Chapter 22 Chapter 20 The Truth

1 I curled up in the tent. Squat on the ground, wrap your hands around your knees, and lean your back against the wall behind you. Only there is a slight protrusion of the wall, so if you move the center of gravity back, even the upper half of the waist will touch the wall.Although it was touched, it was actually separated by a tent cloth. a tiny bit of space There was just enough space for that little tent. Cut the base of the rock with the ice stick to create a flat place where you can barely sit, and sit there. Hanyu also sat on the right side of Fukamachi in the same posture. The two got into the sleeping bag.

Get into the sleeping bag and sit with your upper body upright. Their respective hiking backpacks were placed in front of their eyes and in front of their feet. Drive the wedge into the rock behind and hold it there. A candle is burning. The candlelight and the body temperature of the two people made the temperature in the tent rise. Put the snow into the universal pot, heat and melt to drink. Hanyu did that for Fukamachi who couldn't move his fingers smoothly. As for his own share, Hanyu used his own all-purpose pot, his own gas stove, and heated the snow himself.Hot drink of honey, black tea and lemon juice This is the same as Fukamachi.

Both Hanyu and Fukamachi drank plenty of hot drinks and ate dinner.Hanyu takes vitamin C in pills. In this way, Fukamachi was finally able to speak normally. But despite this, solid food cannot swallow even half of the intended amount.No, I swallowed it into my mouth, but I had no appetite, and I felt like vomiting and couldn't swallow it. Headache. I often have headaches at the back of my head, and from time to time, along with my heartbeat, pain hits my upper body like being slapped with a hatchet. Narrow tent. Listen, this rock is the only place where you can pitch a tent.And, only this narrow place.Hanyu said so.

If you pitch your tent elsewhere, one or two rocks are bound to hit the tent one night. If hit the head, sure death. Besides, it would be wasteful to expend energy and build another tent. It would take about three hours to shovel snow and fix it on rocks in such a strong wind, and pitch a tent in Fukamachi. It is the best choice for two people to use Hanyu's tent. After entering the tent and settling down in the position just now, Hanyu said: You listen up, keep that pose!Stay in that position while you sleep, too.If you fall asleep with your upper body lying on the backpack in front of you, the falling rock will hit your head directly!

Hanyu said: Counting from the rock on which the back rests, within about 60 centimeters is a safe space. If I were Yama, I would probably throw stones at the head of the person who made that mistake. Hanyu whispered, his voice sounded like he was rubbing against a large black basalt rock. Don't expect any little luck here. On the hiking backpack in front of Fukamachi, Fukamachi's helmet was placed. The top of the hard hat's head split apart because the falling rock hit it directly there. There is a pain in the head that is different from an altitude sickness headache. When I touched my head, the hair near the top of the head became rough due to blood coagulation, and the flesh there was swollen.

Because the bleeding stopped, I let it go, but I don't know how intense the pain will be tomorrow. The wind was strong. After entering the tent, the wind seemed to intensify further. From time to time, strong winds like rocks hit the tent.One second it's like squashing the tent and pressing it against the rocks, the next it's whirling and trying to peel off the rocks. When the wind blows, the tent cloth in front of you will be squeezed in front of you. At this time, compared with the steel structure tent, the cloth tent is more wind-resistant. No matter how the wind blows, the tent will, like a reed, grasp the rhythm of the wind and return to its original shape.

After dinner, Hanyu stopped talking. Fukamachi thought he was asleep, and glanced to the side. Hanyu was not sleeping, and stared straight ahead. It seemed that strong heat rose from Hanyu's body. He looked like he was insisting on avoiding unnecessary conversation. This was probably because the thought of acting alone was still burning in Hanyu's heart like coals. No matter what Hanyu was eating or doing, he would never touch anything from Fukamachi.At least, he won't touch it for himself. Take the hiking backpack from Fukamachi into the tent, shake off the snow on the backpack, and get the snow out of the tent. It was made by Hanyu.Fukamachi's physical condition made it impossible for him to do such a thing when he arrived at this tent.

