Alpine Pasture, Wolf-Proof Collar

Chapter 97 High Mountain Ranch, Wolf-Proof Collar (10,000-word update, seeking first subscription)

After more than two hours of trekking, we crossed a mountain ridge, and the view ahead suddenly opened up.

A vast expanse of blue-purple flowers suddenly burst into the fans' view. Time seemed to stand still at that moment, and the unexpected surprise was the most intense.

[Lonely Swordsman]: "My God, what am I seeing? Is this a fairyland?"

[I don't eat donkey meat]: "A sudden shock! Can anyone tell me what that huge group of Smurfs is?"

""

Gu Tong cooperated by zooming in on the small, exquisite flowers in full bloom, their blue, cone-shaped blossoms resembling upside-down wind chimes.

"This is a blue thistle flower that is unique to our area. The blue and purple colors are intertwined. Isn't it beautiful? This flower can only be seen on alpine meadows. When the breeze blows, you can smell a faint fragrance."

He provided timely科普 (popular science) information about the blue thistle plant.

Fans who were already somewhat interested in alpine ranches are now completely excited, as if they've been injected with adrenaline and can't wait to fly to Nassu to see it.

Sun Youcheng, nicknamed "Little Bird," was also full of energy, snapping photos of the blue thistle flower field with his DSLR camera.

Gu Tong looked up at the sky. It was still early, so he unloaded the supplies from the two horses.

Humans need rest, and so do horses.

Then he sat down, took a sip of water, and prepared to temporarily end the live stream.

But the fans wouldn't have it, and the screen was filled with messages like, "Please, don't end the stream, let us enjoy the scenery."

Gu Tong couldn't help but smile. After finding a good camera position and adjusting the lens angle, she let the fans enjoy the still images.

"Little bird, Aikelbai, come and have something to eat."

After a while, Gu Tong finally called over Sun Youcheng, who was still enjoying himself, and Aikebai, who was with the sheep.

Then I gave them dried naan, dried meat and yogurt curds to replenish their energy.

"Wow, the scenery here is absolutely stunning, I can't even describe it in words."

Sun Youcheng ate while praising the food.

He is a travel enthusiast and has no resistance to delicious food and beautiful scenery.

Gu Tong smiled but did not respond.

After his divorce, he came to Nasu alone. At that time, all he could think about was how to survive, and he had no time to appreciate the scenery.

Although the economic conditions have improved, there are still many tough battles to fight, and there is no time to express sentiments.

However, the other party is right about one thing: Nasu's scenery is indeed unique, and whether you are doing well or not, you can find spiritual comfort and solace here.

Just as he loves snow-capped peaks, so too do birds love seas of flowers.

After everyone had rested enough, Ai Kebai said, "Brother Gu, Little Bird, I'll lead the flock ahead, and you can follow behind."

Having grown up seeing so much of Nasu's scenery, Aiqbai couldn't understand why the little bird was so excited. But he didn't say anything more, just focused on doing his own thing.

Aiqbai, with two sheepdogs, continued on his way, herding the sheep.

Gu Tong and Sun Youcheng put the supplies back on the horse and tied them up, then took Xiao Shitou and headed away into the distance.

The live stream continued, but the chat room fell silent.

Everyone was quietly enjoying the scenery along the way; any words would be superfluous at this moment.

afternoon.

The group finally arrived at the alpine pasture.

This is a vast natural grassland nestled between two mountains. As far as the eye can see, the lush green grass undulates with the terrain, bisected by a small river.

Gu Tong found a sheltered, sunny spot and began to set up camp.

Sun Youcheng was of little help, but Aikebai was an expert, and the two quickly set up two tents.

"Little bird, go to the river and fetch a bucket of water. Be careful."

Gu Tong and Aikebai needed to tidy up the house, so he asked Sun Youcheng to fetch water.

In the wild, everyone should do their part, do whatever they can, and there can't be anyone idle.

"Okay, boss."

Sun Youcheng responded and carried the bucket to the riverbank.

When they returned, there was still more than half a bucket of water left, although a third of it had spilled on the way back, which was better than Gu Tong had imagined.

After packing their things, the three of them started boiling water and cooking. They had only eaten dry rations all day, and they couldn't make do with whatever they had for dinner.

The fresh vegetables we brought had to be eaten as soon as possible, as they wouldn't keep for more than a few days. So, the dinner was pretty good, with a good mix of meat and vegetables, and all three of us enjoyed it.

