Ryan stepped forward, looked at the ga, and then glanced around the environnt, jokingly saying, "Barton, your hunting process is legal, right? I don't want to see my neighbor getting fined."
Barton laughed and said, "Don't worry, Ryan! We respect the law more than anyone! All the shots were within the rules!"
Ryan then introduced the new neighbor to Lin Yu'an, "Lin, this is Big Bear Eric, our town's electrician and plumber, who recently returned to Wiseman from ho. If your pipes burst or generator breaks, just call him."
"Hello, Lin." Eric's voice was as deep as a bear's, extending his massive hand for a firm handshake with Lin Yu'an.
A riverside slaughter operation, involving the core mbers of the entire community, officially began!
With enough manpower, the butchering work beca efficient and orderly.
Under the guidance of Barton and Stan, the other four giant beasts were skinned and butchered one by one, turning into standard cuts of at.
Once all the at was packed into bags, it was ti for the critical transport stage.
Barton, as the overall commander, looked at the fleet ford by the seven boats and the heaps of at, starting to issue the most reasonable tactical arrangents.
"George! Your boat is the largest and most stable; you're responsible for carrying all the deer heads and hides!"
He pointed to the heads with huge antlers, "These take up the most space and are the most irregular. Your boat's high sides make it difficult to tip over. Stan will go with you on the boat to help organize."
"Hank, Cody, Barton, and Eric, your four boats are the main at transport boats!"
"Each of our boats will carry the at of two butchered moose, this distribution keeps the weight just within the safe load range!"
"Finally, Lin!"
Barton's gaze fell on Lin Yu'an and the 14-foot small boat with Little Eagle, "You and Little Eagle are responsible for transporting all the tenderloin, loin ats, and the leftover heart and liver from last night's roast."
Everyone imdiately sprang into action. They worked together to carry the heavy moose atbags to the designated boats, and soon, all six boats were so laden that they sat deep in the water.
Once everything was ready, a fleet consisting of six boats officially embarked on the return journey!
Lin Yu'an's leading boat forged ahead, cutting through the waves.
Behind it, the six heavily-loaded boats ford a line, leaving a wide and spectacular wake on the river.
Upon their grand arrival at the riverside near Wiseman, residents who had already received the news were waiting by the shore with hot coffee and food.
On the afternoon riverbank, a larger harvest celebration, involving the entire core community mbers, unfolded.
The n once again demonstrated astounding cooperation as they cleared a vast flat area by the riverbank and laid down clean, waterproof tarps.
Then they carried the bags of at, each weighing dozens of kilograms, from the boats to the shore, sorting and piling them according to different cuts.
Soon, the riverbank was ho to several "at mountains" composed of moose at, a truly spectacular sight!
What followed was not a random allocation but an extrely solemn and fair at distribution ceremony under the supervision of law and tradition.
Barton and Stan stood in front of the at mountains, with Barton holding a thick notebook that clearly recorded the belongings for each hunting tag.
"Alright, folks! Quiet down!" Barton's voice was loud and powerful.
The noisy riverbank instantly quieted down, and all eyes were on him.
Barton loudly announced, "According to Alaska's laws and our Wiseman rules, we have hunted a total of eight moose today. I will now call out nas, and the lawful owner of each tag, please co forward to claim your ga!"
"The first tag, Herman Lin!" This bull moose is entirely yours, it is your non-resident tag quota.
"The second tag, Stan!" Stan also stepped forward to claim his moose.
"The third tag, George!" Barton continued.
Old George walked up with a smile, loading the complete butchered moose at onto his pickup with the help of everyone.
Next, Barton called out the nas of all the authorized individuals in succession. When one's na was called, either the elderly or family representatives would step forward with neighbors' help to claim the bountiful at ensuring their survival through winter.
When all eight moose were distributed according to legal provisions, the true demonstration of community spirit was just beginning.
Old George, who had been allocated a whole moose, was the first to step forth.
He brought the two front legs and a large portion of neck at from his moose back to the central oilcloth on the riverbank, loudly declaring, "Alright! This old guy can't eat all this! These, put them into our community pool!"
Following him, Old Mrs. Martha had her grandson contribute half of her moose's ribs and all the trim at.
Then Lin Yu'an and other families who received a whole moose, on a voluntary basis, brought out what they couldn't eat themselves.
Soon, another small at mountain ford in the middle of the riverbank.
Barton gazed at this sight, a radiant smile on his face, "Alright! Folks! What remains now belongs to our entire Wiseman community!"
"Every family here today can co up and claim a portion of moose at that belongs to you! This is our shared wealth, the bounty this land provides for all of us!"
"Oh—!!!"
The crowd erupted with cheers even more enthusiastic than before!
