American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 308 The Shocking Strength of the McKinley Family
Just then, Mrs. Gabor, the manor's steward, dressed in a well-tailored suit, appeared at the entrance to the living room.

She bowed slightly to Lin Yu'an and said softly in a perfect British accent, "Ladies and gentlemen, the luncheon is ready and can begin at any time."

"Great! I've been starving!" Garrett, the hottest-tempered of the two brothers, was the first to cheer.

He patted his stomach and shouted, "After touring for so long, it's finally lunchtime!"

This straightforward remark drew another round of good-natured laughter from the crowd, completely dispelling the slightly serious and sentimental atmosphere from before.

Lin Yu'an smiled and shook his head, then gestured for everyone to proceed.

"Please have a seat, everyone," Lin Yu'an said, inviting everyone to sit down like an elegant estate owner.

The luncheon followed the typical American family dining style—relaxed, plentiful, and informal.

The enormous platter was piled high with all sorts of delicious food: sizzling venison sausages, pork ribs grilled with honey and mustard, creamy baked potatoes, Caesar salad…

But among all the dishes, arranged like stars around the moon, were several thick-cut steaks, perfectly cooked to medium-rare.

The steak had beautiful brown grill marks on the outside.

When cut with a knife and fork, you can clearly see the perfect medium-rare pink color inside, and the juicy, plump cross-section made of melted fat.

“Come on, try some of the ranch’s own products,” Lin Yu’an said with a smile.

Everyone was already starving and immediately began to eat.

Wyatt, the eldest brother and the ranch owner who knew cattle best, cut off the first steak and put it directly into his mouth without dipping it in any sauce.

He didn't chew immediately, but closed his eyes first, letting the warm beef linger on his tongue for a moment, using the warmth of his mouth to further melt the fat on its surface.

Then, a rich and pure oily fragrance with a faint milky aroma instantly filled his entire nasal cavity.

He then began to chew slowly. A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with disbelief and shock.

"Lin..." His voice changed slightly, "These are the cattle you raised yourself?"

“Yes,” Lin Yu’an nodded, “This is the Giant Stone River Snowflake Cattle that its former owner, Mr. Hunter, spent decades cultivating.”

“I see…” Wyatt cut off another piece, as if to confirm his taste again.

Garrett, the second brother who had been engrossed in eating, mumbled, "That's right! This meat melts in your mouth! It's so delicious, even better than Mom's steak."

"And Wyatt, stop just marveling at it, tell me what level this thing is, right?"

Wyatt slowly put down his knife and fork and said in a professional tone, "To put it simply, according to the USDA standards that we are most familiar with, the best beef is Grade A."

“On our farm, at most one out of ten cows will produce a successful cow, and that’s something we can brag about in Montana.”

He pointed with the tip of his knife at the steak on his plate.

"Beef grading is based on marbling, which must be done on raw meat. Once it's cooked, no one can accurately judge it."

“Once cooked, the muscle fibers and fat have changed, so it is no longer possible to make an accurate visual rating. That can only be judged in the raw meat state.”

“However,” Wyatt’s tone became incredibly certain, filled with an unquestionable sense of authority, “in terms of taste alone, this meat has completely surpassed the category of ‘excellent’!”

"I just tasted it, and its fat melts on my tongue with almost no chewing! It leaves only a pure milky aroma!"

"This characteristic is something that our common Angus or Hereford cattle simply cannot achieve! This indicates that its fat melting point is extremely low, which is proof of the highest quality bloodline and breeding standards!"

"Although I can't see its marbling, based on my experience of raising cattle all my life, I can say that beef that can achieve this texture must be measured by a completely different standard."

“I’ve raised Angus cattle my whole life, and they’re already the best beef cattle in Montana. But compared to what you inherited…” He shook his head, seemingly searching for the right word.

"It's like the difference between a Ford pickup truck and a Ferrari. My God, Lin, you are so lucky to have taken over such a perfect, mature, top-tier brand."

At this moment, Bo, who had been silent all along, took the lead. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, as if he were conducting a business analysis.

"Big brother is right. The world's top beef actually follows a pyramid system by default."

"The base and body of the grading system are based on the USDA grading system in the United States, which defines the standard for good beef. But the diamond at the top is the Japanese Wagyu grading system."

His gaze swept over the crowd as he began to explain: "Japan's rating system is extremely rigorous. It scores meat based on two dimensions: yield and quality."

"We only talk about the most important meat quality grade, which is divided into 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest."

"The core criterion for judging level 5 is something called 'BMS,' which is the benchmark for fat mixing. Simply put, it's about how beautiful the snowflakes are."

“BMS分为1到12级。美国的极佳级级，它的雪花标准，大致只相当于日本BMS的4到5级，也就是肉质等级的3级到4级。”

He looked at the steak on the plate, his eyes gleaming.

"And look at the density and distribution of fat in what we're eating now, it definitely reaches BMS level 8 or higher!"

"This means that if this piece of beef were taken to Japan for grading, it would be an undisputed A5! It's the diamond at the very top of the pyramid!"