"Dude, there's cell phone signal here too? That's so unexpected."

Everyone started working as soon as they arrived at the camp, and they didn't have time to rest until after they finished eating.

Sun Youcheng took out his phone and was surprised to find that it had a signal. He tried sending a few messages and sure enough, there was no problem.

He couldn't help but shout out excitedly.

"How strange! The county started installing base stations in traditional pastoral areas a few years ago, of course there is cell phone signal."

Ai Kebai and Sun Youcheng got along quite well and spoke very casually.

Sun Youcheng chuckled and continued playing on his phone.

Gu Tong took out a folding solar panel and set it up next to the tent. Although this thing couldn't power high-powered appliances, it was more than enough to charge a mobile phone or turn on a light bulb at night.

Then, he called out to Aikbai, and the two of them went to the downwind side of the tent to build a temporary sheep pen.

The so-called temporary sheepfold is just a fence to prevent the sheep from getting lost; it can't compare to a sheepfold at home.

The sheep were grazing on a hillside not far away, with Little Stone and two other sheepdogs watching over them to prevent any sheep from running away.

As the sun set, with the help of the sheepdogs, Aikbai herded the sheep into the sheepfold, and everyone finally had some free time.

After nightfall.

Gu Tong lit a campfire, and the three of them sat around it quietly, gazing at the starry sky above.

"I feel like the stars are so close to us, what a beautiful Milky Way!"

Sun Youcheng started to express his feelings again, but to be honest, you can't see such a clear night sky in big cities, and it's even hard to see in inland areas.

Ai Kebai smiled and winked at Gu Tong, as if to say, "This little bird is really ignorant."

He even forgot that Gu Tong also came from a big city and subconsciously treated her as a local.

Gu Tong smiled slightly and remained silent.

He was filled with mixed feelings at that moment, and the softest part of his heart was touched. The starlight shone down on him, making him look somewhat cold and lonely.

"Awoo..."

""

Just then, a mournful howl came from afar, clearly audible.

Sun Youcheng immediately straightened his back and asked in confusion, "What was that sound?"

"That's a wolf howling."

Ai Kebai replied casually.

Sun Youcheng immediately sprang to his feet. "What the hell? There are wolves here?"

"Why are you reacting so strongly? Behind that mountain is Wolf Valley, a protected area with many wolves."

But don't worry, wolves generally don't come to this pasture.

Aikebai didn't think there was anything wrong with the other party being afraid of wolves. If you were to ask what animal herders hate the most, wolves would definitely be number one.

Fortunately, wolves have their own range and generally stay away from areas with human activity. They will only cross the boundary to attack humans and livestock if they encounter a natural disaster and cannot find food.

Gu Tong turned her head to look in the direction of Wolf Valley and unconsciously grabbed a wooden stick next to her.

Sun Youcheng nodded numbly, then crawled straight into the tent.

Aikbai followed, and the two shared a tent. He had to take care of the other man, since he was a true city dweller.

Little Stone and the other two sheepdogs barked at the distance a few times, and Gu Tong whistled, and they gradually quieted down.

at night.

The campfire outside the tent crackled, and the howling of wolves came and went, sometimes right next to my ears, sometimes disappearing into the wind.

Sun Youcheng didn't sleep well at all that night, and woke up with dark circles under his eyes in the morning.

"Are you not used to it? I'm a little unaccustomed to it too, but it's okay, you'll be fine after staying here for a couple of days."

After breakfast, Gu Tong comforted Sun Youcheng.

He then walked a little further away, set up fixed camera positions, and still used a multi-camera live broadcast method.

"I've been so busy since we arrived at the camp yesterday that I haven't been able to do any live streams. Now I'll show you around the camp."

After a brief opening, Gu Tong used his phone to photograph the entire campsite.

[Lonely Swordsman]: "I love this vibe. I really envy the birds!"

[I don't eat donkey meat]: "Where are the little birds? Come out and take a walk."

"Look over there, the little bird went with Xiao Ai to herd sheep."

As Gu Tong spoke with a smile, he shifted the camera to include the sheep, sheepdogs, Aikebai, and Sun Youcheng on the hillside in the frame.

The fans then realized that they had thought the bird was still sleeping in.

"Let me grab some things first, then we'll head over."

95

Gu Tong switched the camera to a fixed position and then went into the tent to get a bag.

He then mounted his chestnut horse and charged toward the distant hill.

