American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 376 The Mouth of the Whale! (8.5k combined chapters)

Dominican Republic, Samana Peninsula, Day 10 of the voyage, 6:00 AM

The first light of dawn, like thin milk, had just begun to soak the eastern horizon of Samana.

The legendary 4.5-liter inline six-cylinder engine in the Toyota Land Cruiser LC80 let out a deep roar.

The powerful, round headlights, like two sharp swords, pierced through the last darkness, illuminating the unknown road ahead.

Mike slammed the trunk shut, taking one last look at the North Star, which was quietly moored in the morning light, and the two "guys" that Ricardo had sent to watch over the ship.

In the car, Mike clapped his hands to get their attention. "Remember, from now on, we are a film crew. Our only mission is to film the Taino rock paintings."

Raven, sitting in the back row, was carefully putting on a wide-brimmed straw hat with a mosquito net. Hearing this, she gave Mike a playful eye roll through the net.

“Understood, Mr. Producer. But I must say, our gear makes us look more like mercenaries going to war.”

Lin Yu'an smiled, shifted into drive, and smoothly drove away from the port, heading towards the fog-shrouded hinterland of the Samana Peninsula.

The first half hour was a pleasant journey. The wide coastal highway stretched like a black ribbon, with swaying coconut palms, white sandy beaches, and the vast blue Caribbean Sea on one side.

On the other side was a colorful village full of Latin flair. Raven's chosen merenga was playing on the car stereo; its cheerful rhythm temporarily eased the tense atmosphere.

However, when the navigation pointed to a side road and the wheels rolled from the flat asphalt onto the bumpy red dirt road, the scene changed abruptly.

The comforts of the civilized world were instantly left behind; instead of resorts and bars, the roadsides were now lined with endless sugarcane fields and banana plantations.

The tall tropical plants blocked out the sky, leaving only a sliver of light, which made the light dim.

The air grew increasingly humid and hot, as if you could wring water out of it.

The first to launch the attack were another master of this country—mosquitoes.

They weren't just sporadic disturbances; they formed a cluster like a black cloud, frantically pounding against the car windows and emitting a high-frequency buzzing noise that sent chills down your spine.

“My God…” Raven looked at the terrifying scene outside the window, thankful that she was in the car. “Thank goodness we didn’t come in on foot, otherwise we would have been sucked into mummies by them.”

Mike pointed to a muddy swamp ahead and said, "This is just the appetizer; the real trouble is the road."

As soon as he finished speaking, the front of the LC80 suddenly sank downwards, and was then lifted upwards by a tremendous force.

The wheels got stuck in a huge mud pit perfectly disguised by rain and vegetation. With the roar of the engine, the wheels spun wildly in place, splashing mud everywhere.

"Hold on tight!" Lin Yu'an shouted in a low voice, without the slightest hint of panic on his face.

I quickly switched to low-speed four-wheel drive mode, locked the center differential lock, and steadily controlled the steering wheel with both hands. Through precise throttle control, I felt the fleeting grip between the tires and the ground.

The LC80 resembled an enraged rhinoceros, rampaging through the mud, its body tilting at a heart-stopping angle.

Finally, with a deafening roar, the steel beast roared and broke free from the mud's confinement, returning to the relatively solid ground.

Raven and Mike both breathed a sigh of relief; what they had just witnessed was more thrilling than riding any roller coaster.

"Looks like renting this old guy was one of the best decisions we ever made," Mike said, patting the car door with lingering fear.

The off-road vehicle continued its bumpy journey along the road, which locals called the "devil's washboard."

Two hours later, when the GPS showed they were about to enter the core protected area of ​​Los Heidiss National Park, the real test began.

At the entrance to a narrow valley, a rough horizontal bar blocked the way.

A makeshift sentry post was set up nearby, and two tall, dark-skinned park patrolmen in camouflage uniforms, armed with guns, emerged from the shadows.

Their eyes were sharp and wary, their holsters were not fastened, and their hands were habitually resting near the gun handles, clearly showing their suspicion towards the unfamiliar, mud-covered heavy off-road vehicle.

One of the older officers, with a scar on his face, stepped forward and said coldly in heavily accented English, "Stop! This is a restricted area of ​​the national park; tourists are not allowed to enter. Who are you?"

