At this moment, Qingchen was trekking among the snow-capped mountains, looking for the most suitable place for him to complete the life-and-death test according to his established goals.
Although the key point of the life and death test is to experience life and death, this does not mean that the knights will not make any preparations.
Before taking on a challenge, plan the challenge route. This is something every knight must do.
Alpine Hida is a very suitable place for skiing. Even in May, the main peak, Oho Takadake, is covered with snow all year round.
These peaks are collectively called the Hotaka Mountain Range. Although they are not as high as Mount Fuji, they are much more difficult to climb than Mount Fuji because there are so many extremely steep cliffs.
When viewed from a distance, some peaks look like a kitchen knife being placed upright in the mountains. Walking on the ridges is like dancing on the blade.
Among the writers from the island country, many stories of their works falling off cliffs and dying happened here.
For example, in Yasushi Inoue's novel "Ice Wall", this is where Uozu and Kosaka fell to death.
Bingbi seems to be a very vivid name.
Qingchen walked in the white snow along the mountain path for skiers.
There are many skiers, but most of them visit the ski resorts on the gentle mountainside, and not many people set foot in more dangerous areas.
The life and death test cannot be completed in the ski resort. The life and death test of ice consolidation has extremely strict speed requirements. It challenges the limit of skiing speed!
So, Qingchen started from the mountainside and continued to climb to the top of the mountain.
Not long after, a ski resort staff member shouted to him from the mountainside: "Hey, you can't go any higher. You'll die if you go to the summit in this weather!"
Qingchen turned his head, but his next step was suddenly empty in the snow.
But I saw him swaying a few times before continuing to trek upward with difficulty.
However, Qingchen suddenly discovered a problem. The mountain he was on was full of powdery snow, and no one could speed up in the powdery snow.
Generally, the conditions for the formation of powder snow are very strict. There must be heavy snow, but the temperature cannot be extremely low. The solidification core will fall to the ground before it is fully frozen.
Pick up the powdery snow and it will slip through your fingers like quicksand.
Although Hida is covered with snow all year round, the temperature rarely drops below zero. This is a very strange geographical environment.
Moist and warm water vapor blows from the ocean and forms snowfall when encountering cold air at high altitudes on land. Snowflakes pile up fluffyly on the mountains. If you are not skiing well, you may even slip and embed in the snow...
If you want to challenge the skiing speed, the snow layer must have been pressed extremely tightly.
Just like running on concrete ground will definitely be faster than running in mud and sand.
Qingchen frowned and continued to climb up firmly.
This time, poverty may have limited his imagination. He chose this place as the place to challenge life and death because everyone said that the powder snow is the best, most suitable for skiing, and also the most luxurious.
But because he had never really skied before, he didn't expect that powder snow was not suitable for a life-and-death challenge.
At this time, many skiers were suddenly halfway up the mountain. They looked up and saw the small black shadow on the peak, slowly trekking between the peaks. They were all stunned.
What is the difference between climbing a mountain peak in this season and seeking death?
But Qingchen not only didn't stop, but went higher and higher until he disappeared in the wind and snow.
…
…
7:50pm.
The sky in Shirakawa-go has darkened. Jinguji Maki glanced at the quartz clock in the room, then returned to the window, lying on the window eagerly and waiting.
At this time, in the paradise, the dim and warm lights in front of the hot spring hotel were on.
In order to save electricity, the little girl turned off the lights at home, but left only the light at the door.
This was because she was worried that Qingchen would come back late and if the lights at the hotel door were turned off, the other party might not be able to find the hotel.
The skiers have returned to Shirakawago one after another. Each hot spring hotel has prepared sumptuous dinners for them early, and there are clean hot springs to wash away their fatigue.
This is the most enjoyable moment for all skiers.
But Qingchen hasn't come back yet.
No normal tourist would stay at the ski resort until this time, and Jinguji Maki began to worry.
At this time, another group of skiers passed by the door.
The little girl opened the window and let the wind and snow pour into the window. She waved to the skiers in the distance and shouted: "Sir, is there anyone else at the ski resort?"
The skiers said: "No, we are the last group, and the ski resort was closed when we came out."
"Oh, thank you..." Jinguji Maki retracted her head. She was even more worried now. The brother didn't bring any skis. There should be no one on the mountain at this time. Where would the other person go?
Don't let anything happen.
The little girl looks at the clock on the wall from time to time, and then looks out the window. Such a kind brother should be a punctual person, right?
Although there was no connection, she firmly believed it.
At 7:59, Jinguji Maki saw a thin figure in the distance, wearing a jacket and walking slowly from the darkness behind the snow.
Jinguji Maki's eyes lit up. She hurriedly left the window sill, ran to the door like the wind, took out slippers from the shoe cabinet, then opened the door of the hot spring hotel and waved to Qingchen: "Onii-chan!"
The crisp sound was stirred into the wind and snow, and drifted far and wide.
Qingchen raised his head and glanced at her, then lowered his head and walked towards the wind and snow.
Jinguji Maki saw that Qingchen didn't respond to her, so he wasn't discouraged.
The little girl happily put her slippers on the floor, then ran into the kitchen quickly, brought the prepared meals to the table, and happily ate rice balls beside her.
