American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 343 Blue Water Sailing Academy
In the early morning, Fort Lauderdale shed the heat and ambiguity of the night, and the air was as fresh as if it had been washed by the sea, with a slight coolness.

A jogger passed by him, nodding in a friendly gesture, while the early-rising fisherman's boat engine sputtered, breaking the tranquility of the canal.

Following the navigation, we arrived at our destination. Blue Water Sailing Academy did not have an impressive gate or a luxurious sign.

Its entrance is just an ordinary ramp leading to the floating dock, next to which stands a weathered wooden sign with the words "Blue Water Sailing Academy" handwritten in faded white paint, and a simple anchor drawing below.

This contrasts sharply with its illustrious reputation throughout South Florida's yachting scene.

Expensive and luxurious decorations would be extremely costly to maintain in such a high-salt, high-humidity, and high-sunlight environment, and would be pointless.

A wooden plaque, weathered by the sea breeze, resembles a medal, proving that it has withstood the test of time here.

In a truly functional dock, all facilities are designed with practicality and safety at their core.

More importantly, top-tier institutions like Blue Water Academy don't rely on flashy street signs to attract attention to their clientele.

Its reputation comes from word-of-mouth within the yachting community and from the earnest recommendations of boat brokers to top clients.

The target customers are old-money elites who seek a truly professional experience; they consume the top-notch service itself, not the ostentatious external presentation.

Therefore, this simple wooden sign did not diminish the academy's status; on the contrary, its understated nature revealed a powerful confidence that needed no boasting.

As I walked down the slope, I could feel the floating dock swaying slightly with the waves. A dozen or so sailboats of varying sizes were moored on either side of the dock.

From daytime sailing boats of about twenty feet suitable for beginners to keel-cruising sailing boats of about forty feet capable of long voyages, each one is kept spotless, with the sails and cables neatly arranged, like a troop of soldiers awaiting inspection.

The air was filled with a unique smell of the dock, as well as the faint resin smell emanating from the fiberglass hull under the sunlight.

All I could hear was the continuous, crisp sound of sails striking the mast, like the ceaseless chimes of a wind chime.

At the end of the dock is a single-story wooden house built on the water, which serves as the college's offices and classrooms.

When Lin Yu'an pushed open the door, a muscular man was standing with his back to him in front of a huge nautical chart, marking something on it with a pencil.

Hearing the door open, he turned around. He was in his fifties, wearing a polo shirt with the college logo and quick-drying shorts. His tanned skin, tanned from years of life at sea, looked even healthier in the morning light.

He had a pair of clear blue eyes, like the Florida sky, but his gaze carried a professional scrutiny.

He sized Lin Yu'an up and down, his gaze sharp and direct, as if assessing the condition of a ship. Then, he offered a polite and professional smile, without any excessive enthusiasm.

“Good morning. You must be Lin,” his voice was loud and steady, not a question but a statement of fact. “I am Captain Mike. Scout Braun speaks highly of you.”

He extended his broad palm.

"Lin Yu'an." Lin Yu'an shook his hand firmly, feeling the thick calluses on his palms from years of dealing with ropes and steering wheels.

“You’re fifteen minutes early. I like punctuality.” Mike pointed to the coffee machine next to him. “Would you like some coffee?”

"Black coffee, thank you."

Just as Mike was pouring coffee, the inner door of the office was pushed open, and a young girl came out.

She looked to be about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with long, sun-kissed, light golden hair tied in a neat ponytail, and her skin a vibrant honey color.

Her figure wasn't as slender as the girls on the beach, but rather displayed a healthy, athletic physique full of strength and vitality.

Wearing a sports bra and shorts, barefoot, with a steady gait, he exuded the same ocean-like confidence as Mike.

“Good morning, Dad.” She greeted Mike first, then her curious gaze fell on Lin Yu’an, and she nodded in a friendly manner. “You must be the monster student Scout mentioned? I’m Raven, the head theory instructor here.”

"Hello, Lin Yu'an." Lin Yu'an didn't expect there to be such a young member in the coaching team.

“Raven is my daughter,” Mike said, handing Lin Yu’an a coffee, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible pride, “and she’s also the best ASA-certified coach in our academy.”

"Don't let her young age fool you, the total number of nautical miles she has sailed is probably more than many old men have walked in their entire lives."

“Scooter told me your goals and timeline,” Mike said, leaning against the chart table. “So let’s get this straight. My job is to teach you how to navigate, not how to die.”

