American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 309 Taking my brother-in-law into the mountains!
"But for us, the union of family members is the most sacred ceremony that needs to be witnessed by God and all our loved ones."

He looked at Lin Yu'an, his tone containing no command, but only the solemn expectation of an elder.

"Lin, now that you have a child and this wonderful home, everything has settled down."

"So I hope you can consider putting a formal wedding on the agenda."

"We don't need anything grand, and we don't care about any legal documents."

"We just hope that on a sunny day, we can see the three of you, with the blessings of all your families, formally declare that you will always protect each other."

Although the words were phrased euphemistically, the weight they carried was felt by everyone present.

Arya's breathing quickened instantly. She abruptly raised her head, looking at her father in disbelief, her eyes instantly filled with tears and endless anticipation.

Emily clenched her hands nervously, feeling both apprehensive and a longing she herself was unaware of.

Lin Yu'an looked at Robert's earnest, expectant eyes, and then at Aria and Emily beside her, who were too excited to speak.

He smiled, nodded slowly, and replied in the same solemn and committed tone, "Dad, you're right. It was my oversight."

“A wedding is a sign of respect for Arya and Emily, and a promise for the children’s future. I will put this on the agenda as soon as possible.”

He turned to his two overjoyed wives, his eyes filled with love.

After dinner, amidst the warm glow of the fireplace and the satisfied laughter of their families, everyone gradually returned to their respective guest cabins to rest.

Inside the master suite of Eagle's Nest, on the huge cedar log bed, Lin Yu'an, Ailiya, and Emily were enjoying a rare moment of tranquility after sending the two babies back to their room to sleep.

"I still feel like I'm dreaming. A wedding... are we really going to have a wedding?" Aria leaned against Lin Yu'an's chest, her face still beaming with uncontrollable happiness.

Emily nestled gently against his other side and whispered, "Yes, and for the three of us. Thank you, darling."

Lin Yu'an smiled and hugged them even tighter, his heart filled with satisfaction. He was about to discuss the wedding schedule with them when Ailiya suddenly looked up.

Her pale green eyes, illuminated by the warm yellow light, shone with a wise and gentle light that was completely different from her daytime excitement.

“Darling,” she looked at Lin Yu’an, her tone extremely serious, “I have an idea about the wedding.”

"Hmm?" Lin Yu'an was somewhat surprised.

"I think... could we wait a bit?"

This suggestion stunned Lin Yu'an and Emily. They hadn't expected that Aria, who was most looking forward to the wedding, would volunteer to wait.

Arya saw their surprised looks and gave them a knowing smile.

She reached out and took Emily's hand in hers, so that the three of them could interlock their hands.

“Of course I long for a wedding, I dream about it,” she said candidly. “But, darling, our home should be a complete home.”

Her gaze finally settled on Lin Yu'an's face, her eyes filled with understanding and encouragement.

“That girl named McCorz, I don’t want her to join us alone someday after we’ve held this most sacred ceremony for us. That wouldn’t be fair to her.”

“So,” Arya’s tone became incredibly firm, “I hope we can first ascertain her feelings.”

“If she is willing, I hope our wedding will be for the four of us. If she is not willing, then we will have a wedding for the three of us.”

"But in any case, we should give her a choice."

Lin Yu'an was completely impressed by his wife's wisdom and tolerance. He had originally thought that he needed to bring up this matter very carefully.

Unexpectedly, Arya took the initiative to pave the way for him and for McCorz.

“Darling…” He was at a loss for words.

Emily nodded vigorously and added, "Arya is right. Any ritual should make us a more complete whole, not leave us with regrets."

Looking at the two women in front of him, who were not only his lovers but also his soulmates, all of Lin Yu'an's worries vanished.

"But... are you sure she'll agree?" He still asked the most crucial question. "Our family, after all, is... quite special."

Arya smiled, her eyes sparkling with confidence: "A woman who can move your heart, I believe she must be no ordinary person."

Lin Yu'an nodded, temporarily setting aside these complicated thoughts.

He already possessed the most precious treasure in the world: two wives who loved him deeply and were wise and magnanimous.

