sticking firmly in place, its tail quivering slightly.

The light was dim, and everyone’s pupils dilated, trying to make out the number on the wooden dart.

Seventeen.

Seventeen? Wasn’t that Bi Fang’s seat?

Everybody suddenly remembered and looked up in surprise only to see a silhouette slowly disappear into the sunlight of the corridor, waving at them.

“I’m good, you all go ahead.”

The slightly blurred shadow vanished slowly.

The crowd turned back to look at the dart on the map, falling into the same deep thought as Mugalen.

Wakayama Prefecture, what was the mystery here?

…

The moment Bi Fang made his choice, a million netizens went into an uproar, clamoring about why Bi Fang had so quickly chosen Wakayama Prefecture and what the reason could be, speculating endlessly.

Bi Fang, who was not broadcasting live, didn’t offer any explanation; he walked out of the hallway, opened the car door, and said to Nobita Nobi, “To Wakayama Prefecture.”

“Wakayama Prefecture?” Nobita Nobi, who was munching on an ice pop, hadn’t expected Bi Fang to emerge so quickly, biting the last chunk of chocolate and hurriedly settling in the driver’s seat to twist the ignition key. “Mr. Bi, have you selected a hunting spot?”

Hunting season would start in two days; today was just a test broadcast. Nobita Nobi hadn’t expected Bi Fang to come out in just half an hour.

If he wasn’t mistaken, Bi Fang was the first to come out, right?

As Nobita Nobi pondered, the second hunter also emerged and even headed straight for Bi Fang’s car, familiarly pulling open the door and sitting down.

Bi Fang was taken aback, “What are you doing getting in?”

“Damn it, why do they give you a presidential suite and a chauffeur, and I don’t get anything?” Mugalen was angry.

Aren’t other hunters people too?

“I’m asking you?”

“Obviously, I chose the same place as you did,” was the reply.

Bi Fang’s mouth twitched, the same as his? Were they serious?

Once an area was chosen, it couldn’t be changed, and the activity range couldn’t exceed three-fifths of a prefecture.

That meant besides Wakayama Prefecture, they couldn’t venture more than two-thirds beyond the borders of the neighbouring prefectures, more or less making it an enlarged version of Wakayama Prefecture.

Mugalen analyzed earnestly, “Although I can’t guess the reason for now, you definitely wouldn’t have chosen Wakayama Prefecture for no reason, and you’re definitely not going to form a team, but since I’ve chosen it now, why not explain?”

Bi Fang was silent for a moment, then sighed, “As long as you’re happy.”

He had already looked over the terrain of Wakayama Prefecture; it was mountainous and also had plenty of forests. It wasn’t that there were no Black Bears, just that the density was a lot less than in other areas. To hunt enough Black Bears and accumulate points would require a lot more effort and be more troublesome.

Seeing Bi Fang remain silent, Mugalen felt puzzled. Now that things had come to this, they couldn’t change their decision, yet he still hadn’t explained the reasons. Who was he keeping the secret from?

Nobita Nobi sensed that the atmosphere was off and didn’t speak, driving away from Tokyo.

Japan, if nothing else, does have convenient transportation; barring traffic jams, just by train and car, one could travel throughout the country.

At noon, Nobita Nobi, carrying Bi Fang and Mugalen, had a meal on the government’s dime at a barbecue restaurant he had long had his eye on. Once they entered Wakayama Prefecture, Bi Fang didn’t let Nobita Nobi continue driving, but had him head towards the suburbs instead.

“You can go back now, I’m going into the mountains,” Bi Fang said, leaning on the car roof.

“Do you need me to come and pick you up tonight?”

“If I need you, I’ll call,” Bi Fang replied.

Nobita Nobi nodded, “Okay then, goodbye, Mr. Bi.”

Watching Nobita Nobi drive off, Bi Fang turned and walked into an alley, with Mugalen following closely behind.

After scouting the area and confirming there was no surveillance, Bi Fang took out a mask and sunglasses from his bag and put them on; he also handed a mask to Mugalen, too conspicuous in this Asian city as a foreigner.

“A mask?” Mugalen laughed, as someone who had only participated in the show once and wouldn’t be recognized, “I don’t need it, no one knows me.”

“It’s not for fans.”

“Not for fans? If not to ward off fans, are we going to use it for burglary?”

Mugalen laughed heartily, but his laughter faded as he faced Bi Fang’s serious expression and he wondered, “Are you serious?”