The week-long training camp concluded amidst tension and harshness.
From the initial group of over twenty candidates, only ten figures remained standing on this Rocky Mountain training ground after rounds of ruthless selection.
Lin Yu'an was prominently among them!
When Instructor Rick Hawke announced the final list of ten participants for the eighth season of "Alone in the Wilderness" with his trademark booming voice.
And mentioned the name "Lin Yu'an," Lin Yu'an's face showed little sign of ecstatic joy, remaining as calm as ever, yet his eyes radiated a confident gleam.
After the announcement of the selected participants, the production team immediately gathered these ten lucky individuals to declare the official filming location for this season.
Executive producer Mark Johnson stood before a massive map, which clearly marked the vast region of the North American Continent.
His finger finally landed on a remote area in northwestern Canada, surrounded by deep blue lakes and stretching snow-capped mountains.
Mark's voice carried a hint of excitement, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the battlefield of the eighth season of 'Alone in the Wilderness' — Canada, British Columbia Province, Chilco Lake!"
The screen then played a short clip, showcasing a massive lake formed by crystal-clear glacial meltwater, surrounded by towering snow mountains and endless dense virgin coniferous forests.
The image occasionally flashed glimpses of wildlife — agile white-tailed deer, cunning wolverines, and massive, intimidating grizzly bears!
The Canadian Grizzly Bear's weight can reach up to 900 pounds, approximately 450 kilograms, with an average body length of 2.3 meters, standing on its hind legs, its height can reach 2.7 meters, truly the forest monarch!
"Indeed, you aren't mistaken. In this season, one of the greatest challenges you'll face is sharing this wilderness with the grizzly bears!"
"Therefore, we can also call this season 'Wilderness Solo Living: Grizzly Mountain'!"
Even the ten seasoned participants, many of whom hailed from hunter backgrounds, involuntarily displayed solemn expressions upon hearing the word "grizzly."
It's not just prey, but also a potential lethal threat!
Lin Yu'an felt a slight heaviness in his heart, despite having learned from Old John on the border farm about dealing with large beasts.
But truly surviving solo for months in an area dense with grizzly bears presents obvious challenges.
Mark Johnson timely revealed an encouraging smile.
"Of course, we believe that you ten are top-notch survivors, surely you'll find ways to coexist with nature harmoniously and ultimately overcome the challenges."
"Next, you will have four hours to select the ten survival items you'll bring into the wilderness based on the environment characteristics of the Chilco Lake area and your own skills."
"Remember, this is crucial to your future survival. Please provide the production team with your equipment list - choose wisely!"
The selection of equipment is a critical phase of the "Alone in the Wilderness" program, directly affecting the participants' survival capabilities and endurance in the wild.
The ten participants returned to their temporary tents and began studying the equipment list.
Lin Yu'an calmly and quickly analyzed the environmental features of the Chilco Lake area in his mind.
High latitude mountainous areas mean low temperatures, large day-night temperature differences, long and harsh winters — warmth is the top priority! Moreover, with grizzly presence, bear spray and safe food storage are crucial.
He first checked the equipment provided by the production team beyond the ten-item limit:
1 pair of tall hunting boots
1 pair of water shoes
1 belt
2 T-shirts
2 wool sweaters or wool shirts
1 wool sweater
3 pairs of wool socks
2 hats
2 pairs of gloves
2 pairs of underwear
1 warm outdoor jacket
1 raincoat
1 pair of rain pants
1 pair of thermal underwear
1 pair of leggings
1 toothbrush
1 pair of glasses (with prescription proof)
1 personal photo
1 large waterproof tarp
1 multi-season sleeping bag
1 fixed-blade knife
1 double-sided sharpening stone
1 bear spray
1 canteen
1 waterproof hiking backpack
After reviewing the basic items provided by the program, combined with his skill set, Lin Yu'an began choosing ten pieces of equipment he could procure.
Each of his choices was made with careful consideration:
In his mind, he quickly went through various sizes of knives, axes, saws, sleeping bags for different temperature ratings, waterproof tarps, fire-starting tools, cooking utensils, fishing gear, bow and arrows, and so on.
Finally, he sorted out ten items.
A multi-functional knife forged from high-carbon steel: This is the most important tool, used for cutting, chopping, skinning, self-defense, trimming nails, shaving, with a sharp edge that's easy to sharpen, and must be durable.
A medium-sized logging axe: Used to chop wood for building shelters and obtaining firewood, choose one that's moderately weighted, with a sharp axe blade and a sturdy handle.
A high-quality -30°C rated down sleeping bag (with a waterproof exterior): In cold regions, a good sleeping bag is crucial for survival, the rating and waterproofing must be clear in data.
An oversized heavy-duty waterproof tarp: It has a wide range of uses, can serve as a roof for the shelter or a ground cloth, he chose one in a military green that blends with the natural environment.
A large magnesium rod fire starter: The most reliable tool for starting a fire, unaffected by moisture.
A stainless steel pot with a lid: Used for boiling water, cooking food, and melting snow, the stainless steel construction is durable and easy to clean.
