From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

Wang Ge took a drag on his cigarette, lowered his head and pondered for a few seconds before slowly speaking:

"The Terra Trail is very popular lately, but I haven't hiked it myself. However, many experienced outdoor enthusiasts have gone on it, and I've heard a lot of feedback."

He looked up at me, his tone becoming serious: "The risks are not low, and the difficulty is much higher than ordinary hiking trails. Precisely because of the frequent accidents, the authorities have long prohibited private individuals and non-compliant teams from traversing these trails on their own. Don't even think about it."

I smiled and said calmly, "What if I told you I've already obtained the officially approved qualifications?"

Wang Ge's eyes suddenly flickered, revealing a hint of surprise. He looked directly at me and asked, "Really?"

Why would I lie to you?

I picked up my phone, found the official approval notification, and handed it to him.

Wang Ge glanced down at me, and when he looked at me again, he showed more approval.

He paused for a moment before saying, "You really have something. I heard the approval threshold for this route is no lower than that for the no-man's-land; many professional teams can't get it done, yet you managed to get it done."

I smiled and said, "So, with the opportunity right in front of me, I'm definitely going to give it a try."

Wang Ge, however, still frowned and reminded me in a serious tone, "Don't be careless. The no-man's-land you crossed before had vehicles for supplies throughout. But the Terra route is entirely on foot, and there are no fixed supply points."

"Besides, at this time of year, the high-altitude mountain roads are covered in thick snow, making the road conditions complicated. The temperature difference between day and night is extreme, and there are too many uncertainties. Are you sure you really want to go at this time?"

I understand his concerns.

Wang Ge is usually very quiet, so the fact that he said so much at once shows that he takes this matter very seriously and is carefully considering the risks for me.

But I had already made up my mind, without the slightest hesitation, and nodded emphatically: "I'll go. I've traversed the entire no-man's-land, I'm confident I can handle this route."

Wang Ge looked at me quietly for a long time before slowly saying, "That's true. Your content about the No Man's Land went viral, something unique on the entire internet. If you can now also obtain the official, compliant record for crossing the Terra Line, it will be an unprecedented achievement in the industry, and it will greatly help the start of your new company."

"That's right." I nodded in agreement. "To put it bluntly, I just want to seize this unique opportunity, establish a good reputation, and solidify the company's foundation."

Wang nodded thoughtfully, then looked at me and asked, "Have you found your teammates yet?"

I gave an awkward smile and quickly got to the point: "No, I came here today specifically to talk to you about this."

Wang Ge was slightly taken aback: "Looking for me? You want me to introduce you to your teammates?"

I gently shook my head, looked at him intently, and said seriously, "It's not an introduction; I want you to come with me in person."

The moment those words were spoken, the store fell silent.

The air seemed to freeze suddenly, with only the faint hissing sound of burning cigarette butts echoing clearly in my ears.

Wang Ge lowered his head slightly, holding a half-burnt cigarette between his fingers, and remained silent for several seconds.

When I thought he would habitually refuse, he surprisingly spoke crisply and decisively, without the slightest hesitation:

"I'll go."

Wang Ge's crisp and decisive answer actually took me by surprise.

Before I came, I was already prepared to be rejected. On the way here, I even rehearsed several different ways to persuade him.

I knew very well that he had never liked being in the spotlight and was even less willing to get involved in the various disputes in the influencer circle, so I was prepared to talk myself hoarse trying to persuade him.

But to my utter surprise, I had barely opened my mouth to invite him...

Without any hesitation, he readily agreed.

The stark contrast left me completely surprised, and for a moment I was speechless, frozen in place, unable to find the next thing to say.

Wang Ge, however, remained calm, looking at me with a composed expression, and asked indifferently, "When are we leaving?"

I was in a daze for a while before I came to my senses and looked at him with some surprise:

"You just agreed like that? Aren't you going to think it over carefully? You just realized the risks involved in this line of work; it's not an easy one."

Wang Ge lowered his head and stubbed out his cigarette, his tone frank and sincere: "There's nothing to consider. Last time we teamed up to go to the no-man's-land, I turned back halfway through in Lhasa. To put it bluntly, I backed out at the last minute, and I've felt really bad about it ever since. If I refuse you this time since you've sincerely asked me to, it would really be too unfair of me."

Hearing his honest words, my tense emotions completely relaxed, and I couldn't help but nod and smile.

"Alright, since you put it that way, then it's a deal. I'll immediately report your information to the authorities and replace the previous information about your companions."

Without hesitation, Wang Ge nodded decisively and agreed: "Tell me the specific departure time, and I'll pack my gear and make all the necessary preparations in advance."

After a moment's thought, I finalized a rough plan: "I'll expedite the process and set off as soon as possible in the next two days, so as not to miss the best time to go into the mountains."

"Okay," Wang Ge replied in a deep voice. "Leave the equipment to me; I'll prepare and organize it."

After saying that, he looked at me again and asked, "Is it just the two of us going into the mountains this time?"

"Yes, just the two of us." I nodded emphatically.

After a pause, I added, "I'll leave the equipment and outdoor gear to you. I'll mainly handle the official procedures and plan the live stream details. Once your equipment is ready and the official approval is granted, we'll set off."

Wang Ge is a man of few words. After listening, he simply nodded without any further pleasantries.

I had originally planned to mention Su Qing's idea to him and invite him to officially join our team and sign a contract to become a full-time outdoor streamer.

But after a moment's consideration, he decided to suppress the idea for the time being.

Wang Ge is aloof and free-spirited, preferring freedom and disliking being bound by contracts and rules.

He just agreed to go on an adventure with me today. If I were to put the job offer and contract on top of that all at once, it would inevitably cause him to resist.

There's plenty of time in the future, so let's put this matter aside for now.

It's not too late to probe his thoughts after we successfully complete the Terra route and come back.

Afterwards, Wang Ge and I chatted casually about outdoor topics for a few minutes, exchanged pleasantries briefly, and then said goodbye and left.

As soon as I left the store, I logged into the system and resubmitted Wang Ge's personal information to the official team, formally requesting a change of the person accompanying me on this Terra tour.

Everything is ready now, except for the final official approval.

As long as the qualification review is passed and Brother Wang has prepared the equipment, we can start our trip at any time.

To ensure everything went smoothly and to thoroughly understand the road conditions and climate of the Terra route, I spent the next few days scouring the internet for all the on-site guides, adventure videos, and road condition reports about the Terra route.

We need to thoroughly understand all the difficulties and risks along the entire route, and make sure we have a clear picture of them.