Chapter 339: Chapter 150: The Brilliance of Humanity

The air here is as thin as a layer of gauze. For an ordinary person, each step feels like dragging a heavy lead weight. The freezing winds scrape the face like knives, and exposed skin quickly becomes numb. The loose gravel underfoot can easily become slippery, and a moment of carelessness might lead to a fall into a bottomless crevasse.

Even more terrifying is the headache caused by oxygen depletion, drilling into the temples, causing vision to suddenly blur, making it difficult to even discern directions, as if ready to be swallowed by this cold, desolate silence at any moment.

This is Gongga Mountain, a forbidden zone of life, a place never meant to be conquered by humans.

It will never be conquered by such insignificant beings as humans.

Li Younan quickly moved next to Ding Rui, gently testing his breath with his hand.

Fortunately, he was still breathing.

Checking his blood oxygen levels with a blood oxygen monitor, a moment later, the numbers displayed on the device caused Li Younan’s heart to sink—a blood oxygen level down to 40%.

This number is almost death threatening.

At non-high-altitude places, an average person’s blood oxygen typically ranges from 95% to 100%, which is considered healthy. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

In low-altitude areas, if blood oxygen suddenly drops below 95%, one may start exhibiting mild symptoms of altitude sickness.

However, a drop below 95% does not necessarily cause an oxygen depletion reaction.

The human body has a powerful regulatory function, accommodating itself over time, even if blood oxygen levels don’t rise, managing to decrease oxygen depletion reactions by adjusting blood pressure, heart rate, and other compensatory means.

This explains why many people experience altitude sickness moving from low-altitude regions to highlands, yet after adaptation, the symptoms gradually fade.

This regulatory ability makes a stepwise elevation the safest method when climbing high-altitude peaks, allowing bodily functions to adapt incrementally to reduced blood oxygen levels.

Many Tibetan People living in high-altitude areas exhibit blood oxygen levels only in the 80% range, which would indicate severe oxygen deprivation in plains regions.

However, climbing extreme peaks like Mount Everest, blood oxygen levels in the 70% range can be considered normal.

But this regulatory ability has its limits and cannot indefinitely decrease.

No matter how one adjusts to an oxygen-depleted environment, a blood oxygen level in the 40% range is already on the brink of death.

Without a word, Li Younan flipped Ding Rui over to lie on his back, putting on a breathing apparatus for him.

There was no other method at the moment; only oxygen inhalation could save a life.

Li Younan squinted, scanning the surroundings. The sunlight was still present, the time not overly late. He glanced at his watch, finding it to be only 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

Li Younan focused on the time because raising Ding Rui’s blood oxygen levels through oxygen inhalation would need time.

If it were too late, descending at night would be more dangerous, full of uncertainties.

...

Self-recrimination.

Beyond self-recrimination, there was a profound sense of desolation and helplessness.

Despite having reached Gongga Mountain’s main peak, the emotions of excitement and joy within Zhao Liang had been utterly sapped away by the nature’s ruthlessness and humanity’s insignificance.

He and his companions had reached the summit, tearfully saying into the camera, "We climbed Gongga Mountain, we finally climbed Gongga Mountain."

With just those few words, he immediately switched off the selfie stick.

The atmosphere grew silent.

At such times, excessive emotional excitement wasn’t viable, both men had to calm their emotions.

At this altitude of 7600 meters, oxygen deprivation pushed their already strained bodies closer to the brink.

They couldn’t stay long up here, so quickly recorded a brief video before preparing to descend.

Descending, like climbing, was equally perilous, with many physically fit climbers not dying on the ascent but encountering danger on the descent.

At this moment, both of them simultaneously thought of Li Younan.

After briefly discussing Ding Rui’s unconscious state during the ascent with Li Younan, he hadn’t explained and just started to descend.

In such an environment, they couldn’t manage to call Li Younan back.

But Zhao Liang noticed the two large oxygen tanks Li Younan carried, sparking a glimmer of hope in their minds.

Gao Yonghui hesitated for a moment, asking Zhao Liang, "Brother Zhao, do you think that brother who just went down, he carried two tanks of oxygen, is it possible..." He paused, reluctant to continue.

Everyone knows what giving oxygen tanks to someone else means in such conditions.

Zhao Liang shook his head, remaining silent for a moment before saying, "That brother clearly relied on the oxygen tanks to ascend. His situation is different from ours. If he gives the oxygen to Ding Rui, it would be dangerous for himself."

Gao Yonghui fell into silence, for he understood the underlying reasoning well enough.

At that moment, they both had unanswered questions, like how Li Younan, though trailing them, managed to reach the summit first. Could there be a shorter, easier path when detouring? Yet now was certainly not the time to delve deeper into such matters.

Since it’s certain that Li Younan relied on oxygen tanks to reach the summit, his situation would differ from Zhao Liang’s team.

If one depended on oxygen inhalation to achieve such high altitude, then once the blood oxygen level dropped past the safe threshold, the situation would become perilous.

Take Zhao Liang’s team, for example: after adapting over time, even the blood oxygen level holding at 80 could still allow normal activities. But if Li Younan needed oxygen to come up, once his blood oxygen level dipped to 85 or slightly more, there’s a real risk of losing consciousness.

