Ming Ma thought for a moment and replied, "This is our Holy Mountain, and it's our path. If we encounter danger while climbing, it is punishment from the God, and also the price of our greed. Our path is here, and the trials we go through are merely tests for us to reach the end. The people in your city wouldn't understand."
Qing Chen mused, "I see, you have faith as well. You go ahead, I'll wait here for your return."
Too many people flaunt their photos and certificates after summiting Mount Everest to the world, yet they are just passersby. Only the Sherpas truly belong here.
...
...
Countdown 18:00:00.
At 6 AM, dozens of Sherpas buried oxygen tanks at Camp 3, 7,300 meters above sea level, for the climbers to use later.
They knelt in the black blizzard, facing Mount Everest, bowing and begging for their God's understanding and protection.
After rising, they faced the blizzard and began to ascend higher.
