Nomenclature of Night

  Chapter 498 On the Blade

  At this moment, Qing Chen is trekking among the snow-capped mountains, looking for the most suitable place for him to complete the test of life and death according to the established goal.

  Although the key to life and death is to experience life and death, this does not mean that the knights will not do any preparations.

   Before the challenge, plan the route of the challenge. This is the homework that every knight must do.

  Alpine Hida is a very suitable place for skiing. Even in May, the main peak, Okuhogaka, is covered with snow all year round.

  Okuhodaka (3190m above sea level), Kusawadake (3103m above sea level), Kitahotakadake (3106m), Maehodakadake (3090m), Nishihotakadake (2909m).

  These peaks are collectively called the Hotaka Mountains. Although the height is not as high as Mount Fuji, because there are too many extremely steep cliffs, the difficulty of climbing is far higher than Mount Fuji.

  Some mountain peaks look like a kitchen knife erected in the mountains when viewed from a distance. Walking on the ridge is like dancing on the blade.

  Among island writers, many stories of falling off cliffs and dying happened here.

  For example, in Yasushi Inoue's novel "Ice Wall", Uozu and Kosaka fell to their deaths here.

   Bingbi seems to be a very vivid name.

   Qingchen walked along the mountain path for skiers in the white snow.

  There are many skiers, but most of them play in the ski resorts on the gentle mountainsides, and not many people set foot in more dangerous areas.

  The life-and-death test cannot be completed in the ski resort. The life-and-death test of ice solidification has extremely strict requirements on speed. What it wants to challenge is the limit of skiing speed!

  So, Qingchen set off from the mountainside and continued to climb up the mountain.

   Not long after, a staff member of the ski resort shouted to him on the mountainside: "Hey, you can't go up any further, you will die if you go to the peak in this weather!"

   Qing Chen turned his head, but the next step was suddenly missed in the snow.

   But seeing him shake a few times, he continued to trek upwards with difficulty.

  However, Qing Chen suddenly discovered a problem. The mountain he was on was covered with 'powder snow', and no one could speed up in the powder snow.

  Generally, the conditions for the formation of powder snow are very strict. There must be heavy snow, but the temperature should not be extremely low. The solidified core will fall to the ground before it is fully frozen.

  Hold the powder snow, and it will even slip through your fingers like quicksand.

  Although Takayama Hida is covered with snow all year round, the temperature is rarely below zero. This is a very strange geographical environment.

  Moist and warm water vapor blows from the ocean, and snow falls after encountering high-altitude cold air on land. The fluffy snowflakes pile up on the mountain. If the skiing skills are not good, they may even slip and slide into the snow...

  If you want to challenge the skiing speed, the snow layer must have been pressed extremely tightly.

   It's like running on concrete will definitely be faster than running in sand.

  Qing Chen frowned, and continued to climb up firmly.

  Poverty probably limited his imagination this time. He chose this place as the place for the challenge of life and death because everyone said that powder snow is the best, the most suitable for skiing, and the most luxurious.

   But because he hadn't really skied, he didn't expect that powder snow was not suitable for challenging life and death.

   At this time, many skiers suddenly looked up on the mountainside and saw the small black shadow above the mountain, slowly trekking between the peaks, all of them were stunned.

   What is the difference between climbing the peak this season and courting death?

   Ke Qingchen not only didn't stop, but went higher and higher until he disappeared in the wind and snow.

  …

  …

  7:50 p.m.

  The sky in Shirakawa Township had already darkened. Jinguji Maki glanced at the quartz clock in the house, and then returned to the window, lying on the window and waiting.

  In Xanadu at this time, the dim and warm lights in front of the hot spring hotel are all lit up.

  In order to save electricity, the little girl turned off the lights at home, but left only the light at the door.

   This is because she was worried that Qing Chen would come back late, and if the light at the hotel entrance was also turned off, the other party might not be able to find the hotel.

  The skiers have returned to Baichuan Township one after another, and each hot spring hotel has prepared a sumptuous dinner for them early, and there are clean hot springs to wash away their exhaustion.

   This is the happiest moment for all skiers.

   Ke Qingchen hasn't come back yet.

  No normal tourist would stay in the ski resort until this time, Jinguji Maki began to worry.

   At this time, another group of skiers walked past the door.

  The little girl opened the window and let the wind and snow pour into the window. She waved to the distant skiers and shouted: "Sir, is there anyone in the ski resort?"

  The skiers said: "No, we are the last batch, and the ski resort was closed when we came out."

   "Oh, thank you..." Jinguji Maki withdrew her head, she was even more worried at this time, that brother didn't bring a ski, and there should be no one on the mountain at this time, where will the other party go?

   Don't worry about it.

  The little girl looked at the clock on the wall from time to time, and then looked out of the window. Such a kind brother should also be a punctual person, right?

  Although it has nothing to do with it, she is so firm in her determination.

   At 7:59, Jinguji Maki saw a thin figure from a distance, wearing a jacket, walking slowly from the darkness behind the wind and snow.

   Jinguji Maki's eyes lit up, she hurriedly left the window sill, ran to the door like the wind, took out the slippers from the shoe cabinet, opened the door of the hot spring hotel and waved to Qing Chen: "Oni-chan!"

  The crisp voice was stirred into the wind and snow, drifting far, far away.

   Qing Chen looked up at her, then walked back with his head down against the wind and snow.

  Maki Jinguji was not discouraged when she saw that Qingchen didn't respond to her.

