American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 248 Taking the Initiative (5K words, requesting monthly votes at the beginning of the month!)
Lin Yu'an's brows twitched almost imperceptibly. He knew that what was coming had finally arrived. He picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, then walked unhurriedly to his desk, pressed the answer button, and turned on speakerphone.

On the other end of the phone came an extremely sincere, even slightly humble, German-accented English: "Is this Mr. Lin Yu'an? I am Marcus Weber, Global Marketing Director of Arc'teryx. I apologize for bothering you at this time."

"It's me." Lin Yu'an's voice was calm and even. He pulled out a chair and sat down casually, as if he were just taking a routine business consultation.

“Hello, Mr. Lin.” Marcus’s tone was very serious.

“First of all, on behalf of Arc'teryx, I would like to express my sincerest apologies for the incorrect information we previously provided to you through third-party channels. It was an extremely foolish misjudgment based on outdated data and bureaucratic procedures. We bear undeniable responsibility for this.”

He adopted an extremely humble posture, got straight to the point, made no excuses, and directly admitted his mistake—a clever opening.

Lin Yu'an didn't speak, but listened quietly, letting the other person perform. He knew this was just an appetizer.

Marcus on the other end of the phone seemed to sense the other person's calmness from the silence. He took a deep breath, and his tone changed abruptly from what he said next!
No longer filled with apologetic humility, but brimming with power, passion, and a grand vision, as if he were not making a phone call, but delivering a brand declaration to the global media!

“Mr. Lin! I don’t know if you’re aware, but within Archaeopteryx, we have a term called ‘Alpha!’”

His voice, transmitted via satellite signal, echoed clearly and powerfully in the wooden house.

"It represents not only our top-of-the-line series, but also a spirit! A leadership spirit that always stands at the forefront, facing the fiercest winds and snow, climbing the most treacherous peaks, and paving the way for those behind!"

"Over the past few days and nights, all the designers, engineers, and marketing staff at our headquarters have watched your masterpiece repeatedly!"

"What we see is not just superb construction skills, but the perfect embodiment of the 'Alpha' spirit!"

"And the unwavering decisiveness you showed when you felled the first giant tree under the blinding sunlight of the polar day! And the resilience you displayed when you single-handedly shielded the newly erected framework with your body during the blizzard!"

"Under the aurora borealis in the dead of night, when the first fire is lit for the finally completed home, the quiet pride in the eyes belongs to the creator!"

"Mr. Lin!" Marcus's voice was passionate and inspiring, "The spirit you have shown of living in harmony with nature while constantly pushing the limits has deeply impressed our entire team!"

"You are the living, breathing Alpha, walking in the Alaskan wilderness! You are the perfect person to represent Arc'teryx's pursuit of excellence!"

"So!" He finally revealed his true purpose, his voice like a pre-battle rallying cry, "We, Arc'teryx, with the utmost sincerity and respect, formally invite you to become our global brand ambassador for 2022!"

"We hope to travel with you to complete those routes that only exist in legends!"

"For example, go to Patagonia and challenge the rock face of FitzRoy, which looks like the fingertips of God! Go to the south face of K2 and feel the coldest breath of this savage giant!"

"We even hope to stand with you at the summit of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, and let the fossil of Archaeopteryx shine brightly at an altitude of 8848 meters, facing the sunrise!"

His vision was grand and inspiring, a testament to the ultimate celebration of professionalism and extreme adventure.

These words are enough to make any man who still harbors a dream of adventure feel his blood boil and his heart surge with excitement!
A few days ago, such a top-tier contract, seemingly appearing out of nowhere and brimming with heroism, would have been enough to make any content creator ecstatic.

But now, Lin Yu'an simply listened calmly, a playful smile playing on his lips. He even had the leisure to gesture to Emily, who was staring at him in shock and curiosity in the living room, to calm down.

After the other party's impassioned speech finally came to an end, Lin Yu'an slowly spoke, his voice not loud, but as calm and firm as an Alaskan glacier: "Mr. Weber, thank you for your invitation. Your speech was excellent."

He paused, then changed the subject, "However, as you said, it was an 'extremely foolish misjudgment.'" He returned the other person's words verbatim.

“Some opportunities are based on specific times and trust, and once trust is broken, it is very difficult to restore.” His tone remained calm, but the rejection in his words pierced the other end of the phone like an icicle.

"So, I think I might have other options now."

He neither directly refused nor agreed. Instead, he firmly held the power of choice in his own hands.

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Marcus had clearly not expected the other party to be so direct and ruthless.

