Chapter 482: I Will Be Your Climbing Stick
Over the next ten consecutive days,
The uncles and aunties accompanying the team left one by one.
By the final day, only thirteen people remained.
They climbed all the way to an altitude of 4000 meters, and then began the project of moving the base camp up little by little.
The reason for doing this.
Was to let the body gradually adapt to the environment at this altitude, ensuring their blood oxygen was above 85% every day before setting off.
If someone's blood oxygen was below 80% that day, they would directly stop advancing.
If it was below 70%, they would also immediately descend 500 meters.
What made Will feel fortunate was that the composition of the remaining team included a chef, a doctor, a navigator...
In short, the uncles and aunties' daily jobs were all kinds of things.
Basically, this group of laymen didn't need to worry about any problems; as long as they honestly followed instructions, no problems would occur.
At an altitude of 4800 meters.
They began an 800-meter acclimatization trek planned to last three days.
That is, going back and forth between 4800 meters and 5600 meters every day.
800 meters refers to the vertical height.
Actually, they had to walk 12 kilometers every day carrying a 5kg load.
This was to let the body adapt through the "bungee jumping method", so that their blood oxygen could reach over 90% on the upcoming summit day.
One afternoon.
"Hoo... hoo... I feel like, I might be reaching my limit..."
The uncle's face was flushed red, taking deep breaths, turning his head to look at Blonde-kun holding Will's arm.
"Not bad, Cynthia, your physique is very impressive; it's good to be young."
"Huso..."
The Sudowoodo beside him fell to his knees on the ground, panting heavily.
Obviously, his condition was even worse than the uncle's.
"Hehe, not at all, far inferior to the uncles and aunties; without Lucario and Diancie, I would have collapsed long ago."
Cynthia shook her head.
She had long thrown away the climbing stick in her hand.
Wearing a heavy down jacket and alpine boots, climbing until dusk every day, where did she have the strength to hold that climbing stick; she simply leaned on Lucario or Diancie, which was much easier than holding that broken climbing stick.
"Whether it's Uncle or Cynthia, your physiques still need improvement."
Diancie put her hands on her hips, shaking her head looking at the two.
"Let's rest for a bit."
The team leader looked at their appearance, turning his head and saying with a smile.
"Great~"
Hearing this, the uncle immediately lay down on the spot, trying hard to control his breathing.
The mountain wind whined as it swept across the bare rock walls, rolling up fine sand and dust.
He raised a hand, reaching towards the sun on the horizon.
Clearly closer to the sun.
But it felt even colder.
"Huso."
Sudowoodo sat down beside him, staring blankly at the hot breath he exhaled.
On the other side.
Will found a rock, padded it with a cotton cushion, and then sat on it.
Cynthia closely followed and sat on Will's lap, snuggling close to him for warmth.
"Is it that tiring? I don't feel tired at all."
Diancie clapped her little hands, then patted her cheeks, "It's just a bit cold."
As an underground creature, Diancie has relatively low resistance to the cold.
If it weren't for her own strength being strong enough, and Will and Cynthia sticking several hand warmers inside the clothes she was wearing.
She simply wouldn't have been able to walk to this altitude.
The uncle beside looked at Will and Diancie, who weren't even panting, and couldn't help letting out a long sigh:
"Perhaps they are the legendary geniuses..."
"Huso?"
"When I was twenty and climbed a mountain for the first time, I also thought I was a genius, but now I have to admit, I am just so ordinary."
The uncle narrowed his eyes.
Only feeling physically and mentally exhausted.
"Huso."
Sudowoodo reached out and patted the uncle.
Of course he remembered; when he was still just a Bonsly back then, he also thought so.
Thinking that as long as they were together, they could climb to a place where they could touch the sun just by raising their hands.
But unfortunately.
The young them were too naive.
They couldn't touch the sun.
And couldn't even persist in finishing climbing Mount Xiaoyao.
"Although I have already accepted this point, I still can't help lamenting my own mediocrity~"
"Huso~"
"Sudowoodo."
"Huso?"
"Sorry, I might have to give up again this time. Look, the climbing stick I spent all my savings to buy back then is also about to break..."
The uncle stroked the climbing stick in his hand, whose original color could barely be distinguished.
This climbing stick carried all the hot blood and dreams of his youth with Bonsly.
The pocket money saved for over a decade.
Was all spent on this climbing stick, which was claimed to be the most resilient in the world at that time.
And now?
The uncle held the climbing stick and knocked it on the rock beside him.
The partner that accompanied him for over twenty springs and autumns, witnessing his countless ambitious departures and returning without success, just casually broke into two pieces.
Just like his every challenge journey.
Always finding countless reasonable excuses for himself when there was still a long way to go from the goal, turning around and going down the mountain with peace of mind, always thinking he could definitely do it next time.
In his youth, his ambitions were higher than the sky, but his will was thinner than paper.
The climbing stick might have been very resilient.
But he was not.
So the Aurora Plums at the peak of the mountain over six thousand meters high would forever be a scenery he couldn't see with his own eyes.
Sudowoodo didn't imitate him this time.
He held the climbing stick broken into two pieces in his hands, looking up towards the direction of the mountain peak.
Shrouded in clouds and mist, unreachable.