Mike immediately put on a smile, rolled down the car window, and prepared to use his usual rhetoric to deal with officials from various countries, but Lin Yu'an raised his hand to stop him.

When dealing with these grassroots law enforcement personnel in remote areas, any sweet talk may backfire. The most effective approach is to demonstrate absolute "legitimacy" and overwhelming "background."

He turned off the engine, calmly got out of the car, his expensive Loro Piana linen shirt covered in dust.

But that calm demeanor, so out of place with his surroundings, caused a subtle, almost imperceptible flicker in the eyes of the two patrol officers.

The tense atmosphere intensified once again, and Raven and Mike's hearts were in their throats.

Lin Yu'an maintained a calm smile. "Good morning, sir. Our film crew plans to film the Taino people's murals. This is the official authorization document."

At this point, he naturally pulled out an old wallet that he had prepared beforehand from the pocket of his linen shirt.

He pulled out three crisp, consecutively numbered one hundred-dollar bills from an outer pocket of his wallet and folded the three hundred dollars in half discreetly.

It was tucked inside the "Special Academic Expedition Permit" that Ricardo had prepared, stamped with three bright red official seals.

As he handed over the permit, he continued in his calm tone, "It's a hot day. You two officers must be tired from your duties. Buy some chilled beer to cool off."

Lin Yu'an's movements were fluid and natural, without the slightest hint of showing off or nervousness.

He didn't simply stuff the money into the other person's hand, as that would have been too rude and offensive.

Instead, he handed over the folded banknotes along with the official license, cleverly using the license to cover most of the banknotes.

This gesture saves face for the other person and provides an irresistible way out.

The scarred police officer took the document, glanced at it briefly, then picked up the walkie-talkie hanging around his neck and quickly checked the document number and contents in Spanish.

A series of noisy confirmation sounds came from the other end of the walkie-talkie. Although the scarred man's expression softened somewhat, the suspicion in his eyes had not completely disappeared.

The scarred policeman's gaze lingered on the green Franklin portraits for less than half a second, a greater greed flashing in his eyes.

“The documents are real. But your equipment… doesn’t look like you’re here for academic research.” He pointed to the scuba tanks and camping gear wrapped in tarpaulin on the roof rack.

Lin Yu'an explained casually, "Our research project lasts for a week. Because it's about the connection between the Tainu people and marine culture, we need to conduct some underwater exploration."

Then, changing the subject, he said in a casual tone, as if discussing the weather, "Oh, by the way, before I left, my friend Ricardo assured me..."

"They said the officials here are very friendly and will provide all the necessary assistance for our 'Taino cultural research'."

"He also told me that if I encountered any difficulties, I could call him directly. Of course, we didn't want to bother him with trivial matters."

When the name "Ricardo" was clearly pronounced, the air seemed to freeze instantly.

The expressions on the faces of the two patrol officers underwent a dramatic transformation in just one second.

Vigilance, suspicion, greed... were instantly replaced by a deeper sense of apprehension.
The three hundred dollars instantly transformed into a "greeting" from Mr. Ricardo's friend, fundamentally changing its nature.

The scarred policeman almost instinctively straightened up, the scars on his face appearing much softer due to the movement of his muscles.

He stretched out his hands, rubbed his fingers together, and the banknotes disappeared from the document as if by magic. The whole process was as fast as lightning, as if nothing had happened.

He respectfully handed the license back to Lin Yu'an, his voice becoming warmer: "Ah! So you're Mr. Ricardo's friend! Welcome, welcome to Los Heidis! Sir, you're too kind. It's our honor to serve Mr. Ricardo's friends!"

Another young patrolman quickly ran over, moved the heavy roadblock, and even gave Lin Yu'an a courteous salute.

The scarred man even offered valuable information: "Sir, about five kilometers ahead, there was a landslide on the side of the road a few days ago after the rain. Be careful when you drive through."

"We wish you a successful inspection! If you need any assistance, please feel free to call us via radio!"

Lin Yu'an smiled and nodded at them, then turned and went back to the car without saying another word.

The LC80 restarted and slowly drove through the checkpoint.

