From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I sighed inwardly, and had to admit that although his price was high, it was indeed reasonable.

Ordinary tour guides earn their money through hard work, but tour guides in remote areas earn their money by risking their lives.

The lives of everyone on the entire route were in his hands.

Ten thousand a day seems outrageous, but upon closer inspection, it's not an exorbitant price.

However, this price is a bit beyond my budget.

I looked dejected, mumbled a reply, and said nothing more.

He seemed to sense my predicament, casually tidied up the tools beside him, and said in a calm tone:

"If you're under too much pressure and your budget isn't enough, please leave. Don't force yourself. I have something to do later and need to go out."

I quickly looked up, clinging to the last shred of hope, and said, "Let me think about it carefully. Could I leave you my contact information? I'll contact you as soon as I've made up my mind."

Without looking up, he shook his head and said, "I don't use a cell phone. If you've made up your mind, just come to the store to find me. I'm usually here."

I quickly and politely asked, "May I ask your surname? That way I can address you properly in the future."

"Just call me Awang."

He remained as sparing with words as ever, finding it troublesome to say even a single extra word.

Seeing that he had no intention of chatting any longer, I didn't want to make a fool of myself, so I nodded, turned around, and walked out of the shop.

Su Qing was leaning against the car door, holding an ice pop in her hand and slowly licking it.

Seeing me walk out dejectedly, he immediately sneered, "Look at you, all droopy. The talks fell apart, didn't they? I told you not to waste your time, but you wouldn't listen."

I took out my cigarette case, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then spoke in a low voice:

"The negotiations didn't fall apart, it's just that the price he quoted was beyond my budget."

Su Qing licked her popsicle and asked, "How much did he quote?"

"Ten thousand a day."

"What?!"

Su Qing's eyes widened instantly, and she exclaimed in disbelief, "Ten thousand a day? He's practically robbing people! That's outrageous!"

I sighed softly and said, "It should be a normal price. After all, it's a no-man's-land, a place where you risk your life. We're a bunch of complete novices, our lives are in his hands. If the price is too low, who would be willing to take such a fatal risk?"

"How long will this trip take?" Su Qing asked again.

"We are all novices, so we are moving slowly. We also need to allow time for emergency evacuation, which will take at least a month and a half. We also need to stop in the mountains to do charity live broadcasts, so it will take us almost two months in total."

Su Qing's eyes widened instantly, and she couldn't help but swear: "My god! That's 600,000! After deducting that labor cost, you risked your life to make that trip, and you're not even making a penny!"

After saying that, she immediately waved her hand: "Forget it, listen to me, let's give up! This is just too much trouble and not worth it."

I felt a mix of emotions; I had indeed oversimplified the matter.

I originally thought that the client would cover all the supplies and vehicles, and I would make a million in start-up capital.

As a result, the guide fee alone ate up most of my earnings.

Giving up would be unacceptable.

I won't give up, but the huge shortfall of 600,000 is suffocating me.

Su Qing seemed to sense my hesitation and immediately said, "If you're really determined to go, why not ask other people? There are so many online guides; you can always find one with a lower price and better value. There's no need to stick to this weirdo."

As she spoke, she glanced back at the small outdoor shop and muttered to herself:

"Moreover, this person is cold and stubborn, and not easy to get along with at all. If you really let him be your guide, you'll have a hard time along the way."

I shook my head and said calmly, "You don't understand. Truly capable people are always different from others. Those who are enthusiastic, smooth-talking, and full of boasting are mostly just empty shells."

Su Qing immediately rolled her eyes at me and retorted without holding back, "Different from others? I think it's just a personality flaw!"

I didn't reply. I took out my phone, opened a webpage, and frantically searched for the rates of experienced guides in the no-man's-land.

Online prices vary widely, ranging from fixed-price packages to daily rates, with significant fluctuations that can be overwhelming.

Most importantly, with the internet separating us, I simply can't tell who the real experts are and who are just attention-seeking scammers.

Ah Wang, though eccentric, gave me a strange sense of trust.

It was a deep, seasoned intuition between men; he was the only one who could truly lead us newbies out of the no-man's-land.

Just as I was thinking about these things, I suddenly received a private message on the short video platform.

When I clicked on it, it was the same netizen who recommended Awang to me last night.

"Did you go see Brother Wang? Is he willing to take your job?"

I immediately replied, "I've already looked, and they're willing to take the job, but their quote is too high, far exceeding my budget. Do you have any other reliable guides you'd recommend?"

After the message was sent, he quickly replied: "Brother, to be honest with you, since you trust me, I won't rip you off. Other directors either don't dare to take jobs from complete novices, or their prices will definitely not be lower than Brother Wang's."

I frowned slightly and typed back, "Are you so sure?"

He sent a smiley face and said, "Of course, because I was his former teammate. Do you really think that crossing no man's land can be led by just any guide? Without a mature team and emergency teammates, who would dare to lead a group of inexperienced newbies to their deaths? This mission of yours requires teamwork, not just one guide."

It seems I really did oversimplify this matter.

Before I could reply, another message popped up:

"I'm recommending Brother Wang not to make money off you. We old-timers just enjoy time travel and have long since given up on making money from it. I can recommend two more well-known online influencers in the industry. You can ask about their prices, compare them, and see who's more reliable. Just choose for yourself."

He then sent two homepage links.

When I clicked in, I saw that these two accounts were incredibly professionally made.

The introduction is full of flowery language, claiming that the person has been traversing various uninhabited areas for many years, is proficient in emergency response to all kinds of extreme terrains, holds various outdoor professional certificates, and has an impressive resume.

The video content was also very well made, and it received many likes and comments.

It looks incredibly reliable, a stark contrast to Awang's deserted and dilapidated homepage—it's like comparing heaven and earth.

Without hesitation, I immediately sent private messages to both of them:

"Hello, we're inquiring about a full trek through the Qiangtang uninhabited area. We're a complete beginner team. What would the total cost be?"

Not long after, one of them took the initiative to reply and asked me to add them on WeChat to discuss the details.

After I added them as a friend, they were very professional, asking about the number of people, outdoor experience, vehicle configuration, and supplies, covering all aspects.

I did not hide anything and truthfully told everyone that we all had zero experience and were complete novices.

Three minutes later, the other party sent the final quote.

"For your situation, our quote is 16,000 per day, and you will be responsible for all travel expenses."

Upon seeing this reply, my pupils suddenly contracted.

It's 60% higher than Awang's offer!

I then clicked on another recommended online influencer guide and, as before, explained my situation and inquired about the price.

This time, however, the other party was decisive and refused to accept the order directly.

"Don't bring a team of complete novices. The no-man's-land is not a playground. Newbies going in is just suicide. There's no need to gamble with your life."