High-Altitude Worker, Unfortunately a Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role - Chapter 18

Zhao Ke glanced back at the cave. “Alright, come on up.”

The cave was indeed large enough to accommodate two tents.

Zhao Ke didn’t care whether she had a “roommate” or not. Whether it was Qiao Shuxue or anyone else, it made no difference to her.

As long as it worked, that was all that mattered.

But the live stream comments weren’t having it.

Why is Zhao Ke being so cold? Does she not want my Snow Treasure to come up?

Snow Treasure is being kind enough to give you camera time, and Zhao Ke isn’t even grateful?

Why are you fans being so rude? Zhao Ke was here first, you know!

So what if she was here first? Snow Treasure is busy with work. Isn’t it natural for her to stay and help with the flight?

First you tell Zhao Ke to leave, now you’re demanding she take care of you? Your Qiao Shuxue is way too demanding!

Who are you calling demanding, you? Want to lose your account?

Qiao Shuxue’s fans outnumbered the original viewers of the live stream, and any dissenting opinions were quickly drowned out.

Zhao Ke glanced at the live stream comments, frowning. “This channel doesn’t welcome people who come here to argue.”

With that, Zhao Ke immediately accessed the backend and blocked all accounts with “雪” (snow) in their usernames from commenting.

Instantly, the screen went silent.

Phew, that’s satisfying.

Our Ke Ke is just honest, not someone to be bullied.

Ke Ke is awesome!

Qiao Shuxue, still putting on her rock climbing gear, quickly received the angry feedback from her fans.

A flicker of mockery flashed in her eyes, but she quickly smiled. “It’s fine. I’m grateful they’re willing to share half the cave with me. Everyone, watch my live stream—I’m about to launch the drone.”

Zhao Ke had left anchor points along her usual climbing route, but Qiao Shuxue didn’t follow them. Instead, after observing the cliff face for a while, she chose a different path.

Looking down, Zhao Ke saw that Qiao Shuxue’s chosen route included an outward overhang, making it extremely difficult to climb. Only experienced climbers would attempt such a challenge.

“Zhao Ke, let’s have a competition,” Qiao Shuxue suddenly called out. “You must be tired of climbing that same route every day. Why not try this one with me?”

Qiao Shuxue’s live stream chat erupted in cheers. The star herself was standing up for her fans—what other streamer would do that?

In contrast, Zhao Ke’s live stream comments urged her to stay calm. Rock climbing was just a way to find a good campsite, they argued. Why make such a big deal out of it?

But Zhao Ke smiled faintly. “I’ll give it a try.”

She moved swiftly, securing her climbing rope, launching her drone, and removing the anchor points wedged in the rock crevices.

Qiao Shuxue waited below with a serene smile.

Zhao Ke slowly descended, rope in hand, until she stood face-to-face with Qiao Shuxue.

Her gaze locked onto Qiao Shuxue.

I almost forgot—the female lead has a Beauty System cheat.

From Zhao Ke’s perspective, Qiao Shuxue looked like a walking, talking short video filter.

Her entire being seemed framed by a phone camera: flawless, poreless skin; legs impossibly long; even the weeds at her feet appeared a shade greener than those a meter away.

Zhao Ke: …Fine.

“Let’s get started,” Zhao Ke said, tossing the rope to the ground without further ado.

Qiao Shuxue glanced Zhao Ke up and down. “How about we make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

“Let’s bet… I’ve heard you’re good at catching bamboo rats. If you lose, you have to teach me how to catch them,” Qiao Shuxue said with a radiant smile.

Ah, our Snow Treasure is still too soft-hearted. She should have made this b1tch quit the show!

Heh, even if she loses, she still gets a chance to show off her skills. Zhao Ke is so lucky!

Zhao Ke stared at her, her expression blank. “I would teach you even without a bet.”

What’s this b1tch pretending to be generous for?

Go, Snow Treasure!

Qiao Shuxue didn’t reply. She turned to face the cliff, her fingers gripping the rock face tightly, and began to climb.

Zhao Ke followed closely behind.

Qiao Shuxue started climbing quickly, but after just a few glances, Zhao Ke could tell she wasn’t skilled at rock climbing. Her back wasn’t relaxed enough, her muscles were stiff, and she would soon tire out.

Losing interest, Zhao Ke silently hammered in her anchor points, repeatedly checking their stability.

Zhao Ke’s skills are nothing special either.

Does she know she can’t compete with Snow Treasure and is deliberately dragging her feet?

Soon, the two arrived at the overhanging rock. To cross this massive boulder, they had to use all four limbs, hanging upside down like Spider-Man from its underside—a position similar to how Zhao Ke had installed air conditioning units on the underside of the Sky Garden.

Qiao Shuxue was already starting to tire. In a spot hidden from the drone’s view, her entire forearm trembled uncontrollably, making it impossible to maintain her grip on the rock.

She glanced down at Zhao Ke, who was only a meter or two below, her eyes burning with resentment.

Zhao Ke has been climbing mountains every day lately, while I haven’t trained in ages. How could I possibly compete with her?

Despite her inner turmoil, Qiao Shuxue forced a smile. “Zhao Ke, there aren’t many good anchor points on this overhang. Why don’t you choose first?”

Zhao Ke’s gaze swept over Qiao Shuxue’s flaring nostrils and quickened breathing, sensing her tension. “No need. You go ahead.”

Qiao Shuxue gritted her teeth, cursing Zhao Ke’s stubbornness under her breath. She raised her hand and hammered an anchor into a spot she had already scouted.