After throwing Fukamachi into the tent, Hanyu climbed down again in the snowstorm and took Fukamachi's backpack back. Superhuman physical strength. The difference in altitude is about 20 meters. Although it is only 20 meters, it is not something that ordinary people can do. He did it for Fukamachi. Put the hiking backpack in the tent and prepare food for Fukamachi However, he will not fake Fukamachi's hands for himself, nor will he use Fukamachi's things for himself, even if it is a centimeter of toilet paper, he will not use it. Hanyu opened his eyes wide in silence, as if Fukamachi wasn't there.

What appeared in Hanyu's mind was probably the matter of the gust of wind. Will this gust of wind continue to blow tomorrow? If this gust of wind is the jet stream that will come at the end of December, if you report more than ten days in advance, the blizzard will continue to blow, almost lasting for a whole winter. If he persisted for a few days, the wind would stop occasionally for a day or two, but Hanyu didn't have that kind of time, strength and food. how is it? An intense flame of anxiety seemed to be burning in the heart of the speechless Hanyu. During the long silence, Fukamachi and Hanyu listened to the wind together.

So, finally As if he couldn't stand the silence, Fukamachi asked Hanyu: Hanyu-san Fukamachi said hoarsely. Maybe I can't make it back alive from here. Even if I can't go back, I still have something to ask. why did you save me 2 Hanyu could only roll his eyes and glance at Fukamachi.There was no expression in his eyes. Upon receiving that gaze, Fukamachi was at a loss for words, and couldn't help but hold his breath for a few seconds. However, in the next second, he quickly opened his throat and took a big breath again.Breathe quickly.Repeatedly concentrate on inhaling and exhaling.

