Chapter 272: Death Is Everywhere

At 8 a. m., Qin Yun started his livestream on time.

He waited until the livestream room was mostly filled before speaking.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm currently in the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania, Africa. I slept reasonably well yesterday—though I had to get up every hour or less, my sleep onset was fast, so my total sleep time was still very adequate."

This is one of the benefits of Qin Yun's increasingly refined bodily control—he can fall asleep anywhere, anytime, and wake up just as easily. What ordinary people consider an impossible fantasy, he accomplishes as effortlessly as walking, fully transformed into a natural, instinctive ability.

"Boss Qin, it's afternoon back home—what's so early about this?"

"Hahaha, I'm almost off work, and Boss Qin just started streaming."

"Only day one yesterday, and so much happened—Boss Qin isn't having an easy time."

"Qin, good morning!"

Four livestream channels, domestic and abroad, flooded with comments—Qin Yun couldn't possibly read them all.

He smiled: "Yesterday was my first day in the Serengeti. I basically achieved my goal of twenty kilometers. Today, I hope to go even farther."

"It's currently the dry season here—the scorching sun has dried up the grass, and water sources have shrunk drastically. Wildebeests and zebras are migrating in herds; what remains on the plains are mostly well-known carnivores."

"During this season, it's not just the weak, elderly, or young that struggle—it's even apex predators like lions, hyenas, and leopards teetering on the edge of death. In the rainy season, prey is abundant, but now they must hunt to survive."

"Here, right now, death is everywhere, happening constantly at your feet. As you've all seen along this journey, animal bones litter the ground. There is virtually no absolutely safe place on this plain—baboons are torn apart by lions, lizards are pecked to death by raptors, Hu Langs scavenge leftovers, venomous insects hide in the soil, and spotted hyenas are constantly hunting for their next meal."

"No one knows whether the area I've entered is the territory of a predator—and I have no retreat. I must press forward."

Qin Yun casually smothered the still-smoldering firepit and stretched his body.

"The Serengeti has never been a wilderness paradise—it's a vast slaughterhouse of life and death. Over the next twenty days, I'll lead you through the most brutal, unfiltered reality of survival of the fittest."

Listening to Qin Yun's words, viewers sighed in awe:

"The cruelty of nature is most real here."

"Even the king of the grasslands can be surrounded and killed by hyenas—what's impossible here?"

"Boss Qin, what animals are still around on the plains right now?"

Qin Yun said: "The animals I'm currently near—wildebeests, zebras, gazelles—most have already moved north, preparing to cross the Mara River. What's left are stragglers or those accidentally left behind—essentially only the old, weak, sick, or injured."

"Besides these, some African elephants also migrate seasonally, though as we saw yesterday, most are still here. Giraffes, black rhinos, buffaloes, and hippos are also still present."

"All of these are herbivores. Lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, and Hu Langs will also follow the migration north—but they're here to hunt."

"In short, although this is the peak season for the great African animal migration, the central and southern Serengeti still have all the animals—and competition is even fiercer. As herbivores dwindle, the remaining predators must compete for the same scarce prey."

After speaking, Qin Yun quickly packed up and continued moving northeast.

Passing the granite outcrop, he glanced far ahead—the leopard was nowhere to be seen, likely off hunting. Around him stretched endless yellow: dry grass and yellow earth dominated the landscape.

After walking several hundred meters, two vultures took flight, revealing a pile of partially decomposed corpses in view, swarming with flies and insects.

"This is a Hu Lang corpse. The wounds suggest it was killed by a leopard and other animals—but it wasn't dragged away whole; instead, it was torn apart, with much of it left rotting here."

Qin Yun examined the ground and found numerous Footprints.

"Look—these Footprints: one is from a leopard, and the other seven or eight appear to be African wild dogs. That's why so much of the carcass was left here—African wild dogs don't eat Hu Langs. They're eliminating competitors."

Watching Qin Yun effortlessly identify the animals from the Footprints, countless netizens were awestruck.

"Damn, Boss Qin just names them off like that—how the hell is his brain wired?"

"Six stars."

"So Boss Qin is the number one outdoor streamer."

"I've never seen Boss Qin fail to recognize something or fail to solve a problem."

"A man who can solve problems like this is so hot—no wonder Su the Beauty is completely obsessed."

"By the way, when are Su the Beauty and Boss Qin getting married?"

"When you do, send us each some wedding candy."

Watching the comments drift off-topic, Qin Yun felt a headache coming on.

Beyond the corpse, he kept walking. After more than half an hour, the sun rose higher, and Qin Yun felt his mouth dry out.

"I'm thirsty. I need to find water soon—otherwise, severe dehydration and electrolyte loss will rapidly weaken my body."

As he spoke, he swiftly spotted a tree and climbed it effortlessly in seconds.

Standing atop the tree, he scanned the surroundings, then pointed east: "Look—aren't there a lot more acacia trees over there? Where acacias cluster densely, there's almost always a riverbed, depression, or water source. So heading that way should lead me to water."

He jumped down and added:

"Finding water here has many methods—just find one reliable indicator, and you can make a solid judgment."

"For example, during dawn or dusk, follow animals—they'll likely lead you to water. Or watch where raptors circle—that direction is almost certainly a water source. If neither works, observe the terrain—low-lying areas always contain dry riverbeds or depressions."

Having locked in the direction, Qin Yun hurried toward the dense cluster of acacia trees.

As the saying goes, "seeing mountains doesn't mean you've reached them"—after another half hour of walking, he finally entered the acacia grove. By now, even breathing felt parched; his saliva production had dropped drastically, and dehydration was coming faster than he'd anticipated.

"Look at Boss Qin's lips—they're cracked."

"Tsk tsk, with the temperature rising, Boss Qin needs water now."

"This is the cruelty of nature—no matter how strong you are, without basic survival essentials, you'll die silently."

Beyond the acacia grove, Qin Yun finally spotted a riverbed—but when he ran over, he found it nearly dry, with only shallow surface water remaining, most of it turned to mud. And most of that mud was occupied by several dark, massive shapes.

They were five or six enormous hippos.

Qin Yun shook his head, not disappointed.

"Hippos are the third-largest animals in Africa, after elephants and rhinos. Here's a little-known fact: hippos are Africa's deadliest large animal—more lethal than lions or crocodiles. They seem slow, but their sprint speed is terrifying, and they hold grudges fiercely. But as long as you don't provoke them, they won't attack—just keep your distance."

After saying that, Qin Yun turned and walked away. After about ten meters, he stopped again.

"Guess I'll have to dig a seepage pit again."

He pulled out his dagger and began digging with heavy breaths—half an hour passed before water slowly began seeping into the hole.

He let the water sit for about twenty minutes, his mouth bone-dry, before carefully beginning to drink.

After taking a sip, Qin Yun looked at the camera and said calmly: "Same principle applies—the muddy water still contains bacteria, parasites, feces, and urine—but after filtering through over ten meters of soil, those contaminants are completely blocked. It's safe to drink—though it tastes strongly of earth and isn't pleasant. Still, it solves my dehydration."

"666, Brother Qin always finds a way."

"The hippo is the ugliest animal I've ever seen as a child."

"Brother Qin, your canteen is too small; bring a two-liter one, then you won't keep worrying about running out of water."

"I wouldn't drink this water even if you forced me."

Qin Yun looked at the comments and smiled bitterly: "Brother Atlas, when you truly feel thirst, you'll drink this water—or even your own urine. The agony of dying of thirst far exceeds your imagination."

As he spoke, he suddenly heard a "sashasha" sound behind him.

His eyes changed instantly; he stopped drinking mid-sip.

"I think I felt something behind me."