American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 300 Mysterious Commission

"After the accident, Mr. Hunter mobilized all his resources to launch an unprecedented search and rescue operation."

"He invited top cave rescue experts from around the world and persuaded a legendary explorer who had repeatedly set Asian cave diving depth records."

"Han Ting (Lao Mao), who is hailed as China's number one cave diver, personally went underwater to try to search."

"But even Mr. Han Ting, after risking his life to dive several times, could only helplessly say that the interior environment of the Nine-Beat Skylight was the most complex and unpredictable he had ever seen."

"The swift currents and the unfathomable darkness made any further search extremely difficult. Ultimately, all rescue operations ended in failure."

"Miss Evelyn disappeared forever into that mysterious underground river, without leaving a trace."

“Last year, Mr. Hunt funded the last and most devastating private search operation.”

"He hired two cave diving experts, and the two of them teamed up to retake the underwater crossing route that Miss Evelyn failed to do years ago."

"However, according to a later investigation report, when they descended to a depth of about 120 meters, they deviated from the main guide rope in that intricate network of branching paths and lost their way."

Arthur paused for a moment, as if the cold scene were right before his eyes.

"Ultimately, both of them perished. The operation to retrieve their bodies was extremely difficult and showed all participants the true horror of that body of water."

"Fortunately, thanks to Han Ting's seven-day underwater rescue and salvage operation, which relied on his superb skills and tenacious perseverance, the body of his dear friend was finally successfully recovered and brought ashore."

"This accident completely destroyed Mr. Hunter's last hope. Not only did he fail to find his daughter, but his obsession also indirectly led to the loss of two other young lives."

"This double tragedy, along with all the previous failures, became the final straw that broke Mr. Hunter's back. He lost his last child and couldn't even bring her back to his homeland for burial."

"Therefore, in the final moments of his life, collecting his daughter's remains was more than just a father's wish."

"It became a responsibility that had to be fulfilled and a form of atonement, which became his only obsession."

Arthur's expression turned extremely solemn. "After learning that his time was coming to an end, Mr. Hunter made a decision that shook the entire family office circle."

"He amended his will, deciding to spend almost all of his liquid assets to seek out talented individuals around the world, all to fulfill this final wish—to bring Evelyn home."

Arthur took a document from his briefcase and gently placed it on the table in front of Lin Yu'an.

"This is the core of his bounty. The Rockefeller family's ancestors were among the earliest angel investors in Coca-Cola."

"In 1892, a crucial investment was made to Asa Candler, the then-unknown founder, acquiring a portion of the company's original equity."

"After more than a hundred years of financing, listing and stock splits, that investment from back then has finally settled in a family trust as 2% of Coca-Cola's equity."

"The Hunter family has never sold this stock in their lifetime. For them, this shareholding, like the Warriors Charter, is a symbol of the family's business acumen and a testament to history."

"To fulfill his final wish, Mr. Hunt hired one of Switzerland's top law firms to establish an absolutely unbreakable and irrevocable trust around the shares."

Arthur pointed to the document and explained its legal effect: "The terms of this trust are very clear. The settlor is Mr. Hunter, and the trust assets are this 2% Coca-Cola stock."

"The trustee is a neutral Swiss trust bank, and the Swiss law firm is the executor with supervisory power."

"The beneficiary is the first entity to successfully recover Evelyn's remains, which has been verified and confirmed by the trustee bank and an internationally certified forensic institution."

"The term 'irrevocable trust' means that the legal effect of this reward transcends Mr. Hunt's life or death and the will of any family member."

"It is now an independent legal contract protected by both the laws of the Cayman Islands and Switzerland, and must be strictly enforced."

"As long as the conditions are met, the trustee bank has a legal obligation to transfer all the equity in the trust to the beneficiary."

“Even if Mr. Hunter’s grandchildren wanted to take on the challenge, they would have absolutely no chance of succeeding.”

"Based on the most conservative estimates, the public market value of this 2% stake is definitely no less than five billion US dollars."

"Mr. Hunter's willingness to give it up is proof enough that his longing for his daughter's return surpasses everything else."

"So he set up a trust fund and left a mandate. If you, as the new owner of this land, are willing to accept this mandate and become the supervisor of this salvage operation."

"From the moment you accept this assignment until the day Miss Evelyn's remains are successfully brought back, you will receive a sum of money as payment for the supervisory task."

"That reward is exactly the total amount of money you used to buy this ranch, 230 million US dollars."

"His wish is that one day Evelyn can be buried in the family cemetery where she grew up."

Lin Yu'an finally understood that Mr. Hunter was making a selection in an extremely tragic and respectful way.

Under the guise of selling the farm, he selects a suitable heir, while also acting as a supervisor to find a salvage agent who can bear the final regrets.

If he takes on this 'duty,' it means he has made a contract, something he must accomplish in his lifetime.

So this kingdom he bought with money will ultimately become a thank-you gift from the former king.

He was both the buyer and the chosen "heir".

Lin Yu'an's gaze finally fell on the wax-sealed letter. He did not open it immediately, but looked at Arthur and asked in an extremely calm tone.

