American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 247 The Chain Reaction of a Viral Hit! (5K views, requesting monthly votes at the beginning of the month!)
Arya's reaction was even more intense. An incredulous light flashed in her pale green eyes. She grabbed Lin Yu'an's arm, her voice trembling.

"Honey! Do you know what this means? It's Justin Bieber! Two hundred million fans! You...you're going to be famous! You're really going to be famous!"

She was so excited that she hugged Olivia and spun her around, making the little one giggle.

“It’s not just about being famous, Arya.” Emily’s voice was unusually calm at this moment.

Her gaze shifted to Lin Yu'an: "This means that you will no longer need to compromise for any commercial contracts, nor will you need to consider the opinions of any platform or brand."

"You have gained true, absolute freedom! You can film anything you want and live any life you want! It has given you a ticket to financial freedom!"

Yes, freedom. Isn't that the ultimate goal they sought when they abandoned everything to come to this icy and snowy land of Alaska?

Outside the window, the Alaskan sun finally broke free from the horizon, casting its brighter light across the entire snowfield.

Lin Yu'an looked at the text on the screen, then glanced at Aria, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement, and Emily, whose eyes were bright as stars.

And then there were the two children, completely unaware of everything that was about to upend their lives. The sense of unreality brought on by the data explosion was replaced by an incredibly reassuring and warm feeling.

That former exclusive contract with Bilibili, and that soon-to-expire Arc'teryx brand ambassadorship, all seem so insignificant at this moment.

A door he had never imagined was suddenly flung open by a surge of data traffic.

And he, along with his family, sat peacefully in the eye of the storm, preparing to enjoy a happy breakfast.

December 28, Vancouver, Arc'teryx global headquarters
Nestled at the foot of the Coast Mountains, the Arc'teryx headquarters building has always been known for its tranquil and focused design atmosphere. But today, the atmosphere in the building's top-floor conference room was as somber as that of Alaska before a blizzard.

The global marketing director, a German named Marcus Weber, stood with a grim face in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the gloomy Bradney Inlet outside.

Behind him, several core executives from the marketing, public relations, and legal departments sat upright, not daring to even breathe loudly.

On the holographic projection in the center of the conference room, three things are playing in a loop:

1. Justin Bieber's Instagram post that has garnered over 30 million likes and over 1 million comments.

2. The data curve in the background of Lin Yu-an's YouTube channel can be described as a "miracle" - a growth line that is almost 90 degrees and straight up to the sky, with "Total views: 8147 million+" and "Subscriptions: 151 million+" marked next to it.

3. In a specially enlarged photo, Lin Yu-an is wearing a classic Arc'teryx Alpha SV hardshell jacket, standing in front of an unfinished wooden cabin. The Arc'teryx fossil logo on the chest of the jacket is clearly visible in the Alaskan sunlight.

"Can someone explain this to me?" Marcus slowly turned around, his voice as cold as the wind on a mountaintop.

"Why is it that this man, who became the world's hottest 'hardcore idol' overnight, who is giving us 'textbook-level' brand promotion for free, is now facing insufficient commercial exposure and will not have his contract renewed?"

The meeting room was deathly silent. The words "not to renew the contract" sounded like a death sentence.

The Greater China market manager, a middle-aged white man, forced himself to speak: "Marcus, this assessment was... submitted last month through our Chinese partner, Bilibili."

"Based on the data at the time... Mr. Lin had stopped updating for nearly half a year, and there was no exposure from any mainstream media, so..."

"So you just gave up?" Marcus interrupted him, his tone carrying a dangerous calm.

"So you think that a man who can build a cabin alone in the Alaskan wilderness, a creator who can be praised by even the most discerning hardcore outdoor enthusiasts, is worth the same as the number of posts on his social media that hasn't been active for months?"

He walked to the conference table, placed his hands on the surface, leaned forward, and his blue eyes swept over everyone present like those of a hawk.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you have made a disastrous mistake. A mistake that could make us a laughingstock in the entire industry for decades to come! You will write our brand into the annals of the worst business marketing case studies!!!"

He picked up the remote and switched the projection screen.

"Justin Bieber's endorsement gave Lin Yu-an global exposure overnight that we might not have been able to achieve even with a marketing budget of tens of millions of dollars!"

"His name and image are now firmly linked to labels such as hardcore, authentic, artistic, and top-tier influencer."

“More importantly, it’s about the target customer group!” he almost roared. “How many high-spending young people and middle-class individuals are in Bieber’s fan base?”

"This is precisely the urban outdoor and trendy market that we've been investing heavily in for years to conquer! And now, you idiots have thrown the key to this market into the trash!!!"

