American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 301 The Power of the New King's Ascension to the Throne

Dr. Carter met Lin Yu'an's gaze with neither humility nor arrogance, and continued, "Sir, we are dealing with life, not machines."

"Emergency response is important, but the core is a mature preventive medicine system that has been proven over decades."

"Excessive pressure and 24/7 on-call duty only increase the team's error rate. Ultimately, this will harm the overall health of the ranch animals."

“We are professional veterinarians, not 24-hour convenience store employees. We have our own work rhythm and personal time.”

“Mr. Hunter always respected our professional autonomy and never made such unreasonable demands for militarized management.”

"Mr. Hunter's philosophy is prevention. He believes that respecting the professional rhythm is the key to creating the greatest value, which is also a way of working that we have always been proud of."

As soon as he finished speaking, the conference room fell into a deathly silence. Hank Miller's brow furrowed as well.

Carter's words cleverly shifted the issue from whether or not to obey orders to a clash between two management philosophies, even invoking the ideas of his former employer, Mr. Hunter, as a shield.

This was no longer a simple show of force, but an arrogant and forceful challenge from the core members of the old order.

Everyone held their breath, staring incredulously at this guy who dared to openly contradict his new master after he announced a huge pay raise.

A flicker of anger and worry crossed Hank Miller's eyes.

Lin Yu'an's face was expressionless, revealing neither joy nor anger.

He didn't look at Dr. Carter, but instead turned his gaze to the two veterinary assistants behind Carter: a young white man named Tom and a white girl named Hannah.

Lin Yu'an's voice was eerily calm, "Tom, do you agree with Dr. Carter's point of view?"

Young Tom clearly hadn't expected to be called out, but he didn't panic as others might have imagined.

He glanced at his supervisor, who was also his uncle, Dr. Carter, and a hint of arrogant confidence appeared on his face.

Tom straightened his back and said in a flippant tone, "Of course, I completely agree with my uncle. We make a living with our professional skills, not by selling our 24-hour workdays."

"Besides, boss, the salary you pay is good, but it's not enough to make us sell our lives to the ranch, is it? Freedom is priceless."

His words were not only supportive, but also a blatant provocation, as if to say, "My nephew and I are the core of the technology here; you can't do without us."

The air in the entire conference room seemed to freeze. Everyone could feel the tense atmosphere, as if a sword had been drawn.

Lin Yu'an nodded, his face still expressionless. He looked at the girl named Hannah, who was in her early twenties, with some freckles on her face, and seemed very nervous.

"Hannah, what about you?"

Hannah pressed her lips tightly together, her hands nervously twisting together under the table, as if engaged in a fierce internal struggle. Dr. Carter and Tom both looked at her with a warning gaze.

A few seconds later, as if she had made up her mind, she took a deep breath, raised her head to meet Lin Yu'an's gaze, and said, "Boss... I... I may not understand what work-life balance is."

She paused, her eyes softening as if she had remembered something precious.

"I only know the Arabian horse in the stable named 'Storm,' and I delivered it when it was a foal."

"Last winter it got severe pneumonia. I stayed with it in the stable for three days and three nights to save it from death."

Her voice trembled slightly: "To me, it's not livestock, it's my friend! They need me, and I can't wait until eight o'clock the next morning to take care of them."

"So... I'm willing to be on call 24/7. I'll be there whenever they need me!"

After she finished speaking, there was a two-second silence in the conference room as everyone savored the purity in her words.

Hannah's heartfelt words stood in stark contrast to Tom's selfish and arrogant theory of freedom, deeply moving everyone present.

Suddenly, "slap, slap, slap."

Applause rang out, sparse but steady and powerful.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw old cowboy Hank Miller clapping for the young girl with his calloused hands.

Hank's applause was like a signal, instantly igniting the suppressed emotions in everyone else present. The stable manager, Maria, followed suit, her eyes full of approval.

Then, applause erupted from one end of the conference table, followed by applause from Mrs. Gabe, the logistics manager, and Sean, the security manager, and quickly spread to the other end.

Amidst the applause, Tom's selfish and arrogant theory of freedom seemed so pale and ridiculous, and his and Dr. Carter's expressions grew increasingly grim.

A slight smile finally appeared on Lin Yu'an's lips, but that smile sent a chill down Dr. Carter's spine and that of his foolish nephew.

