388: climb mountains

As a former member of the Snow Wolf Special Operations Brigade and a Reconnaissance Company, Zhao Ya's physical fitness naturally went without saying. She walked along the side of the group, protecting Lei Jun's safety, and occasionally reached out to support those around her. Seeing Lin Xiaoya walking slowly, she even took the initiative to stop and wait for her.

Meanwhile, Tony, Qin Yu, Lin Xiaoya, Su Qing, and Su Ya were not having such an easy time.

Tony usually rarely exercised, focusing most of his energy on styling and design. After climbing for only a short while, he was panting heavily and drenched in sweat. He couldn't even hold his camera steady and leaned against a rock by the roadside, gasping for air.

"Oh My God! This is too tiring! This is too hard! I've never climbed such an exhausting mountain; my legs are about to break!"

He thought to himself that while the scenery of Mount Tai was beautiful and could bring artistic inspiration, climbing was just too difficult. Had he known it would be this exhausting, he would have prepared more.

But at the thought of being able to follow Lei Jun, take more beautiful photos, and find more artistic inspiration, he gritted his teeth and continued to climb upward.

Although Qin Yu usually exercised, Mount Tai was too high and the mountain paths were too steep. After climbing for a while, he also began to pant and sweat profusely.

However, he didn't dare to stop. He was Sister Lei's number one lackey and had to perform well. Not only did he have to climb up himself, but he also had to take good care of everyone, especially Sister Lei.

As he climbed, he said, "Sister Lei, please walk slowly, there's no rush. We'll climb slowly; safety first!"

Although Lin Xiaoya was young and energetic, she rarely climbed mountains. After a short while, she was exhausted, her legs feeling weak. She grabbed Lei Jun's arm and said coaxingly, "Sister Lei, I'm so tired. I can't climb anymore. Can you give me a hand?"

Her face was full of grievance, she was covered in sweat, and her hair was plastered to her forehead.

Lei Jun smiled, reached out to take Lin Xiaoya's hand, and said gently, "Keep it up, Xiaoya. Just hold on a little longer. We'll climb slowly, and we'll reach a resting point soon. Once we reach the summit, we'll see the most beautiful scenery."

She encouraged Lin Xiaoya while pulling her along. Although Lin Xiaoya was dependent, she was very cute, and her presence added a bit of fun to the journey.

The sisters Su Qing and Su Ya also rarely exercised and had average physical fitness. After climbing for a while, they were panting and covered in sweat.

As Su Qing climbed, she also took care of everyone, handing out water and wiping sweat, constantly saying, "Everyone, climb slowly. Have some water and replenish your strength; don't rush."

Su Ya, on the other hand, organized everyone's backpacks as she climbed to ensure nothing was lost. Even though she was very tired, she didn't complain once.

Looking at their panting states, Lei Jun found it a bit amusing but was also very understanding.

She stopped her pace and waited for them, letting everyone rest for a while to replenish their strength.

Su Qing immediately distributed water and snacks to everyone. They sat on the rocks by the roadside, resting, hydrating, and recovering their energy.

Tony took a sip of water, wiped the sweat from his face, and said, "Oh My God! It's too tiring, I really can't climb anymore. But for my art, for my Muse, I must persevere. I must reach the summit of Mount Tai!"

Qin Yu took a sip of water and rested for a while, feeling his strength recover slightly. He said, "Sister Lei, have you rested enough? Let's continue climbing. We should try to reach the guesthouse on the mountain by tonight."

Lin Xiaoya leaned on Lei Jun's shoulder, a snack dangling from her mouth, and said weakly, "Sister Lei, I want to rest a bit longer. My legs are so sore."

Lei Jun stroked Lin Xiaoya's head and said with a smile, "Alright, we'll rest for ten more minutes, then we'll continue climbing. Climbing a mountain is just like life; you will always encounter difficulties and setbacks. As long as you persevere, you will surely reach the destination and see the most beautiful scenery."

The system had her climb Mount Tai, perhaps not just to rid her of material desires, but also to make her understand that life is like climbing a mountain. One cannot blindly pursue speed; one must learn to stop, rest, and then continue to persevere in order to go further and see higher.

Ten minutes later, everyone finished resting and continued to climb.

This time, Lei Ying, Lei Yue, and Zhao Ya slowed down their pace to accompany Tony and Qin Yu, occasionally reaching out to support them and encouraging them to keep going.

Lei Jun held Lin Xiaoya's hand and walked up step by step, patiently encouraging her.

Along the way, everyone supported and encouraged each other. Although it was tiring, the atmosphere was very lively.

Even though Tony was tired, he didn't forget to photograph the beautiful scenery, constantly muttering about artistic inspiration. Although Qin Yu was tired, he always paid attention to Lei Jun's state and looked after everyone. Although Lin Xiaoya was tired, under Lei Jun's encouragement, she persevered and did not give up. The sisters Su Qing and Su Ya climbed while taking care of everyone without a single complaint. Lei Ying, Lei Yue, and Zhao Ya stayed by everyone's side to ensure their safety.

Lei Jun looked at the mountain path beneath her feet and walked up step by step. Her mind was no longer occupied by money or anything else, only the joy and peace of the moment.

Unknowingly, the group had been climbing for several hours. The sun gradually began to set in the west, and a faint evening glow appeared on the horizon.

They finally reached the guesthouse on the mountain. The guesthouse was located halfway up Mount Tai, with an elegant environment and a view of the mountain's beautiful scenery.

Everyone put down their luggage, rested for a while, and then had dinner in the guesthouse's restaurant.

After dinner, everyone sat in the courtyard of the guesthouse, watching the evening glow and feeling the mountain breeze, their moods exceptionally pleasant.

Tony took out his camera and photographed the sunset glow, constantly muttering, "Oh My God! This sunset glow is so beautiful, so artistic. It's simply a masterpiece of nature!"

Qin Yu sat to the side, pouring tea for everyone, and said, "Sister Lei, tomorrow morning we'll wake up at four o'clock to watch the sunrise and then reach the summit of Mount Tai. The sunrise at Mount Tai is very beautiful; it would be a shame to miss it."

Lin Xiaoya leaned on Lei Jun's shoulder, looking at the sunset glow, and said, "Sister Lei, although today was very tiring, I'm very happy."

Lei Ying, Lei Yue, Su Qing, and Su Ya also sat to the side, rare smiles appearing on their faces.

That night, everyone went to rest early to conserve their energy for watching the sunrise and reaching the summit the next morning.

Lei Jun lay in bed, resting her eyes, sorting through the changes that had occurred during this period in her mind—from the initial indulgence in material desires, confusion, and emptiness, to her current clarity, determination, joy, and satisfaction... Gradually, she fell asleep... Early the next morning, at four o'clock, everyone woke up. After getting ready, they headed to the Sunrise Observation Platform on Mount Tai to watch the sunrise.

There were already many people on the Sunrise Observation Platform, all waiting for the arrival of the sunrise.

Lei Ying had found a spot with an open view in advance and had everyone stand there to ensure they could all see the beautiful sunrise.