In the rearview mirror, you can still see the two patrol officers standing by the roadside, waving to the rear of their car until they disappear around the bend in the jungle.

“My God…” Raven sighed and muttered to herself, “I take back what I said earlier. Every penny of that thirty thousand dollars was well spent. That guy named Ricardo is practically the local tyrant.”

Mike nodded in agreement: "In these places, sometimes a name is more effective than a stack of documents and a box of money."

A crisis that could have ruined the entire plan was easily resolved by a single name.

They were finally able to enter this truly wild land, forgotten by modern civilization.

After passing the checkpoint, the road became even more primitive and rugged.

The landslide section mentioned by the patrol officers was more serious than they had anticipated; half of the roadbed had been eroded by flash floods, and there was a ravine dozens of meters deep right next to it.

With his superb driving skills and the LC80's powerful off-road performance, Lin Yu-an kept the wheels close to the inner mountain wall and passed through slowly and safely.

This land seems to have been forgotten by time; there are no traces of human activity along the way, only dense primeval rainforests and the occasional unknown birds startled from the forest.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the setting sun began to cast its golden rays obliquely through the layers of tree canopy, casting dappled light and shadows in the forest.

GPS indicated that they had finally arrived at their designated advance camp, an abandoned plantation surrounded by giant ferns and wild cacao trees.

The terrain here is flat and secluded enough, and they are only five kilometers away from their final destination, "The Mouth of the Whale," on foot.

"This is it, let's camp here." Lin Yu'an parked the car under a huge kapok tree and turned off the engine.

The roar that had lasted all day vanished instantly, leaving only the symphony of various creatures in the jungle, and an ancient silence and vitality swept over us.

Without a moment's rest, the three immediately launched their operation with extremely high efficiency, before nightfall.

First, they worked together to unfold a huge jungle camouflage net and cover the military green off-road vehicle completely, making it blend into the surrounding environment.

Even if a plane flies overhead, it would be difficult to detect anything unusual here.

Next came communications and monitoring. Mike took a professional equipment case out of the car and set up a portable Iridium telephone antenna and a shortwave radio to serve as a communications relay station.

He carefully tuned the frequency to ensure they could maintain contact with the outside world and with each other, even in the deepest, most complex jungle.

"Communication test, 'Ghost Nest' calling 'Ghost One,' please respond if you hear me," Mike said into the handheld walkie-talkie.

"Ghost One received, signal clear," Lin Yu'an replied while checking his diving equipment.

"Ghost Number Two received." Raven's voice came from the other side.

Finally, it was time for tactical preparation. Raven laid out the three tactical backpacks in a row and began the final distribution of supplies.

High-calorie energy bars, vacuum-packed beef jerky, water purification tablets, potent mosquito repellent, first-aid kits including snakebite medicine...

Every item was carefully calculated to ensure it could support 24 hours of high-intensity activity while minimizing the load.

Lin Yu'an carefully filled the two sets of side-mounted gas cylinders, precisely controlling the pressure at 210 Bar, and repeatedly tested the regulator and backup gas source.

After all the basic supplies had been distributed, Lin Yu'an took out a smaller black hard-shell box from his locked professional waterproof box.

He placed the box in the middle of the three people, and with two crisp "clicks" of unlocking, he opened the lid.

Inside the box lay three weapons, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.

Instead of the kind of revolver suitable for wilderness survival, there were three brand-new Glock 19s and six magazines loaded with 9mm bullets.

“My God…” Captain Mike’s eyes sharpened instantly.

He looked at the three compact and deadly modern pistols, then at Lin Yu'an, his eyes filled with surprise and a hint of understanding. "Lin, you've prepared very thoroughly."

Raven was also stunned. This had gone beyond the scope of ordinary exploration and was more like a quasi-military operation.

“We may be facing more than just venomous snakes and wild beasts in the jungle.” Lin Yu’an’s expression was unusually serious. He picked up a pistol, skillfully checked the chamber, and then shoved the magazine into the grip with a click.

"Ricardo's protection can shield us from official troubles, but it can't stop the dangers roaming the jungle. If you encounter any special circumstances, be sure to protect yourself."

He handed Mike a pistol and two spare magazines: "Mike, you know how to use this, right?"