Were their dreams going to completely turn into bubbles together with the broken climbing stick?
"It also stops here, I think, I should also pretty much stop here, sigh..."
The uncle lowered his arms, murmuring somewhat blankly,
"Do you think our climbing over these twenty-plus years has any meaning at all?"
Persisted for twenty-eight years.
Not as far as a young girl's first mountain climb.
Pat.
Footsteps reached his ears.
Will pulled Cynthia and walked to the side of the uncle and Sudowoodo:
"Giving your all to do what you like is meaningful in itself."
"And doing what you like with the person you like, then that will be even more meaningful."
Cynthia held Will's arm, continuing to say with a smile.
"But here's the question, Uncle, did you really give your all?"
Diancie slightly tilted her little head, her eyes pure as gems looking straight at the uncle.
"Are you guys comforting me? Hahaha, thank you, but..."
The uncle raised his head blankly, looking at the energetic young people in front of him, showing a smile.
"Huso."
Sudowoodo interrupted his depressing words.
"Sudowoodo, what did you say?"
The uncle widened his eyes, turning his head to look at Sudowoodo.
A trace of expectation that even he himself couldn't detect flashed deep in his eyes.
Over the past twenty-plus years.
The number of times Sudowoodo took the initiative to mention going home was much more than him.
This time?
"Huso."
This time, I don't want to give up.
Sudowoodo tightly gripped the climbing stick broken in half in his hand, turning his head to look at him:
"Huso!"
This climbing stick.
Accompanied them and persisted for 28 years.
Witnessed countless wind and snow, morning suns, and evening suns together with them.
This broken stick had long surpassed the meaning of a tool, being the witness of their climbing career.
At least.
Have to take this already fallen partner together, walk once to that place they never reached, and look once together at the scenery they once mutually hoped for.
Looking at Sudowoodo, the uncle's nose turned red.
Don't know if it was from freezing or being moved.
He grasped Sudowoodo's hand and stood up, turning his head looking towards the mountain peak.
"Huso."
I will be your climbing stick.
"Okay, I leave it to you; this time, we definitely have to persist to the end."
The uncle nodded heavily.
Setting off again.
Acclimatization treks back and forth.
Seeing the uncle and Sudowoodo not turning back this time, the other few uncles and aunties couldn't help being somewhat surprised, but there was more gratification and smiles in their eyes.
When the time came to the 14th day of climbing.
Everyone had basically adapted to this altitude.
They will summit today, launching the final push, walking the last 1200 meters within 14 hours.
And when breaking through to the distance above 6000 meters.
They will start inhaling oxygen to maintain blood oxygen.
At 4 a.m.
Above the high mountain, it wasn't as dark as imagined.
The sun gave no light.
But the sky full of stars could also illuminate the path under their feet.
"Set off!"
"Oh oh oh!" N
Cynthia and Diancie weakly raised their hands high.
They were actually quite excited.
But the spirit was willing while the flesh was weak, unable to give a very loud response.
Down these dozen or so days.
Cynthia's face and lips were a shade paler.
And Diancie fell into an unresponsive "slow start" state due to the low temperature of the snowfield.
Basically, it was Will pulling them advancing upwards.
Speechless along the way.
This last stretch of the road simply didn't allow everyone to talk nonsense.
The Pokémon couldn't advance while playing around like before on the mountainside.
Everyone walked carefully on the steep mountain slope covered by white snow, keeping their heads down observing every inch of land under their feet well, afraid a moment of distraction would lead to a fall.
Will's hands tightly gripped Cynthia and Diancie.
Although knowing clearly he had the Sea Crown, and also knowing Cynthia had Garchomp.
But really walking to this step, he still felt a bit frightened in his heart.
Setting foot in this extreme region that seemed forgotten by the world, every step felt like stepping on an unstable pile of crushed rocks.
Looking back down the mountain.
Could only see the cloud layer.
Continued moving forward with heads down.
Don't know how long passed; time lost its meaning here, they couldn't even distinguish what time it was right now by the sky.
Even resting in place wouldn't provide a good rest.
The color of fatigue was already full on everyone's face.
What was rare was.
The uncle didn't shout about wanting to go back this time.
Neither did Sudowoodo.
They supported each other climbing upwards, actually carrying some 'will to die' in their eyes?
These two people.
Were clearly climbing upwards with the momentum of breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats (no retreat).
This time they just didn't leave any retreat for themselves.
At a certain moment.
Everyone just felt a light as if dyed by blood shining on their faces.
Looking up.
Only to see the team leader raising his hand signaling.
Arrived.
Cynthia and Diancie exchanged a glance, weakly reaching out to high-five.
The uncle and Sudowoodo widened their eyes looking forward.
On the high mountain snow peak so narrow it made one suffocate, a few seemingly bare plum trees stood tall between heaven and earth, taking the sky as a quilt,
And the snow as a mat.
The Aurora dyed by rosy clouds was their only curtain.
The uncle and Sudowoodo stood blankly in place, letting the cold wind drill inside through the gaps in their cotton-padded clothes.
Aurora Plums.
Not as gorgeous as they imagined.
But more tenacious than they imagined.
Only climbers tenacious and unyielding enough are qualified to see the tenacious and stubborn Aurora Plums.
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