King of the Wilderness

Chapter 71: Chapter 70: Only Two Remain

With the continuous broadcast of episodes seven and eight of ”Wilderness Solo Living: Grizzly Mountain”.

The harshness of the descending winter is vividly displayed.

Kira, the Inuit female hunter, withdrew in the seventh episode due to hunger and emotional breakdown.

Ron, the determined veteran, after a seventy-day life-and-death struggle against hunger and cold, regrettably withdrew upon reaching the physical limit, as recommended by the medical team.

At this point, as the ninth episode begins.

By the eightieth day, only two lonely figures remained along the vast and icy Chilco Lakefront—Lin Yu’an and Clay Jenkins.

A true showdown between kings officially commenced.

At the start of the episode, the camera cuts back and forth between the camps of the two contestants, creating a strong contrast.

Klay’s camp is still his solid and practical wooden house.

Though his reserves of venison and smoked fish were depleting, he could still often catch some vital protein sources from beneath the not yet iced seal lake surface using his strong fishing skills.

On the other side, Lin Yu’an’s stone shelter, covered in brilliant white snow, resembled a half-buried fortress.

Abundant fuel kept his stove warm, while his previously stocked venison jerky and wild onions ensured he had no immediate worries.

However, the ”script controversy” stirred by the sixth episode continued to ferment online.

Though the show made an official statement, many North American viewers, especially Klay’s staunch supporters, still held doubts about Lin Yu’an’s overly ”lucky” experience.

(”We’ll see, once there’s no ’script’ arranged deer and chainsaw, he won’t hold on for long!”)

(”That’s right, Klay relies on real skills, not everyone can succeed in fishing.”)

(”But Lin, he caught quite a few big fish before he even made his fishing rod, his skills should also be good.”)

(”Upstairs must be a Texan? You can read more books when you’re free, learn about the world.”)

Facing these persistent questions, in the ninth episode, Lin Yu’an seemed to have heard discussions from a thousand miles away, and responded with a series of hardcore operations with the most powerful reply.

The scene shows Lin Yu’an displaying his daily food acquisition.

First is checking the wire lasso traps for snowshoe rabbits that he reset after the heavy snow.

The camera follows him through knee-high snow to a shrubbery area.

Next to a triggered trap, a snow-white snowshoe rabbit was firmly caught.

Lin Yu’an skillfully handled the prey and reset the trap, with the whole process flowing smoothly without any editing marks.

”In the snow, as long as you find the rabbit path, the success rate of lasso traps is very high.” His tone was calm, as if this were standard practice.

Using beaver skins to make hats was also a highlight.

Then came the ”Long Pole Lassoing Chickens” technique that made countless viewers’ eyes widen.

Holding a four-meter spruce lasso pole he made himself, Lin Yu’an spotted a spruce grouse pecking pine needles on a low pine tree, starting a textbook-level hunt!

The sports camera closely followed him, from his slow approach to raising the pole.

Then moving the wire noose inch by inch towards the head of a grouse... all in one go, without any cuts or editing!

When Lin Yu’an suddenly flicked his wrist, ”fishing” that grouse precisely off the branch, viewers could clearly see the startled grouse fluttering and struggling.

This scene was clearly impossible to arrange via a script.

Lin Yu’an showcased a series of hardcore survival skills in the ninth episode, especially the stunning ”Long Pole Lassoing Chickens” technique shot in one take, entirely igniting Bilibili’s barrage.

[Holy! All in one take! How can this be faked? Those claiming it’s scripted must be in pain!]

[Traps, hunting, fishing, mastering them all! The almighty king!]

[Don’t forget the infrastructure and cuisine! Brother An is the Hexagon Warrior!]

[Just for this chicken lassoing trick, Brother An deserves the championship! So impressive!]

[Brother An’s highlight moments are countless! He single-handedly upheld the attraction of the eighth season!

[You are so beautiful, Kun ~ Didn’t expect Brother An to actually be the ancestor of Kun! This chicken lasso trick is awesome!!]

However, on mainstream forums and social media in North America, the audience presented a mixed view.

Some viewers, especially rational survival enthusiasts, were completely won over by Lin Yu’an’s hardcore lassoing technique!

(Okay, I have to admit, that long pole lasso technique is insane! It can’t be faked. This guy has the real skills!)

(I changed my view upon seeing his pole work on grouse...)

(His tool-making and environmental adaptation skills are impressive. The lasso pole changed the game. Klay is a great hunter, but Lin is a great survivor.)

But another portion of stubborn skeptics, and Klay’s die-hard fans, launched attacks from new angles.

(So he’s caught a few dumb birds with a stick? What’s worth bragging about with one success?)

(Still very suspicious! Why didn’t he display this skill earlier? Feels like producers told him, hey, people think you’re faking it, go do something impressive.)

(All his major food scores (deer, big fish) were due to luck. Now he’s catching small prey, proving he can’t consistently acquire food like Klay.)

The ninth episode’s broadcast did not completely quell the script controversy, but instead pushed the showdown between Lin Yu’an and Klay into a fierce climax.

Though Lin Yu’an strongly countered the ”script theory” with undeniable personal skills, winning respect from many rational viewers.

Klay’s huge impact from the first ”one deer” still remains a peak difficult for many to surpass.

The show ended with scenes of the two each in icy and snowy conditions, working hard for their next food source.

Viewers understood that the next episode will be the final showdown!