American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 8 Wilderness Training Camp

"Here, there are no formalities, no words of comfort, only the harshest tests and the most direct eliminations! You have seven days to prove to us that you are qualified to step into that real wilderness and compete for that million-dollar prize!"

He glanced at everyone and continued, "Over the next seven days, you will face comprehensive assessments of your physical fitness, skills, and mental fortitude. There will be those who are eliminated in each assessment!"

"Remember, what we need are not theorists, not keyboard warriors who only talk the talk, but real tough guys and wise men who can survive in extreme environments! Now, put down your luggage, the first test, the timed shelter construction, will begin immediately!"

All candidates were taken to a clearing in the woods and given only a multi-tool and a piece of paracord. They were tasked with building a single-person shelter within three hours using the surrounding natural materials, one that could withstand the low nighttime temperatures and potential rain.

This was not difficult for many well-prepared candidates; they quickly dispersed, began cutting branches, and searched for suitable locations to set up their structures.

Lin Yu'an did not rush to take action. He first carefully observed the surrounding terrain, wind direction, and types of trees that could be used. He noticed that there were many pine and birch trees here, and the ground was relatively damp.

He chose a sheltered spot, slightly elevated, with a few moderately sized fallen trees nearby.

Most of the other candidates chose to build traditional A-frame or sloping-roof shelters, which was quick, but Lin Yu-an took a different approach.

He recalled a type of shelter called a "dust house" that was popular during the Chinese guerrilla war. These shelters were half underground and half above ground, using geothermal heat for insulation, and were excellent at preventing wind and moisture. They were also very well hidden. The United States also had similar shelters, but they were slightly different.

Of course, digging a hole without tools is impractical, but Lin Yu'an cleverly made use of the natural depression formed by the fallen trees and a slightly sloping small mound.

He first used his survival knife to quickly sharpen several thick tree branches as support poles, and then used fallen logs and earthen slopes to build a semi-circular frame.

Next, a thick layer of dry pine needles and birch bark was laid on the "walls" and floor of the shelter—these are excellent insulation and moisture-proof materials.

His movements were not fast, but every step was very precise and efficient. He did not waste any effort or make any unnecessary movements.

"Hey, Asian kid, are you building a mouse hole?"

A tall, burly white man with a full beard next to him couldn't help but mock Lin Yu'an when he saw the half-finished product.

He was a participant in the previous season but withdrew early due to a small mistake. This time, he came back with a vengeance in his heart.

Lin Yu'an ignored him, simply giving him the middle finger before focusing on her work.

The burly white man's face darkened when he saw Lin Yu'an dare to give him the middle finger. He glanced at the camera but made no further move.

Regardless of what the burly white man was thinking, Lin Yu'an began weaving the wall with the flexible branches he had cut off; he did not cover it directly with leaves.

Instead, they first wove a fence-like structure out of branches, then filled it with a large amount of pine needles, hay, and moss, and finally covered it with a large area of ​​birch bark and secured it with paracord.

This approach not only made the shelter's walls exceptionally thick and warm, but also ensured breathability. Most importantly, the entrance to his shelter was very small.

Moreover, it cleverly utilizes the trees for cover, so that from a distance it almost blends into the surrounding environment.

Three hours later, Rick blew the assembly whistle.

He inspected the shelters built by the candidates one by one. Most of them were unsatisfactory. Some were structurally unstable, some were severely drafty, and some even lacked basic rain protection.

When he arrived at Lin Yu'an's somewhat "small and unassuming" shelter, his brow furrowed slightly. But as he bent down to carefully examine the shelter's internal structure and construction method, a barely perceptible look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Rick patted the thick "wall" and said, "Your shelter... is very dry. Interesting. Tell me your thoughts."

Lin Yu'an calmly explained, "I built a modified semi-subterranean shelter that utilizes the terrain and fallen logs. The main considerations are insulation, windproofing, and concealment. The walls have a multi-layered filling structure, which can effectively insulate against the cold and dampness from the outside."

Rick asked with great interest, "Is this a unique construction method in China? Or was it based on the construction method of semi-underground shelters?"

Lin Yu'an nodded: "I adopted the traditional architectural wisdom passed down from the Chinese anti-Japanese war predecessors. Its heat preservation and concealment played a significant role in combating the Japanese Nazi guerrilla warfare."

Rick was taken aback by these words. He subconsciously looked at the cameraman and the director, but seeing that they did not react, Rick stopped paying attention to Lin Yu'an's remarks about guerrilla warfare. He simply nodded thoughtfully and continued walking toward the next shelter.

After the first assessment, five candidates' shelters were immediately eliminated because they were deemed unqualified.

Lin Yu'an passed the test smoothly thanks to his unique and practical design. The burly man who had mocked him earlier almost got eliminated because his shelter was drafty, even though it was tall and imposing.

Over the next few days, the training camp's assessments became increasingly rigorous.

In particular, the challenge of starting a fire in the wild requires participants to be able to make fire by friction or by bowstring, demonstrating basic fire-making skills, before they can choose other methods.

With remarkable patience and perseverance, Lin Yu'an successfully obtained fire using a bowstring! Only then did he choose to start a fire with magnesium rods, completing the fire in just 3 minutes. The high success rate and speed made everyone take a second look.

However, most people who lack patience lose points on basic fire-making skills.

In the test of the ability to obtain water in the wild, while most people are still struggling to find streams or dig water pits to obtain water, when purifying water, they can choose to use items found in the camp.

Other contestants used various methods, such as filling socks with charcoal to make simple filters or using small stainless steel pots to boil water. Each contestant displayed their unique abilities.

Lin Yu-an, on the other hand, used a plastic bag filled with water and hung it above a fire source, using an open flame to heat the water in the plastic bag to achieve a purification effect.

The main components of plastic bags are polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride, with a melting point of about 120°C. Therefore, plastic bags will not burn until the water evaporates.

After seeing Lin Yu-an's method, some people immediately adopted a similar approach, choosing plastic bottles for the same purification method.

However, only Lin Yu-an, as the first contestant to use this method, received extra points; the other contestants who used this method only received a passing grade.

In the final assessment, candidates were required to find three hidden markers within a specified time in an unfamiliar mountain forest, using only a simple map and a compass, and to collect designated "survival supplies" along the way.

After receiving the map, most of the other candidates set off in a hurry without checking if the compass was working properly, and lost their way because they were too eager to succeed.

Before setting off, Lin Yu'an spent a few minutes checking the compass to ensure it was working properly and studying the map, memorizing key information such as terrain, contour lines, and river directions to ensure the authenticity of the compass and map.

As expected, the map wasn't accurate! It differed slightly from the actual terrain!
After discovering that the map was inaccurate, Lin Yu'an immediately used his analysis of the surrounding environment to systematically find the first marker point through marking and exploration!
Unsurprisingly, his assessment results were among the best.

(End of this chapter)