Camping Route Starting Point

In the early morning, a faint layer of mist still hung over the city of Jiangcheng.

In the underground garage of the Donghu Club, Su Bai was stuffing the last sleeping bag into the trunk of his Mercedes GLE.

Zhou Jialu, who had been thoroughly worn out the night before, was still catching up on sleep upstairs. Meanwhile, Wan Xinyue, her face flushed, trotted over to hand Su Bai the customized cherry-pink gas stove.

"Brother Su Bai, you have to use it to cook, okay?" the young girl reminded him, blushing, her ponytail swaying.

"Don't worry, I'll be the first to use it." Su Bai smiled and ruffled her hair, casually placing the gas stove into the most noticeable equipment box.

Chen Yusheng was dressed unusually sharply today.

She wore a white fitted windbreaker on top, the zipper pulled neatly up to her collarbone, accentuating her slender yet incredibly beautiful upper body.

On the bottom, she wore a pair of black cargo shorts. Below the shorts were her signature black stockings, wrapping her 173cm long, stunning legs, making them look straight and elongated, shimmering faintly under the soft garage lights.

On her feet were a pair of professional high-top hiking boots, giving off a cool yet wild allure.

"What are you looking at?" Chen Yusheng asked, her cool face tinting with a light blush as she noticed Su Bai staring. She tugged uncomfortably at the hem of her shorts.

"Just looking at how beautiful my girlfriend is. These legs, walking on the mountain, they'd probably dazzle even the wild beasts," Su Bai teased.

"Cheeky." She shot him a glare, but the corner of her mouth curled up slightly as she opened the passenger door and got in.

Su Bai laughed heartily, walked around to the driver's seat, and started the Mercedes GLE.

With a low roar from the engine, the black SUV slowly drove out of the underground garage, heading toward the sunrise and the mountain range at the border of two provinces.

The camping route this time was preselected by Su Bai.

Located at the junction of their province and the neighboring one, it was a relatively well-developed route that still retained its original natural features.

It offered excellent natural scenery without the deadly dangers of undeveloped wild mountains, making it perfect for a weekend getaway.

With his expert-level daily driving skills, Su Bai drove fast and steadily. The GLE raced along the highway, the scenery outside gradually shifting from tall buildings to rolling hills, and finally into endless, lush mountain ranges.

Chen Yusheng didn't talk much along the way, but her beautiful eyes sparkled. She usually spent most of her time in the lab, rarely having the chance to get close to nature. She kept holding Su Bai's hand, occasionally pointing at strange peaks and unusual rocks outside the window, looking like a curious little girl.

At half past noon, the Mercedes GLE slowly pulled into a small town at the foot of the mountain.

This was the starting point of the camping route and a resupply station for hikers. The town's streets weren't wide, lined with various outdoor equipment stores, specialty supermarkets, and local restaurants.

At that moment, all kinds of vehicles were parked along both sides of the street. Most were rugged off-road vehicles fitted with snorkels, bull bars, and covered in stickers from various off-road clubs—things like Prados, Wranglers, and even a few wildly modified heavy-duty pickup trucks.

Among all the mud-stained, rugged off-road vehicles, Su Bai's Mercedes GLE, so clean it was almost reflective, seemed a bit out of place.

Su Bai found a spot and parked smoothly.

As soon as the car stopped, a few middle-aged men standing next to a modified Wrangler looked over. They were wearing professional Arc'teryx jackets and heavy-duty hiking boots, their skin tanned dark from the sun—clearly self-proclaimed seasoned "old hikers."

"Hey, another guy bringing his city SUV out to 'experience life,'" one middle-aged man with a buzz cut said, blowing out a smoke ring. He shook his head as he looked at the Mercedes GLE, a note of disdain in his voice. "These young people today really treat the outdoors like a game. Driving this thing, he'll probably just take a few photos at the foot of the mountain, post them on his social media, and head back."

"Right? Look at those tires—they're still highway tires. Once he hits gravel roads, he'll be crying for help," a companion chimed in with a laugh, their voices just loud enough for the people nearby to hear.

Some other hikers getting ready to set off also looked over, most eyeing Su Bai with judgment and contempt. In the outdoor community, those who drove luxury cars and had brand-new gear were often labeled as "influencer photo-op types," the most despised group.

Su Bai, with his sharp hearing, naturally caught their remarks, but he just smiled indifferently. Given his current status and perspective, he couldn't be bothered to argue with these "old-timers" who were overflowing with arrogance.

Highway tires? They couldn't even recognize custom-modified run-flat tires.

He pushed the door open and got out of the car.

Standing at 185 cm tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his simple black quick-dry shirt outlined perfectly proportioned muscle lines. The man exuded an intense masculine presence.