The meals are still rice, fried fish, thick egg rolls, and miso soup.
Jinguji Maki seems to only be able to do this, but he can't do it well.
Qingchen took off his jacket and sat down, carefully eating all the food without even a morsel of soup left.
The little girl asked expectantly: "Is today's meal delicious?"
Qingchen shook his head: "It's not delicious."
Little girl: "...Oh."
Qingchen looked at her: "Why are you still eating rice balls? Didn't I already pay the rent in advance?"
Jinguji Maki thought for a while and said: "Grandma needs medicine money...the rice balls are delicious. I added pickled cucumbers to them today."
Qingchen was silent for a few seconds: "Where are your parents?"
Jinguji Maki said: "When my father was working as a tour guide for tourists, the tourists accidentally slipped and fell down the cliff. He tried to save the other person, but was pulled down with him. My mother remarried and went to Hokkaido. Grandma asked me not to blame her. She
You also have to have your own life.”
"Aren't you sad?" Qingchen knew that these words would hurt the little girl, but he still asked.
Jinguji Maki was silent for a while, and then laughed: "Actually, living with grandma is also very happy, everything will be fine. I will be as strong as grandma. She was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago and returned to work in the hotel.
While making money and treating herself, she would always say to me, Maki, everything will be fine!"
Qingchen knew that the little girl's life would not get better.
Lung cancer is currently one of the most difficult cancers to survive. Even the targeted drugs in the world can only extend the patient's life by a few more years, and they cannot save late-stage lung cancer.
Presumably, the little girl’s grandmother’s cancer cells have spread throughout her body.
At this time, the grandmother had been in a coma 95% of the time, and the frequency and amount of food she ate was very small. It was obvious that she had reached the end of her life.
If grandma dies, how will the eight-year-old girl survive?
Jinguji Maki said to Qingchen: "Don't discuss this, Onii-chan. I paid the uncle next door to clean the hot spring pool today. The temperature of the hot spring is now the most suitable. You can go and soak for a while.
."
"Yeah," Qingchen nodded, leaving the little girl alone in the living room.
She walked back to the window, lay down on the window sill, and looked outside with her big eyes. There were many children there having crazy snowball fights, and strange-shaped snowmen were piled in front of the hot spring hotels.
At this time, Qingchen came out again and saw this scene. Jinguji Maki turned back and looked at him: "Onii-chan, what's wrong?"
Qingchen looked at the figures making snowmen outside the window, and then said to Jinguji Maki: "Make the bed."
"Ooo, I'm sorry, I forgot, I'm really sorry," Jinguji Maki took out the quilt from the compartment.
The bedding in the hot spring hotel is kept in the cabinet every day, and is only taken out at night and spread on the wooden floor.
Jinguji Maki was laying on the bed when he suddenly noticed Qingchen's hands, which were covered with traces of frostbite.
She felt a little strange.
This brother seems to be different from others in everything.
…
…
early morning.
Jinguji Maki woke up early today, thinking that she couldn't sleep in anymore because she had to make breakfast for Onii-chan.
But it was only 7:10 in the morning, and there was no one in Qingchen's house.
Just like yesterday, the bedding was neatly folded and placed.
There is also a note: I will be back before 8 o'clock, leave me some food.
The only difference is that the skis were taken away this time.
Jinguji Maki felt a little disappointed. She always felt that no matter how hard she tried to show enthusiasm, she could not melt her brother's coldness.
She lowered her head slightly discouraged.
The next moment, she put on her shabby cotton clothes and opened the door of the hot spring hotel to go to Shirakawa Township to buy some fresh ingredients.
But when I saw the door, I didn't know when a tall snowman had been piled up.
On the snowman's face, the nose, eyes, and mouth were also pasted with seaweed.
The snowmen in other hot spring hotels all face outward, as if they are welcoming guests.
The snowman in this hot spring hotel faces inward, as if it only belongs to Jinguji Maki, leaving his back to all who pass by.
Jinguji Maki wrapped the scarf that her grandmother had knitted for her before and ran out in a bound.
…
…
Carrying a single board on his back, Qingchen took the sightseeing bus to the Riho Takatake Mountain again. He still did not go to the ski resort, but climbed up again.
The skiers looked up and saw that familiar figure. Some people were worried that he would die in the snowy mountains last night, but now they were already numb.
Qingchen came to the top with a calm expression, clipped his board, and jumped down.
And then got stuck in the thick powder snow...
The fluffy powder snow was not enough to support his weight, and he couldn't skate at all!
It was a mistake this time, but it was enough to prove that the powder snow really could not allow him to complete the ice consolidation, and he had to find a colder place with a more solid snow layer.
Qingchen lay silently in the snow, looking at the mountains in the distance.
Leaving the island country?
Compared with life and death, assassinating the God Generation is a trivial matter. After all, he has to complete his promotion and return to the A02 secret military base to face a more cruel reality.
Therefore, if this place is not suitable, Qingchen must leave. Nothing is more important than this.
etc.
Qingchen looked at the ridges scattered like razor blades on the distant mountains, and suddenly thought of another life-and-death test!
Downhill riding on the ridge, dancing on the edge of the knife!
