Chapter 263: Chapter 230: Entering the Camp

In extremely cold environments, taking deep breaths forces cold, dry air to directly assault the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. The sudden cold stimulus causes capillaries to constrict, leading to impaired local blood circulation, frostbite, and ruptured, bleeding membranes.

Furthermore, when cold air is inhaled in large gulps, it expands inside the pulmonary alveoli, exerting significant pressure on their walls.

If this occurs frequently, the alveolar walls can become damaged and rupture.

Once an alveolus ruptures, gas can leak into the thoracic cavity, causing a pneumothorax and severely impairing normal lung function.

"Everyone stop! Are you trying to get yourselves killed? Don’t take such deep breaths! I’m talking to you, the short old man. You! You’re the one huffing the loudest!"

"Who are you calling a short old man?" Old Liu hated it when people made comments about his height.

’If life hadn’t been so hard for his family back then, if they’d had enough to eat, he wouldn’t have stopped growing at just five-foot-three.’

Old Liu stomped his foot and glared furiously at the person who had mocked him.

He was a young man dressed in a heavy coat of animal furs.

His old face flushed crimson with rage, and his chest heaved with ragged breaths. The sudden insult had clearly left him fuming.

"I’m talking to you! Do you have any idea where this is? It’s the Arctic Circle! Don’t take deep breaths, or your lungs will freeze and burst!" Feng Shan said, pointing furiously at the ground. He was beyond frustrated.

’He’d waited so long for a tour group to finally arrive; he couldn’t let something go wrong the second they stepped off the plane. If they really hurt themselves from breathing too deeply, he’d be the one on the hook for compensation.’

The moment Feng Shan said this, the tourists immediately snapped their mouths shut, looks of terror on their faces.

Old Liu was so frightened he clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes wide and filled with lingering fear.

The previously bustling atmosphere immediately grew quiet, and no one dared to make a sound.

Zhang Kai quickly stepped forward to play the good cop. "Just be careful next time. Don’t be afraid, everyone. Just follow the guide’s instructions and you’ll be fine. Grab your things, we’re heading to the camp now."

Feng Shan frowned, his initial excitement for the tour group already deflating.

’He knew he’d only been trying to help, reminding them to be careful in the extreme cold for their own safety. But his approach had been all wrong. They had only just met, and he had already ruined the welcoming atmosphere.’

But what was done was done. Feng Shan took a deep breath, forced a smile, and worked with the camp staff and Zhang Kai to guide the tourists to grab their luggage and head towards the camp.

"Still mad, young man?" Old Liu sidled up to him with a cheeky grin, as if nothing had happened. "I mean, really. A big guy like you, getting all worked up over an old man with one foot in the grave. Am I right, fellas?"

"Yep, that’s right. The younger generation should be more forgiving."

"Totally. Old Liu’s got a big mouth, and he’s kind of a pain in the ass, too."

"A young fella needs to be less hot-headed if he wants to live a long life. I’ve got a good temper, that’s why I’m still around."

Feng Shan tilted his head and glanced at the old man who said this.

’You were the one rolling up your sleeves to take a swing at me a minute ago, and you’re saying *you* have a good temper?’

"Alright, you guys have something you want to ask? Just spit it out."

Not the least bit embarrassed at being found out, the old men just chuckled. Old Liu asked, "Hey, kid. We heard you can go hunting with guns out here. Is that true?"

"That’s right. You can hunt, and we also have a firing range," Feng Shan nodded. But his next words sent a chill through the old men’s hearts. "However, there’s an age limit for handling firearms. I’m afraid you gentlemen are probably over it."

"What’s that supposed to mean? You looking down on us old guys, or are you worried I can’t pay?" an old man with a goatee sneered. He fumbled inside his parka for a moment before pulling out a thick, plastic-wrapped stack of bills. "Look. US Dollars. Every last cent."

Feng Shan looked at the cash and shook his head. "It’s not about the money. The recoil is too strong. Your bodies can’t take it. We’re almost at the camp, I’m going to go check on things up front."

Without giving the old men a chance to reply, he strode quickly toward the front of the group.

"Darn kid runs fast," Lao Liu muttered, scratching his head. He suddenly remembered something and whipped his head around to look at an old man wearing a hat with cartoon bunny ears. "Erga, a minute ago, was that you who said I have a big mouth and that I’m kind of a pain?"

Hearing this, the old man in the bunny-ear hat shook his head frantically. "I didn’t say that. You definitely misheard. If you don’t believe me, ask Hanwa and Guozhi."

The other two old men shook their heads like pinwheels, claiming they hadn’t heard a thing.

Old Liu eyed his three old buddies with suspicion.

’Did I really mishear them?’

But in the next moment, the four old men clearly felt the temperature change.

Just a moment ago, the cold had been bone-chilling, an icy sensation sharp enough to feel like it could slice their skin. But now, it actually felt a little warm, as if they had suddenly stepped from the dead of winter into a pleasant spring day.

"Hey, you guys, look!" The old man in the bunny-ear hat abruptly crouched down, his hands fumbling at the ground.

Hearing his words, the other three old men instinctively looked down. At their feet was lush, green grass.

At the same time, the other tourists also noticed the bizarre phenomenon, crying out in amazement and spreading out.

Some gaped in astonishment while others pointed excitedly, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Under the lights, a field of vibrant green grass stretched out as far as the eye could see.

Someone cautiously reached out to touch the grass, feeling its vitality.

This sudden transformation sent the entire tour group into an uproar, shattering the somber mood from the earlier incident.

"How is this grass so green? Shouldn’t it be winter right now?" Old Liu asked, staring out at the Tundra in astonishment.

"The temperature isn’t right either. It’s at least 20 degrees warmer than it was back at the airport," the old man in the bunny-ear hat said with a serious expression, pulling off his gloves to feel the air.

He waved his bare hand gently through the air, trying to get a better sense of the unusual warmth, his brow furrowing at the bizarre phenomenon.