From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

I fell into a long silence, my heart heavy, so heavy that I could hardly breathe.

I knew perfectly well that in life-or-death situations like this, I must not be emotional and must remain calm.

But with my teammates out of contact, I simply can't remain calm.

I took a deep breath of the cold air, forcibly suppressing the panic and anxiety in my heart, and looked up at Su Wan to ask:

"What route do you recommend?"

Su Wan had clearly already weighed all the pros and cons, and without the slightest hesitation, she said decisively:

"Keep moving forward and break out of the fog. Once we're out of the fog, even if we still can't contact Luo Peng by walkie-talkie, the satellite phone will regain signal, and at least we can call for help."

After hearing Su Wan's words, I felt a deep sense of emotion.

Even in such an extreme and desperate situation, Su Wan was still able to maintain her composure and rationally analyze the pros and cons.

That calmness and composure is something I can't match at all.

But every word she said was the most rational choice.

I did consider a compromise: let Su Wan stay where she was and drive on alone, while I went back alone to find Luo Peng.

But I knew the consequences. Once we were separated in our two cars, we would be completely out of contact in this foggy and desolate place.

When the three of them scatter and fight their own battles, that will be the true annihilation of the entire army.

There was no room for hesitation, and no room for risking one's life.

Su Wan looked at me and urged me urgently, "Once you've made up your mind, set off immediately. Don't linger in the core of the fog zone. Every second you stay increases the danger."

I gritted my teeth, clenched my fists, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go with the first plan and keep driving forward to get out of the fog."

Without further ado, Su Wan immediately restarted the engine.

I quickly turned back to the car, my hands already stiff and numb from the polar wind, my fingertips barely able to grip the steering wheel.

I quickly rubbed my hands together and breathed hot air into my mouth to barely regain some consciousness before starting the car.

The car moved slowly forward, but my mind was a complete mess, with countless terrible thoughts surfacing wildly.

Why did Luo Peng suddenly disappear?

As per our agreement, even if the fog obscures our vision and we fall behind, he will honk the horn to warn us immediately.

But from beginning to end, there was no sound of a horn at all.

This only shows that his falling behind was a sudden accident, and there was no time to warn others.

A more terrifying thought came to mind, sending chills down my spine.

Could it be that his entire car got stuck in an invisible ice crevice and fell under the ice?

The more I think about it, the more panicked and afraid I become.

My hands trembled slightly, causing the steering wheel to shake slightly as well.

But I knew perfectly well that Su Wan's judgment was correct.

Once we successfully break out of this icy fog zone and the signal is restored, even if we still can't contact Luo Peng, we can immediately activate the satellite phone to call for professional rescue.

But that would mean that our trip to the no-man's-land would come to an end.

But compared to my obsession with successfully traversing the timeline, I have only one thought in my mind right now.

All I want is for Luo Peng to live.

With a heart full of trepidation and anxiety, the vehicle moved slowly forward.

After driving for an unknown period of time, the thick white fog that surrounded us finally began to thin out.

Visibility gradually recovered, and the field of vision became clearer.

My heart leaped with joy, and I immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and tried calling out, "Su Wan, can you hear me? Received a reply."

After a brief period of static, Su Wan's clear and steady voice came through the walkie-talkie: "I can hear you. My signal is back. How's it going on your end?"

I let out a long breath, my tense nerves finally relaxing a little, and quickly replied:

"I can hear it too, we should have broken through the core of the fog!"

"Okay." Su Wan responded, "Let's drive a little further and find a safe, flat area to stop and rest."

"it is good."

As I responded, I didn't give up and continued shouting into the walkie-talkie:

"Luo Peng! Can you hear me? Reply! Luo Peng! Respond immediately!"

Su Wan also kept calling out into the walkie-talkie, their voices alternating on the channel.

There was not even a static response.

As the vehicle continued forward, the view ahead became completely clear.

The white fog completely dissipated, revealing the clear outlines of the distant, continuous ice peaks; it was no longer a chaotic, lifeless expanse.

The ice beneath our feet had turned into a solid surface of gravel and mud.

The gravel path, which I had grown tired of seeing all along the way, now gave me an unprecedented sense of peace and security.

At least here there are undulating terrains and landforms, and there are identifiable directions and landmarks, no longer a deadly maze that is completely invisible.

Su Wan and I slowed down one after the other and parked the two cars on a flat and safe high ground.

As soon as the car came to a stop, I grabbed the walkie-talkie.

Still unwilling to give up, they repeatedly called out to Luo Peng, but the result was still disappointing.

Su Wan quickly got out of the car, walked to my side, and asked with a serious expression, "Still no response?"

I frowned deeply and shook my head heavily: "No. He's most likely still trapped deep in that foggy area... I don't even want to think about whether he really fell into the ice crevasse."

Su Wan probably had the same concerns, so she didn't blindly offer comfort, but instead turned to look at the endless white fog behind her.

The foggy area remained a vast expanse of white, enveloping the entire heart of the glacier, extremely far away from us, like a white barrier separating life and death.

After a brief silence, Su Wan finally made a decision, saying in a low voice, "There's no time to waste. If things get really bad, call for help immediately."

I tried calling out Luo Peng's name a few more times on the walkie-talkie, eager to hear his response.

But the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

I took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness and panic in my heart, and picked up the satellite phone.

My fingers trembled slightly from the tension, and I felt a mix of emotions.

Once the dial button is pressed, this arduous journey through the no-man's-land will be a complete failure.

But I had no other choice.

Luo Peng's fate is currently unknown; every second of delay increases the risk of death.

Su Wan stood to the side, her expression cold and solemn, already prepared to accept the worst possible outcome.

I gritted my teeth, unplugged the satellite phone, and hovered my fingertip over the dial button, about to press it.

Sizzle...!

The car radio suddenly emitted a piercing electrical static!

The noise was abrupt and clear; it was definitely not background noise from the equipment's idle frequency, but rather signal fluctuations caused by someone occupying the channel!

Su Wan and I exchanged a glance, our pupils contracted simultaneously, and our hearts skipped a beat.

Su Wan is right next to me; it couldn't be her device.

That leaves only one possibility!

I lunged forward almost instantly, grabbed the walkie-talkie, turned the volume up to the maximum, and screamed into the microphone:

"Hello! Luo Peng? Is that you? Can you hear me? Answer me immediately!"

The static in the channel fluctuated continuously, and intermittent sounds emanated from the speakers, so faint as to be almost inaudible.

"...Lin...Brother Lin...it's...I...I found it..."

The second half of the sentence was swallowed up by the chaotic current, becoming blurry and indistinct.

But those few words alone were enough to make me tremble with ecstasy.

He's alive!

He didn't fall into the ice crevasse, he's still alive!