"Hannah, thank you." Lin Yu'an nodded gently to the girl, which calmed her down a little.

Then he turned to David Chen, his voice not loud, but everyone perked up their ears, "David, I'd like to confirm the ranch's standard procedures."

"If an employee requires a comprehensive audit of assets and accounts for the purpose of handing over their work, what should we pay attention to during this process?"

David Chen immediately stood up. “Sir, an audit is a serious and necessary procedure. We will seal all relevant records and cross-check them.”

"During this period, all relevant personnel must unconditionally remain on duty and cooperate with the investigation until the audit is completed."

"As is customary, we will not process resignation applications from those involved until the audit results are released, in order to ensure the completeness of the investigation."

"Sir, regarding employee departures, Wyoming is a typical state of arbitrary hiring. This means that employers can dismiss employees for any reason, as long as it does not involve discrimination."

"Conversely, employees can also resign voluntarily at any time, and long-term employees are usually given an additional severance payment of three months' salary."

"As a token of gratitude for his past service, and to sign a standard severance and waiver agreement with him."

Lin Yu'an nodded, indicating his satisfaction with the answer, and then casually asked another question.

"So, if an audit uncovers problems, such as clear financial deficits or asset losses, what are the subsequent procedures?"

This question made Carter's heart skip a beat.

"Sir, if the audit results prove that there are illegal or serious dereliction of duty, then it will no longer be a simple personnel change issue."

“We have an obligation to hand over all evidence to the judicial authorities, in which case the employee may go to jail.”

"I see," Lin Yu'an commented softly, as if he had just learned a new piece of knowledge.

Then his gaze slowly turned to Dr. Carter, whose face had become somewhat stiff.

Lin Yu'an's voice was calm. "Dr. Carter, what you just said reminded me. You mentioned a mature preventive medicine system that has been proven over decades, and you also mentioned professionalism."

“You’re right. We’re dealing with lives, not machines, so we can’t afford to be careless in the slightest.”

"The core of a truly professional system should be absolute rigor and transparency, and unquestionable integrity. Am I right in understanding this, Doctor?"

These words were like a gentle trap; he turned Carter's own lofty words into a sharp yardstick for measuring himself.

Carter opened his mouth, but under everyone's gaze, he could only nod stiffly, his ominous premonition reaching its peak.

"Very good." Lin Yu'an's smile deepened, but his eyes were devoid of any warmth.

He stopped looking at Carter and instead slowly swept his gaze over each of the managers present, his voice suddenly becoming unquestionable.

"Dr. Carter's words gave me a very important insight. He is right, a truly professional system is the ranch's most valuable asset."

"And I believe that this kind of professionalism that we can be proud of is not limited to veterinary stations."

He paused, and each word struck the hearts of the crowd like the heavy hammer of a war drum.

"Therefore, I have decided that the first task of our new system is to conduct a comprehensive review and study of the professional systems of all departments in the ranch in the past!"

"From now on, conduct a thorough, indefinite asset inventory and accounting audit of all departments of the ranch!"

"Focus on thoroughly reviewing all inventory and cross-referencing it with purchase and usage records from the past three years! Examine all expense reports and supplier contracts!"

"I want to ensure that every professional system we inherit is as rigorous, transparent, and beyond question as Dr. Carter said!"

"boom--!"

These words were like a bombshell, exploding throughout the conference room!
If the veterinary station was previously acting alone, this fire, now spreading to everyone, instantly changed the expression of every supervisor!
Maria, the stable manager, pressed her lips into a thin line, and for the first time, her gaze towards Carter carried a hint of undisguised annoyance.

Mechanical supervisor Murphy unconsciously clenched his fist under the table, and even logistics supervisor Mrs. Gabor looked at Carter with a hint of reproach.

Nobody's a fool! They all know that the new owner's drastic and ruthless actions were entirely triggered by Carter's arrogant provocation!
They may not have the same obvious flaws as Carter, but who can guarantee that their department has been flawless in every account and every piece of inventory over the past few years?

Now, because of Carter's stupidity, everyone has been dragged into this mess and is being put under a microscope for the most rigorous scrutiny!
The new owner's move was a warning to Carter, but it intimidated everyone else!

