From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I don't know how long we waited, but Wang Ge suddenly called out to me, "Lin Ye, look ahead."

I lifted my heavy head and looked in the direction his chin indicated.

At the end of the hazy, gray-white snow mist, a long, darker strip of snow stretched out, winding downwards along the mountain ridge.

It was a gentle slope, much flatter than the steep slope with its jagged rocks beneath our feet.

What's even more captivating is that as you move downwards, the snow thins considerably, revealing the bare pebbles and the indistinct outlines of low shrubs.

"Check the location with a map," Wang Ge immediately said.

I eased the pressure of my backpack a little and reached out to pull out the map.

Wang Ge slowly squatted down and carefully put the sheep off his back, letting her rest against the rock.

We huddled together, repeatedly comparing the mountain's contours with the contour lines marked on the map.

After checking, Wang Ge squinted at the gentle slope, his voice much more relaxed:

"That's the mouth of the valley leading out of the mountains. The altitude drops quickly down there, the snow is thin, and the road will be much easier to travel."

My heart skipped a beat, and just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, I suddenly felt a chill on the back of my neck.

Looking up, the snowflakes that had been drifting down suddenly became larger, and large flakes of snowflakes began to fall.

The wind suddenly picked up, whipping up the loose snow on the ground and sweeping it across the slope, blurring the view into a white expanse in an instant.

Wang Ge glanced up at the rapidly gathering dark clouds overhead, his brows furrowing deeply. He cursed in a low voice, "Damn it! Another blizzard is coming."

Without the slightest hesitation, he quickly scanned the surroundings and looked at a huge solitary rock to his right.

"Let's go over there and get out of the snowstorm!"

We quickened our pace and hurried toward the rocks.

Wang Ge was carrying the sheep on his back, but the load was too heavy, so he couldn't go fast.

He told me to go first and follow his footprints to clear the way for him.

I didn't delay any longer and gritted my teeth as I moved toward that dark, heavy rock.

After finally reaching the side of the rock, there was a shallow, naturally recessed depression.

The space wasn't large, far smaller than the previous cave, but at least it could block the strong winds blowing in our faces.

I took off my heavy backpack and leaned it against the rock wall, then went back to meet them.

First, take off the backpack that Wang Ge is hanging in front of him to lighten his burden, so that he can only carry the sheep.

The three people squeezed into the narrow stone cavity.

Wang Ge slowly untied Yangyang from his back, helped her sit against the rock wall, and wrapped her tightly in layers of thermal blankets, leaving only her mouth and nose open to breathe.

The snow fell harder and harder, and chunks of snow pounded against the top of the rocks with a loud crackling sound, making people's ears ring.

The sky darkened very quickly; it was only three or four o'clock in the afternoon, but the light was already as deep as dusk.

Once Wang Ge's breathing calmed down a bit, he rummaged through his bag and pulled out the last two cans of food, along with a small bundle of firewood.

There was too little firewood, just enough to build a small fire, not enough to boil water, and barely enough to generate a little steam.

He handed me a can of food, opened another one for himself, and slowly ate it with a spoon.

The cold canned meat had a strong fishy smell, and the meat was tough and dry; I wouldn't normally be able to swallow it.

But here, every bite is a life-saving dose of energy.

Sheep leaned against the inside of the rock wall, staring at us quietly with its eyes open.

Her lips moved slightly, her voice so soft it almost blended into the wind and snow: "You...eat, I...am not hungry."

"Eat a couple of bites. We're almost out of here. If you faint from hunger, all our hard work on this journey will have been for nothing."

The words may sound crude, but the truth is real.

Sheep understood, and with a forced opening of its mouth, it swallowed a few mouthfuls little by little. When it could no longer hold on, it gently shook its head and stopped.

The heavy snow fell for almost an hour before gradually subsiding.

But it was already completely dark, and it was simply impossible to reach the mouth of the gully today.

Wang and I whispered a few words to each other and decided to camp out for the night by this rock.

The remaining firewood must be burned sparingly.

We agreed to take turns watching the fire. Yangyang lay in the innermost, sheltered spot, with all the thermal blankets and spare clothes wrapped around her.

Sheep coughed twice more during the night, but thankfully this time there was no life-threatening cardiac arrest. However, after coughing, her breathing became even weaker.

I took the first half of the night watch, and Brother Wang took the second half.

I sat leaning against the cold rock, staring blankly at the flickering flames of the fire.

The spot on my knee throbbed with pain, and the wound under the gauze on my forehead also throbbed, a dull ache that lingered.

To be honest, before I set off for Terra, I really underestimated the place.

Based on my experience of traversing a no-man's-land, I developed a blind arrogance.

I always felt that if we could even get through the no-man's land, how difficult could the Terra Line be?

But reality slapped me hard in the face.

This is not a place for humans to come, and it's no wonder that the authorities have explicitly prohibited unauthorized crossings.

The reason for prohibiting entry into uninhabited areas is primarily to protect the wilderness, safeguard the creatures within, and preserve that pristine, untouched land.

But the ban on the Terra Line is purely because it harbors deadly dangers.

Exhaustion enveloped me like a tide.

At this moment, I miss the days down the mountain so much. I want to lie in a soft, warm bed and hold Su Qing in my arms for a peaceful sleep.

No need to listen to the wind and snow, no need to be constantly on guard against hidden pits and cliffs, no need to be on edge all the time.

Right now, the three of us are crammed into this cramped stone hollow, relying on a small, weak fire for warmth.

I saw that Brother Wang was leaning against the side with his eyes closed, resting. I thought I should let him rest a little longer, so I didn't wake him up on time.

He sat alone by the fire, staring at the flickering flames, his thoughts drifting far away.

I don't know when, but drowsiness suddenly overwhelmed me.

I was probably exhausted to the limit, so I leaned against the rock wall and fell into a deep sleep amidst the crackling of firewood.

I don't know how long I slept, but someone gently nudged my shoulder.

It was Wang Ge's voice, whispering a reminder to me:

"Lin Ye, wake up, go inside the tent and sleep."

Before dawn, the wind and snow continued to howl in the valley.

The darkness pressed down on the mountaintop like countless lurking beasts with their mouths wide open, ready to pounce and devour us at any moment.

This was probably the most difficult night we'd had since we embarked on the Terra Line.

The biting cold, the persistent lack of oxygen, the empty stomach, and the fear hanging in my heart.

It all piled up on me at once, leaving me utterly exhausted.

Fortunately, we made it through.

The sky slowly turned gray, and dawn finally broke.

The snow has stopped, and the wind has weakened considerably, but the temperature is still much lower than yesterday.

Wang Ge immediately went over to check on Yang Yang's condition.

She was not much different from last night; her complexion had not improved at all, and her breathing was still weak.

But as long as she's still breathing, that's already a blessing.

We hastily ate a couple of bites of the remaining food to fill our stomachs, packed up, and continued on our way towards the mouth of the gully.