Before long, Basang emerged from the barracks with a puzzled expression, telling Professor Fang to go in and relaying a message for Zhuoma Qiangba to wait outside. Zhuoma Qiangba waited for half an hour, growing increasingly impatient, before Professor Fang finally came out. As he entered, Professor Fang quickly advised, "It seems to be a test. If you don't know something, just say you don't know. Don't make things up."
Jingnan was seated behind a desk with several items placed on top. She motioned for Zhuoma Qiangba to sit in front and pointed to the objects on the table, asking, "Can you tell me how many of these items you recognize?"
Zhuoma Qiangba glanced over the items and answered honestly, "A plant, a piece of stone, and an insect... that's slightly bigger than an ant."
Jingnan looked up at Zhuoma Qiangba and adjusted her sleek, frameless glasses. "Could you be a bit more specific?" She continued taking notes in a notebook.
Zhuoma Qiangba replied, "No, I can't."
Jingnan smiled slightly, "Haha, there's no need to be so stiff. Relax a little."
Zhuoma Qiangba responded calmly, "I'm not nervous. I'm quite relaxed."
Jingnan played with her pen, showing interest, "Is this how a CEO of Tian Shi Corporation usually speaks, so blunt and direct?"
Zhuoma Qiangba replied evenly, "Is there anything else?"
Jingnan, observing him as if he were a stranger, nodded, "Alright, I understand. You can leave now."
Zhuoma Qiangba didn't expect his test to be so simple and wondered why it had taken Professor Fang and Basang so long. As he got up, Jingnan called out to him again, "Uh, wait a minute. According to the agreement with Professor Fang, you'll be covering all the costs of this training, right?"
Zhuoma Qiangba responded, "There's no issue with funding." For Zhuoma Qiangba, financial concerns were the least of his worries.
Jingnan asked, "Oh, but do you know the content of our special training?"
Zhuoma Qiangba answered, "No, but haven't you already planned it?"
Jingnan replied, "Yes, but I think you should be aware of what to expect. From what we gathered from Basang, they descended from an altitude of around 7,000 meters to about 5,000 meters, traversing snow-covered mountains, primeval forests, and grasslands, among various terrains. This means our training will cover everything from snowfield cross-country skiing to trekking through swampy grasslands, navigating primeval forests, and mountain climbing. It's a comprehensive range. Based on Professor Fang's information, we plan to take a three-step approach.
First, you'll learn basic wilderness survival skills, including adaptation training in various climates and terrains. Second, you'll learn how to use various tools, including weapons and some necessary self-defense and competitive combat techniques. Third, you'll learn to identify simple traps and avoid potential unknown dangers. From what we currently know, this expedition is far more challenging than I imagined. Just the high-altitude snow mountain climbing aspect alone qualifies as an exploratory scientific expedition, but for you, that's only the beginning. You'll then traverse a forest that possibly no modern human has ever set foot in, filled with poisonous insects and fierce beasts, some of which are almost instantly lethal. What's even more frightening is that primitive tribal civilizations, like the Goba people, might inhabit these forests. They possess wisdom unknown to us today and might set simple traps that could be deadly. However, these aren't even the most dangerous aspects. Our greatest threat comes from the information you brought back from Kekexili—the other group searching for the Parbara Monastery, equipped with unconventional weapons. If what you say is true, then the danger level of your mission needs to be raised by at least one more grade. Are you really... okay with this?"
Zhuoma Qiangba replied, "Yes."
Jingnan continued, "I heard the last team member has arrived. His name is... is it...?"
Zhuoma Qiangba answered, "Jeban Yara."
"Oh." Jingnan maintained her outward composure, but as she recorded his name, Zhuoma Qiangba noticed her ear twitch slightly. She seemed to bow her head as if to conceal her reaction. As Zhuoma Qiangba opened the door, he saw Yara standing at the entrance. He relayed Jingnan's request for him to go inside. The moment Yara entered, Zhuoma Qiangba glimpsed Jingnan—this cold and detached woman, who seemed so different from everyone else—stand up and approach. As the door closed, it appeared that she knelt down. Zhuoma Qiangba rubbed his eyes hard, wondering if he had seen it wrong.
But Zhuoma Qiangba hadn't been mistaken; Jingnan indeed knelt down. Both knees on the floor, her hands resting on the ground, she dared not lift her head, mumbling, "Master Yara, I never expected you to come personally."
Jeban Yara, the elder with a kind expression, gently patted Jingnan's head and softly said, "Rise, my child. This is the most sacred mission entrusted to me by Lama Daini."
Lü Jingnan stood up, and Yara continued, "I overheard your analysis of the dangers of this expedition from outside the door. You're mistaken. The most dangerous adversaries on this journey won't be those modern men with guns and artillery; it will be the Goba people you think are in a primitive state." Observing Jingnan's attentive listening, Yara added, "How much do you know about the Goba tribe? And how much do you understand about the ancient Bön religion? Remember, as the wise have told us, even a moment's lapse in clarity of mind can lead to a lifetime shrouded in darkness."
Yara gazed at the white ceiling for a long time, recalling the words Lama Daini had spoken to him on that mountain. Those words were like a drum, constantly pounding in his heart.
Zhuoma Qiangba exited the room and was immediately asked by Professor Fang, "Did she show you anything?"
Zhuoma Qiangba described what he had seen in the room, prompting Professor Fang to ponder, "What I saw was different. Based on your description, it's hard to identify exactly what those objects were, but they seemed to be common specimens of wildlife and geological samples."
Eric, observing the situation, chuckled, "Oh, I see you're quite curious, aren't you? You're wondering what it's all about, right?"
Professor Fang turned to him, "Eric! You seem to be finding this quite amusing. You probably know what's going on, don't you?"
Eric spread his hands. "I can't tell you; that girl is tough."
After Eric, each person was called into the barracks one by one for questioning. Then Lü Jingnan came out and shouted, "Line up!"