In an instant, Carter became the sinner who had brought trouble upon himself, and was completely isolated from all his colleagues.

These words struck Carter and his nephew like a precise thunderbolt.

With a "thump," young Tom's legs went weak, and he slumped into the chair, his face ashen.

Seeing his nephew's utterly terrified state and the disgruntled looks in his colleagues' eyes, Carter's heart sank into an ice cave.

Carter was well aware of Tom's underhanded dealings, of those expensive medicines being recorded as expired or wasted on the books. He knew perfectly well how many were truly expired and how many ended up in Tom's pocket.

He had warned him, but in the end he chose to turn a blind eye.

But to his utter surprise, the new boss stepped right on this landmine!

Let's use a grand and irrefutable reason like "the auditing professional system" to ignite it!

He knew he was completely finished.

Just as Carter was sweating profusely and his mind went blank, Lin Yu'an didn't even glance at him again, as if he were already dead.

He turned to look at Emily beside him, his voice instantly changing to a gentle tone, as if he were a completely different person.

“Honey, I almost forgot, you are an honors graduate of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.”

"Wouldn't it be a waste of your talents to put you in charge of this small veterinary station and establish a truly professional and transparent management system?"

This conversation was the cruelest public execution of Carter.

It's declaring: you and your so-called expertise, which you're so proud of, can be replaced at any time.

Emily paused for a moment, then understood Lin Yu'an's intention, her eyes sparkling with confidence: "Of course not, darling, it's my honor to serve our own ranch."

Lin Yu'an smiled and nodded to Emily before slowly turning his gaze back to Dr. Carter, whose face was ashen.

Instead of issuing a verdict immediately, he acted like a merciful judge, giving the defendant a final opportunity to make a statement.

His voice was calm, but this calmness was more terrifying than the previous coldness. "Mr. Carter, now let's talk about your questions about the work process."

"You and your nephew both seek undisturbed private time and a work rhythm, while also emphasizing a professional system that requires absolute rigor and integrity."

Lin Yu'an's calm, unwavering eyes refocused on Carter.

Leaning slightly forward, with his hands crossed on the table, forming a tower shape, he exudes a strong sense of oppression.

His tone was as gentle as a patient consultant's, without a trace of anger.

“Dr. Carter, you see things very simply. There are two perfectly clear paths in front of you.”

He held up one finger. “You mentioned a mature system, which I greatly respect. If the audit results prove that your system is as mature and professional as you claim,”

"And if there are no flaws, then I can apologize for my questioning today and allow you to continue working within this mature system. Of course, according to my new rules."

"Therefore, we will conduct a comprehensive audit of the veterinary station with the utmost rigor to ensure the system is flawless. Your full cooperation is required in this process."

"It will either prove your expertise to be the most compelling evidence, or... uncover some issues that require further explanation."

"Of course, if the latter occurs, we are also obligated to report the relevant findings to the appropriate legal authorities. This is both a procedure and a responsibility to the ranch assets."

He spoke with a businesslike smile, then held up a second finger. "You also mentioned work pace and personal time, and I fully respect that."

"If you feel that your career needs a new direction at this moment, or that it is no longer fully in line with the ranch's future development philosophy, then you can resign at any time."

“If you choose this path, David will process the paperwork for you immediately, but since you are resigning voluntarily, there will be no severance pay.”

"However, we appreciate your past service and wish you all the best in the future."

"And the work of the ranch must also look forward. Our audit resources will naturally be prioritized for those management departments that are still in office."

After Lin Yu'an finished speaking, he leaned back in his chair, crossed his hands on the table, and looked at him quietly without saying another word.

He didn't give any choices, didn't tell you which one to choose, and didn't mention any threats.

He simply stated two completely independent, and seemingly perfectly reasonable, standardized procedures.

But when these two processes are put together, their meaning is like a cold dagger pressed against Carter's throat.

If they stay, they must undergo a potentially fatal audit, which could ultimately ruin their reputation.

Leaving would allow you to leave unscathed, but you wouldn't receive a single penny of severance pay.

The air in the entire conference room seemed to freeze; all the managers felt the suffocating terror beneath those calm words.

Lin Yu'an calmly observed her former supervisor, who was caught in a moral dilemma, without any inner turmoil.

