Chapter 2

Yadan, translated from Uyghur, means "a small hill with steep walls". It is a landform formed by water erosion followed by wind erosion

However, she did not remain idle during these two hours

She crouched down, measuring the width of the tire with the distance between her fingers

The Yumen Pass has a direct road to the Yadan Devil City scenic area, but the first route to be excluded in Qu Yiqian's search and rescue plan is this road

After proceeding approximately 3 kilometers, the flat road paved with gravel is no longer visible. Between the Gobi, sand dunes are buried, and the area with the steepest gradient has a height difference of nearly two stories.

She held a telescope in one hand while using the other hand to compare the marked route on the GPS with the terrain.

Qu Yi Xian took a final glance in the rearview mirror, and the small square earthen city of Yumen Pass was no longer visible behind him. Even the power pole stationed on the left side of the road in the distance gradually blurred into a faint outline under the heat waves of the desert

This mound, subjected to the elements year-round, has grown rough and coarse; however, it stands out as the tallest among the mounds within a radius of one hundred miles, barely serving as a means to shield against sunlight

After resting for a moment, Qu Yixian pondered that the time was about right and made a phone call to Yuan Ye

Who knows that repairing a road can cause such severe traffic congestion that one cannot move, and on top of that, encountering a missing person in need of rescue along the way

However, this little challenge did not stump Qu Yixian; she opened the cigarette box and elegantly noted down the mobile number that Yuan Ye had given her on the pristine white lining of the box.

After the riverbed has weathered, the gravel and silt at the river bottom are carried along by the passing wind and sand. The volume and weight of the gravel determine that it is left behind by the wind when encountering an uphill mound of soil. In contrast, the fine sand is carried downwind and accumulates on the sand dunes

There is a pen, but there is no paper

The direction indicated by the GPS is now very close to the location described by Xu San before losing contact with the guest with the surname Xun

This is the only access road to the scenic area. From July to September, it is the peak tourist season in the Northwest, with dozens of tourist buses departing daily from Yumenguan to the Yadan Devil City.

Qu Yixian stopped the car in advance and, as usual, went to scout the road first

Due to the vehicle's power and speed being firmly restrained by the sand dunes, the cruiser failed several times to climb the dunes. The roar of the engine resembled the powerless roar of a beast, while the fine sand thrown up by the wheels resembled a handful of sand waves, raising a cloud of dust.

At that time, do not mention search and rescue; even she will need to call the Starshine Team's rescue hotline

Since the guest with the surname Xun has stated that he is lost, it is evident that he has strayed far from this road. Therefore, searching for him along this road would undoubtedly waste precious rescue time

Having not touched the sand again, she could basically conclude that the tire tracks were left by MT tires

The engine cover of the cruiser is scorching hot, and the horizon seen through the windshield is distorted and twisted by the high temperature, faintly revealing a hint of the magnificent and elusive mirage.

She adjusted her direction while estimating the stride of an adult man

What Qu Yixian is concerned about are the small sand dunes, whose reality is uncertain, that lie between the Gobi and the sand sorghum

After a brief blank in her mind, the four characters "All Matters Inadvisable" suddenly sprang to the forefront of Qu Yiqian's thoughts from today's almanac.

After getting out of the car, she opened all four doors in a clockwise direction to let in some air

However, Qu Yiqian did not pay attention; she furrowed her brows as she looked at this somewhat familiar phone number, scratching her cheek.

Yuan Ye echoed twice, just as he was about to hang up the phone after a tune. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the string of phone numbers he had jotted down on a memo pad a few minutes earlier. Suddenly, he remembered that Master Qu was still waiting for the supplies, and hurriedly called out to her before the call was disconnected: "Master Qu, do you have a pen handy? I have a number for you."

