American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 7 Heading to the Rocky Mountains
After the interview, Lin Yu'an received a formal invitation and detailed arrangements for the training camp from the "Living Alone in the Wilderness" program team in her email.

The email detailed the time and location of the training camp, as well as some personal items that participants needed to prepare themselves.

The training camp is scheduled to take place a week later at a training base in the Rocky Mountains outside Denver, Colorado.

The email also emphasized that the training camp would include high-intensity physical fitness tests, survival skills assessments, and comprehensive psychological evaluations. Only the 10 participants with the best overall performance would be eligible to go to the filming location for the eighth season.

"The Rocky Mountains of Colorado..."

Looking at the place name in the email, Lin Yu'an searched it on Google and learned that the altitude there was high, the climate was changeable, and the temperature difference between day and night was large, which would only require higher survival skills. For him, this was both a challenge and an opportunity to prove himself.

For the next two weeks, Lin Yu-an's life became exceptionally busy.

The first priority remains ensuring that Arya receives the best possible care while he is away.

He used these few days to plan in detail Arya's daily menu, prenatal check-up schedule, and contingency plans for any possible emergencies after he left.

He also made a special trip to an Asian supermarket to buy many ingredients that Arya liked to eat but were not commonly found in ordinary American supermarkets, filling the refrigerator to the brim. He also went to a pharmacy to stock up on all kinds of vitamins and nutritional supplements that Arya needed during her pregnancy.

"Honey, you don't need to be so nervous. I'm only newly pregnant and I can take care of myself perfectly well."

As Aria watched Lin Yu'an bustling about with meticulous care, she felt both sorry for him and amused. Lin Yu'an stopped what he was doing and gently pulled her into his arms.

“I know, but I always want to do more for you. I want to make sure you’re comfortable even when I’m not around.”

Besides arranging Ailiya's life, Lin Yu'an also did not forget to prepare for his upcoming training camp.

He continued to research extensively on the climate, geography, and common flora and fauna of the Rocky Mountains region of Colorado. Although he had lived in the wild since childhood and had lived in the Yukon in his previous life, he had a keen understanding of survival knowledge.

But that was a different environment after all. The Rocky Mountain ecosystem was still relatively unfamiliar to him. He needed to learn as much as possible about the target area in order to be prepared.

While preparing for these tasks, Lin Yu'an also kept reviewing the skill demonstration video he had submitted to the program team in his mind.

While I showcased some unique skills in the video, my pure wilderness survival experience may not match that of candidates who have spent years in the wild. Therefore, thorough theoretical preparation is crucial.

He reviewed his submitted skills demonstration videos over and over again, analyzing his strengths and weaknesses.

The windproof curtain of the Type A shelter, the Dakota smokeless stove, and the introduction of medicinal herbs from southern China... these are all "highlights" that distinguish him from other contestants.

He believes that what the production team values ​​is not just his skills, but also his learning ability, innovative thinking, and unique cultural background.

Time flies, and the day to depart for the training camp has arrived.

Lin Yu'an got up early in the morning and prepared a sumptuous breakfast for Ailiya. The two ate in silence, the atmosphere was somewhat somber, and the air was filled with the reluctance of their impending separation.

Arya put down her cutlery, her eyes reddening, and fought back tears as she repeatedly gave her instructions.

"Honey, when you get there, please be careful and don't push yourself! Remember what we agreed on: if it's too dangerous, we'll back out immediately!" Lin Yu'an held her hand. "I know, honey, I've got it all in mind. You take good care of yourself too."

Arya took the small cross pendant off her neck and gently placed it around Lin Yu'an's neck: "This is a gift from my mother, I hope it will protect you."

Lin Yu'an felt a warmth in his heart as he felt the cool yet warm pendant on his chest, and he hugged her tightly.

He whispered in her ear, "I'll be back soon, with the championship and prize money, to give you a surprise!"

The taxi was already waiting downstairs.

Lin Yu'an picked up his simple luggage bag, took one last deep look at Ailiya and their cozy little apartment, and then resolutely turned away.

Arya stood by the window, watching the taxi slowly drive away, and finally, tears streamed down her face.

Lin Yu'an sat in the taxi, watching the street scenes rushing past the window, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

The flight to Denver landed in the early morning, and Lin Yu-an, carrying a simple bag, stepped onto Colorado soil.

The shuttle bus sent by the production team was already waiting outside the airport, accompanied by three other candidates with different expressions, showing a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

They simply nodded in acknowledgment, and a subtle silence fell over the car. Everyone was secretly observing each other, and an invisible competitive atmosphere permeated the air.

The vehicle headed west, gradually entering the mountainous area. The scenery outside the window changed from the city's high-rise buildings to rolling hills and dense coniferous forests.

About an hour later, they arrived at a training base hidden in a valley.

The base looked rather rudimentary, with only a few roughly constructed tents and a wide training ground, surrounded by towering cedars and firs, exuding a primitive and austere atmosphere.

As soon as he got out of the car, a gust of cold mountain wind hit him, which invigorated Lin Yu'an!
The air and environment here are quite different from the tranquility of the Montana farm, filled with the unique scent of pine trees and moisture, and a sense of overwhelming challenge.

When Lin Yu-an arrived at the training ground, there were already about twenty candidates gathered there.

They came from all over the United States, and even a few from Canada and Europe. Each of them was dressed in professional outdoor gear, and their eyes gleamed with shrewdness and toughness. They were all clearly determined to seize this opportunity.

A burly, dark-skinned, bearded middle-aged man in camouflage uniform strode up to the crowd.

His sharp eyes swept over each candidate, as if trying to see right through them.

He is Rick Hawke, the chief survival instructor for the show "Solo Survival in the Wild," and a former Marine Corps Special Reconnaissance soldier.

"Welcome to the selection training camp for the eighth season of 'Living in the Wild'!"

(End of this chapter)