18-year-old Sun Liang started his trek on February 8, venturing into Qinling, a mountain range, known for its average altitude of around 2,500 metres. Two days into the hike, he lost contact with his family as his electronic devices ran out of battery. Isolated and having no means to contact the outside world, Sun started walking downstream along a creek where he fell down several times, resulting in a fracture in his right arm. Facing harrowing food shortage, Sun managed to survive on river water, melted snow and even toothpaste. On February 17, while setting up a fire, Sun caught a whiff of the smoke and yelled for help, successfully capturing the attention of his rescuers. The rescue operation, involving over 30 members, cost Sun’s family over Rs 9.5 lakh (80,000 yuan) Sun has warned other hikers who were planning to embark upon the Ao-Tai Line to not go as \”life is invaluable\” He also warned that hiking along this route could expose them to encounters with dangerous wildlife, including bears, antelopes, and wild boars.
