Chapter 1118: Welcome to Alaska (4)

Moonlight.

A boy band from the United States that had been relentlessly chasing us down.

The moment they debuted, they shot to stardom across North America and Europe, achieving worldwide success almost overnight.

The noteworthy part was...

"..."

"..."

We weren't exactly on good terms.

To them, we were the number-one obstacle they had to overcome, so they disliked us. We didn't particularly like them either after everything that had happened between us.

They'd made more than a few attempts to undermine us, and from our perspective, the individual members of Moonlight weren't especially likable, either.

Still, whether we got along or not, our conversations had always remained polite.

There had always been plenty of celebrities watching and cameras rolling.

Only now...

"..."

"..."

There were no cameras.

And no other celebrities.

Which meant—

"What?"

Moonlight's popular member, Colin Evans, openly frowned.

Beneath his curly hair, his face—one that practically screamed "heartthrob who collects obsessive fans"—twisted into a scowl.

"What are you doing here?"

"We're filming."

I smiled pleasantly before asking,

"What about you?"

"We're filming too."

Colin still looked irritated when someone placed a hand on his shoulder.

He looked exactly like the handsome Asian football player who always showed up in American teen movies.

"Colin. Why are you trying to pick a fight? They could just be here filming a survival camp too."

"I thought they were copying us."

"Don't be ridiculous."

After calming Colin down, the Asian member extended his hand toward me.

"I guess we've never really had a chance to introduce ourselves. I'm Patrick."

"Wooju."

"I'm a different case, but I don't think you really need to introduce yourself. You're probably the most famous person standing here."

He smiled brightly.

Patrick Wu, the Chinese American member, explained the situation to us.

"A reality show?"

"Pretty much. Isn't it a fresh idea? Concert films are getting stale. We're showing fans our chaotic adventure together. A boy band's reality show unlike anything anyone's ever seen."

Moonlight had debuted through a NetPlus survival audition program.

Now NetPlus was launching another reality series following their daily lives and adventures, and one episode would feature them attempting a survival challenge in Alaska.

Patrick grinned.

"Each member got to make one wish, and this Alaska survival experience was Tyron's."

The Black member sitting by the campfire roasting marshmallows raised a hand in greeting.

"So that's why we're here. What about you guys?"

"We're filming a travel reality show."

"Ooh."

As I explained, Patrick listened with sparkling eyes.

He nodded enthusiastically after every sentence, reacting with such eagerness that it felt like he wanted something from me.

"Anyway, nice meeting you. Let's get along."

"Sure."

The conversation died immediately afterward.

Aside from Patrick, the Moonlight members didn't seem interested in talking to us.

They simply sipped cocoa or quietly roasted marshmallows among themselves.

Jiho leaned over and whispered,

"That Patrick guy acts really friendly toward you, hyung."

"Yeah."

There was one obvious possibility.

"Getting ready to promote in Asia...?"

Considering he'd barely spoken to us before and had suddenly changed his attitude, it seemed like a plausible explanation.

The producer returned after speaking with the survival camp staff.

"It turns out Moonlight and our team booked filming dates around the same time."

"Won't our filming routes overlap, then?"

"They said it won't matter."

He unfolded an enormous map of the survival camp.

"We're only sleeping at the same base camp tonight. The place is so huge they say we probably won't even run into each other. We might not see each other again for the entire survival program."

One look at the map made it obvious what he meant.

The forest was so vast that even the sprawling base camp looked like a tiny dot.

We nodded in understanding.

"If that's the case..."

There wasn't really anything to worry about.

The only overlap would be the opening shoot, since both productions needed the same location, and the two crews were currently coordinating where to place their cameras.

"All right! We're ready to film the opening!"

"Rolling!"

Both Moonlight and NewBlack gathered in the center of the base camp with backpacks slung over our shoulders.

Then a booming voice blasted from the loudspeaker mounted on the central cabin.

"WELCOME, RECRUITS!!"

It sounded exactly like a Marine drill instructor.

"You are now standing inside the survival camp run by me, Alex Corbin! A place where the weak simply do not survive!"

Everyone looked around.

"Where's he talking from?"

"Where is that guy?"

The loudspeaker thundered again.

"The wilderness is an incredibly dangerous place! A bear could attack you the moment you let your guard down! One poisonous mushroom could leave you at death's door! One drink of contaminated water could have you bedridden for days!!"

The warnings were suitably terrifying.

"Never forget that this place is nothing like the civilized world you've been living in. This... is the wild!"

Then he laughed.

"But I doubt those words mean much to you yet. So I've prepared something. Right now, I'm hiding somewhere... watching all of you!! Watching with the eyes of a predator! I'll give you five minutes! Find me within five minutes, and I'll award bonus points!"

The Moonlight members immediately scattered, searching in every direction.

My brothers and I began checking the surrounding trees.

Tap. Tap.

Someone patted my shoulder.