Zhao Liang said, "No matter his experience, we must explain the risks involved to him concerning this particular matter."

Zhao Liang knew clearly in his heart that if they genuinely wanted to save Ding Rui, he had to continue breathing oxygen for at least an hour or even longer.

Even though Li Younan brought two cans of oxygen, a significant portion must have been consumed during the previous climb.

If he allocated the majority of the oxygen to Ding Rui while ensuring he had enough himself, the worst-case scenario might be that both of them end up stuck here... lost here.

Moreover, Zhao Liang and Gao Yonghui couldn’t wait here for Ding Rui to finish inhaling oxygen.

Although they reached the peak based on their own physiological capabilities, staying long at such a high altitude would also continually lower their blood oxygen levels, eventually leading to them falling into a coma.

The two no longer spoke, each understood internally that they ultimately had to abandon Ding Rui.

Compared to Li Younan, their descent wasn’t as swift.

More than twenty minutes later, they retraced their steps to where Ding Rui had fainted.

The sight before them made their hearts sink slightly, simultaneously feeling admiration yet complexity; indeed, Li Younan had already fitted Ding Rui with a breathing mask.

However, when they turned their gaze to Li Younan, they were stunned.

Contrary to their expectations, Li Younan wasn’t wearing a breathing mask at that moment.

His expression was very calm, even sitting down, holding a thermos cup sipping water, and in the other hand a chocolate bar... from which he had even taken a bite, and he was chewing.

This scene left their minds momentarily blank. What was going on?

Noticing their descent, Li Younan turned his head and even smiled warmly: "Did you finish taking pictures? Want some water? I have energy bars here, want some?"

Faced with Li Younan’s enthusiasm, Zhao Liang and Gao Yonghui exchanged a glance, each seeing disbelief in the other’s eyes.

Zhao Liang slowly moved his body closer, looking at Ding Rui on the ground.

At this moment, due to inhaling some oxygen, Ding Rui was still in a coma but visibly his complexion had become a bit rosier, with some vitality.

He remained silent for a long time, asking shakily, "Brother... don’t you use a breathing mask?"

Li Younan nodded: "Me? I don’t need it. These two cans of oxygen should be enough to save his life."

Li Younan hadn’t used any of these two cans of oxygen, giving all to Ding Rui to breathe, which would suffice for at least 4 hours.

Theoretically, Ding Rui should wake up in a little over an hour.

At this moment, Li Younan went to check Ding Rui’s blood oxygen levels, and sure enough, they had risen from over 40 to around 60 after inhaling oxygen.

Because he felt capable of saving a life, Li Younan was in remarkably good spirits.

Even both Li Youran, gazing at the nearby scenery, found it all the more pleasing.

Beside him, Gao Yonghui couldn’t help but ask, "You really don’t need to breathe oxygen? Didn’t you come up relying on the oxygen tanks?"

Li Younan casually said, "Originally bringing two cans of oxygen was a precaution, but climbing gradually upward, I found my body wasn’t encountering too big a problem, so I didn’t use it." He chuckled, "Maybe I’m naturally more suited to such low-oxygen environments."

This matter is hard to explain, but it’s not very important.

Human oxygen exchange efficiency is only around 25%, whereas whales can reach 80%. Occasionally, there are one or two people whose genes naturally mutate, granting them slightly higher oxygen exchange efficiency, which is quite reasonable.

Zhao Liang couldn’t help but become emotional, the next second tears welled up: "Brother... I won’t say thanks, but on behalf of my brother, I thank you!"

The three of them were good friends since before mountain climbing, challenging nature together. If Ding Rui had truly been lost on Gongga Mountain, Zhao Liang wouldn’t even know if he’d have the courage to continue climbing in the future.

Li Younan blinked, laughingly saying: "You guys head down first. I can manage alone up here, but if you faint later, then there’s truly not enough oxygen to share."

Zhao Liang understood this point clearly; this wasn’t the time for sentimentality.

They didn’t delay any longer, just as Li Younan said, staying there wasn’t helpful, and if they became a burden, they’d truly be a hindrance.

Zhao Liang and Gao Yonghui began descending. Halfway down, Zhao Liang turned back asking: "By the way, brother, I still don’t know your name?"

"My name is Li Younan."

"Li Younan?" Zhao Liang silently memorized the name.

Once Zhao Liang and Gao Yonghui’s silhouettes gradually disappeared ahead, Li Younan shifted his gaze back to Ding Rui, his expression becoming serious.

He checked Ding Rui’s blood oxygen levels every two or three minutes, lightly slapped his face and gently called his name.

As long as he woke him up, everything would become easier thereafter.

After a while, Ding Rui finally opened his eyes slowly. Li Younan slightly sighed with relief, glad he hadn’t been slapping him in vain.

Li Younan slowly helped Ding Rui up; he was visibly confused about the situation at first, glancing around at Li Younan and suddenly realizing he was wearing a breathing mask.

Li Younan checked the time, saying: "No rush, keep breathing oxygen for a bit longer. Judging by your condition, forget about trying to reach the summit. When you’ve rested enough, we’ll head down directly."

Ding Rui paused, after a moment, his mind began processing and soon realized what had happened.

Escaping death.

This joy made his nose twinge in an instant.

Looking at Li Younan, Ding Rui nodded vigorously with tears in his eyes.