"1—"
As the countdown began, the surroundings fell into a dead silence. Nothing happened.
Not even a single leaf fell.
At first, seeing Gu Nanyan's confident demeanor as she counted down from three, everyone thought she had a hidden trump card. After all, her previous performances had been nothing short of extraordinary.
Even the black-clad men holding weapons instinctively tensed up, their eyes darting around warily.
But in the end, nothing happened.
"Gu Nanyan, are you out of your mind? What the hell are you playing at?"
One of the hot-tempered black-clad men couldn't hold back and lashed out.
This woman had been so mysterious, making them think she was about to unleash some grand move. They had been scared out of their wits, but in the end, nothing happened.
It was infuriating.
The guests standing behind Gu Nanyan looked disappointed.
They had overthought it. Gu Nanyan was just like them—stranded and helpless on this island. Even if she was incredibly skilled in combat, it wouldn't change their dire situation.
Some of them were already feeling weak in the knees, ready to surrender.
Zhou Qinian instinctively glanced at Gu Nanyan. Because of the rumors surrounding them, he had always avoided getting too close to her and never initiated conversations.
As a top celebrity, he knew he had a legion of devoted fans who wouldn't take kindly to him being too close to another woman.
But at this moment, he suddenly wanted to cast everything aside and just be an ordinary person.
In this life-or-death situation, he wanted to stand by her side and face death together.
Everyone else also turned their eyes to Gu Nanyan, waiting for her to speak. Unbeknownst to them, Gu Nanyan had become their pillar of strength, the one they all relied on and followed.
Even the troublemaker Song Ze was now obedient, gazing at Gu Nanyan with reverence.
Gu Nanyan stood there calmly, her expression unreadable, as if everything around her was irrelevant.
It seemed like this was just a trivial matter, unworthy of stirring her emotions.
As everyone—guests, black-clad men, and the viewers in the live stream—focused their attention on her, she raised three fingers again.
"3—"
Pfft—
Everyone nearly collapsed. She was doing it again!
The viewers were going crazy, flooding the screen with comments.
【Is Gu Nanyan stuck in a loop? Why is she counting down again?】
【What is she even counting down to? Oh my god, I'm losing it. This is such a tense moment, and she's making my heart race like crazy.】
Gu Nanyan paid no attention to their reactions, continuing her countdown with ease. "2—"
This time, before she reached "one," a loud roar echoed through the air.
From the woods, a massive tiger leaped out, landing right in front of Gu Nanyan.
The black-clad men took a step back in fear. They knew Gu Nanyan had a tiger by her side and had prepared for it, but facing such a formidable beast still sent shivers down their spines.
"You're late, little tiger," Gu Nanyan said, tapping the tiger's nose. "You made me look bad."
The tiger let out a low growl, as if trying to explain: I don't know how to count, okay?
"Gu Nanyan, do you really think a tiger is enough to stop us?" one of the black-clad men sneered, pulling out a heavy machine gun.
The dark barrel of the gun was aimed directly at the tiger, its imposing presence making everyone's legs go weak.
"I suggest you surrender," the man said.
Gu Nanyan lazily stroked the tiger's fur and finally looked the black-clad men in the eye. "Who said I only have a tiger?"
As soon as she spoke, a series of howls erupted.
Dozens of wolves, their eyes glowing green, emerged from the woods one after another, surrounding the black-clad men.
Then, a few black bears appeared, followed by a pack of wild boars.
In total, over a hundred beasts had gathered.
The viewers watching through the drone's live feed went wild, jumping to their feet and clenching their fists in excitement.
The drone's high vantage point captured everything.
【Ahhh! I'm going crazy! Oh my god, my heart! I knew Her Majesty would never lose!】
【I'm literally crying. Is this real? Am I watching a drama or something?】
【Her Majesty is just oozing with confidence. I feel like kneeling and bowing to her.】
【Long live Her Majesty!】
【Long live, long live, long live!】
Many children watching the live stream with their parents etched this scene into their memories. They vowed to be as calm and strong as Gu Nanyan when they grew up.
As the number of beasts grew, the once-confident black-clad men began to tremble.
"What do we do?" they asked, looking at their leader, who wore a tiger-head mask.
Beasts were different from humans—they weren't afraid, couldn't be threatened, and attacked without any strategy. Even with machine guns, they wouldn't stand a chance.
The leader's face darkened, his jaw tightening.
"Boss, should we retreat and figure out a plan later? Gu Nanyan can't possibly take these beasts with her everywhere she goes."
The leader glared at the man. "Are you stupid? Do you think the tigers, wolves, and bears are going to let us leave? We're not in control here anymore!"
"Then what do we do?"
The black-clad men looked around at the hundreds of beasts, their hearts pounding. Even though they had seen death before, this scene was terrifying.
"Negotiate. We have to break through Gu Nanyan's defenses step by step. No matter how strong she is, she's just a girl in her early twenties. She hasn't seen much of the world, and she doesn't have the heart to be ruthless," the leader said calmly.
Despite being at a disadvantage, he remained composed.
He didn't take Gu Nanyan seriously at all.
After giving instructions to his men, the leader took a deep breath and spoke loudly, "Miss Gu, do you really think these beasts can harm us? Don't forget, I have a big gun here that can take your life in an instant.
However, our master isn't interested in your lives. All we want is for the live stream to continue uninterrupted.
How about this: we both take a step back.
We'll put away our guns, and you send these animals away. We'll provide you with enough food, and you can continue your live stream on the island for a month. How does that sound?"
Hearing this, the guests exchanged excited glances, their eyes filled with hope.
They had won. They had finally secured a chance to survive.
The scene was broadcasted worldwide through the drone's live feed.
Viewers cheered and spread the news.
【Gu Nanyan is amazing. They're heroes.】
【It's finally over. Thank goodness.】
However, despite the excitement around her, Gu Nanyan remained silent.
She didn't agree.
She stood there quietly, the wind gently lifting the hem of her clothes, making her look almost ethereal.
But to the leader, her calmness was oppressive, sending chills down his spine.
The leader's expression turned grim. "Gu Nanyan, what do you mean by this?"
Gu Nanyan raised her eyes, her clear gaze piercing through the distance. She didn't use a microphone, but her voice carried clearly to every black-clad man.
"You think you can just surround us and then retreat whenever you feel like it? Do you think this is your home? Sorry, but this is my territory. I decide when you come and when you leave. If I don't let you go, none of you are going anywhere!"
