HUN Chapter 10: First Night at Chilko Lake

Mid-August.

The tremendous roar of propellers approached from afar, then thundered away with a whoosh.

When Lin Yu'an unbuckled his safety belt and stepped off the helicopter onto the land covered with thick coniferous needles and slippery moss, his heart was filled with mixed emotions.

Beneath his feet was solid earth, around him was an unfamiliar primeval forest, and overhead was the vast, somewhat gloomy sky of British Columbia, Canada.

He took one last look at the helicopter disappearing on the horizon. It represented his final connection to the civilized world and officially marked the beginning of his "Alone" challenge.

The air was filled with the distinctive fragrance of pine, surrounded by silence, with only occasional bird calls from deep within the forest and the rustling sound of wind through the coniferous trees.

Loneliness began to silently envelop him.

This was the north shore of Chilko Lake, a truly pristine wilderness. Towering snow-capped mountains loomed faintly in the distance, dense forests stretched like a green ocean to the horizon.

And Lin Yu'an was just a tiny existence in this vast landscape.

He didn't dwell in melancholy for long, quickly adjusting his mindset. From this moment on, every decision he made would directly relate to his survival, to whether he could successfully claim that one million dollars.

He took a deep breath, feeling the breath of this land, then began carefully surveying the area where he had been dropped.

This was a typical subalpine coniferous forest zone with slightly undulating terrain. The main tree species were tall Douglas firs, western hemlocks, and some shorter black pines.

The ground was covered with thick layers of fallen leaves, soft and slippery underfoot. Not far away, he could hear the faint sound of flowing water, which was good news for him, meaning a water source might be nearby.

He adjusted the cameras provided by the production team, one fixed to his chest and one handheld for backup, and began his first recording as a contestant.

"This is Lin Yu'an. I've just been dropped at the designated area. My immediate priority is to find a suitable location to build temporary shelter and find a water source as soon as possible."

His voice was calm and steady, showing no trace of panic.

Lin Yu'an took his ten carefully selected pieces of equipment from the waterproof bag and displayed them to the camera: high-carbon steel multi-functional knife, medium-sized felling axe, -30°C rated goose down sleeping bag, extra-large heavy-duty waterproof tarp, large magnesium fire starter, single-handled stainless steel pot with lid, fishing kit, high-strength paracord, a pack of salt, and the American hunting bow with arrows.

There were also those hidden deep in his container space that couldn't be shown: high-energy compressed biscuits, concentrated seasonings, specially-made fishhooks and line, medicines, bottles of liquor, large-caliber bear-hunting handgun, and more.

Of course, these items were his final trump cards. Unless absolutely necessary, he would never easily use them, and he couldn't let the camera catch any trace of them. He would need to perform appropriately when the time came.

Shouldering his relatively lightweight equipment pack, Lin Yu'an began moving toward the sound of flowing water.

Progress through the primeval forest wasn't easy. Underfoot were crisscrossing tree roots and slippery stones, dense undergrowth constantly blocked his path, but his pace wasn't slow.

After about half an hour, a crystal-clear stream appeared before him. The water was ice-cold, obviously formed from nearby mountain snowmelt.

"Found a water source!"

Lin Yu'an smiled at the camera. "The water quality looks very good. This is a good sign."

He didn't rush to drink but first carefully observed the environment around the stream, looking for traces of animal activity. If he found some animal tracks, it would give him more confidence about future food sources.

Next was choosing a temporary campsite.

He walked upstream along the creek for some distance, finally choosing an area with slightly higher ground, backed by a small steep rock wall, with a relatively open front.

There were several thick fallen logs he could use. This location could provide wind protection, had relatively good visibility, and was close to the water source.

"This looks good."

Lin Yu'an said to the camera, "The rock wall can provide natural shelter, the fallen logs can serve as support structure for the shelter, and the higher ground can prevent rainwater backflow."

Time was precious, and building shelter was currently the top priority.

He took out the felling axe from his equipment pack and began chopping suitable trees. He clearly knew how to use an axe, each swing precise and powerful.

He quickly felled several moderately-sized tree trunks to serve as main load-bearing beams, trimmed excess branches, and handled the details.

He didn't choose the complex semi-underground shelter from boot camp because the geological conditions here didn't allow for large-scale excavation.

Instead, he decided to temporarily build an improved "lean-to shelter," using the rock wall as one natural wall and building a framework with felled logs for the other three sides.

He first leaned several thicker tree trunks against the rock wall, forming a slanted roof framework, then secured them firmly with paracord.

Next, he began filling the other two wall sides of the framework with thinner branches and cut pine boughs, striving to make them windproof.

The roof was covered with the extra-large heavy-duty waterproof tarp, pressed down with stones and branches to ensure it could withstand wind and rain.

Inside the shelter, he laid thick layers of dry pine needles and fir branches as bedding, which could both insulate from ground moisture and provide some warmth.

When the setting sun's afterglow began to tint the western sky red, a small shelter that looked quite sturdy and practical despite its simplicity had taken initial shape.

Lin Yu'an wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked at his work with satisfaction, and smiled.

He said to the camera, "Alright, I have a home for tonight."

His voice carried a trace of fatigue but more of a sense of security.

Making fire was also important. He collected some dry pine needles, small dead branches, and several pieces of flammable birch bark from the ground.

Then he took out the magnesium fire starter and scraped forcefully with the knife back. Bright sparks instantly burst out, falling precisely on the tinder.

"Hiss—"

A small cluster of flames flickered to life. Lin Yu'an carefully added small dead branches, and the fire gradually stabilized.

The warm firelight dispelled the chill of the mountain forest and brought a sense of security.

He used the stainless steel pot to get water from the stream, set it over the fire to boil. The scalding hot water warmed his entire body.

He didn't rush to find food. On the first day, his energy consumption was enormous, and with darkness falling, venturing into the unfamiliar forest to hunt was too risky.

As night fell, the Chilko Lake wilderness revealed its primitive and harsh side.

Temperature dropped sharply, and various strange sounds came from the forest outside, perhaps the sound of wind through treetops or the low growls of some nocturnal animals.

Lin Yu'an made the fire burn brighter, then crawled into his warm sleeping bag. He placed the multi-functional knife and felling axe within easy reach, just in case.

Lying in the crude shelter, listening to the howling mountain wind and unknown beast roars outside, he felt no great fear in his heart.

Memories of his past life, responsibilities of this life, Aliya's gentle smile, and those two little lives in her belly waiting for his return flashed through his mind like pictures.

He knew this was only the first night, and he was already missing them.

In the future, there would be dozens more days when he would face even harsher challenges and more complete loneliness!

He closed his eyes, feeling the faint warmth from the small cross pendant on his chest, as if Aliya were right beside him. Surrounded by warm firelight and exhaustion, he fell asleep.

What Lin Yu'an didn't know was that in a dense forest not far from his shelter.

A pair of eyes glowing with greenish light were silently watching the dancing firelight of his camp, then disappeared soundlessly into the darkness...

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