Chapter 1676: The Xi classmate who points and comments using Wu dialect

NO. 291: The Xi classmate who points and comments in Wu dialect.

Wow, there are so many people.

Seeing Aomo see off the seventh wave of mountain friends who came forward to express concern and comfort, one felt sighing on one side and, on the other, picked up her wine gourd that had transformed into a porcelain bottle and took two gulps.

Compared to Xi's outfit, which though thin is also wrapped tightly, the Eastflame ancient style vigorous attire—yet that attire which actually has a theme name—still follows the same line as the former dressing style.

A long‑hemmed coat plus bustier, shorts, and a simple wrapped shawl to add layering—looking at it makes it hard to tell winter from summer, and even in spring/autumn it still seems rather strange.

Placed near the summit at an altitude already of 4156 meters, it's even harder not to feel cold.

But it's precisely because she was seen at that altitude of already 4156 meters that, when those enthusiastic mountain friends brought warming items forward to comfort Aomo's group, she was always the only one left out.

"Hearing Aomo say, Heaven Gate City, because from the start of its establishment it flattened and hollowed out the planned area, constructing from surface to interior, so the remaining natural peaks are few." He said softly.

"Hmm..." Chazuo nodded.

She's the type in the travel group who would thoroughly read travel magazines beforehand; regarding the mountain data of Heaven Gate City she had especially done research, but her interest in mountaineering has never been in the meaning behind the mountains, but rather in the process of mountaineering itself—conquering the peaks.

So on this topic she couldn't fire off witty remarks like chatting over coffee; she just gave a brief reply, then softly said, "What remains all have meaning, so there have always been many mountaineers."

"What meaning… can make people… voluntarily overwork… go to jail?!"

The great painter Xi, who had turned the sword case she'd been carrying on her back and the sword itself into a walking stick, was still leaning on the walking stick adjusting her breath.

Although she isn't panting heavily, you can indeed tell at a glance that her physical fitness is astonishingly poor, and she's even less adept at handling this high-altitude environment with thin air.

When among the mountain friends not far away there's a little kid in a windbreaker over 1.3 meters tall, Miss Xi's reaction becomes even more conspicuous.

"Although it's somewhat heartless, perhaps only you would think this is jail."

After bidding farewell to those enthusiastic mountain friends, Aomo returned, raising a hand to hand over a small thing like a perfume bottle: "Take two deep breaths, like medicinal fragrance for treating nasal congestion."

"Having this thing," Xi, who had snatched the small item in one gulp, hurriedly complied then lifted her head to glare at him: "Why, only now take it out?!"

"Regarding this, you still need to thank those few friends just now." Aomo pointed at those few in the distance continuing to climb upward, wearing professional gear.

Called professional, but perhaps it's better to say they enjoy role‑playing.

After all, just as they see Ling's outfit and pay no heed, there are many 'supermen' in the world, and powerful gear is even more numerous.

Looking at the exceptionally cool outfit, it might not be impossible that it carries its own source‑energy imprint, filled with fine temperature‑control arrays, expensive clothing; looking at very inexperienced mountaineers, they might not be not carrying spatial‑folding storage devices as a super fortress—under these circumstances, those people naturally wouldn't worry about that one‑glance impressive Ling, but would instead look at that outfit, gear, and appearance with a bit of professional knowledge, yet not especially professional, directing their gaze at Aomo, Xi, and Chazuo.

Although climbers are always few in any era, you can fully expect that in an age of close information exchange there will be a gathering of climbers that seems no longer niche.

Such a group need not appear as a crowd; the bond connecting everyone can also be some intangible thing—for example, walking the same path, hoping those on it will have more goodwill.

Such goodwill is quite pure, but because the actors are people, there remains variation—like differing definitions of 'who is being helped,' and also differing measures of 'how to help,' with different people having different ideas.

But only toward Ling, this 'act‑without‑acting' carefree companion, do people show indifference equally to all.

As the saying goes, each profession has its own persistence, and this group of mountain friends' persistence clearly lies in a single attitude.

Trekking poles, packs, clothing, helmets, rain gear, rations, gloves, first‑aid kits, headlamps, flashlights…… these items, which nowadays could be replaced by simpler, more convenient gear—and even a strong physique alone could spare part of the old‑school mountaineering kit—are still being worn in full by batch after batch of people, Chazuo included.

Thus you can easily see what the attitude everyone wants and what Aomo means by 'enjoying role‑playing' are.

These people are quite ritual‑oriented.

Like those gamers who challenge high difficulty and pile on negative status effects on themselves, just as the earnest horse girls run according to the race limits, everyone is challenging the peak while self‑imposing constraints to a certain degree.

Then, at this moment looking back—seeing Ling's unabashed superhuman performance, though not to the point of an old person's subway phone, nor to the point of pointing and speaking rudely, yet everyone chose to be as indifferent as possible.

