LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 380 - 378 Fortunately, I Didn't Die
Chapter 380: Chapter 378 Fortunately, I Didn’t Die
“So, when will the others arrive?”
Bi Fang looked up at the sun, somewhat surprised by the other party’s lateness. Since Rob had led them to this area of broken stones, they had been waiting for well over half an hour. Sir was getting a bit tired, slightly panting for breath.
Standing still could be more exhausting than walking. While standing, the legs bear the full weight of the body, and blood and lymph fluid can accumulate in the lower limbs, leading to a feeling of tiredness due to poor circulation. Walking, however, gives the legs alternating rest and promotes blood circulation, which is much more comfortable compared to standing still.
Fortunately, Sir was in good physical condition, only a bit fatigued and nothing serious. But even if the team had no issues, the audience watching Bi Fang and his companions could no longer bear it.
[Damn, making people wait for over half an hour is too much.]
[Don’t they have any sense of time?]
[When can we finally set off?]
“Are they going to come at all?” Yao Jun was getting impatient. He wasn’t a pretty girl that others would wait for. This was the first time he had stood around dryly for over half an hour; even if it were a girl, he would have switched to someone else by now. This was simply humiliating.
Rob glanced at his watch, hesitated for a moment, “Erm, they should be arriving soon.”
“You said that before. Give me a definite answer, or else I’ll have your company send someone else who can get here faster!” Yao Jun reached his limit of patience. He wasn’t without money to be treated this way; if they didn’t arrive soon, he’d tell those people to roll as far away as they could.
Damn it, how dare they piss me off?
[Wu Hu, Lord Mu always speaks with such authority!]
[Exactly, I’m here slacking off at work, getting paid to watch this, and now I have to see Master Fang wait for half an hour, I’m spitting blood.]
[My pants are down, and this is what you show me? Hmph (zipping up).]
Rob also felt awkward and apologized to the financier before stepping away from the group to make a phone call. After a brief conversation, he jogged back to the team.
“They said they will be here soon, definitely within ten minutes.”
This time he was right; five or six minutes later, two Caucasian men and an Asian man arrived, bumping along in a tricycle from a distance.
Yao Jun squinted and snickered coldly, “Heh, driving through a pebble beach, not afraid of breaking their butts.”
Seeing the remaining three finally arrive, Rob let out a huge sigh of relief and was extremely thankful. These wealthy people were really hard to serve, one more troublesome than the other.
As everyone was introduced, Rob promptly introduced the three newcomers. He pointed to the first white man to get out of the tricycle: “Folks, this is Wessels, you might notice he has a bit of a Texas flair.”
“Whew, I’m a hundred percent Texan, three generations of Texan men. Sorry to keep you waiting, but believe me, waiting a little longer won’t matter, since you’re gonna end up waiting at the base camp until the entire weather window is over, right?” The big man jumped down from the tricycle, whistled, and without even glancing at Bi Fang and the others, he shouted to Jerret and his companions. Clearly, he had already gotten some information.
Rob, standing in the middle making introductions, didn’t know what to do as he had never anticipated a conflict would erupt as soon as both parties met.
“Three generations of grandfathers and grandsons, where’s the great-grandfather then?” Bi Fang looked at Sir, who was sitting on the gravel beach and catching his breath, scratched his eyebrow, and grinned, “Is he catching turkeys for Thanksgiving?”
Wessels’ smile froze on his face, and the second white man in the car quickly tried to smooth things over, “Wow wow, there’s a real whiff of gunpowder here, we’re so sorry about that, we drank a bit too much last night, and today we came to have some fun. Wessels is a bit muddled.”
Rob also hurriedly introduced, “This is Groom, from Queens.”
“I’m originally from Canada, and I’m a lawyer by profession.” Groom patted Wessels on the shoulder, then shook hands with everyone.
Bi Fang sized up the other party and didn’t say much more, accepting his goodwill.
Seeing that the situation had eased, Rob immediately went on to introduce the last Asian person, “This is Saito Tomonobu, from Japan, a bank manager.”
Saito Tomonobu was different from the previous two, nearing middle age with seemingly little expression on his face, his taut skin stretched over his bones, he nodded slightly to everyone as a greeting.
Once everyone was acquainted, Rob immediately called for a helicopter from the airport, as helicopters charge by time, and Rob made contact only after everyone had gathered.
“Why are those people hostile to us?” During another period of waiting, Bi Fang leaned close to Yao Jun and asked in a low voice. The other party hadn’t been rudely speaking without reason, after all, there are few fools in life, there had to be a reason.
“I have no idea.” Yao Jun spread his hands, his only responsibility was to spend money, the rest was left to the guide company to handle, so who knew the others would set things up so poorly.