The seven of them weren't sure how to organize themselves at first. After a bit of confusion, they finally lined up in order of height. At the front was Zhuoma Qiangba, followed by Zhang Li, Yueyang, Professor Fang Xin, Tang Min, Basang, and Yara. After everyone reported their names and introduced themselves, Lü Jingnan said in her usual cold tone, "Just now, I gave you all a small test to see how much knowledge you have about wilderness survival. The result was dismal. By the standards of this expedition, your wilderness survival skills are... zero. This expedition is not a simple journey or adventure; it is a very rigorous scientific exploration. So I require each of you to learn how to survive in the wild in the shortest possible time!"
"Hmph," Basang snorted in dissatisfaction.
Lü Jingnan said, "It seems we have someone here who disagrees."
Basang puffed out his chest and said, "I've spent a lot of time in uninhabited wilderness areas. I don't think what you're talking about—wilderness survival—is something that needs to be learned."
Lü Jingnan walked up to Basang, fixed her eyes on him, and said sternly, "That's just you crossing back and forth through uninhabited areas as a poacher, which doesn't count as wilderness survival. Your group relied on modern high-tech equipment and weapons. Without that gear, you'd last less than a day on the plateau before dying. Don't believe me? Let me ask you: do you know which wild plants and animals on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are edible and which are deadly? Do you know how to navigate using stars and vegetation? Can you read the clouds to predict the next moment's weather? Do you know how mountain ranges and geological minerals affect magnetic fields? Do you know when solar storms will disrupt satellite communications? Do you understand how your breathing, pulse, and body temperature indicate how much longer you can stay at high altitudes? Do you know how to find shelter and warmth in sub-zero temperatures at night? Can you build ice houses, light fires by striking ice, and eat grass roots and twigs to survive? Can you spot animal tracks on ice and set traps? You don't know any of it! You can barely find the place to guide us to, and even then, you're just an ex-convict. You'd better not forget that."
Basang's face turned red, his neck swelling with anger. His eyes seemed ready to shoot fire, but Lü Jingnan, unfazed, turned her back on him and said, "What? Want to fight? With your paltry skills?"
Basang, losing all regard for her gender or status, roared and swung a punch from behind. Lü Jingnan tilted her head slightly, lifted her leg over her shoulder, and kicked Basang hard in the forehead. Then she dropped her elbow into his abdomen, raised her fist to strike his face, pulled back her fist, transformed it into a chop, and slashed at his throat. Before Basang could catch his breath, Lü Jingnan's other hand clenched into a fist and punched him in the forehead again. This punch was so powerful that it knocked Basang, who was as solid as a rock, flat on his back. Throughout the entire process, Lü Jingnan never turned her head, always keeping her back to Basang.
With each of Lü Jingnan's movements, Zhang Li's hand twitched slightly. Seeing the instructor beat Basang so easily, he couldn't help but recall his own days undergoing combat training. Zhuoma Qiangba, too, was experiencing for the first time what true combat looked like—realizing that every part of the body could be a weapon and that human movements could be this fast.
Basang groaned as he climbed back to his feet, all his arrogance and anger gone. Now there was no sign of defiance or pride. He had learned in his previous military training to submit to the stronger opponent. Lü Jingnan gestured for him to rejoin the line and said coldly, "You need to understand that you are here to receive my training. Don't think that just because you have a spider tattoo, you're anything special. When I was an instructor in the Chinese Special Forces, I never went easy on any of my male trainees."
"Does anyone else have any objections?" Lü Jingnan turned around, her face as stern as ever. This time, Zhuoma Qiangba found nothing appealing about her. She continued, "We will be using military training methods to conduct hellish training, and all actions must strictly follow orders." She slowly walked in front of each trainee and stopped in front of Tang Min. She suddenly reached out and removed an ornament from Tang Min's neck. "During training, you are not allowed to wear these things. Even a slight oversight could be fatal."
Lü Jingnan moved so quickly that Tang Min hadn't even realized what was happening when it was already in her hand. Tang Min could only say, "I understand; I'll keep it safe."
Lü Jingnan looked at the item in her hand, her expression unchanged. "I will keep it for you temporarily. You can have it back after the special training is complete."
Tang Min quickly said, "Please, please give it back to me." Curious, Zhang Li saw that it was none other than the purple crystal cluster, already polished and mounted, that Zhuoma Qiangba had risked his life to retrieve from the ice valley cliffs of Kekexili.
Zhuoma Qiangba suddenly stepped forward, looking straight ahead, and said, "Please return it to her."
Lü Jingnan smiled lightly. "Oh? What's with that attitude?" Zhuoma Qiangba kept a calm expression and repeated, "Please return it to her."
Lü Jingnan's tone shifted, becoming harsh. "If you want it back, you'll have to earn it!"
Zhuoma Qiangba turned to glare at Lü Jingnan, who met his gaze without fear. Zhang Li thought to himself, "Oh no, oh no, the instructor doesn't know what that thing means to Young Master Qiangba." Yueyang thought, "What's going on with the instructor? Why is she picking a fight over a piece of jewelry?"
Zhuoma Qiangba said, "I'm sorry, but here I come." He lunged like a tiger, reaching for the crystal cluster. Lü Jingnan smirked, stepped back, and sidestepped his grasp. Zhuoma Qiangba reached out to grab it, but Lü Jingnan turned again, avoiding him once more. Enraged, Zhuoma Qiangba swung a punch, but Lü Jingnan easily dodged, seeming to ignore his attack entirely, her evasion smooth and composed.
Zhang Li thought, "Oh dear, how could Young Master Qiangba stand a chance? She's the instructor, after all!"
Zhuoma Qiangba's attacks became more forceful and quicker, but he still couldn't even touch Lü Jingnan's clothes. He was furious, like a raging bull charging wildly across the field, while Lü Jingnan moved gracefully like a matador. She had been wearing a cold smile the entire time, watching Zhuoma Qiangba rampage like a headless fly. Then she noticed that Zhuoma Qiangba's eyes had turned red, almost as if they were bleeding. Lü Jingnan sighed and deliberately revealed an opening, allowing Zhuoma Qiangba to close in like a mountain collapsing.
