"As I told you before, you passed your thesis defense with a unanimous vote."
"My advisor strongly recommended that I pursue a PhD to study the migration routes of reindeer herds on the edge of the Arctic Circle."
Su Wei glanced at her in the rearview mirror.
You refused.
This is not a question, but a statement.
Su Wei knew very well that with Emily's love for modern life and Chinese cuisine, there was no way she would waste her youth on an ice field with no signal.
Emily nodded.
"I told that old fogey that I prefer to organize data in a room with heating and hot water."
"A few short-term field trips occasionally are sufficient."
She turned her head and looked at Su Wei, who was driving.
"My advisor probably thought I had become decadent, but he still used his resources to write me a very high-level letter of recommendation."
Emily's fingers paused behind Cotton Candy's ear for a moment.
"With this letter in hand, I joined the Alaska Hunters' Guild headquarters."
My current position is trainee assessor on the Hunting Area Assessment Committee.
The Raptor's tires rolled over a patch of dark ice, and the vehicle suddenly slid.
Su Wei quickly reversed the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator, and the tires regained grip on the ground.
His brain started working at lightning speed.
The Hunting Area Assessment Committee is the core body that holds the power of life and death over all game zones in Alaska.
[They aren't responsible for law enforcement, but they determine the star rating of the hunting grounds.]
[ Hunting Area No. 1 was previously rated 3.5 stars, neither high nor low.]
[If the guild's maintenance fund is reduced to three stars, it will be reduced by at least 40%, meaning that heavy machinery will no longer be available to level the dirt roads connecting to the main thoroughfares.]
[Hunters' hunting quotas, such as licenses for taxidermy of elk and brown bears, will be significantly reduced.]
Many veteran hunters who rely on this land for their livelihood will face challenges in making a living.
Capital is waiting to pick up bargains.
Su Wei tapped his fingers twice on the steering wheel.
So, you're saying you came here with a mission this time too?
He didn't turn around, but there was a hint of surprise in his voice.
Emily rested her head against the car window, watching the fir forest rushing past outside.
"Yes, they all are."
She turned her gaze away.
" Anchorage's office was full of a bunch of rigid old men who only looked at data."
"My mentor and supervisor both believe that I need to gain firsthand evaluation experience in the wilderness before I can be officially hired."
"Therefore, I volunteered for the field research mission on Kodiak Island."
Su Wei did not respond immediately.
The committee's dispatch of personnel to conduct on-site inspections signifies that the rating of Hunting Area No. 1 has entered the final review stage.
Given that Black had just sent away the evaluation committee members, the outcome was clearly already decided.
"Your internship is over, and you've decided to stay in Anchorage?"
Su Wei asked the most crucial question.
Anchorage, as the economic and cultural center of Alaska, possesses resources far exceeding those of any other island.
Once you become a formal evaluator, it will be a stable, respected job with authority.
Emily kept her head down.
She rubbed the Cotton Candy's chubby paw pads with both hands, her movements somewhat casual.
"Have no idea."
She avoided Su Wei's gaze and lowered her voice.
"Big cities are really great. They have 24-hour supermarkets, authentic Chinese restaurants, and you don't have to worry about a brown bear blocking your door when you go out."
She paused for a few seconds.
"But I always feel... it's too noisy there."
Su Wei did not press the matter further.
The carriage fell silent again, with only the low rumble of the engine.
Emily suddenly sat up straight.
She shook her head, a few strands of golden hair drawing an arc in the air.
Let's not talk about those headache-inducing career planning topics.
She picked up the latte from the center console again.
" Su Wei, you're a registered hunter in this territory. You know better than I do what's happening here."
Emily stared at Su Wei's profile.
"Guess what kind of annual rating the headquarters' evaluation team ultimately gave to the Kodiak Official Hunting Area No. 1?"
Su Wei recalled the scene on the rocky beach of the U-Shaped Valley.
The Roosevelt stag king, its face mangled beyond recognition by a sniper rifle.
And Charlie's worried sigh.
It's estimated that it's going to fall behind Samsung.
Su Wei was holding the steering wheel with one hand.
Samsung.
He offered his own conclusion.
"This is the most optimistic estimate; without the stag king, the population faces instability."
"Plus, with those private hunting clubs putting pressure on us, I wouldn't be surprised if the relegation is even more severe."
Emily shook her head.
The sunlight streamed through the windshield and shone on Emily's face.
You guessed wrong.
She held the paper cup between her hands, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"It's four stars."
Chapter 196 An Endorsement That Cannot Be Refused
"It's four stars."
Emily held the paper cup in her hands and spoke slowly and deliberately.
Su Wei pressed down slightly on the accelerator pedal.
The tachometer needle jumped up one notch.
The pickup truck's tires rolled over the icy asphalt road, and a dull groan came from its chassis.
Four stars?
This rating surprised him.
Kodiak Official Hunting Area No. 1, has long maintained an awkward position of three and a half stars.
This year, they even lost their most iconic symbol, the Roosevelt King Deer.
A quintessential alpha male of his species died in an accident.
This was an oversight and an error that should not have occurred in the hunting area.
The surrounding commercial hunting clubs are therefore putting immense pressure on it, trying to crush it.
A demotion in star rating means the guild's maintenance funds have been withdrawn, and the dirt road is left unmaintained.
With ecological patrols stalled, external capital seized the opportunity to enter the market and pick up bargains.
Four stars?
This completely violates the most basic evaluation logic of the guild.
Without top-tier prey to support the team, and without stable and effective maintenance, how can a character be promoted to a higher star level?
Emily didn't keep you in suspense.
She turned to the side and scratched Cotton Candy's chin.