King of the Wilderness

Chapter 400: Chapter 231: Homeward Bound Under the Polar Night

The plane landed on the simple runway, Lin Yu’an declined Hank’s offer to ride the snowmobile to send him home.

”No, Hank. I want to walk this last stretch myself.”

”I understand.” Hank smiled knowingly, ”Go, your family is waiting for you.”

Lin Yu’an carried his backpack and stepped, one foot deep, one foot shallow, on the familiar snowy path towards the depths of the forest, to the home he had been away from for nearly two months, moving step by step.

The closer he got, the slower his steps became. The emotions of near-home apprehension were vividly present at this moment.

Finally, he walked through the last small grove of spruce trees, and there stood the forest cabin he had built with his own hands, filled with love and memories, quietly under the aurora not far away.

The roof was covered with thick snow, and from the gigantic stone chimney, warm white smoke curled upward. Clearly, someone was home, and the fireplace was burning brightly.

Inside, in front of the warm fireplace, on the thick soft carpet, a cozy family routine was unfolding.

Two Bernese Mountain Dogs that had long grown into gigantic creatures — Whiskey and Honey — were lazily sprawled on either side of the carpet like two loyal guardians.

Suddenly, Whiskey, who had been resting with eyes closed, lifted its head abruptly, its pair of black droopy ears perked up alertly, staring straight at the doorway, issuing a low perplexed ”woof woof” from its throat.

Immediately, Honey beside it sensed something too, lifting its head likewise and looking warily at the door, its tail seemed to sweep uneasily.

”What’s wrong, babies?”

Aliya was kneeling in the center of the carpet, using building blocks to amuse the two chubby ”little meatballs” crawling around dressed in thick onesies. They were their nearly eleven-month-old twins, Ethan and Olivia.

Ethan was more active, struggling to crawl towards his mother. While his sister Olivia was quieter, just curiously fiddling with a round block before her with her little hand.

Upon hearing Aliya’s question, Emily, who was sitting on the sofa engrossed in flipping through a parenting book under the light of the fireplace, also lifted her head.

Seeing the unusually alert posture of the two big dogs, her heart sank abruptly.

”Aliya, something’s not right.” Her voice instantly became calm and filled with alertness, ”They seem to have noticed something.”

Aliya also instantly realized the danger; in this wilderness, a wooden cabin far from town, with only two women and two nursing infants, it was the most ideal crime scene for anyone with ill intentions.

Her face instantly turned serious.

Emily showed no panic; she swiftly placed the book aside and walked quickly to an inconspicuous storage cabinet in the corner of the living room, entered the password skillfully, and opened the cabinet door.

From inside, she took out two black, reassuring Glock 17 pistols and two spare magazines.

She handed one gun and a magazine to Aliya, who had also walked over quickly.

”Stay here with the kids, keeping an eye on the door, I’ll go upstairs to check.” Emily’s voice was lowered to a whisper.

Aliya took the gun, proficiently disengaged the safety, checked the magazine, then half crouched on the carpet, using her body to shield the two children who were still unaware of what was happening behind her.

Emily then crouched low, like the most agile leopard, silently ran upstairs. She went directly to the bedroom window facing the door, cautiously peering out through the curtain’s gap.

On the snow-covered ground, under the dance of the aurora borealis, she saw a tall solitary figure.

That person just stood there quietly, carrying a huge backpack, motionless, simply gazing from afar at their house.

His clothes looked somewhat worn, appearing a bit forlorn in the cold wind.

But the moment Emily recognized the familiar hunting attire on him, her pupils dilated sharply!

She covered her mouth, fearing she might scream out, as an immense, indescribable joy mixed with uncontrollable bitterness instantly overwhelmed all her calm and vigilance.

She turned around, even forgetting to remain quiet, shouted loudly toward downstairs: ”Aliya! It’s Lin! Lin is back! Our husband... he’s back!”

Downstairs Aliya, upon hearing the name, froze completely.

In the next second, the two women instantly rushed toward the door, unbolted the door, and forcefully pushed open that heavy wooden door!

”Woof! Woof woof!”

Whiskey and Honey, already unable to contain themselves, like two black-and-white missiles, excitedly charged out!

Lin Yu’an was immersed in his own emotions, suddenly seeing the cabin’s door being pushed open suddenly, and then two familiar figures dashed toward him amidst the wind and snow.

The two big dogs, compared to when he left fifty days ago, had grown completely different; their bodies had become larger again, their shoulder height almost up to his waist, they were entirely in the form of adult dogs.

But as they charged over, their tails swinging wildly like propellers, and the joyful and slightly aggrieved woofing from their mouths, were exactly as when he had left.

”Whiskey! Honey!”

He dropped the Longbow from his hand, opened his arms, and crouched slightly.

Over one hundred pounds each, the two big dogs, in an unstoppable stance, crashed fiercely into his arms, the tremendous impact even pushed him back two steps.

They excitedly and frantically licked Lin Yu’an’s cheeks and neck, issuing whining sounds akin to whining, as if complaining about his departure without notice for these two months.

Lin Yu’an smiled, letting them bury him, he hugged these two loyal big fellows tightly, feeling their familiar scent and warm body temperature.

Meanwhile, the two figures that occupied his thoughts more also rushed into his view.

Aliya and Emily, they even forgot to wear their coats, clad in just thin wool sweaters and home pants, rushed without a second thought through the snowfield trampled into a mess by the two big dogs, toward him.

Joyous smiles that couldn’t be restrained adorned their faces.

Lin Yu’an smiled, gently pushing away the still affectionate big dogs, slowly stood up. This movement made Whiskey and Honey freeze, they tilted their heads, puzzledly looking at him as if asking: ’Why is our hug ending so quickly?’

He looked at them, and they looked at him.

Time seemed to be frozen at this moment.

”I’m back.”

In response to him was Aliya’s jubilant cheer!

”Lin!”

She, like an agile lioness, dashed into his embrace with all her might, causing Lin Yu’an to take half a step backwards before steadying his posture.

She tightly embraced his neck with all her strength, then cupped his frost-covered face and deliberately in a nearly punitive manner, kissed him fiercely!

Her lips, like a burning ember, pressed against his mouth that had already turned numb from the cold. It was a scorching kiss hot enough to thaw the ice and snow! Full of undeniable passion and yearning.