“Of course,” Mike took it without hesitation, his practiced gun-holding posture and inspection movements showing, “Without this, my bones would rot in the ocean.”

Lin Yu'an then handed another gun to Raven: "This one is very simple. Disengage the safety, load, aim, and pull the trigger. Hopefully, we'll never need to use it, but you must know how to use it."

Raven took a deep breath, her eyes shifting from initial shock to determination. She nodded firmly and accepted the weighty guarantee of security.

The three men loaded their pistols and spare magazines into quick-draw holsters and tactical vests, respectively, and the entire team's demeanor instantly changed.

From an expedition team, they transformed into a well-equipped action group ready to respond to any sudden armed conflict. At exactly 5 PM, the last rays of dusk were about to disappear from the horizon.

"Alright, let's go." Lin Yu glanced at his watch and gave the order.

"The straight-line distance is five kilometers, but in this primeval jungle, our travel speed will be very slow."

"Considering the rugged terrain, the roads that need to be cleared, and the possible rest time, I estimate that it will take us about three hours to reach our destination."

"We will depart at 5 p.m. and arrive around 8 p.m., giving us nearly six hours to rest, survey, and prepare for the lowest tide that arrives at 3 a.m.

Mike agreed: "I agree. Let's get through the first and hardest part before it gets completely dark."

This meticulously calculated action plan received unanimous approval from the team.

Without further hesitation, they turned off all the lights in the camp, put on headlamps, shouldered their heavy gear, and trekked into the unknown jungle of "Whale's Mouth".

Lin Yu-an walked at the front, holding a GPS and a Latin machete, each step he took was exceptionally steady.

"Crack!"

A vine as thick as an arm snapped in two, clearing a gap in the spiderweb-like vegetation blocking the path. A raw, pungent scent of plant sap filled the air.

"Watch your step!" Mike's voice came from the middle. He was in charge of watching the ground and the dangers on both sides. "This is the habitat of centipedes. Their camouflage is exactly the same as fallen leaves."

Raven brought up the rear, warily scanning behind and to the flanks. In such an environment, danger often comes from the most unexpected corners.

Her heart was pounding, not from fear, but from an unprecedented feeling of excitement!

6:30 PM

It was completely dark. They had been walking for an hour and a half, but the GPS showed they had only advanced less than two kilometers as the crow flies. The difficulty of the jungle far exceeded their expectations.

The humid air felt like a heavy blanket, enveloping everyone, and their combat uniforms were already soaked with sweat.

The most annoying thing is the ubiquitous mosquitoes. Despite the protection of mosquito repellent and face veils, their buzzing sound is always lingering in my ears.

On a steep downhill section, the slippery moss caused Raven to slip and lose her balance, falling backward.

In the blink of an eye, Mike, who had been standing behind her, suddenly reached out and grabbed her tactical backpack, firmly stabilizing her.

"Thank you!" Raven said, still shaken.

"Be careful, sweetheart." Mike's voice was steady and strong.

7:45 PM

"Stop for a moment, we've arrived," Lin Yu'an's voice came.

They finally crossed the most suffocating inland rainforest and arrived at a dry riverbed.

The riverbed was covered with smooth pebbles washed by the water. Although it was still uncomfortable to walk on, at least the view was much wider, and there was no longer a need to use a machete to clear the way.

The three of them leaned against a huge rock for a short rest.

They unscrewed their water bottles, gulped down large amounts of water, and took out high-calorie energy bars from their backpacks to quickly replenish their rapidly depleting energy.

Just then, Raven looked up at the sky and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Look!"

Lin Yu-an and Mike looked up at the same time, both stunned by the sight before them.

Far removed from the light pollution of modern civilization, the night sky presents a deep, almost transparent, inky blue.

What's even more peculiar is that tonight is supposed to be a "new moon," meaning there's no moon, yet the sky isn't dark.

The sky was filled with countless stars, like polished diamonds, shining with unprecedented density and brightness on the velvety night sky.

The Milky Way is no longer a blurry band of light, but has become a truly magnificent "celestial river" formed by billions of stars, stretching across the entire sky.

Beneath this dazzling sea of ​​stars, the ground and surrounding scenery are enveloped in a soft, cool silver glow.

