Currently, Nepal has many problems. poverty. population increase. Forest destruction. If you get to the bottom of it, these problems will eventually point to the economic factor. In the summer of 1988— The Delta region of Bangladesh has been devastated by massive floods. This area was originally the land formed by the mud brought by the Great Flood - the flooding of the river. The great rivers that flow through Eurasia—the Ganges, the Brahmaputra (Brahmaputra), and the Meghna—converge in this delta, which floods during the rainy season.Basically, flooding during the rainy season from July to September is the norm in previous years and not uncommon.However, the flood of 1988 was different from the past.

The water level of the river starts to rise from July.After entering August, the water level has risen even more due to days of heavy rain. It was in mid-to-late August that the Bangladeshi government realized that something was wrong.An urgent call came from an infantry battalion located 160 kilometers north of the capital Dhaka. 30,000 peasants from Gatel County took refuge in the infantry camp, put their belongings on about 12,000 livestock, including goats and donkeys, and abandoned the land. A military helicopter flew over to check the situation. "There is no land anywhere."

The helicopter captain reported so. The area around that area became a country of water, and 380,000 residents abandoned their homes and fled for their lives. Such a rapid expansion of the flooded area is unprecedented. September-- Flooding has spread across the country. In addition to the three major rivers, even the 250 rivers, large and small, flooded together, and 62% of the country's land was submerged in water. Fifteen hundred bridges were washed away. The flooded road was 3,500 kilometers long. Among the 110 million citizens, 30 million people abandoned their homes due to floods.

One of the reasons for this flood is the destruction of forests in the Himalayas. The population of Nepal continues to increase at a rate of approximately 430,000 per year. As the population increases, the amount of energy used by the nation also increases.The main energy source in Nepal is not oil, but firewood. In Nepal, more than 20 million people are farmers living in mountainous areas.These people have to use a lot of firewood just to prepare three meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In other words, the forest is shrinking day by day. Only cities and a few villages have electricity, and lighting depends on firewood.Each person consumes approximately one ton of firewood per year.

As livestock dung is used almost as fuel, there is less available fertilizer for farmland and the land is becoming less fertile. Because people cut down trees, the forests disappear from the mountains, and the topsoil is gradually lost every time the monsoons rain.Agricultural yields in Nepal are declining by one percent each year due to topsoil erosion. The topsoil was scoured to the foothills of the Himalayas, flowed into the Ganges, and deposited in the lower reaches of the Ganges in Bangladesh, forming a river bed.The riverbed of the Ganges in Bangladesh is more than two meters higher than before.

The river bed rises, increasing the size of the flood. One of the root causes is the increase in deforestation in the Himalayas in Nepal. Some Japanese started to plant trees in Nanqi market area, but the scale is still small. In 1990, it reached the point where each hectare of arable land had to support nine people. The increase in population has made the food shortage worse. In March 1989, because India rejected the trade and customs clearance agreement between the two countries, diesel oil could not enter Bangladesh, and the Bangladeshi people had to further rely on trees for energy.

In this economically impoverished country, a large economic pillar of earning foreign exchange is tourism. Everest, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, and the 8,000-meter peaks, including the world's highest, are all concentrated in this area of ​​the earth. Sightseeing mainly in the Himalayas—expenses for hikers, foreign mountaineering teams and entry fees—has become a major source of income. In addition, another large economic pillar of this country that earns foreign exchange is the Gurkha, known as the strongest soldier in history. Fukamachi, Hanyu, Angarin, and Naradar Rachandra sat face to face in the room on the second floor of that building.

The same room where Fukamachi and Naradar Rajandra met a few days ago. On the small wooden table were four cups brought up by Naradar Rachandra's men, and the scent of Darjeeling came out from the mouth of the cups along with the water vapor. Another man with a hatchet stuck in his waist stood behind Lachandra and stared at the three of them. When they came to the house where Rachandra lived near the Suwayambhuna temple, Fukamachi and the others were surrounded by five men. "We want to see Naradar Rachandra." Hanyu told the group of men so. The group of men asked Hanyu:

"Is there a problem?" Hanyu lowered his voice and said: "I'm going to tell Rachandra to the face. Is he there, or is he not?" "What's your attitude!" The men looked angry, and when Hanyu said "is he there or not", Naradar Rachandra came out of the building. Naradaar Rachandra immediately spotted Fukamachi and said to the group of men: "Please come up!" Let the three go up to the second floor of the building. Naradar Rachandra asked his men to prepare tea, and ordered the men who wanted to stay in the room to retreat, leaving only one person behind.

So now, Fukamachi, Hanyu, and Angarin were sitting opposite Naradar Rachandra. "The tiger Angalin came here specially, and the humble house is full of brilliance." Naradar Rachandra said in a low, calm voice. Both Hanyu and An Jialin remained silent. Fukamachi didn't say a word. "By the way, what advice do you have?" asked Naradar Rachandra. "I've heard that radicals from Bhutan come and go here a lot." Hanyu looked straight at Naradar Rachandra and said: "I want you to tell me where that kind of person might go." "why?"

