American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 346 A Generous Reward, Setting Sail at breakneck speed!
"Warm-up," Lin Yu'an replied succinctly.

He closed his eyes and once again mentally analyzed and reconstructed all of Raven's actions.

Wind force, water flow, ship inertia, engine thrust, lateral force of the ship's inverted launch... all these variables, in his enhanced brain, have become calculable vectors.

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, his gaze becoming incredibly focused.

He began practicing, using a virtual point on the water's surface as his target since there was no dock.

[Here he comes! Lin Shen is going to practice in the open space first!]

[Study mode activated! First, work out the calculations on scratch paper!]

On his first attempt, he perfectly replicated Raven's movements.

With the bow facing the wind, reverse gear engaged, and the rudder fully to starboard... the ship begins to move sideways gracefully!
However, when he switched to forward gear to counteract the inertia at the last moment, he was a fraction of a second too early, causing the boat to finally stop at a position that was about one meter off from what he expected.

“Not bad,” Mike commented from the side. “For the first time, it’s already a miracle, but this error is enough to leave an unsightly scratch on the hull of that Boswell ship.”

Lin Yu'an immediately began his second attempt.

This time he was clearly more confident, his control of the throttle was more refined, and his switching of steering angles was more decisive.

The hull moved sideways with silky smoothness, and when it finally came to a stop, the error was reduced to less than 30 centimeters.

"Beautiful!" Raven exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Can you achieve this level of precision by watching it only once and practicing it twice? This is no longer learning; it's replication and optimization!

Lin Yu'an was still not satisfied; he looked at the water as if he was still thinking about something.

“The wind isn’t constant,” he asked the two instructors. “There were two slight gusts of wind just now that affected the direction the boat was heading.”

"If we can anticipate gusts of wind and correct the bow with a shorter forward gear pulse the instant they arrive, can we achieve zero error?"

These words left Mike and Raven completely speechless.

He's not just learning a movement, he's analyzing the wind! He's trying to communicate with this most uncontrollable natural element!

I hereby declare that I am abandoning all thought and will simply watch the god-like maneuvers unfold.

[Predicting a gust of wind? This...is something a human could do?]

My mom asked me why I was kneeling on the keyboard, and I said I was watching a live stream.

“Don’t ask me,” Raven shrugged, a smile of admiration and anticipation on her face. “You’re a master of calculations, you decide. Go ahead, let’s see your final answer.”

Lin Yu'an nodded, took a deep breath, and repositioned the boat towards the berth sandwiched between two expensive speedboats.

This time, his entire aura had changed.

If Raven's control is a confident and flamboyant dance, then Lin Yu'an's control is the cold execution of a precision instrument.

He calculated the distance precisely and stopped the boat at the starting position. The bow faced the wind, the angle was perfect.

Shift into reverse, turn the rudder fully to starboard, and the engine let out a low growl. The training boat began its crab-like sideways movement once more!

Just as the ship was about to enter the berth, a gust of wind, almost imperceptible to the naked eye, blew by, causing the bow to sway slightly.

It's now!

Lin Yu'an's eyes narrowed, and his right hand switched between forward and reverse gears with lightning speed, while his left hand made a tiny adjustment to the steering wheel.

The entire action took no more than half a second!

The ship only shuddered slightly, and the bow that was about to veer off course was forcefully "pressed" back onto the correct trajectory!
Finally, the ship, like a feather, silently glided into the narrow berth.

Distance, perfect!
Angle, perfect!
The process was perfect!
He turned off the engine, and the whole world fell silent.

Captain Mack, with a cigar dangling from his mouth, stared blankly at the scene before him, like a petrified statue.

Raven was captivated by the scene before her. Looking at Lin Yu'an's profile, which appeared somewhat cold due to extreme focus, her heart began to pound uncontrollably.

In just one afternoon, this man transformed from a landlubber who couldn't even tie a knot into a monster captain capable of performing top-notch berthing skills in 12-knot crosswinds!

All her previous challenges and tests now seem like child's play in front of this man.

This learning speed defies all common sense! The only explanation is that there are truly exceptionally gifted geniuses in this world!
After a deathly silence of more than ten seconds, the live stream chat was filled with:

【…………………】

What the hell... what did I just see?

