From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

The beautiful scenery before me is the purest and most breathtaking pristine natural landscape I have ever seen on my journey.

As we traveled along, freshwater reserves became scarce, and I had originally planned to use nearby lake water to replenish our water supply.

But when I tasted it, I realized it was actually a saltwater lake.

This is the harsh, uninhabited high-altitude region.

What appears to be the most healing and beautiful scenery in your eyes may turn into a deadly trap.

Beneath the gentle exterior lies a hidden murderous intent.

I had no choice but to give up on fetching water and turn back to the camp.

As soon as they returned to the camp, they saw Luo Peng carrying a plump wild rabbit!

I froze for a moment, then quickly stepped forward, staring at the rabbit, and asked incredulously:

"Am I seeing things? You managed to catch a rabbit in this freezing weather? Where did you get it?"

Luo Peng grabbed the rabbit by the ear and gently shook it in front of me, a smug smile on his face.

"How about it? I told you we'd get fresh meat! Tonight, you and Sister Wan will have a good meal and eat your fill of meat!"

I'm really excited.

We've been in the no-man's-land for over a week now, and we've been making do with compressed biscuits and dried meat every day. Our mouths are practically tasteless.

In this desolate glacier, being able to eat a bite of fresh roasted meat is like celebrating the New Year!

But I still couldn't help but ask, "In this desolate snowy glacier, there's nowhere for rabbits to hide. Where did you catch it?"

Luo Peng chuckled and began to boast smugly, "I happened to see it when I went to the restroom during our rest stop."

As he spoke, he patted his pocket with a smug look on his face: "I happen to always carry a slingshot in my pocket, so today I'll show you what it means to be the slingshot prince of the wasteland!"

I immediately gave him a thumbs up and said, "You're awesome! You're my brother today!"

"Stop praising us, get to work and get it done, bake it!" Luo Peng urged with a smile.

The three of them immediately and tacitly divided the work, each performing their respective duties.

Luo Peng, with his skillful hands, squatted down and quickly processed the wild rabbit.

I was in charge of starting the fire and putting the stove to use, while Su Wan stood high on the ice cliff, vigilantly checking for potential hazards around her.

The snowfield was barren, a vast expanse of white where not a single withered branch could be found.

Fortunately, I had anticipated this and knew that firewood would be scarce in the heart of the glacier. I had stocked up on a lot of dry firewood in the car when I had plenty of time on the road, and it came in handy.

The high altitude, with its low temperatures and strong winds, makes starting a fire far more difficult than on flat ground.

It took me a long time to finally get a fire going.

By this time, Luo Peng had already cleaned the wild rabbit, skewered it on sturdy dry branches, and started roasting it.

The sizzling sound of charcoal grilling over the meat filled the air, and the rich aroma of meat instantly permeated the air, whetting my taste buds and making my mouth water.

Just as we were waiting to enjoy this delicacy from a desperate situation, Su Wan, who had been calm and vigilant the whole time, suddenly said with a hint of seriousness:

"The smell of the barbecue is so strong; in this open wilderness, the smell must travel very far... Do you think it might attract the wolves from the neighborhood?"

As soon as Su Wan finished speaking, Luo Peng abruptly stopped.

The smile on his face vanished instantly. He stopped turning the skewers in his hands and abruptly looked up.

His eyes quickly and warily scanned the surrounding snowfield, and his whole body tensed up instantly.

The wind howled across the desolate wilderness, snowflakes danced in the air, and the silence was eerily profound.

Seeing this, I confidently reassured them, "Don't worry, there's no need to be nervous. There won't be any wild animals around here."

Luo Peng frowned and turned to look at me, his eyes full of doubt: "Brother Lin, how can you be so sure?"

I smiled faintly and said clearly, "We drove over fifty kilometers deep into the glacier. Did you see any water sources along the way?"

"No wild animal can live without water. Without drinking water, they would never settle in this area."

As soon as I finished speaking, Luo Peng immediately pointed to the emerald green lake not far away and said with a hint of helplessness:

"Brother Lin, don't try to fool me! That lake is huge; it could easily support an entire zoo, let alone a few wolves!"

Because I was the only one who went to the lake, they didn't know it was a saltwater lake.

I smiled and shook my head, saying, "I went over there to try it just now; it's a saltwater lake, completely undrinkable."

"Salted water?" Luo Peng was taken aback for a moment before letting out a sigh of relief.

He picked up the skewers again and continued to slowly turn them over the charcoal fire, his wariness largely gone.

Even if the risk of attracting wild animals by the water source is eliminated, this is still a dangerous and uninhabited area, and we cannot be careless.

None of the three of us completely let our guard down; we remained highly vigilant, keeping an eye on any movement in the surrounding snowstorm.

I suggested, "Let's eat in the car after the meat is grilled. The smell of barbecue outdoors travels too far; let's try to avoid attracting attention if we can."

"no problem."

Su Wan and Luo Peng immediately nodded in agreement, while remaining alert to their surroundings.

The charcoal crackled and burned, and the wild rabbit slowly changed color under the high temperature, its oil seeping out and dripping onto the charcoal, sparking tiny sparks.

We took out chili powder and seasoning salt, and sprinkled them evenly on the golden surface of the rabbit meat.

The spicy aroma of the seasonings combined with the meaty fragrance exploded instantly, and the rich aroma rushed straight into the nose.

The wild rabbit, roasted to a golden brown and crispy perfection, is so appetizing that just looking at it makes your mouth water.

All three of us stared intently at the skewers, unable to look away.

Even Su Wan, who is usually aloof and indifferent, stared intently at the hard-won hot meal.

We endured far too long traveling through uninhabited areas.

I'm so tired of eating compressed biscuits, dried meat jerky, or instant noodles every day.

The intense travel and several life-or-death crises have greatly depleted our physical strength, making our bodies extremely in need of high-quality protein to replenish our energy.

The average altitude here is over 4,000 meters, and the air is thin. Even just driving quietly will cause your heart rate to spike.

Not to mention the extremely physically demanding tasks such as rescuing vehicles stuck in the snow, fighting off robbers, and scouting for a way through the snow.

These past few days, we've only managed to get through it all thanks to our indomitable willpower.

Once the rabbit meat was cooked, we immediately returned to the car.

The car doors were closed, shutting out the howling wind and snow and the biting cold outside, leaving only a few windows slightly ajar for ventilation.

The cramped carriage instantly isolated the unknown dangers of the wilderness, providing a strong sense of security.

Su Wan moved swiftly, tearing the whole roasted rabbit into even pieces and neatly placing them into a large bowl. She then took out a few thin pancakes from the supplies to serve as a main dish.

Hot meat with flatbread is a top-notch feast in this desolate glacier.

Just as we were about to pick up our chopsticks and start eating, Luo Peng suddenly raised his hand and stopped us, saying, "Wait! Don't eat yet!"

Su Wan and I both paused at the same time, turning to look at him with puzzled expressions.