Naradar Rachandra asked Hanyu back. "Because I want to know." "So I ask you, why do you want to know?" "In this case, let me ask more specifically. Can you tell me where is Menghan of the Majia tribe or Mugel of the Tamang tribe?" "Why?" Hanyu ignored Naradar Rachandra's words. "I know Monghan is in and out of here a lot. Where is he now?" Naradar Rachandra shrugged and smiled. Hanyu asked in a calm tone: "Is there any reason why you don't want to say it?" Then he shut his mouth and stared at Naradar Rachandra.The two held their breath for a few seconds, looking at each other's faces. "You know...?" Hanyu asked. "You know what Monhan and Moogle did, don't you?" "You mean, the two of them teamed up with Ryutam to kidnap Japanese women, right?" "Is that what you asked them to do?" "How is it possible. If I knew in advance, I would have stopped them long ago." "Many Kumar also said: If you knew before they did that, you would probably have stopped them." "Oh, he really knows me too well." "So, where are they?" "I'm sending people to find out where they might be. Sooner or later they will be known." "Send someone to look for it?" "I also feel more or less responsible. Besides, the three of them often come and go in and out of my territory." "—" "I'm well aware they're not selling it to me, they're selling it to Manikumar's. I'm well aware of that, but—" "Many Kumar is not stupid..." "I wouldn't say he's a good guy, but he's not stupid. At least as far as business is concerned, he's smart. Anyway, he knows that you can't exchange cameras for money that way. However, some people don't get it situation……" "Ritam, Munhan, and Muggle—" "Exactly." As Naradar Rachandra nodded, there was a knock at the door. "Come in!" As soon as Naradar Rachandra said, a man entered the room, looked around at the people present, and looked at Naradar Rachandra with questioning eyes. Naradar Rachandra gestured with his eyes, and the man walked up to Naradar Rachandra, and put his mouth close to his ear. Naradar Rachandra listened to the man's words for a while, then nodded and stood up. "Just found Rick Tam. He's in the downstairs room—" "What did you say?" Hanyu stood up. "Do you want to come together?" "is it okay?" "It doesn't matter. Ask Rintam, and you will probably know where they and Ryoko are. But the question is not whether you know where they are. I thought that as long as they stayed in Kathmandu, they would know where they were sooner or later. The problem is , Ryoko's safety is more important than where she is." "Why are you helping us?" "help?" "Ok." "You will get it wrong. This is not helping you. I did it for our own benefit. It is fine to sell stolen goods of unknown origin, but it must not be related to the kidnapping of foreigners. If If this incident becomes a big deal, we will not be able to eat and walk around. We don't want things to become a big deal." Naradar Rachandra has stepped forward. "How is it? Are you coming or not?" He stopped and turned around. "go." Hanyu said firmly. Fukamachi also stood up from the chair. Ryu Tam was surrounded by three men, standing in the corner of the room timidly with an anxious expression on his face. The ground is wet mud and the walls are red brick.There are two small windows on the left and right, but the wooden door is closed. The only source of light is sunlight penetrating through the gaps in the planks.A slender beam of light, like a blade, hit Ritam's cheek. a table-- There were no chairs, and there were empty cans and bottles on the dirt floor. The face that Fukamachi was familiar with was distorted with fear. Naradar Rachandra stood facing Rickham across the small wooden table. "We found him wandering around with a rope in Indra Square, so we brought him here. He tried to escape, but there were three of us, so he couldn't fly without wings." The man from just now explained this time in a volume that everyone could hear. "I see……" Naradar Rachandra held up a hand to stop the man from speaking. He said to Rick Tam: "You did something outrageous." Rick Tam lowered his gaze. "Where are Menghan, Mugel, and the little girl kidnapped by you?" Rick Tam didn't answer. "Bring a hatchet—" As soon as Naradar Rachandra stretched out his right hand, the man in front of that hand immediately pulled out the hatchet from the scabbard hanging on his waist and handed it to Naradar Rachandra. It was a heavy iron knife that was sharply ground to break. "Hold Rick Tam!" At the command of Naradar Rachandra, three men grabbed Tamm from the sides and back on the spot, immobilizing him. "Hand out—" As soon as Naradar Rachandra spoke, the three men held Ritham's right arm while placing his palm on the table, spreading five fingers apart. "No, don't! Stop!" Rick Tam's eyes widened and he begged for mercy. Naradar Rachandra ignored it, and naturally raised his knife to chop it down. Rick Tam screamed. Naradar Rachandra