[Really? Anyone with hands can do it??? When others say "anyone with hands can do it," it's just humility; when Lin says "anyone with hands can do it," it's stating a fact!]

This is the god of mooring boats! I'd call him the boat-mooring hero!

[I understand now. The difference between me and Lin Shen is probably the same as the difference between a fan and Qian Lao.]

[Raven: I'll only teach you once. Lin: OK, you've learned it, and I even optimized it a bit. Now you can easily get 101 points, right? (doge)]

Amidst the frenzy of comments, the carnival and dream castle on the Douyin platform went viral, propelling Lin Yu'an to the top of the platform's hourly rankings, leading the popularity charts by a significant margin.

Just as Lin Yu'an was calming his breathing and feeling the afterglow of completing the extreme operation,

Suddenly, Raven picked up the live-streaming phone that had been recording the conversation, and her blue eyes widened in surprise.

"Lin... my God... you'd better take a look at this." Her voice was filled with shock, even more so than when she saw Lin Yu'an perfectly stop the boat.

Lin Yu'an turned his head in confusion and saw that Ruiwen had turned her phone screen towards him.

On the screen, the golden lion special effects continued to roar, and the number "x 150" on the gift counter was as dazzling as the sun.

“One hundred and fifty… lions?” Lin Yu’an had no concept of the value of these gifts, but he could read something unusual in Raven’s expression.

“One lion costs about four hundred dollars,” Raven explained quickly. “One hundred and fifty of them… that’s sixty thousand dollars! Lin! Someone sent you sixty thousand dollars worth of gifts!”

These words not only stunned Lin Yu'an, but also nearly made Captain Mike, who had just recovered from his petrified state, choke on his own saliva.

Sixty thousand US dollars? In just a short time? He couldn't earn that much even if he taught boating for a whole month.

The live stream chat went wild again because of this wave of donations.

[My God! One hundred and fifty lions?! Am I dreaming?!]

[Science Fact: One lion gift is approximately worth $400 USD... 150 lions... $60000 USD!]

Sixty thousand US dollars!!!

Sixty thousand US dollars! And in just a few minutes?! That's enough to buy a house back in my hometown!

This is insane! Who is this guy?!

Look at that ID! RCYC! Royal Canadian Yacht Club?! Chairman?

[No way! The chairman of one of North America's most prestigious yacht clubs is looking at this?! And he just spent $60,000?!]

Amidst the overwhelming golden lion special effects that blotted out the sky and the deafening cheers of the audience, the user "RCYC_Commodore" left a golden, pinned comment:

"Incredible learning speed! Young man, the Great Lakes welcome you after your courses in Florida. Some real challenges await you there! — President of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club"

This comment was like a bombshell, completely igniting the overseas audience!

A donation of $60,000 is more than just recognition; it's an act that borders on investment!
This prominent figure in the maritime world used the most direct way to declare to the world his boundless optimism for Lin Yu-an's future!
On his very first day of learning to sail, Lin Yu'an used his extraordinary talent to not only gain entry into a top sailing club, but also directly attract the attention of a big shot!

Lin Yu'an took the phone from Ruiwen and faced the camera again. There was no ecstasy on his face, only a solemn and professional calm.

“Thank you so much for all the gifts and support from my friends, especially Mr. 'RCYC_Commodore' who just sent so many gifts.”

"And to all my friends on the Douyin platform in China, I feel your enthusiasm and I am very grateful."

His tone became serious: "But at the same time, I must emphasize here that everyone should consume rationally, especially minors, please do not give gifts."

"My live stream content is shared for free. Your watching and support are my greatest encouragement."

These words instantly boosted the goodwill of the viewers in the live stream.

Holy crap! Lin Shen's vision!

[Amazing! She earned $60,000 and immediately advised everyone to consume rationally! What an amazing streamer!]

[The Association for the Protection of Minors gives you a thumbs up!]

After saying this, Lin Yu'an's gaze returned to the golden comment on the screen. His expression regained its usual confident and composed demeanor.