Because just stop breathing for a few seconds, the amount of oxygen absorbed in the body will become insufficient. The sound of a strong blizzard fluctuated outside the tent. The extremely strong wind pushed the tent cloth to the front, touching the tip of the nose, like the cold tongue of a beast licking the nose. From a distance came the sound of blowing dog conch, like an angry voice. sounds like Barking furiously at something ominous passing through the darkness. As it moved, dogs all around began to bark one after another, a group of dogs were barking and roaring Leaned over. Riding on the wind in this vast space where the blizzard was blustery, I slowly volleyed and approached from the side of Tibet. Hey Fukamachi said to Hanyu. Hanyu glanced at Fukamachi. coming!he said in a timid tone. fly into a rage. The dog barked ferociously. No, it's all my inner voice. Did you hear that? It was the sound of a dog. dog? That's right. Compared to a dog, it was close to the sound of a beast. Can't you hear me? As soon as he finished speaking, the strong wind blew up again, and the tent cloth touched his face. The roar of the roaring beast hit the tent. The next second the tent shrank, it bulged from the inside out, and the sound of the beast became farther away.The voices of wild beasts turned into human voices, and the voices of countless people laughing, went away to the other side of the sky together with the wind. A human face at the feet. one, two, three Human faces appeared on the surface of the backpack and the tent cloth.They seem to come to see the inside of this tent. Those faces were talking, and I didn't know whose face it was. It seems to have Kayoko's face, Ryoko's face, Naradar.Lachandra's face, Miyagawa's face, Jingoka's and Funashima's faces, none of them seemed to be their faces. They muttered to each other. However, no idea what they were talking about. I always feel as if I'm talking about my own gossip. That's it. No way. You see, I am still angry. Throat sounds. snore whoosh But (mumbles) Right? (mumble, mutter, mutter) So (mumbling) Sure enough. (mumbling) Right giggling mumble mumble What are these guys talking about? What are you talking about? Hello, I can't hear you! Hello! I heard the sound. Hello, Fukamachi. It was Hanyu's voice. Hanyu patted Fukamachi's cheek lightly. Consciousness returned. I You are talking to yourself. I? Um. Fukamachi gritted her teeth while panting. What happened to me just now? Is that my own voice? Is it an auditory hallucination? I thought the content of the conversation with Hanyu was true?Where do the hallucinations begin? Or, was Hanyu's voice just now an auditory hallucination? Oh shit! How am I? What the hell is going on! If this is a solo action, if Hanyu is not around, I will probably respond to all the hallucinations and auditory hallucinations that come to me. If someone calls me outside, I will unzip the zipper, run out without shoes, and step out. At that moment, he lost his balance due to the wind, slipped off the ice wall and died in one breath. Oh, having said that, I should have asked Hanyu something. What's up? Just at this time. Caught off guard. Suddenly, the tent cloth in front of him cracked with a sound, and an oval object with a thickness of three centimeters and a length of about ten centimeters landed ten centimeters in front of the toes. black stone. It's falling rocks. The stone peeled away from a rock wall somewhere overhead and fell.Hit the tent directly.If the feet were stretched forward by ten centimeters, the toes would probably be crushed, making it impossible to walk. If the hit was on the head, the skull would either be broken and seriously injured, or it would be fatal. It's so dangerous.Hanyu muttered in a tone without cadence. It's really dangerous. He was rescued in the nick of time. good luck Fukamachi wanted to say that, but swallowed it. No, it's not.Not luck. This is Hanyu defeating Yama. We are in a place where no stone will ever hit no matter how it falls from above. There are few such places along the route of the Southwest Face.Hanyu discovered and used it. It wasn't by accident that we were saved.It was Hanyu's will that saved us. The cold wind poured in from the hollow.The tent bulged into a circle, and the cracked cloth shook slightly. Avoiding poking his head forward, Hanyu took out a small roll of packing tape from his backpack. Cut a length that is exactly as long as the slit. However, Hanyu did not act immediately. He stared intently at the gaping slit. What's wrong? Fukamachi thought, why not use that piece of sealing tape to fix it, and was about to lean out before he knew it.Hanyu said to him: Wait a minute it's too late There was the sound of stone hitting rock overhead. The sound of the stone falling from above, hitting the rock, bouncing up and floating in mid-air. The sound was mixed with the sound of the blizzard.Often it's a small sound muffled by the wind, but there's nothing wrong with that.Just now, the stone fell from the top of the head. That's not long thinking.The moment you hear the sound, you can understand its meaning. The moment Fukamachi curled up into a ball, a larger stone smashed through the roof of the tent from almost the same place as the crack formed by the stone just now, and this time it landed seven centimeters before Fukamachi's toes and stopped. Pieces of snowflakes fell from the cracks. Before those snowflakes drifted to the ground, small stone fragments hit the tent like large raindrops. careful!After a rock falls, it will cause the rock to fall again.Hanyu said. Fukamachi nodded while breathing with heaving shoulders. No nodding. Fukamachi somehow knew that bit of common sense. If a rock falls, the rock hits suspended rocks and rocks that are dangerously attached