"Those veteran hunters at headquarters, who have studied specimens for decades, saw the high-resolution photos of the red deer king's antlers and immediately recognized the possibility of this treaty."
"They pounded the table, insisting that as long as this crafting technique remained in Hunting Area No. 1, the area would never lack a core attraction."
"Although the Deer King is dead, it remains in Kodiak in a way that will be recorded in history."
"Moreover, hunting is always inseparable from specimen collection."
"And Kodiak is a natural hunting ground. Or rather, the whole of Alaska is."
"For them, success or failure was merely a possibility. But the key point is that this possibility now exists."
"To expand the hunting grounds of Alaska to new heights!"
Su Wei maintained a steady driving speed.
Emily's words surprised him once again.
At that moment, he finally understood.
Often, all it takes to get something done is a trigger.
Now, from the perspective of those above...
He might just be that opportunity.
So, within reasonable limits, why not give it a try?
Anyway, at most it's just a small one-star review.
Even if we fail, the only losses will be some negative external reviews and a few people in the evaluation committee who will bear the brunt of the anger from other hunting areas.
"So, you're now a superstar at the guild headquarters."
Emily finished the last sip of her latte and stuffed the empty paper cup into the storage compartment under the car door.
"External capital was holding a glass of red wine, ready to laugh at Hunting Area No. 1, but you, all by yourself, with the concept of a wooden cabin that might not even have had its foundation laid, overturned the entire table."
She looked at Su Wei with undisguised admiration in her eyes, and a hint of barely concealed anger.
"I was in your apartment in Anchorage a while ago, listening to you coughing and wheezing. I thought you were being tortured half to death by that old man in the snow."
She stretched out her slender fingers and poked Su Wei's broad shoulder, which was covered by a windproof suit.
"And then you turned around and started manipulating the political and business circles of Alaska behind the scenes. Su Wei, how many things are there that I'm completely unaware of?"
Su Wei let her poke him, his body remaining completely still.
"It's just an empty shell."
Su Wei stated a fact.
Because he really hadn't expected it at all!
Things have taken such an unexpected turn!
"As of now, the interior waterproofing of that house isn't even finished."
"It's just a steel skeleton and wood; there isn't even a single rat inside."
"That's the most critical problem!"
Emily immediately stopped being playful.
She lifted the Cotton Candy from her lap and placed it securely on the large leather armrest between the passenger and driver's seats.
"The state government and associations overruled objections and gave you the green light, but they are not philanthropists."
Emily lowered her voice as she recounted the disastrous outcome.
Such a allocation of resources will inevitably be accompanied by the most stringent on-site reviews.
The view ahead gradually opened up.
The outline of Kodiak Town appears below the snow line.
Low-rise buildings made of red bricks, a well-arranged sheltered harbor, and several huge crab fishing boats laden with ice and frost moored at the dock.
"According to normal procedures, a formal joint evaluation team will come to inspect your club in six months."
"But some people couldn't wait."
Emily gazed at the red rooftops covered in snow.
"External commercial companies that failed to secure control of the hunting grounds are putting immense pressure on us, demanding the release of rating details."
"Some conservatives within the guild are also dissatisfied."
"They demand to see the actual structure immediately, even if it's just a construction site, to confirm that you have the basic ability to fulfill the contract and that you are not defrauding the state government of infrastructure funds."
Su Wei stepped on the brakes.
The Ford Raptor came to a smooth stop at the first traffic light before entering the town.
The vehicle's immense weight generates strong inertia.
"So, Su Wei, you need to tell me seriously about your current progress?"
Emily grabbed the handle above her head to keep her balance.
Then, she looked at Su Wei in the driver's seat and asked a question that surprised Su Wei.
"Also, what are your thoughts on establishing a new hunting ground?"
Chapter 197 Special Authorization Outside the Rules
"Also, what are your thoughts on establishing a new hunting ground?"
Su Wei's right foot, which was on the accelerator, did not move.
The Raptor maintained a steady speed, the sound of its tires rubbing against the ice filling the gaps of silence.
A new hunting ground?
Su Wei was filled with doubt.
"What kind of new hunting ground are you talking about?"
Instead of answering directly, Su Wei first posed a definitional question.
Emily flipped the Cotton Candy over so that the little fox lay on her lap with its belly up.
The Cotton Candy had its four paws curled up, and its pink belly rose and fell with its breath.
"A special type of area that lies between official hunting grounds and private hunting grounds."
Her wording became more precise.
"The land ownership remains with the state government, but the ecological management rights and commercial operation rights are granted to your club."
"You are responsible for maintaining the ecosystem, allocating resources, and controlling quotas; the guild is responsible for oversight and annual audits."
"The profits will be split proportionally; the specific figures haven't been discussed yet, but the general framework is already being drafted."
Su Wei remained silent for three seconds.
This is not a hollow, empty promise.
Granting hunting grounds to private entities is not unprecedented in Alaska history.
But all the applicants in those precedents were backed by massive interstate conglomerates.
And now, this opportunity is presented to a 21-year-old.
An ordinary young man.
Where?
Su Wei asked a second question.
Emily used her free left hand to take her phone out of her down jacket pocket.
She unlocked the device with one hand, brought up an offline map, and zoomed in to the southwest of Kodiak Island.
"Here."
She turned the screen towards Su Wei.
A green area densely covered by contour lines, adjacent to the southwestern boundary of Hunting Area No. 1.
It covers a considerable area, roughly estimated to encompass at least two valleys and a section of coastline.
"This area between Alutiiq Valley and Whalebone Bay is currently not part of any hunting area."
"The terrain is complex, and transportation is almost non-existent; even patrol officers from the Fish and Game Department rarely go in."
"However, according to aerial photography data and a population census report from two years ago, the ecological density in this area is very high."
"There are signs of brown bear activity, red deer migration corridors, and even unconfirmed sightings of small groups of gray wolves."
Su Wei glanced at the screen, then looked back at the road ahead.
A virgin land, untouched and unexplored.
It has a rich ecosystem, but no infrastructure.
This means that if they were to actually acquire the operating rights to this area, the initial investment would be astronomical.
Whether it's road construction, station building, communication equipment installation, or even ecological monitoring equipment and patrol teams...