“Mr. Commodore,” he replied directly in fluent English, “thank you very much for your recognition and generosity. It is an honor to have your attention. After the course in Florida, if given the opportunity, I would love to travel to the Great Lakes and experience the real challenges there.”

He was neither overly humble nor flattered, but accepted the invitation from the bigwig in an attitude of equal dialogue.

When Scout saw the donation amount and the comment backstage, he was so excited he almost jumped out of his chair!
He knew that Lin Yu'an's new project was a success! A complete and utter success! Its potential was even ten thousand times more terrifying than he had imagined!
Lin Yu'an is no longer just a simple internet celebrity; he has begun to attract the attention of those at the very top of the pyramid!

The engine practice ended in a way that left both coaches completely speechless.

They finally sailed out to the open sea, preparing for the final chapter of the day—their first voyage with sails raised.

Mike pointed to the distant blue sky, clearly in a good mood. "The weather forecast says it will be sunny this afternoon with a stable wind of 10 to 15 knots. It's the perfect weather for our first voyage."

"Raven, you guide him in raising the sail. I'll go check the rigging tension."

After he finished speaking, he habitually reached out to pat Raven's head, just like when they were little.

The moment the word "sweetheart" left her lips, Raven's body stiffened as if she had been electrocuted.

She could feel Lin Yu'an's calm gaze sweeping over her seemingly unintentionally.

A surge of heat instantly rushed to her cheeks. She wasn't afraid of storms, giant waves, or even sharks, but she was afraid of this!
She was afraid that in front of this man, her father would treat her like a sweet little darling who needed to be coaxed!

She abruptly stepped to the side, avoiding her father's hand, a suspiciously unnatural look flashing across her face.

She lowered her voice, a warning tinged with a mixture of shame and anger, and glared fiercely at her father: "Dad! Stop it!"

He glanced subconsciously at Lin Yu'an, who was pretending to admire the scenery beside him, and at the live-streaming camera pointing directly at them in front of him, and lowered his voice even further:
"Dad, we're at work! Don't call me that! You can call me... Captain Raven!"

[Hahahaha! Raven is so cool!]

[Old Man Mike's hand was hanging in mid-air, how embarrassing, hahaha!]

[Her family hierarchy is crystal clear! Teacher Raven is the Queen of the family!]

[Lin Shen was struggling to hold back his laughter; his feigned appreciation of the scenery was hilarious!]

Mike saw his daughter's embarrassed look, but he completely misunderstood her intentions.

He thought his daughter was trying to maintain her professional image and authority as Captain Raven in front of clients and live cameras.

Instead of successfully understanding his daughter's girlish thoughts, he found her desire to establish authority even more amusing.

She raised her hands in surrender, but a smug grin lingered on her face: "Yes, yes, Captain Raven. My bad."

He deliberately emphasized the title "Captain Raven," giving her a knowing look that made Raven glare at him again before turning around contentedly and humming a little tune as she walked toward the bow of the ship.

Raven took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the heat on her face and trying to calm herself down.

She regained her professional coach demeanor, but the slight redness around her ears betrayed her earlier embarrassment.

She cleared her throat, trying to make her voice sound as calm as usual, or even more serious, in order to cover up her unnaturalness.

He began giving instructions to Lin Yu'an: "Alright, Lin... let's begin the preparations for raising the sails. First step, check the mainsail and hoisting ropes..."

Lin Yu'an suppressed a laugh, nodded solemnly, and began his first sail-raising journey of the day.

He was naturally unaware of Raven's complex inner thoughts, but he felt that this little episode allowed him to see the incredibly real and warm family relationship between the father and daughter beyond their professional lives.

"Before raising the sails, the first step is always," Raven asked, "what?"

"Point the bow of the boat in the direction the wind is coming from," Lin Yu'an replied immediately.

"why?"

"The sails should be free from stress when raised, so they can flutter like a flag, which would be safer and easier to operate."

“Absolutely right.” Raven nodded in satisfaction. “Go, Captain. Let your ship spread its wings for the first time.”

Lin Yu'an walked to the mast, untied the mainsail hoisting rope, wound it around the winch, and then began to pull rhythmically.