raised the heavy hatchet like a chopper and slashed, hitting Ritamu's right thumb hard.Instead of the blade, it is the thicker back that is used for the hard hit. There was the harsh sound of bones and flesh being smashed. "Say it if you want!" Raised the knife again and chopped down. This time it is the index finger. The finger was also smashed. The flesh was sliced ​​open, blood spattered all over the ground, exposing bones. Before the next finger was about to suffer, Rick Tam yelled: "I said. I said it. I recruited them all—" Rick Tam begged not to smash his fingers. At this time—— An Jialin, who had been silently watching the development of things before, whispered to himself: "So that's it, I finally understand... "Naladhar Rachandra, I thought I had seen you somewhere, but you are Gurkha." The car is walking on the right bank of the Bagmati River. The road conditions are treacherous. The road surface is uneven and full of stones.The car in front kicked up a lot of dust, so the car behind had to keep its windows fully shut. Fukamachi didn't want to imagine how muddy the road would be if it rained. He sat in the back seat, smelling the strong body odor of foreigners. The Bagmati River, which flows through Kathmandu, joins the Vishnumati River, which flows from north to south, and then changes its direction to the south.The car left Kathmandu and headed south along the Bagmati River.This road goes south from Kathmandu for about 17 kilometers and stretches to Dakshinkari.Dakshinkari is a temple dedicated to Lord Kali, the wife of Lord Shiva.Goddess Kali is the bloodthirsty black earth mother. Every Tuesday and Thursday, believers will offer goat or chicken blood to the wife of Lord Shiva as a living offering. When Fukamachi made an expedition to the Himalayas in the past, he saw the scene of Hindus worshiping the goddess Kali cutting off the heads of goats or chickens one after another.This time it was witnessed at the place of Naradar Rachandra. Hinduism believes that animals dedicated to Kali will be born as higher-ranking animals in the next life.But to Fukamachi, it was a terrifying and bloody scene. The road came to a dead end in Dakshinkar, and the car could not go any further from there. Ritamu said: Menghan and Mugel should be staying with An Liangzi in a house along the Bagmati River, not yet in Daksinkali. Because the old rope binding Ryoko was about to break, Ritam came to Kathmandu to buy new rope and food.That's when it was discovered and taken to the place of Naradar Rachandra. The driver was the man who notified Naradar Rachandra of the capture of Ritam. Naradar Rachandra sat in the passenger seat, Fukamachi, Hanyu, and Angarin sat in the back seat. Behind the car in which the five of them were riding, another car followed.There were four men in that car with Rick Tam. "Where did that guy Monham hear anything? He was interested in that camera. He asked me about the camera, and I said it seemed to be worth a lot. So Monhan asked Moog I mentioned that—” Rick Tam said: So we planned this kidnapping. He said: At first, he wanted to sell the goods to Naradar Rachandra, but he was afraid that Naradar Rachandra might object, so he went to Manikuma's shop to mention the sale. However, Manikumar refused to be a buyer, and when he was desperate, he discussed with Manikumar: even a little money, in short, he wanted to get the money, and then fled to India. They seem to decide whether to kill the woman who saw their face according to the situation, bury the body in a certain mountain, and flee without taking money. Asked why the woman was being abducted, Rick Tam said in a barely audible voice: "Because I want money..." The car kept shaking. If it is an asphalt road like Japan, it can be reached in less than 20 minutes, but it takes nearly an hour to walk this way. "Mr Lachandra..." Angarin suddenly broke the silence and said to Naradar Rachandra: "Can I ask you something?" "What's up?" Naradar Rachandra said, looking ahead. "Why do people like you take care of radical Bhutanese refugees even if they set foot in dirty places?" Naradaar Rachandra was asked by Angarin, she was silent for a long time, and suddenly murmured: "Because of poverty... "Because this country is poor. Because of poverty, I became a Gurkha; because this country is poor, many Nepalese went to Bhutan to seek a living; because of the same reason, they must return to Nepal now. The reason why she was kidnapped was also based on the same reason..." "But, if it's money, you should now..." "There is some money. After all, I used to be a Gurkha..." "Britain even awarded you a Victoria Cross." When Angarin said that, Naradaar Rachandra seemed to smile slightly. "If you want to mention the bravery of the past, you are too, An Jialin. Britain also issued a tiger badge to you—" This time, An Jialin was silent. "How? What has the tiger badge brought to your life?" Angeline