American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 327 One Snake, Multiple Uses!
Through the gaps in the trees, Lin Yu'an saw a huge, almost vertical rock wall, like a weathered fortress standing on the hillside.

"That's it!" He charged toward the cliff with all his might.

Finally, on a steep hillside, he found a perfect spot that almost made him shout with excitement! A spacious, cavernous cave formed naturally by a huge cliff!

It's not like a deep cave in the traditional sense; it's more like a semi-open terrace surrounded by giant rocks.

The cave entrance is wide, about seven or eight meters wide, about four or five meters deep, and about ten meters high, forming a magnificent natural dome.

The light of the setting sun shone in without obstruction, bathing the entire back wall of the cave in a warm golden hue.

He strode inside, his feet sinking into the flat, dry gravel floor, which rustled under his feet. He touched the cave walls, which were rough rocks formed by millions of years of wind and rain erosion, hard and reliable.

Because the cave is very spacious, well-lit, and well-ventilated, there is no dark, damp, or rotten smell; only the smell of rocks and sunlight.

Behind and on both sides are impregnable cliffs, while below are steep ravines covered with shrubs and rocks.

“Perfect…” He leaned against the cave wall, which was warm from the sunlight, breathing heavily, a smile of relief spreading across his face.

He unloaded the willow basket from his back, feeling the relief of being relieved of a heavy burden.

He looked around the solid, open space bathed in sunlight and said to the camera, "This is not a shelter, it's a fortress, more like a shrine on a cliff!"

"Anything that wants to attack me has only one way to go—that is to rush up this one and only platform from the open space directly in front of me."

With less than a few hours left until nightfall, he dared not waste a single second.

The first thing Lin Yu'an did was not to set up any complicated traps, but to systematically construct a multi-layered noise field.

He faced the camera, explaining his tactics with both actions and words: "My goal is to create a sound defense matrix to completely deprive felines of their most lethal weapon—stealth."

He then used a piece of dry bark as a makeshift rake to sweep away all the soft, decaying leaves, moss, and soil in the fan-shaped area in front of the cave entrance, revealing the hard rock and sandy soil underneath.

Then, a large number of dry, brittle broad leaves and small twigs were gathered from the surrounding area and used to cover the cleared area again.

Then this place became a creaking carpet, and if a feline stepped on it, it would definitely make a crisp, unmistakable cracking sound.

That wasn't all; he rushed into the nearby woods, specifically looking for withered shrubs and branches that were already dead and would break at the slightest touch.

Instead of painstakingly sharpening them, they dragged these withered branches, covered in countless tiny forks, back to the cave entrance in a seemingly chaotic but actually meticulously planned manner.

The interlaced, half-overlapping structures behind the noise carpet form a sparse, semi-circular barrier belt that reaches waist height.

After doing all that, he began the last task—stockpiling fuel.

Like a highly efficient machine, he frantically collected all flammable materials in the fading light. Sweat soaked his clothes, but he didn't care. Soon, a small mountain of firewood had been piled up in a dry corner of the cave wall.

As night fell completely, he lit a fire in the very center of the platform at the cave entrance.

This time, unlike yesterday, it wasn't as difficult. Instead, I took out the precious super match—the tinderbox for the wood hoof mushrooms that I made that morning—directly from the wicker basket.

After smoldering for most of the day, the surface of the mushrooms could no longer be felt to be warm. But when he untied the vines and pulled out the moss plug used to seal the opening, a thick, fragrant smoke immediately rose up.

“Look here,” he said, bringing the tinder canister close to the camera lens. Inside the mushroom’s cavity, the charcoal that served as the tinder and the surrounding layer of tinder were emitting a steady, bright, dark red glow in the darkness.

"That's the magic of a mobile spark; as long as there's a minimum amount of oxygen inside, it won't go out. Now all I have to do is wake it up."

He took out a small handful of the driest, fluffiest straw fibers and carefully placed them into the hollow of the mushroom, gently touching the reddish velvet layer.

Almost instantly upon contact, the dry grass fibers curled up and turned black as if they had been branded with a hot iron, and then emitted a white smoke that was several times stronger than before!

"coming!"

He immediately tilted the mushroom and poured the clump of smoking dry grass onto the base of a small pile of fire pyramid that had been prepared beforehand, made of dry bark and the finest twigs.

Then, he bent down and began to blow rhythmically into the thick smoke.

"Huff...huff...huff..."

As oxygen was injected, the smoke grew thicker, and a faint light appeared inside the pyramid. Suddenly, with a soft "poof," a wisp of orange-yellow flame peeked out from between the dry branches!
"It's done!"

With ample oxygen and a dry fuel supply, the flames grew rapidly, greedily licking the surrounding dry branches and emitting reassuring crackling sounds.

Soon, a bonfire roared to life, its flickering light illuminating the spacious rock-sheltered cave as bright as day and dispelling the last vestiges of chill seeping from the mountain forest at night.

But he was not satisfied with that. He carefully picked out a few pieces of burning charcoal from the main fire with a long branch and placed them deeper into the cave on the left and right sides, near the cave walls. Soon, two small fires were lit.