“Is it because of the number of people?”
Jerret suddenly thought of the issue Bi Fang had raised the night before last about the number of people in the Mount Everest summit team. The ideal number for a team is seven to eight people, any more and there would be problems. When they arrived, the group that was just right, including Wessels and the others, had to be accompanied by another guide because the company would not have arranged it this way if the original guide wasn’t fully booked. Adding three people, the team was significantly overstaffed, and the chances of summiting could drop sharply.
“That’s the only reason.” Bi Fang nodded, after all, 65,000 Ugly Gold is not a small sum, and anyone would feel uneasy knowing they spent so much money and the possibility of summiting had sharply decreased.
Scratching his head, Yao Jun felt fairly smug, “Heh, I can’t afford it so why should I care?”
Sir, who was sitting on the side, suddenly interjected, “Did I also borrow your summit quota? And what about this suit I’m wearing, how much does it cost? I can…”
“Eh, no, no, no.” Bi Fang got so scared he jumped up from the stone, “Sir, this would be completely embarrassing for me! I insisted on bringing you here, how could I possibly charge you? You see, all these up here are your fans. If each of them pitches in a bit, it’ll be more than enough. I’m just basking in your reflected glory.”
Bi Fang pointed to the drone, and the audience cooperated very well, immediately flooding the screen with gifts.
As Bi Fang’s fame grew, many broadcasters would come to watch his livestreams, not so much for mutual benefit, as they were not on the same level and couldn’t provide much help. However, as it happened, Bi Fang became familiar with many broadcasters, and as soon as he spoke, the first to jump out was a well-known game broadcaster.
A glittering treasure chest burst forth, displaying a golden banner across, directing the entire platform’s traffic towards Bi Fang’s channel like a dragon sucking water.
[Congratulations to the nearly mermaid-lined fatty who has opened an Emperor in Master Fang’s livestream!]
[The nearly mermaid-lined fatty presents the broadcaster with Big Bone *666–My God, Master Fang is actually letting fans fundraise, aren’t I just sheep ready to be fleeced? I grew up watching the old man’s Animal World, how could I not chip in?]
[Nanana is me presents the broadcaster with Spaceship *1–For the face of Animal World, I’m in!]
[Woody presents the broadcaster with Spaceship *10–Just for Animal World and Nature, I must give!]
[Sob sob sob, tycoons, so many tycoons, three million viewers, if each gives me a dollar, I’ll be a millionaire, wouldn’t that be wonderful?]
[Report the guy above for illegal fundraising!]
“See that, Sir? It’s all because of you. Just the money from your fans is enough,” Bi Fang said with a joyous face. He hadn’t encountered such a scenario in a long time. Indeed, bringing the old man over was a decision more correct than any other.
Yao Jun got excited as well: “Come on, come on, everyone who sees this should join in, why aren’t you crowdfunding for me? It’s obviously all my money?”
Edinburgh watched it all with a big laugh, never having expected to have so many fans in Huaxia.
Rob also came over, and although he looked down on the livestreamer using Mount Everest as a gimmick, he knew just how important traffic was these days. Seeing a big broadcaster right in front of him, anyone would want to show off a bit: “We’ll be taking a helicopter here to go to Lukla, a town at an altitude of 2,840 meters, which is the starting point for all ascents of Mount Everest and EBC treks. Remember to choose the left side when boarding the plane, during the flight you’ll be able to see the most spectacular Himalayan ranges on this planet.”
At this, Rob even gave a wink, a piece of good advice he wouldn’t normally share with just anyone.
[Ah, can you really see the Himalayas?]
[Why do we need a helicopter, I thought we were supposed to climb all the way up from the base of the mountain?]
[Mount Everest is over 8,000 meters starting from the sea level, it doesn’t mean the starting point is at zero meters]
[The area around Everest can be considered a plateau, all around 3,000 meters high, with many smaller mountains. It’s pointless to approach through the smaller mountains from outside—no challenge, and deadly tiring. So Lukla is recognized as the official starting point for the south side of Everest.]
[Looking up at the tycoons above]
[Speaking of which, I still don’t know why Old Fang chose to have a guide… It feels like the guide might not be as awesome as Master Fang, he gets lost on the Himalayas, and Old Fang stays different.]
Bi Fang chuckled. He had explained it to Wang Yongbo before, but he had never told his audience, so he had to explain it all over again.
“First, a guide can help confirm the route, saving me the time it takes to find my way. Second, whether you take the south or north face, you need to choose a commercial climbing company to apply for a Mount Everest climbing permit, the expensive ‘Everest ticket.’ Only with this ticket are you allowed to climb; otherwise, you’re not permitted.”
