The Cotton Candy curled up by the fireplace, where the warm flames danced, casting a warm orange glow on its white fluff.
Su Wei slumped on the sofa, feeling like she didn't want to move a single finger; only her brain was still working excitedly because of the day's events.
He took out his phone and opened the compressed file Matt had sent him.
[Design Scheme Reference for Top-Tier Private Gallery]
After decompression, there are dozens of folders with different styles.
He randomly clicked on one titled "Echoes of the Rocky Mountains".
A series of high-definition renderings appeared on the screen. It was a building entirely constructed of massive logs and black rocks, with a rugged and primitive style.
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, there are continuous snow-capped mountains.
Inside, the fireplace roared with fire, and huge elk antlers and bison head specimens hung on the walls, creating an atmosphere of hunting.
He then opened a folder named "Light of the North".
This time, the style is completely different, with large areas of black metal and bulletproof glass forming the main body, and the lines are simple and cold, full of futuristic feel.
Each piece of trophy was illuminated like a work of art, and elegantly designed hunting rifles were displayed in glass cases suspended in mid-air.
There are also "Hunter's Dream", "Whispers in the Forest", "Heart of the Icefield"...
Each design was exquisitely crafted and captivating.
But as Su Wei looked at these design drawings, he felt that something was still missing.
These exhibition halls are both highly professional and luxurious.
But they are more like a cold exhibition hall, designed for one or two core exhibits.
But what he possessed was not just the bear king and the crown antlers.
They are not cold, lifeless objects, but rather medals he earned through his struggles, battles, and growth on this land.
He will have even more in the future.
Gifts from the birch forests, catches from Pilan Creek, and all sorts of exotic treasures from the vast wilderness of Alaska.
What he needed was a place that could hold all his spoils of war and witness his gradual rise to power on this land.
A real, living museum that belongs to him.
Perhaps one layer isn't enough.
A bold idea suddenly popped into his tired mind, making him sit up straight instantly.
He needs more space.
One floor is used to display regular prey specimens, divided into sections according to different ecological environments, recreating the scenes in which they lived.
The second floor serves as a sanctuary, specifically used to house unique treasures such as the bear king's antlers and the deer king's antlers.
Five hundred square meters, two floors.
The total area is 1,000 square meters.
The thought made his heart race and his blood rush.
This is no longer a museum; this is the heart of his future estate, his throne in this wilderness.
The cost will likely be a considerable sum.
But he now has more than three million US dollars in cash.
Money is not the issue. Courage is.
Just as he was immersed in his grand plan, the circle on his phone screen that was loading the next high-definition image started spinning impatiently. After spinning for dozens of seconds, the image was still a blurry mess.
The signal is terrible.
The location of this old wooden house is already remote, so getting a stable internet connection is practically a luxury.
It seems that the issues of internet access and accommodation need to be addressed as soon as possible.
Just as he was about to restart his mobile network, a call came in, and the name " Aruk " appeared on the screen.
Su Wei answered the phone.
"Hey, Su Wei, my hundred-acre landowner."
Aruk's signature loud voice nearly deafened Su Wei.
"You little rascal, you're a lunatic. You actually dared to take that piece of land that Old Sam owns? I thought he'd never get rid of that hot potato in his life."
Su Wei moved the phone further away.
"Fortunately, the price is reasonable."
"Four hundred thousand US dollars, that's no small sum."
Aruk's voice was filled with amazement.
"But now you're a true landowner on Kodiak Island. One hundred acres. A whole stretch of one hundred acres. You know, the old guys in town are practically green with envy."
"Is something the matter, Aruk?"
"Oh, yes, that's right."
Aruk then remembered the important matter at hand.
"My boat. My darling. That 24-foot aluminum fishing boat, I've got it all ready. We'll go out to sea in a few days when the weather's nice. I know a place where there are stone crabs as plentiful as rocks. We'll go and catch a few hundred pounds."
Go out to sea to catch crabs.
This proposal is incredibly tempting.
But Su Wei thought about his appointment with Old Hope at six o'clock the next morning, and the complicated antler skull, and could only suppress his excitement for the time being.
"It might not be possible right now, Aruk. I've found a job and can't leave for the time being."
"Work?"
Aruk paused for a moment, then raised his voice eight octaves.
"Are you crazy? You still need to work? Are you short of money? If you are, just tell me. My dad has some savings."
It's not about the money.
Su Wei smiled, feeling a warmth in her heart as she listened to her friend's sincere concern.
"I'm learning a craft from a master."
"Craftsmanship? What kind of craftsmanship could keep you tied down? Has Mr. Black been giving you special training again?"
"Not Mr. Black."
Su Wei considered it for a moment, then spoke calmly.
"It's Old Hope."
There was an instant, deathly silence on the other end of the phone.
Su Wei could even hear Aruk gasp on the other end, followed by a flurry of activity, like the sound of a phone falling to the ground.
Five full seconds passed before Aruk's voice rang out again, but the volume was at least eight octaves lower, carrying an incredulous, almost whispered awe.
"... Which Old Hope?"
Is there another Old Hope on Kodiak Island?
"My God..."
Aruk's voice trembled, as if he were talking in his sleep.
"Carlisle Hopkins? That skinning master? The one who supposedly made a complete set of Big Five specimens for Middle Africa princes... a living legend?"
"It's him."
"You... you're learning specimen preparation from him?"
"I guess so, but for now I'm just an assistant."
"To be an assistant?"
Aruk's volume spiked uncontrollably again, filled with a cracking tone of envy, jealousy, and resentment.
" Su Wei, you damn lucky bastard. You're simply... you're practically the illegitimate son of Lady Luck. Do you know how many millionaires in all of Alaska would send him their top-tier loot, begging him to do their bidding, and he wouldn't even glance at it? He hasn't taken on any apprentices in over a decade. And yet you're working for him. That's fucking enviable."
" Black will be your hunting mentor, Old Hope will teach you taxidermy... Su Wei, are you destined to become a legend?"
"It's not that exaggerated."
"Okay, okay."
Aruk seemed to have calmed down a bit.
"Since you're following that master, we really can't afford to delay. Here's what we'll do: let me know a day in advance when you're free. My ship is always ready for you."
Su Wei didn't rush to answer; he first considered his future timeline.
Working with Old Hope on bear skins and deer antlers takes more than just a few days.
Rather, at least one month.
However, the process, similar to the preservative tanning, takes a week or even longer.