“Arthur, this commission sounds more like a gentleman’s agreement. If I accept it, how can it legally guarantee that the $2.3 million will be paid to me?”

Arthur was not at all surprised that Lin Yu-an could switch to the cold, hard legal realm so quickly after such a touching story.

Arthur replied respectfully, “Sir, you have asked about the core of this design. Mr. Hunter’s legal team has already constructed an unbreakable legal loop around it all.”

"First of all, the $2.3 million you paid when you signed the ranch purchase agreement did not go directly into Mr. Hunter's personal account."

Instead, the assets were transferred to an independent asset settlement custody account managed by a top-tier third-party bank.

“The letter in front of you, once opened and signed, signifies your agreement to activate a legally binding Estate Supervision and Enforcement Services Contract.”

Arthur succinctly explained how the contract would work:
The core terms of this contract are:
The settlor: The Hunter Rockefeller Estate Trust.

Entrusted executor: Mr. Lin Yu'an.

Services provided: As the sole supervisor, responsible for overseeing, evaluating, and, where appropriate, funding all legal actions aimed at finding and bringing back the remains of Evelyn Rockefeller.

Service reward: Once the mission objective (Evelyn's body is brought back to the ranch) is finally achieved.

In accordance with this agreement, the custodian bank will automatically and legally pay you the entire principal of US$2.3 million in the asset settlement custodian account, plus any interest accrued during the period, as a one-time service fee.

Contract Term: This contract is valid indefinitely until the task is completed, or terminated by your voluntary declaration that the task cannot be completed.

Arthur summarized: "Simply put, your land purchase payment becomes, in a legal sense, a guarantee of the service fees you may receive in the future."

"The entire process was a completely legal business entrustment and did not involve any complicated tax and legal disputes arising from gifts or inheritance."

Arthur concluded by adding, "Of course, as Mr. Hunter wishes, whether or not this contract is activated is entirely up to you."

“If you choose not to sign, the funds in the escrow account will be automatically transferred to Mr. Hunt’s estate trust after the agreed 90-day closing period to complete the transaction.”

"And this commission will be void."

Lin Yu'an had no more doubts.

This is a profound and ingenious scheme! Mr. Hunter not only prepared a generous gift for him, but also paved the way and cleared all obstacles for this gift.

He gave Lin Yu'an the freedom to choose, and in this way, he tightly linked his last obsession with the fate of this new master.

Lin Yu'an didn't dwell on the issue any further, but instead thought of the employees waiting outside for the meeting.

"Arthur, let me think about this commission. Now, let's go meet the staff together," Lin Yu'an said calmly, closing the report.

"Yes, sir. The ranch's operations team is very lean and efficient. In addition to the eight department heads, the remaining thirty-eight employees are either in their respective positions or participating via video link. The meeting room is ready."

The atmosphere in the meeting room, which combined online and offline elements, was somewhat heavy and uneasy.

At the long table in the center of the room, the ranch's eight core managers sat upright.

When Lin Yu'an entered the conference room accompanied by Arthur, everyone immediately stood up, and the employees on the screen also stood up, creating a moment of silence on camera.

At the long table in the center of the room, the ranch's eight core managers sat upright.

They were all long-time servants who had served their former master, Mr. Hunter, for many years, and their hearts were filled with uncertainty and trepidation about their new master.

The room's huge screen was divided into more than thirty small windows, revealing faces with the same tension and curiosity—ordinary employees from all corners of the ranch.

Seated at the head of the table was Hank Miller, the ranch's general manager. A nearly sixty-year-old cowboy with sun-tanned skin and a face covered in weathered wrinkles.

He wore a crisply starched denim shirt and leather vest, his eyes sharp and silent. He was the key figure here, directly leading a team of 12 experienced cowboys.

Beside him was Maria Sanchez, the stable manager. A Latina woman in her forties, she was athletic, with a neat ponytail, and her horse-training skills were excellent.

She leads a small team of three, consisting of two grooms, responsible for the daily care and training of 16 horses.

And there was also the estate's steward, Lady Elizabeth Gable, a lady in her fifties, elegant and meticulous.

She was in charge of the interior management of Eagle's Nest and all the visitor cabins, ensuring that everything met the standards of a seven-star hotel.

She has an elite domestic service team of six, including her personal chef Elena and five versatile estate servants.

Under Mrs. Gabor's reporting system, but operating independently, is the logistics manager, a middle-aged man named Fat Chef Jack.

He and his two kitchen helpers are responsible for running the Bighorn Sheep Dining Hall, providing three meals a day for all the farm's employees.

In addition, there is David Chen, the finance and legal director (newly hired); and Murphy, the mechanical director, who leads two skilled mechanics to maintain all vehicles and farm machinery.

And security chief Sean O'Connor, who leads a strong security team of eight trained by a professional security firm, divided into two tactical groups, responsible for 24-hour patrols.

Finally, there was the veterinary chief, Carter, and his two assistants.

The two nannies hired yesterday report directly to the farm owner and will focus solely on caring for the two babies; therefore, they will not participate in the farm's operational meetings.

This is the core human resource structure of the entire ranch: 8 supervisors, plus 35 professionals with their own responsibilities, for a total of 43 full-time employees.