“That’s also why climbing Everest is so expensive; you must hire a guide with a certification, the 65,000 Ugly Gold is a cost you can’t avoid. Furthermore, there’s the gear, and most ordinary people can’t make it on their first attempt—those with talent train for over a year, and others possibly even longer, to have just a slight chance. Most need to start training from 7,000 meters high, and each climb costs around 50,000 to 60,000. Therefore, you need to prepare at least a million.”
Hiss!
The viewers in the livestream were shocked by these figures and also felt a bit dejected. They thought it was merely a brave man’s game, only to discover it required the pre-condition of being wealthy.
A million to climb a mountain once?
How rich do you have to be?
No wonder the guide companies refuse to push away other clients—offending someone who can afford that sort of thing is unbearable.
“If anyone’s interested, I can also roughly explain that the south face has more mature commercial climbs, while the north face is dominated by a single company, with only one company to choose from. On the south face, there are different types of climbing teams to choose from, but the north face is more limited. Therefore, there’s a certain competitive relationship between climbing companies on the south face, and the prices for going up from there will be lower than from the north face.”
“Moreover, the north slope has higher entry requirements for climbers, demanding greater technical expertise. Due to the climbing environment on the north slope, climbers are expected to have more advanced skills, and those attempting the north slope are required to possess a certificate for climbing above 8,000 meters. The requirements for the south slope are somewhat relaxed in this regard, allowing climbers with less experience to ascend from the south. I don’t have this certificate, so I can only come to the south slope.”
[Holy crap, isn’t this monopolistic?]
[Shush, what are you blabbering? Be discreet, be discreet!]
Fortunately, the helicopter didn’t take long to arrive. In just ten minutes, the sound of the rotors cutting through the air echoed in everyone’s ears.
Bi Fang and the others immediately boarded the helicopter, with Yao Jun rushing to sit on the left side by the window. Ever since he had seen the mountain ranges from the sky once, he had become somewhat addicted, unable to shake off that soul-stirring sensation.
Yao Jun and Wang Yongbo were the first to dash up, leaving Wessels and company speechless. Master Fang forcefully seated Sir on the left, along with Jerret and the photographer; while Bi Fang, the guide, and the other three took seats on the other side.
Rob introduced the upcoming situation again, while raising a finger and speaking in a low tone, “Next, we are heading to Lukla Airport, ranked as the most dangerous airport in the world and crowned with the title ‘Runway on the Roof of the World.’ It was established in 1964, constructed with funds raised by Sir Edmund Hillary to enable climbers easier access to Mount Everest and to repay local residents by improving local transportation. Sir Edmund Hillary built Lukla Airport for these reasons.”
“And have you heard the story about who exactly was the world’s first person to summit Everest?”
The usually silent Saito Tomonobu suddenly spoke up, “Rob, you’ve seen more than one.”
Clearly, this was not Saito’s first visit, nor was he newly acquainted with Rob.
Rob shrugged, “Sorry, but perhaps many haven’t heard it.”
As expected, Wang Yongbo raised a hand, then realized that everyone’s gaze seemed to converge on him, making him somewhat resigned, “Okay, fine, let’s not talk about it.”
Bi Fang smiled, “The fact is, there were two people who made the record climb at that time: one was the New Zealand climber Sir Edmund Hillary, and the other was the Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay. The two of them endured countless hardships and finally reached the summit of Everest, only to take a secret oath at the top, swearing to never reveal who was the first to summit. They weren’t individuals; they were a team. You know, being the first versus the second is a big deal. This pledge led to a lot of scrutiny from all around, and it wasn’t until forty-six years later that Edmund divulged in his diary that he was the first to reach the top. But because it was a personal statement and Danzeng had already passed away, making it a sort of ‘dead men tell no tales’ situation, skepticism remained. However, the general consensus now is that Edmund was the first to summit.”
Rob crossed his chest while his tone suddenly grew solemn, “They are both legendary figures. To those who dare face their dreams, Gide Company will bestow upon you courage that words cannot express.”
Rob paused, then looked at everyone, “Do you know why we don’t put these things in the brochures?”
Bi Fang folded his arms, exhaling, “Because most of the mountaineering experience is painful.”
“That’s right.” Rob snapped his fingers, then looked at Saito, “Speaking of mountaineering accidents, Mr. Saito, would you mind…”
Without saying another word, Saito silently removed his boots and stretched out his left foot.
Everyone on the left, including Yao Jun, shuddered at the sight.
Bare.
It was a completely bare foot, devoid of any toes.
“My reward for reaching eight thousand meters. Fortunately, I didn’t die.”