Chapter 163: Drinking the Lhasa River, I Am the Ultimate Hunter

Before the stone tablet, the red characters "Lame Ladaka" were strikingly visible.

Under the blue sky and white clouds, distant brown-yellow mountain ranges rose and fell in waves; the vast, desolate expanse unique to the northern Tibetan plateau opened up the heart.

Looking southeast, the winding Lhasa River was now visible to the naked eye, and even low shrubs and scattered pastures could be faintly seen. Amid the wind's whisper, the cries of livestock occasionally drifted by.

"Brothers, you've all seen where I am now—the last high-altitude pass before reaching Lhasa River Town: Lame Ladaka. Look, that's the Lhasa River—my destination for this journey."

"It's not easy—finally seeing the Lhasa River."

"Hahaha, these past few days, adventuring again with Brother Qin was thrilling."

"Damn, so this livestream's ending again?"

"Next time I'll probably have to wait until Brother Qin comes back from 'Surviving the Wild'—at least a month."

"Wahhh, Brother Qin, don't go to that damn 'Surviving the Wild' anymore—it's not even a live stream, no interaction, what's the point?"

"…"

Qin Yun tore his gaze from the Lhasa River and looked at the monitor, smiling: "From Lame Ladaka to Lhasa River, I still have at least twenty kilometers to go—don't say 'goodbye' until I get there."

With that, he cast one final glance at the distant, rolling mountains and their snow-capped peaks, then strode downward.

On the highway now, vehicles occasionally passed by—this was, after all, the midpoint between Ritu County and Lhasa River Town.

Actually, since entering Duoma Township, his phone signal had fully restored; walking through the wilderness, 5G covered everything—he'd truly reentered human civilization.

"I'm heading to Lhasa River. For close-up access, I have two choices: follow the G210 national highway, or cut straight across from Lame Ladaka through the river valley shortcut. The former is safe, the latter saves time—you know which route I'll pick."

"Heh, obvious—take the valley shortcut."

"Brother Qin knows us, and we know him."

"Forget the highway—it's boring."

"Climb it now—we're almost there, gotta take some risks."

Qin Yun glanced at the comment section, laughed, gripped the guardrail on the east side, and leapt lightly down, then descended the slope.

The slope angle was around 30°, not steep at all—nearly zero difficulty for Qin Yun, no different from walking on flat ground.

But because the distance spanned five to six kilometers, he had to traverse this rocky slope before entering the river valley—after all, Lame Ladaka's elevation was over five thousand meters.

As he spoke, he kept watch on his footing.

After walking a full hour and a half, the scene suddenly opened up: a natural stone path wound ahead along the valley's edge, flanked by orderly rock piles; likely due to recent snowfall, the dark gray rocks were dusted with thin layers of snow.

Qin Yun stepped forward, and as he walked, the landscape gradually shifted from brown-yellow to scattered green patches.

These tiny branches, wrapped in ice and snow, revealed faint green hues that felt soothing to the eyes.

"Brother Qin, there seem to be Tibetan antelopes ahead."

"Wow, so many—I see them too."

Qin Yun looked up and smiled: "Those aren't Tibetan antelopes—they're Tibetan gazelles. Did you see the white heart-shaped patch on their rumps? Only Tibetan gazelles have that. Tibetan antelopes don't. And their bodies are smaller—quite a difference. Most importantly, Tibetan antelopes are Class I endangered species; Tibetan gazelles are Class II, and they're everywhere."

Perhaps spotting Qin Yun, the group of Tibetan gazelles instantly raised their heads, flicked their tails, and vanished behind the rock piles in one motion.

"The ecology here is excellent—the air is crisp and pure. If you ever get the chance, come to Tibet."

After walking another ten kilometers or so, the valley's outline grew clearer; Qin Yun could even feel the moisture in the air.

He quickened his pace.

"Everyone listen—can you hear the gentle sound of flowing water?" Qin Yun didn't launch his drone into the air; he kept it in front of him, closely following.

"No way, Brother Qin, how'd you get here so fast?"

"Brother Qin, slow down—why rush? There's no beautiful girl waiting up ahead."

"Heh, no girl up ahead, but there's one at home—didn't you forget the gorgeous girl you saw during that downhill longboard ride?"

"Damn, I'm just a lonely guy—just thinking about it hurts."

Though he said he heard water, Qin Yun walked nearly another hour. Around him, the environment had turned lush with greenery.

Then, when he noticed the ground beneath his feet had become level, a magnificent sight burst into his vision.

It was a winding, flowing river—even in winter, it refused to freeze. In its wide channel, clear water surged ceaselessly; its hue defied description. One glance made it feel alive, pulsing with spirit.

The current was swift, yet the water was crystal-clear—Qin Yun could see the pebbles and tiny aquatic plants on the riverbed. Sunlight sparkled on the surface, dazzlingly beautiful.