Bo looked at Lin Yu'an with a deeper level of contemplation in his eyes. His tone was like that of an experienced senior giving advice to a junior.

"Lin, it is your good fortune to inherit such a legacy, but how to protect and continue this quality will be your biggest challenge in the future."

"The investment and management system required to cultivate this A5 grade beef is absolutely astronomical."

"Maintaining the status quo is already very difficult. I hope you won't change its original operating model in pursuit of short-term profits. That would be a waste!"

These words silenced everyone present. They could all hear the sincerity in Bo's words, his concern about whether this legacy could be passed down.

Before Lin Yu'an could answer, Emily smiled and said in a proud tone, "Bo, don't worry. Lin knows the value of this legacy better than anyone else."

“We have already met with the ranch’s management team and will not only retain all of Mr. Hunter’s operating models, but will also increase investment to pursue higher quality.”

She paused, then added, "After all, the ranch's beef was previously only supplied to about thirty Michelin three-star restaurants across the United States, and we hope to maintain that list."

“Michelin…three stars?” Bo was completely stunned. He knew what being included on this supplier list meant. It wasn’t just top-quality ingredients anymore; it was a luxury item in the food world.

He glanced at the generous portion of steak on the table and silently calculated the cost of the meal in his mind.

He picked up his wine glass, raised it towards Lin Yu'an, and showed a smile that was a mixture of admiration and relief.

He downed his beer in one gulp, then said to his older brothers Wyatt and Garrett in a relaxed tone, "Guys, looks like we're going to have more opportunities to mooch off Wyoming for meals from now on!"

This American-style humor instantly livened up the atmosphere at the dinner table.

"You're welcome anytime," Lin Yu'an replied with a smile.

The eldest brother, Wyatt, also shook his head with a smile and said to Lin Yu'an, "To be honest, Lin, after eating the steak here, I feel like I won't be able to face our Angus cattle when I get back."

"If you have time this afternoon, could you take us to see your cattle herd? I'd like to see for myself how you produce meat of this quality."

"Of course, no problem," Lin Yu'an readily agreed.

"And horses!" Third Brother Clay exclaimed, intrigued. "Arya said you have horses here too. After a good meal, we can go for a ride this afternoon and see the scenery!"

The conversation at the dinner table quickly shifted from the awe at the "luxury" to the anticipation and plans for the afternoon's activities.

Arya's mothers, on the other hand, began to concern themselves with more practical life issues.

"Arya, is it easy to get supplies here in winter?" her birth mother Martha asked with concern. "How far is it from the nearest town?"

“Don’t worry, Mom,” Arya said with a smile, “We have our own private railway and airport. We can just ship whatever we need directly here. It’s even more convenient than going to the supermarket in Montana.”

This seemingly casual reply gave the McKinley family a new understanding of the farm's capabilities. The luncheon ended happily in a relaxed and warm atmosphere, filled with casual conversation among family members.

The afternoon hours become incredibly pleasant, filled with the warm glow of the fireplace and the laughter of family members.

The men gathered on the leather sofa in the living room, drinking beer and chatting about their own topics.

The women, meanwhile, sat around on the carpet, teasing Ethan and Olivia, their laughter punctuated by bursts of loving merriment.

Wyatt took a sip of beer and asked, "Lin, this place of yours must be very difficult to manage, right?"

“More than 30,000 acres, which is much larger than our family’s land. The ecological maintenance of the grassland alone is a huge project.”

Lin Yu'an smiled and said, "Fortunately, I have an excellent team. Moreover, we rely more on natural ridges and rivers as boundaries, so the areas with artificial fences are not many."

Wyatt took another sip of beer and exclaimed sincerely, "Lin, honestly, this place is truly a paradise for every rancher!"

But he immediately changed the subject, his eyes becoming serious, "But the more paradise there is, the more wild beasts there are. Can your manpower keep an eye on them?"

"This is indeed a challenge. We rely more on technological means, such as drones and sensors, for monitoring."

Wyatt shook his head, speaking as if discussing a problem with an equal partner, "Technology is a good thing, but sometimes we still have to rely on the most primitive methods to protect the farm."

"For example, wolf packs are a big threat. With such a good ecosystem here, there must be a lot of wolves. You did a great job hunting wolves with us last time."

"That was just a small pack of wolves, yet it was difficult for me to deal with. There must be a much larger pack of wolves here."

Garrett joined in and said in a deep voice, "Wyatt is right. These beasts won't steal cattle during the day, but at night they become powerful hunters with perfect teamwork."

Bo raised another issue from a different perspective: "Besides, your cattle are too precious. For us, losing a calf is only a few hundred dollars."

"For you, losing a calf from the Rock River is like losing a Porsche; your assets are too risky."

The brothers took turns pointing out potential vulnerabilities in the ranch's security system from three perspectives: defense depth, nighttime threats, and asset risks.

Lin Yu'an listened attentively; what they said was entirely correct. His current security system was strong in its defense against people.

However, when dealing with these cunning four-legged poachers, the most effective link is indeed missing.