did not answer. Silence visits again. "Gurkha..." Hanyu, who had been silent until now, muttered in a low voice that suppressed his emotions. "I live in a world without medals and tiger badges." Commonly known as Gurkhas—that is, commonly known as Gurkha mercenaries. Gurkha mercenaries refer to the foreign mercenary troops established in the British Army and composed of Nepalese soldiers. They are known as invincible in hand-to-hand combat and the strongest troops in the world. The main members are five tribes headed by the Gulen and Maja tribes living in the west of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, in the Himalayas in eastern Nepal and around Pokhara.The tribes such as the Gulun and Tapa are collectively called the Gurkhas, and they also live in the areas around Darjeeling and Kalimpong on the Indian side.It was Gurkha who gave birth to the "Principality of Gurkha" and founded the current Kingdom of Nepal. 1815 - At that time, the interests of the British East India Company, which ruled India, and the "Gurkha Principality" conflicted, so Gurkha went to war with Britain.In this battle, the British were shocked by the bravery of the Gurkhas, so they were recruited as a member of the colonial army, which was the beginning of the Gurkhas of the British Army. The Gurkhas were originally an ethnic group living in mountainous areas, and their physical strength, vital capacity, and stress resistance are far superior to those of other ethnic groups. The time from running to crawling on the ground and shooting with a gun is about 0.0.five seconds. In British history, Gurkha mercenaries have always fought in the most severe places at the forefront. In 1857, during the mutiny of the soldiers, the British were the first to send Gurkha mercenaries into the battlefield in order to suppress the Indian soldiers. During World War I, Britain sent 200,000 Gurkha mercenaries to the battlefield, and 40,000 died.During the Second World War, about 350,000 Gurkha mercenaries fought for Britain.At that time, Nepal's population was about nine million people. In the Second World War, it was also the Gurkha mercenaries who defeated the German mech division led by General Rommel in the Sahara Desert; it was also the Gurkha mercenaries who smashed the Japanese army's No. 1 operation. After the war, Gurkha mercenaries also fought against Communist guerrillas in the tropical jungles of the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. During the Falklands Battle in 1982, it was indeed Gurkha mercenaries who were sent to the front line. Since 1815, Gurkha mercenaries have been on every front of the British war. Throughout their history, Gurkha mercenaries have risked their lives not only for their motherland, Nepal, but also for a foreign country, the United Kingdom. In 1992, its number was about 7,300 from the Fifth Brigade.Before Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, this group of soldiers was reduced to 2,500 in two brigades. To become a Gurkha mercenary, one must pass a harsh test.Just by passing the test, he will become an object of admiration in the local area. In addition to having a high income in foreign currency, an annuity is guaranteed after retirement, and he is allowed to study English to go abroad. The foreign currency remittances Gurkha mercenaries sent to Nepal in one year totaled about 17 million U.S. dollars. As a means for Nepal to obtain foreign currency, Gurkha is listed as the second largest source of income for Nepal along with tourism resources in the Himalayas. Naradar Rachandra was a Gurkha mercenary. "You kill..." Having said this, Fukamachi swallowed the words abruptly. Have you ever killed someone? Fukamachi wanted to ask Naradar Rachandra that, but gave up. Looking at the back of Naradar Rachandra in front of him, that's not something you can ask on a whim. It's like entering a teahouse and asking the clerk if there is any tea. Fukamachi felt that Naradar Rachandra might respond in this way, or not at all. He is a hero who was awarded the Victoria Cross. In Britain, that is the most prestigious medal. Only a handful of foreigners get it. "Is it there?" The driver said suddenly. The eyes of the men turned forward. Once the road deviated from the river, it approached the river bank again, and there was a red brick house on the left side of the road.Fukamachi immediately understood that the driver was talking about that house.An old car with peeling paint and tatters was parked in front of it. "Someone." There is no need for him to say. Because Fukamachi was also watching that scene. Two men and one woman. A man was about to get into the driver's seat, and another man and woman were about to get into the back seat together. The woman's hands were cut behind her back and her wrists appeared to be bound. Men with women seem familiar. "It's Menghan." said the driver. Of course Fukamachi knew who