Zhuoma Qiangba tackled Lü Jingnan to the ground, completely pinning her down. Gasping for breath, he snatched the crystal cluster from her hand and growled, "Please... don't... arbitrarily... confiscate our... belongings!"
Lü Jingnan calmly looked up at Zhuoma Qiangba, letting the man's heavy breaths wash over her face. She had never been pinned down by a man like this before. She coolly replied, "During training, I must stop any actions that violate regulations. Your wrestling-like combat style may work to subdue a single enemy but won't truly defeat one. Are you done yet? Let go now!"
At this point, Zhuoma Qiangba hesitated for a moment, and Lü Jingnan suddenly used her knee to flip him off, sending him rolling backward and sprawling on the ground, struggling to get up. Lü Jingnan leapt to her feet, her eagle-eyed gaze sweeping over everyone, and she coldly declared, "In this operation, if you want to survive, mastering combat skills is essential. You have much to learn!"
Zhuoma Qiangba and Basang, the two seemingly fierce men, had been taught a lesson, and neither of them could even land a counterattack. Naturally, no one else had any objections. Now, everyone understood why Zhang Li and Yueyang had said this female instructor was the incarnation of a demon.
Seeing everyone quiet down, Lü Jingnan once again explained the training content and methods. She concluded, "Because we may encounter some unknown armed individuals, we must be prepared during training. Therefore, I plan to divide you into two groups. Theoretical studies will be done together, but practical exercises will be competitive between the two groups. Don't underestimate this competitive training; your performance will determine the final team members and formation. Now draw lots to decide the groups. Here are four black and four red sticks; whichever color you draw is your group. It's completely fair; even if one group has fewer members, no complaints."
Unexpectedly, the result of the draw was that Zhuoma Qiangba, Basang, Zhang Li, and Yueyang were grouped together, while Professor Fang Xin, Yara Lama, and Tang Min were placed in another group. Even Lü Jingnan found this result surprising. She had no choice but to assign Eric to the group with fewer people to balance the team's strength. With Lü Jingnan's announcement, their special training officially began.
Since the announcement of the training took place in the evening, the task for that day was simply for everyone to get to know each other better, and a series of strict military-style rules were announced. These rules included things like not spending more than fifteen minutes eating, sleeping only on hard beds, wearing uniforms that had to be absolutely tidy and neat, and even specifying clear regulations about the times for using the bathroom. After dinner, Professor Fang Xin approached Lü Jingnan directly and said, "Instructor Lü, I feel shocked and don't understand your actions today. I think your approach was wrong."
Lü Jingnan replied calmly, "Professor Fang, I respect you as a wise elder. If everyone was as wise and sensible as you, I wouldn't need to go to such lengths to manage these people. But as you've seen, this group is a loose collection of individuals. Apart from the two soldiers who can follow orders, the rest come from different walks of life. There is even a prisoner on bail among them. If I am not strict, how can I expect them to obey my orders in the future? If they can't follow a unified plan and command, there's no way I can train them to become a team capable of exploration, let alone execute this expedition plan."
Professor Fang Xin responded, "Of course, I understand the purpose and significance of what you're doing. I believe the others are no less intelligent than I am, and they can see your intentions too. But that is precisely where the problem lies. You must realize that this group comes from various fields, with age gaps of ten or even dozens of years. We are not mere soldiers who only follow orders; each person has the ability to think independently and possesses different personalities. Even if we are a scattered bunch, we are still in the same bowl. If you solely rely on force and a consistently tough approach to make them submit, this bunch that has barely come together may disperse faster than you imagine. Not to mention others, just Zhuoma Qiangba alone—I know this student of mine very well. He is a person who does whatever he thinks of doing and has never submitted to any authority or stronger force. I've never seen him give in. Before going to Kekexili, I thought persuading him would be very difficult. However, maybe he learned a lot there and realized his own shortcomings, so he agreed to participate in this training. Otherwise, with his character, he would already be on the snow-capped mountains rather than in this military camp. If you think you can make him submit to your command, the only outcome will be that he will disregard his own safety and go alone to search for the Pabala Monastery, and any possibility of cooperation will cease."
Lü Jingnan listened with her head tilted and asked, "So, what do you suggest I do, Professor?"
Professor Fang Xin confidently replied, "It's simple: adopt a more human-centered management approach. Don't use the rigid rules and regulations from the military to restrict them. Explain clearly why each step is necessary and beneficial, treating them like your own brothers or elders, educating them as if they were family."
Lü Jingnan furrowed her brows. This was extremely difficult for her, but she nodded and said, "Understood, thank you for your advice. I'll think about it."
Later, Dr. Gu had a video call with everyone. Professor Fang Xin jokingly said, "Finally, I've seen the student you're so proud of, Doctor. Indeed, her skills are astounding; even two strong men aren't enough to match her." Dr. Gu hastily replied, "Don't misunderstand; I only taught her archaeology and outdoor survival skills. Her combat skills were learned from another master. With my old bones, how could I be that capable?" Afterward, Dr. Gu also spoke with Lü Jingnan, Eric, and others, but the content of their conversation wasn't disclosed.
Before everyone went to sleep, many were still complaining about the hardness of the beds. Lü Jingnan suddenly entered the room and provided some additional explanations: sleeping on hard beds was to help everyone adapt to mostly sleeping on the ground in the wild, and it was part of the training. As for the specified times, they were to help everyone develop a precise sense of time, as in many wilderness survival situations, strict time management could be life-saving. As for the rule about set sleeping times, she canceled it; they could sleep according to their habits, as long as it didn't affect the next day's training. When she announced this, the barracks erupted in applause, and Lü Jingnan nodded slightly at Professor Fang Xin.