The former rancher's approach was to maintain a healthy ecological balance of populations on the land, ensuring a perfect ecological ratio between wolves and deer.

Even so, calves still occasionally get hunted, as wolves use them as hunting training targets for their cubs!
Old Hunter would only send the cowboys into the mountains to hunt wolves after such a situation was discovered once. Each cleanup would maintain stability for a period of time.

But Lin Yu'an didn't like dealing with losses after they occurred; he preferred to take the initiative.

"What suggestions do you have?" Lin Yu'an asked.

Wyatt looked at him with an approving smile. He wasn't worried about Lin Yu'an's lack of experience; he was worried that Lin Yu'an wouldn't listen to advice.

“It’s not really advice, just some old methods we’ve been using,” Wyatt said. “You need to build a biological defense line.”

Garrett chimed in, “That’s right! You need dogs! A whole pack of well-trained ranch guard dogs that can live with the cattle.”

“This will not only solve the problem, but it will also be in your best legal position. Under Wyoming law, you can shoot in self-defense if wolves are attacking your livestock.”

"But if you actively hunt them, you might get into trouble. And these dogs are there 24 hours a day."

"Their barking is the most direct alarm for attack and provides the most legitimate reason for any defensive action you may take in the future."

Wyatt concluded by offering a more specific idea: "In Montana, many large ranches now prefer to use mixed-species farming."

"Use a few intelligent and skilled Border Collies, along with large Great Pyrenees or Caucasian Shepherds that are born with a protective instinct."

"The former are shepherds, responsible for managing the cattle. The latter are bodyguards, responsible for deterring and driving away any predators that dare to approach. Their defensive capabilities are even more effective than those of cowboys."

This dialogue was no longer a one-way instruction, but a genuine discussion.

The McKinley brothers, in their most adept way, expressed the highest level of recognition and acceptance of this new family member.

They showed no envy or boasting, but instead shared their family's generations of farm management experience without reservation.

Lin Yu'an listened attentively, nodding occasionally, and memorized all this valuable knowledge.

"Thank you, Wyatt, Garrett, Bo. This suggestion is very important; I will have someone arrange it immediately."

On the other side, the women's conversation revolved entirely around the two adorable babies.

“Oh, look at Olivia’s eyes,” Martha said, beaming as she held her granddaughter.

"This color...it's so special! It's not pure green, but like the water from a lake in Montana that has just thawed in spring, with a hint of green. It's just like Arya when she was little!"

"Ethan's nose and mouth are exactly like Lin's! He'll definitely be a charming young man when he grows up."

Elizabeth gently stroked Ethan's little face, and the little guy, thinking she was playing with him, giggled.

Abigail then took out a teddy bear she had sewn herself and teased Olivia: "Come here, little one, look what this is? Grandma made it for you."

Watching this heartwarming scene, Catherine said to Arya and Emily, "You've raised the children so well. I really hope you can come back to stay more often. We miss these two little ones so much."

Hearing this, a warm feeling flashed in Arya's eyes, and she smiled at Catherine's mother, saying, "Mom, we will. We will bring the children back to see you often in the future."

Emily added gently, "Yes, when the children are a little older, we'll ask their older brothers to teach them how to ride horses and fish."

This thoughtful and comforting response brought smiles to the faces of all four mothers.

Soon the sun set, turning the entire snow-capped mountain a golden-red hue.

Elena and her team had prepared an even more lavish dinner. The roast meats smelled wonderfully of rosemary and thyme. The fireplace flames danced even brighter.

Little Jack and Little Kyle had long since become Lin Yu'an's little followers, sitting on either side of him.

They listened as he recounted how he caught huge fish from under the ice along the Labrador coastline and how he built igloos. Their eyes were filled with boundless admiration for this all-powerful uncle.

Clay and Emily were having a great time chatting. Unlike his other brothers who only focused on the farm and hunting, he was more interested in Emily's education and her previous city life.

Clay, sipping his beer, asked curiously, "So, you really did work in a gallery in New York? Wow, that must have been really interesting."

“I’ve always wanted to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but my dad always says it’s a place for sissies.”

Emily was amused by his bluntness: "Of course not, art belongs to everyone. I can take you to see it next time you have the chance."

Robert, the head of the household, didn't say much. He simply sat quietly by the fireplace, smoking his pipe, observing everything with his sharp eyes.

He looked at his daughters' happy smiles, his grandchildren's adoring eyes, his sons' heartfelt acceptance and communication, and his new son-in-law, who, though young, was as steady as a mountain.

He silently knocked the ash out of his pipe, picked up his whiskey glass, and walked over to Lin Yu'an.

Robert didn't offer any polite welcome; he simply extended his calloused hand and patted Lin Yu'an's shoulder heavily.

He said slowly, "Lin, to be honest, after you went to Alaska, I kept dreaming that Arya was having a hard time in that cold wilderness."

He paused, a hint of a father's most sincere emotion showing in his eyes.

"Fortunately, I saw this family. My worries completely disappeared, but there is still one thing that has always been a wish of our family."

"You know about our family's situation. The Mormon tradition, though not understood by the secular world..."

(End of this chapter)