The female head of the public relations department turned pale and added in a trembling voice, "Marcus... things might be worse. There are already some voices on social media... the headlines are: Arc'teryx, abandoning the man chosen by Justin Bieber."

"I haven't finished!" Marcus's voice grew even colder. "Who do you think released this information? Do you think we're the only ones paying attention to Lin Yu'an?"

"According to information I received in Stockholm, the founding team of Climbing Rat held an online meeting overnight, and the core issue they discussed was how to reach out to Lin Yu-an. They believe that Lin Yu-an's spirit perfectly aligns with their brand philosophy!"

“And this!” He pointed to another email. “Our Norwegian branch reports that Old Man Head is already in action! They’re planning to invite Lin to be the chief experience officer for their 'Trollveggen' series of climbing gear next year! They’re even willing to buy him a mountain in Norway!”

Marcus turned off the projector, plunging the conference room into suffocating darkness, with only his cold voice echoing.

"Mountain Climber and Old Man Head, our old rivals, are pouncing on us like sharks smelling blood! And we almost pushed our brand ambassadors into the arms of our competitors because of a foolish, data-driven assessment!"

He took a deep breath, seemingly suppressing a torrent of anger.

“Fortunately,” he said slowly, a resolute glint in his eyes, “we have another advantage. Lin Yu’an’s brand ambassador contract with us through Bilibili does not officially expire until January 1, 2022.”

"We have... three more days to salvage this situation."

He raised his head, looked at everyone present, and issued an unquestionable order, word by word.

"Now, I want you to do three things."

"First, Legal Department, immediately draft a 'Global Brand Ambassador' level contract. Term: three years. Endorsement fee: eight million US dollars per year, after tax! Includes independent image rights and copyright usage rights agreements! No updates or live streaming requirements; we want to provide absolute respect and freedom!"

Eight million US dollars a year! After taxes!
This number exploded like a bombshell in the deathly silent conference room! Everyone present gasped in shock; this was already the price tag for a top-tier sports superstar!
Finally, the chief financial officer, a meticulous-looking man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but speak up.

His tone was cautious, but the skepticism was unmistakable: "Marcus, I understand the importance of this matter. But... eight million a year, after tax, isn't that offer too... too aggressive?"

“Our annual budget has never allocated such a high amount for any individual. And… if I may be frank, he is, after all, just an internet celebrity in the Asian market. Whether his influence can support such an astronomical global contract requires a more prudent data model to assess…”

Marcus didn't even turn around to look at him, but just let out a contemptuous sneer from his nose.

“Data model? Evaluation?” He slowly turned around, his azure eyes fixed on the CFO, retorting word by word, his voice not loud, but filled with a suffocating pressure.

"Defining him as an internet celebrity in the Asian market is the second disastrous mistake you made today. Didn't you see the traffic analysis in the backend? What ignited this incident was Justin Bieber! It was Instagram! It was Twitter!"

"You idiot, can't you see that over 70% of his core new users come from North America and Europe?! Limiting his value by region is an unforgivable stupidity!" Marcus pointed sharply at the YouTube backend screenshot on the projector. "You want to talk to me about data models? Fine, then I'll talk to you about data! Look closely! 81 million views, estimated revenue of $285,000! That's three days' worth of data!"

"You idiot who only knows financial statements, use your damn calculator to figure out what this means?"

He didn't give the CFO a chance to answer, and roared, answering his own question, "This means that with just this one video, his monthly advertising revenue can easily exceed one million US dollars!"

"That's twelve million a year! The eight million we offered was to buy out a top-tier traffic stream with an annual revenue of tens of millions of US dollars! Do you still think that's too high?!"

The CFO's face instantly went from questioning to deathly pale.

"You stupid idiot, you can't even see this!" Marcus's anger escalated again. He stepped forward and pounded the table with his fingers, making a "thump thump" sound, his eyes blazing with fury.

"But why are you so foolish as to forget that he is Chinese!"

“China!” he practically shouted the word.

"Over the past five years, we've spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to tap into the largest and most promising luxury goods market on the planet! Have you forgotten the 'China strategy' that the board has been emphasizing every year?!"

His voice was filled with undisguised, highly insulting sarcasm: "What? Did you forget your damn strategic vision in your wife's bra?!"

These words were like the most vicious slap in the face, striking the CFO squarely and leaving him instantly pale, his lips trembling.

In the meeting room, everyone else held their breath, but no one dared to refute or raise any new questions.

"A perfect brand image that resonates with both Chinese and North American consumers! A cultural bridge that allows us to conquer the Chinese market without firing a shot!"