He slowly knelt, removed his gloves, and plunged both hands into the water. As the icy chill surged up his skin, he smiled.

"Hahahaha…" His laughter startled animals in the distance into flight and sent birds resting by the shore soaring into the sky.

"Brother Qin looks genuinely happy."

"Obviously—he's been through so much. If it were us, we'd be dead already in the snowdrifts near Qitai Pass."

"Brother Qin is truly incredible—from December 8 to today, December 14, he covered five hundred kilometers in seven days. I can't even walk that far in the city."

Qin Yun scooped another handful of river water and splashed it over his face.

Days of fatigue vanished under the water's shock—he felt a deep, genuine clarity and refreshment.

He slowly lowered his head, submerged it in the river, opened his mouth, and swallowed two mouthfuls of icy Lhasa River water. Instantly, the long-absent voice of the system echoed: the system panel quietly surfaced in his vision.

【Check-in task completed. Random reward granted: Hunter Skill +1】

【Hunter Skill LV1: Wild True Man—The Predator Has Arrived】

In an instant, memories of the Hunter Skill flooded his mind: natural perception, basic hunting, track tracking, hunting tactics, trap crafting, mechanism control, camouflage and concealment, and more.

These included elements of wilderness survival—zoology, botany, even archery—all overlapping significantly with skills he'd previously acquired.

For three full minutes, his head remained submerged, motionless.

"Holy shit, did Brother Qin drown?"

"Damn, can a drowned man stand so steady?"

"Brother Qin isn't cold—his breath-holding time is insane."

"Awesome."

When all the Hunter Skill memories had fully imprinted, Qin Yun lifted his head abruptly.

"Hah... so satisfying..."

No sooner had he spoken than the system's voice sounded again.

【Host's current abilities meet skill fusion criteria. Fusing skills for host—please wait!】

Qin Yun was stunned. In over four months since activating the system, this was the first time he'd seen it change.

He didn't wait long. Minutes later, the system panel shifted.

【Skill fusion complete. Skill acquired: Wild Hunter LV2】

【Wild Hunter LV2: Has anyone told you the top of the food chain is humanity—and the top of humanity is you?】

Instantly, the original skill memories in his mind underwent a radical transformation—not more memories, but a profound integration between them. Simultaneously, intense heat surged through his body, warming him even in this freezing climate.

Signs of past bodily modifications reappeared across his limbs.

Fundamental physical attributes—strength, speed, neural reaction, endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination—all surged forward dramatically.

And this transformation persisted for over ten minutes before fading.

LV2—Legend. This was Qin Yun's first Legendary skill. Even as the recipient, he felt it was over-the-top.

The system's comment: "The top of the food chain is humanity—and the top of humanity is you."

At this moment, he felt not a single word of exaggeration.

Calming his mind, Qin Yun stood beside the Lhasa River, watching its ceaseless flow, adjusting his drone to slowly follow the river's course.

"Hello everyone, I'm Qin Yun—a temporary hiking enthusiast."

"This journey began at Qitai Pass, accompanied by wind and snow, crossing vast uninhabited zones. I've witnessed the wildness of Tibetan wolves hunting on the steppe, and the heart-stopping confrontation with poachers. The road was perilous, but now, standing beside the Lhasa River, I'm ready to say goodbye to this trek."

"I originally estimated twelve days to arrive—unexpectedly, skiing from Qitai Pass let me cover over a hundred kilometers of wilderness, saving me massive time."

"The scenery was beautiful—and dangerous. The plateau is harsh, yet deeply moving. Most of all, I admire our brave soldiers and police stationed here—they are great. I only crossed briefly; they remain here year-round."

"Sui Yang, Cheng Da, Xiao Guoquan, Shen Ge, Fang Xingtong, Jiang Ping, Meng Hai, Li Shang—many names I haven't forgotten. This journey was unforgettable. The scenery was beautiful—but they were more beautiful."

"Brothers, goodbye."

As Qin Yun finished, the drone shot upward, BGM began, and he quietly turned off the microphone.

"Wahhh, don't go, Brother Qin!"

"Brother Qin said it so well—I'm moved."

"I envy Brother Qin for experiencing all this—I want to go too. Any brothers want to join?"

"I'm envious, but I'll just watch from the screen."

Amid countless comments and gifts, as the drone flew farther and the BGM faded, the screen suddenly went black.

Seeing this, Su Huan immediately called.

"Hey, when's your flight?"

Qin Yun smiled: "What? So eager to see me already?"

It was a teasing remark—but Su Huan's reply left him speechless.

"Yeah… I miss you."

Those two words—"I miss you"—outweighed a thousand. Qin Yun's mind went utterly blank.

He stammered, half-mumbling: "Uh… I… I…"