When I turned around, Ri Hyuk was wearing a pair of strange sunglasses.

"He's over there."

He pointed toward one of the trees.

We all looked up.

Our eyes met the crouching man hidden among the branches.

"..."

"..."

The man's expression froze.

His face was covered in camouflage paint, his windbreaker plastered with leaves, every effort made to blend perfectly into the surroundings.

Ri Hyuk chuckled softly.

"Just because it's survival doesn't mean humans have to rely on their bare bodies alone. Humanity's greatest strength is using tools. Your camouflage was completely defeated by my infrared thermal detection glasses, Mr. Corbin."

"..."

"Hehehehehehe!"

Alex Corbin's face cycled through red and purple in real time.

For some reason, I suddenly felt incredibly sorry for someone we'd only just met.

Moonlight's youngest member, Jacob, looked at me.

"Why does he carry infrared glasses around?"

"Don't ask. I have no idea either..."

Ri Hyuk's utterly ridiculous laugh echoed throughout the base camp.

Naturally, the infrared glasses were confiscated.

"All personal equipment is hereby confiscated!"

"Why?"

"To ensure fair competition!"

The camp coaches collected all our belongings.

While Ri Hyuk mourned the loss of his precious disaster-preparedness kit, Alex Corbin folded his arms.

"Now then, a proper introduction. My name is Alex Corbin. Some of you may know me. Some of you may not."

He was short but powerfully built.

His sun-darkened skin and thick mustache were marked with countless small scars.

A former Australian soldier who had served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, he was now a celebrity known for running survival programs.

"There's one thing all of you need to remember."

His voice boomed across the camp.

"I'm the man who's going to keep every one of you alive until the very end."

"The rules are simple! We'll teach you how to survive, and you'll survive in the wilderness. Of course, we won't teach you everything. We'll cover the essentials. The rest, you'll have to figure out yourselves."

Everyone nodded.

He pointed toward a large scoreboard.

"Every action you take will be evaluated by the coaches and converted into points. There are no rewards for high scores. But if your name ends up all the way at the bottom..."

He grinned.

"...that'll be pretty embarrassing."

The board listed every participant from first place to last.

Moonlight and NewBlack exchanged glances.

"..."

"..."

Competitive fire blazed in everyone's eyes.

Alex Corbin smiled in satisfaction.

"That's it! That's exactly the look I wanted to see. You all look ready for survival."

He snapped his fingers.

Two coaches approached carrying various supplies.

"Let's begin with the basics."

The first lesson was first aid.

CPR.

Bandaging.

Helping carry injured teammates.

We all passed with flying colors.

"Damn! Excellent!"

As I carried Ri Hyuk using a proper rescue carry while running, Alex Corbin applauded enthusiastically.

"Outstanding! Have you served in the military?"

"Yes."

"...?"

"I didn't exactly volunteer to go, though..."

Between our countless variety show experiences and disaster-preparedness activities, even Ri Hyuk—whose hands usually weren't the steadiest—managed first aid without much trouble.

Moonlight, on the other hand, had no experience and was thoroughly chewed out.

"Oh! Excellent posture! If you carry your teammate like that, he'll bleed to death before you get anywhere! Hahahaha!"

"...I'll try again."

"If you perform CPR like that, you'll shatter every rib in the patient's chest!"

Beyond first aid, we also received lessons on wilderness survival.

"Alaska has an enormous bear population. Some might even call it the most bear-filled place on Earth. Now I'll teach you how to use bear spray."

Above all else, the instructors emphasized the dangers posed by wild animals.

"If you spot wildlife, immediately inform the coach accompanying you. Encountering one alone can become extremely dangerous."

Then they explained how to judge danger.

"Everyone, hold up your thumb."

"Yes."

"If that bear in the distance looks bigger than your thumbnail..."

"...?"

"...Congratulations."

"..."

"You've probably already scheduled a meeting with God."

"..."

Bears could run nearly sixty kilometers per hour.

The point was simple.

Forget about outrunning them.

They also explained that turning your back could provoke a bear, so if you had to retreat, you should back away slowly instead.

While Alex Corbin delighted in terrifying everyone, another coach quietly leaned over and whispered,

"As long as you stay with us, you'll be safe, so don't worry too much. Alex exaggerates sometimes."

After finishing all the basic lessons—

"Change your clothes! Those things you're wearing are garbage!"

"Giggle!"

"...?"

Our little underlings actually cheered after being insulted.

Watching my younger members happily changing into the camp uniforms, Mr. Corbin blinked in confusion.

His expression practically said, Why are they happy about that?

Only I felt slightly depressed as I took off my red padded jacket.

Then again...

Wandering through the wilderness in a bright red jacket was basically the same as shouting, Here I am! Come find me!

"Hehehe!"

"The survival outfit is so nice!"

"I know! Right now this looks way better than our regular clothes."