“We can be fast, but we can’t skip any steps. I require 100% focus from you. Now, have we reached an agreement?”

“Understood.” Lin Yu’an nodded, then added, “But I have one more request.”

“I’m listening.” Mike raised his eyebrows.

“I’m an outdoor live streamer,” Lin Yu’an explained succinctly. “My new project is to live stream my entire process of learning to sail from scratch to my viewers. So I hope to be able to live stream the entire course in the coming days.”

Captain Mike's brows furrowed immediately, and his professional smile vanished. Just as he was about to refuse, Raven spoke first, asking with interest, "Livestream? Like on Twitch? Will lots of people watch you learn to tie a knot?"

There was no obvious opposition in her tone, but rather a kind of curiosity typical of young people.

“That’s roughly the idea,” Lin Yu’an said frankly. “I guarantee the equipment won’t interfere with teaching, and I’m willing to pay extra for it.”

“Lin, my primary responsibility is the safety of you and my boat,” Mike interrupted sternly. “Sailing instruction requires absolute focus. If you get distracted by the comments or make unnecessary movements for the sake of the live stream, you are creating danger. I cannot allow that.”

“I understand,” Lin Yu’an calmly met his scrutinizing gaze. “You can treat the live streaming equipment as a non-existent recorder. I won’t interact with the audience while operating the boat; all attention will be on you and the boat.”

Raven observed Lin Yu'an from the side. She saw no frivolity or arrogance in this man's eyes, only a composure beyond his years. She turned to her father.

“Dad, I think we can give it a try,” she said. “We can start with theory lessons and dock drills. If he can stay focused like he says, we can move on to the next step. If not, we have the right to stop at any time.”

"And... to be honest, letting more people see what real ASA sailing instruction is like is probably the best free advertising our academy has ever received."

Captain Mike looked at his daughter, then at Lin Yu'an. He trusted his daughter's judgment.

“Okay,” he finally relented, but his tone remained firm. “I agree to a trial run, but I have strict rules.”

"First, safety is paramount. My orders are absolute and must be carried out immediately."

"Second, if I believe that a live stream is affecting safety in any way, I will stop it immediately, without any room for negotiation."

"Third, we don't charge extra money, but you can donate that money to the Florida Marine Society."

"It's a deal." Lin Yu'an felt even more admiration for the professionalism and integrity of the father and daughter.

“Very good,” Captain Mike pointed to the table in the center of the classroom. “Then, Raven will be in charge of your first part of the shore-based theory class. She’s much better at making dry knowledge interesting than this old man. I’m going to prepare the ship. See you at the dock in an hour.”

After saying that, Captain Mike turned and left, leaving the classroom to Lin Yu'an and Raven.

Raven walked to the whiteboard, picked up a pen, and smoothly wrote down today's title: "ASA 101 - Day 1".

She turned to look at Lin Yu'an, her eyes focused and professional. "Lin, before we begin, we need to make you clearly aware of what you will be facing today."

“Learning to sail is a systematic project. We will break down the content of a whole day into several modules and tackle them one by one.”

She began to clearly list out the complete plan for the day on the whiteboard, and after writing each item, she would look up and explain its core purpose to Lin Yu'an.

"Onshore Theory Class (1 hour)"

"This is the foundation. I will help you build a 3D model of a sailboat in your mind. Learn its language, understand its skeleton and muscles, and most importantly, understand how it interacts with the wind."

"Dock Drill (1.5 hours)"

“After theory comes the beginning of muscle memory.” Her tone became more specific. “We spend a lot of time on knots because knots are the sailor’s second language.”

“Then, I will let you touch every rope and every winch on the ship until you can find them with your eyes closed. My father will guide me through this part, and he is almost demanding in terms of the standard movements.”

Engine Practice (1.5 hours)

“Many people neglect the engine, which is a fatal mistake.” Raven’s expression turned serious. “In the narrow harbor, the engine is your master.”

“My father will teach you how to tame a docile wild beast, making the ship leave port, move forward, move backward, and turn precisely under the power of the engine. This part will be tedious, but extremely important.”

"We will have a short lunch break on the ship at noon, about 45 minutes."

"First sail raising (2.5 hours)"

“This is the real focus today,” Raven said, her eyes sparkling. “We’ll connect everything you’ve learned so far. Raise the sails, feel the wind, and learn the most basic wind direction.”

"Then we will do a lot of turning practice—turning into the wind and turning with the wind. It's like dancing ballet at sea. It requires elegance, but even more so, it requires power and precise timing."

