From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I took out a cigarette, handed one to him, and lit one for myself.

As the warm steam from the tobacco filled my lungs, I smiled and offered him words of comfort.

"Brother Wang, before you came back just now, I truly experienced what despair meant. The sheep was on the verge of death, my forehead was bleeding profusely, the firewood was almost burned to ashes, and then you disappeared into the snowstorm without a trace..."

"I'm not kidding you, at that moment I felt that the three of us might all perish on this rocky slope."

"But look at you now, Yangyang is much calmer, my wound has stopped bleeding, and you've come back safe and sound, bringing back firewood and rabbits."

"So I always feel that as long as a person refuses to admit defeat, God may not be so ruthless as to completely destroy them. Just like Yangyang, if she had given up early on, she wouldn't have survived until we found her."

These aren't words I've come up with to comfort people out of thin air; they're all things I was thinking about while I was waiting.

After listening quietly, Wang Ge nodded seriously and then gave me a slight smile.

"Lin Ye, do you know that you have a rare quality that most people don't possess?

I laughed along: "You're not trying to say I'm optimistic, are you?"

Wang Ge shook his head, his eyes serious: "There are plenty of optimistic people out there, but you have something else about you. I'm not good with words, I can't really describe it, but it's that feeling—no matter what situation you're in, you always seem to find a way forward. Do you understand what I mean?"

To be honest, I didn't quite grasp what he was trying to express at first, but I understood the sense of approval he conveyed.

I replied softly, "To be honest, Brother Wang, without you, I might not have been able to stay calm and make it this far."

Wang Ge waved his hand: "Don't be modest with me. Even without me this time, you can still find a way out, just like you did in the no-man's-land last time."

I didn't reply, I just silently smoked my cigarette.

He continued speaking, his gaze sweeping over the action camera on my chest.

"I can tell that you deliberately put me in charge of the team, leaving the spotlight to me most of the time, right?"

He paused, then raised his chin and pointed to the device on my chest: "And I know that you've been recording with this camera on the whole time."

My face suddenly felt hot, and I awkwardly tugged at the corners of my mouth. I didn't expect that he had seen through my thoughts so early on.

I quickly explained, "I turned that part off."

"I didn't think it was that complicated. I just felt that you were more suited to stand in front of the camera and walk this path than I was."

The broth in the pot was bubbling away, and the aroma of meat wafted over in waves.

The firelight fell on Wang Ge's face. He didn't reply immediately, but just looked down at the rolling chunks of meat in the pot, lost in thought.

Outside the stone hollow, the wind and snow continued unabated.

But at this moment, the oppressive, suffocating stillness had faded considerably.

In terms of real skills and professional outdoor experience, Wang Ge is far superior to me, a mediocre person, and there's no doubt about that.

The reason I'm so popular right now is simply because I caught a trend.

The last trip to the no-man's-land generated a lot of traffic, and with Su Qing helping me manage the live stream behind the scenes, I was able to retain my fans.

But popularity is something that never lasts.

I set my starting point too high; the audience has become accustomed to challenges at the level of the No Man's Land.

To maintain popularity in the future, the only option is to keep venturing into more dangerous places.

But if you think about it carefully, what route could be more hardcore than the no-man's-land?

Sooner or later, the data usage will drop.

Rather than waiting passively for death, it's better to share some of the opportunities with Brother Wang while the account is still popular.

Promote him and make him a truly professional and hardcore outdoor blogger who speaks for himself based on his abilities.

Once he's established himself, I can gradually step back and focus on operations.

As I was pondering these things, in the brief silence, Brother Wang suddenly spoke up and asked:

"Aren't you afraid I'll refuse in the end? Then all your efforts will have been for nothing?"

I met his gaze and spoke earnestly, "To be honest, I've thought about it. And I know in my heart that this is something that's highly likely to happen. But I don't care. The fans who followed me want to see the real experience along the way, to see if we can make it out alive, not just to watch me as a person. Besides, I'm not exactly someone who attracts fans based on my looks, right?"

After hearing this, Wang Ge chuckled and didn't pursue the matter further.

His gaze slowly shifted to the sleeping sheep beside him, and his tone turned serious:

"I went out to gather firewood just now, and I kept thinking about her. Those two fake guides fell off the cliff and died, but she survived, which is incredibly lucky. She didn't have navigation or enough supplies for several days, and she just kept going with her willpower. Her body was already completely worn out."

I followed his gaze to Yangyang. She was leaning against the stone wall, quiet and still breathing with that heart-wrenching noise.

I sighed softly: "In the end, she was also misled by the hype. She was so eager to solidify her image as an outdoor guru by completing the Terra route that she blindly trusted the guides she was presented with online, and step by step she pushed herself into this desperate situation."

Wang Ge nodded, his expression solemn, and said, "There's nothing wrong with wanting to survive. She violated the rules by entering the mountains and risked her life for attention. Once she comes down alive, she'll have to accept whatever punishment she deserves. But life itself is innocent. Since we've run into her, we must save her to the very end."

The broth in the aluminum pot was still bubbling and boiling, and the aroma of meat slowly spread in the narrow stone cavity.

The wind and snow continued to howl outside, and the firelight flickered back and forth on our faces.

Hearing Wang Ge's words, I felt at ease.

I know that no matter how many difficulties we face next, he will not give up halfway.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Human beings' good and evil, merits and demerits, right and wrong, will be judged by the laws when they descend the mountain.

But on this deserted snow-capped mountain at an altitude of 4,800 meters, when faced with life and death, all other thoughts must be put aside.

After simmering for another half hour, the rabbit meat in the pot was thoroughly cooked, and the rich, hot soup was boiling and filling the entire stone pot with warmth.

Let it sit for a moment to allow the boiling broth to cool down slightly.

He took out a spoon, ladled out most of a bowl of warm meat soup, and then picked out a few pieces of the tenderest rabbit meat.

She served the dish to Yangyang first and gently patted her shoulder.

"Wake up, have some hot broth and something to eat."

Hearing the sound, she struggled to open her heavy eyelids.

Perhaps it was the aroma of meat wafting in front of her that finally made her numb nerves relax a little.

Wang Ge is a really good guy. Seeing that Yangyang didn't have the strength to eat by herself, he took the initiative to scoop up a spoonful and slowly feed it to her mouth.

Her tense body visibly relaxed, and the violent trembling subsided considerably.

One bite, two bites, three bites...

She ate very slowly, putting all her effort into each bite, but she was very cooperative.

After swallowing a few pieces of tender rabbit meat, combined with the effects of the previous medicine, her complexion visibly became rosier.

After finishing half a bowl of meat broth, she was finally able to speak more clearly:

"Thank you...to all of you..."