Chapter 93: First Steps into the Abyss

Night fell, and the temperature plummeted to minus eighteen degrees.

At this moment, the entire North Wall base camp was silent except for the wind sweeping over the peaks, the rustle of sliding snow, and the distant cries of birds.

Qin Yun did not light a fire; the environment here did not permit it.

Lighting a fire at high altitude not only consumes oxygen but also risks loosening ice and snow on the cliff face, triggering danger.

Inside the tent, the two quickly settled in, each curling into their sleeping bags; though they could feel the wind rustling against the tent fabric, the enclosed space still felt warm.

Before sleeping, Qin Yun asked again.

"Han Wei, how do you feel now?"

Han Wei's head felt slightly swollen, but the sensation was mild; she took a deep breath and did not mention it, only shook her head: "I'm fine, my condition is good."

Qin Yun nodded, closed his eyes: "Good, get some rest. I hope you can maintain this state tomorrow morning."

For Qin Yun, at this altitude, he felt absolutely nothing—no different from being at lower elevations; indeed, due to the Sherpa's adaptability, his breathing felt even more natural.

Just as in this environment, his body's demand for oxygen became extremely low, yet his blood oxygen levels remained exceptionally high.

It was precisely because of the Sherpa's adaptability that Qin Yun had this confidence in climbing Yaomei Peak.

Yet whether he could truly reach the summit, he had no hundred percent certainty—after all, conditions changed unpredictably; who knew what he might encounter? If a snowslide struck during the climb, he'd be out immediately.

Soon, Qin Yun's breathing became extremely calm.

He turned to glance at the sleeping bag nearby; Han Wei's expression was complex, heavy with worry.

Through the tent, she stared at the dark expanse ahead, her gaze fixed, her mind wandering aimlessly, until she gradually slipped into sleep.

Time passed unknown, when suddenly a fierce wind swept in, howling against the tent, snow pelting the fabric with sharp, crackling impacts.

Han Wei's body jolted violently, snapping awake.

"Don't be afraid—it's just the wind," Qin Yun's voice rose from the darkness. "The mountain's day-night temperature difference is extreme; nighttime wind speeds can reach force ten. Get used to it. Don't worry—I drove the stakes deep enough. It won't blow away."

Han Wei's tension eased quickly under Qin Yun's reassurance.

Not just them—other tents nearby also stirred with faint noises, but soon fell silent again.

The next morning, dawn barely broke.

Qin Yun woke precisely on time, crawled out of his sleeping bag, and woke Han Wei.

The two quickly addressed their energy needs, then stepped out of the tent.

Outside, everything was white; last night's blizzard had draped the entire base camp in a thick blanket of snow. The air was piercingly cold, yet the sky was exceptionally clear, utterly cloudless.

Perfect weather for climbing—exactly as Qin Yun had predicted.

Soon, they packed everything up. Qin Yun then retrieved his high-altitude stove to boil water. Though the water wouldn't reach a hundred degrees at this elevation, snowmelt carried no pathogens and could be drunk directly.

A cup of steaming hot water in such weather was incomparably soothing; warmth spread through his entire body.

Across the camp, four or five tents now stirred to life, figures emerging from each. Qin Yun estimated roughly eight people total.

The Dengshan Alliance, Storm Climbing Team—these were the names of two climbing teams. Qin Yun wasn't part of this world, so he didn't know their standing within the Dengshan world.

But their movements revealed it clearly: each was highly professional, seasoned veterans. Otherwise, they wouldn't dare challenge Yaomei Peak.

The Dengshan Alliance's leader was Wu Lei, a man with dark skin, appearing somewhat aged—but climbers' ages were always underestimated.

Storm's leader was Yang Jia, a woman in her early thirties, plain of face, yet her team members clearly held deep respect for her.

The two groups went about their own business, sharply divided, with almost no communication.

Yang Jia drank a cup of hot water, glanced toward Qin Yun's group, hesitated slightly, then walked over.

"Are you planning to descend?"

