"I'm nоt surе, I was in the hоsрitаl fоr аbout... two months bасk then." As shе spokе, Вауunуе tried to shоw off her muscles by raising hеr аrm, but she wаs weаring tоо mаny lауеrs, аnd hаving beеn away frоm militаry-stуle training for sо long, she wаsn't as leаn аnd tоugh аs bеfоrе.
Diao Zhuо glаncеd аt his wаtch аnd gesturеd tоward the uрstаirs with his chin.
Мaster Bа, ever cоnsidеrаte, sаid, "Let's go, we shоuld hеаd upstаirs tо slеер."
Тhe рhrаsing soundеd awkwаrd again, but Diаo Zhuо dесided nоt tо dwеll оn it. Watching her tаll, slender figure and the сasual waу she walkеd, she sееmed nо different from a man.
The hallway window was open, and it was as cold as the night before, with a strong wind blowing. Bayunye tightened her coat and walked with her head down. As they neared the room, Diao Zhuo finished his cigarette, crushed the butt under his foot, and kicked it into the corner. Suddenly, he blocked her path with one hand and gripped her chin with the other.
She met his gaze without fear, noticing his tightly pressed lips and intense eyes, his breath carrying the smoky scent of tobacco.
Soon, he loosened his grip, his rough fingertips lightly brushing her cheek like coarse sandpaper.
"See you tomorrow," he said with a raised eyebrow and a smile, perhaps afraid she might repeat last night's incident. He quickly walked back to his room and slammed the door shut.
Bayunye stood there stunned for a long moment. Had the little angel in his heart triumphed over the devil? Puzzled, she returned to her room. As soon as Xiao Zi saw her, she couldn't help but burst into laughter, pointing at her face. "Master Ba, have you been performing in an opera?"
Suspicious, Bayunye wiped her face with the back of her hand—good grief, it was covered in black engine oil!
She yanked the door open and shouted in the direction of his room, "Diao Zhuo! Screw your grandpa!"
"You think you can?" Diao Zhuo retorted through the door.
"You wanna try?"
"Not interested."
"Your grandpa is interested!"
"What does my grandpa have to do with this?"
"I am your grandpa!"
Xiao Zi listened in confusion. How did these two suddenly start fighting?
Brother Long sat alone behind the display cabinet in the inn's courtyard. Like other inns in Lhasa, the cabinet was filled with small trinkets like yak horn combs, bracelets, prayer wheels, and postcards. On the wall behind it hung small advertisements reading "Proprietary Insect Repellent Powder" and "Discounts for Short-Distance Car Rentals." As he fiddled with a prayer wheel he had picked up from Nepal, he sincerely thanked the person on the phone: "Mingliang, thank you."
Ge Mingliang laughed heartily on the other end. "Old Squad Leader, no need to be so polite. I'll help with whatever you ask as much as I can."
"I don't know if it's fate, but Diao Jun's son has come to Lhasa. I must seize this opportunity to introduce him to Bayunye. I know that once they meet and talk, they'll both want to know what really happened back then. That's why I asked you to strongly recommend our club to the Rescue Team recently."
"I understand, Squad Leader! Anything you ask is easy for me. But... you've been with Bayunye for so long. Are you really willing to hand her over to someone else just like that?"
Brother Long sighed. "You've misunderstood. She's not my possession. She depends on me and trusts me, and I'm not entirely using her either. What she wants to know is what I want to know too. My feelings for Master Ba are purely those of a grandfather and granddaughter."
A burst of laughter came through the phone. "Saying father and daughter would be a stretch, but you actually want to be her grandpa!"Brother Long was about to hang up when Ge Mingliang added, "Oh, right, about that matter you asked me to look into last time—I had a buddy check it out. They weren’t lying to you; I asked around, and it matches what they said. I mean, Old Squad Leader, couldn’t you have looked into it yourself? Why go through me and take such a roundabout way?"
"It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to handle it directly."
"Why would you suddenly suspect that person for no reason?"
Brother Long hesitated, then finally said, "A gut feeling."
Today, Xiao Zi sat drowsily in the passenger seat of Bayunye’s car. She had never been to Tibet before, and even with prior mental preparation, she hadn’t imagined the vastness of this place. It took three days just to travel from Lhasa to Shiquanhe, the starting point of Zou Kaigui’s crossing journey.
Bayunye explained that it should have taken only two days, but they’d lost a day procuring supplies, gasoline, and having the vehicles inspected.
The convoy set out from Rutog County in the morning, passed through Songxi Village, and continued on the asphalt road for about twenty minutes. Half-asleep, Xiao Zi heard Bayunye speaking into the walkie-talkie, alerting the vehicles behind—
"The road ahead won’t be as good. Follow the tire tracks and don’t rush."
Xiao Zi yawned and asked, "Where’s our next stop?"
"Qiangtang," Bayunye replied casually. "If you follow this dirt road all the way, you’ll reach the Uninhabited Area."