to the rock wall as it falls. Moreover, another rock that begins to fall causes another rock, and that rock causes other rocks In the form of this chain effect, sometimes countless rocks fall. But one rockfall doesn't often trigger several. Besides, there was a short interval between the first falling rock and the second falling rock just now.Generally speaking, people will subconsciously judge that they are already safe. But Hanyu didn't do that. Hanyu had to make such detailed observations by himself on a daily basis. Arriving at this place, it can be said that it is already a habit to separate from this rock wall called the Southwest Wall or the mountain Everest. If I were a mountain, I would probably unceremoniously throw stones at people who make that mistake. Maybe Hanyu saw this mountain as having a personality, confronted her, and probed each other's inner thoughts. After a few more seconds, Hanyu used the sealing tape to seal the crack in the tent that had become bigger than before. If the mountain is a beast, the beast wakes up in the night now, roaring ferociously. Fukamachi thought, Hanyu and himself are now in the arms of that beast. That fellow Hase, Hanyu suddenly murmured. Hase?Fukamachi asked. Hase is probably also loved by Yama.perhaps What about Mr. Hanyu? I am different.I am absolutely disgusted by the mountain. So, Hase You mean, he was careless? God knows. After Hanyu finished speaking, as if shouting to him, I know, a blizzard hit the tent from a high altitude. Inevitably will be careless. Fukamachi thought so. Climb down dangerous and steep ice walls. Finally arrived at the tent. Tents pitched on slopes.If you slip and fall, you will die, but you won't make that wrong slope. night When he finally arrived at the tent, he raised his hand and smiled at the companion who came out to greet him, saying: Hi. The smiling face in the partner's headlight suddenly disappeared into the darkness.Then, in the darkness below the corner of the companion's field of vision, red sparks flew with a clatter. It turned out that when it slipped, the tip of the crampon hit the rock and sparked. that's it. There are also climbers who die like that, unable to even make a sound. careless If so, it is true. Some people say in an expert way: the more dangerous the place, the more attention will be paid, so the dangerous place is safer. The dangerous thing is going down to a safe place. In addition, every time a mountain disaster occurs, the news anchor will read the same script: because the victims underestimated the mountain. idiot.Who would underestimate the mountains!No one will underestimate the mountain. At least, among the mountaineers that Fukamachi knew, there was no such person.No one wants to die. Willing to do anything to save his life.Do everything imaginable.Like shortening a pencil, or removing the packaging of pills, even if it is the weight of that thin silver paper, try to lighten your luggage.In order to survive, I will do everything I can. In an expedition, those who try to climb to the top will take more than thousands of steps, tens of thousands of steps, and hundreds of thousands of steps. Depending on the situation, some places must be controlled by one's own will, step by step. However, can it last for several days, dozens of days, and do it twenty-four hours from morning to night?Sometimes I suddenly lose motivation.Taking that step forward without thinking about it with the next step in a succession of motions, that time, that accidental step often kills the mountaineer. You can't blame him for that step. As long as it is a human being, everyone has moments of slack. If it is without the brain, perhaps it is indeed a step without the brain.However, if the brain is damaged by altitude sickness at a place exceeding 8,000 meters, and the body and mind are dragged to the limit of fatigue, how far can one control one's body movements with one's own will? We are taught, indifferently, that avalanches can occur in places that can only be described as safe at all costs. If snow accumulates on a slope, even the gentlest slope, an avalanche can occur. I know.I know that kind of thing. If so, can't go anywhere. If you don't want to die, there is no other way than not to climb any mountains. Are you going to stop climbing mountains because of choking? Do people shut themselves at home just to live a long life? People can be careless for a moment. Because it is human. People don't choose to do that on purpose. Who would choose the moment of misfortune? That can only be said to be God's choice. The moment of man intersects with the moment of God. The moment of human contact with the moment of God's choice, a certain behavior of man enters the realm of God at that time. Thus, people die. That's all I know.Hanyu muttered. That means Hase is dead, but I'm still alive. Fukamachi thought, Hanyu is not just alive. He is still on the front line and is now on the southwest face of Everest.This man clings like garbage between the rocks of the southwest wall, still facing the beast in his heart, facing the devil in his heart. Why go climbing? Why go climbing? There is no answer. Because that is tantamount to asking: Why do people live? If anyone can answer that question, it is someone who can answer the question of why one lives. Maddening. One climbs a mountain for a certain maddening emotion within oneself. Man climbs mountains in order to refuse to answer the question why he climbs mountains. Peak will not answer. Peak has no answer. The moment you step on the top of the peak, there will be no mysterious music resounding in the sky, and the answer will not fall from the sky quietly. Probably not 80% of people climb mountains for that kind of thing. Looking up at the snow-covered peak with pain, as