"Why...why is it so bright even though there's no moon?" Raven asked, puzzled.

"Because what we're seeing is a 'photograph of Earth'," Lin Yu'an explained softly, looking at the sky. "Today is the new moon; the moon is positioned between the Earth and the sun."

"For us, we can't see the side illuminated by the sun. But for the moon, it sees a huge and bright 'blue moon'."

"The entire Earth is reflecting the sun's rays to the maximum extent possible onto the dark surface of the moon. Then the moon reflects that portion of the sunlight from the Earth back into our eyes."

He pointed to the black disc in the night sky, which, although not glowing, was still vaguely visible.

"What we see now is the moon illuminated by the light of the earth. Therefore, on the night of the new moon, the starry sky is at its most brilliant, and the earth is not plunged into absolute darkness."

This explanation, brimming with both science and romance, captivated Raven. Deep in this wild jungle, gazing up at the moon, an indescribable sense of cosmic loneliness welled up within her.

"Alright, we should go." Lin Yu'an broke the silence. "The final sprint."

They walked along the riverbed for another twenty minutes or so, and the smell in the air began to change.

The scent of humus was gradually replaced by the salty sea breeze, and they could even hear the distant roar of waves crashing against the rocks, the sound growing closer and clearer.

Finally, just after eight o'clock in the evening, they bypassed the last huge rock wall.

Suddenly, everything became clear.

The inland jungle abruptly ended behind them, replaced by a vast coastline shimmering silver under the starlight and the Earth's glow.

Directly in front of them stood a colossal, indescribable black rock mountain, resembling the head of an ancient Titan, standing silently between heaven and earth.

It has been eroded by the waves over millions of years, leaving it riddled with holes and countless dark craters that look even more menacing in the dim light.

The towering mountainside and the slightly open, enormous jaw perfectly form the outline of a roaring whale's head!

"The Mouth of a Whale!"
It was more magnificent, primitive, and imposing than any photograph or map could depict! The three of them stood at its feet, feeling as insignificant as ants.

The Milky Way flows overhead, the waves sing at its feet, and time seems to stand still here.

“My God…it’s amazing.” Mike took off his hat and exclaimed in genuine admiration.

After the initial shock, Lin Yu'an quickly regained his composure.

"We haven't really arrived yet." His voice was exceptionally clear in the sea breeze. "We've only found the address; now, we must find the hidden key."

They selected a sheltered, elevated rocky platform as their temporary command post.

The three put down their heavy backpacks. Raven immediately set up the high-powered surveying telescope, while Lin Yu'an once again took out the royal gold coin that would decide everything and the magnifying glass.

“Mike,” Lin Yu’an instructed while adjusting the focus of the magnifying glass, “use your handheld compass to determine the exact north direction for us.”

"Roger that." Mike took out a military-grade liquid damping compass from his tactical vest, turned on the built-in LED backlight, and after waiting for the magnetic needle to stabilize, he reported a precise location.

“Alright,” Lin Yu’an placed the gold coin on a flat rock and lit it with his headlamp.

"Raven, based on our previous calculations, mark the '9 degrees east of north' bearing line on the electronic chart, using our current location as the center. See where it points."

“Working!” Raven’s fingers flew across the iPad’s touchscreen.

A red directional line extends from the blue dot representing their location, traversing the coastline before them, which appears maze-like under the starlight.

"The line is drawn!" Raven turned the iPad screen towards the two of them. "It really does point to the depths of that mangrove swamp!"

The three of them looked up at the same time, following the direction Raven was pointing, and looked through binoculars with night vision capabilities.

About 300 meters away on the east side of the "Whale's Mouth" rock is a vast and desolate mangrove forest.

Countless waterways of varying sizes crisscross the mudflats like black scars after the tide recedes.

At the end of the red directional line lies a waterway entrance almost completely obscured by giant weeping banyan trees and dense shrubs.

Among the many entrances, it is inconspicuous, and could even be said to be the narrowest and least like an entrance.

“That should be it.” Lin Yu’an’s tone was full of certainty. “Using a magnificent landmark as a reference, the entrance is hidden in the most inconspicuous place.”

"Shall we go now?" Raven had already started checking her diving gear and was getting impatient.

