American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 10 The First Night at Lake Chilko

mid-December.

The enormous roar of the propellers approached from afar, then howled away into the distance.

When Lin Yu'an unbuckled his seatbelt from the helicopter and stepped onto the land covered with thick pine needles and slippery moss, he was filled with mixed emotions.

Beneath my feet was solid ground, all around me was unfamiliar primeval forest, and above me was the vast, somewhat gloomy sky of British Columbia, Canada.

He took one last look at the helicopter disappearing into the horizon, which represented his final connection with the civilized world and officially marked the beginning of his "wilderness solitude" challenge.

The air was filled with the distinctive fragrance of pine, and all around was quiet except for the occasional calls of birds from deep within the forest and the rustling of the wind through the coniferous trees.

A sense of loneliness began to silently envelop him.

This is the northern shore of Lake Chirko, a truly pristine wilderness. Towering snow-capped mountains loom in the distance, and dense forests stretch like a green ocean to the horizon.

Lin Yu'an is just a tiny existence in this vast world.

He didn't dwell on his sadness for long. He quickly adjusted his mindset. From that moment on, every decision he made was directly related to his survival and whether he could successfully obtain that million dollars.

He took a deep breath, feeling the essence of the land, and then began to carefully examine the area where he had been deployed.

This is a typical subalpine coniferous forest zone with slightly undulating terrain. The main tree species are tall Douglas fir, western hemlock, and some relatively short black pine.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, which was soft and slippery underfoot. In the distance, he could faintly hear the sound of flowing water, which was good news for him, meaning that the water source might not be far away.

He fixed one of the cameras provided by the production team to his chest and held the other hand in his hand as a spare, adjusted the angle, and began his first recording as a contestant.

"This is Lin Yu'an. I have just been deployed to the designated area. My primary task now is to find a suitable location to set up a temporary shelter and find a water source as soon as possible."

His voice was calm and steady, without the slightest hint of panic.

Lin Yu-an took his ten carefully selected pieces of equipment out of the waterproof bag and displayed them in front of the camera:
A high-carbon steel multi-tool, a medium-sized logging axe, a -30°C rated down sleeping bag, an extra-large heavy-duty waterproof tarpaulin, a large magnesium flint and steel rod, a stainless steel pot with a lid and a single handle, a fishing tackle bag, high-strength paracord, a bag of salt, and an American-style hunting bow and arrows.

There are also those hidden deep within the container space that cannot be displayed: high-energy compressed biscuits, concentrated seasonings, special fishing hooks and lines, medicines, a few bottles of spirits, a large-caliber bear-hunting pistol, and so on.

Of course, these are his last resort. He would never use them lightly unless absolutely necessary, and he would not allow the camera to capture any clues. He would also put on a show when the time was right.

With a relatively lightweight equipment bag on his back, Lin Yu'an began to move forward following the sound of flowing water.

Traveling through the primeval forest was not easy. Underfoot were crisscrossing tree roots and slippery stones, and dense bushes frequently blocked his path, but he did not slow down.

About half an hour later, a crystal-clear stream appeared in front of him. The water was icy cold and was obviously formed by the melting snow from the nearby mountains.

"We've found a water source!"

Lin Yu-an smiled at the camera, "The water quality looks very good, which is a good sign."

He didn't rush to drink it, but first carefully observed the surrounding environment of the stream, looking for traces of animal activity. If he found some animal footprints, it would give him more confidence in his future food source.

The next step is to choose a temporary campsite.

He walked upstream along the stream for a while and finally chose a spot that was slightly higher, backed by a small, steep rock wall, with a relatively open area in front of him.

There are also several areas with sturdy fallen trees that can be used, which are sheltered from the wind, have a relatively good view, and are close to a water source.

"This place looks nice."

Lin Yu-an said to the camera, "The rock face can provide a natural barrier, the fallen trees can serve as the supporting structure for the shelter, and the higher elevation can prevent rainwater from flowing back in."

Time was of the essence; building a shelter was the top priority. He took out a logging axe from his equipment bag and began chopping down suitable trees. He clearly knew how to use an axe; each swing was precise and powerful.

They quickly cut down several tree trunks of suitable thickness to serve as the main load-bearing beams, trimmed off excess branches, and handled the details.

He did not choose the complex semi-subterranean shelters in the training camp because the geological conditions here did not allow him to carry out large-scale excavation.

Instead, they decided to temporarily build a modified "sloping hut" using the rock face as one natural wall and the other three sides as a frame made of felled tree trunks.

He first leaned several thicker tree trunks against the rock face to form a sloping roof frame, and then secured them firmly with paracord.

Next, he began to fill the other two walls of the frame with thinner branches and cut pine branches and leaves, trying to make it airtight.

The roof was covered with an oversized, heavy-duty waterproof tarpaulin and weighed down with stones and branches to ensure it could withstand wind and rain.

Inside the shelter, he laid out a thick layer of dry pine needles and fir branches as a bed, which both insulated against the dampness of the ground and provided some warmth.

As the afterglow of the setting sun began to paint the western sky red, a small shelter, though simple, looked quite sturdy and practical, and was already taking shape.

Lin Yu'an wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked at the fruits of his labor, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

He said to the camera, "Okay, I have a home for tonight."

His voice carried a hint of fatigue, but more than that, it conveyed a sense of reassurance.

Starting a fire was also important, so he gathered some dry pine needles, small twigs, and a few pieces of flammable birch bark from the ground.

Then take out the magnesium flint and steel, and scrape it vigorously with the back of a knife. Bright sparks burst out instantly and land precisely on the ignition source.

"laugh--"

A small flame flickered and rose, and Lin Yu'an carefully added small dry branches, gradually stabilizing the fire.

The warm firelight dispelled the chill in the mountains and forests, and also brought a sense of security.

He used a stainless steel pot to fetch water from the stream, placed it on the fire, and boiled it. The scalding hot water warmed him up from head to toe.

They didn't rush to find food. On the first day, they had exhausted their energy, and it was already late. Going into the unfamiliar forest to hunt would be too risky.

As night falls, the wilderness of Lake Chirko reveals its raw and harsh side.

The temperature plummeted, and strange noises could be heard from the forest outside the woods—the sound of wind rustling through the treetops, or the low growls of some nocturnal creature.

Lin Yu'an stoked the fire a little brighter, then crawled into his warm sleeping bag. He placed his multi-tool and logging axe within easy reach, just in case.

Lying in the simple shelter, listening to the howling mountain wind and the roars of unknown beasts outside, I didn't feel much fear.

The events of his past life, the responsibilities of this life, Arya's gentle smile, and the two little lives in her womb waiting for his return—these images flashed through his mind like a series of pictures.

He knew that this was only the first night, and he had already started to miss it.

In the next few dozen days, he will face even harsher challenges and more profound loneliness!

He closed his eyes, feeling the faint warmth emanating from the small cross pendant on his chest, as if Arya were right beside him, and drifted off to sleep surrounded by the warm firelight and his weariness.

What Lin Yu'an didn't know was that in a dense forest not far from his shelter...

A pair of eyes, gleaming with an eerie green light, silently watched the flickering firelight in his camp, then vanished without a trace into the darkness…

Good morning! Binchotan is so cute! Tongtong v Qiqi, Molieming, you guys should still be here!
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(End of this chapter)