King of the Wilderness

The orange firelight instantly dispelled the chill and dampness inside the cave, casting three flickering shadows on the rough stone wall.

The rain showed no sign of stopping, and it seemed that we might be stuck here for the rest of the day.

But at this moment, no one complained as they took off their backpacks, leaned against the cold rocky wall, and stretched their slightly chilled hands towards the flames for warmth.

A feeling of warmth spread from their fingertips, as the exhaustion and tension of the past few days seemed to slowly dissolve in the dancing flames.

”Fire is truly a great thing,” Stan couldn’t help but exclaim.

Outside the cave, the storm raged fiercely, while inside, there was the bonfire, companions, and lingering pine scent. This stark contrast between inside and outside brought an indescribable sense of safety and coziness.

To pass the time and boost morale, Stan looked at Old George, who was silently staring at the flames.

”Hey, George, since we’re idle, why don’t you tell us some stories from your youth? Tell us why you became a hunter!”

Old George did not answer immediately. He used a stick to poke the campfire, causing the sparks to crackle and fly, illuminating his deep eyes.

It was as if he saw shadows of his past in the flickering flames.

A moment later, he began to speak slowly, his voice deeper than usual, carrying a texture honed by time.

”It was because of a black bear.”

His opening line immediately captured everyone’s attention. Stan leaned forward slightly, as this was the first time he heard Old George recount this tale.

Old George’s gaze did not rest on them but instead toward the swaying flames, as if they were projecting scenes from long ago.

”I was only eighteen then, having just arrived in Alaska with my father. We were working at a logging camp, which was both arduous and exhausting.”

”After finishing work one day, I went to the river to fetch water. You know, back then the forest was denser, filled with the scent of damp moss and decaying wood.”

”I was carrying the water bucket, passing through a spruce forest, and then… behind a large tree, I unexpectedly ran into it.”

He paused, took a sip from the water bag, with his Adam’s apple moving slightly.

The cave was so quiet only the ’hissing’ sound of burning matches and the rain outside could be heard.

”A mother bear with a cub,” he continued, his pace slowing.

”The moment she saw me, she stood up with a whoosh and roared at me!”

”This wasn’t the roar you hear in movies; this sound went straight into your bones along with a pungent wind. I felt my entire chest vibrate along with her!”

Lin Yu’an also remembered facing the black bear, the deafening roar, and the overwhelming sense of oppression. He had felt it firsthand!

Old George laughed with self-mockery, ”I was scared out of my wits then, my mind blank, and the water bucket in my hand clattered to the ground, spilling everywhere.”

”But I still remembered my father Old George had told me, never turn your back and run from a bear! So, I stood there, facing off against a mother bear taller than me!”

”I could see her yellow teeth clearly and even smell that unique animal odor from her body.”

”Time seemed to freeze; I didn’t know if it was a minute or ten minutes. I once thought I would surely die, not daring even to blink.”

”Finally, the mother bear herself... she looked at me for a long, throat rumbling ’gurgle gurgle,’ then slowly lay back down.”

”She took the curious cub peeking out from behind her, turned and ambled away, until she disappeared completely into the forest, that’s when I felt I could breathe again.”

”When I returned to the camp, my legs were shaking, the cup in my hand trembling with the water inside.”

Old George finally moved his gaze away from the fire, looking at Lin Yu’an, his eyes sharp and bright.

”From that day on, I truly understood, on this land, each day you open your eyes, you’re arm-wrestling with the Death God! Fear is real, but you can’t let it control you!”

”Also from that day, I began learning how to use a gun, learning to observe, to track, learning how to become a hunter rather than... prey.”

The story ended, leaving the cave in silence.

Stan quietly added a thick log to the fire, causing it to blaze brightly, dispelling the last trace of cold brought by the story.

As for Lin Yu’an, he looked at the elder before him and profoundly felt for the first time that the wrinkles etched on his face were not just marks of time.

But also marks left by countless stories like this, of brushing past life and death.

The story captivated Lin Yu’an, as he seemed to see the young George, bursting forth with courage to survive amidst fear.

The rain had persisted all afternoon, gradually becoming a light drizzle only as night fell.

They spent the night in this rock cave.

On the third day of the hunting trip, the rain finally stopped.

But a thick fog still enveloped the valley, severely reducing visibility.

They had no choice but to continue moving toward the next target area on the slippery tundra and rocks.

Finally, by noon, the sun pierced the clouds, and the view gradually expanded.

”Hey! George, look over there!”

Stan, who had been observing with binoculars, suddenly lowered his voice at two o’clock in the afternoon, his tone tinged with uncertain excitement.

He pointed toward a small platform among the distant cliffs, ”That... is it?”