What kind of moss is so nutritious that you can actually gain weight from eating it?
The guy was probably just retaining water from eating too much salt.
As a wilderness survival guide, his knowledge base was indeed extensive, but it was now clear he was clueless about nutrition and food science.
Salt and water are already scarce in the wild. Bacon is a high-salt food, so it would be a miracle if his body *didn't* retain water after eating it every day. Gaining two or three pounds a day is perfectly normal under these circumstances.
The host glanced at the female doctor beside him. She also wore a speechless expression, clearly understanding the science behind it.
However, neither of them had any intention of explaining.
"Now this is interesting."
A strange smile spread across the host's face as he stared at the screen, his eyes burning with intense curiosity.
Before the show began filming, he was the one who had proposed adding professionals to the roster of contestants.
Initially, they hadn't considered including a chef. After all, chefs require too many specific conditions to work, having high standards for their tools and ingredients.
Even if they brought in a Michelin-starred chef and dropped him in the middle of nowhere, he probably couldn't cook anything decent without tools and seasonings.
"I didn't expect this young man from Great Xia to give us such a big surprise so soon after landing. I'm actually a little excited to see what he can make with that pot of moss."
They only knew this moss was *possibly* nutritious because of their experienced local guides, but the vast majority of the audience certainly wouldn't. The conflict arising from this information gap was bound to be a huge highlight for the survival show.
It wasn't just the production staff; even Daniel's curiosity was piqued. He craned his neck, staring intently at the screen, eager to see how a professional chef would cook this type of moss.
It was true that the moss was nutritious, but the taste and texture were truly awful. If cooked too long, it would turn into a pot of mush, often mixed with fine grains of sand that made it impossible to chew.
Lin Chen had no idea his actions were causing an uproar among the viewers. He was happily carrying the heavy stockpot back to his temporary camp.
This discovery completely upended his previous plan. Compared to hunting, foraging had a much higher success rate and required far less energy.
The forest floor was damp after the rain, and with a large river not far away, it was the perfect environment for vegetation and mushrooms to thrive.
"As you all know, I'm a chef. Hunting isn't my forte. Before coming here, I'd barely even held a bow and arrow, let alone set a hunting trap or gone fishing."
"My short-term goal is clear: focus on foraging and, if possible, try my luck by the Yukon River to see if I can catch a few salmon."
He was walking alone through the desolate primeval forest. The sky had grown dark without him noticing. If he didn't talk to himself a little, it would be genuinely creepy.
That being said, he still carried his hunting axe and North American Hunting Bow.
In past seasons of the show, he'd seen too many contestants run into prey without their gear, only to watch helplessly as it got away.
Having no hunting experience didn't mean he couldn't shoot an arrow.
Shooting games, whether with guns or bows, are a favorite of practically every guy. If you see one at an amusement park or a tourist spot, you can't help but play a round or two.
Lin Chen was well aware of his strengths and weaknesses. There was no need to waste his limited energy on hunting. He didn't even want to walk too far, which was why he had returned to camp so early.
By the time he got back to his temporary camp, the sky was completely dark. He had to switch on his Hat Lamp; otherwise, he couldn't see the path and could easily fall and injure himself.
He casually set the stainless steel stockpot on the ground and tossed the bundle of dry branches he'd gathered on his way back near the firewood pile.
He didn't rush to start the fire. First, he went to gather another large handful of tinder nearby. After splitting a few thick logs of deadwood, he finally felt confident enough to pull the fire starter from his pocket.
He bent down and filled the bottom of the fire pit with dry tinder, then arranged a sparse layer of small, dry twigs around it.
He held the fire starter close to the center of the tinder and scraped it a few times. Sparks flew, and thick, acrid smoke quickly began to rise.
WHOOSH.
The fire flared to life.
A flicker of excitement appeared in Lin Chen's eyes.
This was his first time starting a fire in the wild. As he watched the orange flame gradually spread and grow, a new sense of confidence bloomed within him.
He didn't rush to add more wood. Instead, he placed another handful of tinder on top to make the flame burn stronger, occasionally fanning it gently with his palm to help fresh air circulate.
Once the twigs caught fire one by one and he was sure the flame wouldn't die out, he began arranging the thicker logs on the surrounding stones, occasionally stuffing more dry branches underneath.
The fire grew more intense, with flames soon leaping half a meter high, the rolling wave of heat completely dispelling the evening chill.
[A bonfire has been lit in the cold wilds of North America. Happiness Points +1]
The orange flames danced in Lin Chen's dark pupils. The unrestrained excitement in his eyes didn't seem out of place on camera; viewers would just assume he was happy to have a fire.
He pulled up the exchange list again, his gaze sweeping over the numerous items.
'So that's how it works,' he thought. 'My starter bonus is a 70% discount on my first exchange. An item originally worth 10 points will only cost 3. That makes my first choice incredibly important. It has to be something that will help me earn more Happiness Points quickly.'
'I don't know how to hunt or fish, so exchanging for knowledge about animals and fish won't be much help. I can rule out minerals and birds, too.'
He scrolled further down the list. Beyond the encyclopedia-type knowledge, the more expensive section, as expected, contained various practical skills.
[Basic Bow Mastery], [Basic Axe Mastery], [Basic Dagger Mastery], [Basic Short Knife Mastery], [Basic Trap Mastery], [Basic Fishing Mastery]...
The rest of the list was locked and couldn't be viewed yet, but he figured it must also contain knowledge related to wilderness survival.
'In the wild, aside from the basic necessities of fire and shelter, the greatest happiness probably comes from a good meal, right?'
Quickly reviewing the things he had seen in the forest that day, he locked onto his first exchange target without hesitation.
The Wild Mushroom Encyclopedia!
He was a chef who knew a bit about both Chinese and Western cuisine, so he could already identify many edible plants by sight. The Wild Plant Encyclopedia would be useful, but not as big of a game-changer as the mushroom one.
He had seen at least a dozen different types of mushrooms on his way, but he hadn't dared to pick any. One mistake with those things could be fatal; he would rather go hungry than take that risk.
As long as he could tell which mushrooms were edible, he would have a guaranteed food source and would never have to worry about going hungry.
'I'm still a few Happiness Points short. I'll have to work for it tomorrow morning!'
He sat by the campfire, warming himself for a bit. With time to kill, he laid a few layers of spruce branches under his hammock to act as a ground cover.
He didn't stay outside for long. While he was still warm, he pulled out his sleeping bag and crawled into his hidden shelter.