American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 321 Ailao Mountains, Yunnan
Clothing and Footwear: Only one set worn and carried, but this is undoubtedly the most advanced individual combat system on Earth, custom-made by his sponsor, Arc'teryx.

Top: An Arc'teryx Motus AR Crew LS quick-drying long-sleeved T-shirt. It not only wicks away sweat quickly to keep you dry, but its unique dual-component construction also provides basic warmth, making it the best base layer for dealing with large temperature differences between day and night.

The Arc'teryx Beta SV hard-shell jacket not only completely blocks torrential rain, but its storm hood design also provides excellent protection in strong winds. This jacket is his only raincoat and windproof layer, the last line of defense against the risk of hypothermia.

For his lower body, he wore the Arc'teryx Gamma LT softshell trousers that had long become his trademark. The Fortius DW 2.0 fabric combines amazing abrasion resistance, four-way stretch, and basic water repellency, making it suitable for the complex and ever-changing jungle environment of the Ailao Mountains.

Footwear: Wearing a pair of Arc'teryx Acr-ux TR GTX high-top heavy-duty hiking boots, which provide unparalleled grip on slippery rocks and mud.

Basic tools: a first aid kit.

Distress tool: Military-grade Beidou satellite distress phone
Apart from that, there is nothing else.

There was no sleeping bag, no water bottle, no axe, no saw, no flint, and not even a dagger to defend oneself.

When Liang Wenbin came to see him off before his departure, he couldn't help but gasp when he saw the meager equipment on the table, which was practically bare-handed.

"Yu'an...you...you only brought this?" Liang Wenbin's face was filled with worry and confusion as he asked incredulously, "Not even a lighter? This is too dangerous!"

"The Ailao Mountains are no joke. It's so cold at night, and if it rains... you won't even be able to start a fire!"

“Uncle Liang, thank you for your concern.” His voice was calm but full of confidence. “It is precisely because there is nothing there that this story has value in being told.”

He patted his head and stretched out his hands.

"The fire is hidden in my mind, and I have countless ways to get the fire out of this forest."

"I want to show this extreme survival to the world in the most primitive way, which is also the highest respect for this mysterious Ailao Mountain."

Looking into his determined eyes and the composure that stemmed from absolute strength, Liang Wenbin knew that any persuasion would be futile.

He could only pat Lin Yu'an on the shoulder heavily and solemnly remind him, "Then you must be careful! Remember, all of us are waiting for your triumphant return!"

The next morning, a helicopter belonging to the YN Provincial Forest Fire Brigade slowly landed on the helipad of the front-line command post amidst a loud roar.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Lin Yu'an conducted a final check of his filming equipment and satellite communicator. After confirming everything was in order, he quickly boarded the steel behemoth that was still roaring and waiting.

The hatch closed, shutting out all the noise and anticipation from the outside world.

Lin Yu'an put on a professional noise-canceling flight helmet, and the cabin was instantly filled only with the dull vibrations from the rotors and the static from the communicator.

He gave the captain in the cockpit a ready signal.

"Roger that." The captain's voice was steady and powerful. "Command, Mountain Eagle is preparing for takeoff. Estimated flight time: 25 minutes."

As the engine power increased, the massive fuselage suddenly lifted upwards, rising from the ground with an unstoppable momentum.

The crowds seeing them off on the ground and the town of Jingdong County quickly shrank and were soon swallowed up by the rolling green mountains.

The helicopter began to fly towards the heart of the Ailao Mountains.

The view outside the window shifted rapidly in a way that was incredibly oppressive. The terraced fields and villages that were just clearly visible vanished, replaced by an endless primeval forest that resembled a green ocean.

The mountains became increasingly steep, and the helicopter flew through the vast valley, with white waterfalls hanging from the cliffs on both sides, seemingly within reach.

The valley is shrouded in mist, like a fairyland, but it is also full of unknown dangers.

Lin Yu'an's gaze did not linger on the magnificent scenery. He took out a tablet computer that displayed a high-precision topographic map and real-time flight parameters synchronized with the helicopter's navigation system.

He was comparing his memories, firmly imprinting the direction of every mountain ridge and the source of every stream into his mind.

He must know this land, which is about to become his battlefield, inside and out before he sets foot on it.

"Approaching the designated drop zone, altitude 1850 meters." The captain's voice came through the internal communication system, tinged with seriousness. "The airflow below is very unstable, and the mountain winds are strong. We will use a hovering rappelling method for the drop. Please prepare accordingly."

Lin Yu'an nodded and began making final preparations. He securely fastened the Osmo Action 3 action camera to the strap around his neck and turned on the recording button.

The helicopter slowly descended, its massive fuselage swaying violently in the unstable airflow, emitting a sickening metallic groan.

It eventually hovered over a relatively flat hillside. Here, there was a dense mid-mountain moist evergreen broad-leaved forest, with huge canopies layered upon each other, almost obscuring the ground.

