From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I hesitated for a moment, then looked up at the two of them and said firmly:

"We have no other way out now, we can only take a gamble. This is the only chance we can make up for the seven-day food shortage. If we arrive at the station with nothing, we will assess the situation on the spot and find a safe place to turn back."

Before he could finish speaking, Luo Peng immediately objected, "Brother Lin, don't take this risk for me! A hundred kilometers in the no-man's-land is nothing; it would take at least two days to cover that. Taking this extra detour will consume already scarce supplies, it's just not worth it!"

He stepped forward and continued to persuade them, "What if we spend two days rushing there only to find the research station empty? That would be a complete waste of time and food!"

It must be admitted that Luo Peng was telling the truth.

If we disregard him, with just the supplies in my two trucks and Su Wan's truck, completing the originally planned 21-day route would be no problem at all.

However, if they were to forcibly take a detour of more than 100 kilometers, plus the fact that all three of them would consume supplies at the same time.

The already strained food reserves will completely collapse, leaving them stranded in the wilderness in the end.

Su Wan also fell silent. I knew she was meticulous and had already calculated this life-or-death situation.

If we turn back, our arduous plan to traverse the no-man's-land will be a complete failure.

As for Luo Peng, he will most likely be trapped in the guilt of this mistake for the rest of his life, never able to let go.

You can force your way through the main storyline, but the ending will be equally dangerous.

They endured hunger and cold with very little food, the road ahead was unknown and unpredictable, and there were also villains who wanted to steal food from behind.

Every step is teetering on the edge of life and death; the slightest misstep could lead to utter destruction.

The biting wind whipped against my face, making my already throbbing head ache even more.

The psychological pressure compounded by altitude sickness felt like a tight lump in my throat, making it hard to breathe.

After a long silence, Luo Peng slowly raised his head.

The regret in his eyes was slowly fading, replaced by a ruthless determination to burn his bridges.

I took a deep breath of the icy, bone-chilling air, looked solemnly at Luo Peng, and said firmly:

"Luo Peng, remember this well. From the moment we set off from Lhasa, we have been a complete team. This trek through the no-man's-land means either the three of us will make it out alive together, or we will all stop here together. There is no such thing as one person falling behind."

"Stop overthinking and trying to shift the blame. I'm the leader of this team, so everything here is under my command."

After saying that, I turned to Su Wan, who had remained calm and composed throughout, and asked, "Su Wan, do you have any objections?"

Su Wan remained calm, gently shaking her head without uttering a single unnecessary question.

I looked at Luo Peng again, waiting for his final decision.

Luo Peng's face was extremely solemn, filled with entanglement and guilt, and he was clearly struggling intensely inside.

After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and nodded forcefully, saying, "Okay! Brother Lin, I'll listen to you!"

"This mistake was my fault, and I should take full responsibility! From now on, I'll take on all the dirty and hard work! I'll keep watch tonight and absolutely won't give anyone lurking in the shadows any chance to attack again!"

"If the research station ultimately yields nothing, we'll decisively return. Even if the plan fails, at least I've given it my all, which is better than giving up in disgrace and living with guilt for the rest of my life!"

Seeing Luo Peng regain his spirits and shoulder his responsibilities, my anxiety finally eased a little.

In my opinion, we are a team, and no one can be missing.

Without further hesitation, I decisively said, "It's settled then! Immediately reorganize all supplies!"

"All food, water, and emergency rations will be collected, locked, and sealed in my vehicle. From now on, I will distribute meals in fixed quantities to prevent any unauthorized consumption or waste!"

"Furthermore, let me reiterate the ironclad rule! When parking and camping at night, all vehicles must have all doors and windows locked from the inside. No matter how tired you are, forgetting to lock your car is absolutely unacceptable!"

Without further ado, the three immediately set to work, cleaning up the mess in the carriage and putting away the equipment and supplies.

Luo Peng worked tirelessly throughout the entire process, putting in more effort than anyone else, as if he wanted to use all his energy to offset the guilt in his heart.

On the barren plain, fine white snow was still falling sporadically.

The entire landscape was a deathly white, devoid of any sign of life, so still and desolate that it was unsettling.

I took out my phone, but the screen showed no signal at all; the entire no-man's-land was completely isolated from the world.

The promise I made to Su Qing before setting off, her gentle words of advice over the phone, the pendant gently swaying on the center console—all these scenes flashed through my mind.

At this moment, danger lurks everywhere, food is scarce, and villains are lurking in the shadows.

For the first time, I wasn't entirely confident about whether I could make it out alive.

Half an hour later, all the equipment was put back in its proper place.

The three vehicles restarted, their engines roaring and breaking the deathly silence of the snowfield.

We officially deviated from our original crossing route, turned the car around, and sped towards the unknown abandoned research station to the east.

I'm gambling that Wang Ge's old map wasn't wrong, and that the long-abandoned research station might give us a glimmer of hope.

If we lose this gamble, our plan to traverse the no-man's-land will be a complete failure, and everyone will be forced to turn back.

But life is a gamble with no end in sight, just like when I resolutely chose to step into this forbidden zone, it was a gamble too!

The wheels rolled over the thin layer of snow, leaving two deep ruts.

The temporary camp behind us was quickly left behind, getting farther and farther away.

I glanced at the rearview mirror every now and then, gazing into the depths of the snow-covered plains shrouded in wind and snow.

A chill ran through me for no reason; I felt as if a pair of cold eyes were watching us from afar, hidden beneath the swirling snow.

Looking into the distance, the sky and earth are all white, stretching to the horizon.

There were no plants, no living creatures, only undulating barren slopes and frozen soil.

The deathly silence, the cold, the desolation—it all weighed heavily on one's heart, making one feel uneasy.

Throughout the entire morning of his journey, Luo Peng completely regarded himself as someone who was atoning for his sins, and dared not relax for a moment.

During our short rest, he would lean over the side of the car, carefully inspecting the tire treads, clearing the snow and gravel stuck in the chassis, and tightening the loose screws caused by the bumpy ride.

The temperature was below minus twenty degrees Celsius, and his hands were frozen red, but he worked hard without uttering a single complaint.

Watching him busy himself, I felt particularly uneasy.

It was indeed his oversight that caused this, but ultimately it was the cunning and treacherous villains lurking in the shadows who deliberately followed and attacked him.

Last night, everyone was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Under extreme fatigue and pressure, anyone would inevitably make mistakes and might not have done as well as him.

Luo Peng is usually carefree and easygoing, and seems the most unreliable person.

But when faced with a real crisis, his sense of responsibility and resilience far surpass those of ordinary people.

The road, stretching for over 100 kilometers, was full of potholes and gravel, making one's internal organs churn and ache.

The entire morning's drive, over a hundred kilometers of washboard road, was so bumpy it made my internal organs ache.

Only Luo Peng continued to persevere without uttering a single complaint.

The blizzard that had been raging all morning finally stopped around noon.

The pale sun hung high in the sky above the wasteland, bright and dazzling, but without a trace of warmth.

The biting cold wind continued to howl, chilling you to the bone.

I glanced at the vehicle's time and mileage, immediately picked up the walkie-talkie, and said:

"Stop for a rest, have a quick meal and replenish your supplies, rest for half an hour, and then set off again."

The three cars slowed down in turn, and the roar of their engines completely dissipated.

The entire wasteland once again fell into a boundless, cold silence.