Leisurely Traveler with Check-in System

Chapter 330 - 142: Immersive Hiking and Camping (Second Update) (2)

Li Younan couldn’t help but laugh.

The clouds were thinly spread, and the sun occasionally peeked out, lighting up the ridge line over by the Gexi Grassland.

As they crossed the mountain pass, the wind suddenly carried the aroma of roasted barley flour towards them.

Time flew by; Li Younan naturally had no physical concerns, but he was always observing Zhu Qingyue.

Although there were moments when he was curious about how far Zhu Qingyue could go, it had to be under safe conditions.

Zhu Qingyue showed none of the pretentiousness he imagined; she walked ahead with very firm steps.

On the plateau, the sun sets early.

Soon, the sun had already shifted westward, completely obscured by a dark cloud.

Yet, their view suddenly broadened—Gexi Grassland spread out below, the tawny fields stretching to the foot of Yala Snow Mountain, with a few yaks drinking by the stream, like drops of ink splattered on rice paper.

Sitting by a prayer flagpole, they found a flat spot, broke open a compressed biscuit, and began chewing slowly with water, not rushing.

In the distance, a thin thread of smoke rose from a shepherd’s black tent.

The wind brought the faint sound of cowbells and the flow of the Zeduo River; they sat there for a long time.

Judging by their state, it seemed unlikely they would reach the campsite today; Li Younan didn’t plan on hiking in the dark and said to Zhu Qingyue, "Let’s just camp there once we get down."

Zhu Qingyue nodded.

In fact, she had long wanted to rest; her legs were unbearably sore, and she still hadn’t adapted to the difficulties of the plateau environment. However, the belief of "not becoming Li Younan’s burden" kept her going.

The two walked leisurely downhill. Just then, Li Younan’s gaze suddenly caught sight of the grass beside them and the shrubs behind. His expression brightened slightly, and he took off his backpack, saying to Zhu Qingyue, "Wait for me a moment."

Zhu Qingyue showed a puzzled expression.

Li Younan handed his backpack to Zhu Qingyue, then took a handy little knife from the side of the backpack and dived into the grass.

Zhu Qingyue tilted her head and couldn’t help but ask, "Where are you going?"

Li Younan grinned and said, "Adding a little to our camp dinner tonight."

Zhu Qingyue widened her eyes but said nothing after hesitating for a moment.

Li Younan quickly entered the bushes, but his figure didn’t completely disappear; his clothing was faintly visible among the bushes. Mountaineering outfits are often bright in color; from a fashion standpoint, they are extremely unattractive but are an important distinction between amateurs and novices.

The main reason is that these colors contrast strongly with the natural backdrop, making them easy to spot.

Realizing Li Younan wasn’t planning to go far, Zhu Qingyue breathed a slight sigh of relief. Then she focused on his backpack. To be honest, Li Younan had already checked her backpack, but she still didn’t know what was in Li Younan’s.

Zhu Qingyue believed that her backpack was definitely considered very heavy among girls, and she took a bit of pride in that, thinking she wasn’t inferior to the average boy.

Out of curiosity, she tried lifting Li Younan’s backpack.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she sheepishly put the backpack back down.

Before long, Li Younan returned with a bountiful haul. Zhu Qingyue looked at the items in his hands with a strange expression; it was a bunch of green plants.

Zhu Qingyue didn’t recognize them and asked bewilderedly, "What are you holding?"

Li Younan replied with a smile, "This, a nutritious and delicious natural green ingredient, locally called ’thorn dragon packet,’ is a common wild vegetable in high-altitude areas."

Li Younan didn’t elaborate further. He had a detailed understanding of this wild vegetable, knowing exactly how much carbohydrate, protein, and unsaturated fatty acids it contained.

During their last team crossing, this skill of his couldn’t really show its advantage. But now, on this trek, it had more usefulness.

Zhu Qingyue looked puzzled, "Can you really eat this?"

Li Younan assured her, "Don’t worry." He casually stuffed the bunch of thorn dragon packets into his pocket, put the knife away, then easily picked up his backpack, slinging it onto his back without effort, as if it weighed nothing.

Seeing this, Zhu Qingyue was momentarily stunned.

What a strong body.

Li Younan didn’t notice Zhu Qingyue’s shock and pointed to a grassy slope below, saying, "I just checked; that spot is very suitable for camping. The terrain is flat, away from dangerous geological conditions, and there’s a mountain stream just dozens of meters away, making water collection convenient. More importantly, it’s a sheltered slope, so even if it gets windy at night, it will be minimal."

Before long, Li Younan and Zhu Qingyue reached the campsite. Li Younan checked it again to ensure there were no issues, then used an entrenching tool to make a simple drainage system before starting to set up the camp with Zhu Qingyue.

Li Younan had chosen a heavily used hardcore tent, popular worldwide. Though it folded down to under two kilograms, it was a genuine two-person tent.

Li Younan’s choice of a two-person tent wasn’t out of a desire for them to sleep together. In fact, most hardcore trekkers choose two-person tents because they’re spacious, can hold more gear, have better internal arrangement, and are more robust.