"Return and Stop (30 minutes)"

"Finally, and most importantly, we will lower the sails and use the engine to safely and smoothly bring the boat back to its small berth. Many people can sail a boat a hundred nautical miles, but they can't bring it back perfectly."

She put down her pen, turned around, and saw the whiteboard filled with plans, like a battle map for today.

“This is all you need to conquer today,” Raven said, looking at Lin Yu’an. “Each step has a testing standard. If you don’t meet it, we’ll practice again until you do. Any questions?”

“No, the plan is very clear.” Lin Yu’an nodded.

"Great, you can prepare for your live stream now. My class will start on time."

Lin Yu'an quickly set up the live streaming equipment and politely handed a clip-on microphone to Ruiwen. She skillfully clipped it to her collar and even winked playfully at the camera, seemingly quite excited about teaching in front of millions of viewers.

The live stream started promptly at 8:30 a.m. local time (8:30 p.m. Beijing time).

"Good evening, good morning, friends." Lin Yu'an said to the camera, "A new journey officially begins today. Now, let me introduce my theoretical coach, Ms. Raven."

The camera then pans to Raven, who waves generously with a confident smile that is incredibly infectious.

[Holy crap! A beautiful coach! I'm instantly wide awake!]

[That charisma! That figure! So beautiful and cool! I love it!]

[Oh no, Lin Shen hasn't even started learning to sail yet, and I feel like my heart is already setting sail.]

"Before we begin, there is one thing I need to clarify: in order to ensure the professionalism and efficiency of the teaching, my communication with the coach will be conducted entirely in English."

"I knew there would be a language barrier, so I specifically embedded a real-time translation plugin in the live stream."

"For those using the Douyin platform in China, you should see a 'Subtitles' option at the bottom of the screen. Clicking it will enable real-time Chinese and English subtitles. For TikTok users, this feature should be enabled by default; you can set it to work for you."

"This way, everyone can join me without any barriers and experience this top-notch introductory sailing course. During my learning process, if conditions permit, I will also select some questions from the live chat and ask the instructors for guidance."

“Alright, monster student,” Raven teased with a smile, then turned serious and entered teaching mode. “Let’s begin. Everyone in the live stream is welcome to sit in on what may be the world’s most-watched introductory sailing class.”

He fixed the main camera in a position that could capture the entire classroom and the whiteboard, and then sat down at the table like a real student, taking out his nautical notebook.

Her opening remarks (and appearance) were full of youthful energy and modernity, immediately winning over the comments section.

“The theory class is divided into three parts,” she said, picking up a pen and writing three titles on the whiteboard: “First: The Language of Ships; Second: The Body of Ships; Third: The Rules of Ships.”

“Let’s start with the language. Many people don’t understand port and starboard because on a ship, port and starboard are relative terms, which is very dangerous.”

Instead of giving a direct answer, Raven first set up a scenario: "Imagine you're at the bow of the boat and I'm at the stern, back to back. If I yell 'Throw that thing to the left,' will we throw it in the same direction as the boat?"

"No," Lin Yu'an replied immediately.

“Absolutely right. So we need absolute directional words.” She held out her left hand, palm down, making an ‘L’ shape. “This is ‘Left,’ right? Now, imagine it as the shape of a port.”

"Therefore, the left side of the ship is always called the port side. Always remember this rule: there's a port on the left."

"And the right side of the ship is called the starboard side. The origin of this word is ancient, because the rudder of ships used to be mounted on the right side. So, port and starboard will never change."

This simple and intuitive memorization method prompted a barrage of "I learned something new" comments in the live stream.

[Comment: Got it! Port is on the port side! I'm practically a sailor now! (doge)]

“Very good, you’ve grasped the basic orientation. Now let’s look at the ship’s hull.” Raven wiped the whiteboard, took out a simple diagram of a sailboat, and began to introduce its skeleton and muscles as if in an anatomy class.

"This is the mast, the spine of the ship. This is the mainsail, the large sail behind the mast, which provides the main power."

"This is the foresail, the small sail in front of the mast, which assists in power and steering. The ropes that control their angle are called foot ropes. And the ropes that raise them are called hoisting ropes."

"There are also the forward struts connecting the top of the mast to the bow, and the aft struts connecting the top to the stern..."

After explaining more than a dozen core components in detail, she moved on to the most crucial part: the physical principles.

“Now, let’s talk about how this body comes to life. That is, how it sails in the wind.” Instead of drawing a complex force analysis diagram, she drew an airplane and a sailboat on the whiteboard.