the woman was. It's Ryoko Kishi. Meng Han let An Liangzi sit in the back seat first, and when he was about to get in the car, he glanced over here.He seemed to know right away whose car it was.Meng Han shouted something to the man in the driver's seat. Meng Han hadn't even fully gotten into the car when the car started. The car in Fukamachi stepped on the accelerator and accelerated. However-- Before Fukamachi and the others arrived at the house, the car in which Ryoko Kishi was escorted had already driven onto the road and sped toward Dakshinkari. Dust was raised in the sky. They chased Menghan's car through the dust. I am afraid-- It was because Ritamu had not returned for a long time, and they felt uneasy, and they were about to change their hiding places. They panicked. Accelerate over the carriage. The road is not wide. If they don't want to be overtaken, it is quite possible to do so. The car passed through the dust, and Fukamachi knew that Menghan looked back through the rear window from time to time. "They can't escape. Because the road is a dead end—" said the driver. Fukamachi also knows this. The problem is that after reaching the end, the car cannot move.They will probably threaten Ryoko's life and try to escape.How to rescue Liangzi safely from their hands who are desperate to jump over the wall? Ryoko's car ran ahead and turned right. It's uphill. And it's a mountain road. The road conditions got worse and the road narrowed. Two cars chasing one car. There are no guardrails or any safety measures on the shoulders. "This road won't last long, and the car won't be able to drive." It is no longer a road that cars can travel smoothly. Large and small stones fell from the cliff on the left side of the road, the tires kept rolling over those stones, and the belly of the car also hit them. It's unbearable. Must hold on to the seat in front of you. Just at this time-- Suddenly there was a violent brake sound ahead, and the sound of the car flicking and skidding, and the tires rubbing against the mud. The dust turned almost the same color as the dirt, and the vision suddenly opened up.The car cuts through the dust.There is no car ahead. Fukamachi's car surpassed Kishi Ryoko's car. Where is the car Ryoko Kishi is riding in? "It fell!" The driver called to stop. At this time, Hanyu had already opened the door and rushed out of the car. Fukamachi breathed in the unsettled dust, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Hanyu on the edge of the cliff. Looking down. Very high cliffs. Below is a trickling stream. About sixty meters high.From the edge of the cliff is a nearly sixty-degree slope, and when it reaches ten meters below, it cuts down like a knife. In front of that cut, there are two banyan trees. The fallen car got stuck obliquely between the two trees.Stones and gravel had been spattering the car. Fukamachi and Hanyu were standing on the edge of the cliff, stones and gravel were already falling from their feet in the direction of the car. Very fragile cliffs. The driver's door opened, and the person did not know whether he jumped off by himself or was thrown out. The man who looked like Mugel hugged the bushes a little far away and looked up.Blood flowed from his forehead. Probably this man called the hotel. The rear door remained closed.Meng Han and Liang Zi are probably still in the car. "Liangzi!" Hanyu yelled at the car, but there was no response. It's dangerous to go down this slope. Step on it, and the sand and stones will collapse from your feet.Even so, if the slope extends all the way to the bottom of the valley with a slope of about 60 degrees, there is always a way to think about it, but it suddenly turns into a cliff halfway, and even if it can slide down there, it will go down in one breath come down. If you climb down to the position of the car or tree, you can just put your weight on the tree, but this may increase the load on the tree, causing the tree to be unable to support the weight and causing the car to fall.The bad thing is that vertical rock plates are difficult to deal with. Speaking of sixty degrees, it's almost like a vertical cliff when viewed from above. "rope." Hanyu told An Jialin in a low voice. Angelin returned to the car. I see. Fukamachi thought, there should be a rope in the back seat.The rope that Rick Tamm was holding when he was caught. People from another car came and lined up. Several people tried to climb down the slope of the cliff, and the soil immediately began to crumble from their feet, and they hurried back to the cliff. The tree makes a sound and tilts down, the car moves. Sand and stone fell in large quantities. I thought the car was going to fall together with the two trees like this, but it just tilted and the car didn't fall.Another tree seemed to be barely supporting the car's weight. Angarine came back with the rope. "Are you an expert in mountaineering?" asked