The immense wind pressure generated by the rotor blades, like a typhoon passing through, caused the tree canopies below to sway wildly, forming a green wave.

A seasoned forest firefighter in an orange uniform skillfully opened the side hatch. A gust of wind rushed in, making everything inside the cabin rattle and rustle.

He leaned halfway out to observe the situation below, and then threw down a thick rappelling rope.

"The drop zone has been cleared! You can rappel down now!" he shouted at Lin Yu'an, giving him a thumbs-down gesture.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Yu'an precisely attached his safety harness to the rappelling rope. He carried no backpack; all the necessary filming equipment and communication devices were already on his person, making him appear exceptionally capable.

He glanced one last time in the direction of the cockpit and gave the captain an OK sign.

The next second, without hesitation, he leaped out of the violently shaking cabin, his body instantly suspended dozens of meters in the air.

With his hands and feet firmly controlling his body posture, he slid down the rope at a constant speed.

After passing through the canopy layer blown open by the airflow, I finally felt a solid touch under my feet.

He landed steadily on a patch of woodland covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves and humus, quickly unfastened his safety harness, stepped back to a safe distance, and then waved vigorously at the helicopter above to indicate that he had landed safely.

The helicopter didn't linger. After confirming his safety, it immediately climbed up, turned around, and the huge roar quickly faded into the distance, eventually disappearing behind the misty mountains.

The entire world fell into absolute silence in an instant.

All that remained was the rustling of the wind through the leaves and the clear calls of a few unidentified birds in the distance.

Lin Yu'an stood still, looking around.

The towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, cutting the sunlight into countless dappled spots. The tree roots were covered with moss, and the air was filled with a rich aroma of decaying leaves, damp soil, and the fresh scent of plants.

There is no trace of human activity here; it is truly isolated from the civilized world.

He turned on the Action 3 action camera on his chest, adjusted the angle, and made sure that his face and the surrounding environment could be clearly recorded.

Then, he faced the camera and said the first sentence of this challenge.

"This is Lin Yu'an, Season 1 of 'Above the Wilderness,' Yunnan, the Hidden Realm. The Ailao Mountain Challenge, Day 1. Now, let's officially begin." His voice was calm and steady, exceptionally clear in the silent forest. Instead of rushing into action, he first steadily set up the Ronin 4D cinema camera on the tripod, adjusted the angle, and ensured that he and the deep primeval forest behind him were clearly visible in the lens.

Then he took out a waterproof topographic map from a pocket.

“Alright, guys, before we start, we need to understand our battlefield.” His tone became serious, filled with awe for this land. “This is the Ailao Mountains.”

"The Ailao Mountains, stretching across the central part of Yunnan, China, are the geographical boundary between the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Hengduan Mountains, and also the watershed between the Yuanjiang River and the Amo River."

"The name Ailao comes from the ancient Yi language and means deep in the mountains. And what we are about to challenge is the core area deep in these mountains."

His finger slowly traced across the vast green area on the map.

"This is one of the most important biological gene banks in China and even the world. From the dry and hot valley at the foot of the mountain, to the mid-mountain moist evergreen broad-leaved forest where we are now, and then to the moss forest on the mountaintop at an altitude of over 3,000 meters."

"It has an extremely complete vertical vegetation spectrum. This means that every few hundred meters we move up or down, we may enter a completely new ecosystem."

“Its generosity is its most fascinating aspect.” He looked up, and the camera followed, panning around. “There are thousands of plants here, many of which can be used as food, medicine, and tools.”

"There are fish in the streams, and bamboo rats and wild rabbits in the woods. As long as you know how to get along with them, they won't let you starve."

However, his tone suddenly shifted, and his gaze instantly became incredibly sharp, as if it could pierce through the lens, making every viewer in front of the screen feel that chill.

"But the other side of generosity is deadly danger!"

“First of all, there’s the terrain.” He pointed to the dense, spiderweb-like contour lines on the map. “V-shaped valleys, steep ridges, and countless cliffs and ravines carved out by streams make it extremely difficult to slip and fall here and die.”

“Secondly, there’s the weather.” He looked up at the seemingly calm sky above. “One mountain can have four seasons, and the weather can be different every ten miles. Thick fog that makes it impossible to see your hand in front of your face can rise up in the valley at any time, making us lose our way.”

"A sudden thunderstorm in the afternoon can mercilessly take away our body heat within minutes, causing hypothermia."

His voice was even lower, filled with a warning: "And then, the native inhabitants of this place."

"Besides the wild boars we already know about, this area is also home to top predators such as black bears, clouded leopards, and golden cats. Although they usually avoid humans, any unexpected encounter could be fatal in the early spring when food is scarce."

“Of course, there are also smaller, but equally deadly threats.” He gently brushed aside a thick layer of fallen leaves with his toes, revealing the damp soil beneath.

"King cobras, pit vipers, bamboo vipers... dozens of venomous snake species thrive here. There are also leeches everywhere and various poisonous insects. Any careless touch here could bring disaster."

