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墨書 Inktalez
"Set off!"
At the shout of Bai Yujing, everyone boarded the Snowmobiles and began their journey to Antarctica, where they would head to the coldest regions to complete a special mission.
The Snowmobiles were quite different from regular vehicles; they were tracked vehicles, ensuring they could climb steep slopes and maneuver easily across various terrains. The Snowmobiles were entirely white, divided into two sections, each capable of seating two people while also accommodating a considerable amount of supplies and equipment.
After bidding farewell to the members at the base, a group of seven set off together. Li Xiang and Liu Xinwu served as drivers, with Liu Xinwu, Bai Yujing, Wen Feng, and Zhu Wei seated in the front vehicle, while the other three rode in the back vehicle.
The speed of the Snowmobiles was faster than Bai Yujing had imagined. The initial stretch of the journey was relatively flat, allowing them to move quickly as they gradually distanced themselves from the coastline. However, as the route became less smooth with many steep inclines, Bai Yujing initially worried whether the Snowmobiles could manage them. It turned out that the power of the Snowmobiles exceeded Bai Yujing's expectations, maintaining a stable and smooth ride throughout.
"Wen Feng, double-check your route for any issues. If we get lost here, we really won't have a way out. Plus, as we get closer to the inland areas, communication equipment will become unreliable!" Bai Yujing said from the passenger seat, looking back at Wen Feng.
Wen Feng held a terrain map marked with a lot of data and replied to Bai Yujing, "No problem. If I'm unsure about other places, I've been to Kunlun Station several times; I know that route well!"
"However, I haven't been to Kunlun Station during winter. Initially, it took us over twenty days due to various delays. But this time I've chosen the fastest route; we should be able to reach Kunlun Station in about half a month."
Bai Yujing nodded. Half a month means at least a month for round trip; adding in the time needed to search for Atlantis would require at least a month and a half—assuming everything goes smoothly. In Antarctica, no one knows what might happen.
Still, Bai Yujing maintained a confident demeanor: "Great job, Wen Feng. By the way, do you have a local terrain map for the area around Atlantis Ruins that I mentioned earlier?"
Wen Feng immediately pulled out a map from his backpack: "I did some research overnight yesterday. This area is rarely entered by anyone—it's desolate and sparsely populated—so there isn't much documentation available. I only have a rough map that isn't very accurate."
Bai Yujing understood this situation and nodded without further comment.
The first day's journey went smoothly. Before nightfall, Bai Yujing and his team found a resting spot where they planned to spend the night. As darkness fell and the biting cold air began to settle in, Bai Yujing felt that as soon as he stepped out of the vehicle, his brows nearly froze together; the air he breathed in through his nostrils felt like ice all the way down his throat.
"It's really cold!" Bai Yujing immediately took out the gloves from his pocket.
Liu Xinwu shouted, "Everyone, move around, shake your hands, try to warm up your bodies. If anyone feels frostbite, let me know immediately. Now let's set up the tents together!"
There was one woman among them, but at this moment, it didn't make much difference. There were two tents in total, and everyone split into two groups to set them up. Pitching a tent was not an easy task; experienced people could finish in about ten minutes, while those who were less skilled might take one or two hours. In a place like Antarctica, the sooner they could set up the tents, the sooner they could escape the severe cold, warm their bodies, and avoid danger.
Fortunately, Bai Yujing had exchanged eighty points for a wilderness survival skill before departing. This skill was quite expensive because it covered a wide range of knowledge. His points dropped rapidly from two hundred twenty to one hundred forty. Therefore, when Bai Yujing set up the tent, he did it very quickly. Together with Liu Xinwu, they completed it in ten minutes.
On the other side, although another group was slower, Zhou Jun was experienced in wilderness survival and familiar with such tasks. Even though the other two members lagged a bit, they finished in under twenty minutes.
Next, Bai Yujing used a shovel to clear snow around the tent's stakes to secure them and then dug a neat pit inside the tent. This not only expanded the space but also helped keep the tent warmer. The tent was large enough to accommodate four people comfortably.
