62: Mount Siguniang

The scenery was beautiful, but just looking at it felt like something was missing.

Jiang Yuan pushed the door open and got out of the car.

Compared to the tourists around him who were bundled up like zongzi and had lips frozen purple, his thin assault jacket looked out of place.

He leisurely walked around to the back of the car and opened the trunk.

Next to the pile of miscellaneous supplies, two black explosion-proof safety cases lay quietly.

These cases were said to be indestructible even if thrown from an airplane.

"Click."

The latch sprang open.

Jiang Yuan didn't hesitate, directly lifting out the large item inside with one hand.

A Nikon Z9 flagship camera body.

Attached to the front of the body was an astonishingly thick white 'giant cannon'—the Nikon Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S.

Anyone in the know would feel their knees buckle at the sight of this thing.

This was a monster known as the 'King of Prime Lenses,' with a built-in teleconverter, and this single lens alone cost over ten W.

Add the camera body, and what he was carrying in his hand was equivalent to a mid-range sedan.

The visual impact it brought was even more direct than Jiang Yuan's brabus.

Not far away.

An 'Old Master' with a camouflage hat and a scruffy beard was laboriously adjusting his 70-200 lens on a heavy hydraulic gimbal tripod, panting.

The corner of his eye happened to catch Jiang Yuan.

"Holy crap..."

The Old Master's hand trembled, almost knocking over the tripod.

He stared wide-eyed, fixated on the black and white 'cannon' in Jiang Yuan's hand.

"A Z9 with a 428 large prime lens? And the one with the built-in teleconverter?"

The Old Master couldn't help but swallow.

This set of equipment was the ultimate dream for photographers like them, and the 'Dream Lens' for countless others.

But what truly horrified him wasn't the price of the equipment.

It was Jiang Yuan's actions.

That was heavy equipment, weighing six or seven catties with the camera body!

At an altitude of over 4,000 meters, in the howling wind of Balang Mountain Pass.

This young man wasn't even using a tripod?

Jiang Yuan held the heavy lens effortlessly with one hand, as if it were a mobile phone, his back straight.

The terrifying core strength brought by his [40 Constitution] kept his arm perfectly still, like a cast-iron cantilever.

Raised his hand, focused.

In the viewfinder, the stern peak of Mount Siguniang's Yaomei Peak was instantly magnified.

The clarity of the top-tier lens made every texture of the snow mountain, every rock, so clear it seemed right before his eyes.

Even the snow mist lifted by the wind over the mountain peak was visible, particle by particle.

"Click! Click! Click!"

The terrifying 20 frames per second continuous shooting sound of the Z9 rang out like machine gun fire, crisp and pleasant.

A few seconds, job done.

Jiang Yuan put down the camera and glanced at the playback screen.

Magnify, magnify again.

'Pixel-Peeping' level image quality, Razor Sharp with Creamy Bokeh.

"Not bad."

Jiang Yuan nodded in satisfaction.

The money was well spent; it transformed into light and shadow, stored on the memory card.

Meanwhile, the Old Master next to him was completely dumbfounded.

He looked down at his heavy tripod, then at Jiang Yuan's relaxed and effortless 'Kirin Arm'.

His eyes were filled with existential doubt.

Is this even a human arm?

This anti-shake iron hand was even steadier than a machine!

After taking the photos.

Jiang Yuan contentedly put away his valuable Nikon equipment.

How could just one glance be enough for scenery of this caliber?

That would be a desecration of nature.

He immediately decided not to leave, but to stay and play for two days.

Anyway, his travel style was all about spontaneity, with no urgent schedule to adhere to.

Restarting the car, the white brabus glided like an elegant fish along the winding mountain road towards the grand canyon downhill.

July in Western Sichuan was at its peak beauty.

Above were the holy, snow-capped peaks with lingering snow, and below were mountains covered in wildflowers and alpine meadows.

The number of cars on the road gradually increased.

After all, this was a must-visit spot on the Western Sichuan loop, with countless tourists traveling thousands of miles just to see the true faces of the four 'girls.'

Jiang Yuan was not in a hurry to overtake or rush.

He rolled down the car window and lowered the music volume.

Allowing the cool mountain breeze, mixed with the unique moist air of the canyon, to freely pour into the car.

At forty to fifty miles per hour.

This was the correct way to appreciate this landscape painting.

Turning a sharp bend.

Where before there was only the sound of wind, now a rumbling sound of water suddenly joined in.

Through the gaps in the roadside trees.

A turbulent river burst into view.

The river water was crystal clear, reflecting a cold blue light.

That was snowmelt from the mountain top, rushing down with an icy chill.

Many self-driving tourists had already parked their cars on the widened shoulder of the road.

Spreading out picnic mats on the riverbank, eating self-heating rice, and enjoying the view of snow-capped mountains and flowing water, what could be more pleasant?

Jiang Yuan held the steering wheel with one hand, and with the other, he pulled a can of chilled Red Bull from the car refrigerator.

"Click."

He pulled the tab and tilted his head back for a sip.

The cool liquid slid down his throat, invigorating him on this slightly chilly afternoon.

The colorful prayer flags along the way grew more numerous, flapping in the wind.

That was a unique way of praying in the Tibetan region.

After driving for about ten minutes.

At the end of his vision, a small town nestled in the heart of the valley gradually became clear.

Four Sisters Mountain Town, also known as Rilong Town.

Altitude 3200 meters.

For many who are new to high altitudes, this height is enough to cause mild shortness of breath and headaches.

But Jiang Yuan's complexion remained rosy, his breathing steady, and even his heart rate hadn't changed.

The town was small, with only one main street running through it.

But at this moment, this not-so-wide street was packed with various off-road vehicles and tourist buses.

On both sides of the road were restaurant signs: yak hotpot, matsutake chicken stew, Tibetan barbecue... full of lively atmosphere.

Jiang Yuan wasn't in a hurry to go to the scenic area entrance.

It was already noon, and going in now wouldn't be much fun; it was better to find a place to settle down first and plan his itinerary.

He avoided the noisy and crowded town center, stepped on the accelerator, and turned the car towards a high slope on the edge of the town.

There, a distinctive building stood alone.

【Cloud Peak Snow Mountain Manor】

(This is a fictional B&B name; some places will invent non-existent names for better writing, please do not take it literally into reality!)

Unlike the monotonous Tibetan-style houses in town.

This place adopted a full solid-wood European design, with huge solid-wood beams and columns, paired with large floor-to-ceiling glass panels.

It retained a primitive wildness while exuding a low-key luxury.

Although the price was several times that of ordinary B&Bs in town, and the location was remote.

For Jiang Yuan, quietness and scenery were the most important.

Parking the car in the spacious parking lot in front of the B&B.

Jiang Yuan pushed the door open and entered the lobby.

A faint scent of Tibetan incense mixed with pine wood wafted towards him.

The front desk attendant was a typical Khampa Man.

Dark-skinned, with sharp features, wearing a modified Tibetan uniform.

He was currently hunched behind the tall counter, holding his phone horizontally, with intense game sound effects coming from it.