This is an extremely lean and efficient team. Each member is an elite carefully selected from their respective fields.

They each performed their duties, like a fine Swiss watch, working together to ensure the smooth operation of this vast kingdom.

Lin Yu'an's gaze calmly swept over everyone. Instead of sitting down immediately, he walked slowly to the French windows and looked at the herd of cattle being driven slowly by the cowboys outside.

The conference room was silent, and everyone could feel the calm and powerful aura emanating from it.

After a long while, Lin Yu'an turned around, walked to the front of the main seat, and looked at everyone, especially lingering on Hank Miller for two seconds.

"Everyone," his voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear, carrying an undeniable penetrating power, "my name is Lin Yu'an, and I am the new owner of this place."

“I know that many of you have worked here for five, ten, or even longer. You have dedicated your youth and sweat to this land.”

“Without you, there would be no glory for the Great Stone River Heritage Ranch today, and I express my heartfelt gratitude.”

His opening remarks surprised everyone; instead of the arrogance of a new broom sweeping clean, they were full of respect and affirmation. The expressions on everyone's faces seemed to soften slightly.

"I've invited everyone here today to talk about only three things."

"First, I will not change the existing mature operating model here."

"Hank, you're still the ranch's general manager. You know more about the cattle and pastures than I do."

“Maria, you will continue to be in full charge of the horse farm. Mrs. Gabor, this household also needs your attention. Everyone, please do your jobs properly, and I will not interfere in your professional fields.”

These words brought a sigh of relief to everyone. It was the greatest recognition of their professional abilities, and exactly what they wanted to hear.

"Secondly, what I need to change is your treatment."

Lin Yu'an's words made everyone's hearts jump again.

He said slowly, "I've looked at the financial statements and your pay stubs. To be honest, I'm not satisfied."

"Your salaries are not commensurate with your contributions, nor with the status of this top-tier ranch. Hank, as the general manager, a $15 annual salary is simply a joke."

He turned to Arthur, who immediately stepped forward and announced clearly, "Starting this month, all management personnel present will receive a 30% salary increase."

"Mr. Hank, your new base salary is $250,000. All regular employees will see a 20% salary increase."

"In addition, if the ranch can maintain last year's profit level by the end of this year, everyone will receive an extra three months' salary as a year-end bonus. If the profit increases by more than 10%, the bonus will be doubled."

"boom!"

A series of suppressed gasps and gasps of surprise rippled through the conference room.

They could hardly believe their ears! Such a huge pay rise, along with an unprecedentedly generous bonus—this was the kind of generosity that had never been seen when Mr. Hunter was in charge!
For the first time, Hank Miller's weathered face showed an expression of disbelief and shock.

He looked at Lin Yu'an, his eyes filled with complex emotions. Based on the adjusted staff numbers, this decision meant the new owner would have to pay nearly seven hundred thousand dollars more in salaries annually!
For a company with an annual profit of over 1.6 million, this is an extremely large and bold investment!
Just as everyone was still immersed in immense joy and gratitude, Lin Yu'an's voice rang out again, but this time his tone carried an undeniable coldness and sharpness.

"Third, and my only request."

The air in the room, which had just become heated with ecstasy, cooled down instantly.

Lin Yu'an's gaze swept over everyone present, his eyes seemingly able to see into their hearts.

“I’m giving you the best treatment in the industry, and what I expect to see are results that match or even exceed its value. So, starting today, we need some new rules.”

He first looked at General Manager Hank Miller.

"Hank, I respect your experience as a cowboy, but in the future I need you to let the data speak for itself. Your year-end bonus will be directly linked to two core metrics."

"First, we will increase the yield of top-grade Wagyu beef (BMS rating 10 or above) by five percentage points on the existing basis."

"Second, reduce the mortality rate of calves by 0.5%. All your operational decisions should revolve around these two goals."

Hank's expression instantly turned serious. Both of these indicators were extremely challenging, requiring the ultimate optimization and management of every aspect of the ranch's operation.

This is by no means a task that can be easily accomplished based on experience alone.

Lin Yu'an glanced around, finally fixing his gaze on Dr. Carter, the veterinary chief. He was a white man in his forties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and appearing quite arrogant.

“Dr. Carter,” Lin Yu’an said calmly, “Hank’s goal is to reduce calf mortality, and your task is to provide him with the best possible medical care.”

“I require your veterinary station to be on call 24 hours a day. If any animal on the ranch has an emergency at any time, I need your team to be on the scene within 20 minutes.”

"In addition, you need to establish a completely new preventive medicine system and submit a detailed data report on the health status of the ranch animals every week."

Just then, Dr. Carter, the veterinary chief who had been silent all along, suddenly frowned. He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and spoke in a tone that was clearly displeased and arrogant.

"Mr. Lin, please forgive my bluntness." All eyes were on him.

"No one can refuse the salary offer you proposed. However, from a professional point of view, I do not think your requirement for the veterinary station to respond within 20 minutes and operate 24 hours a day is advisable."

His voice wasn't loud, but it made the temperature in the conference room drop suddenly.

(End of this chapter)