I narrowed my eyes at my cheerfully chatting brothers before turning around.

Two coaches were carrying over large backpacks.

Thunk.

"Your survival equipment is inside. Check everything."

We unpacked our bags and confirmed that every item was present.

Hatchet.

Pocketknife.

Tarp.

Flashlight.

Flint.

Bow and arrows.

Fishing gear.

Emergency flares.

One by one, we checked every essential item alongside the coaches before shouldering our packs.

Finally, after the cameras stopped rolling...

"Ahem."

Alex Corbin spoke again.

His voice had become calm and gentle.

Apparently the drill instructor persona had only been for the cameras.

"If anything feels dangerous, tell the coaches immediately. Don't push yourselves too hard."

"Yes."

"Safety always comes first."

As he inspected our equipment one last time...

Someone beside me snickered.

No... Potato.

Colin Evans.

"You might be better at sports like dodgeball. But this is the wilderness. Pretty boys like you won't last long."

I tilted my head.

"Are you giving yourself a pep talk?"

"Bom Gam Za...."

He spun around dramatically, radiating an If we run into each other out there, you're dead sort of attitude.

"See you later!"

Moonlight marched off wearing smug smiles.

Perhaps it was because, as an all-Western group, they visibly had the physical advantage over us.

Ri Hyuk trembled with indignation as they openly looked down on us.

I asked,

"Everyone ready?"

"Yes!"

"Our youngest ready too?"

"Yes."

Jiho answered calmly.

He lightly twanged the string of his compound bow, smiling in a rather unsettling way.

"Jiho. Did you watch something for inspiration?"

"Yes. I watched a couple of survival movies today."

"Oh? Which ones?"

"Battle Royale and The Hunger Games."

"..."

We definitely needed to avoid running into Moonlight as much as possible.

Nick, Alex Corbin's head coach, followed behind NewBlack with a heavy backpack slung across his shoulders.

They're quiet.

The members spoke softly among themselves, already immersed in the survival experience.

A smile spread across his face.

Celebrities often came claiming they wanted to experience wilderness survival.

They usually made him sigh.

Laughing loudly enough to announce their presence to every wild animal nearby.

Complaining after a single day that their bodies hurt and wanting to quit.

NewBlack somehow felt different.

All right. Let's see what you've got.

The coaches' job was simple.

Observe.

Intervene only if someone was in danger.

Or if the participants requested help.

For example—

We couldn't find any food.

Here's a can of food. It'll cost you points, though.

That was why Nick carried a backpack filled with emergency supplies.

He glanced at the camera operators following alongside them.

"You all doing okay? I imagine this kind of program is new for you."

"Neh...?"

One of the Korean cameramen hesitated before replying in clumsy English.

"Okay. Okay."

"I see."

"NewBlack very strong. We follow them. So we strong."

"Oh..."

He meant that following NewBlack everywhere had toughened them up.

Sure enough, even while hiking over slippery, moss-covered ground, the cameramen never lost their footing.

They looked almost like the veteran crews who regularly accompanied Alex Corbin on survival television shows.

Meanwhile, the NewBlack members continued chatting in Korean.

"Hmm..."

Nick watched them with growing curiosity.

He couldn't understand a word they were saying, but they were probably discussing where to establish their base camp.

Survival Step 1

Establish Your Base Camp

Alex Corbin had certainly explained how to build a shelter using a tarp.

But he'd deliberately left out the most important part.

Where should you build your camp?

Actually putting up a shelter wasn't especially difficult.

Choosing the location mattered far more.

The terrain and slope determined everything.

According to survival experts, the ideal campsite was...

Close to water.

On level ground.

Naturally protected from wind and rain.

Alaska's dense rainforests received heavy rainfall this time of year, making natural shelter especially important.

But beginners wouldn't know that.

Inexperienced campers constantly chose places that merely looked suitable and paid dearly for it.

Without experience, it wasn't easy to arrive at the correct answer.

Nick was curious to see what NewBlack would choose.

"Let's set up here."

At leader Ri Hyuk's words, everyone nodded.

"This is the place."

"Yep. Right here."

Every member independently agreed that this was the best location.

Nick's eyes widened.

Huh?

It was practically perfect.

Concealed enough by the surrounding terrain that wildlife was unlikely to notice them.

Flat enough to sleep comfortably.

Close enough to hear the sound of running water.

And protected by a natural rise that would shield them from wind and rain.

A beginner found this immediately...?

He called out to them.

"Excuse me."

"Yes?"

"May I ask why you chose this location?"

It wasn't just one member.

All of them had independently concluded, This is the spot.

Biju answered.

"In Korea, every student learns the phrase Bae San Im Su in elementary school."

"Bae San Im Su."

"It means you should have a mountain behind you and water nearby."

"...!"

For the first time in his career, the survival expert found himself astonished by the Korean instinct for geomancy that seemed to be etched into their very DNA.