"The upper surface of the wing is curved, where the airflow is fast and the pressure is low; the lower surface is flat, where the airflow is slow and the pressure is high. As a result, the plane is sucked into the air."

"Our sail is like a flexible wing standing upright. When the wind blows over it, it creates a pressure difference, generating a huge lift that pulls our ship to the side and forward, allowing it to 'fly' in the wind at sea."

Holy crap! Flying in the wind! That's such a romantic and hardcore metaphor!

I wasted my time learning physics... This beautiful teacher is a million times better than my high school physics teacher!

A comment popped up: [Comment: Since it's sucked in, wouldn't a bigger sail be better? Wouldn't a super-giant sail make it invincible?]

Lin Yu'an relayed the question. Raven laughed; she seemed to really enjoy these inquisitive, argumentative questions.

"Good question! Theoretically, yes, the larger the sail, the greater the lift. But in reality, a ship is a balancing system."

"You have a giant wing in the sky pulling you to the side and forward, and this force will also cause the ship to tilt violently."

"So you need something equally powerful underwater to fight it, or you'll capsize. That thing is the keel."

She quickly drew a huge fin-like object under the boat.

"The keel has two core functions. First, it acts like a knife stuck in the water, providing tremendous lateral drag to prevent the boat from being blown sideways by the wind."

"Secondly, its bottom usually has several tons of ballast, which provides a strong restoring torque, like the bottom of a roly-poly toy. The more the ship tilts, the more it tries to straighten it."

"The size of the sails, the width of the hull, the weight and depth of the keel must be calculated with extreme precision to achieve a perfect balance. It's not about making the sails bigger, but about matching them perfectly. A good sailor is a master of balance."

This answer once again broadened the horizons of the viewers in the live broadcast room.

“Alright,” Raven put down her physics pen, her expression turning serious. “We’ve covered language and the body. Now for the most important, and driest, part of today’s theory lesson, but the part that concerns our very survival—the rules.”

"Remember, the ocean is not a wilderness; it is not a place without rules. On the contrary, its rules are stricter than traffic rules on land because on water, there are no brakes and no streetlights."

She drew two sailboats that were about to meet on the whiteboard.

"These are the so-called rules of avoidance, which are internationally recognized, like the laws among sailors. Today we will only learn the two most basic ones."

"Rule 1: If two sailboats are in the same boat and the winds are coming from opposite sides, the boat with the wind on its port side must give way to the boat with the wind on its starboard side."

She explained, "The ship on the starboard side with the wind has the right-of-way, which allows it to maintain its course and speed. Why is starboard priority given? It's a historical tradition, there's no why, you just have to remember it."

Holy crap! This is the theory test for driving on water!

[Take notes! Take notes! Starboard is the boss! Starboard is awesome!]

"Rule 2: If the wind is blowing from the same side, the leeward vessel has the right of way and the upwind vessel must give way."

Raven continued, "Simply put, the boat further out of the wind and lower down is the leader. Because it's more difficult for it to turn. The rules always protect the one that's more difficult to maneuver."

[Comment from viewers: What happens when a sailboat and a motorboat meet? Who yields? It always seems like the yacht driver is more domineering!]

Lin Yu-an raised the question again.

“A very important question!” Raven’s expression became even more serious. “Remember this avoidance hierarchy: out-of-control ships > ships with limited maneuverability > ships with deep draft > fishing boats > sailboats > motorboats.”

"Do you understand? In this chain, motorboats are at the lowest level! In most cases, as long as a sailboat is sailing, all motorboats, regardless of size, must give way to you!"

"Because sailboats rely on the wind and are limited in their operation, while they have engines and can move freely. The law protects the vulnerable."

She paused, then changed the subject: "But! There are always exceptions. If a sailboat is traveling by engine and has lowered its sails, then legally it is a motorboat, and the rules for avoiding it change."

"Furthermore, if you want to overtake the bow of a giant cargo ship, even if you have the right-of-way, don't do it, because the laws of physics are more powerful than the rules of navigation. A good captain must first learn to respect authority, not abuse it."

This explanation, full of dialectical and realistic wisdom, gave the viewers in the live broadcast room a completely new understanding of the complexity and seriousness of navigation.

“Finally, regarding Florida’s local laws,” Raven added, “remember that anyone born after January 1, 1988, who operates a motorboat with more than 10 horsepower must hold a ‘Boat Safety Education Card’.”