After coaxing Tang Min to sleep, Zhuoma Qiangba carefully left the barracks alone. The mountain wind was quiet and gentle, carrying a faint chill that invigorated the spirit, driving away sleepiness. He gazed up at the sky, where countless stars twinkled, and a bright moon illuminated the night. The clusters of stars formed a silver chain that seemed to flow in the sky, a sight of infinite beauty. Zhuoma Qiangba recalled the night scene he had witnessed in Kekexili, when it was just a crescent moon; now, the moon was full again. To be honest, he had his first doubts about this expedition. Could he really find that forbidden door, which had remained unopened for centuries? Was the purple qilin truly the guardian beast of the Pabala Monastery? His once-simple goal now seemed so complicated and convoluted. It had even become a scientific exploration in the name of the state. He faintly felt something was amiss, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
"What are you thinking about so late at night, young man?" Eric's warm and enthusiastic voice rang out.
Zhuoma Qiangba found a clean rock to sit on and continued looking at the stars. "Eric, why are you still up?" They were divided into three barracks: Tang Min and Lü Jingnan in one, Zhuoma Qiangba, Zhang Li, Yueyang, and Basang in another, and Eric, Yara Lama, and Professor Fang Xin in the third.
Eric laughed. "Don't be so formal. The team members have always called me Uncle Maola. You can call me Brother Maola if you'd like. I've also heard your friends call you Qiangba, right? I hope you don't mind me calling you that."
Zhuoma Qiangba knew Eric's full name was Maola Eric; he just didn't know what "Maola" meant. He replied, "Of course, Brother Maola."
Eric said, "I'm used to staying up late, and I didn't expect to find you here too. You seem deep in thought. Would you like to talk about it?" Zhuoma Qiangba responded, "It's nothing, really. I'm just not used to this new environment on the first day, so I can't sleep."
Eric used the unique intonation of a Xinjiang person and said, "Oh, young man, it's not right to lie. You can't hide what's on your mind; your eyes will reveal the truth. If it's because of the unpleasant events during the day, I can apologize on behalf of Jingnan. I know she's under a lot of pressure, too. She has to train a group of complete novices in wilderness survival into capable expedition members in a very short time. She's quite anxious."
Zhuoma Qiangba felt relieved. "Actually, it wasn't a big deal today; I didn't take it to heart. I understand her intentions. In fact, before this, I had entered the uninhabited areas of Tibet several times to search for my ideal Tibetan mastiff. You know, the best mastiffs can only be found in the mountains of Tibet. But before, every time, we formed a luxurious dog-hunting team, which is very different from this time. To be honest, before going to Kekexili, I had never encountered such dangerous situations. But from what I know, the place we are going to this time is even more dangerous than Kekexili—so dangerous that… so dangerous that I don't even know how dangerous it is." He paused, then stared at Eric and asked, "Do you think I'm crazy… for a dog?"
Eric smiled kindly. "No, quite the opposite. I understand how you feel. If you were doing all this just for the Pabala Monastery, it would only show that you are an ordinary person. But to do it all for a dog—"
"It's a mastiff, a Tibetan mastiff."
"Oh, alright, for a mastiff. Even I have to admire you a little for that." Eric's wise eyes began to shine as he spoke in a reminiscent tone. "People live their whole lives, and they ought to do something with it. They have a purpose and a pursuit. But most people merely scramble to survive. Many go through life without even a few things worth remembering. If you ask them why they live, they'll say, 'As long as I'm alive, I might as well go on living.' What's the point of a life like that? How sad. But if you have a purpose, if you have something you are striving for, no matter what it is, if you believe in it wholeheartedly, then go for it. Even if time and history forget you, if you feel fulfilled by what you've done, then that is enough."
Eric's words awakened Zhuoma Qiangba, who had always stubbornly pursued the same goal. Some supported him, while others opposed him; even his mentor, Professor Fang Xin, could not fully understand his actions. But hearing Eric's words, Zhuoma Qiangba suddenly felt a strong resonance. He tightly grasped Eric's hands and said, " Thank you! Thank you, Brother Maola!"
Eric's eyes became a bit misty. He said softly, "No need to thank me. It was my first day joining the expedition team when my mentor, Dr. Gu Junren, told me these words. Over the years, having faced life and death numerous times, I've never wavered because these words from Dr. Gu have always echoed in my ears. I dared not forget a single word."
"Oh? You're both out here?" Zhang Li came out of the room as well.
Zhuoma Qiangba asked, "What's up? Are soldiers allowed to wander around at night against the rules?"
Zhang Li replied, "I used to have night duties frequently, and I thought I heard some noises outside, so I came out to check."
The three of them, unable to sleep, sat on the open ground outside the barracks and chatted. Zhuoma Qiangba, whenever he talked about dogs, would become particularly animated, and there seemed to be an endless stream of things to say. He spoke about the small Cairn Terrier, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the Pekingese, the Bull Terrier, and any notable dog breed he knew something about. Zhang Li and Eric, both seasoned individuals with broad knowledge, were surprised to learn that there was so much to know about dogs. Zhuoma Qiangba said, "People think that domesticated dogs are unconditionally loyal to their owners for life, but that's actually a misconception. A dog's loyalty to humans is built on mutual trust and understanding. They have their sense of right and wrong and can distinguish between good and bad. I've seen many town dogs abandoned by their owners; they fully understand that they've been discarded, utterly abandoned by their owners. As a result, many dogs, after adapting to a new environment, show even more dependence on and eagerness to please their new owners. This is because dogs raised in homes are no longer suited for surviving in the wild. When a dog is abandoned by its owner, the sense of desolation and helplessness it feels is far more intense than that of a child who has gotten separated from its parents. So, if these dogs are taken in by a kind person again, they will go to great lengths to please their new owner. But how many people realize that while they're trying so hard to make their new owner happy, they're also desperately hoping for the owner's recognition and response?"
Zhang Li skeptically asked, "From what you're saying, it sounds like their intelligence is quite high?"
Zhuoma Qiangba affirmed, "Indeed, in many Western countries, households that keep dogs treat them as family members, not just as pets. Here's a fact you might find interesting: for those large dog breeds like Tibetan Mastiffs, Wolfhounds, Shepherds, and Bull Terriers—any large adult dog, really—if the owner intends to give them away, have them fostered, or sell them, they can tell the difference. Especially if the owner counts money in front of them, they can understand the transaction. If the dog is being fostered, even after many years, the previous owner can visit, and the dog will still show affection. But if they are sold, even after just six months, the dog and its former owner will be like strangers."