The first docking point set by Qu Yixian on the satellite map is an independent and towering Gobi, more precisely, a small mound approximately four meters high

This desolate desert, rarely visited by humans, was once a vast lake teeming with water and lush vegetation thousands of years ago. However, due to geological and climatic changes, the water level receded, and the great lake gradually fragmented into several rivers. In modern times, the riverbeds have dried up, the surface has weathered and become barren, and it has long been devoid of any vegetation.

With the tracks of this vehicle opening the way, Qu Yiqian has found a ready-made bargain.

"... ... Damn it!"

Qu Yi Xian estimated the scale of the search and rescue operation but did not speak up immediately

Qu Yi Xian slid down the first sand dune at a speed of one meter, the road surface was bumpy, and amidst the ups and downs of the vehicle, the sound of the suspension components creaking could be heard, indicating that the chassis had sustained significant damage

I didn't have the chance to ask for their name, I only know that their surname is Fu. Yuan Ye scratched his head, his tone inexplicably carrying a hint of guilt for not having handled the matter properly

On the Gobi Desert, there are several overlapping, compacted tire tracks. The "tooth marks" where the edges of the tires touch the ground have become indistinct, and even the tire tracks themselves are covered with a layer of fine sand due to the wind and sandstorm today

The original plan was to set off at noon and return to Dunhuang in the evening. Given the short distance, the cruiser had enough fuel for two round trips, so there was no thought of refueling. Only before departure, an extra barrel of reserve water was added to the trunk

The sand surface, constantly exposed to the scorching sun, has grains that are searing hot, and the high temperature between the fingers feels as if this sand dune has opened a mouth full of fangs, sharp and menacing

Moreover, she is venturing deep into the desert alone on a bicycle. Even though Qu Yiqian is a seasoned member of the rescue team, there is still a certain level of danger involved without any guarantees.

Her trip to Yumen Pass was purely out of boredom; she wanted to visit the scenic spot and try her luck to see if she could pick up one or two individual tourists to return to Dunhuang, in order to supplement her living expenses

The tune of a single string has not traveled too far

Qu Yi Xian stood up, rummaged through the storage compartment in the car to find a telescope, took a satellite phone and a handheld GPS. He then went around to the trunk and pulled out a bucket to store water.

This sand ridge stretches nearly several hundred kilometers horizontally, and its end cannot be measured by the naked eye at all. It resembles a dragon's spine lying across the Qaidam Basin, and only by crossing this sand ridge can one continue westward

Back in the car, she removed her gear and first replenished her fluids

Approximately ten kilometers after deviating from the highway leading to the Yumen Pass scenic area, one enters an uninhabited zone

One must maintain dignity; naturally, such lowly incidents that tarnish her reputation are not permitted to occur

Upon seeing this, Qu Yixian clicked his tongue, unsure whether he believed it or not

The small mound barely covered half of the cruiser’s body, while Qu Yiqian sat on the open door sill, studying the map and trajectory

She screwed on the bottle cap and, with great seriousness, took out her phone to browse through the almanac

After struggling for too long with the familiar number on the dial, she noticed it was almost 3 o'clock. Seeing the temperature drop, she closed the car door, started the engine, and drove away

Qu Yixian sent a coordinate, and I could hear the sound of Yuan Ye typing on the keyboard to locate it. I took out a pack of cigarettes from the storage pocket of the car door

Yuan Ye did not hear her voice for a while, feeling the pain of the satellite phone charges on her behalf: "Please don't be silent, the cost of this call is quite high. Even if you just hum a couple of times, it would be worth the expense."

She is part of the advance team, and acting alone, with the limited fuel in the tank, she can only abandon this overly idealistic plan and instead consider a more targeted and segmented search and rescue approach

At this moment, the temperature in the desert has reached its highest value of the day, and the exposed half of Qu Yiqian's neck under the sunlight resembles slices of meat being grilled on a wire rack.

The scenery before me gradually changed, no longer revealing the meadows of the oasis and the moist marshes, let alone the flying birds and beasts. As I looked around, all that met my eyes was the endless desert, with only the slightly raised surface of the Gobi visible.