Naradar Rachandra. "Ok." As Hanyu answered, he wrapped the rope from his shoulders to his back, and then around his crotch. This is in preparation for the dangling descent. "Can I give it to you?" "That's what I intend to do." Angarin was in charge of tying the rope on the cliff, Fukamachi ran behind Angarin to help. It was a twine. Thin is fine, but as long as it does not rub against the rock corner, it should not break immediately.It's not about pulling the weight of two people up in a suspended state.It should also function adequately as an aid for someone who intends to climb up a slope on their own. When he was ready, Hanyu had already stepped up the slope with his back facing the cliff. Sand and stones fell from Hanyu's feet, not a lot. Hanyu immediately reached the car with light steps like a bird. Being careful not to put your own weight on the car, open the door. Hanyu first pulled a man out of the car. It's Menghan. Monhan is still alive. Blood was pouring from his nose, and from the way he moved, his left shoulder appeared to be injured.The left arm seemed to be barely moving. After Hanyu asked Meng Han to hold on to the nearby bushes tightly, his upper body was buried in the back seat again.It seems that Meng Han is close to the car door, and Kishi Ryoko seems to be on the inside. At this time, the unpleasant voice sounded again. The sound of trees bending, and the sound of a large amount of gravel and gravel falling. creak. creak. It was as if a big cold snake ran across Fukamachi's back, making him shiver. Hanyu rescued Ryoko from the car, whose wrists were still tied behind his back. At that moment, there was a loud noise, one tree tilted, and then the root of the second tree left the ground, and a large amount of sand fell down. A big hole was dug at Hanyu's feet, and a strong momentum was transmitted to Fukamachi's hand.The whole twine was taut. Fear ran down Fukamachi's spine. Hanyu just let the rope go through the belt a little bit, and didn't tie it tightly, and even if it was tied, the thin rope couldn't withstand the impact of the person's weight when he fell.What's more serious is that because of supporting Ryoko Kishi, the load on the rope is increased.Although strictly speaking it is more of a slide than a fall, there is still considerable weight on the rope. The car and the tree fell into the valley together, making a loud noise. The weight on Fukamachi's hand told himself that at least Hanyu's weight was still on the rope. However-- The feeling of the rope fibers breaking one after another spread to his hand. It's about to break. It probably won't last a few seconds. While thinking that, the weight suddenly disappeared from Fukamachi's hands. "Mr. Hanyu!" Fukamachi stood up. He stood on the edge of the cliff and looked down. "He's still alive!" Naradar Rachandra said aloud. In the gradually dissipating dust, Fukamachi also saw that scene. After the earth and rocks fell, part of the rock plate that had been hidden under it was exposed, and the thickest root of a big tree was still clinging to the rock plate.Some of the branches and leaves fell to the stream, but the tree did not fall.What fell was another tree and the car. Hanyu rested his right hand on the thick tree root, stood on the rock plate with both feet, and hugged Ryoko Kishi with his left arm. What a powerful arm. Lucky? The word floated in Fukamachi's mind, but he denied it, that's not the case. If Hanyu was saved, it would not be lucky.Instead, Hanyu forcibly used his own strength to pluck his life from his fate. The rope hung down to where Hanyu was again. Hanyu rested the weight of the two on his feet, let go of his right hand that was holding onto the root of the tree, and then grabbed the rope with his right hand. Angarin and Fukamachi slowly pulled up the rope. Grasping the rope with his right hand, Hanyu slowly climbed up the collapsed slope with both feet. He doesn't look tired.The stride is strong and powerful, and the rhythm is regular.His body moved lightly. climbed up. Angarin cut the rope binding Ryoko Kishi's wrist with a knife. "Mr. Hanyu." Ryoko Kishi stood in front of Hanyu and said. "Liangzi..." Like an innocent junior high school student, Hanyu stretched out his hand to Kishi Ryoko's shoulder timidly. "I finally saw you." Kishi Ryoko hugged Hanyu tightly. Looking at this scene, Fukamachi felt a dull pain in his heart accompanied by the high temperature. Fukamachi was in Naradar Rachandra's room, drinking hot coffee just poured from the jug. evening-- Not long ago, the doctor who had treated Ryoko Kishi had just returned. The doctor said: There were several scrapes, bruises, and bruising, but the bones and internal organs were normal. The doctor was associated with Naradar Rachandra. The doctor left some wound medicine and patches and left the room. Naradar Lachandra, the car driver, and six people including Hanyu Joji, Angarin, Kishi