"How about it?"
Old George proudly patted the sturdy body of the band saw, his eyes full of affection as if looking at his own child.
"This guy has accompanied for almost ten years. I replaced it with a more powerful Honda GX390 engine and even installed an automatic lubrication system myself."
"As long as you feed it wood, it can spit out any size of board you want, with an error margin of less than two milliters!"
Lin Yu’an’s eyes also showed a spark of interest. He stepped forward and carefully inspected every detail of the band saw.
After the equipnt tour, Old George turned around, facing Lin Yu’an again, a sly smile playing on his lips.
He began, "Alright, kid, now let’s talk about terms."
"My sawmill, mixer, and my years of experience can all help you."
"I don’t want your money. That’s too boring. I’ve never been short on money in my life."
He paused and then proposed a very "Alaska-style" condition.
"In exchange, I need you to accompany in doing sothing that’s beyond my capability now."
His gaze turned to the distant rolling Brooks Range.
"I want you to go hunting with in the mountains after the snow lts in July. My target is an adult Dall sheep!"
"Not just any sheep. I want the kind that lives on the steepest cliffs, the slyest and most beautiful ram king."
"With my old bones, I haven’t climbed those cliffs in years. My knees won’t allow it... but my shooting skills haven’t declined!"
"I need a strong young guy like you to help carry equipnt, scout, and even track the target."
He looked at Lin Yu’an, eyes blazing, "I want those most beautiful, complete horns to hang on my fireplace wall."
Old George’s gaze drifted to a photo of his wife on the wall, "It was my wife’s wish when she was alive. She always wanted a pair of Dall sheep horns hanging over the fireplace..."
"If possible... I hope at my funeral, the priest can tell everyone ’Old George fulfilled his wife’s last wish from when she was alive.’
Lin Yu’an saw the rembrance for his wife in the old man’s eyes and instantly understood that this was more than just an exchange of terms. It was a trust and a responsibility.
He responded succinctly and firmly, without the slightest hesitation, extending his right hand, "George, rest assured, I have an Alaskan resident hunting license, and all the tags are in order."
"Let’s make it a deal. After the snow lting period ends in July, we’ll set off!"
"Hahaha! Good lad! It’s settled!"
Old George gripped his hand tightly, and thus Lin Yu’an’s first "Far North Covenant" was ford.
At the sa ti, a temporary "Foundation Engineering Team" was officially established at that mont.
They imdiately began discussing the specific construction plans.
Old George pulled out paper and pen, drawing a professional layout of pile foundations and listing the approximate quantities of sand, gravel, 425-grade cent, and rebar needed.
"Portland Cent, construction-grade rebar, 16mm and 20mm, eight tons of dry river sand, and well-graded gravel."
"All these materials, you have to transport them from Fairbanks."
"Then you need to penetrate a two-ter active permafrost layer before digging four or five ters into the permafrost layer, relying on your loader should be enough."
"However, you will need an auger drill attachnt, so you’ll have to rent one from Fairbanks."
By the ti everything was settled, it had already gotten dark outside.
Lin Yu’an and Stan bid farewell to Old George.
Tonight, Lin Yu’an and David Mike plan to stay overnight in the rented cabin, not intending to return to the camp.
Stan rides his ATV, effortlessly sprinting across the snow.
While Lin Yu’an drove the Zongshen Tricycle, David and Mike were sitting in the rear cargo box.
On the way here, sitting in the tricycle was new and exciting to them.
But now, as the sun sets, the temperature drops, and the piercing cold wind poured into the open cargo box from all directions, the situation changes entirely.
"Oh... my God... Lin! Aren’t... aren’t you cold?"
David’s voice trembled like a sieve in the cold wind, tightly wrapping himself in his brand-na down coat, but the chill seed to seep in everywhere.
"It’s alright." Lin Yu’an’s voice ca from the front.
"Al... alright?"
Mike couldn’t help but join the conversation, "I feel like my bones are going to freeze! We’re wearing down coats rated for minus thirty degrees!"
Stan, on the ATV beside them, heard their conversation, and laughed heartily, his voice loud and clear in the open wilderness.
"Hey! You boys from Hollywood! Those outfits are for sipping coffee in the city; what Lin’s wearing is what actually works!"
David looked at Lin Yu’an’s composed silhouette, then at himself and Mike shivering, finally coming to terms with reality.
He shakily pulled out his satellite phone and, amidst weak signals, called the production crew’s logistics.
"Hans, get two of those Archaeopteryx down jackets! And matching pants too! ASAP! Use the fastest shipping to Fairbanks! Mike and I are freezing here!"
Stan laughed even harder nearby, "Lin, well done. George is a stubborn old guy, and it’s clear he really likes you. The fact that he’s willing to help ans you’ve been accepted by him."
"Dall sheep aren’t easy to deal with, and they live in places even more dangerous than bear territories. When you need help, count in."
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