By linking my account to the check-in system, I became a leisurely traveler.

Chapter 183 Overwhelming Performance [Second Update!]

The main format of an interview is simply that the interviewer asks questions, and you answer them.

No matter how complex the interview, it generally follows this format.

This interview was no different.

The interview started on time in the evening, using a meeting software.

The main screen of this video conferencing platform naturally shows the interviewers from the "Living Alone in the Wilderness" program, while the screens of the sub-screens show the six people participating in the interview.

Cameron Spielberg, who was in charge of recruiting Chinese contestants, was slightly pleased to see Li Younan log on as scheduled.

To be honest, it didn't matter to him whether other people participated or not, as long as Li Younan could participate, that was enough.

Just as Li Younan had thought, the contestant had already been decided internally. They had been evaluating Li Younan for several months, so even if Li Younan only gave a self-introduction during the interview, it wouldn't affect the final result.

However, the proper formalities still need to be followed.

Cameron Spielberg introduced several of his colleagues who were also judges, including a survival expert, a show producer, and a representative from TikTok.

After introducing all the examiners, Cameron Spielberg got straight to the point: "Thank you all for participating in this interview. Now we will begin the formal selection process. We have already conducted a preliminary review of your backgrounds and materials. In fact, we have already conducted a detailed assessment of your potential. This interview is simply a further supplement to our previous assessment. Now, let's move on to the first question: Why do you want to participate in this program? Please begin answering, each participant answering in the order of 1 to 6."

Li Younan checked his interview number; it was number 5.

What Li Younan didn't expect was that the first question stumped the contestant.

It's not that the problem itself is difficult.

Number 1 looked somewhat bewildered at the camera, scratching his head and then stammering, "I'm sorry, I...I...I don't speak English very well."

For a high-achieving student like Li Younan, although his English doesn't have the authentic accent of a native speaker, he can still communicate fluently in Chinglish in daily life without any problems. Li Younan has never thought about making his English as good as a native speaker's; he just wants to be able to understand it.

However, this program targets an international audience, so if you can't even express yourself in basic English, it will definitely be a big drawback.

Seeing this, the examiner from TikTok in the main venue spoke with Cameron Spielberg for a moment, and then said in Chinese: "You can answer this question in Chinese: Why do you want to participate in this program?"

The other person then began to answer somewhat haltingly, as the unexpected incident had left him flustered, and his answers were now clearly disorganized and he stammered a bit.

Li Younan noticed that several referees in the main venue were secretly shaking their heads.

The next few contestants also faced the problem of limited English proficiency, but with the help of a translator from Douyin, they all answered the question in Chinese.

This is, after all, a global program. If it were hosted by Chinese people, it wouldn't matter much if you don't speak English. But since you want to win this million-dollar prize, you naturally have to consider the program's requirements.

The fifth one was Li Younan.

This time, the person in charge of Douyin even thoughtfully asked, "Would you like to answer in Chinese?"

Li Younan smiled and then answered in fluent English: "Why did you participate in the wilderness survival program? That's a good question. You know, we don't have such conditions in our country. Our country is a country that attaches great importance to ecological protection and has some of the strictest hunting regulations in the world... You can hardly legally hunt any kind of wild animal here, oh, except for rats."

Upon hearing this, the interviewers all burst into laughter.

Seeing them chatting and laughing, the other contestants felt uneasy. In fact, they only vaguely understood why the examiners were laughing.

After all, there are relatively few people in China who can communicate fluently in English, and these people are often those who had good grades in school. At the same time, they also need to have strong wilderness survival skills, which is quite contradictory.

Li Younan continued to speak eloquently: "I was a software engineer, but later I changed careers and became a travel blogger. In the process, I gradually realized that I have an innate talent in this area."

"In fact, I had no training before I came into contact with the bow and arrow, but I was able to hit the bullseye on my first try. As you can see, I am a natural hunter."