The anchor point was located at the intersection of three rock fissures, perfectly sized. Even with her weakening grip, securing the anchor required minimal effort.

Zhao Ke quickly caught up, reaching the same height as Qiao Shuxue while she was still adjusting her inverted position.

Zhao Ke glanced at Qiao Shuxue’s anchor point and frowned. “Don’t hang your anchor there. It’ll come loose.”

“Really? I don’t think so,” Qiao Shuxue said without looking at her.

Qiao Shuxue had chosen this anchor point not just because it was easy to secure, but also because it allowed her to cleverly bypass the outermost point of the overhanging rock, shortening the distance and conserving energy.

Zhao Ke fell silent, forcefully wedging her anchor into a razor-thin crack in the rock.

She then adjusted her posture, hanging leisurely from the cliff face.

Why isn’t Zhao Ke moving?

She must be exhausted. She’s probably about to give up.

Really? I get the feeling she’s waiting for something.

Zhao Ke was indeed waiting.

A triangle is the most stable structure, but that has nothing to do with the anchor points wedged within it.

In the next instant, Zhao Ke’s anchor plummeted. The precarious balance Qiao Shuxue had maintained shattered. Her fingers slipped from the rock crevice, and she lost all support, plummeting downward.

“Ahhh!!!”

Anticipating this, Zhao Ke reached out and grabbed Qiao Shuxue’s safety harness, hoisting her into the air. Her other hand remained firmly anchored to the cliff face, her body stretched like a taut bow, a perfect blend of flexibility and strength.

Holy crap, that scared me half to death!

What just happened? I didn’t see clearly—how did Snow Treasure fall?

Ahhh! Zhao Ke actually caught Snow Treasure!

Meanwhile, in Zhao Ke’s live stream:

This pose… it’s like reliving that dream where I saved Qiao Qinglu from the rooftop!

Mom, you’re so cool!

Tsk tsk, these Qiao sisters have a strange kind of chemistry. (smirking face)

Sister Ke: Don’t let your hobbies threaten my livelihood!

Even if Zhao Ke hadn’t grabbed Qiao Shuxue, she wouldn’t have fallen all the way to the bottom of the cliff. At most, she would have dropped the distance of one anchor point, slamming into the cliff face and likely suffering a head injury.

Qiao Shuxue’s vision blurred, then refocused. Zhao Ke was gripping her by the waist, holding her like a young animal.

Facing downward, Qiao Shuxue stared at the jagged cliff wall looming before her, a wave of fear washing over her.

If she had hit that, she would almost certainly have been disfigured—the kind of damage even the Beauty System couldn’t fix.

Zhao Ke couldn’t see Qiao Shuxue’s expression. She simply tightened her grip and asked, “How are you? Can you climb back up yourself, or should I pull you up?”

Zhao Ke is so disrespectful! What does she think Snow Treasure is, shaking her around like that?

Upstairs, you’re being too sensitive. Zhao Ke literally saved Snow Treasure’s life! She was hanging off the cliff herself—what other position could she have been in?

So what if she saved her? Snow Treasure had an anchor point; she wasn’t going to fall anyway. Zhao Ke’s just showing off!

Even though I’m a rock climbing enthusiast myself, Snow Treasure’s anchor point selection was clearly flawed. Zhao Ke warned her, but Snow Treasure didn’t listen.

The live stream chat erupted in heated debate. Qiao Shuxue, her voice hoarse, forced herself to speak, “I can still climb. Let me down.”

Hearing this, Zhao Ke hauled Qiao Shuxue back to the cliff edge and told her to grip tightly.

Snow Treasure is amazing! She’s getting right back up where she fell!

Is Snow Treasure too nervous? She forgot to thank Zhao Ke, hahaha!

The outcome was already decided. Qiao Shuxue suppressed the churning resentment in her heart, her lips pressed into a thin line as she climbed upward, one careful step at a time.

Zhao Ke maintained a steady pace, matching Qiao Shuxue’s rhythm.

After climbing for a while, the physical exhaustion and mental frustration made it impossible for Qiao Shuxue to maintain her balance. She suddenly snapped at Zhao Ke, “Stop following me! I can climb on my own!”

Zhao Ke didn’t reply, her gaze sweeping down to Qiao Shuxue’s trembling legs. The meaning was clear.

Qiao Shuxue’s eyes burned with suppressed anger, but she forced herself to control her temper in front of the camera, abruptly turning her head away.

Snow Treasure is so cute, hahaha!

Cute? Qiao Shuxue always acts like a strong, independent woman. Why is she acting so petty now? Not only did she not thank Zhao Ke for saving her, but she’s throwing a tantrum. Who is she trying to impress?

Why are you all making such a big deal out of this? In such a dangerous situation, isn’t it natural to be a little emotional?

Qiao Shuxue climbed slowly, resting frequently, and after nearly two hours of struggling, she finally reached the cave platform.

Completely exhausted, she only made it onto the platform thanks to Zhao Ke’s final pull.

For the rest of the day, Qiao Shuxue didn’t say another word. She silently pitched her tent, ate some dried rations, and rested.

Her only interaction with Zhao Ke was a word of thanks as she accepted the roasted bamboo rat meat Zhao Ke offered.

The next morning, Qiao Shuxue woke up earlier than Zhao Ke had expected.

As soon as she saw Zhao Ke, she greeted her with a smile, “Good morning, Ke Ke! Thank you for your help yesterday. I’m going down to gather some mushrooms. Would you like to join me?”

Good morning, Snow Treasure!

Huh, did Snow Treasure manage to adjust her mood on her own?

I’m so jealous of people who don’t overthink!