“The three fires are arranged in a triangle,” he explained to the camera. “The main fire in the center is the primary source of light, warmth, and deterrence. The secondary fires on both sides create more three-dimensional light and shadow and heat radiation, completely eliminating the dark corners deep in the cave.”

"More importantly, the smoke they produce can effectively drive away unseen guests hiding in the crevices of rocks, such as scorpions, centipedes, or certain venomous spiders."

The flickering flames illuminated the entire interior of the rock shelter, leaving no shadows to hide in.

The campfire itself serves as a psychological and physical barrier.

Lin Yu'an sat behind the fire, leaning against the warm and solid cave wall, feeling an unprecedented sense of security.

His defense system relies not on brute force, but on intelligence. It won't kill the enemy, but it will prevent unknown threats lurking in the darkness.

The next issue to address is the comfort and safety of sleeping, as sleeping directly on a cold, sandy surface will quickly draw away body heat.

He walked to a corner of the cave, where he had previously cleared a relatively flat area.

First, four relatively thick straight logs were selected from the firewood pile and placed in pairs on the ground to form the frame of a simple bed to prevent the bedding from falling apart.

The collected wood was then laid on the straight wooden bed frame, and broadleaf leaves were stuffed into the frame and repeatedly tamped down until an insulated mattress was formed.

After doing all that, he lay down and tried it out. Although it was incredibly simple, the thick layer of vegetation effectively isolated his body from the cold ground.

Even if it's not as good as a bed at home, it's enough to give a tired traveler a good night's sleep.

The crackling of the fire became the only sound in the fortress, finally giving Lin Yu'an a moment of relief from the tension that had gripped him all afternoon.

He took the Ronin 4D projector out of his basket, carefully set it up on a flat rock, adjusted the angle, and aimed the lens precisely at him and the chopping board in front of him, a piece of flaky sandstone that he had washed with water.

"Despite the threat of uninvited guests, I still need to eat dinner. Energy is the foundation for dealing with any danger. Tonight I need plenty of calories and protein."

Today's trophy, the enormous, leaden-colored water snake, lay flat on the sandstone. In the firelight, its leaden-gray scales reflected a dark, eerie sheen.

“Handling such a large reptile without modern knives requires patience and skill.” He picked up a black flint piece with a sharp, knife-like edge from his toolbox.

Then, using a flint flake, he made a circular incision below the snake's neck, a process that was far from easy. The snake's skin was much tougher than he had imagined, and he had to use tremendous force, in a sawing-like manner, to cut through the dense scales.

The subtle crackling sound was the friction of the flint blade against the scales. Once the incision was complete, the snake's head was pinned down with the foot, and the edges of the cut skin were gripped with both hands, then ripped off forcefully.

"His-"

With a series of sounds, the entire snakeskin was peeled off completely, as if a tight stocking had been removed.

The sight of the snake meat, white and delicate with clearly defined muscle texture, is visually striking and full of primal and wild beauty.

He rolled up the snakeskin and set it aside. "Snakeskin is a very precious material. It can be used to make ropes, water containers, and even bowstrings, so I'm going to keep it."

The next step was to remove the internal organs. Using the tip of a flint, he carefully made a straight cut upwards from the snake's cloaca.

After the abdominal cavity was opened, a faint smell mixed with the stench of water and blood wafted out.

“Look here,” he showed the snake’s inside to the camera, “this is its heart, this is its liver, rich in vitamins. And these are white fat deposits, the most valuable source of energy, especially in this cold environment.”

He meticulously separated the snake's internal organs one by one, keeping the useful ones and gathering the useless ones aside.

The entire process was meticulous; he used dried moss to absorb the blood, and he used a sharpened twig to cut the snake meat into even pieces.

With the preparations complete, he selected several damp, hardwood branches that were not easily ignited, sharpened one end, and skewered the tender white snake meat pieces, alternating between lean and fatty meat, like a finely prepared kebab.

Lin Yu'an placed the meat skewers above the fire, maintaining a delicate distance. The flames couldn't directly touch the meat; instead, they had to be slowly cooked by the scorching embers and rising heat.

While waiting for the barbecue, he prepared his main dish for the evening.

Take the banana leaf wrapping out of the willow basket, and after unwrapping it, you'll see the tender, moist banana core inside.

"Yesterday's banana core was mainly prepared by braising, which preserved its internal moisture and sweetness. Tonight, I plan to use a different method to prepare it."

Instead of wrapping it in leaves, they placed several thick banana cores directly on the embers at the edge of the main fire.

"Roasting directly with charcoal ash will evaporate the excess moisture in the banana core, but it will also cause the starch inside to caramelize, making it more fragrant and mealy, somewhat like a combination of roasted potatoes and roasted sweet potatoes."

Soon, the enticing aroma of the first real meat feast began to fill the cave.

It's a meaty aroma mixed with the smoky scent of firewood, enough to awaken the most primal craving for cooked food deep in human genes!
The fat in the snake meat melts under high temperature, turning into golden oil that seeps out from the gaps in the muscles and drips onto the charcoal below, creating a sizzling sound that is like a beautiful symphony.

