From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

When I woke up, it was already dawn.

Luo Peng got up earlier than me and was washing up in the bathroom.

My head feels heavy, not from altitude sickness, but from the dream I had last night.

The dream was just a fleeting moment, but it felt like I had actually lived through several whole years in it.

I lay in bed replaying the scenes from my dream, feeling an indescribable strangeness in my heart.

The human brain is truly amazing; so many complex images and experiences are compressed into a single dream.

In his dream, he enjoyed boundless glory, fame, and fortune, and his revenge was also fulfilled.

But I know very well that the person in my dream who spends money like water is not the real me at all.

Even if I do turn my life around after this trip to the no-man's-land, I will never live a life of extravagance.

Even so, I can't help but have random thoughts in my mind.

If I actually manage to walk out alive, what will my life be like?

At least, I won't have to worry about rent anymore, and I won't be overwhelmed by reality. That should be achievable.

Just then, Luo Peng came out of the restroom.

His nostrils were red, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was pressing one side of his nose with one hand.

When he saw that I was awake, he greeted me in a muffled voice.

"Good morning, Brother Lin."

I stared at him, my heart tightening: "What's wrong with you?"

"I suddenly got a nosebleed; I guess the air here is too dry."

Now that I'm on a high plateau, even the slightest physical abnormality makes me very nervous; a nosebleed is no small matter.

"Is it bad? Has it stopped?"

"It's okay, it's stopped flowing." Luo Peng waved his hand.

My brow furrowed even more: "We've walked through places at altitudes of over 5,000 meters without any problems, so why are we getting nosebleeds here?"

I don't understand either.

Hearing him say that made me even more worried and afraid.

My heart sank slightly, and I immediately said, "Once we get to Shuanghu County, I will definitely go to the hospital for a check-up."

Luo Peng's face immediately fell, and he said in a panic, "No way, Brother Lin, don't scare me. It's probably just dryness and internal heat."

"It's better to be safe than sorry. Let's all be at ease if they investigate."

Luo Peng sighed and could only nod in agreement helplessly.

I got up, quickly washed up, and went downstairs to meet up with Su Wan.

She was still dressed in the same neat outfit as yesterday, with a mask and hat covering most of her face.

Without a close inspection, it's almost impossible to tell the gender.

As we checked out, we realized there were no proper breakfast shops in the town, so we had to make do with a few packs of biscuits and a few cartons of milk from the convenience store.

After a quick breakfast, the convoy continued its westward journey.

Today's journey was much more difficult than yesterday's, with extremely bad weather, raining and hailing intermittently.

As we crossed the mountain pass, snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

Rain and snow came in turn, making the roads muddy and slippery, and driving along the way was nerve-wracking.

We gritted our teeth and kept going, finally arriving at the next town before nightfall.

The closer you get to the Qiangtang region, the harsher the conditions become.

The hotel couldn't even provide hot water, and there were no restaurants in town.

Fortunately, the hotel owner was kind-hearted and invited the three of us to have dinner with him.

There were only three of us guests in the entire hotel.

When the boss heard that we planned to cross the no-man's-land, he gave us a thumbs up.

It was only during our casual conversation over dinner that I learned that in earlier years, there were quite a few convoys venturing into the no-man's-land, and I could see one or two every month. Back then, his shop did very well.

However, with strict controls in recent years, crossing the border without permission is illegal and it is difficult to obtain a permit.

Fewer people came, and his business became quiet as well.

I took the opportunity to ask him about the chances of surviving a self-driving trip through an uninhabited area.

The boss grinned, his accent was so heavy that it took me a lot of effort to understand what he was saying.

"I can't guarantee anything; it depends on how well you're prepared. Even if you can't make it out, if you're well-prepared, you can still call for a rescue team."

He paused, then added:

"But rescue teams aren't charities; their prices are outrageously high. A few months ago, a group of people got trapped and called for help, and each person was charged over 20,000 yuan."

We seized the opportunity and asked the local boss for a lot of useful information.

For example, regarding climate change and how to deal with wolf packs, his knowledge, as a native of the area, is far more reliable than any online guide.

For the next two days, we maintained a steady pace.

No major accidents occurred along the way, and the three off-road vehicles were in stable condition.

On the afternoon of the third day, the convoy finally entered Shuanghu County.

As soon as I stepped into this place, a heavy pressure hit me.

Although it's also in Tibet, the feeling here is completely different.

If the area around Lhasa was still somewhat manageable, then my first impression of Shuanghu was simply one of cruelty.

Locals say that even in the summer months of May and June, the temperature here can drop to minus ten degrees Celsius, let alone now that it's already autumn.

If the county town is already this cold, it's hard to imagine what a hellish scene it would be if one actually stepped into the no-man's-land, a forbidden zone for life.

Shuanghu County is called a county seat, but its size is not even comparable to that of a developed township in the interior.

The accommodations were basic, but compared to where we stayed the previous two nights, it was a significant improvement.

The room does not have a private bathroom; you have to go to the public area outside to use the toilet.

This hotel was recommended to me by Brother Wang. Many convoys preparing to cross the no-man's-land choose to stay here.

The walls of the lobby are covered with flags left by various car convoys, and densely covered with messages from passersby.

Su Wan walked to the message wall and stood there lost in thought for a long time.

I walked over too, and saw lines of writing on the wall.

It is full of heroic spirit, making people's blood boil.

But I soon noticed that something was wrong with Su Wan. Her gaze was fixed on a certain spot on the wall, and her eyes held a complex mix of emotions.

A thought flashed through my mind: could it be the handwriting left by her college boyfriend?

I looked in the direction she was looking, but there were too many words on the wall, and I couldn't tell which line belonged to which person.

"What are you looking at? Is it a message he left?" I asked.

Su Wan nodded slightly, raised her hand, and pointed to a spot on the wall with her fingertips.

Following Su Wan's slender fingertips, my gaze settled on the faded writing on the wall.

The entire message wall is densely covered with signatures and quotes left by past cross-country teams. Most of the handwriting is messy and flamboyant, full of youthful arrogance.

Only this line has neat and elegant handwriting.

Even after five years, exposed to wind and sun, it is still clearly discernible.

The ten simple characters above read: "Crossing the Qiangtang Plateau, living up to the mountains and seas, living up to old friends."

The date on the cover was clearly five years ago, in the summer.

Su Wan, standing beside him, froze on the spot, her gaze fixed on the words, unwavering for a moment.

His usual composure and calmness had completely vanished at this moment.

His usually cool brows furrowed tightly, and his eyes churned with an extremely complex mix of emotions.

Nostalgia, resentment, and the bitterness and regret that had been building up for five years.