In the due diligence report he conducted before taking over the ranch, the veterinary station turned out to be the least busy department on the entire ranch in the past few years.

Apart from routine disease prevention and a few small-scale outbreaks of equine diarrhea, there were no major animal epidemics or rare diseases.

In Lin Yu'an's view, spending such an exorbitant amount of money to support a team that hardly ever does any high-intensity work is the most typical example of high salaries paid without actual work.

Moreover, he glanced at Emily beside him, a truly top-notch veterinary expert right in front of him.

Seeing Carter take the initiative to challenge him, Lin Yu'an's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile. This was going even more smoothly than he had expected.

Dr. Carter's body began to tremble violently, and cold sweat soaked the back of his shirt.

Looking into Lin Yu'an's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, he knew that no matter what choice he made, he had already lost miserably.

His mind was in chaos. On one hand, there was the generous annual salary that his new boss had just announced—$350,000—enough to elevate his quality of life for the rest of his life!
That was a number he never dared to dream of before; it was enough to make him hold his head high in front of his relatives and friends; it was the key to realizing all his material dreams!

On the other hand, there was Tom's face contorted with fear, and the accounting loopholes that, once exposed, could ruin his reputation or even land him in jail.

He coveted that annual salary, that huge sum of money that was almost within his grasp, but he knew even better that he had no right to take it!

Choosing to stay and accept the audit is tantamount to lighting a bomb buried under one's own feet, which will only result in losing both personal wealth and personal freedom, or even facing litigation.

An immense sense of resentment and despair gripped his throat like two invisible hands.

He opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but found that any words seemed pale and powerless at this moment.

He glanced at his nephew, who was already terrified, and then at the other managers in the conference room who were also silent with fear. The last bit of hope in his heart was completely extinguished.

He knew that if he continued to stubbornly persist, he would not only lose his job, but also suffer complete disgrace. The question that seemed to offer a choice had actually already sealed off all his escape routes.

Having figured this out, Carter seemed to have all his strength drained away, and even his last bit of arrogance vanished.

He stood up, bowed deeply to Lin Yu'an, and said, "Mr. Lin, I apologize for my rudeness and foolishness just now. I... I choose the second path."

The arrogance that had once filled his eyes was gone, replaced only by pleading.

“I admit that I did have some…management shortcomings in my past work.”

“My nephew and I can sign our severance agreements right here, and I promise to leave the ranch today and never come back.”

Lin Yu looked at him quietly without responding immediately. Those few seconds of silence felt like an eternity to everyone present.

Everyone understood what Carter meant: he was offering a complete surrender without any conditions in exchange for his new master abandoning the potentially fatal audit.

Lin Yu'an's gaze slowly swept from Carter's face to every tense-looking manager present.

He saw the expectation in Hank's eyes, Mrs. Gabby's tightly clasped hands, and the uneasy expressions on the faces of the others.

The goal of establishing authority has been achieved. If the lid is truly lifted and all departments' past records are thoroughly investigated, more or less problems will inevitably be uncovered.

If the punishment is too severe, it will cause the entire management team to fall apart. If the punishment is too lenient, it will seem like a lot of noise but little effect.

A true ruler does not need a flawed old ledger, but a new future where orders are obeyed without question.

Thinking of this, a gentle smile appeared on Lin Yu'an's lips.

He nodded slightly to Carter: "Very good, Mr. Carter. I appreciate your wisdom. Everyone makes mistakes. It's good to know your mistakes and correct them."

Then, he looked at David and Sean and said in a tolerant tone, "Since Mr. Carter has chosen to resign voluntarily to take responsibility for his management failures..."

"There is no need to continue the audit of the veterinary station. Let's stop here."

Lin Yu'an slowly scanned the entire room, his voice becoming gentle yet firm: "Not only the veterinary station, but I have decided to cancel the audit plan for all departments that I just announced."

All the supervisors looked up sharply, especially Carter, who stared at him in disbelief.

These words struck like a thunderbolt, exploding in the minds of all the managers!
Lin Yu-an continued, "I believe that any oversights in the past stemmed from imperfections in the system, not from your intentions."

"I believe that everyone here shares Hannah's deep affection for this job and this ranch."

"So I've decided that all past accounts should become history along with Mr. Carter."

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.

(300 chapters! Please vote with monthly tickets~)

(End of this chapter)