From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I quickly weighed the pros and cons in my mind, cutting off all possible escape routes one by one.

After a moment, I looked up at everyone and said, word by word:

"Tomorrow morning, lend me that satellite phone. Even if I'm all alone with just this car, I'll grit my teeth and keep going down this road in the middle of nowhere."

"Are you crazy?!"

A-Qiu stood up abruptly, his usually smiling face now filled with shock, his voice rising several octaves in excitement.

"Rushing alone into the Qiangtang no-man's-land on a bicycle, what's the difference between that and throwing your life away?! Are you out of your mind?"

Su Qing also hurriedly stepped forward, her eyes filled with anxiety as she stared at me.

"That's right, Lin Ye! Wake up! It's not worth risking your life on an adventure with almost zero chance of success!"

Luo Peng quickly followed up, urging, "Brother Lin, don't be so stubborn, okay? Even the most experienced Brother Wang is advising you to give up. Just be rational this once!"

I slowly scanned everyone surrounding me, and every face was filled with worry.

I knew in my heart that they were all trying to persuade me for my safety.

but!

My mind is made up.

My gaze slowly swept across the faces of everyone present, and I spoke in a deep voice:

"I know better than anyone how terrifying the risks are going in. But all of you have a way out, except me... I don't. You can turn around and give up at any time, but I can't."

"There's no need for you to waste your breath trying to persuade me anymore. In this team, I'm the only one who can't afford to lose, and I have no way back. So this is the path I must take."

Seeing this, Brother Wang stepped forward, reached out, and gently pressed down on my shoulder.

They forcefully pressed me back onto the stone bench, gesturing for me to calm down.

He bent down, his deep, resonant voice ringing in my ears.

"Lin Ye, listen to my advice. If you're just afraid of losing this hard-won opportunity, there's absolutely no need for that. You're still young, and countless opportunities await you in the future. Gambling your life on this one chance is the most foolish choice you could make."

"The reason why no man's land is called a forbidden zone for life is because it contains countless deadly risks beyond human control. If anyone could easily cross it, it would not deserve this name."

Sometimes, learning to let go is a rare kind of wisdom!

This is definitely the longest sentence Wang Ge has ever said in one go since I met him.

Unfortunately, even the best medicine can't persuade someone who's given up.

At this moment, I had already made up my mind to take the gamble.

Even if there's an abyss ahead, I want to walk that path myself.

I remained silent for a long time, then forced a bitter smile and looked up at Brother Wang.

"I understand the reasons you're giving. But there's this hurdle in my heart that I just can't convince myself of. Call me stubborn or obstinate if you want. In short, I'm going to the no-man's-land."

"If something untoward happens to us in the wilderness, it's the fate I chose. I will not blame anyone present."

"For someone like me, with an ordinary background and no one to rely on, the chances of turning my life around are already incredibly rare. If I let this opportunity slip by, I'll most likely never encounter another one like it!"

After listening, Wang Ge's lips moved, but in the end he didn't say anything and fell into a long silence.

I took out the cigarette case from my pocket, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it.

The smoke rose slowly, and I took a deep breath and let out a bitter laugh.

"What I'm about to say might offend some of you, so please don't take it to heart."

"After spending this time together, I've learned a bit about the family background of everyone in the team."

"Brother Wang, don't let your small outdoor gear shop fool you. Your parents are in management positions at a state-owned enterprise, and your relatives are all wealthy and influential. You have absolutely no pressure to survive, and for you, trekking through the no-man's-land is just a hobby you do on a whim. But I'm different. I can't afford to lose."

"And then there's Qiu, a graduate of a prestigious medical school, who became an associate chief physician at a top-tier hospital at such a young age. Your future is bright."

"Let's not even talk about Su Qing and Su Wan, the two sisters. Qidian is a ceiling that many people can never reach in their entire lives."

"Luo Peng, although at first I thought you were just an ordinary person struggling at the bottom like me. But if I remember correctly, your father is a construction contractor, and he left you a storefront in your hometown county to collect rent. That's your fallback plan."

I paused for a moment, let out a long sigh, and then gave a self-deprecating smile.

"I'm not saying this because I hate anyone, and I'm certainly not against the rich. I just want you to understand a harsh reality. The world we've seen since childhood is completely different."

"So, if you want to give up, I won't stop you. Similarly, please don't stop me from pursuing my choice."

"Tomorrow morning, we'll go our separate ways in Lhasa."

After saying this, I took a deep breath, turned around, and walked straight out of the guesthouse courtyard.

Wang Ge remained seated on the stone bench behind me, silently watching my departing figure.

Unless a miracle happens now, parting ways tomorrow is a foregone conclusion.

Sure enough, no one got up and called out to me from behind, nor did anyone chase after me to try and dissuade me.

Su Qing chased after me, and without even turning around, I could guess that she was planning to come and persuade me again.

Before she could speak, I turned my head and interrupted her.

"If you chased after me just to persuade me to give up, then don't say anything more."

Su Qing sighed softly, her voice low and tinged with helplessness.

"You've already said all that, how can I possibly persuade you otherwise?"

"Then don't try to persuade me anymore, my mind is made up."

Su Qing looked up at me, her clear eyes fixed on my face, her tone filled with disappointment.

"Why are you so stubborn? When you're rushing forward with all your might, can't you spare a little thought and think about your mother?"

Upon hearing the word "Mom," I froze on the spot, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

The person I worry about most in the world is my mother.

But it was precisely the heavy burden on my mother's shoulders that forced me to take a gamble.

To cure his mother, the subsequent long-term treatment and surgery will require a continuous stream of huge medical expenses.

If it weren't for this attachment, I might have gritted my teeth and given up on this time travel.

I am not a reckless person who is born to risk his life.

I took a deep drag on my cigarette, and a bitter smile appeared on my lips.

"I'm not trying to exaggerate the suffering, but it was precisely my mother's illness that forced me to take this risky path."

"So what if we're short of money? At worst, I'll ask my parents for a loan to help Auntie get through this difficult time with her medical treatment, okay?"