"In addition, you must strictly abide by the speed limit in the manatee reserve, otherwise you will receive a huge fine that will make you feel heartbroken for a long time. We will explain these in detail in subsequent courses."

The one-hour theory class ended amidst an explosion of information and the audience's lamentations that "their brains can't keep up."

Raven closed the textbook, let out a long sigh of relief, and her relaxed smile returned: "Alright, the theoretical knowledge has filled your brain. How do you feel?"

"I've learned a lot," Lin Yu'an said sincerely. This lesson transformed his understanding of sailboats from a simple means of transportation into a complex life form that requires wisdom and rules to navigate.

“That’s good.” Raven said with a smile, “Now let’s go to the dock. My father is preparing to etch these rules and theories into your very being in the most realistic way. Good luck and don’t actually fall into the water.”

The chat room erupted in panic.

【Hey beautiful teacher, don't go! We want to hear your lectures again!】

[Exactly! Let's keep that tyrannical father away, we want to see Raven!]

[Waaaaah, my flight lessons are over, my youth is over.]

Hey Lin, ask her on Twitter or TikTok! We have to follow this amazing coach!

[Yes, yes, yes! Lin Shen, ask quickly! This is our request!]

Lin Yu'an looked at the barrage of comments that instantly flooded the screen, smiled helplessly, and still brought up the question of "what the people want": "Uh... Coach Riven, the audience is asking if you have a personal social media account, such as Twitter or TikTok?"

Raven stopped in her tracks as she was about to leave. She turned around, crossed her arms, leaned against the doorframe, and looked at Lin Yu'an with a leisurely air.

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she raised one of her beautiful eyebrows, a sly glint in her blue eyes, and asked with a faint smile, "Is it the audience who wants to know... or you who wants to know?"

This question, with a touch of just the right amount of teasing and probing, instantly made the atmosphere in the live stream somewhat ambiguous.

Lin Yu'an was slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected the other party to throw the question back at him so directly. A hint of unease appeared on his face, which could remain calm in any dangerous situation.

[Holy crap! Holy crap! Has Brother Lin met a real female player?!]

[It's here! The part I've been waiting for the most is here!]

[Quickly answer, Brother Lin! Say it's what I want to know! Hurry! Go ahead and answer!]

[Stop joking around, upstairs! Brother Lin already has a child!]

[@Aria, come join the battle! The air in the livestream feels like it's filled with pink bubbles!]

Amidst the cheers and stares of millions of viewers, Lin Yu'an, meeting Raven's amused gaze, ultimately chose to speak the truth, his tone frank and sincere: "Yes, I have everything. Your lectures are excellent, and I hope to learn even more from them."

The answer was frank yet tactful, and Raven seemed quite satisfied with it, her smile widening.

“You pass.” She straightened up. “My TikTok account is very simple, it’s called ‘Captain Raven’.”

She paused, then added, "However, there aren't many beautiful women's selfies on it, only videos of me cursing and swearing in various storms, and ugly photos of me cleaning plastic bags for sea turtles."

These words, far from deterring the audience, actually made her image even cooler and more authentic.

[Holy crap! I love it even more! I've already found it! I'm following right now!]

[A beautiful captain yelling in the storm? Why am I being rewarded like this?!]

“Alright, my mission is complete.” Raven waved at the camera. “I’m going to prepare lunch and supplies, and also enjoy your maiden voyage.”

"Lin, good luck. Don't actually fall into the water, or you'll have to drink seawater for lunch today."

After saying that, she turned around and left the classroom decisively, leaving the live broadcast room with a vibrant silhouette and endless room for imagination.

Lin Yu'an walked out of the office; the midday sun was a bit dazzling.

He arrived at the dock and saw Captain Mike standing next to a training sailboat, waving at him.

"Come on up, trainees!" Mike's voice was devoid of any emotion, filled with the seriousness of an impending job. "The theory class is over. From now on, your brain can rest, but your body cannot."

Lin Yu'an leaped onto the boat, feeling a slight rocking motion beneath his feet. The boat, named the Wanderer, was a classic J/24 keelboat. Approximately 24 feet long, its design was simple, devoid of any superfluous luxury decorations; everything was designed for teaching and competition.

This type of boat is highly responsive and requires a high level of skill to operate; any minor error will be immediately magnified, making it an excellent choice for training beginners to develop a feel for the boat.

“Before you untangle the cables,” Mike pointed to the tangled mess of ropes in the cockpit that looked like a tangled mess to a novice, “you have to recognize them, not with your brain, but with your hands.”

