Chapter Summaries

Su Wei arranged for Aruk to oversee Polar Strong Shield’s survey of his cabin site while he attended taxidermy lessons. He agreed to join Aruk on a future sea trip to catch seafood, and went to bed looking forward to his expanding plans.

• Su Wei asked Matt whether a friend could supervise the cabin survey, and Matt agreed.
• Su Wei called Aruk and asked him to meet Polar Strong Shield at the cabin at nine the next morning.
• Aruk agreed to oversee the survey and revealed that he had bought a fishing boat and planned to take Su Wei out to sea.
• Su Wei accepted Aruk’s invitation and wondered whether Cotton Candy could come along.

Su Wei cleaned Old Hope’s boiling pot, then was challenged to identify and assemble a complete Arctic fox skeleton from a mixed pile of bones by six that evening. After struggling, he activated the Crafting Module’s Touch of X-Ray Vision and began sorting the bones by feel, leaving the assembly underway.

• Su Wei scrubbed the pot and sorted the boiled remains into trays of clean bones.
• Old Hope gave Su Wei a jumble of bones and ordered him to assemble the Arctic fox skeleton by six that evening.
• Su Wei struggled to distinguish the fox bones from rabbit and feral cat bones until he used his fingertips to feel their joints.
• The Crafting Module’s Touch of X-Ray Vision activated, letting Su Wei identify bones and fit them together with increasing speed.

Su Wei assembled an Arctic fox skeleton in four hours, impressing Old Hope enough to pass his test. Old Hope gave him his sole-copy notebook of tanning formulas and muscle reconstruction methods, which the system began analyzing.

• Su Wei rapidly assembled the fox skeleton and repaired its broken rib using his woodworking knowledge.
• Su Wei finished the skeleton, and Old Hope examined it, pointing out that the fox's injured left paw should have been angled outward.
• Old Hope acknowledged Su Wei's work and gave him the notebook titled "Hopkins's Tanning Formulas and Muscle Reconstruction Methods."
• Su Wei opened the notebook, and the system began analyzing it as an advanced skill book.

Su Wei studied Old Hope’s tanning notebook and planned a large estate with Polar Strong Shield’s Matt, but winter conditions threatened to delay construction. He asked whether he could replace his deteriorating cabin first, while the bear hide and antlers still lacked a proper place to be kept and displayed.

• Su Wei drove home with Old Hope’s notebook as the system began analyzing its tanning and muscle-reshaping methods.
• Matt told Su Wei that high groundwater would raise foundation costs by thirty to fifty thousand dollars, though the site’s soil was stable.
• Su Wei described plans for a large workshop, garage, exhibition hall, and comfortable cabin.
• Matt warned that winter construction could be unsafe and inefficient, recommending that the main project wait until March or April.
• Su Wei asked whether Polar Strong Shield could rebuild his cabin during winter, and Matt said renovation was possible but tearing it down and replacing it would likely take until spring.

Su Wei decided to build an exhibition hall before rebuilding his cabin, and Matt confirmed that a prefabricated structure could be completed before winter. At home, Su Wei mastered the tanning knowledge in Hopkins's notebook, then arrived late at Old Hope's workshop the next morning, where Old Hope asked whether he had memorized it.

• Su Wei proposed building an exhibition hall first, and Matt explained how prefabricated construction could get it weather-sealed before heavy snow.
• Su Wei returned to the cabin, fed Cotton Candy, and studied Hopkins's notebook with the Crafting Module.
• Su Wei's Preservation Treatment skill rose to LV2, and he learned several tanning formulas and methods.
• Su Wei fell asleep on the sofa and woke before dawn with Cotton Candy curled on his stomach.
• Su Wei hurried to Old Hope's workshop three minutes late, and Old Hope asked whether he had read and memorized the notebook.

Su Wei proved his taxidermy knowledge by precisely mixing tanning solution for an otter hide, earning Old Hope’s approval. Old Hope told him he could begin assisting, and Su Wei followed him to the illuminated worktable.

• Old Hope tested Su Wei with difficult questions about hide tanning, and Su Wei answered each one correctly.
• Old Hope demonstrated how to mix tanning solution, then challenged Su Wei to prepare a batch himself.
• Su Wei measured the ingredients precisely and mixed a batch that earned him Preservation Treatment experience.
• Old Hope inspected the solution and told Su Wei he could start assisting him.
• Su Wei put on a leather apron and followed Old Hope to the large worktable, where Old Hope switched on the shadowless lamps.

Su Wei learned to flesh the Kodiak bear king’s hide under Old Hope’s demanding supervision, using his skill to remove the fat without damaging the fur roots. They began tanning the hide for a seven-day soak, and Old Hope told Su Wei to return at six the next morning to work on the antlers.

