From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

The massive, undulating ice peaks appeared and disappeared in the gray-white morning light, their thick ice layers gleaming with a faint, eerie blue light, both cold and unsettling.

Last night's low temperatures caused a thicker layer of ice to form on the road surface, creating hidden traps everywhere.

He heard light footsteps behind him and got out of the car.

He straightened up and stretched, his bones cracking and popping, a testament to how hard he had worked that night.

He rubbed his hands together rapidly, breathed warm air onto them, and said with lingering fear:

"Last night was really close, thankfully we didn't sleep in a tent. The wolf howls were right next to my ears, I barely dared to close my eyes all night."

I sighed softly, my heart filled with lingering fear, and said in a deep voice, "I misjudged the situation. I originally thought that since there was no fresh water in this area, there wouldn't be any wild animals. Now it seems that this area is far more dangerous than we anticipated."

"It must be because the aroma of the roasted rabbit last night wafted too far and attracted the wolves here."

I nodded; there was no doubt about it.

Wild animals in uninhabited areas have an extremely keen sense of smell; even the slightest aroma of food can attract predators from kilometers away.

Just as we were talking, Su Wan got out of the car next to us.

She was wearing the windbreaker I had given her yesterday, the collar pulled up high, covering most of her neck and only revealing a section of her delicate jawline.

She hadn't slept all night, and her eyes showed a hint of weariness, but she remained calm and composed, without the slightest sign of distress or panic.

Her gaze swept across the surrounding ice surface, and she said calmly:

"Last night, the wolf pack only lingered tentatively, but it also indicates that there are large carnivores active in this area. We must be vigilant and not let our guard down on the road ahead."

Luo Peng and I both nodded, and the three of us began to wash up quickly.

I ate a few bites of compressed biscuits and drank some warm water, and that was my breakfast.

Without hot food, being able to fill one's stomach in the deserted area is already a blessing.

We quickly checked the condition of the three vehicles, verifying tire pressure, antifreeze, fuel tank, and braking system.

Low temperatures cause significant damage to vehicles, and last night's severe cold has already made many parts fragile.

"We still have enough fuel to cross the glacier, but we can't afford to waste it."

After checking the supplies list, Su Wan said to me, "According to the coordinates, the main glacier is ahead. There are dense ice crevasses and many ice floes there. Ice fog will appear in some sections, and the visibility will fluctuate."

I nodded: "I'll lead the way and scout ahead, Luo Peng, you'll bring up the rear. Report any abnormalities on the road immediately."

The three returned to their respective cars, the engines roared, and the three cars started moving in turn, slowly driving into the heart of the glacier.

The deeper you go, the more horrific the surrounding environment becomes.

The once relatively flat ice field has disappeared, and the ground is covered with raised ice mounds and huge ice rocks piled up haphazardly.

The wheels crunched and cracked on the ice, each bump making a jolt in my heart.

As the sky gradually brightened, a thin layer of icy mist began to rise in the air.

A thick white fog rose up, blurring the distant ice peaks into a blurry silhouette, and visibility continued to decrease.

"Attention, ice fog is rising ahead."

I picked up the walkie-talkie and calmly said to them, "Keep the speed below 10 km/h, don't turn the steering wheel suddenly, and gently apply the brakes."

I dared not relax for a moment, keeping my eyes fixed on the limited field of vision ahead.

Just then, a lighter-colored area suddenly appeared on the ice in front of the car.

"Lin Ye, something's not right. We can't go any further. That's a hollowed-out ice shell."

Su Wan's voice immediately came through the walkie-talkie, urgently reminding, "There's an ice ditch below; you can't just drive right over it."

I kept observing the situation ahead and kept checking the map to confirm our route and coordinates.

But they forgot to look at the road in front of them, fortunately Su Wan was watching.

She reminded me, and I suddenly came to my senses and immediately turned the steering wheel to prepare to go around.

But as soon as the car veered, the right wheel suddenly sank into a dent covered by a thin layer of ice.

"Clang!"

The car body suddenly sank, the tires slipped, and the right half of the car body sank directly down.

The tire spun rapidly and slipped, a screeching sound of friction filled the air, and half of the wheel got stuck in a gap covered by a thin layer of ice.

"Oh no!"

My heart sank, and I broke out in a cold sweat.

I slammed on the brakes, afraid to let go.

The walkie-talkie immediately crackled with Luo Peng's anxious, panicked voice: "Brother Lin! What's going on?! Are you alright over there?!"

I quickly regained my composure and calmly replied, "The right wheel is stuck in a crack in the dark ice. The ice layer is too thin and doesn't have enough load-bearing capacity. Both of you stay put and don't come near this area!"

After I finished speaking, I immediately leaned down to look down from the car window.

Then he picked up the walkie-talkie and said to them, "The ice can't support the load, so don't rev the engine. Stay where you are and don't move. I'll go find a get-out board."

As soon as the words were spoken, Su Wan's voice came through the walkie-talkie: "I'll come down and help you."

"Don't get out of the car," I immediately stopped them.

"The ice outside could collapse in large areas at any time, and every additional person increases the risk. You should stay in the vehicle."

Su Wan looked at me, her brows furrowed, and said, "It will be very difficult for you to operate the escape board by yourself."

"I'm fine, you all must stay in the car and don't come any closer."

After a pause, I said to them, "You two just need to keep an eye on the changes in the ice around us. If you see any cracks in the ice, remind me immediately."

This is not special treatment, but simply an objective risk assessment.

The more people exposed to danger, the more unpredictable things become.

I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the car door.

A biting icy mist rushed towards me, and the chill seeped into my collar.

He took the traction board out of the trunk, squatted down next to the wheels, and carefully observed the ice surface around him.

The ice beneath our feet made a faint crunching sound, which sent a chill down our spines.

I carefully placed the traction board under the slipping wheels, trying to avoid the seemingly loose ice.

Just as I bent down to place the board, a piece of ice beside me suddenly made a crisp sound, and a thin crack appeared on the surface of the ice shell.

"Brother Lin! Back off! The ice is cracking!" Luo Peng shouted to me in a hurry.

My pupils contracted sharply, and my body reacted instinctively, instantly standing up and taking two steps back.

Just as I regained my footing, the ice surface where I had been bending over to work collapsed with a roar!

With a loud bang, the entire thin ice shattered completely, revealing a bottomless ice trench and black hole below.

A cold wind rushed in from the black hole, and the deep darkness sent chills down one's spine and made one's heart tremble with fear.

I was just half a step away from falling into the icy ditch along with the ice.

A cold sweat broke out on my back instantly. I calmed myself down and continued to lay out the escape board.

After everything was done, I returned to the driver's seat and slowly pressed the accelerator.

The wheels slowly rolled over the escape ramp, the vehicle wobbled a couple of times, and finally slowly escaped the ice-cracked trap.

The car returned to the solid ice, and I let out a long sigh of relief.

It was at this moment that I finally dared to take a deep breath.

I didn't dare to stop for a second the whole time; my hands were shaking.

Just as I was calming my racing heart, there was a gentle knock on the car window next to me.

Su Wan stood beside the car, holding a bottle of warm drinking water, and handed it to me.

"Have a sip of water and calm down first, don't rush to continue your journey."

I took the warm water, tilted my head back and drank two mouthfuls, which slightly suppressed the shock in my heart and calmed my rapid heartbeat.

Su Wan looked at the swirling ice mist ahead and said, "That ice crack was just the beginning. There might be more traps like that ahead."