Ryoko, and Fukamachi remained.Naradar Rachandra's men prepared chairs for six people, and each sat on the chair. the light is on. The light of fluorescent lamps. Monghan and Moogle, barely rescued by not falling into the creek, are now dutifully escorted to the first floor of the house. "Fortunately it's okay—" said Naradar Rachandra in a loud voice. "I don't know if I owe you a favor, but anyway, I would like to thank you. After all, Ryoko was rescued thanks to your blessing..." Hanyu said calmly. "There is no need to thank you. I have my position and I hope that things will not become as big as possible and calm down, so I want to thank her for being safe." "Me too. I don't want to make a big deal about it." "How do you say that?" "I mean, I don't want to get into the police station. But if she feels that she can't let it go like this, it's another matter." Hanyu glanced at Ryoko Kishi. "I don't care. As long as I can sleep well in bed tonight..." "Then, that's what's decided." Hanyu turned his gaze back to Naradar Rachandra. "So, the three of them can be at my disposal?" "Do what you want. If they do the same thing again, I can't stand--" "You don't have to worry. I will ask them to leave Kathmandu for two or three years. If they come back without authorization, they will regret it." "In that case, we're leaving." As soon as Hanyu was about to get up, Naradar Rachandra said: "Before I go back, I have something to ask you—" "What's up?" "Of course, if I ask you, you don't have to answer. If you want to answer, you can answer." "This worry is unnecessary. Anyway, no matter what you ask, I won't answer if I don't want to answer." Naradar Rachandra smiled and said: "About the camera. By now, I don't want to get hold of that camera, but can you tell me where you got it?" After speaking, he stared at Hanyu. Hanyu was silent and closed his mouth. "How about it?" "Above eight thousand meters. Does that answer your question?" "Ample answer to my question. Thanks. Higher than 8,000 meters—exciting answer." Naradar Rachandra nodded contentedly and said: "You are so heroic today. You are dumbfounded by your neat movements. Few people in Gurkha can take such calm actions. As far as soldiers are concerned, you are still completely on the front line." "I feel honored to be told that by the former lieutenant of the Gurkhas." "I can vaguely guess what you want next." "Yes--" "From the size of the things you give up and are about to give up, you can know how big the things you want..." Naradar Rachandra said while looking at Ryoko Kishi. "If you hold your luggage in your hands, you can't carry more luggage. If you don't first let go of the luggage you're holding, you can't pick up the next luggage." Naradar Rachandra became loquacious. "The soldiers before going to the battlefield all have the same expression as you. I want to say 'Good Luck' to you, but you probably refuse even luck. No, you probably won't refuse, but don't count on it. If you can finally If I give you a piece of advice, it is: rest is necessary." "rest?" "Even on the battlefield, there is a little rest time." "I will remember what you said." After Hanyu finished speaking, he slowly got up. Fukamachi, An Jialin and Ryoko Kishi stood up one after another. Ryoko Hanyu said: "I see you off." Naradar Rachandra says: "Drove her in my car. Then, I booked two more single rooms in the same hotel under my name. I thought, I must invite Bisalu sap and Tiger Angarin to stay for one night." Hanyu stopped and stared at Naradar Rachandra. "Did I do something to displease you?" "That's not the case." It was Angarin who answered. "I have a place to go back. Bisalu sap is free tonight. Just accept his offer and stay for one night." Angarin patted Hanyu's shoulder lightly. Hanyu nodded silently. Eyes are wide open in the dark. can't sleep. Tossing and turning on the bed, he couldn't help sighing.As if getting into a tent in a high mountain, subconsciously take a deep breath due to lack of oxygen, and then exhale. He should be exhausted, but his consciousness is clear. Fukamachi lay on his back and stared at the ceiling. The location is in your hotel room. What is Ryoko doing now? Is she in her room?Or Hanyu's room?Fukamachi only knew that no matter whose room Ryoko was in, she was not alone.If she was in her room, Hanyu should be beside her, and if she was in Hanyu's room, Hanyu should be there too. Fukamachi said goodbye to the two in the lobby. It is impossible for the two to sleep in their own rooms.They should be together.Chatting together?Of course they will chat.Both of them have a lot to talk about.Even if we spend one or two nights together, we can't finish talking. 而对男女而言，有一种比任何对话都更能畅所欲言的沟通方式—— 自从濑川加代子消失了之后，深町几乎每天都会想起她。可以说是没有一天不想她。 来到尼泊尔之后也是如此。 然而，自从岸凉子来加德满都之后，深町总觉得自己刻意淡忘和加代子之间的事。因为岸凉子在身旁，仿佛受到她的吸引，他一点一点地远离了濑川加代子的引力圈。 尽管岸凉子是来找羽生，深町内心却萌生一种念头，希望岸凉子就这样找不到羽生。 但是，现在找到羽生了，现在他和凉子在一起。 那就是事实。 