The surface of the meat gradually changes from its initial milky white to an enticing golden yellow, with a hint of slightly charred brown appearing at the edges.

He took the first skewer that had been grilled, blew on it to blow away the heat, and showed the camera the golden-brown, slightly charred snake meat that was sizzling with oil. Then he couldn't wait to take a bite.

The taste of snake meat is a delightful surprise the moment it touches your teeth; the slightly charred outer skin has a smoky aroma, while the meat inside is firm and elastic.

With each chew, you can feel the full muscle fibers rebounding, yet it's not as difficult to chew as beef tendon.

It wonderfully blends two textures, with the firmness of chicken and the bouncy texture of fish, but the overall texture is more delicate than either of them.

He closed his eyes and savored the moment.

It has absolutely no earthy taste, and even the fishy smell that people often associate with seafood is barely noticeable. The mouth is filled with the pure, original taste of protein, with a faint, sweet flavor similar to dried scallops.

He nodded in satisfaction, and at the same time used a stick to pull a roasted banana core out of the fire.

Break open the scalding hot banana core; beneath the charred outer shell lies a steaming, smooth, mashed potato-like interior.

He took a bite, and sure enough, after the moisture decreased, the banana core became powdery and soft, and the sweetness became more concentrated, with a unique plant fragrance and smoky flavor from the charcoal fire.

A bite of succulent grilled meat, a bite of soft and sweet banana core. Protein, fat, and carbohydrates—the three most important sources of energy for life—combine perfectly in this moment.

While eating, he spoke to the camera, sharing his feelings and analysis. His voice was slightly muffled from chewing, but full of satisfaction: "I can now responsibly tell you that the taste of this lead-colored water snake far exceeded my expectations!"

He swallowed the food in his mouth. "Many people think that snake meat, especially water snake, has an earthy taste, which is a common misconception."

"The stream we are in is a mountain stream with extremely high oxygen content and crystal clear water, with almost no silt or humus. This eliminates the source of substances like geosmin that cause the earthy smell."

“More importantly, it has a menu,” he continued, “its staple food is slate fish, which eats algae on rocks. It’s an extremely clean food chain.”

"You are what you eat; this law always applies in nature. Clean food results in clean meat."

"Of course, the processing method is also crucial. In the morning, I drain as much blood as possible as possible. Blood is the biggest source of the fishy smell in any meat. Only by combining extreme freshness with meticulous processing can the best original flavor of the ingredients be brought out."

He picked up the second skewer of grilled meat, a genuine smile spreading across his face: "So what I'm tasting now isn't some strange wild game, but rather the most exquisite gift of this high-altitude stream ecosystem!"

"This meal is enough to restore all my strength to meet the challenges of tomorrow."

Then, he stopped talking and began to concentrate on enjoying this hard-won feast.

After dinner, the feeling of fullness from the energy quickly dispelled the fatigue and chill. Lin Yu'an didn't slack off at all; her recovered brain immediately began to work at high speed, reviewing the day's gains and losses and planning the next route.

He adjusted the camera angle, pointing the lens at the leaping flames and himself.

"The second day of the challenge is over," he said in a deep, powerful voice that cut through the crackling of the campfire. "Today we advanced about two kilometers up the valley, but there's still a long way to go to reach our final destination, Shimen Gorge."

"There are eight days left in the ten-day challenge. At this pace, there definitely won't be enough time."

He picked up the sharpened stone spear and slowly turned it in the firelight, the sharp tip gleaming coldly.

“Because we encountered an unexpected variable,” he raised his eyes, looking sharply into the camera, “we discovered today that this area is a hunting ground for apex predators.”

"The right thing to do is to get out of this area as soon as possible. So I have to speed up my journey, and high-intensity marches require high-energy food reserves. In addition to wild bananas, I must have portable protein."

He didn't offer any further explanation, but instead demonstrated his plan through action.

He walked to the sandstone block that had been used as an anvil, and picked up the snake head he had previously processed and the remaining spine. The night was long; he had plenty of time to turn these scraps into tools for survival.

They selected a piece of the snake's lower jawbone, where the inward-curving teeth were perfectly shaped. Then, using a flint blade like a small saw, they carefully cut off the piece of bone containing the thickest, hooked tooth.

Next came the meticulous polishing, where he leaned against the fire and patiently scraped repeatedly on the small piece of bone.

Instead of simply sharpening the teeth, a deeper groove was carefully carved below the tooth tip to serve as a barb, and the other end of the bone piece was ground into a smooth notch suitable for binding the thread.

A dozen minutes later, a bone fishhook, no bigger than a fingernail, gradually took shape. Though primitive, it looked remarkably effective.

"As for the fishing line..."

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.

(I'm experiencing some writer's block. A lot of the content feels like it's been covered previously, and it's hard to break out of that framework. Plus, there's a lack of external, exciting elements. Any suggestions, guys, besides live streaming?)
(End of this chapter)