Chapter 118 Life Forbidden Zone 17
"What do you think?" Jiang Ran looked at him indifferently.
Xu Yang was stunned and didn't respond for a while.
People who lived thousands of years ago are still alive today. Jiang Ran did not directly refute such a bizarre speculation, which was almost equivalent to tacit acceptance.
A sudden breeze swept across the calm lake, causing a few imperceptible ripples, and then passed between the two of them.
The wind in the mountains always begins and ends without a sound, but people are destined to have a source, and the root of this breaking of flesh and blood and tendons will always be revealed in countless small things in daily life.
His persistence in the now-declining ancient photography method, his self-taught knowledge of the outdoors, and his inexplicable familiarity and concern for the Pamirs...
Iranian language, sheep whistle, bamboo tube rice...
All the past events came to mind one by one.
Now that I think about it, Jiang Ran never really hid her secret.
"What did you do before?" Xu Yang asked.
Jiang Ran was not surprised by his question, but revealed a nostalgic look: "In the past..."
Jiang Ran took down the ball that was quietly floating behind him.
When they talked about the translator, the two had already closed the live broadcast room, and now only the basic shooting and browsing functions are still open.
When I opened the photo album, the first picture that caught my eye was Baisha Lake with its distinct mountains and rivers.
"You took beautiful photos." Xu Yang praised sincerely.
"This is my profession, a wilderness photographer," Jiang Ran said. "I travel the wilds and take pictures of all kinds of nature."
She once confronted wild leopards in the uninhabited areas of Tibet and tracked the traces of wolves in Bayinbuluke where the temperature was dozens of degrees below zero.
There is no knowledge that comes out of thin air in this world. She has climbed over mountains and crossed rivers, climbed to great heights and explored caves, and finally became the omnipotent person she is today.
It took Xu Yang a while to digest the information she gave him.
"You were a guest in Tajikistan for so long before. Was it also for filming?"
“In the beginning.”
Jiang Ran curled up his legs, placed the tracking ball on his knees, and lightly fiddled with the plastic shell on the edge of the lens with his fingers.
"I originally came here with my partner to photograph the apricot blossoms, but the locals were so welcoming. Even though we couldn't communicate at first, I could feel their friendliness. They even gave us dried apricots with the pits removed."
"So you stayed?"
"Yes," Jiang Ran nodded, "but that's not the only reason."
Xu Yang: "Then there is..."
Xu Yang stopped talking halfway, obviously wanting to wait for Jiang Ran to continue.
However, Jiang Ran, who had been asking and answering questions, suddenly fell silent at this time. She tilted her head slightly and looked at the vast mountains in the distance, but her pupils were scattered and had no focus.
Xu Yang didn't urge her.
After a long while, Jiang Ran slowly continued speaking.
"K2 in the Pamirs is very famous, as you should know by now."
Xu Yang nodded.
When Jiang Ran suggested setting the end point of the race at the summit of Mount Qomolangma, he also did some research and had more or less some understanding.
"At that time, the highest peak on Earth was Mount Everest, but in our expedition community, K2 was more famous than Mount Everest."
"Its average slope is over 45 degrees, making it the highest vertical drop of any peak in the world, far more dangerous than Mount Everest. The freezing cold and ferocious wildlife on the way to the summit have prevented many explorers from returning, yet have captivated others, including me... and my partner."
It is not difficult to imagine what happened next.
If you want to reach the top of Death Peak, you can't just go there blindly. Of course, you need to make various preparations.
Jiang Ran and his partner are temporarily living with the Tajik people, helping them learn more about modern technology and improve their quality of life, while also preparing for the summit.
But Xu Yang didn't want to ask about what happened next.
Since Jiang Ran got along well with the Tajik people and left so many beautiful memories, there was no reason for her to avoid this place like the plague, or even to retreat temporarily when everyone was preparing to climb the mountain and choose to stay in the village.
There is only one possibility, that the subsequent summit trip was not satisfactory, and it was most likely a failure.
However, Xu Yang kept silent, but Jiang Ran did not stop talking.