The fixed camera lens captured his agile figure perfectly, the man and the horse seemed to merge into one, and they disappeared into the distance in an instant.

【Ice Lake Snow Lotus】: "The master's riding skills are becoming more and more superb."

Fans praised Gu Tong's superb riding skills. Even though they had never ridden a horse before, the sense of harmony between man and horse was enough to move them.

Gu Tong quickly reached the hillside, threw the bag on the ground, and then dismounted.

He switched the camera back to Ai Kebai and Sun Youcheng and said, "You two come over and say hello to everyone."

C

Ai Kebai and Sun Youcheng waved together at the camera, saying, "Hello everyone!"

"Hello, Xiao Ai! Hello, little bird!"

Fans greeted them, and Gu Tong then called over the three sheepdogs, including Little Stone.

He handed his phone to Sun Youcheng, asking him to take a picture, while he bent down and took out three collars from the bag, then put them around the necks of Xiao Shitou and the other two.

【Lonely Swordsman】: "Shound, why did you put collars on Little Stone and the others for no reason?"

[I Don't Eat Donkey Meat]: "Don't you even know this? You have to leash your dog when you walk it!"

【Small Town Test-Taker 123】: "What the hell is this about walking your dog on a leash? Do you think you're in the city? This is a ranch!"

The fans started making a ruckus again. Gu Tong said helplessly, "You guys are really something. When you're happy, you call me 'Big Boss,' and when you're not, you call me 'Little Dog.' Believe me or not, I'll send Little Stone down the internet cable to bite you!"

"Come on, who's afraid of who?"

The live stream chat exploded, with the screen filled with provocative comments.

Gu Tong laughed and continued, "You city kids are so ignorant. This is a wolf-proof collar. Wearing it will prevent you from being killed by a wolf in one fell swoop."

[Lonely Swordsman]: "You act like you're not a city kid. By the way, you've only been in Nasu for a few days?"

.

[I Don't Eat Donkey Meat]: "The big boss has forgotten his roots!"

"No talking, no laughing, no fun. We've had our fun, so let me tell you about the function of the [anti-wolf collar]. When wolves attack humans and livestock, they like to attack the neck first, especially the throat."

This area is a vital spot for both humans and animals. As long as a sheepdog isn't fatally wounded in one strike, it's perfectly capable of holding its own against a wolf. The [wolf-proof collar] is specifically designed to protect this vital spot, and can be a lifesaver in a critical moment.

Gu Tong explained it in great detail, and the fans all understood.

There are countless reasons why they like Gu Tong, but the most important one is that they can learn knowledge and broaden their horizons.

For example, many people have never heard of this "anti-wolf collar".

[Lonely Swordsman]: "What you said is very good, but the question is, do you have wolves over there?"

[Traveling with the Birds]: "Where are the wolves? They howled all night last night, I was so scared I didn't sleep well at all."

Before Gu Tong could answer, Sun Youcheng shared the story of last night with everyone in the live broadcast room.

The fans gasped in amazement, feeling both thrilled and a little scared.

Gu Tong then filmed a scene of sheep grazing leisurely before returning to the camp.

Next, he found a spot and planted mung beans in the soil. Before his fans could ask any questions, he explained, "The fresh vegetables we bring, especially leafy greens, have a very short shelf life, so we need some substitutes. Bean sprouts and wild vegetables are good options. Also, carrots, potatoes, and onions can last for half a month if stored properly."

Herding livestock may seem idyllic, but it's actually quite tough, with its inconveniences, climate variations, and threats from wild animals. I'll be sharing my daily experiences on the high-altitude pastures with you all. See you next time!

Gu Tong sowed mung bean seeds in a dark place in order to harvest bean sprouts.

Replenishing vitamins and trace elements in the wild is a headache because leafy green vegetables and fruits have a relatively short shelf life. Bean sprouts can serve as a vegetable substitute, and he plans to go forage for wild vegetables in a few days.

Fans were buzzing with discussion, not because Gu Tong's words shattered their expectations, but because there were some things they simply couldn't have considered.

It was almost noon.

Aikebai and Sun Youcheng drove the sheep back to the sheepfold, and everyone prepared to cook and eat.

The fuel consisted mainly of dried cow dung, along with some coal. Gu Tong planned to collect some dry branches as well.

After dinner, he called Dong Jun to inquire about the growth of the Western Region purple gromwell in the yard.