"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too," Tao Dabao replied. "I'll take Zhao Jun up there today to have a look. If it seems possible, we'll give it another shot. If not, we'll just call it quits."
As he spoke, Tao Dabao grabbed a dog-skin hat from the table and clapped it on his head. Waving to the others, he said, "Let's move out."
Everyone in the room got to their feet and filed out one after another. As Tao Dabao passed Zhao Jun, he clapped him on the shoulder and then strode outside.
Zhao Jun followed him out to where the main group was gathered. He saw horse-drawn sleds being brought over one by one. The drivers were also members of the Hunter Team, including Li the Fifth, who had gone up the mountain with Zhao Jun and Tao Dabao the other day.
Zhao Jun boarded a sled with Tao Dabao. The calls of the drivers rose and fell, punctuated by the sharp CRACK of whips. Seven sleds, carrying twenty-four men, headed straight for the mountain.