She gave a wry smile and said almost self-deprecatingly, "My partner and I...wanted to leave a legend, to etch our names in the history of K2. But in the end..."
“It was accomplished in the form of death.”
"Hey, hey, help me up!"
Fu Bo cried, "Dad! Help!"
"Stop yelling!" Ren Xiayang pouted in disdain as he put his arm around his shoulders. "I'm not going to leave you here, so why are you in such a hurry?"
"I, I'm in pain..."
Fu Bo bared his teeth, his expression ferocious: "There's no way to distract them if you don't shout!"
The mountain was too steep, and there were often dead branches and thorns blocking the way. Fu Bo accidentally slipped and rolled down twice. His injury was not serious, he just injured his leg and could not walk on his own.
"Your injuries are minor, huh?"
After all, Zeng Pei was a tough person who could jump back to the camp on one foot even with a lame leg. She couldn't understand Fu Bo's crying and wailing and his cold face.
"There wasn't even much blood, was there?"
"Then you have to see where the injury is!"
Fu Bo's eyes widened. "This is the thigh! The thigh! If it had been a little off just now... my life would have been miserable!"
Although Ren Xiayang was disgusted, he still felt a chill in his lower body after hearing what he said.
"oh."
Zeng Pei still didn't understand.
Fu Bo was very dissatisfied with Zeng Pei's attitude. He wanted to say something more, but Ren Xiayang covered his mouth and said, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll leave you here."
Fu Bo finally stopped while he was ahead and shut up tactfully.
Zeng Pei looked at the steep mountain road and said, "Fu Bo can't walk. We can't drag him to the summit."
When Fu Bo heard this, he was about to make a fuss again, but Ren Xiayang held him down.
Ren Xiayang asked: "Then what should we do?"
"One person has to take him back to the village," Zeng Pei said with a frown, "and the other person can continue to climb the mountain."
"Are you going alone?" Ren Xiayang was a little worried. "Wouldn't that be dangerous?"
"That may not be the case."
Zeng Pei gave them both a meaningful look and said, "It might become easier."
Fu Bo and Ren Xiayang: "..."
They made the decision quickly without much discussion.
Ren Xiayang is strong and staminaed, so he is responsible for sending Fu Bo back. Zeng Pei is cautious and capable of continuing to climb the mountain.
However, Zeng Pei was stopped just after he took two steps.
"What's wrong?" Zeng Pei turned around and asked, "Can't you move him?"
"No..." Ren Xiayang's face was tangled, and his ears were slightly hot. "I forgot how to get back."
Zeng Pei looked at Fu Bo.
Fu Bo lowered his head: "I don't know either."
Zeng Pei: “…”
Zeng Pei turned around, took Fu Bo's other arm, and said to Ren Xiayang, "Then you go to the summit. I'll take him back."
Ren Xiayang was embarrassed for a moment, and his ears became even hotter: "I don't know which way to go to climb the peak."
Zeng Pei: “…”
"...Then the fixed rope suddenly slackened, and Zhang Duo fell off the cliff trying to hold me. We were already close to the summit by then, and at an altitude of 7,000 to 8,000 meters, it was enough to crush anyone to pieces."
"The search and rescue team searched for three days but couldn't find a body. They only found a piece of yellow clothing hanging on a tree branch not far below the cliff. It was the birthday present I had given her not long ago."
A story so long that it can trap a person for a lifetime only takes a short moment to tell again.
After Jiang Ran finished talking about her past in the Pamirs, Xu Yang also knew the source of her love and hatred for this place, but he wished he had never explored all of this.
Two withered yellow leaves fell from the branches and landed on the blue lake.
Thousands of years have passed, the mountains and rivers remain the same, but people are no longer the same as before.
"She won't regret saving you." Xu Yang comforted dryly.
"I know," Jiang Ran looked up at the clouds slowly drifting across the sky, "but I will regret not coming here in the first place. I should have checked the fixed rope a few more times before setting off. She didn't stretch it..."
He stopped talking halfway through.
But Xu Yang knew what she hadn't finished saying.