  The little girl cheerfully put her slippers on the ground, then ran into the kitchen, brought the prepared meals to the table, and happily ate rice **** beside her.

  The meals are still rice, fried fish, thick egg yaki, miso soup.

  Jinguji Maki seems to only be able to do these things, but he can’t do it well.

  Qing Chen took off his jacket and sat down, and seriously ate all the food, not even a mouthful of soup left.

  The little girl asked expectantly: "Is today's meal delicious?"

  Qing Chen shook his head: "It's not tasty."

  Little girl: "...Oh."

  Qing Chen looked at her: "Why are you still eating dinner? Didn't I already pay the rent in advance?"

   Jinguji Maki thought for a while and said: "Grandma needs medicine expenses... The rice **** are delicious, and I added pickled cucumbers in it today."

  Qing Chen was silent for a few seconds: "Where are your parents?"

Jinguji Maki said: "When my father was a tour guide for tourists, the tourists accidentally slipped and fell off the cliff. In order to save him, he was dragged down together. My mother remarried and went to Hokkaido. Grandma told me not to blame her, she You have to have your own life too.”

   "Aren't you sad?" Qing Chen knew that this sentence would hurt the little girl, but still asked.

Jinguji Maki was silent for a while, and then laughed: "Actually, living with grandma is also very happy, everything will be fine. I will be as strong as grandma. She was diagnosed with lung cancer three years ago and went back to work in the hotel While making money and treating herself, she would always tell me, Maki, everything will be fine!"

  Qing Chen knew that the little girl's life would not get better.

  Lung cancer is currently one of the most difficult cancers to survive. Even the targeted drugs in the world can only prolong the life of patients for a few years, and they cannot save advanced lung cancer.

   Presumably, the little girl's grandma, cancer cells have spread all over her body.

   At this time, the grandma has been in a coma for 95% of the time, and the frequency and amount of food are very small, and she has obviously reached the end of her life.

  If the grandma dies, how will the eight-year-old girl survive?

Jinguji Maki said to Qing Chen: "Don't discuss these things, Oni-chan, I paid the uncle next door to clean up the hot spring pool today. The temperature of the hot spring is the most suitable now, so go soak for a while .”

   "Yes," Qing Chen nodded, leaving the little girl alone in the living room.

  She went to the window again, lying on the window sill, blinking her big eyes and looking outside, where many children were having crazy snowball fights, and strangely shaped snowmen were piled up at the entrances of hot spring hotels.

   At this time, Qing Chen came out again and saw this scene, Jinguji Maki turned to look at him: "Oni-chan, what's wrong?"

  Qing Chen looked at the figures of the snowmen outside the window, and then said to Jinguji Maki: "Make the bed."

   "Ooo, sorry, sorry, I forgot, I'm really sorry," Jinguji Maki took out the futon from the compartment.

  The bedding in the hot spring hotel is stored in the cabinet every day, and it is only taken out at night and spread on the wooden floor.

   Jinguji Maki was laying the floor, and suddenly noticed Qingchen's hands, which were covered with frostbite marks.

  She felt a little strange.

  This brother seems to be different from others in every way.

  …

  …

   Early morning.

   Today Jinguji Maki woke up early, she thought that she couldn't sleep in anymore today, and she wanted to make breakfast for Oni-chan.

   But it was only 7:10 in the morning, and there was no one in Qingchen's house.

  Just like yesterday, the quilts were neatly folded and placed.

   There is also a note: I will come back before 8 o'clock, and leave me a meal.

   The only difference is that the skis were taken away this time.

   Jinguji Maki felt a little lost, she always felt that no matter how hard she tried to show enthusiasm, she couldn't melt the coldness of this brother.

  She lowered her head a little discouraged.

  The next moment, she put on the old cotton clothes, opened the door of the hot spring hotel, and wanted to go to Baichuan Township to buy some fresh ingredients.

  But seeing the door, I don't know when a tall snowman has been piled up.

   On the face of the snowman, the nose, eyes, and mouth were pasted with seaweed.

  The snowmen in other people's hot spring hotels are all facing outward, as if welcoming visitors.

  The snowman in this hot spring hotel is facing inward, as if it belongs to Jinguji Maki alone, leaving his back for all passers-by.

   Jinguji Maki wrapped up the scarf her grandma knitted for her before, and ran out in a bouncing manner.

  …

  …

  Carrying the snowboard on his back, Qingchen took the sightseeing bus again to Lihotao mountain. He still didn't go to the ski resort, but climbed up again.

  The skiers looked up and saw that familiar figure. Last night, some people were worried that he would die in the snow-capped mountains, but now he was numb.

  Qing Chen came to the summit calmly, locked his veneer, and jumped down.

   Then got stuck in the thick powder snow...

   The fluffy powder snow wasn't enough to support his weight, and he couldn't even skate!

  It was a mistake this time, but it was enough to prove that the powder snow really couldn't allow him to complete the ice consolidation. He had to find a colder place with a more solid snow layer.

  Qing Chen lay silently in the snow, looking at the distant mountains.

   Leaving the island nation?

   Compared with life and death, assassinating the Age of Gods is a trivial matter. After all, he has to complete the promotion and return to the A02 secret military base to face a more cruel reality.

  So, if this place is not suitable, Qing Chen has to leave, nothing is more important than this.

etc.

   Qing Chen looked at the scattered ridges on the distant mountain like blades, and suddenly thought of another life-and-death test!

  Riding downhill on the ridge, dancing on the blade!

  (end of this chapter)