Yang Jia asked as if it were obvious. Though these two appeared well-equipped and highly professional,

from appearance alone, they didn't look like climbers—their skin was too smooth and fine. Unlike her, barely thirty, she already looked like a middle-aged woman of thirty-five.

Besides, this was Yaomei Peak. Surely they weren't here to attempt the summit?

Hence her question.

Qin Yun shook his head: "We're planning to move forward a bit further."

He didn't say he intended to challenge Yaomei Peak, nor did he mention Han Wei's condition. With strangers, caution was wise.

Yang Jia frowned, urging: "Gentlemen, the icefall fan ahead is still dangerous. If you're just sightseeing, there's no need to risk it."

Qin Yun knew her intent was kind; he thanked her but said nothing. Yet Yang Jia could sense his resolve.

They were all adults. To say even this much was her utmost kindness; further persuasion was pointless.

With that, she abandoned her attempt to dissuade them and began chatting casually with Qin Yun.

In conversation, Qin Yun learned that Storm Climbing Team was also making their first collective attempt on Yaomei Peak.

Their goal this time wasn't the summit, but to reach C2 after passing C1—if they couldn't, they'd turn back immediately, so their psychological pressure was lighter.

Unlike the Dengshan Alliance, whose goal was to summit.

This was their fourth attempt to challenge Yaomei Peak; the previous three had all ended in failure.

Soon, Yang Jia took her leave and returned to her team. One member joked: "Captain, they're not also here to climb Yaomei Peak, are they?"

Another chuckled: "Impossible. Two soft-skinned kids—probably brainwashed by online posts and came just to check in."

Yang Jia shook her head: "They'll keep going too, but I bet they won't get far before turning back. Don't worry about them. Focus on our own climb."

On the Dengshan Alliance side, Xia Cuo was the only one who approached Qin Yun's group voluntarily.

After Yang Jia left, he came over too, learning they intended to press upward, and immediately urged them to reconsider.

"Qin Ge, this isn't the place to show off. One misstep and you're dead."

"Thank you, I know," Qin Yun always maintained good manners toward kindness. "Don't worry—I won't overestimate myself. If things look hopeless, I'll withdraw promptly."

Xia Cuo opened his mouth to speak, thinking: sometimes, you can't just leave when you want to—when the moment comes, you may be powerless.

Back with his team, Xia Cuo sighed helplessly. Nearby members, upon hearing, said coolly: "Xia Cuo, respect others' fate—that's the eternal truth of mountaineering."

Another added: "An unwritten rule of the Dengshan world: no rescue above five thousand meters. Why bother? I bet they won't even make it fifty meters past the icefall fan before turning back."

On Qin Yun's side, Han Wei looked at the two teams over there and whispered, "Qin Ye, do you think they'll succeed?"

"I don't know," Qin Yun shook his head. "They're all professional climbing teams. As long as they stay alert, careful, and follow orders, without any accidents, they still have a chance to reach the summit."

Han Wei understood Qin Yun's meaning—these people wouldn't make it to the top.

"How are you feeling now?" Qin Yun carefully observed Han Wei.

Han Wei's head still felt slightly swollen, but otherwise she was fine; yet the swelling had worsened since last night. Though it hadn't yet impaired her physical movement, it was clearly warning her that her altitude sickness could escalate at any moment.

"No problem. Everything's normal."

"Good," Qin Yun nodded solemnly. "If you feel any discomfort at all, tell me immediately. I'll decide whether you should continue. Understood?"

"Mm, I know. Don't worry."

After biting into a few energy bars and finishing the hot water in her cup, Qin Yun prepared to go live.

He turned on the helmet-mounted action camera and the AI drone.

As the drone lifted into the air, the livestream opened silently.

He guided the drone toward the snow-capped mountain.

It was still 8:30 a. m. In this season, the temperature difference between morning and noon on Mount Siguniang was minimal.

So as long as the weather was clear, during the climbing window, any time was essentially the same.

