King of the Wilderness

Next comes the organization and assignment of equipment checks. This is a necessary preparation before every hunting operation.

Barton took out his battle-tested Remington Model 700 Rifle.

Stan brought along a similarly classic Ruger M77 .338 Winchester Magnum Caliber, specifically used for moose and grizzly bears, such large animals.

Little Eagle used his slightly smaller .270 Winchester rifle.

Lin Yu’an also brought out his brand new Winchester Model 70 Rifle, .300 Winchester Magnum Caliber.

The four powerful rifles were lined up neatly, emanating a cold metallic sheen.

They prepared several extremely sharp knives for different purposes: a curved skinning knife for skinning, a bone-carving saber for cutting large muscles, and a bone-chopping axe for easily severing bones.

Additionally, there were plenty of thick meat bags sufficient to hold several moose, and high-strength nylon ropes for binding.

Two high-magnification Zeiss Binoculars, a Leica Laser Rangefinder, and two High Power Walkie Talkies capable of clear communication in the valley.

During the preparations, Barton looked at Lin Yu’an and suggested, ”Lin, I think your F-150 has the most power, so you should tow my main hunting boat tomorrow.”

”Stan will tow his smaller boat with his own pickup, and also, can you handle this type of outboard engine boat? Our support boat may need you to drive it.”

”Haven’t tried it, but I can learn.” Lin Yu’an’s answer was concise and confident.

Early the next morning, before it was light, two pickups towing two boats had arrived at the icy Koyukuk Riverbank.

Barton did not rush to depart, but first spent ten minutes standing on the shore, providing Lin Yu’an with a detailed explanation of the outboard engine’s startup, throttle control, and steering essentials.

”Remember, in shallow waters, you must slightly lift the engine, or the propeller will hit the rocks.”

”Also, steering against the current and with the current feels completely different; you have to experience it yourself.”

Lin Yu’an tried his hand at it. He first piloted the 14-foot small boat, carrying David and Mike, slowly navigating the river.

At first, it was a bit awkward, with steering angles always slightly off, but after a couple of runs up and down the river, he had fully mastered the technique.

He could even skillfully navigate the small boat, creating a precise S-shaped curve between a few rocks in the middle of the river.

”Oh my God, this guy is a genius!”

Barton stood on the main hunting boat, watching Lin Yu’an’s fluid maneuvering, exclaiming in shock, ”The first time I steered a boat, I almost got myself stranded on a sandbar!”

Stan, smoking nearby, laughed and said, ”I told you long ago, don’t judge this kid by a normal person’s standards; he’s a genius.”

With everything ready, the two small boats, one in front, one behind, shut off their engines.

They began silently drifting along the cold river, using the force of the current, towards the unknown hunting grounds shrouded in morning mist…

On the way to the hunting site, to avoid alarming the prey, everyone lowered their voices.

Barton’s fifteen-year-old son, Little Eagle, was assigned to Lin Yu’an’s support boat, sitting at the bow, responsible for observing, but his eyes occasionally glanced back towards Lin Yu’an.

”Mr. Lin.” He asked in a very low voice.

”What is China like? Does it really have so many skyscrapers?”

”Yes, there are many. More and taller than you see on TV.” Lin Yu’an replied in a similarly low voice, his gaze never leaving the river ahead.

”And what about the Great Wall?” Little Eagle’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

”I read in books that it’s a gigantic wall that can be seen from space. Is it true?”

”It’s a beautiful legend that it’s visible from space with the naked eye.” Lin Yu’an smiled, patiently explaining.

”But it truly is one of the greatest constructions in human history, spanning thousands of kilometers, very majestic. These mountains you see now, in front of it, look like mere hills.”

”I hope to visit China one day, to see the Great Wall of China in person, and to touch the ancient bricks on those majestic walls.” Little Eagle said earnestly.

Lin Yu’an saw the pure longing in the teenager’s eyes and silently noted this in his heart.

He thought, if there’s a chance in the future, he must help Barton’s son fulfill this wish.

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