到了明天—— 必须和羽生聊一聊。 在哪里发现那台相机？原本装在相机里的底片去哪了？还有，现在羽生丈二究竟想用Bisalu sap这个名字做什么？一九九〇年，羽生和长谷这两名天才登山家到底在加德满都聊了什么呢？ 必须询问这些问题。 那就是这次自己来到尼泊尔的目的。不能忘了这个目的。其他的事、岸凉子和羽生丈二之间的事，都与自己无关。 羽生丈二—— 据说，他在这之前去了西藏。 晒黑的脸。 乌黑的皮肤。 长时间曝晒于强烈紫外线下，人的容貌就会变成那样。 坏死的黑色皮肤，正从整张脸上剥落。连嘴唇的皮都变黑坏死，正在剥落。 深町知道，究竟去了怎样的地方，人的脸才会变成那样。 喜玛拉雅山的高峰—— 空气的浓度是平地的三分之一。 穿透稀薄空气的紫外线，会晒黑裸露的皮肤，使其坏死。 为何跑去西藏那种地方—— 种种念头在深町心中盘旋。 明明应该是重度疲劳，但疲惫却迟迟不将身体拖进沉睡的深渊。 深町直到接近黎明时分，才进入浅眠。 他梦见了山。 在寒冷的雪中，躲在帐篷里。 在睡袋中听着暴风雪的声音。打在帐篷上的风，和小石头般的雪的声音。 这时，深町想看信。 濑川加代子寄来的信。 那封信，自己应该带在身上，但是找不到。把手伸进口袋或登山背包中也找不到。 收到之后，自己应该看过了那封信。 然而，内容却想不起来。因为想不起来，所以想再看一次。可是，自己说不定没有收到那封信。只是觉得看过了，并没有收到那种信，所以才会想不起内容。 那封信，是加代子说她安顿好之后要写给自己的信。 噢，且慢，如果有那种信，自己应该一定会记得信上写了什么。因为不记得内容，所以果然没有收到。但是，为什么会一心认定收到了那封信呢？ 深町不太明白。 认真说来，他可以把脚从睡袋里伸出来，搜寻一下帐篷里面就好，但是因为好冷，所以只把手伸出睡袋找信。这种找法不可能找得到。 Hey-- 不过话说回来，实在好冷。 帐篷内侧冻得硬梆梆。 如果有什么温暖的东西就好了。 女人的身体究竟有多暖和呢？ 深町怎么也想不起来。 理论上，应该和自己的体温一样，总觉得那相当温暖。 然而，不管想什么还是很冷。 睡袋的某个地方好像有洞，外头的空气从那里钻了进来。 起来想个办法吧。 起来，如果有洞，就必须塞住那个洞。 要起来。 必须起来。 快，起来—— 眼睛睁开了。 听见了敲门声。 有人正在敲房门。 深町坐起身子。 看了床头柜上的时钟一眼。 时间是上午八点多。 深町只穿着短裤、T恤。 刚起床，脸色肯定很糟糕。 "Who?" 深町边下床，边以日语问道。 “我是岸。” 是岸凉子的声音。 What happened? 深町把T恤下摆塞进短裤内，边朝房门走去，边把双手手指插进头发梳理。光是这样并不可能梳好乱翘的头发，但这是心情的问题。 但是，凉子为何来找我？ 没有打电话，直接来房间，难道是发生了非比寻常的事吗？ 走到房门之前，深町拉开窗帘。 早晨的阳光照亮了整间房间。 城市已经动了起来。 车声及人声传了进来。 深町打开房门。 一身牛仔裤搭T恤的岸凉子站在眼前。 “对不起。我吵醒你了？” “没有，我已经想起床了，刚在床上发呆。” 深町撒了谎。 "Please come in." 深町招呼凉子进房。 房内依然乱七八糟。 情况跟昨天和羽生两人待在这间房间时一样。 深町关上房门。 凉子站在房间中央，盯着深町。 深町看见她的眼睛时，霎时以为凉子会哭出来。然而，凉子没有哭出来。 她看起来像是——有话想说，但是在自己心中找不到适当的语言。 "What's wrong?" 深町问道。 “他……” 凉子顿了顿，然后又开口说： “羽生先生不见了。” "Missing?" “今天早上我醒来，发现羽生先生不见了，房里留下了这个……” 凉子从牛仔裤口袋里拿出一张折叠的纸。 是饭店房里的便条纸。 深町从凉子手中接过打开。 上头以铅笔写着字。 深町也看过的、那种像是用手随性折弯铁丝的字。是羽生丈二的笔迹。 thanks. 只写了这样的内容。 一封没有署名收信人和写信者本人的信。 只写了道谢的话，羽生丈二就不告而别了。 “我睡在他的房间里——” 凉子如此说道。 “即使我钻进被窝，他也不肯上床。” 我睡这里就好—— 凉子说：羽生这么说，把椅子拉到床头边，坐了下来。 我想看你睡觉的模样—— 凉子一伸出手，羽生就握住她的手。 凉子说：两人以这种姿势聊天。 “你为什么要待在尼泊尔呢？” 当时，凉子如此问道，羽生回答：为了登山。 "Mountain climbing?" 登山—— 羽生说。 “你还……” 凉子说，噤口之后，看着羽生又说了一次。 “你还不肯放过自己吗？” 羽生没有回答。 他稍微使力握凉子的手，代替回答。 那股力道在说：还没。 我还不满足。 不管怎么爬，心里还住着一头猛兽。 野兽不肯离开内心。 鬼栖息在心中。 那只鬼说：还不够。 羽生应该已经四十九岁了。 若是一般人，差不多到了思考自己的工作、退休和养老的时刻。然而，羽生对于某事仍站在第一线上。他努力站在第一线上。 他还不肯放过自己。 所以，他继续爬山。 凉子一句一句地对羽生说了至今的事。 她等了羽生好长一段时间。 正当她觉得该整理心情时，深町透过水野和她联络。 不久，深町出发前往尼泊尔，自己也跟随其后，来到了加德满都。 不管说再多话都嫌不够。 说着说着，有了睡意。 迷迷糊糊地闭上眼睛。 渐渐被拖进睡梦中。 忽然转醒，羽生仍以温柔的力道握着自己的手，目光低垂地看着自己。 又聊一阵。 又闭上眼。 open one's eyes. 羽生还在。 又聊几句。 聊着聊着又困了…… 反复如此的过程中，不知不觉间，凉子真的睡着了。 then-- 早上一觉醒来，羽生不见了，信放在桌上。 羽生怎么了吗？ 凉子连忙换上牛仔裤，下楼到饭店大厅。她心想：或者说不定会在那里看到羽生的身影，但是他不在那里。 回到房间之后，凉子原本想打电话给深町，但是心里着急。说不定羽生在深町的房间。总之，她想尽早告诉深町，羽生不见了，而跑来敲深町的房门。 “这样啊——” 深町点点头。 “原来如此，羽生不见了啊。” 羽生断然地消失无踪。 为何消失无踪呢？ 为何不告诉凉子自己消失的理由呢？如果要消失，可以尽管告诉她。为何对凉子不告而别呢？ 深町内心涌起的是一股强烈的愤怒。 如果是我也就罢了。 对羽生而言，我是外人。 我是擅自闯进羽生人生的人。对我什么都不说，我可以理解。他可以不说。但是，凉子不是外人。她是羽生以自己的意志产生关系的人。 羽生不想和凉子发生关系。 他只是待在凉子身边，直到她睡着为止，一直看着她的睡脸到早上，然后离去。 只有一句道谢的话—— thanks 像从前在羽生的手札上看过的字。简短但笨拙的字，令人感觉羽生像是回到了十多年前的他。 深町认为，那句话的涵义强过告别的话语，好像要告知一件事。 那一件事是道别。羽生留下那句话，当作道别的话语。 凉子也清楚地感觉到这一点。 因为感觉到了，所以没有打电话，而是先跑来我的房间。 即使是战场，也有一点休息时间。 纳拉达尔·拉占德拉的话在深町的脑海中复苏。 羽生结束片刻的休息，回到战场上了。 深町如此心想。 他总觉得，那句话中恐怕包含了不打算再见面的意志和决心。 "Asshole!" 强烈的愤怒令深町发出咆哮声。 激情涌上心头。 "let's go!" 深町牵起凉子的手。 "Where are you going?" “羽生丈二的身边。” "But--" “你有权利去找他。对于羽生为何逃避，为何现在又默默地消失无踪，你有权利知道。” "—" “岂可让他不说出理由就消失无踪！我不允许这种事情发生！” 深町言词激动地说。 “可是，羽生先生在哪里呢——？” “纳拉达尔·拉占德拉的地方。” “羽生先生在他的地方？” “不，我的意思是，他大概知道羽生丈二所在之处。这他应该调查过了。” 深町说道。 “是喔，羽生丈二消失无踪了吗？” 纳拉达尔·拉占德拉语调平静地如此说道。 地点是昨晚大家在一起的那间房间。 现在，只有纳拉达尔·拉占德拉、深町和岸凉子三人。深町和凉子隔着桌子，和纳拉达尔拉占德拉对坐。 “你早就知道羽生会消失无踪了吗——？” “我只是有想到，他大概会那么做。” “既然这样，你猜想得到羽生为什么必须消失无踪吗？” “我没有问过他。如果你不介意我用想象的话。” “你在卖什么关子？” “那不能从我口中说出来。他没说过的话，我凭什么说呢？” "tell me." “我不能说。你们如果想知道，应该直接去问他。” “我们也想那么做。可是，我们不知道羽生在哪里。” 深町老实说。 “我知道他的所在处。” "where?" “帕坦。” "really……" “果然的意思是，你猜到他在帕坦了吗？” "Ok." 深町点了点头。 因为羽生寄给岸凉子的邮件上，盖着帕坦的邮戳。 然而，深町听到帕坦，想起自己曾在靠近查特拉巴蒂广场的地方跟丢了安伽林，如果认为安伽林当时是从那里往帕坦的西边而去，一切就合乎情理了。 “能不能告诉我们地点呢？” “我带你们去吧。” 纳拉达尔·拉占德拉站了起来。 开着和昨天一样的车。 司机也是同一个人。 纳拉达尔·拉占德拉坐在副驾驶座，深町和岸凉子坐在后座，岸凉子仍旧不发一语。 发车后不久，纳拉达尔·拉占德拉忽然低喃道： “我啊，很羡慕那个男人……” “那个男人？” 深町问道。 “羽生丈二啊。” "why?" “因为我和那个男人的生活方式几乎正好相反。” "How do you say that?" “我是廓尔喀。你多少知道廓尔喀是怎样的人吧？” “稍微知道——” “廓尔喀佣兵明明是由尼泊尔人组成的军队，我们至今却从来没有为自己的祖国战斗过。” "—" “羽生丈二和我相反。我想，他总是为了自己，一路奋战过来。” 纳拉达尔·拉占德拉感慨万千地说。 “二十八年……” 纳拉达尔·拉占德拉闭上眼低喃道： “自从一九五五年，我十七岁志愿成为廓尔喀佣兵，到一九八三年四十五岁退役为止，当了二十八年廓尔喀佣兵。我升到中尉，英国甚至颁发勋章给我……” 纳拉达尔·拉占德拉睁开眼睛。 眼前是加德满都市区。车仿佛拨开一大群人、车、人力车、牛和狗似地，慢慢往前移动。 “我也去了婆罗州的丛林。也和后线支援婆罗州的家伙开战。一九八二年的福克兰战役时，我也待在最前线。许多战友、部下都死了，而我活了下来。我也当过白金汉宫的卫兵。身为廓尔喀，我爬到了最高的阶级。在我四十三岁那年，妻子撒手人寰。当时，我在英国担任女皇陛下的卫兵，妻子也在英国。她三十九岁，死于癌症。妻子在死前一再地说她想回尼泊尔。但她没有回故乡，而是死于英国。当时，我第一次回顾自己的一生。自己至今的人生算什么呢——？” 车穿过人群，缓缓地开始加速。 “我想回尼泊尔。尼泊尔的贫瘠山河，真的令我无比眷恋。我想回到这个令人怀念的贫困环境中——” 汽车引擎声攀高，逐渐加速。 “我下定决心，去告诉长官我要辞掉廓尔喀。我见了长官。当时，我还来不及开口，长官就抢先一步对我说：好消息！听说女王陛下要颁发维多利亚十字勋章给你——” 说到这里，纳拉达尔·拉占德拉闭上嘴巴。 加德满都的风景往后方流逝。 十字勋章—— 对廓尔喀佣兵而言，那是最具权威的勋章。纳拉达尔·拉占德拉是获颁十字勋章的第十三名廓尔喀佣兵，也是战后第一个。而且，那八成是最后一枚勋章。 “我没有成功离开军队，结果，退役是在两年后，我四十五岁的时候。我在英国皇室的手底下待了二十八年，丧妻，没有孩子，到头来，我手边只剩下一枚维多利亚十字勋章——” 深町从后照镜中，看见纳拉达尔·拉占德拉瞪视着前方。 “我还记得在婆罗州的战役。那是一九六五年，我们的小队在丛林中和敌人的部队交战。部下在我周围陆续中弹身亡。我的伙伴在我身旁装填子弹。当时，伙伴的头稍微抬了起来，那一瞬间，子弹贯穿他的脑袋。他只是抖动了一下身体，哼都不哼一声就倒地死了。我拿起伙伴的枪不停击发，拔出手榴弹的保险插销，投进敌人的壕沟，开枪疯狂扫射，杀光了所有敌人。我的队伍包含我在内，只有两人幸存……” 车即将抵达帕坦。 纳拉达尔·拉