Qin Yun watched the livestream viewer count. When it reached twenty thousand, his voice rang out.

"Hello everyone, I'm Qin Yun, a casual climbing enthusiast."

"I'm currently at the North Wall base camp of Yaomei Peak in Xiaojin County, Sichuan. It's 8:32 a. m. I'm about to attempt to summit Yaomei Peak from the North Wall base camp."

"Good morning, Qin Ye."

"Qin Ye looks so refreshed—it makes you wonder what he did yesterday."

"Haha, Qin Ye's energy is amazing, full of vigor."

"Traveling with beauty—what a joy."

"Where's Han Wei, the gorgeous lady? Why isn't she speaking?"

Seeing the drone take off, some members of the two teams smirked.

The camp was small; Qin Yun's voice reached some of their ears.

"Summit? Hah… Did I hear that right, Captain?"

Yang Jia's lip twitched in shock at Qin Yun and Han Wei's overconfidence.

Xia Cuo covered his face, thinking: Brother, don't do this. Even lying isn't done this way.

But from Qin Yun's words, they realized he was a livestreamer—and a foolish, overreaching one.

They moved quickly, packing up their gear in no time and setting off officially.

Qin Yun watched their retreating backs without rushing, continuing to interact with his livestream viewers.

Only when their figures vanished beneath the wind and snow did he prepare to move.

But before he set out, he told Han Wei: "Use oxygen first. Breathe for thirty minutes."

Han Wei nodded obediently, pulling an oxygen tank from her backpack. As the oxygen flowed into her bloodstream, the slight swelling in her head instantly eased.

This was undoubtedly a welcome sensation.

Meanwhile, far away in a villa in Shanghai, Fang Yi sat in her car and opened the livestream.

"Go!"

Qin Yun spoke, then stepped forward into the vast, terrifying ice avalanche fan zone.

'Crack… crack…'

The sound beneath his feet was like stepping on gravel, but slicker—if he didn't consciously control his balance, he'd easily slip.

He walked ahead, steady and unhurried, his expression no longer relaxed—he grew serious.

He constantly scanned the cliff above, ears alert for any unusual sound.

The drone's lens shifted up and down—viewers saw the suffocatingly steep cliffs one moment, then dangerous scree paths the next.

"Han Wei, stay close," Qin Yun warned, then addressed his viewers: "Brothers, the ice avalanche fan is three hundred meters long, with a vertical drop of fifty meters. All the rocks here are loose, completely unfixed. Falling ice and rocks from above can reach twenty meters per second. Get hit, and you're dead or crippled."

No sooner had he finished—

'Shhh—!' A sharp whistling sound pierced the air. A black rock the size of a washbasin broke free from the cliff a hundred meters above, hurtling down with a howling wind.

This entire scene was captured perfectly by the drone's camera. The livestream viewers' pupils dilated in shock.

"Holy shit, falling rock!"

"Move! Get out of the way!"

"Too dangerous! Scared the hell out of me!"

"We're done!" Han Wei turned pale, frozen in place, her mind blank.

Qin Yun's eyes sharpened. In the instant the rock broke loose, he reacted.

Without hesitation, he spun around, his left arm wrapping tightly around Han Wei's waist. His superior physical strength made carrying her feel as easy as holding a baby.

He yanked her backward with force, while his right foot slammed hard against the ground, launching his body sideways.

"Boom!"

The black rock crashed onto the exact spot where they'd stood, sending shards flying and denting the ground into a small crater.

Just half a meter away—only half a meter—and they'd have been crushed.

Han Wei was held tightly in Qin Yun's arms, her heart pounding wildly, her whole body damp with sweat, too terrified to speak.

Qin Yun released her, his expression unchanged, turning his gaze to the drone above.

"Bad luck. Normally, you rarely get hit by falling rocks. I think I need to buy a sports lottery ticket after I descend."

As soon as he finished speaking, gifts flooded the screen—Carnivals, planes, helicopters—every kind of gift blanketed the display.