Eric added, "Indeed, I believe their intelligence far exceeds current estimations. My great-aunt lived alone in France, and in her old age, she suffered from cerebral palsy and couldn't take care of herself, even losing control of her bladder and bowels. She went through seven caretakers, all of whom left because they couldn't bear the conditions. Eventually, she was given a Labrador service dog named Ola. I met that little guy—it was smarter than you could imagine. Just a single glance from my great-aunt was enough for it to understand what to do. Due to my great-aunt's limited mobility, her room caught fire three times, but each time, Ola saved her from death. It served her for eleven years until it passed away. After Ola died, my great-aunt was deeply affected, unable to believe it was real. She passed away just six months later. In the last month of her life, her brain condition deteriorated drastically. She was disoriented, forgot the names of her deceased husband and son, forgot the Savior she had worshipped, and didn't even know who she was. She only kept repeating, 'Ola, it's time to go buy groceries. Ola, bring the shoes. Ola, good boy. Ola, good boy.' Until the morning she died, she was looking at the sunshine outside the window and smilingly said to us, 'Ola, go get the newspaper and milk. Ola, we should go. Ola, we should go.' Whenever she mentioned Ola, her eyes were filled with joy—a kind of happiness that touched my soul. That's when I realized that Ola was not just a pet; it was a part of my great-aunt's life. She couldn't live without Ola, just like a person can't live without their soul."
Zhang Li's eyes became moist again. In Ola, he saw a kind of selfless dedication, a dedication that in human society is only reflected in one emotion—maternal love. Only a mother's love for her child is pure, selfless, and never calculating the cost or expecting any return. In a daze, Zhang Li's mind drifted back to that misty, rainy town. The stone slabs were wet again, and he lay sick in bed for three days. Whenever he turned over, he could always see his mother's thin body, wearing a blue cloth dress, sitting on a small stool by the threshold. She smiled kindly like a Bodhisattva, stitching thick-soled shoes stitch by stitch. If he made too much noise turning over, his mother would come to the bed, gently pat his back, and murmur, "Zaiya will get better soon. Zaiya will recover. Tomorrow, mama will buy something good for Zaiya to eat." The hustle and bustle of the day flowed past his mother like a river, contrasting sharply with her stillness. At night, the stars twinkled, dancing above his mother's head, and the moonlight turned her black hair white as snow. For three days and nights, his mother guarded him by the bed, quietly stitching the shoe soles. No matter when, he could always feel his mother's warm breath. Years later, waking from a dream, no matter where he was, he could clearly see his mother sitting by the threshold, quietly stitching the soles. That posture had been imprinted deep in his soul and could never be forgotten for a lifetime.
Alec continued to speak to Zhuoma Qiangba, "So, I fully understand your pursuit of the Tibetan mastiff, this unique breed. Dogs are indeed wonderful animals. If you treat them as friends, they will be the most loyal friends; if you treat them as family, they will be as close to you as your dearest kin, like your children."
After a moment of silence, Zhuoma Qiangba asked in shock, "What's wrong, Zhang Li?" Though moved by Alec's story, Zhuoma Qiangba was surprised to see tears streaming down Zhang Li's face.
Zhang Li wiped away his tears and said apologetically, "Ah, it's nothing. I was just reminded of my mother by Dr. Alec's story." He began to speak slowly, softly, "My family was very poor when I was a child. My father went out to make a living, and my mother made a living by sewing shoe soles for others..."
Under the quiet night sky, for reasons unknown, these three men, who didn't know each other well, began to open up and connect deeply until late at night...
The next day, Zhuoma Qiangba and his team began their targeted special training. According to the schedule, the morning was dedicated to theoretical lessons, while the afternoon focused on practical skills. There was much to learn: morning theoretical studies included outdoor safety, first aid, identifying wild flora and fauna, archaeological theory, meteorology, and geography. In the afternoon, they moved on to basic practical skills, like climbing fundamentals, simple tool fabrication, and basic combat skills. In the evening, they underwent intense lessons in ancient Tibetan and modern Tibetan with Master Yala, and were even forced to learn the Gobha language. The Gobha script is reportedly lost, so they were relieved to be excused from that study.
Even this theoretical study had been compressed by Lu Jingnan. The wilderness survival theory was temporarily focused on altitudes above the snow line, with knowledge requirements expanded to include areas from 4,000 to 8,000 meters above sea level. Botany and zoology were simplified as much as possible, aiming to teach them how to distinguish between harmful and harmless plants and animals, recognize the most poisonous and dangerous types, and identify widely distributed edible plants and animals. They couldn't possibly learn to recognize all plants and animals. The afternoon skill practice laid a foundation for the future; this training was real and rigorous. During this time, Tang Min's resilience became evident. Despite her petite and delicate appearance, she gritted her teeth and showed no weakness during training. By the end of each day, her hands and feet were covered in blisters, but she would pop them with a needle at night and continue high-intensity training the next day, without uttering a single complaint. As for the evening sessions, they were the most challenging for everyone. The bizarre symbols of ancient Tibetan scripts were incredibly difficult to understand. It was an achievement just to memorize the symbols, let alone recognize them. According to Alec and Lu Jingnan, they hoped to give everyone a basic understanding of various early scripts representing the origins of civilization, helping them understand the genesis and evolution of these symbols. This approach would allow them to interpret completely unfamiliar symbols independently. This proposal met with strong opposition from almost all members, including Professor Fang Xin. The dissenters argued that this level of expertise was suitable for professionals and far too demanding for people with their level of intelligence.