if looking up at the sky from a flat ground That's because the peak still belongs to the sky. The moment you step on it, the peak belongs to the ground. Is it enough for a person to step on the top of a mountain and then move forward in a certain direction? No solution. No solution. Because there is no solution, I want to climb down a mountain. more difficult and dangerous mountains why? I should ask this man why. Breathe it out with a heavy breath and forget about it? Is it about the mountains? or Oh, it's my business. I remembered. Did I intend to ask this man: Why would Hanyu, who is so strict in minimizing risks, take such a risk to save me? Why?Fukamachi suddenly asked again. Why?what why? Why do you want to save me? In an instant, Hanyu looked away from Fukamachi again. There was a long silence. When Hanyu and Fukamachi were silent, only the sound of the snowstorm continued to rumble. It's Kishi, Hanyu said suddenly. I am not the one who saved you.is shore shore? Hanyu remained silent, did not nod, then retracted his chin and said: That's even. Even? I mean, I live to this day in debt to no one.Hanyu said. Are you referring to Kishi? Hmm Hanyu nodded, then fell silent again. There is only the ups and downs of the wind, shaking the tent. After a while of silence, Hanyu muttered: The climbing rope was indeed cut by a knife However, I am not the one who cut off. who is it? is shore.Kishi himself took out his own knife and cut the climbing rope with it Hanyu said in a voice as stiff as a rock. At that time, an exceptionally strong wind shook the tent. Have you told anyone about this so far?Fukamachi asked. No.you are the first. Right Fukamachi thought. Was Kishi himself the one who cut the climbing rope with a knife? In order to save Hanyu, Kishi chose to die. Why are you silent so far?Fukamachi asked, but Hanyu didn't answer. He stared into the air. During a long silence, the air in the tent seemed to be creaking, only the howling of the wind. The mountain whimpered and roared. Hanyu's gaze turned back unknowingly. 3 It seemed that he fell asleep for a while. During that period, the sound of the blizzard rose and fell, and it felt as if he was floating in the sound. Sometimes the auditory hallucinations are based on the real sound of snow and wind hitting the tent, and sometimes hallucinations and auditory hallucinations will come to you completely unrelated to them. Fukamachi couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality. I saw a group of women carrying lanterns lined up, walking slowly on the West Valley far below. That also looks pretty stark. However, now that he was in the tent, and the wind and snow were blowing violently outside at night, Fukamachi felt that it was impossible to see that scene.It's impossible to see it, and whether it's visible or not, it's impossible for women with ordinary clothes to walk in a continuous stream in places like West Valley. Knowing this, you will still see it. The hot soup is ready. Sometimes, Kayoko's voice suddenly came from outside. At that time, I almost couldn't help standing up and unzipping the tent. Reality and illusion alternate and sometimes merge, and the line between reality and illusion is blurred. It also makes a sound now. A woman's voice. Where are you? Ryoko's voice came from the ear.The voice came closer. I'm here to save you.Where are you? The voices of Miyagawa and Funashima also came out together with Ryoko's. Hello Hello Fukamachi opened his eyes suddenly, and grabbed Hanyu's shoulder beside him. Hello, here we come! What's coming? Help.Didn't you hear that?The moment he finished speaking, he listened attentively. call As if mocking him, the wind hit the tent from the air, and no human voice could be heard at all. All I could hear was the sound of the wind, my own rapid breathing, and the constant shaking of the tent. Without saying a word, Hanyu lightly patted Fukamachi on the shoulder. General collapse. It's gone. It's dead now. I am going to die. Fukamachi thought so. Die here. dying in such a cramped tent No fear at all. Just realizing that I'm probably dying. If this wind blows continuously for two days, I will die. However, even if I die, Hanyu will live on. If the wind stops, Hanyu will probably leave my frozen body here and head towards the summit again. gray rock tower What was waiting ahead was finally the biggest difficulty on the southwest wall. This man will climb up there. How to climb it? How is this man going to challenge this almost impossible task? What to do Fukamachi asked under quick breath. Every time I speak, the white mist will float dimly in the light of the candle. What to do? Tomorrow it will be sunny and the wind will stop. Climb. What route to take? Speak. When you speak, you probably won't die. If you don't speak, it's time to die. From here, climb 40 meters in a zigzag to the left.Hanyu said. Will Hanyu stay with me? That being the case, ask. What's the next question? Then? very good.Anyway, just ask questions. Then? Then? Then? How about it? Are there any sounds in my throat? Haven't heard the sound of snoring and snoring when the throat is stuck with phlegm? Pulmonary Edema. Because if it becomes like that, it's over. Then?Fukamachi asked. From there, climb directly to the entrance of Zuoyangou, said Hanyu. He started mumbling and whispering about what he was going to do next. Hanyu knew the southwest wall like the back of his hand. Probably better than anyone else.In other words, it means that it is clearer than anyone in the world, and it is also clearer than anyone born in the world so far. In the past few years, Hanyu has probably been climbing this southwestern wall in his imagination every night, every night. Hanyu must have entered the entire route of the southwest wall into