With his movements, the enormous white canvas, like a slumbering beast awakening from its slumber, began to rise inch by inch. The canvas rustled as it rubbed against the air.

[Here it comes! We're about to take off!]

[This viewpoint is amazing! It feels like we're on the ship too!]

[Wow, don't you guys get seasick? Just this view is making me feel seasick!]

When the mainsail reached its highest point, Lin Yu'an used all his strength to tighten the hoisting rope and secure it firmly.

“Very good,” Raven gave the next instruction, “Now, go back to the helm, turn the bow out of the eye of the storm, and get the sails working.”

Lin Yu'an returned to the steering wheel and slowly turned it.

The bow of the ship began to drift away from the wind direction. Just as the ship and the wind formed an angle of about 45 degrees.

The huge mainsail, which had been languishing in the air, seemed to have been infused with a soul, and with a loud "whoosh," it suddenly filled up with wind!

In an instant, it transformed from a soft piece of cloth into a powerful curved surface, like the outstretched wings of a giant bird!

A powerful yet tranquil force instantly spread throughout the entire ship.

The ship began to tilt slightly and gracefully to one side, its hull cutting through the azure water and leaving a trail of white spray.

There was no roar of engines, no vibration of machinery, only the "whooshing" sound of the wind blowing through the sails and the pleasant "splashing" sound of the bow cutting through the waves.

The ship's speedometer is rapidly climbing: 4 knots... 5 knots... 6.5 knots! Converted to land speed, that's close to 12 kilometers per hour!

For the first time, Lin Yu'an truly felt the power of the wind. It wasn't the rough thrust from burning fuel, but a harmonious force full of rhythm, dancing with nature!

He could feel the power of the wind being transmitted through the sails, masts, and rigging to the hull, and then through the rudder to his palm.

The entire ship seemed to become an extension of his body, and the wind became his pulse.

His usually calm and collected face broke into a rare, genuine smile, like that of a child receiving a beloved toy for the first time.

The live stream camera also captured this perfect moment.

Sunlight pierced through the white sail, casting a golden outline on Lin Yu'an's resolute profile.

The splashing waves sparkled like diamonds around him, with the bow of the ship cutting through the waves and the sails billowing in the wind in front of him, and the vast blue sea behind him.

The whole scene is filled with freedom and joy, and an indescribable sense of triumph!

The atmosphere in the live stream reached an unparalleled romantic peak at this moment.

[Aaaaaaaah! I'm dead! That smile! That scene!]

I declare this the most beautiful scene I've seen all year! Without a doubt!

This is what sailing is all about! This is what freedom feels like! It's so beautiful!

[Once again, I'm amazed at how good it is to be rich!]

Raven also temporarily set aside her role as a coach and, like an ordinary girl, took out her phone to take a picture of Lin Yu'an and the beautiful scenery.

"How are you feeling, Captain?" Her voice was also tinged with laughter.

“...It’s amazing,” Lin Yu’an said sincerely.

“This is just the beginning,” Raven walked to his side and pointed to the sea in the distance. “Our current position is called ‘navigating upwind,’ which is the angle at which we can get closest to the source of the wind.”

"Now, try to slowly turn the bow away from the wind direction and feel the changes in speed and tilt at different wind angles."

Under Raven's guidance, Lin Yu'an began to practice.

He turned the bow to a 90-degree angle with the wind, entering the fastest "crosswind sailing"; he then turned again, letting the wind blow from the stern, entering the smooth and comfortable "tailwind sailing".

Like a child learning to walk for the first time, it greedily experiences the different temperaments of the ship in every posture.

His learning speed remains astonishingly fast. Raven only needs to give him a hint, and he can immediately find the most efficient sailing state by fine-tuning the angle of the sail and the rudder.

“Unbelievable,” Captain Mike said to Raven as he watched from the side, “He’s like…like he was born with it.”

"He has a beast-like intuition about the relationship between the ship's tilt, speed, and wind direction."

They were enjoying their perfect first sea voyage in a wide-open sea. The sun was shining, the wind was steady, and everything seemed perfect.

However, accidents always happen when they least expect them.

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.

(Beijing time has already dropped below zero, readers across the country, please wear an extra layer.)
(End of this chapter)