King of the Wilderness

Chapter 101: Chapter 99: Choosing Land to Purchase

Lin Yu’an continued: ”There’s an invisible connection between everyone here, a shared understanding in facing this wilderness together, which is completely different from being thrown into the wild alone.”

David’s eyes lit up! This is exactly what he wanted! Lin Yu’an didn’t resort to exaggerations like ”it’s amazing” or ”it’s spectacular.”

Instead, he provided a deep insight full of philosophical meaning.

He immediately signaled the photographer Mike to give Lin Yu’an a close-up.

Stan had been focused on eating, but upon hearing this, he paused and glanced at Lin Yu’an, with a look that seemed to hold less scrutiny and a hint of something unnoticeable.

After lunch, the convoy set off again.

As they crossed the marker at 66°33’ N latitude, officially entering the Arctic Circle, everyone felt a bit excited.

After several hours of bumps, by evening they finally reached their destination - Wiseman.

This legendary little town, rather than a town, is more like a settlement scattered in the Koyukuk River Valley.

A dozen cabins of varying sizes and styles were scattered in the snowy woods, spaced considerably apart.

No stores, no restaurants, only tranquil white snow and smoke rising from the chimneys of each home.

Stan parked his car in front of a cabin that appeared to be his own and turned off the engine.

”That’s it for today, tomorrow at dawn I’ll take you to see the land.”

Jack drove to a small cabin rented by the crew in advance as a temporary base.

”Alright, folks, we’re here.” Jack parked the car.

”We’ll stay here tonight. Lin, how do you feel about your first official contact with Stan?”

Lin Yu’an unbuckled his seatbelt, looking at the Stan family’s warmly lit cabin not far away.

He calmly said, ”You can tell, he’s someone worthy of respect. It might still take some actions to earn his recognition.”

Director David listened on the side and nodded satisfied.

After two days with Lin Yu’an, he was sure Richard hadn’t misjudged.

This man named Lin Yu’an has a maturity and wisdom beyond his years.

He eagerly anticipated what it would be like when this man begins to make his mark on this land.

The next morning, when the first faint morning light tinged the peaks of the Brooks Range in pale pink, Lin Yu’an was already awake.

In March in Wiseman, the nights remain long and cold, the thermometer outside the cabin read minus twenty-five degrees.

He donned thick clothes and stepped outside, taking a deep breath of the cold, pure air, which brought a piercing freshness to his lungs.

In the distance, smoke rose steadily from the Stan family’s chimney.

Soon, Jack and the crew got up and prepared to set out.

David and Mike were dressed like two clumsy bears, clearly not yet accustomed to such harsh cold.

”Good morning, Lin, how did you sleep last night? Did you hear the wolves howling?”

David exhaled white breath, adjusting his hat.

”Slept well, very quiet.”

He did hear faint wolf howls in the distance, but rather than fear, the sound felt like a lullaby belonging to this land.

Just then, a low rumbling approached from afar.

Stan and Jack drove two snowmobiles, pulling a freight sled behind them, stopping in front of their cabin.

Stan was riding one, while the other was obviously prepared for them.

Stan remained succinct, removing two huge snowshoes from the freight sled and tossing them on the ground.

He said to Lin Yu’an, ”Put them on. Where we’re headed, vehicles can’t get in.”

Then he gestured to the empty snowmobile.

”Do you know how to ride this thing?”

”Yes.”

Lin Yu’an didn’t say much; Robert’s Farm had similar transport, and he was already familiar with it.

”Good, follow me.”

Stan finished speaking, and put on his goggles, started the snowmobile, and sped out first.

Lin Yu’an also mounted the snowmobile, taking David along, twisted the throttle, and the machine roared as they smoothly followed Stan.

Director David signaled photographer Mike, who immediately sat on the back seat of the snowmobile driven by Jack, and aimed the camera steadily at Lin Yu’an and Stan.

The two snowmobiles carved graceful arcs on the thick snow, heading towards the depths of the river valley.

March in Alaska’s spring is merely a term written in a book.

As far as the eye can see, the entire world is covered in heavy and pure white snow.

Stan led the way, his driving skills could be called art, always precisely avoiding the pits and fallen trees hidden by snow.

They passed through a dense forest and finally stopped on a relatively open river terrace.

”Here is the alternative ’Plot A.’”

”Fifty acres, stretching from that riverbend all the way to the foot of that ridge.”

Stan pointed to the approximate range with his gloved hand.

Everyone got off the car, put on their snowshoes, and stepped onto the knee-deep snow, beginning their on-site assessment. The snow was so thick that it was impossible to see the true appearance of the land beneath.

David looked at this vast expanse of white and felt a bit perplexed. He turned to Stan and asked, ”Stan, how do we assess the quality of this land in such a season?”

Stan glanced at him, seemingly thinking the question was quite amateurish. He didn’t answer but instead looked at Lin Yu’an.