As the training progressed, each member's personality traits gradually became clear. Basang, with his usual indifference and arrogance, rarely communicated with others, as if he were outside the group, much to Zhuoma Qiangba's dissatisfaction. However, if anyone seemed even more aloof than Basang, it was Yala Lama, who was almost unapproachable. Every day, aside from completing the training, he chanted Buddhist scriptures, and even Alec could not communicate with him. Yet, Yala Lama's memory was astonishingly good. No matter the content, he would fully grasp it after Alec and Lu Jingnan explained it just once. Perhaps only Zhuoma Qiangba knew that these lamas, capable of reciting millions of words from the Tibetan Buddhist canon verbatim, had memories that were thoroughly honed.
Unexpectedly, Zhuoma Qiangba turned out to have the worst memory among the group. Professor Fang Xin had some biological knowledge; Zhang Li, Yue Yang, and Tang Min were young, and Basang had relatively rich outdoor experience. Only Zhuoma Qiangba seemed like a novice. Nevertheless, he was undoubtedly the most diligent trainee, devoting almost all his rest time to sorting through notes and reviewing what he had learned, often reaching a state of intense focus. Sometimes, while eating, he would suddenly realize the porcelain bowls they were using were Qinghua ceramics, made around the mid-1980s. The Jingdezhen markings at the bottom of the bowls were counterfeit. The chopsticks they used were made of bamboo, suitable for making bows, growing in the same geographical environment as those used for bows. The rice they ate came from northeastern China, which could only grow in the black soil rich in basalt. Before bed, when he saw the barracks, he would recall: these two-story wooden bunks were made of ordinary firewood, joined with dovetail joints and only strong enough to support two people. The best wood should be chenxiang, followed by rosewood, huanghuali, teak, ironwood, boxwood, nanmu, and other fine woods. The bedding and sheets were all cotton fabric. For ancient bedding materials, jilihu silk was considered quite elegant, while the cicada wing silk fabric unearthed at Mawangdui was still under study. Even in his dreams, his roommates would sometimes hear Zhuoma Qiangba muttering in his sleep: "Green-eyed silkworm moth, order Lepidoptera, family Saturniidae, native to the northwest of South America, wingspan of 1.2 meters, with green eyes on its wings, scales contain allergens, the seventh abdominal segment has a pair of poison glands that can produce hydrogen cyanide, highly toxic... Australian box jellyfish, highly toxic... Human contact results in death in thirty seconds..."
And there was more. During every lunch break, Yala demanded that Zhuoma Qiangba recite the Nyingma scriptures that his father had instructed him to memorize, word for word, believing that the stories within—although mythological—could very well be true and might guide them to the right path.
It was also Zhuoma Qiangba who pushed to study the origins of writing and the evolution of civilization. Although this ultimately went nowhere, Zhuoma Qiangba would consult Alec whenever he had time about the origins of writing, the differences between pictographs and ideographs, and the unique and common features of cuneiform, Mayan script, seal script, oracle bone script, and hieroglyphics. He often left Alec scratching his head, ending the discussion with, "I surrender."
Lu Jingnan seemed most intrigued by Zhuoma Qiangba. She found it remarkable how this resilient man was always full of energy and questions. She answered his inquiries meticulously and had hinted several times that she wanted to have a private conversation with him. However, Zhuoma Qiangba either feigned ignorance or politely declined. All his feelings had been entirely given to Tang Min, and he didn't want any distractions in his personal relationships.
Tang Min was undoubtedly the weakest in the basic practical training subjects, but this crybaby, although she failed repeatedly in training, never shed a tear. She persisted through failures and eventually passed all the tests. The most surprising was Yala Lama. The seemingly unremarkable elder was like a hidden master, whose skills were unfathomable. No matter how difficult the training subject was, he passed it just as he memorized theoretical knowledge—effortlessly. Sometimes, even Zhuoma Qiangba could not pass in one attempt, but Yala Lama did it so easily that even Alec was in awe.
Throughout the early training, Zhuoma Qiangba had a persistent uneasy feeling, a sensation of being watched, a chill down his spine. He knew the blond man wouldn't give up so easily, but he could never detect the enemy's presence. The more elusive they were, the more dangerous it felt. Another issue was the commander-in-chief of this operation. Despite the training having been underway for so long, the leader never showed up. Zhuoma Qiangba asked Lu Jingnan about this, and her answer was that the commander had gone abroad for a survey, apparently related to a large-scale water conservancy project.
Time ticked by, and before they knew it, the highest daytime temperature at the camp had reached 26 degrees Celsius. That afternoon, after their training session, the male team members changed into camouflage vests. Under the sun, Zhuoma Qiangba's towering figure and nearly perfect muscular lines exuded a formidable aura. He was now vastly different from a few months ago. In every discipline—climbing, rope work, caving, diving, and combat—he was the top performer among the trainees. His theoretical knowledge had also reached a passing level; at the very least, he now understood what the items were that Lu Jingnan had tested him on the first day in the camp. The grass was Stipa, commonly found on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The rock was weathered red sandstone, which looked solid but was actually granular and unsuitable for climbing or anchoring. The insect, larger than an ant, was the notorious desert-dwelling army ant.
He also gained insights into the mythical plants and animals Basang had mentioned earlier. The so-called "strangler tree" seemed to be a type of mutated wisteria vine that grew like a plant's root system. Once it touched a solid object, it would entwine around it, extending several meters in one day. If it ensnared a person and then found a tree to climb, the person would be found strangled to death against the tree by the next morning. The multicolored leeches of Tibet had once spread like wildfire; they could grow over ten centimeters long, becoming active as soon as the weather warmed. In regions plagued by leech infestations, there was a Tibetan saying: "A white horse passing through becomes a red horse; a white dog passing through leaves only its skin and bones." As for the ice axes, crampons, figure-eight devices, and carabiners used by the scientific expedition team in Hoh Xil, Zhuoma Qiangba now understood them as well as he knew his own hands; he just lacked real-world application experience.