The future is important, but the happiness we have now is even more precious.

The next morning, as dawn broke.

As the first rays of golden sunlight gilded the distant snow-capped peaks with a magnificent outline, a busy yet orderly scene unfolded in front of the Eagle's Nest.

Mechanical supervisor Murphy and his team were giving final checks on several snowmobiles that looked incredibly powerful.

Lin Yu'an, along with his father-in-law Robert and his four brothers-in-law, all changed into professional hunting gear.

They wore thick camouflage winter clothing and high-top waterproof hunting boots, each exuding the fierce and focused aura of hunters.

While inspecting his .30-06 caliber Remington 700 rifle, the second brother Garrett said to Lin Yu'an, "Lin, to be honest, I still can't quite believe it."

"It's the end of January, the entire hunting season is long over. Is it really okay for us to go out hunting elk so openly?"

"Don't look back and make us all end up on the local news headlines with you."

Although the others didn't speak, they also had the same doubts in their eyes.

Lin Yu'an smiled, took out his custom-made .300 Winchester Magnum rifle from the scabbard beside the saddle, and skillfully checked the bolt and scope.

He said in a calm but absolutely confident tone, "Don't worry, Garrett. On this land, we are the rules."

Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces, he continued to explain, "I also inherited a warrior's charter on this land."

"It grants the owners of this land near-state-level autonomy over fishing and hunting."

"This means that as long as it is within our own land area, and as long as it is for the purpose of managing and maintaining ecological balance."

“We can hunt any game we need on any day of the year without having to follow the state fish and game department’s regular hunting season regulations.”

These words were like a bombshell, leaving all the brothers-in-law present stunned.

“Fuck…” Garrett couldn’t help but swear, “You can do this? This is practically a king’s privilege!”

The shrewd San Ge Bo immediately realized the enormous commercial value behind this.

"My God... Lin, do you know? Just this year-round hunting privilege alone, if managed properly, could make your place the most prestigious private hunting club in the entire United States!"

"The wealthy from California and New York are willing to spend $100,000 for a chance to hunt top-quality elk in winter!"

"Haha! No business today, Bo," Lin Yu'an interrupted him with a laugh. "Today, we'll only talk about family."

He turned to his father-in-law Robert, who had been silent all along, and said sincerely, “Dad, today on this land, I hope to fulfill a wish for you.”

Robert looked at him with some confusion.

A slight smile curved Lin Yu'an's lips. "I heard from Alia that you've always had a greatest wish."

"It means being able to personally hunt a top-quality male elk that is worthy of being recorded in history, with antlers that can break the Montana state record."

Upon hearing this, a fleeting look of surprise and longing crossed Robert's weathered face, a look of disbelief that his thoughts had been exposed, but it was quickly replaced by a wry smile.

"That's true." He sighed.

"However, that's too difficult. Those old guys of that level are all as cunning as ghosts, and those who can live to that age are all veterans of countless battles."

“I haven’t seen an elk of that size in Montana for several years.”

Lin Yu'an smiled.

“Dad, it may be difficult in Montana, but in the Rock River, what we need to do today is not to search for it, but to choose it.”

He turned to Sean O'Connor, the security chief who was already waiting nearby, and said, "Sean, take the documents to Mr. Robert."

"Yes, sir."

Sean immediately handed over a rugged, tri-proof tablet. On the screen was a satellite map of the ranch, marked with a dozen or so red location points.

Sean clicked on one of them, and a photo taken at night by an infrared camera popped up.

The main subject of the photo is a male elk with a body size like a prehistoric behemoth. Its huge, symmetrical, and intricately branched antlers look like a burning crown in the lens!

The image is labeled with rows of professional data:
Codename: King

Estimated age: 12 years old

B&C Rating (Preliminary Estimate): 420+

"Activity Area: Northern Ridge..."

"B&C rating over 420?!" Wyatt, the eldest brother, was the first to exclaim in surprise.

He knew all too well what that number meant; the Boone and Crockett rating was the most authoritative system in North America for measuring the size of large game trophies.

It's more than just a club; its measurement standards are followed by all official agencies and hunter organizations. And its influence extends far beyond North America, the European Alps, and the Southern Alps of New Zealand.