Lin Yu'an watched this scene filled with order, law, human kindness, and the spirit of sharing, deeply moved within.
This was entirely different from the survival of the fittest rule of the wilderness he had imagined.
Here, the law protected individual lawful rights, while the community's tradition and humanity ensured no one would be left behind.
This was the true reason this small Northern Territory community could survive and perpetuate itself stubbornly on this harsh land.
By the ti all the at was distributed, it was already late at night.
On the riverbank, only a few core families were left, sitting around the bonfire, sharing the joy of victory.
Lin Yu'an said to the young boy beside him, Little Eagle, "Little Eagle, you did well today. You contributed half of your catch, like a real man! Next sumr, I'll take you to China to see the real Great Wall of China."
In Little Eagle's eyes, an incredibly brilliant light imdiately ignited.
Once all the at was distributed, the noisy riverbank gradually quieted down. Everyone bid each other farewell, satisfied, and carried their share of moose at back to their own hos.
Lin Yu'an returned to the warm log cabin, and the first thing he did was check on the two children who had long been asleep in the nursery.
After confirming they were all right, he then walked back to the living room to transport the freshly-cut moose at to the large freezer.
"Hey, darling." Aliya's voice was gentle, but very clear.
Lin Yu'an paused his work and turned to look at her.
Aliya's gaze swept over the heap of at and then slowly spoke, "Did you send so to Emily?"
"Well..." Lin Yu'an was montarily stunned.
Aliya walked over to the tenderest moose sirloin, cut off a large piece, weighing at least a dozen pounds, and then selected a few pri ribs, carefully wrapping them in clean oilcloth.
She handed the hefty package of at to Lin Yu'an.
"You go, and deliver it to Emily now."
"Now?" Lin Yu'an glanced at the sky, which was beginning to darken.
"Yes, right now. Tell her that this is from . Just say, at our dining table, no family mber should be left out."
Seeing the unwavering determination in his wife's eyes, Lin Yu'an finally nodded, "Alright, I'll go right away."
He started his Zongshen Tricycle and drove towards Emily's clinic.
When he arrived at Emily's cabin, he found the lights still on.
Emily opened the door, and when she saw the hefty, blood-stained package of at in Lin Yu'an's hand, a flash of fear crossed her face! She rembered that night...
"Lin? This is..."
"This is the moose I caught today. Aliya asked to bring so for you."
Lin Yu'an handed the package to her and repeated Aliya's words, "She said, at our dining table, no family mber should be left out."
"Family mber..."
Hearing it was moose at, Emily breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at Lin Yu'an, and thinking about the family mber he just ntioned, a warm feeling surged in her heart.
Before Lin Yu'an could react, Emily suddenly stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, and gently planted a kiss on his cheek with her soft lips.
"Thank her for ..." Emily's voice was also touched.
She took a deep breath to calm herself, then extended an invitation to Lin Yu'an.
"Lin, could you and Aliya co over to my cabin for dinner?"
Lin Yu'an nodded, "Sure, we'll be there."
When Lin Yu'an returned to his own log cabin and told Aliya about Emily's invitation, Aliya bead a bright smile.
Lin Yu'an drove their Ford Explorer, and along with Aliya and the two well-wrapped little ones, they headed to Emily's ho.
In Emily's cabin, a warm fire was already lit, and the table was set with exquisite tableware.
As soon as Aliya entered, she naturally walked into the kitchen and said to Emily, who was busy, "Let help you."
"Oh, no need, you're guests..."
"There are no guests among family," Aliya smiled, skillfully tying on an apron.
Thus, a wonderful scene unfolded in the kitchen.
Two equally beautiful and capable won, one with a fuller figure, the other slim, one adept and the other slightly clumsy, yet cooperating seamlessly as they prepared dinner together.
They cooked while chatting softly, talking about cooking techniques and town gossip.
anwhile, Lin Yu'an was completely relegated from the kitchen, having to take on parenting duties instead.
He spread a thick carpet on the living room floor, placing Ethan and Olivia on it.
The two little ones had already learned to roll over and crawl, eagerly exploring this new environnt.
Lin Yu'an knelt on the carpet, sotis teasing his son with a rattle, and other tis pulling his daughter back as she tried to crawl toward the fireplace.
The cold and serious look he had while hunting was replaced with utmost tenderness, and a smile full of fatherly love.
The warm fire, the aroma of food, the won's gentle laughter, and the children's babbling...
All these elents intertwine to create a lively and harmonious picture filled with a sense of life.
Lin Yu'an looked at this scene before him, and it seed like the persistent feeling of unrealness from his rebirth began to lt away with the warmth of ordinary life.
Perhaps, this form of family... is quite nice.
————
(There are three more chapters in the afternoon! Requesting votes for next month)
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