King of the Wilderness

Then, he locked the crosshairs firmly on the white giant beast’s shoulder blade area — where the heart and lungs are located.

His breathing began to lengthen and become steady, his gaze turning absolutely focused.

Lin Yu’an and Stan were on his left and right, guarding him like two silent protectors.

Stan whispered in his ear, an almost inaudible encouragement: ”Steady... George... just like when you were young...”

He knew what this shot meant to Old George.

Old George closed his eyes, rehearsing each detail of breathing, aiming, and firing one last time in his mind.

When he opened his eyes again, those weathered eyes had only the target tightly framed by the crosslines!

His index finger gently and tenderly rested on the cold trigger.

Then—

”Bang!”

A crisp yet muffled gunshot instantly shattered the peace of the high mountains! The bullet, carrying the old man’s lifetime of dedication and promise, tore through the three hundred meters space, whistling away!

Through the telescope, Lin Yu’an could clearly see the majestic ram king, its massive body jolting fiercely, as if struck by an invisible force.

It tried to stand up, but its limbs lost control!

Soon after, it fell sideways like a white marble statue losing its foundation, raising a small cloud of dust, and moved no more.

The other sheep, frightened by the sudden noise, scattered and fled, disappearing behind the rocks in an instant.

The shot hit! Fatal, precise, a perfect strike!

Stan felt a surge of excitement to cheer but was stopped by a gesture from Lin Yu’an.

For Old George remained like a statue, lying there, not getting up for a long time.

His eyes still stuck to the scope, seemingly confirming the result, or perhaps bidding a final farewell to the just-departed white elf.

After a long time, he slowly pulled the bolt, ejecting that still warm shell and letting it drop with a ”ding” onto the rock.

Only then did he lift his head, not with joy, but with a deep sense of relief and peace.

Old George lay there, not getting up for a long time.

Lin Yu’an saw that this man, who was strong all his life, had shoulders shaking intensely.

Stan silently walked over, gently patting his old friend’s back, without saying a word.

He knew that this shot contained not just a successful hunt.

Finally, Old George slowly raised his head, tears already streaming down his weathered face.

He used the rough back of his hand to wipe his face, his voice hoarse, as if speaking to his wife, or perhaps to himself.

”Martha... I did it... I got the most beautiful pair of horns for you...”

Martha was Old George’s late wife’s name, whom Stan had once mentioned was a great and strong woman who had left Old George forever due to illness.

Old George gazed into the distance, as if seeing through the layers of mountains, seeing the past.

His voice turned distant and gentle: ”Many years ago, when we just built that cabin, Martha stood in front of the fireplace and said to me, oh, George, if we could hang a beautiful pair of Dall sheep horns above the fireplace, it would be even more beautiful!”

”I patted my chest back then, promising her, darling, I will surely bring you the biggest, most perfect horns, so all the neighbors envy you!”

He smiled bitterly, shaking his head: ”She was always like that, supporting all my crazy ideas with a smile, never complaining about our poor life, yet my dear Martha could not even wait for a small wish to be fulfilled...”

Since Martha’s passing, George stubbornly applied for hunting permits for this area every year, always coming to this mountainous region to search.

It’s less about hunting and more about fulfilling a promise to his beloved, a conversation traversing life and death.

”Don’t say that, George,” Stan embraced his old friend’s shoulders.

”Martha saw it; she’s surely proud of you! You didn’t break your word; you truly brought her the most beautiful horns in all of Alaska.”

Lin Yu’an also stepped forward, uncertain how to comfort the man immersed in memories.

He just silently handed over a thermos filled with warm water.

Lin Yu’an spoke softly: ”George, let’s bring it back. Bring it home and hang it above the fireplace Martha loved the most.”

This seemed to touch Old George; he took a deep breath, looked at Lin Yu’an with those reddened eyes, then at Stan, and nodded heavily.

He stood up again, his hunchbacked body seeming to straighten a bit more.

”Yes, bring it home!”

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(Additionally, dear brothers, given that I update 12,000 characters daily, after six chapters I want to reward myself with a chapter interacting with Emily, is that okay... I really want to write it, please! Just one chapter... I promise after one chapter I’ll definitely quit!)