After giving this detailed and chilling introduction, he squatted down again and returned to his original challenge.

"My current location is in the experimental zone outside the Ailao Mountain National Nature Reserve, with coordinates of... 24 degrees 32 minutes north latitude, 101 degrees 19 minutes east longitude, and an altitude of approximately 1850 meters."

Lin Yu'an pointed to a point on the map, which was his current location. Then his finger followed a blue line, moving a long distance northwest, and finally stopped at a place marked with a red pentagram.

"My mission is to rely solely on the most basic survival skills to travel northwest from here over the next ten days, eventually reaching the final rendezvous point about thirty kilometers away—Shimenxia."

"That's a key geographical landmark in this mountain range, and the only place where the support team can safely land their helicopter. They'll be waiting for me there in ten days. If I exceed the time limit or press the SOS button midway, the challenge fails."

He looked up and glanced around again, the camera panning across the dense, primeval forest.

“Thirty kilometers as the crow flies may not sound far. But in a place like the Ailao Mountains, it means I need to cross at least three mountain ridges with an altitude of over two thousand meters, pass through two deep river valleys, and traverse countless areas shrouded in thick fog and the unknown.”

“My challenge is not just survival, but also movement. I can’t just set up a fixed luxury camp like in ‘Living Alone in the Wild’ and wait for prey to come to me. I have to be on the move every day and face new environments and challenges every day.”

He lowered his head again, looked at the camera, and his eyes became incredibly sharp.

"As you can see, I have no modern tools. No knife, no axe, not even a flint. All I can rely on is this set of clothes I'm wearing, my brain, my hands, and this generous yet dangerous forest."

He stood up, folded the map again, and carefully put it back in his pocket.

"So, I have three top priorities today." He held up three fingers to the camera, his tone clear and decisive, like a commander about to enter the battlefield giving a battle briefing.

"First, reconnaissance and site selection. I need to find an ideal camp that is close to a water source and can provide shelter and resources. This will be my forward base for the next one or two days to complete my initial accumulation."

"Second, to create tools. I need a suitable piece of flint to make the most primitive stone tools. Without tools, everything is just talk."

"Third, and most importantly, embrace the fire. Find a shelter from the wind and rain before dark and start a fire. Without a fire, I might not survive the first night in the cold and damp conditions at night."

Lin Yu'an gave the camera a confident and challenging smile, "Alright, the plan is clear. So, let's get to work."

Then, his entire demeanor instantly changed. The composure of the civilized world vanished completely, replaced by an almost instinctive vigilance and focus.

His eyes became as sharp as a hawk's, no longer admiring the scenery like a tourist, but beginning to scan, analyze, and integrate into the surrounding environment in a purposeful way, taking his first step in this primeval and mysterious place.

“My ultimate goal is to get going. But before I can begin the long trek, I need to spend a day, or even a day and a half, establishing my technical advantage here.”

He faced the camera, carefully clearing away the huge ferns blocking his path as he explained his strategy.

"I need to make tools, stockpile food and fire. Only after accumulating these basic resources will I have the confidence to challenge the unknown thirty kilometers ahead."

Instead of blindly descending, he first climbed up a rock covered in moss.

Standing on high ground, the entire outline of the valley can be seen, but the sound of the forest and the howling mountain wind drown out everything, and no sound of water can be heard.

"It's okay if you can't hear me." He crouched down and pointed the camera at the slippery rocks under his feet and the surrounding vegetation. "The Ailao Mountains will tell us the answer in another way."

Lin Yu-an pointed to a thick patch of dark green moss on the rock, which felt like velvet to the touch. "Looking at the direction of the moss's growth, in the Northern Hemisphere they usually prefer to grow on shady, damp north slopes."

"But the moss is also lush on the south slope, which means that the overall air humidity here is extremely high, and the water source must be at the bottom of the valley below."

We began to descend slowly along the steepest side of the terrain, our hiking boots making a dull thud as they trod on the thick layer of humus made of fallen leaves.

The ground felt soft underfoot, but it was also full of uncertainty. No one knew whether the thick layer of fallen leaves concealed solid ground or a deadly pit.

The slope here is close to sixty degrees. He was almost half climbing and half sliding down, constantly grabbing the thick tree roots and the vines that coiled around him like pythons to keep his balance.

The sunlight overhead was completely blocked by the increasingly dense canopy of trees, and the light quickly dimmed, as if it had gone from daytime to dusk in an instant.

The rich aroma in the air, a mixture of rotting leaves, damp soil, and various plant sap, grew even stronger, as if you could wring water out of it.

The enormous tree ferns resemble the skeleton of an ancient behemoth, with aerial roots hanging down from their giant, umbrella-like canopies, filling the forest with a mysterious and even somewhat eerie atmosphere.

Suddenly, as he reached out to grab a seemingly sturdy vine, his movement froze! A sixth sense alerted him, causing his pupils to contract instantly in the dim light!

(End of this chapter)