King of the Wilderness

When Lin Yu’an secured the first layer of the wooden wall frame with four perfect saddle joints on the stone foundation, the most precision-testing part was over. Next, it was the repetitive work that tested endurance and physical strength.

He didn’t pause. Before it got dark, he successfully processed and stacked the second layer of logs.

This time, he didn’t need to flatten the bottom, only needed to patiently make saddle joints at the four corners.

When the second layer of logs settled with a thud on the first layer, the entire wooden wall structure became more solid.

————

Day Eleven.

After Lin Yu’an simply stretched his body, he began his unchanging daily patrol.

His life was simplified to the extreme; at dawn, he would go to the coast for plundering gathering and then plunge into the construction site until dusk.

He would only drag his tired body back to the temporary shelter, cook a pot of mussels to fill his stomach, and fall asleep immediately.

He carried a gathering bag and quickly walked towards the coast.

The sight by the sea made him frown. The drift ice was denser than yesterday. Large pieces of floating ice surged with the tide, colliding with each other and making crisp, clattering sounds.

He saw a large amount of floating ice crowding the entrance of the fjord, like a white door slowly closing.

Lin Yu’an felt a tightness in his heart, knowing that it wouldn’t be long before nature would reclaim all its generosity.

”There isn’t much time left,” he muttered to himself, but his hands worked more rapidly.

He no longer picked and chose, but like a harvester, swept all the mussels and sea snails he could see on the tidal flats into the bag.

The icy seawater soaked through his gloves, the piercing cold spreading up his arms, yet he didn’t mind at all.

Before the gathering window completely closed, every piece of shellfish was precious ammunition for future hunger.

After pouring a bag full of ”strategic reserves” into the holding pool, he didn’t immediately return to the construction site but turned towards the tranquil freshwater lake.

The three elastic fishing rods he set up had been waiting quietly for several days. He had little hope and treated them as part of his daily patrol.

However, when he walked through the woods and reached the lakeside, the scene before him made his heart race!

The rod on the far left side, instead of being a power-filled taut arc, was straight and awkwardly pointing skyward!

”Fish on!”

A wave of ecstasy instantly swept away all his fatigue! He rushed forward like an arrow!

Beneath the water, a silver shadow struggled fiercely, pulling the fishing line straight, making it hum.

He didn’t rashly pull the line directly but tugged at it to feel the force, sensing only a slight struggle from the line’s end.

Lin Yu’an carefully grasped the line, gently tugging it, waited for the right moment, and pulled back hard, dragging the big fish out of the water!

”Splash——”

Amidst a burst of water sound, a large fish was flung onto the grassy bank, still flipping and jumping.

He excitedly stepped forward, carefully pinned down the still struggling fish, and the camera zoomed in for a perfect close-up.

It was an extremely beautiful brook trout.

Its back was olive green, covered with worm-like patterns, its sides dotted with bright red spots circled by pale blue halos.

But unlike the typical brook trout he knew, this fish was more silvery, significantly larger! Its estimated length exceeded forty centimeters, weighing at least over three pounds!

Lin Yu’an held the hefty prize in his hands and started his professional commentary to the camera.

”Everyone, this is a brook trout, but not the kind you would see in any inland mountain area!”

He pointed to the fish’s body with his finger, his voice brimming with excitement. ”In most places, brook trout live their entire lives in freshwater, and growing to a pound is considered quite good.”

”But here on the Labrador Coastline, the ecosystem is entirely different.”

He brought the fish closer, allowing the camera to capture its details clearly.

”This is an anadromous brook trout, known locally as a ’Salter,’ meaning a creature that feeds in saltwater. Its lifestyle is almost like that of a salmon!”

”It was born in this freshwater lake but won’t live its entire life here. Once it grows to a certain size, it follows streams into the Atlantic Ocean behind us.”

”The ocean is like a buffet to it, where it feeds voraciously, growing at several times the rate it would in freshwater, accumulating a lot of fat.”

”Then, at a certain stage of life, like in this season, driven by a mysterious instinct, it migrates back to its birthplace in the freshwater system to prepare for spawning.”

”It seems I’m very fortunate to have set a trap right along its migration path.”

”Its greedy feeding habit fostered in the ocean made it unable to resist the fresh bait I offered.”

He gently ran his fingers over the bright red spots on the fish’s body.

”This is what fundamentally distinguishes it from ordinary inland brook trout. While the common brook trout is a resident, this one is an adventurer returning from the ocean.”

”Look at this plump physique, this silver sheen made even brighter by ocean life.”

”This indicates it has returned from the ocean not long ago, its body fat is at a peak!”

”This isn’t just protein; it’s precious high calories! For me, about to engage in high-intensity physical labor, this is like super fuel!”

After several days of no catch, such a generous gift came.

The wilderness is like this: it tests your patience and then unexpectedly gives you the most abundant and most needed reward.

He processed the fish as quickly as possible, and when the knife cut open its belly, a thick layer of orange fat was clearly visible, confirming his judgment.

He made no hesitation in deciding to enjoy this precious energy immediately.

Intense physical labor requires a continuous supply of energy; a hearty lunch is exactly what he needs now.

He cut the fish into large pieces, keeping the fish head and bones, as they are the essence for making rich broth.

He wrapped the other internal organs in leaves, as they are better bait than rabbit innards.

He carried these fresh ingredients back to the temporary shelter, grabbed the stainless steel pot and mussels, a few cleaned Bulrush Root, and then hurried back to the construction site.

Lunch today would be settled at the site.

He lit a small fire beside the pit and placed the stainless steel pot over it.

Once the pot was heated, he first placed a few of the fattiest pieces of the fish belly into the pot.

There was no oil, but that wasn’t a problem at all. The fat beneath the fish skin melted quickly, sizzling delightfully, and soon the golden fish oil spread across the entire bottom of the pot.

A rich and wild aroma of grease permeated through the cold air instantly.

He fried both sides of the fish pieces and fish bones until golden, then poured water into the pot. The water hit the hot oil with a crackling sound, white steam rising into the air.

Along with the cleaned mussels and the cut Bulrush Root pieces, he threw everything into the pot.

Then he placed the remaining fish head aside, still remembering the fish head’s odor issue back at Chilco Lake.

Soon, the pot’s contents boiled again, and the broth, emulsified with fish oil and protein, turned an enticing milky white.

The fresh taste of fish, the saltiness of the mussels, the sweetness of the Bulrush Root, all flavors melded in this pot, exuding an irresistible, warm, and rich aroma.

He covered the pot with a lid and let it simmer on low heat.

Then, he stood up, dusted off his hands, and turned around to resume working on building the walls.

The work couldn’t stop, but energy was being replenished.

He repeated the process of lining, cutting, chiseling saddle joints, and placing logs, occasionally drawn by the scent of stewed fish soup wafting through the air.

This feeling was amazing, the body endured high-intensity labor, but the anticipation in taste and smell kept injecting new energy into him.

Over an hour later, he put down his tools, the pot of soup had thickened significantly by then.

He didn’t care about the heat and drank a big mouthful. The rich broth, blended with fish oil and seafood, slipped down his throat, and a wave of warmth spread instantly through his body!

————

(ps: Inland brook trout illustration.)