A fishing gear kit containing different sizes of fishing lines, hooks, and a small number of sinkers: The fishing resources of Chilco Lake are abundant, providing an important source of protein.
A roll of high-strength parachute cord: Extremely versatile, indispensable for building shelters, making traps, binding items, and more.
A pack of salt: Not only can it prevent hyponatremia and electrolyte imbalance, it can also affect nerve and muscle function, and be used for preserving meat.
The last piece of equipment, Lin Yu'an chose without hesitation - an American Hunting Bow.
It can be equipped with 10 arrows, 8 regular arrows, and 2 bear hunting arrows, providing the ability to hunt large prey from a distance, but it requires high skill and can also hunt small prey.
Among them, the sleeping bag and the waterproof tarp were chosen twice, as Lin Yu'an believed they could be of great use.
Lin Yu'an meticulously checked his list of ten pieces of equipment, ensuring not a single one was missing; these were sufficient to allow him to survive in the wilderness of Chilco Lake.
After submitting the list of ten items to the show's crew for record, unexpectedly the crew gave all the contestants a surprise!
They arranged flights for the contestants to return home to prepare these ten items and bid farewell to their families, then officially begin the filming!
On the flight back to Austin.
When Lin Yu'an returned to their apartment in Austin with simple luggage, Aliya, who had already been informed about the situation over the phone, was eagerly waiting at the door.
Upon seeing Lin Yu'an's figure, joy instantly welled up in Aliya's eyes. She quickly approached him, but Lin Yu'an beat her to it and caught her.
"Take it easy, dear, you are the one to be protected now!"
Lin Yu'an's voice was filled with doting affection, and he gently hugged Aliya.
"You're back! How was the training? Was there any danger?"
Aliya looked Lin Yu'an up and down with concern in her eyes.
"Everything went smoothly, there was no danger, rest assured."
Lin Yu'an smiled and briefly described the training camp to Aliya, of course omitting the dangerous details.
Learning that Lin Yu'an was officially selected, and there was a week to prepare at home, Aliya was initially pleased, but the impending separation brought about deeper reluctance.
"A week... so soon?" Aliya's voice was a bit low.
Lin Yu'an pulled her into his arms, gently comforting, "Seven days are precious, I will make sure to cherish the time with you and the babies."
In the following days, besides meticulously taking care of Aliya, accompanying her for walks, and preparing various nutritious meals for her.
He also spent time talking to the babies in her belly, took time for equipment procurement.
His goals were very clear.
High-energy, easy-to-store compressed foods, such as the high-energy compressed biscuits used by special troops, jelly energy bars, these items are compact, high in calories, and could be life-saving in an initial food shortage or emergency.
He prepared a lot, concentrated chicken broth, mixed spice powders, butter hot pot base, in the monotonous wild diet, a bit of seasoning can significantly enhance flavor and morale.
Also purchased specially-made hooks and high-strength fishing lines, even though the equipment list included fishing gear, he wanted to prepare more, along with a few coils of high-strength steel wire.
Besides the first aid kit allowed by the show's crew, he also prepared special anti-inflammatory drugs, strong painkillers, and ointments, these items could prevent small injuries from turning serious at critical moments.
Also, the most important item, a large-caliber bear hunting pistol, if normally carried, it would surely not pass the show's inspection, Lin Yu had it all stored in [Personal Space].
Despite these preparations, Lin Yu'an planned not to use the food in the space unless it was a matter of life and death.
The space was a backup, while he intended to challenge his real wilderness survival skills and limits.
Time flew by quickly amidst busy preparations and tender moments with Aliya.
The moment of departure ultimately arrived.
That evening, Aliya was somewhat wildly driven, especially proactive around Lin Yu'an's waist; her fair skin tinged with a hint of red, her eyes slightly dazed, her face flushed from exertion.
Half an hour later, the two lay embraced on the sofa, Aliya gently resting her head on his shoulder, feeling the familiar warmth of his body.
Aliya's voice was filled with deep reluctance: "Darling, you must take care of yourself, don't get hurt! The kids and I will be waiting for you at home, praying for you every day."
Lin Yu'an firmly held her hand: "Rest assured, darling. I will protect myself as I protect you."
She lifted her head, looking at Lin Yu'an with tear-filled eyes: "Lin, promise me, you must come back safe, no matter winning or losing, you will always be the greatest hero for me and the children."
"I promise you!" Lin Yu'an lowered his head and kissed Aliya deeply on the lips.
————
(Hello, new readers, the story of "Alone in the Wilderness" is about to begin! Expect the first champion contestant from China!)
Contents preview:
("Life Below Zero" narrates how the protagonist, along with other residents, builds log cabins and hunts together in Alaska.)
("Wilderness Solo Living - Frozen Throne" depicts how the protagonist accepts challenges from other champion-level contestants, also setting the stage for the protagonist to adopt a polar bear there.)
("Montana Farm Chapter" tells how the protagonist leverages the information gap from a prior life to harvest a fortune in the stock market, bind interests with other capitals, ultimately purchasing a 30,000-acre farm.)
("China Challenge" [current progress], shows how the protagonist undertakes wilderness challenges under strict legal conditions in China, expected length of 30-40 chapters.)