As Bai Yujing emerged from the tent with the shovel, he noticed that the wind had picked up outside and the sky had darkened. The biting cold wind stung his face. Liu Xinwu and Zhu Wei were nearby boiling water and taking dehydrated food from bags in the vehicle to prepare for dinner.
As soon as Bai Yujing came out, Li Xiang handed him a cup: "Here, drink some water, catch your breath and warm up!"
With gloves on their hands, everyone gathered around the fire. The two vehicles blocked the cold wind. Although no one spoke, it was evident that everyone was feeling tired. At that moment, a cup of hot water or a bowl of steaming food brought true happiness; everyone ate ravenously.
After finishing their meal, Liu Hai asked, "Didn't they say that Antarctica has polar day and polar night? Why haven't we seen that here?"
Bai Yujing happened to have knowledge about this in his wilderness survival training and answered: "After the vernal equinox, polar night appears near Antarctica; after the autumnal equinox, polar day occurs nearby. We are about to enter the polar night period now. However, currently, the area of polar night is still near Antarctica and is slowly expanding; it hasn't reached us yet. If we move further ahead, we are likely to encounter polar night conditions!"
Liu Hai immediately responded, "So we will have to find this place in complete darkness? That doubles the difficulty!"
Liu Xinwu immediately became displeased: "You're the one talking too much. Who here doesn't know the situation? If there are difficulties, so what? We just need to overcome them!"
Coming from a military background, Liu Xinwu spoke with a strong presence, and as soon as he said that, Liu Hai immediately fell silent. Bai Yujing quickly added, "That's right, everyone knows that this mission is extremely challenging. To be honest, I don't have confidence that I can truly come back alive. If anyone wants to withdraw now, feel free to tell me. After all, we're not far from Zhongshan Station; it's still possible to back out!"
Bai Yujing looked around at everyone, all of whom remained silent. He then said, "No one is speaking, right? That means everyone still wants to complete this mission. Once you've chosen, don't regret it. From now on, no one should mention any difficulties."
After finishing their meal, everyone had their own thoughts. Since they had to get up early for the journey tomorrow, they returned to their tents early. Bai Yujing walked outside to the top of the vehicle. The biting cold wind made him even calmer as he contemplated what he should do next.
Looking up, he suddenly saw the night sky of Antarctica and was momentarily stunned. Bai Yujing was certain that this was the first time he had seen such a beautiful starry sky. The stars twinkled across the sky like a ribbon drawn by the Milky Way, pure and flawless. The light of the stars even had a slight halo around it; this scene was so beautiful it seemed capable of purifying one's soul.
At that moment, Bai Yujing noticed someone running out from below the vehicle. Upon closer inspection, it was Zhu Wei, the young geology professor who had inexplicably come outside as well. Bai Yujing reached out and pulled her up. "It's windy up here and so cold; why aren't you resting?"
Zhu Wei glanced at Bai Yujing and asked, "Then why are you up here?"
Bai Yujing paused for a moment before replying, "I have some things on my mind. After all, I'm the team leader this time; there are many aspects I need to consider carefully—not just for myself but also for everyone else!"
Zhu Wei turned her head to look at the starry sky and said, "It's really beautiful. You know, you're young and have money and fame; why take on this mission and suffer in such a harsh wilderness?"
Bai Yujing smiled; perhaps it was the beauty of the starry sky or perhaps Zhu Wei had voiced his own thoughts. He shared his true feelings: "Once people satisfy their material desires, they naturally seek to fulfill their spiritual desires as well. Just like those wealthy individuals—money is just a number; they could never spend it all in ten lifetimes. So why do they still strive for more? The desire for power and wealth exists within me too. Exploring the unknown and leaving my name behind is my desire!"
"You are quite honest!" Zhu Wei looked deeply at Bai Yujing before jumping down from the vehicle's roof. Despite the height, she landed steadily—her skills seemed quite impressive!
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