“Our country has a history of using bows and arrows for thousands of years, and has produced countless archers. We are a country with a long-standing archery culture. I hope that people all over the world can see Chinese archery skills, and this is one of the reasons.” Li Younan even casually picked up the water on the table and took a sip before continuing, “Secondly, I am proficient in many wilderness survival skills. Unfortunately, there has never been a stage for me to showcase them. I need such a stage.”

After a pause, Li Younan laughed and said, "There's another crucial reason: the $100 million reward is simply too tempting."

"These are the reasons why I wanted to participate in this program."

Upon hearing Li Younan's answer, the judges nodded repeatedly.

Cameron Spielberg asked with interest, "Your English is very good! That's quite important to us, since we're a show that needs to reach a global audience."

Then came the sixth contestant, but surprisingly, the last contestant was also highly proficient in English. He was a professional hunter who had returned from Australia, and he also explained his reasons for participating in fluent English. He was quite straightforward, simply aiming for the $1 million reward.

The next question is, what advantages do you have for participating in solo wilderness living?
The previous contestants were all explaining very seriously how impressive their survival skills were.

When it was Li Younan's turn, he said somewhat casually, "Gentlemen, you have already seen my wilderness survival skills in my videos, so I don't want to go into too much detail about them."

"I'd like to talk about my other strengths, two of which people may not have noticed."

"First of all, my current profession is a travel blogger, and photography is a part of my life. Yes, that's right, I have professional photography skills."

"What I mean is, this show is, after all, a reality show. While survival is important, it is equally important to show your survival status through the language of the camera. I have full confidence and control over this and can present the most perfect camera footage."

Upon hearing this, the examiners, especially the producer, visibly brightened up, revealing a playful look in their eyes.

This is indeed an advantage that people haven't noticed.

In many previous episodes, the contestants came from all walks of life, and their filming skills were indeed a major factor limiting the show's further impact.

Li Younan said confidently, "Secondly, there is a second advantage, which is the ability to endure loneliness and solitude."

"In fact, in my opinion, to take on the challenge of living alone in the wilderness, in addition to having strong survival skills, one also needs an equally strong mind."

"It is not an easy thing for a person to survive in a lonely environment for dozens or even hundreds of days."

"Why am I so confident? Because in addition to being proficient in survival skills, I am also proficient in arts such as sculpture and painting."

"As we all know, time flies when a person is immersed in artistic creation. It can fill the loneliness in one's heart, and this will become my most powerful weapon against loneliness."

Li Younan's answer was a killer move; Cameron Spielberg practically had "I approve of you" written all over his face, nodding repeatedly.

The last competitor, when talking about his advantages, faced an insurmountable obstacle: Li Younan. Although he also wanted to give a fresh and insightful answer, he said, "My biggest advantage is my familiarity with the overseas environment. I am the only one among everyone who has long-term experience living abroad."

But Cameron Spielberg left him speechless with a single question: "The fact is that we are competing in the wilderness, so how does your survival experience abroad help in this environment? I mean, I can understand that you are more familiar with foreign cultures, but we are isolated from society."

At this point, Li Younan had almost completely demonstrated his overwhelming dominance in the interview.

Although Cameron Spielberg did not announce the results on the spot, the other competitors basically understood that the final winner was definitely Li Younan.

After the interview, Li Younan indeed received an email and a contract from the program team. After signing the contract, he could receive the 100 million yuan reward promised by Douyin, but it would only take effect after he completed at least 30 days of challenges.

Lee You-nan successfully passed the interview and became the only contestant from all of Asia to participate in this season's wilderness survival program.

As the main driving force behind the show's success, Douyin naturally acquired the exclusive rights to the program. As one of the most influential video platforms in China, Douyin played an incredible role in promoting the show.

When a Chinese face appeared on the show, the resulting chemistry made Lee You-nan an instant sensation.

Li Younan, who successfully qualified for the competition, only has a few days to prepare before he needs to arrive at the training center in Canada to participate in the program's wilderness survival training.

(End of this chapter)