At this moment, Xu Yang felt extremely regretful.
He once received a one-page flyer promoting an emotional counseling course, and the catalog included an item about comforting people who were in a bad mood.
I took a quick look at it and threw the GG order into the trash can. Now I wish I could go back to my former self and finish all those courses carefully.
This way you won’t...
I couldn't even say a word of comfort.
When all was silent, a friction sound suddenly came from behind.
Jiang Ran and Xu Yang turned around at the same time, and the next second they saw the little wolf leap up and suddenly bite the neck of an eagle.
The adult eagle was very strong and would certainly not accept its fate. It flapped its powerful wings wildly, trying to knock away the wolf cub, whose fur had not yet fully grown.
Xu Yang was shocked and immediately wanted to run over to help the little wolf, but he was stopped by Jiang Ran after he had only taken two steps.
"It's very dangerous!" Xu Yang said in panic.
"The strong prey on the weak, that's the law of nature," Jiang Ran said seriously, "You can't interfere!"
Xu Yang couldn't help but look at the little wolf: "But..."
It is still so small that even if converted into human age, it is definitely just a child who has not yet reached adulthood.
"no."
Jiang Ran calmly stopped him: "If you help it now, you will harm it in the future."
Xu Yang understood this principle. After being stopped by Jiang Ran again and again, he gradually calmed down.
But not far away, the little wolf was still struggling with the eagle, and even a piece of hair on its head was pulled out. Xu Yang couldn't bear it, and for a moment he even turned his head away, not daring to look over there.
"Don't worry too much."
Jiang Ran watched the battle not far away and patted Xu Yang on the shoulder.
"Little Wolf will win."
The struggles in nature are generally like this. Many times, it is not only about who is stronger, but also who is more ruthless. Therefore, trapped beasts at the end of their rope are more willing to fight back, and wild beasts that are not afraid of death can always fight for a chance of survival.
The little wolf bit the eagle's neck tightly and let it struggle harder. Even when it was injured, it never loosened its teeth for a moment.
Soon, the eagle's struggles became weaker and weaker, and it gradually lost its vitality.
Xu Yang took a deep breath and said, "It... is quite powerful."
Jiang Ran thought thoughtfully, "It should still remember. When we found the wolf carcasses, one was carried away by an eagle. That might be its mother."
The little wolf did not eat the eagle's meat. It poked its head out and, after confirming that the eagle was dead, turned around and walked towards Jiang Ran. It tugged at her trouser legs with its teeth, then tilted its head back, as if waiting for praise.
Jiang Ran squatted down and gently rubbed the little wolf's head, deliberately avoiding the wound on its head.
The little wolf felt comfortable being petted, but seemed a little shy. He wagged his tail and ran away happily.
"You really understand them." Xu Yang said.
Jiang Ran: "You will know after you stay with the wolves for a long time."
Xu Yang: "But you still missed a little."
Jiang Ran looked at him in confusion.
She didn't know what Xu Yang meant.
Xu Yang stared intently into Jiang Ran's eyes and said meaningfully, "The little wolf had a grudge against the eagle, but instead of avoiding it, he chose to fight back and defeat it. You see, the little wolf is not complacent at all."
Jiang Ran was silent.
She knew what Xu Yang was referring to.
Xu Yang paused, then continued, "When you suggested I set K2 as the finish line for this race, you were actually hoping to climb it again and overcome your past, right? Why did you stop at the end?"
Jiang Ran looked at Xu Yang and didn't speak for a long time.
Xu Yang felt a little guilty when he saw her. He was afraid that what he said just now was wrong or had touched Jiang Ran's sore spot. His heart was beating fast.
Jiang Ran took a step forward in silence, and the distance between the two people, which was already not far apart, suddenly became closer.
Xu Yang could almost smell the fragrance on her body, which was the faint scent of apricot blossoms, the same smell as the wind that occasionally passed through the village.
Xu Yang: "You, you..."
Jiang Ran forced a faint smile: "I..."
"What are you doing!?"
Fu Bo's scream suddenly sounded from behind.
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