Then, conversely, what about someone like Xi?

"They all want me to keep an eye on you and send you back right away if anything happens." Aomo said.

Obviously, concern is present, but whether they're happy is another matter.

"What do you mean!" Miss Xi's reaction is never slow, especially when it comes to this industry‑perception segment; she's always the first to point and say, "Am I being treated as an ignorant outsider? Do you think I'll have an accident midway?!"

You see, this shows quite a bit of self‑awareness.

Aomo didn't answer, just shrugged.

"... Really arrogant!"

But she also doesn't really accept this self‑awareness, gripping the bottle wanting to throw it down yet unable to, wanting to scold yet unable to find the right words, so she could only force out this sentence.

At least having received help, she wouldn't do the thing of turning her back and denying people… Aomo had just thought that when the other party turned back with a sentence: "Wait, you took their stuff and just gave it to me to use?"

"Not that lacking in vigilance, either." Aomo said helplessly.

"This is my own preparation; do you still remember the little box I handed you at the start?"

"……" Upon hearing that, she jumped up as if shocked, hastily reaching into her bosom.

"I didn't say I took it from you…" Aomo, seeing directly what she was panicking over, was somewhat speechless.

Sometimes one wants to complain about how this Eastflame ancient style clothing always stuffs a huge thing into the collar or sleeves—whether it's uncomfortable or not—but since even the 'universe in the sleeve' spatial source‑energy technique exists, the 'universe in the collar' surely isn't difficult either.

Thinking back, Bi Ze had also posted in the group something like an 'ad for interdimensional underwear that can easily accommodate huge busts'—although it doesn't make weight disappear, the main users might be women who want to be iron‑Ts, but since even that low‑barrier civilian version exists, perhaps a slightly more expensive high‑end version could truly reduce the burden?

Such a brain‑running madman, face unchanged, calmly added the unfinished words: "Things like first‑aid kits should at least be prepared in two copies; you can never have too many, right?"

"Even if you're prepared," Xi, having just taken out and confirmed the palm‑sized small box, then shoved it back, saying, "Can I keep this for now?"

"If you have space there, feel free; by the way, the box contains another one just like it."

"Then I'll keep it."

The great painter said, looking toward the not‑far‑off older sister, Chazuo, and He, then asked Aomo: "How long should we rest here?"

"How long do you need?"

Aomo turned the question back, raising a hand to display this trail that's a bit steep but not quite a ravine.

Since this trail can see several mountaineering teams pass through, it's naturally not narrow, and it's precisely this kind of place that can accommodate everyone taking a break, allowing the unexpectedly arrived Xi to catch her breath.

"Have you seen those Heaven Gates around?"

Not only are there vortices floating in the tens‑of‑meters‑high giant structures and the extradimensional scenery after they calm, but now they also appear in the distance beyond the steep trail.

"What are these…" Xi, only then realizing the scene, first stared blankly, then became alert.

"These weren't here just a moment ago, were they?"

It's as if surrounded by several huge mirrors nearly a hundred meters tall, each reflecting a completely different scene; just this sight alone is enough to make one stop.

Indeed there isn't; although when the Heaven Gate opens it's easy to have such multi-directional projections like a mirage, but the Heaven Gate isn't open all the time.

But since this has appeared, we must be very close…… The Chazuo interface that had approached at some unknown time.

Within a kilometer. Aomo rubbed his chin, and since he chose to satisfy Chazuo's hobby, he naturally had done some intelligence work as well.

This mountaintop is said to be an excellent viewing platform where one can directly gaze upon multiple Heaven Gate images, so we can also reverse and use this image to gauge how far we've climbed.

Want to go up? He also approached and asked.

Aomo and Chazuo didn't answer, just looked toward Xi, while He and Ling's gaze also gathered in that way.

……

It's not advised to push oneself; reaching the peak before dark would already be exceeding the original plan. In Xi's silence, Aomo offered advice.

Although it was visible to the naked eye that she had used some external aid, which in a sense also proved she had indeed prepared; her anger at those who thought she was an ignorant layperson wasn't entirely just a tantrum.

But she obviously didn't want Aomo and the others to notice; Miss Xi, who was somewhat restrained and tried to conceal her request for external aid, was also limited by this reserve, unable to give a more superhuman performance.

Um… pushing oneself is dangerous. Chazuo also nodded.

She was happy everyone could accompany her climbing, and she also held a little hope that everyone would enjoy the anticipation of climbing, so she should strive even more to avoid accidents; although such perilous predicaments are always an unavoidable part for climbers.

…Then let's rest five minutes?

Five minutes is enough?

Enough! Don't keep saying it! Keep lifting the edge, keep lifting the edge!