Marcus could clearly sense that he was not facing an internet celebrity who was blinded by unexpected wealth, but a calm, rational, and even somewhat ruthless negotiating opponent.

“Mr. Lin,” Marcus’s voice rang out again, this time without the previous politeness, but with a more frank and open tone, “I understand how you feel. We did make a mistake, a terrible one. But we are willing to pay a high price for this mistake!”

“Our legal department has drafted a brand new contract for you.” He began to speak faster, trying to regain the initiative in the negotiations by using concrete benefits.

“A three-year, $8 million annual global brand ambassador contract, paid after tax.”

"There are no mandatory commercial activity requirements, and no restrictions on content updates or live streaming. All we need is for you to continue choosing our products and authorizing us to use your image and work for brand promotion worldwide as you embark on your great adventures and creations."

Marcus emphasized, "This... is the highest-level contract Arc'teryx has ever offered to an individual. We believe this is sufficient to demonstrate our sincerity!"

Eight million US dollars a year, after tax.

This number is enough to drive 99 percent of the world crazy! Arya and Emily, who were in the living room, even though they didn't understand all the business jargon, felt a huge shock from the clear numbers, and their eyes were full of astonishment.

However, Lin Yu-an's reaction once again exceeded Marcus's expectations.

“Eight million?” Lin Yu’an chuckled, his laughter carrying an undisguised sarcasm. “Mr. Weber, it seems you still haven’t grasped the crux of the matter.”

"What?" Marcus's voice showed a hint of surprise for the first time.

"The key issue has never been money." Lin Yu'an's voice turned cold.

"If I were only in it for the money, I wouldn't have come to Alaska at all. The key issue is that your evaluation system and your business logic fundamentally neither understand nor respect what I'm doing."

He leaned back in his chair, his tone becoming distant and full of irony.

“I remember, more than a year ago, after ‘Living Alone in the Wild,’ I first came into contact with Arc’teryx. At that time, you were represented by a brand director named Katherine Walker. Do you know her, Mr. Weber?”

Marcus's heart sank on the other end of the phone. Catherine was one of the key figures responsible for this assessment report.

Lin Yu'an didn't wait for his reply and continued speaking to himself. His memory was astonishing; he was almost repeating it word for word:
“She said, Mr. Hermann, your performance perfectly embodies our brand’s philosophy of pursuing peak performance in harsh environments. We also understand that you have turned off the tipping function, valuing long-term reputation, which coincides with our Arc’teryx philosophy of relying on the strength of our products and serving our core users well.”

She added, "So what we want to talk to you about is not a simple product promotion, but a long-term brand partnership."

Lin Yu'an paused, his voice suddenly turning cold, like a drawn blade: "Now, Mr. Weber, please tell me seriously."

"How did I, who initially valued long-term reputation and shared the same philosophy, become, in just one year, the discarded pawn in your evaluation report due to insufficient commercial exposure and non-renewal of the contract?"

"Is it because I stopped updating for half a year, or because my 'hard skills' and 'long-standing reputation' are worthless in your latest data model?"

This incisive question, like the sharpest scalpel, precisely dissects the most hypocritical and utilitarian side behind capitalism!
“I…” Marcus was completely speechless. He realized that all his business skills and negotiation strategies, which he was so proud of, seemed so pale and powerless in front of this man.

The other party wasn't even on the same level as him. He was talking about interests, while the other party was talking about respect, understanding, and original intentions.

“Mr. Lin, I…I understand how you feel, but…”

“No, you don’t understand.” Lin Yu’an interrupted him bluntly. “You’re just carrying out a crisis public relations operation, a business move to make up for a mistake with money. As for me, I have absolutely no interest in becoming part of your brand’s atonement.”

“Besides…” Lin Yu’an’s tone became more playful, “It seems like you’re not the only ones interested in me, are you? The scenery in Norway is quite nice too.”

These words, like the last straw, completely broke Marcus's carefully constructed psychological defenses.

There was another long silence on the other end of the phone. This time, Lin Yu'an could clearly hear the other person's heavy and suppressed breathing.

After a long while, Marcus's voice came again. In that voice, there was no longer any pride of a business director, only a pure, almost pleading sincerity.

"Mr. Lin, you win."

"Yes, I admit it. Our previous behavior was foolish, arrogant, and unforgivable. Our previous evaluation system also failed to truly measure your value."

He took a deep breath and made a significant decision: "As for Ms. Katherine Walker, whom you mentioned... I can assure you that after the internal debriefing of this incident, she will no longer be in charge of any projects related to brand ambassadors."

"We, Archaeopteryx, will pay the price for this foolish misjudgment! Please rest assured on that."

