In the distance, the mountain peaks stood tall and graceful, the ranges stretching endlessly, with a mesmerizing expanse of green everywhere. The mountains rose and fell in waves, lush and vibrant; some soared into the clouds, pointing straight at the blue sky. Above the snow line, the mountains were blanketed in white, like silver serpents dancing, enchanting and beautiful; below the snow line, the grass was thick and the forests dense, verdant and flourishing. At this moment, the weather was calm and sunny, the sky an extraordinary blue, and the white clouds, in all sorts of shapes, were like relief sculptures set atop the mountain peaks. Against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds, the distant Namcha Barwa peak revealed its triangular tip, pure white, sitting above a sea of green forest. Ian Lawson gazed at the distant Namcha Barwa, savoring the courage it took to stand atop it.

Taking a few deep breaths of the mountain air, Ian Lawson snapped several photos to capture the surrounding scenery, so that one day in the future, he could return to this place and find this grave site again.

After resting, Ian Lawson set off alone.

It took another three days of effort for Ian Lawson to find the correct path again. There were no roads to the towns here, and October was the golden season for transporting supplies to the closed-off small towns. All these supplies had to be carried in by people or pack animals from outside. At this time, the correct route was crowded with laborers carrying baskets on their backs. They were hurrying to earn their last wages of the year with their hard labor before the heavy snow sealed off the mountains. Seeing these workers meant he had found the right organization.

Following the tide of laborers, he arrived at Lugu Village, where the Monba people still practiced fertility worship, and the ancient customs had their own unique flavor. But Ian Lawson was preoccupied, so he simply bought some local folk items in the village, paid, and asked the villagers to pass on the news of his safe escape to his guide, then hurried on to the final destination of his journey—Bomi.

Ten days later, one afternoon, Ian Lawson arrived at Bomi County, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and dotted with lakes. This was the location of the eastern Himalayas, on the east bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, at the foot of Galong La Mountain, so when you looked up, you saw snow-covered peaks all around.

The Sichuan-Tibet Highway passed through Zhamu Town in Bomi, making it a major transportation hub. Although the harsh natural disasters along the Sichuan-Tibet line often cut off traffic here, turning it into an isolated city, the place was also the site of the mysterious ancient Bomi Kingdom and home to the largest domestic Kaqin Glacier. As a result, it was common to encounter foreigners seeking adventure and searching for the secrets of the ancient kingdom. Ian Lawson planned to catch a ride here and end his hiking journey.

Ian Lawson's grandfather was a collector of bronzes and stones, and his father inherited this passion. Influenced by his father since childhood, Ian Lawson loved climbing mountains and exploring. Once, to build his courage and to show his dissatisfaction with his overly cautious father, he spent a night in a cemetery—an act that earned him great respect among his classmates. In fact, he didn't sleep that night either; he spent the whole night reading the tombstones, and his interest in research outweighed his fear, so he didn't find the cemetery so frightening after all.

Not long ago, he had just graduated from university and hadn't had time to look for a job. Facing the prospect of entering society, Ian Lawson felt a vague sense of fear. After all, there were too many unpredictable things waiting for him ahead, and he could no longer rely on his parents.

To challenge himself—and because once he started working, his time would no longer be his own, making it hard to continue his hobbies—Ian Lawson set out on this mountaineering journey with a sense of farewell.

Previously, relying on his father's connections, Ian Lawson had found a job at an antique shop near the university town—not to earn money for tuition, but to learn about the ways of the world and to gain more knowledge. The owner of the antique shop, Frank Carter, was an old family friend of the Luo family. During the Cultural Revolution, Frank Carter nearly lost his life because he couldn't bear to hand over his possessions. In a moment of crisis, Frank Carter sought refuge with Ian Lawson's father, who had handed over his own possessions early and been sent to a remote town as a teacher. Ian Lawson's father hid him until the end of the Cultural Revolution, when he was rehabilitated and could return home.

Because of this relationship, Frank Carter very much hoped that Ian Lawson would stay on to help in the shop. After all, the antique business involved large sums of money, and it was inconvenient not to have a trustworthy person in the shop. Frank Carter himself had missed the chance to marry during the Cultural Revolution, and later indulged his children too much; both became little tyrants. His son, Ryan Carter, also helped in the shop, but spent his days hanging out with bad company in bars and restaurants; his second daughter, Dawn Carter, though a sophomore in college, was always attracting attention at school. Frank Carter felt more at ease entrusting money to Ian Lawson than to his own children. In hopes of persuading him to stay, Frank Carter sponsored Ian Lawson's hiking trip.

Ian Lawson himself was indifferent about continuing to work at the antique shop—after all, the shop would eventually go to the two siblings, and over the years, he had been trusted more than they were, which had long made them resentful. Staying on would mean working for someone else's business, with no benefit to himself; rather than face future unpleasantness, it was better to leave now.

To repay the owner's support, Ian Lawson made a point of purchasing some folk items along the way, so that the owner's investment would yield some return.

Chapter 2 Doubts (Part 2)