King of the Wilderness

As for the remaining fish intestines, gills, and other parts, he unhesitatingly threw them all back into that rectangular ice trough.

”Nothing will be wasted, because these innards will become the most powerful bait, laying the foundation for the next catch.” He muttered to himself, watching those innards slowly swirl and sink in the river.

After doing all this, he began to prepare his breakfast.

First, he found a spruce stick about as thick as a thumb, sharpened one end with a knife, then inserted it through the mouth of the Arctic Red Spot Salmon, along the spine, through the entire fish body until it emerged from the tail, creating a perfect fish skewer.

He didn’t place the fish directly over the fire. Instead, he positioned the skewer at an inclined angle, securely inserting it into a tripod next to a tin bucket of charcoal, letting the side of the fish evenly receive the intense heat from the charcoal.

Lin Yu’an patiently and slowly rotated the stick. Soon, the fish skin began to shrink and tighten under the high temperature, puffing up with tiny bubbles and making a faint cracking sound.

The color of the fish meat transformed from a translucent pink to an opaque milky white. Droplets of golden, clear fish oil started to seep from the plump fish belly, sliding down the fish body and finally dripping onto the charcoal below.

”Sizzle” went the oil, sparking a small cluster of bright flames and releasing a fragrance mixing the aroma of fish and charcoal!

Outside was a cold, desolate, pure white wilderness, but inside this small cabin, he had a warm stove and a fish sizzling and yielding all its essence for him.

This stark contrast brought a nearly extravagant sense of happiness.

When the fish skin was roasted to a golden brown and slightly charred, and the aroma of the fish became unbearable, breakfast was ready.

Lin Yu’an took the piping hot grilled fish off the stick and placed it on another clean piece of birch bark. He couldn’t even wait for a knife, directly tearing off a piece of back meat with crispy, charred skin and putting it in his mouth.

First came the crispy, charred aroma of the fish skin mixed with the smell of charcoal; his teeth easily penetrated it. Next was the tender, juicy fish meat, almost melting in his mouth.

The unique sweetness and delicacy of the Arctic Red Spot Salmon, between that of salmon and trout, accompanied by rich oils, exploded instantly on his taste buds. The pure flavor derived from nature made him squint with satisfaction.

After finishing this hearty breakfast of protein and high-quality fats, Lin Yu’an let out a satisfied sigh. Every cell in his body seemed to cheer, and energy quickly flowed back.

He sat on a stool, savoring the lingering delicious taste in his mouth while looking at the vast white world outside the tent, illuminated by the morning sun.

A long-missed, deeper longing began to uncontrollably sprout in his heart.

He rubbed his belly, ”Fish and seafood are great, but I’ve been eating them for too long.”

While fish meat is of high quality, it ultimately lacks the rich flavor and firm texture exuded by land mammals’ myoglobin, a more impactful taste experience.

At this moment, Lin Yu’an’s body was full of energy, but his taste buds and his genes had begun to crave something entirely different—red meat.

”It’s time to go on a hunt to bring a brand new change to my diet and nutrient intake.” Once this thought appeared, it quickly took root, eager for quick action.

He stood up and walked outside the cabin. He looked at the sky; the expansive sky was cloudless, and the wind was much lighter than in previous days.

”Perfect weather, it’s a good day to enter the forest.”

Just like that, a brand new plan quickly formed in his mind.

He first assigned tasks to his fishing rod, checking that the bait of Hairy Scale Fish on the hook was still intact, then firmly set the tripod rod holder by the ice hole, allowing it to continue passive fishing for him while he was away.

Afterward, Lin Yu’an returned to the shelter without a moment’s pause.

He first stored the already stiff lake white salmon in the ”snow well refrigerator”, covering it again with snow.

Then he retrieved that beautifully curved recurve bow and a quiver filled with refined arrows from the corner. Carefully checking the bow for any minor cracks, he felt the tension of the bowstring with his fingertips.

(ps: Book club buddy’s bow.)

After confirming everything was in order, he gently plucked the bowstring, and in the dry air, it sounded a dull but powerful ”boom! boom!”, filled with a killing intent.

He also checked each arrow, ensuring the arrowheads were sharp and the fletching was secure.

Next, he rummaged through his tools and found several rolls of fine annealed steel wire tripwire and some previously crafted wooden components with grooves and holes, which were triggers for a simple trap.

”Going into the woods, you can’t just rely on luck. In addition to actively hunting, traps are a more reliable guarantee.”

Lin Yu’an packed the recurve bow and materials for making traps into his backpack, locked the shelter door, and turned to walk toward the northern forest, which was in the opposite direction from the river.

Fishing on the ice was filled with uncertainty, but hunting in the woods was an ultimate test of patience and luck.

Today, he decided to place his bets on the latter.

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(Good morning, brothers, have a pleasant day~)