Even in Asian hunting circles, when people talk about a world-class trophy, they still refer to the B&C rating, which is the common language in this field.

He took a deep breath and looked at the photo on the tablet again, his voice trembling.

Any moose with a B&C score of over 400 is already a world-class behemoth and deserves to be recorded in history!

And 420 points… this score not only easily breaks the decades-old record held by Montana, it even qualifies to challenge the historical record of Wyoming!

Sean's finger slid across the screen, and one after another, photos of "monster-level" male elk with different codes, different angles, but all equally stunning appeared.

"This is Caesar, B&C rating 415+..."

"This is a unicorn. Its left antler has a peculiar spear-like fork. Rating: 405+..."

Robert stared at the mythical creatures on the tablet, creatures he had only ever seen in his dreams, his breathing quickening, his hands clenching tightly with excitement.

Lin Yu'an looked at him and extended the invitation again, her voice filled with undeniable authority.

"Dad, all these top-quality elk can be your prey today, allowing you to add another trophy to the McKinley family's wall of honor that will silence all Montana hunters!"

Robert looked at his son-in-law, whom he was becoming more and more satisfied with, and the hunter's fire that had been dormant in his heart for many years was completely ignited!
"Alright!" He nodded emphatically, his voice booming with barely suppressed excitement. "Then let's go and meet these prey!"

"Okay, let's go!"

At Lin Yu'an's command, the engines of the six snowmobiles roared simultaneously!

With a wave from the mechanical supervisor Murphy, the hunting party, composed of father-in-law, son-in-law, and brothers-in-law, drove out of the Eagle's Nest parking lot in a grand procession, like an elite cavalry unit.

Instead of traversing the complex dense forest, they followed a cleared, gentle slope and drove directly towards the tributary of the Giant Stone River, which was already completely covered by thick ice and snow.

The frozen riverbed has now transformed into a natural white highway.

"Gentlemen, follow me!" Security supervisor Sean, driving the lead snowmobile, was the guide for this operation and took the lead.

Lin Yu'an gently pressed the accelerator, and the tracks burst forth with powerful grip on the compacted snow, propelling the car like an arrow shot into the depths of the mountains!

Robert and his brothers-in-law immediately followed, six black figures drawing six parallel snow lines that stretched rapidly backward in the vast, pure white world.

The roar of the engine broke the silence of this frozen world.

This is a journey that will get any man's adrenaline pumping!

The tracks of the snowmobiles made a pleasant "shush-shush" sound as they rolled over the thick snow.

They sometimes traversed narrow canyons enclosed by massive rock walls, with crystal-clear icefalls hanging from the cliffs on either side, like giant swords.

Or they might enter a vast river valley basin. The boundless snowfield stretched as far as the eye could see, reaching the foot of the distant mountains.

"Hey, Lin!" Garrett, the second brother, sped up his snowmobile and caught up with Lin Yu'an from the side.

He pulled down his windproof mask and shouted into the biting wind, "The scenery here is much more beautiful than the scenery around our Montana ranch!"

"If you like it, you can come again in the summer!" Lin Yu'an replied with a smile. "Then, this place will be a sea of ​​green!"

They continued their journey uphill, and the vegetation on both banks gradually changed from low shrubs to tall and straight Douglas fir and poplar forests.

The thick snow weighed down every branch, making them droop slightly and forming natural white archways.

Occasionally, they would startle a flock of grouse foraging in the snow. The plump little creatures would flap their wings and fly into the depths of the dense forest in a panic.

Wyatt, the eldest brother, remained silent, but his sharp eyes, like radar, constantly scanned the surrounding environment.

He was searching, searching for traces of the elk.

"Look over there!" He suddenly raised his arm and pointed to a grove of poplar trees on the right side of the riverbank.

Everyone immediately looked in the direction he pointed, and saw that on the bare white tree trunks, the bark of several trees had been scraped off in large areas.

The fresh, pale yellow wood beneath has been exposed, and the marks are at least two meters off the ground.

“They’re stubble marks from a moose,” Wyatt said in a deep voice, a hint of excitement in his tone.