"A living totem that allows our brand in China to evolve from an expensive outdoor gear brand into a top-tier, globally recognized lifestyle!"

"And you, now, are haggling with me over a mere eight million US dollars in budget?!"

Marcus walked back to his seat, sinking deeply into the chair, his tone revealing a hint of exhaustion.

"So stop talking to me about budgets, stop talking to me about assessments. Go and execute orders. If the board wants to fire me for this, then it will be after this contract officially takes effect."

"I would rather leave because of this than leave because I am a sinner in the history of Archaeopteryx!"

The entire conference room fell silent. The tense atmosphere from before gradually dissipated as Marcus's words carried a heavy sense of weariness.

Marcus closed his eyes and pressed his temples hard with his fingers.

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes again. The anger that had been burning in his blue eyes was gone, replaced by a deep weariness and a hint of apology.

He looked at everyone present, especially the CFO whose face was still pale, and slowly spoke, his voice hoarse: "Everyone, I'm sorry. I apologize to all of you for my loss of control and my rude words just now."

He paused, as if trying to form his words.

"The reason I'm so angry isn't because any one of you made a mistake. It's because we, as a whole, almost made an unforgivable mistake that could have ruined us all."

His gaze sharpened as he surveyed his surroundings, but this time, it wasn't directed at any particular person; rather, it was as if he were stating a cold, hard fact.

"Have you considered what we'll face if Climbing Rat or Old Man's plan succeeds?"

"Imagine that scene: Lin Yu-an, the man discovered by our Archaeopteryx and made famous wearing our Alpha SV, ultimately appears on the cover of Climbing Rat's annual report."

"Or, he could stand atop the Norwegian mountain that Old Man Head bought for him and tell the world's media that he has found a brand that truly understands him."

"When that time comes, what do you think will happen? How will the outside world view our decision as Archaeopteryx?"

He answered his own question in a cold voice, “We, Archaeopteryx, will no longer be a symbol of hardcore and professionalism; we will become synonymous with ‘shortsightedness’ and ‘stupidity’! We will become the most classic case of failure in every business school classroom!”

"By then, the board will be investigating more than just an erroneous assessment report; they will be investigating a complete collapse of the brand's reputation that we ourselves caused!"

He looked at everyone present and stated the cruelest consequence: "And that consequence would be enough to send everyone in this conference room, including me, out of here immediately and never to find a decent job again!"

"It was because of the stupidity and shortsightedness of a few of you that we almost lost our jobs!" These words struck everyone's hearts like a silent hammer blow.

They finally understood the source of Marcus's overwhelming rage. It wasn't a personal insult, but the extreme despair and fear a leader felt when he saw his team on the edge of a cliff!
“Go.” Marcus waved his hand, his voice filled with exhaustion. “We don’t have time.”

The CFO slowly took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, and finally nodded solemnly.

He knew Marcus was right. This was no longer a routine business negotiation.

This is a war! A war that will determine a brand's reputation for the next decade. And in this war, hesitation means defeat.

Marcus continued, "Now, let's get to the second point. I don't care what methods you use, I need Lin Yu'an's phone number within one hour! Not his agent, not any third party, but his own!"

Finally, he looked at the Greater China head, who was already sweating profusely.

"Thirdly, and finally, you immediately log off and go negotiate with those idiots on Bilibili to find out who made the decision in the first place! Remember, until our new contract is finalized, you absolutely cannot contact Lin through them again! Their opinions do not represent Archaeopteryx!"

"From this moment forward, I will personally take charge of this matter," Marcus concluded firmly. "What we need to do is not offer him a contract, but ask him to accept our apology and a new friendship!"

"Do you understand everything?"

"understand!"

At 13:30 PM local time in Wiesman
The afternoon sun streamed through the windows of the cabin, and the fire in the fireplace still crackled. Arya and Emily sat on the carpet, patiently teaching Olivia and Ethan about the colorful building blocks.

The air was filled with the aroma of coffee and a faint scent of pine; everything seemed so peaceful and beautiful.

Lin Yu'an had just finished an exhilarating workout. Although his muscles were tired, his spirits were exceptionally high. He was enjoying a late lunch with his family, savoring this hard-won, heartwarming moment of daily life.

Just then, the satellite phone on the oak desk suddenly rang urgently, breaking the silence of the room.

The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number from Canada.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

(Hehe, we've reached 10,000 subscribers! I'll be updating with six chapters totaling 30,000 words at the beginning of the month! My dear brothers, please vote for me with your monthly tickets!)

(End of this chapter)