his head in units of ten meters.Depending on the location or the crag, sometimes by a meter, or even a few centimeters, you get the details in your head. So far, he should use that information to infinitely combine various weather conditions, various temperatures, and various strengths of wind conditions in his mind again and again, accumulating simulation training. From where we are now, climb a section of climbing rope in a zigzag to the left on the ice wall for about 40 meters. There is the central big rock ditch. Work your way up from there. It is an ice wall twenty meters wide. The slope is about fifty degrees. That wall of ice extends to the entrance of the left ditch. about eighty meters Two climbing ropes will reach the entrance of Zuoyangou. The altitude there is 7680 meters. A huge rock wall about 300 meters high rises towards the sky there.The dark vertical rock wall cannot even be climbed by snow. It is called the biggest difficulty on the southwest wall of the rock belt.After climbing over this rock belt, it is at an altitude of 8,000 meters. Constantly exposed to falling rocks and strong winds. On the left and right sides of the rock belt, there is a rock ditch extending upwards. A vertically extending rock trench in the rock wall. The rock ditch on the left extends to the west ridge of Mount Everest, and the rock ditch on the right extends to the south ridge of Mount Everest.To climb the rock belt, there is no other way than to use one of the rock trenches on the left and right. The route Hanyu is trying to take is Zuoyangou, which was used by the British team in 1975. From the entrance of the rock ditch, the distance between two climbing ropes reaches a place like the bottom of a well.The rock wall narrows from left to right and becomes a rock trench with a width of three to four meters.This rocky trench is clinging to frozen snow. Climb up from that ice wall. Generally, it is a place where there is no way to climb without oxygen. As you climb up, it will become steeper and steeper, and the slope will change from fifty degrees to sixty degrees. At the end there is a rocky cliff 25 meters high.Naked solid rock.After climbing this wall, you can come to the upper level on the left side of the rock belt. A sloping road leads to the right from there.Wet fine debris accumulated on the sloping road.No step on this route should be taken lightly. From here, move diagonally upward to the right, and you will come to a snow field the size of a small room. Climb over here, enter the rock ditch filled with snow, ascend a section of climbing rope, and come to a place with an altitude of 8 to 350 meters. There is the next camp. Hanyu will climb for eight hours straight to get there. Whether it is possible to climb from the current position of 7,600 meters to the upper layer of the rock belt of 8,000 meters to reach the point of 8,350 meters is a key point in capturing the southwest wall. From there choose the route to the South Ridge. Move to the right from directly below the yellow belt. The Yellow Belt is a huge yellow formation stretching over 8,000 meters above Mount Everest. Moving along the yellow belt on the snow-attached rock belt, you come to the snow wall protruding from the steep rock ditch at Nanfengyangou.Enter the rock ditch from here, and after climbing the snow wall, you will come to the saddle part of Nanfengao in Japan. Located at the south peak of Everest, 8,760 meters directly below. From there is the so-called traditional route. There is still a hundred meters of altitude difference from the peak. The right side is connected to the snow eaves protruding from the side of the Ganshun Glacier, like a sickle-like ridge, the winter wind will gallop from the South Col to the Lhotse Peak. The temperature is probably below minus thirty degrees.Considering the body temperature caused by the wind, it may also become minus forty or fifty degrees. Then, climb the Hillary Steps to the top of Notre Dame. That was Hanyu's preset route. Go down the mountain using the traditional route. Spend a night at the South Col, then head down to Base Camp in one breath Hanyu cut the words into pieces and said. Is that possible? In theory it is possible. If the weather is good, you are not hit by falling rocks, there is no wind, you have not made any small mistakes, you have physical strength, and you have adapted to the altitude to the limit possible despite this But even so, that's still a human theory.Actually no one has done it yet.Because everyone thinks that is an impossible task. However, if you stay by Hanyu's side, you will feel that this man can do it.Or this man might be able to do that. Hanyu himself followed the scheduled itinerary. He carried Fukamachi on his back at an altitude of 7,600 meters, and still had plenty of physical strength left. the man's words However, there was something strange about Fukamachi. Is the brain damaged due to lack of oxygen, and there is something wrong with the brain? Can't remember that. what is that? That should be an important question for Hanyu. what is it then? About equipment? Or, is it a route thing? Oh yes. is the route.It's about the route. Fukamachi sensed that. When he realized it, he said that word out of his mouth. That being the case, in the end, are you going to take the traditional route to the summit? After he finished speaking, Fukamachi realized the weight of that sentence, and the horror of that sentence. What did you say?Hanyu said in a low voice, like a groan. He turned his whole face slowly, and looked at Fukamachi. The eyes did not reflect the candlelight, but emitted a stronger light. What did you say?Hanyu said it again. A low, calm voice. Fukamachi's hairs nearly stood on end with fear. He didn't notice his teeth colliding and clicking.