Standing in front of the camp, Zhuoma Qiangba recalled the grappling techniques Lu Jingnan had taught him and practiced them slowly on his own. Zhang Li and Yue Yang sat under a tree, resting. These two soldiers, close in age, hit it off immediately and were now good friends. Basang, sitting high in the branches, remained as aloof as an eagle. Impatient and prone to anger, he had learned to behave after suffering setbacks at the hands of Zhuoma Qiangba and Yala. Professor Fang Xin and Alec always had endless academic topics to discuss. Tang Min and Lu Jingnan stood at a distance, but Zhuoma Qiangba could sense that they were both watching him. Yala Lama, the seemingly mysterious monk, approached once again.
Yala Lama watched Zhuoma Qiangba practice for a while and then asked, "Were you a 'Kubai'?"
Zhuoma Qiangba nodded and replied calmly, "I participated a few times in the past, but then I went into business and got rusty."
Suddenly, Zhang Li jumped up from under the tree and asked, "Master Qiangba, I've heard about 'Kubai' a few times now. What exactly is that title?"
Zhuoma Qiangba chuckled and said, "It's just an ordinary competition title, like being a champion."
Yala said seriously, "It's not that simple. Kubai is a prestigious and sacred title; it means 'warrior' among Tibetans. Long ago, large-scale competitions were very popular in Tibetan regions. Back then, each fiefdom would send its strongest young men to compete for the title of Kubai. The competitions included archery on horseback, yak racing, Tibetan wrestling, tug-of-war, and Ordo stone-throwing, among other events, totaling over a dozen. Nowadays, only the southwestern region of Ali still preserves the Kubai tradition, but the events have been reduced to tug-of-war, wrestling, rock lifting, and rope throwing." Yala glanced at Zhuoma Qiangba and said, "Winning a Kubai title is no easy feat; it requires excellence in many areas."
Yue Yang also stood up and asked, "What are 'tug-of-war,' 'rock lifting,' and what... what are they?"
Zhang Li, who knew a bit about these Tibetan sports, explained to Yue Yang: Tug-of-war is like elephant tugging. Two men stand back to back, with a rope over their shoulders like an elephant pulling a load, and pull against each other with all their might. The posture resembles that of an elephant, and the other rules are similar to regular tug-of-war. Ordo is a stone-throwing game where a stone is attached to a rope. Using hand techniques and the rope's inertia, the stone is thrown as far as possible with accuracy. Rock lifting is akin to weightlifting, where a large stone is hugged and lifted. There's also Gethun, pulling horns, and other sports...
Yala asked Zhuoma Qiangba again, "The first time I saw you fight, I noticed your wrestling technique involved sticking, clinging, hooking, and circling. Those techniques likely weren't learned from Kubai, were they?"
Zhuoma Qiangba secretly praised Yala's sharpness and explained, "When I was doing business in Chengdu, I met an old man at Qingyang Palace who taught me Tai Chi."
Yala nodded, and Zhuoma Qiangba countered, "But speaking of surprises, Master Yala's skills have left us all amazed. The saying 'true masters hide their skills' seems perfectly fitting for you, Master Yala."
In his usual calm tone, Yala replied, "I've been in retreat at Sera Monastery for decades and have learned some leaping techniques." With that, he moved aside to recite mantras.
Zhuoma Qiangba found it strange that Yala Lama suddenly wanted to ask him such questions. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something reflecting in the mountains.
On an electronic display screen, the time, distance to the target, angle, and slope were all shown. Zhuoma Qiangba's puzzled face was magnified before them. Mojin, dressed in a dashing military uniform, stood in the forest on a mountain slope. Removing his electronic binoculars, he muttered suspiciously, "Are they really that confident? What's this special training for? Could they already know where the place is?"
"Masuo!" At Mojin's shout, a brown-haired, narrow-eyed man with a high nose and thin lips scurried out from the forest. His build was also about six feet tall, but he carried himself in a perpetually deferential stance, making him seem a bit unseemly. "Yes, boss?" Masuo's English was fluent, and it turned out he was the one who caught Mojin's cigarette ash by hand in Hoh Xil.
Adjusting his hat brim, Mojin asked, "Is that lunatic still not recovered?"
Masuo said nervously, "No, sir. The Americans said it's mainly a communication issue. For patients with mental issues, communication and psychological interaction are crucial for recovery. And the translator we hired in Lhasa, he doesn't know the Gobha language very well, so when he translates, it's... it's... like I'm speaking Chinese—awkward."
"You speaking Chinese? You mean it's like I'm speaking Chinese, huh?"
"No... no, not... not at all."
Lighting a cigarette, Mojin sighed, exhaling a long plume of smoke and muttering, "Is there anyone who is proficient in the Gobha language?"
"Yes."
"Then why don't you go and invite them?"
Pointing downhill, Masuo mumbled, "Right... right... right down there."
"Hmm?" Mojin replied, "You mean that person is also in special training?"
Masuo nodded, "Yes, his name... his name is a bit strange—it's... 'Queban Jiala'."
Mojin shot Masuo a furious glare, cursing, "Idiot!" He took a few steps and then turned back to curse again, "Moron!" Suddenly, he had an idea, saying, "They're doing special training, so why don't we do some special training too! Masuo, organize those guys who came from Hoh Xil and put them through some drills. Even if they're going to die, they should die honorably."
Masuo immediately agreed to do it and then hesitantly asked, "Boss, that guy Sorris has been locking himself up in his room, fiddling with a bunch of bottles and jars for his experiments. The nearby Tibetan villagers have been complaining a lot. Do you think we might be exposed?"
Mojin was silent for a moment, then took a deep drag on his cigarette and said, "Ignore him for now. No matter what equipment he needs, try to accommodate him. Whether we succeed will depend on his little creatures in the end." Both Masuo and Mojin left, and the forest returned to its tranquil state, as if nothing had ever happened.
The basic training had been completed, and now it was time for field training. Backed by the strong financial support of Zhuoma Qiangba's consortium, they began adaptive training in different environments around the world.