"Moreover, judging from the height and force involved, the guy who did this must be quite big. We're not far from their territory."

This discovery thrilled everyone.

They slowed down and began to observe their surroundings more carefully.

After driving for about ten minutes, Sean, who was leading the way, suddenly raised his right hand and made a stop gesture, then slowly brought the car to a halt.

“Mr. Lin, Mr. Robert,” his voice came through the communicator inside his helmet, “according to the latest map, the King’s restaurant is in that open area ahead.”

The group stopped the car and saw a large patch of snow in front of them that had been repeatedly trampled.

The thick snow was dug away by the huge hooves, revealing the frozen, withered grass roots underneath.

Countless footprints intertwined, forming a maze-like pattern.

Among them, some enormous hoof prints, as large as an adult's palm, clearly demonstrate the dominant status of these creatures.

“It’s their winter foraging ground.” Robert also got out of the car. He squatted down, picked up a few still warm, black, oval-shaped droppings, and smelled them.

“They’re very fresh,” he concluded, his eyes gleaming with the unique light of a hunter. “They’re nearby.”

Lin Yu'an glanced at the GPS in his hand. "It is indeed true. The King's core activity area is behind that ridge ahead. We can't ride our bikes anymore; we'll have to walk from here on out."

He looked at everyone and gave his first order as commander-in-chief.

"Hide the car. From now on, absolute silence. We're starting the hunt!"

Without any unnecessary movements, everyone tacitly drove the six snowmobiles into a dense spruce forest.

After doing all this, the six people regrouped.

Everyone drew their gleaming, cold, and deadly weapon from the scabbard beside their snowmobiles.

The slight yet incredibly crisp click of the bolt being cocked was the only sound on this silent snowfield.

Sean, acting as the guide, walked at the very front.

Instead of crossing the ridge directly, he led the group along the side of the ridge, using the undulating terrain and the cover of the trees to begin their infiltration against the wind.

"The wind is blowing from the northwest." Sean's voice came clearly into everyone's ears through the radio headset.

"We must take an arc from the southeast to ensure that our scent doesn't announce our arrival prematurely like a loudspeaker."

The group nodded and began to follow Sean into the silent poplar forest covered with thick snow, their steps slow and rhythmic.

They were all wearing professional snowshoes.

The wide, net-like structure evenly distributed their weight, so that each step they took left only a shallow mark on the fluffy snow, making almost no sound.

This is a process that demands immense physical strength and patience.

In the forest, sunlight is cut into countless dappled shadows by the bare branches, casting them onto the pristine snow and creating a constantly shifting, hypnotic maze.

Everyone adjusted their breathing to the most even state, but their senses were heightened to the extreme.

Their eyes no longer look straight ahead, but rather, like radar, constantly scan the surrounding 360-degree environment without any blind spots.

They are looking for any signs of discord.

After walking for about half an hour, Sean, who was leading the way, suddenly raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist.

This is a tactical hand signal to halt advance and remain on guard.

The entire group froze instantly, the six of them standing motionless like statues blending into their surroundings.

Sean slowly crouched down, extended his gloved fingers, and pointed to a patch of snow not far ahead.

Lin Yu'an and the others immediately lowered their bodies and looked in the direction he was pointing.

On the seemingly flat snow, there was an extremely inconspicuous, round depression.

“It’s Wohen.” Sean’s voice came through the headset, tinged with seriousness. “And there’s more than one. Looking around, this is a temporary rest stop.”

The group immediately began to observe carefully, and sure enough, around the first indentation, they found four or five more indentations of different sizes.

The eldest brother, Wyatt, also squatted down and gently touched the snow at the edge of the scar with his finger.

“The snow is still loose, not yet frozen into a hard crust,” he murmured, judging. “They haven’t been gone from here for very long. We’re very close.”

Robert, observing the depth of the indentation and the surrounding marks, added.

"Judging from the distribution of the resting marks, this is a male deer with several of its wives. They have been resting here for a long time and are very relaxed."

This discovery sent everyone's hearts racing. The prey was nearby!

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Last day! Just asking for more monthly votes!
(End of this chapter)