“Raven should have taught you your name by now. Now I need you to match your name with the actual object.”

He began issuing orders like an examiner, speaking rapidly and urgently, giving Lin Yu'an no time to think. He intended to use this high-pressure method to personally test the mettle of the monster Scout had described.

"Raise the mainsail!"

Lin Yu'an's hand reached for the thick rope extending from the base of the mast almost without hesitation.

Mike raised an eyebrow slightly. Most trainees would need at least a few seconds to hesitate and identify this pile of "spaghetti".

"What is its purpose?" Mike's voice was like a roar, trying to intimidate the other party with his imposing manner, to see if he was just memorizing it by rote.

“Raise the mainsail,” Lin Yu’an replied.

"Say it all!"

"Use it to raise the mainsail to the top along the mast rails!"

"Very good! Remember, it's the throttle pedal for the boat! Your big boat might be electric in the future, but if the circuit fails one day and a storm is imminent, you'll have to rely on your own hands to raise or lower it as quickly as possible! Too slow!"

"Hurry up! Your companion has fallen into the water; by the time you find the rope, he'll have sunk to the bottom!"

Mike's roar seemed to be right next to his ear, causing Lin Yu'an to subconsciously quicken his movements.

"Fore sail and rigging!"

Lin Yu'an immediately turned and grabbed the ropes connecting the corners of the foresail on both sides.

"Which one?!" Mike demanded. "There are two! The one facing the wind or the one with the wind? You have to tell me which one you're operating! Inaccurate instructions and operations can kill people at sea!"

“…Downwind side.” Lin Yu’an quickly determined the force cable under the current simulated wind direction.

Mike's heart skipped a beat; this kind of detail is usually an intuition that trainees develop after practicing on the water for several hours.

The man in front of me, who had only attended an hour of theory class and had never even been to sea, was already thinking like a sailor.

"Correct! This one is working, and the other is resting. They are the ship's steering wheel!"

"Every time you turn, you must decisively release one strand while tightening the other, like dancing! Hesitate for even a second, and your boat will go out of control in the wind!"

"Coastal cable tie!"

Lin Yu'an's hand once again precisely reached for a device with a pulley system connecting the barge and the bottom of the mast.

"What is this for?"

"Control the vertical angle of the spars to change the curvature of the mainsail."

"Be more specific!" Mike persisted, increasing the difficulty to test a deeper level of understanding.

"When the wind is down, it prevents the spars from becoming inefficient due to being lifted too high by the wind! When the wind is up, it can flatten the mainsail, reduce roll, and make you go faster!"

"It's like the suspension system of a race car, used for fine-tuning! The difference between a novice and an expert often lies in whether they know how to use this rope!"

Lin Yu'an's answer was almost an extension and deepening of Ruiwen's explanation in class, and she even used her own metaphors.

Mike was utterly shocked! He had taught thousands of students, from gifted teenagers to wealthy tycoons.

He had seen people with good memories and people with strong hands-on skills. But he had never seen a student like Lin Yu'an who could perfectly combine abstract theoretical knowledge with the real objects in front of him within two hours, and who could also apply what he learned to other situations and understand the application level.

Now I finally understand what Scout meant by "monster." It wasn't about physical abilities, but rather this terrifying, almost perverse, ability to learn and comprehend.

Mike took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and used a sterner tone to mask his surprise.

"Rope-twirling!"

Lin Yu'an found a track and two control cables on the cockpit floor.

"What is this?!"

"Control the position of the mainsail slider on the track and adjust the mainsail's angle of attack."

"That's right! It works in tandem with the mainsail and footline! One controls left and right, the other controls forward and backward! Together they determine the efficiency of your wing! You must learn to operate them simultaneously to keep your sail in perfect shape under any wind conditions!"

Under Mike's storm-like indoctrination, Lin Yu'an's forehead began to bead with sweat. He had to keep up with Mike's pace in both reaction speed and depth of thought.

Mike became increasingly alarmed as he asked more questions, realizing that the tricky questions he had prepared to stump newcomers were completely useless against this young man.

This is no longer a simple identification, but a high-intensity simultaneous oral and practical assessment.

“Not bad,” Mike finally stopped, he had to admit that he was completely impressed.

His tone softened, carrying a hint of appreciation he himself didn't realize, "At least you're not just a bookworm who only talks the talk; now you've mastered the basics of sailing—knotting."

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.

(End of this chapter)