• Old Hope demonstrated how to flesh the bear king’s hide and instructed Su Wei to finish the remaining fat.
• Su Wei used Touch of X-Ray Vision to guide his knife work and gained Basic Taxidermy experience as he scraped the hide.
• Su Wei finished fleshing the hide and nearly reached Basic Taxidermy LV2; Old Hope judged his work barely passable.
• Su Wei and Old Hope immersed the hide in tanning solution and began its seven-day soak, earning Su Wei Preservation Treatment experience.
• Old Hope told Su Wei to return at six the next morning to work on the antlers, and Su Wei went home to wash and eat.

Su Wei planned a two-story, thousand-square-meter museum for his future trophies and learned from Aruk that his work with Old Hope had made him the envy of Kodiak Island. He expected the bear hide and antlers to keep him busy for at least a month, leaving a trip to sea with Aruk for later.

• Su Wei reviewed museum designs and decided he wanted a two-story museum to display his trophies and mark his growth on the land.
• Su Wei realized the cabin’s weak internet connection and housing situation needed attention.
• Aruk called Su Wei to celebrate his purchase of a hundred acres and invited him to catch stone crabs by boat.
• Su Wei declined the trip because he had an early appointment with Old Hope and was learning taxidermy from him.
• Aruk reacted with awe and envy when Su Wei confirmed he was working with Carlisle Hopkins, then offered to take him out whenever he had time.
• Su Wei considered his schedule and estimated that working on the bear hide and antlers would take at least a month.

Su Wei began cleaning a crown-grade Roosevelt elk trophy under Old Hope’s supervision, using his Crafting Module to identify its structure and guide his work. Old Hope corrected him before he damaged a hidden nerve opening, and Su Wei carefully extracted the rotting tissue.

• Su Wei arrived at Old Hope’s workshop to clean the Roosevelt elk antlers he had obtained the night before.
• Su Wei activated Touch of X-Ray Vision and used the Crafting Module’s recommended procedure to inspect the antlers.
• Su Wei carefully removed dried flesh and dirt from the skull and antler bases without scratching the patina.
• Old Hope stopped Su Wei before he cut a hidden nerve opening and explained that he needed to use a hooked steel needle.
• Su Wei used the needle to pull a fetid strand of fascia out intact.

Su Wei finished cleaning a large deer skull, and Old Hope began soaking it to remove its internal grease before the next stage of work. With three days to wait, Su Wei left the workshop to resume planning, then received a preliminary budget update from Matt about the project they had discussed.

• Su Wei completed a difficult bone-cleaning task, and Old Hope inspected the skull before declaring it barely passable.
• Old Hope drilled four concealed holes in the skull and submerged it in a heated solvent bath to degrease it over three days.
• Old Hope told Su Wei to leave while the skull and bear hide soaked, warning him that the hide’s follow-up work would test his patience and skinning skills.
• Su Wei left the workshop and considered choosing a site for an exhibition hall and responding to Aruk’s proposal.
• Matt called Su Wei with a preliminary budget for the grand blueprint they had discussed.

Su Wei weighed Matt’s estimate for a museum-grade hunting exhibition hall and the road improvements it would require, realizing the project would consume most of his savings. He left the discussion determined to keep the hall at one thousand square meters while negotiating lower-grade materials and adjusted plans.

• Matt estimated that the original exhibition hall would cost two million dollars, with another three hundred thousand needed to repair the road to the site.
• Matt proposed a three-hundred-square-meter, two-floor hall that could meet Su Wei’s needs for under one million dollars and preserve funds for future construction.
• Su Wei considered his finances and recognized that his plans for an estate had grown beyond what his three million dollars could support.
• Su Wei rejected Matt’s scaled-down proposal and insisted on keeping the hall at one thousand square meters across two floors.
• Su Wei agreed to discuss cheaper materials and adjusted plans, but said the road must be upgraded to handle heavy oil tankers.

Su Wei considered how to fund his ambitious estate and exhibition hall, then spotted a future business opportunity in his birch woods as spring approached. After returning home, he warmed the cabin and fed Cotton Candy.

• Su Wei told Matt he wanted the exhibition hall built to a high standard within two months and hoped to keep its cost near a million dollars, excluding necessary roadwork.
• Su Wei decided that hunting alone could not provide reliable income and resolved to develop businesses that would generate steady cash flow.
• Su Wei noticed the Gathering Module's estimate that his birch trees would approach peak sap sugar content in about 118 days, giving him an early-spring opportunity.
• Su Wei returned to the cabin, where Cotton Candy eagerly greeted him, and he lit the fireplace and served the fox cub premium food.

Su Wei struggled with the unreliable internet at his remote Alaska property while trying to research new business ventures. He found a Starlink advertisement and called the local provider, only to learn that installation would normally take two weeks and that the few available kits cost extra.