Without speaking, Lin Yu’an took off the tactical backpack from his back, took out a small folding shovel, and began digging snow at several different spots.

The snow layer was extremely dense. He dug nearly half a meter deep before touching the rock-hard frozen soil beneath.

With great effort, he managed to scoop some frozen soil into his hand, felt it for a moment, and then smelled it.

”The soil is not bad, it’s black soil and quite fertile,” he made an initial assessment.

Then he walked over to a few giant spruce trees, carefully observing the traces of snow around the base of the trunks.

”The terrain here is indeed low.”

He pointed to a faint, slightly darker mark on the tree trunk and said, ”Look here, this should be the highest water mark left from the river rising during last spring’s snowmelt.”

”Building a house here would risk flooding.”

He then moved to the riverbank, withstanding the biting cold wind, to observe the ice-covered river surface and the terrain on the opposite bank.

”This tributary likely has a considerable flow in summer, providing ample water supply as well as a convenient place to dock boats.”

”But at the same time, it means there will be a lot of mosquitoes in the summer.”

Throughout Lin Yu’an’s series of actions, Stan remained silent, watching.

When he heard the word ”mosquitoes,” Stan’s usually impassive face seemed to crack a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.

After surveying Plot A, the group headed to Plot B, which was noticeably higher in elevation with an excellent vantage point overlooking the entire valley.

Lin Yu’an conducted a similar assessment and found the trees here were noticeably sparser and smaller than those in Plot A.

”The wind is stronger here.”

He stood against the wind for a while, feeling the direction and strength of the wind.

”Building a house will require better windproof design. Timber resources are indeed a problem. If a large wooden house is to be constructed, it might be necessary to transport lumber from elsewhere, which will significantly increase the cost.”

”What about the water source?” David inquired.

Lin Yu’an walked to a relatively gentle slope.

”The vegetation distribution here indicates that the groundwater level shouldn’t be too deep, but to know exactly how deep, professional equipment is needed for surveying. Drilling a well is a must.”

Throughout the morning, they visited several candidate plots.

Wherever Lin Yu’an went, he conducted meticulous observation and analysis, considering everything from sunlight orientation, wind direction, water source potential, potential risks, to available resources.

His professionalism and rigor secretly impressed director David and photographer Mike.

Returning to Jack’s rented cabin, David eagerly asked Lin Yu’an, ”Lin, after seeing these plots, have you made a choice in your mind?”

Lin Yu’an did not immediately answer. He imported the videos and photos he took with the action camera into his laptop and compared them with satellite maps for further analysis.

At some point, Stan had also walked in. He poured himself a cup of hot coffee, leaned against the door, and watched Lin Yu’an work.

After a long while, Lin Yu’an raised his head, his gaze firm.

”I choose Plot A.”

This choice surprised both Jack and David.

”But Lin, the terrain there is too low, there’s a risk of flooding, and in summer, the mosquitoes...” Jack reminded.

”Risks can be managed and mitigated.”

Lin Yu’an explained, ”I can choose to build the house at a higher point and implement flood protection measures. As for mosquitoes, I believe there are ways to deal with them.”

”Moreover, the advantages of Plot A are irreplaceable—abundant water supply and high-quality timber.”

He pointed to the river on the map: ”Especially here. Proximity to the river means not only convenience in living but also access to fishing resources and an important waterway.”

”In summer, I can use a boat, and in winter, the ice-covered river is the flattest road.”

He pointed to the dense forest: ”And here is the core timber resource. Plot A has enough wood for me to build the main house, a warehouse, a kennel, and even more auxiliary buildings.”

”This can save me hundreds of thousands of US Dollars in costs and immeasurable transportation hassle.”

”In contrast, although Plot B is safe, everything has to be sourced from outside, and that is not true self-sufficiency.”

He paused for a moment and concluded: ”What I want is not a comfortable haven but a foundation where I can create everything from nothing. And Plot A offers me that possibility.”

When he finished speaking, the entire cabin was silent.

David and Jack fell into deep thought, impressed by Lin Yu’an’s clear logical planning.

At this moment, Stan, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.

”Kid, you’re right.”

He took a sip of coffee, and for the first time, his hoarse voice carried a hint of approval.

”Only cowards prioritize comfort above all. This land respects those who dare to wrestle with it.”

He set down the coffee cup and looked at Lin Yu’an: ”At the bend of the river in Plot A, there’s a small high ground where the birch trees grow best.”

”Build your house there, and you won’t be flooded by the river. In the summer, a gentle breeze will steep Labrador tea, driving away half the mosquitoes. The rest is up to your own skill.”

Having said that, Stan turned and walked out of the cabin, heading toward his pickup truck.

Director David excitedly pumped his fist, knowing that Lin Yu’an had won the first acknowledgment from this legendary Alaskan.