“No,” Lin Yu’an shook his head, glancing at the diving computer on his wrist. “It’s 8:30 p.m. now, and there are still more than six hours until the lowest tide.”

"The tide hasn't completely receded yet, and the reefs and rapids below the entrance are still dangerous. Getting too close too early will only waste your energy."

"Furthermore, the plan needs to be changed. Our final execution of the exploration plan is tomorrow night." Lin Yu'an's decision surprised everyone.

Mike and Raven both looked at him in surprise.

"Why?" Mike asked. "We've found the entrance, and the timing is perfect. In a few more hours, it will be the lowest point! If we miss tonight, we might have to wait another month!"

“No, we won’t miss it.” Lin Yu’an confidently opened the professional tide prediction app on his iPad, and the screen displayed the tide curve for the next 72 hours.

He pointed to two troughs on the screen that were almost the same depth and explained, "Today is the new moon, and we are at the peak of the spring tide."

"This extreme low is not a one-time event; the theoretical lowest point is at 3 a.m. tonight."

"But in the next 24 to 48 hours, every day in the early morning, the tide will recede to almost the same low level."

He zoomed in on the data on the graph, saying, "The lowest tide tomorrow night will be around 3:50 a.m., and the tide height will be less than ten centimeters higher than tonight's."

"For a cave entrance that is only a few meters deep, this difference is negligible. So we have at least two golden windows of operation."

This explanation, based on scientific data, instantly dispelled Mike and Raven's doubts. They realized that they had more time than they had imagined.

“Now that we have a second chance,” Lin Yu’an continued, his expression becoming unusually serious, “we absolutely cannot put all our bets on the first try.”

He pointed to the entrance hidden deep in the mangroves, saying, "We know nothing about that waterway and underwater caves—their length, depth, internal structure, and water flow are all unknown."

"The map on the gold coin only tells us that the entrance is here, but it doesn't tell us what's inside."

“If the cave is very long, or has complicated branching paths inside, the few gas cylinders and guide ropes we carry may not be enough.”

"If we rush in and encounter any accidents, we have no room for error underwater."

His gaze swept over the two men, his tone leaving no room for argument: "We cannot fight a battle we are not prepared for. Therefore, our mission tonight is not treasure hunting, but reconnaissance."

Lin Yu-an quickly formulated a new action plan.

"When the lowest tide arrived at 3 a.m. and the water level in the entrance channel dropped to its lowest point, Raven and I, carrying the lightest snorkeling gear and a machete, were the first to enter the main mangrove channel."

"Our goal is to explore this waterway by combining hiking and swimming. We need to confirm whether the waterway is clear, how deep it is, and most importantly, find the exact location of the hidden underwater cave entrance."

"After confirming the location of the cave entrance, Raven was responsible for guarding and providing support outside the entrance. I, on my own, switched to a miniature side-mounted air tank and carried a 50-meter probing rope to conduct preliminary reconnaissance of the underwater passage."

"My goal remains the same: to determine the approximate length and direction of the passage, and to detect any strong undercurrents. I will also try to confirm whether the passage ends in a dry cave. I will return within half an hour."

"Mike, you will remain at our current observation post as the commander-in-chief and support officer for the entire operation."

"Based on all the intelligence gathered tonight—including data on waterways and caves—we have a full day tomorrow to develop the most detailed infiltration plan."

"Then, at the lowest tide tomorrow night, the three of us will work together again for the final exploration and salvage. At that time, we will have a complete picture of everything."

This progressive and well-defined plan transformed a gamble full of unknowns into a highly successful tactical operation.

It perfectly covers all aspects from entering the waterways to exploring the caves.

“I agree,” Mike was the first to speak, his face full of approval for Lin Yu’an. “That’s the professional way. Scout first, then attack. Better safe than sorry.”

Although Raven was somewhat disappointed that she couldn't reveal the answer immediately, she understood that it was the right decision.

She nodded, her eyes filled with trust in Lin Yu'an, and also with a hint of excitement at being able to play an important role in the first phase of the reconnaissance.

The three began to recheck their equipment, making final preparations for the "reconnaissance battle" that would determine the success or failure of the entire operation in a few hours.

(End of this chapter)