She sat rigidly in the driver's seat, facing an endless expanse of flat Gobi desert. The belief that had sustained her since the uphill climb, that "once this bad sand ridge is crossed, a good road will appear," suddenly collapsed before her, shattered into pieces so small that not even a fragment remained

The music stops as the string is plucked and the car comes to a halt

The phone rang twice before it was quickly connected. Yuan Ye said "Hello" and asked Qu Yixian, "Where are you at this moment, Master Qu?"

She glanced at the GPS, estimating that this was already the farthest limit from the car, and no longer ventured deeper. Instead, she chose a small mound nearby and climbed up.

Before setting off, she twisted open a bottle of mineral water and dampened the sunblock sleeves on her arms. Only then did she secure her sunshade cap tightly and proceeded to explore the path along the sand sorghum in the Gobi Desert.

This number... where has she seen it before

Yuan Ye: "This matter has been reported. The government has organized the police, fire department, and 120 emergency rescue center to establish a rescue command center, concentrating the strength of a squadron to participate in the rescue. I have also received notification that teammates in the team who are not currently engaged have all been dispatched. " After saying this, he added: "I can also arrange for twenty more off-road vehicles, which will be concentrated outside Yumen Pass after sunset, ready to enter the desert for rescue at any time."

The vehicle came to a stop against the stone wall of the small hill.

In July, the highest ground temperature in the desert approaches around 70 degrees Celsius

MT tires are mud tires, designed for traction, with the tread primarily composed of large tread blocks and extremely deep grooves. The grooves incorporate a mud drainage design, making them suitable for all-terrain off-road conditions

She was forced to slow down once again, shifting to low-range four-wheel drive as she ascended another sand dune

In the gravelly soil of the desert, there are a few scattered clumps of wormwood, withered under the sun, exuding a sense of despondent lifelessness

If fuel consumption is not taken into account, Qu Yiqian originally planned to conduct a comprehensive search westward through the heart of the river valley, in a large "J" shape, with the search area extending from the river valley all the way to the Yadan Devil City in Dunhuang

As we were about to cross the sand ridge, a glimpse through the windshield revealed a vast expanse of flat sand dunes and Gobi desert. After a final, forceful press of the accelerator, there was a loud "thud" as the cruiser suddenly flipped over the sand ridge, and the chassis heavily struck the ground, producing a continuous "thud-thud" sound.

Such high temperatures make it impossible to drive; she needs to rest for two hours at the first stop and will continue the search and rescue after the temperature drops at 3 PM

She rubbed her fingers together, lifted the cigarette case, took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth, and asked: "Have there been any developments on your side?"

With a tight grip on the steering wheel, he let out a sharp exclamation and abruptly slammed on the brakes.

After exploring the path, return along the original route by adjusting one string.

She shifted to a lower gear, carefully steering to avoid the tire track by two centimeters

Qu Yi Xian was searching for a lighter but could not find one anywhere. He simply sat inside the car and used the cigarette lighter to light a cigarette. Then he said leisurely, "The rescue efforts are quite optimistic. If luck is on our side, we should be able to find it tonight."

The uphill sand dunes are not easy to traverse; when the wheels touch the ground, there is a risk of getting stuck if the power is insufficient or if the sand pit is too deep. The instability of the terrain undoubtedly tests driving skills.

This mound is not particularly high, but the view is quite decent. Qu Yiqian feels that if she stands on tiptoe, she might be able to see an additional two or three meters.

The depth of the sand dunes cannot be determined by the naked eye. Once encountering dunes with fine sand accumulation, even a four-wheel drive vehicle that traverses the wilderness will become stuck in the sand pit

In high temperatures and extremely dry desert environments, human physical consumption will be particularly rapid

In the "taboo" section of the Huangli, there are only four glaring characters—"all matters are unsuitable"