"Huh?" Xiao Zi’s drowsiness vanished instantly, her eyes widening. The words "Uninhabited Area" suddenly popped up, making her nervous and even parched. That was a place where cries to heaven would go unanswered and pleas to earth would fall on deaf ears. The mobile phones people relied on daily would be nothing more than illuminated bricks inside.
"You haven’t forgotten why you’re here, have you?" Bayunye said, somewhat amused.
"I’m a little scared," Xiao Zi admitted, gazing pensively out the window.
The sky was a deep blue, and a layer of ice and snow covered both sides of the dirt road. Looking ahead, there was a vast expanse of brown grassland, with faint snow-capped mountains at its edge. Following the dirt road and tire tracks, you’d be led deep into Qiangtang, with no idea whether what awaited you was heavenly scenery or hellish danger.
"Being scared is normal. Fear is what keeps people alive." Whether Bayunye was comforting her or not, she kept her hands on the steering wheel and said, "Even with so many of us, you’re still afraid. Think about those who dare to venture in alone—their courage is simply extraordinary. Of course, having courage and whether you can make it out alive are two different things."
"How long... will we be traveling inside?"
"If we take the north-south route, we’d be out in two or three days. For this east-west crossing route, driving straight through wouldn’t take more than a few days either. The key is we have to search for someone. The supplies and miscellaneous items in the vehicles can last 10 to 15 days."
"Master Ba, you’ll have to take extra care of me," Xiao Zi pleaded.
Bayunye made an "OK" gesture. "You’ll have to listen to me, especially every time after getting out of the car."
"Absolutely, absolutely," she nodded vigorously.
Bayunye chuckled. "Last night, I told you to wash up thoroughly. Did you do it?"
"I shower pretty thoroughly every day."
Bayunye remained calm. "Well, you’ll have to endure a bit from now on. The days we spend in the Uninhabited Area will be days without showers."
Xiao Zi sighed. "There really aren’t any hotels or anything like that inside, are there?"Bayunye remained silent for a long while before finally asking, "How long have you been out of school?"
"Me? I'm a senior. I started working as soon as I found a job. I won't get my diploma until June."
Ah, sometimes she really envied these naive and inexperienced college graduates. How could their questions be even more childish than hers, a poor student?
"What did you study in college, Master Ba?" Xiao Zi asked curiously. "Sports?"
"I never went to college." Bayunye curled one corner of her lips, her eyes crinkling into a carefree smile.
"Oh..." Xiao Zi felt a bit awkward. "Then, weren't your parents worried about you, a girl, doing such a tough job?"
"I don't have parents." Her tone was matter-of-fact.
Xiao Zi stuck out her tongue, not daring to bring up another topic.
On paved roads, even with modified seats, the comfort of Bayunye's Wrangler couldn't compare to that of an ordinary sedan. But once they hit the dirt roads, the SUV's superior performance shone through. Whether driving or riding, there was a distinct feeling amid the bumps and jolts—exhilaration.
They hadn't been driving long when the clear blue sky turned overcast with thick clouds. The horizon glowed brightly, making the distant mountains appear dark and eerie. The vehicle jolted violently, as if driving over a washboard. Gusts of fierce wind swept by, stirring up countless grains of sand that rattled against the doors. Through the glass, the wild howling of the wind could be heard. The mysterious Qiangtang seemed to be warning the intruders in its own way.
"Master Ba, there's a car over there," Xiao Zi squinted into the distance. As they drove closer, she realized it was just a car frame. Aside from the tattered outer shell, there was nothing inside—not even a steering wheel. It had been abandoned here by someone, at some unknown time.
"Not unusual," Bayunye said, unfazed.
"Who left it here..."
"Who knows?" She shrugged.
This was no exaggeration. What danger had the owner faced? What malfunction had the car suffered? Why had it become so dilapidated? Did it break down here on its own, or was it brought here by some mysterious force? Only heaven knew.
Some mysteries in the Uninhabited Area have no answers.
Ye Xun's Land Cruiser ran into trouble again. Whether he was distracted or trying to take a shortcut, he ended up stuck in the snow, spinning its wheels helplessly. Mud splattered onto the fenders as the tires churned.
Fortunately, almost all the vehicles in the convoy were four-wheel-drive SUVs, capable of pulling it out.
Bayunye took the lead, wielding a shovel without hesitation. Together with a few members of the Rescue Team, she dug out the mud from beneath the wheels. After a few jolts and shakes, the Land Cruiser was successfully freed from the snow pit and returned to slightly firmer, flatter ground.
"Impressive, Master Ba," Ye Xun lowered the window, his smile tinged with flattery. "Strong enough to lift and carry, a resilient rose, a heroine among women!"
Bayunye swept her bangs back, the thin layer of sweat on her forehead evaporating in the wind. Her expression turned serious, and for a moment, she exuded the demeanor of a leader. "Don't even think about taking shortcuts. It's not easy driving in here."
"Right, right, you're the experienced one," Ye Xun nodded eagerly.