"Therefore, please allow me, in my personal capacity, and not in my capacity as the director of Arc'teryx, to make a new request."

"Please...give us a chance. A chance to relearn how to 'understand' and 'respect' the true creators."

“Some terms of the contract, and even the form of cooperation, can be determined by you. You don’t have to see it as an endorsement; you can see it as an investment or transformation of our brand, which has lost its way.”

“We… need you. Not just your traffic, but also the essence you represent, the true soul that our brand had since its inception but has gradually lost.”

These words finally softened Lin Yu'an's icy expression.

He paused for a moment, then slowly said, "Mr. Weber, please turn your sincerity into a detailed proposal and send it to my email address."

After saying that, he hung up the phone again decisively.

The entire wooden house was completely silent.

Immediately, Arya and Emily burst into an uncontrollable cheer!
“Oh my god! Honey! You’re so cool!” Arya rushed over and hugged him tightly. “‘No interest in being part of your brand’s indulgence’! That’s a textbook line!”

Emily smiled and said with admiration in her eyes, "I prefer the line, 'How did I become the discarded pawn in your evaluation report for insufficient commercial exposure and non-renewal of my contract in just one year?'"

"That's like throwing a huge problem back at us so easily. I bet Marcus would go crazy if he heard that."

Lin Yu'an smiled, letting them hug him, his face still showing a calm and composed expression, as if he were in complete control.

After his two wives calmed down a bit, Emily looked up at him with a hint of curiosity and confusion and asked, "Darling, seriously, you really... just refused like that? That's... eight million dollars a year!"

Looking at them, Lin Yu'an finally couldn't hold back anymore. The "expert" expression on his face instantly crumbled, revealing a smile that was both smug and a little guilty.

He lowered his voice, like a child who had done something wrong and wanted to show off, and confessed to the two of them, "To be honest... when he quoted eight million after tax, my heart skipped a beat."

He held up his hand and gestured to the location of his wildly beating heart: "At that moment, the only thought in my mind was to close the deal! I almost blurted out, 'Okay, send me the contract.'"

"Then I thought about it again, and wait a minute!" Lin Yu'an's tone was filled with an irrepressible sense of pleasure at successfully showing off.

"They're begging me now! The initiative is in my hands! This kind of opportunity to humiliate them to their faces might only come once in a lifetime! If I agree so easily, it would be too easy on them!"

He raised an eyebrow smugly at the stunned expressions on his two wives' faces.

"I have to pretend! I have to act like money is nothing to me, and I don't care about it at all!"

He mimicked his own tone perfectly, saying, "The key issue has never been money. I have absolutely no interest in becoming your indulgences... How about that? Isn't that incredibly cool? I'm almost impressed with my own awesomeness, haha!"

"Pfft-"

Arya and Emily couldn't help but laugh when they saw him like this. The admiration they had felt for the business tycoon was instantly replaced by a feeling of closeness that was both funny and exasperating.

“So…” Emily laughed until tears almost streamed down her face, “all that long theory you just gave about respect and original intentions was… just an act?”

"Not entirely." Lin Yu'an put away his joke, his expression returning to a serious tone. "Seven parts genuine, three parts pretense. Of course I was angry when they looked down on me like that."

"But to say that I wasn't tempted by the eight million dollars would be a lie. I just... wanted them to understand that to regain my respect, they needed to pay more than just money."

He paused, then a playful smile returned to his face: "Of course, the main reason is to show off. This feeling is just too awesome!"

Seeing his honest yet somewhat roguish demeanor, Arya and Emily exchanged a smile and completely relaxed.

This is the man they love. He possesses both composure and strength in the face of storms, and the genuine and adorable side of him who sheds all pretense in front of his family.

Arya chuckled and shook her head. "Well, you certainly know how to act like a world-class actor." She added with a hint of teasing, "But I'm really curious, darling, why don't you actually consider Climbing Rat or Old Man's Head?"

“You just mentioned them yourself, which means you understand their value. Old Man Head is even willing to give you a mountain... These conditions sound much more sincere than Archaeopteryx’s ‘atonement’ contract.”

"Moreover, in terms of brand image, their more niche and extreme style seems to better suit your current situation, doesn't it?"

Emily nodded in agreement: "Yes, darling. Choosing Archaeopteryx feels like... mending a rift that's already happened. Choosing Climbing Rat or Old Man Head feels more like starting a new, more respectful relationship."

Lin Yu'an did not answer the question immediately. Faced with the question posed by his two wives, he knew that it was not just curiosity, but also their most sincere consideration of his future path.

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)