The first group competition was a simple wilderness survival skills contest, starting with fire-making. Various tools were laid out, and each team selected their tools. The team that could create a flame first would be the winner. At the sound of Lu Jingnan's whistle, Zhuoma Qiangba, Basang, Zhang Li, and Yue Yang—these four strong men—used their physical advantage to rush to the area where the equipment was piled. They picked up the driest, thickest log, then carved a small indentation into it, filling the hole with the shavings they had scraped out. At the same time, they sharpened a small wooden stick, placed the pointed end firmly into the indentation, and began rotating the stick back and forth using their hands. The four strong men took turns to keep the stick spinning continuously. After five minutes, smoke began to rise from the shavings in the indentation. Excited, Zhuoma Qiangba and his team ignored their sweaty faces and rotated the stick even harder. Half an hour later, the first spark flared up, and the four men's faces were blackened from the smoke. With sweat streaming down, their faces now looked like those of special forces soldiers with painted camouflage. But when they turned back to look at Professor Fang Xin's group, they were dumbfounded. Professor Fang Xin's group of four had already lit their torches and were looking at Zhuoma Qiangba's group as if they were cavemen.
Zhuoma Qiangba widened his eyes at them, feeling that Professor Fang Xin's team seemed relaxed and at ease, as if they had not exerted much effort. Basang and Yue Yang were also stunned, while Zhang Li continued to blow air into the indentation, joyfully exclaiming, "It's lit! It's lit! Haha, it's lit!"
Professor Fang Xin and the others walked over, holding their torches, looking at the four men with blackened faces who were panting heavily. Each of them wore an expression barely able to suppress laughter. Zhuoma Qiangba, unwilling to accept defeat, asked, "Mentor, how did you do it so quickly?"
Professor Fang Xin spread out his left hand, trying his best to remain serious as he explained, "The Rayman brand lighter, it was right under the log you moved away..." As he spoke, he couldn't help but chuckle, but he held back and continued like he was in an advertisement, "Using oxygen and fuel mixture compression, windproof and waterproof, with a maximum jet flame temperature of 5,000 degrees, enough to melt ordinary steel. However, it's very fuel-consuming; one bottle of liquid gas can only last five minutes at full flame. The body is made of alloy, capable of withstanding direct hits from an 8mm caliber handgun. It uses a side-touch button ignition design, allowing it to be used with the mouth when the hands are incapacitated. The design is ergonomic, with curves based on human physiology and high-quality materials, making it the ignition device of choice for special forces."
Zhuoma Qiangba, on the verge of tears, turned to Lu Jingnan and asked, "Isn't this setup a bit too much?"
Lu Jingnan, unbothered, said, "I told you, you choose the tools yourselves. You saw the big log and only thought about starting a fire by friction. Where were your observational skills and discernment? I declare, in the first group competition, Zhuoma Qiangba's group loses, and Professor Fang Xin's group wins!" No one anticipated that this would only be the beginning of a string of defeats for Zhuoma Qiangba's team.
In the subsequent world-class adaptive training, they were plagued with issues. During the Dakar Rally cross-country event, they kept getting flat tires, or the discrepancies between the map and the actual route were absurdly large. By the time they reached the finish line, Professor Fang Xin's team had been waiting for hours. In the Sahara Desert crossing, Yue Yang's protective measures failed, allowing a sand scorpion to crawl into his pants and sting him hard on the butt. As a result, Zhuoma Qiangba and the other three had to take turns carrying him, naturally slowing their pace compared to the other team. In Xishuangbanna, the four of them were chased by a herd of wild elephants and got lost in the rainforest, taking four days longer than planned to find their way out. The reason? Zhang Li had tried to tease a baby elephant with a banana, only to be spotted by the mother. While climbing Devil's Mountain in Australia, Basang's anchor pin was unstable, and Zhuoma Qiangba kept leading them the wrong way. They often found themselves slipping off together, swinging like pendulums from the cliffside. While crossing the Black Gobi Desert, another of Zhuoma Qiangba's errors in judgment led them straight into a sandstorm. Luckily, they found a rock shelter in Mount Ma'anshan and hid there for a day; otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Afterward, whether it was grasslands, marshes, deserts, or ice fields, Zhuoma Qiangba's group failed to win a single time. Even Lu Jingnan often complained that this seemingly powerful team was remarkably clueless.
Several months flew by, and no one knew if the excessive physical training had numbed them. Each day, they barely managed to grit their teeth and endure the training pressure from all directions, which consumed all their energy, leaving little time for reflection. The team spent increasing amounts of time discussing the thrilling incidents they encountered during training. Only Zhuoma Qiangba constantly kept their training objectives in mind.
Having just returned from Vietnam, the special training team was back at the Special Guard Corps barracks in Lhasa for a break. They had only two days of rest before Lu Jingnan would assign their next destination. Impatient, Zhuoma Qiangba found Lu Jingnan's room. After knocking on the door for quite a while, Lu Jingnan finally opened it and asked what he wanted. Zhuoma Qiangba expressed his anxiety, to which Lu Jingnan frowned and said, "Your training is only halfway through the plan. Besides, Basang has been undergoing psychological recovery therapy during the training, and his memories are gradually coming back. If we rush to start the search now, it won't be very effective."
Zhuoma Qiangba replied seriously, "I think we've already gone through various environmental adaptation training. Is there anything left that we haven't trained for? Personally, I believe I am ready to go find our destination, and we have no idea how far the other group has progressed."
Lu Jingnan did not argue with him and calmly said, "Oh, actually, there are still many subjects you haven't trained for. However, I don't think you need to worry too much about the other group. If it were that easy to find, it wouldn't have taken so many years."
Just as Zhuoma Qiangba was about to say something more, Lu Jingnan made a pushing gesture with her hands and said, "Alright, I know what you want to say, and I don't want to argue with you. Here's the deal: your mid-term exam is about to start, and we'll talk about everything after the exam. If you still think you're ready to go on the search after that, we can have a full team meeting to discuss it, okay? Now, I need to sort out some materials. If there's nothing else—"
Zhuoma Qiangba hesitated for a moment, agreed to the suggestion, and turned to leave. After he left, Lu Jingnan, as if talking to herself or someone else, said, "It seems he can't wait any longer."
Someone behind the curtain replied, "Of course, because he knows nothing about what we've been working on."