But before the onlookers could even marvel at Su Bai's physique, the passenger door also opened.

The moment Chen Yusheng stepped out, her long legs wrapped in black stockings landing on the ground, the slightly noisy street seemed to have its mute button pressed instantly.

Sunlight fell on her cool, delicate face. She wore no makeup, yet her skin was so fair it seemed almost translucent. The combination of black stockings and cargo shorts showcased her incredible figure to the fullest. Cold, elegant, yet with an indescribable allure.

"Holy crap..."

A young hiker nearby, who was tying his shoelaces, jerked so hard that the lace snapped. His eyes were glued to Chen Yusheng, his mouth hanging open wide.

"Is... is that some celebrity here filming a reality show?"

"The face, the figure—it's incredible! Are those legs even real?"

The middle-aged smokers who had been sneering a moment ago didn't even notice when their cigarette butts burned down to their fingers. Their eyes were nearly popping out of their heads. They had traveled far and wide over the years and seen plenty of female hikers outdoors, but most had rough skin from long exposure to the elements. They had never seen a top-tier goddess like this, with such glowing skin and an icy, elegant aura.

Su Bai ignored the almost predatory stares from those around him and walked straight to the back of the car, opening the trunk.

"Sheng Sheng, hand me the bags," Su Bai said.

"Yeah," Chen Yusheng replied obediently, walking over to the trunk.

Su Bai reached into the trunk with one hand and effortlessly pulled out two huge, heavy-duty backpacks.

When those two backpacks came out, a few knowledgeable old hikers nearby couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their eyes.

"Is that... a limited edition heavy-duty backpack made by Arc'teryx and a top outdoor brand? That's got to cost tens of thousands! And you can't even buy it even if you have the money!"

"And that tent—it's an MSR premium four-season tent? Damn, this whole setup must be close to a hundred grand!"

"Wait, look at that young guy's hands."

Su Bai casually carried two heavy-duty equipment bags that weighed almost seventy pounds combined, with no strain showing on his face. The muscles in his arms were faintly defined as he set them down on the ground with ease, producing a dull thud.

Then, Su Bai pulled out a SnowPeak titanium alloy cookware set from the car, along with Wan Xinyue’s delicate, art-like pink-and-white portable stove.

The moment this gear was revealed, the surrounding hikers, who had initially been watching with amused condescension, quickly dropped their dismissive looks.

This was no internet celebrity just here for a photo op. This was clearly a high-roller player!

Top-tier equipment, drop-dead good looks, and Su Bai’s terrifying physical strength—being able to carry heavy loads with one hand— had everyone present completely stunned.

The middle-aged veterans who had been making snide remarks earlier now wore faces that flickered between red and pale. Silently, they stubbed out their cigarettes, lowered their heads, and began organizing their own gear, not daring to steal another glance in that direction.

“Is that bag heavy? Want me to carry both?” Su Bai patted the dust off his hands, smiling at Chen Yusheng.

“No need, my bag is just lightweight clothes. I can manage on my own.” Chen Yusheng shook her head gently, stepped forward, and used her fair fingers to straighten Su Bai’s slightly crooked collar.

Her movements were soft and natural, but they dealt a crushing blow to the single onlookers watching nearby.

“Alright, let’s grab a meal first. We’ll head up the mountain after we’re full,” Su Bai suggested, checking the time.

A rich aroma of meat filled the streets of the small town.

Su Bai and Chen Yusheng walked side by side, drawing nearly one hundred percent of the stares wherever they went. They found a small local diner, packed with diners, its sign reading “Authentic Tibetan Plateau Yak Meat.”

As they entered, billowing white steam mixed with a spicy, pungent fragrance hit them in the face. Su Bai chose a clean spot by the window, and a waiter immediately greeted them enthusiastically.

“What would you two like to eat? Our yak meat was butchered fresh just this morning!”

“One serving of the signature braised yak meat, two stir-fried seasonal veggies, and two bowls of rice,” Su Bai ordered skillfully.

“Coming right up!”

Before long, a large platter of glistening, appetizing braised yak meat was served. The meat was stewed until incredibly tender, coated in a thick sauce, and generously sprinkled with local red chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns—visually irresistible.

Su Bai picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece, and popped it into his mouth.

The yak meat melted on his tongue, its texture remarkably firm, carrying a unique wild, gamey aroma. The spicy and numbing sensation of the sauce exploded on his palate—truly authentic.

“Try it, it’s really good.” Su Bai placed a piece into Chen Yusheng’s bowl.

Taking her chopsticks, Chen Yusheng took a small bite, chewing slowly.

She frowned slightly at her delicate brows, a trace of disdain appearing on her cool face as she muttered quietly, “Not spicy enough.”