Bayunye waved a hand dismissively. "The less of this kind of experience, the better... Last time I went to Hala Lake alone, there was a blizzard, freezing cold, and I got stuck. I dug for three hours, but the car didn't budge an inch. No one to call for help, nowhere to turn."
Someone nearby asked curiously, "How did you get out in the end?""I ran into a construction crew, and a big truck pulled me out."
"What were you doing out there all alone?"
"...Just bored, scouting the route." Bayunye held back some details, then tossed the shovel into the pickup truck's bed, dusted off her hands, and brushed the dirt from her pants.
Diao Zhuo thought, good people die young, while the wicked live a thousand years—that probably summed it up. But she was indeed a person with many stories, and utterly fearless.
Taking advantage of the break, everyone got out to stretch their legs. Someone pulled out a box of Snickers bars and passed them around for an energy boost.
"Ahhh! There's a wolf!!" Xiao Zi suddenly cried out, hiding behind Bayunye.
Ye Xun, who had just stepped out to relieve himself farther away, sprinted back to the car.
Bayunye and the Rescue Team members looked in the direction she pointed and indeed saw a yellow wolf running past. It noticed them but showed no intention of approaching.
This group looked like trouble—even the wolf was wary.
"It's fine. A lone wolf isn't scary, not compared to a wild yak," Bayunye said calmly.
As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Zi pointed in another direction. "A wild yak? Uh... is that it? Its tail is raised really high..."
Everyone followed her gaze and saw two massive brown-black creatures charging toward them, their heavy footsteps rumbling across the ground. From a distance, Bayunye thought they were ordinary, easily agitated male wild yaks, but upon closer look, she realized they were Golden Wild Yaks!
Their backs and sides were covered in pale golden fur, gradually transitioning to brown lower down, with dense, curly hair hanging like a raincoat from their bellies. As they ran, their skirt-like fur swayed with their movements. Golden Wild Yaks typically live on the northern Tibetan plateau at altitudes above 5,000 meters. Perhaps provoked by something, these two massive bulls were charging toward them with a fierce, fight-to-the-death intensity.
"Shit!! Get in the cars!!" Bayunye yelled, grabbing Xiao Zi as everyone scrambled for the vehicles. She ran to one car and saw Da Qin already in the driver's seat. Bayunye quickly shoved Xiao Zi into the passenger side, but realizing she couldn’t make it back to her own car in time, she turned and dashed toward a nearby Prado.
Ye Xun had locked the doors and refused to open them.
Every vehicle’s back seat was packed with fuel drums, water bags, and various equipment, leaving only the driver and passenger seats free. With 14 people in total, they had exactly filled seven cars.
Hippo, unaware of Bayunye’s situation, had already started his vehicle and driven off. Golden Wild Yaks are enormous, with shoulder heights reaching up to 2 meters, and their charging speed is impressive. Combined with the kinetic energy of their massive bodies, they could easily crush a human—or even a car. It’s not uncommon for a wild yak to flip an SUV. While everyone else had driven away to avoid them, Bayunye was left alone outside, making her the yaks’ likely target.
Bayunye stayed calm. There were only two yaks, and with so many vehicles around, not every car would become their target. The priority was to get away quickly and avoid provoking them further, as they would keep attacking until they exhausted themselves—or until their target perished first, whichever came sooner.
"Get in!" Xiang An’s pickup truck screeched to a halt in front of her.Just as she was about to leap onto the pickup truck's cargo bed, another vehicle approached head-on and stopped beside her. A pair of iron-hard hands wrapped around her waist, lifting her like an eagle snatching a chick and tossing her into the passenger seat. When she regained her senses, she saw Diao Zhuo had already climbed onto the pickup's cargo bed. Several vehicles scattered into the distance, then slowly regrouped into a straight line, continuing along the tire tracks.
Bayunye thought Diao Zhuo was overly concerned—she clearly had plenty of ways to handle the situation.
"Master Ba, are you alright?" Xiang An jumped out of his car and ran over to ask.
She nodded, replying in a Shaanxi accent, "Just fine."
With the wild yak crisis resolved, everyone got out and returned to their original vehicles. As Bayunye passed by the Prado, Ye Xun rolled down the window, adopting a humble posture and even saluting her. "Master Ba, sorry about that. It's my first time encountering this kind of situation—I was completely stunned."
Bayunye looked up and fixed her gaze on Ye Xun. Diao Zhuo signaled Da Qin beside him with his eyes, ready to intervene if a fight broke out.
Yet she simply smiled faintly, said nothing, and continued toward her own vehicle.
Diao Zhuo, who had expected her to curse at Ye Xun or even start a physical altercation, was secretly taken aback, never imagining she possessed such magnanimity. He suddenly recalled two days earlier, when they were preparing supplies for entering Qiangtang, Ye Xun had asked if she wanted to buy Tibetan knives or other weapons. She had replied, "Animals are the least frightening things in Qiangtang."
So what did she believe was truly frightening in Qiangtang?
OpenNovel