• Su Wei tried to research birch syrup production, fishing permits, and other business opportunities, but his computer and phone could barely connect to the internet.
• Frustrated by the prospect of running his estate without reliable service, Su Wei considered fiber-optic and microwave connections and rejected both.
• Su Wei noticed a newspaper advertisement for Starlink service in Kodiak and realized satellite internet could solve his connectivity problem.
• Su Wei called Kodiak High-Speed Communications and asked for urgent Starlink installation.
• The employee said hardware would usually take about two weeks to arrive from Seattle, but mentioned that the store had a few higher-priced kits reserved for VIP business customers.

Su Wei planned ways to earn money from his Alaska land while arranging for a faster internet connection. After outlining a birch-sap operation, a premium fishing club, and future hunting-guide work, he went to bed feeling at home and imagining a grand estate.

• Su Wei ordered two internet connection sets and arranged for a technician to install them at his cabin the next day.
• He planned to hire workers, possibly including Aruk, to help collect birch sap during its short harvesting season.
• Su Wei sketched out a high-end recreational fishing club on Pilan Creek, using his fishing skills to guide wealthy clients to salmon.
• He considered offering private hunting guides but decided to ask Black for advice when he returned.
• Su Wei carried Cotton Candy upstairs, settled into bed during the storm, and fell asleep imagining his future estate as Cotton Candy burrowed against him.

Su Wei agreed to join Aruk on a sea fishing trip and headed to Kodiak Town to buy better equipment. He arrived at Old Charlie's shop and went straight to the fishing tackle section.

• Su Wei woke up thinking about his thirty-million-dollar estate dream, then decided to focus on preparing for a sea fishing trip.
• Aruk called Su Wei and invited him to fish for rock crabs from his newly equipped boat, waiting at berth fourteen in section C.
• Su Wei accepted the invitation, fed Cotton Candy, and drove his Raptor to Kodiak Town.
• Su Wei entered Old Charlie's Guns and Outdoors and told Old Charlie he had come to buy something before heading to the fishing tackle section.

Su Wei bought high-end deep-sea fishing gear and arranged for Starlink internet to be installed at his remote Pilan Creek territory. The technician mounted the antenna on the cabin roof and began searching for satellites, leaving Su Wei waiting to see whether the connection would work.

• Su Wei purchased a Shimano Stella reel, a G-Loomis rod, and other deep-sea fishing equipment from Old Charlie for two thousand dollars.
• Su Wei visited a Starlink service shop and bought the town’s last two units, paying extra for an immediate installation at Pilan Creek.
• A bearded technician accompanied Su Wei to his territory and mounted the antenna beside the cabin’s chimney.
• The technician adjusted the antenna and began searching for satellites as Su Wei watched nervously from below.

Su Wei got internet access at his estate, finished preparing his fishing gear, and agreed to join Aruk for a fishing trip. Before dawn, he met Aruk at St. Paul Harbor and boarded the Wavebreaker, where Aruk eagerly inspected Su Wei’s new rod and reel.

• A technician successfully installed satellite internet at Su Wei’s house, and Su Wei checked that birch syrup prices were rising.
• Su Wei finished rigging his new Shimano fishing gear, then received Aruk’s invitation to meet at five in the morning and replied, “Roger.”
• Su Wei got up before dawn, fed Cotton Candy, loaded his fishing equipment into his Ford Raptor, and drove to St. Paul Harbor.
• Aruk welcomed Su Wei aboard the Wavebreaker and showed off the boat’s new Yamaha motor and thirty baited crab pots.
• Aruk opened Su Wei’s tackle box and carefully lifted out the Shimano Stella reel and Loomis boat rod.

Su Wei joined Aruk on a rough Bering Sea fishing trip, deploying crab pots before searching for migrating black cod near Shipwreck Bay. The chapter ended with Su Wei using his Fishing Module to scan the deep water, where he found the seabed empty and still.

• Su Wei fitted his Shimano reel to his rod and set out with Aruk, showing no signs of seasickness despite the rough waves.
• At their first spot near the continental shelf, Su Wei used Water Condition Perception and detected many crabs on the seabed.
• Su Wei and Aruk deployed thirty crab pots, which would soak for at least five hours.
• Aruk took Su Wei to a deep-water fishing spot near Shipwreck Bay, where he hoped to find migrating black cod or halibut.
• Su Wei activated Water Condition Perception and scanned down to two hundred meters, finding a sloping seabed with reefs but no visible fish.

Su Wei used his mysterious ability to search the seabed for fish while telling Aruk that feng shui was guiding them. He found a dense school beside an underwater cliff and persuaded Aruk to fish there, leaving both men waiting for a bite.

• Su Wei told Aruk there were no fish where they first stopped and explained it with a made-up feng shui reading.
• Su Wei had Aruk circle the Wavebreaker slowly while he searched the seabed with his perception.
• Su Wei spotted a dense school of fish near an underwater cliff and ordered Aruk to stop despite the blank sonar.
• Su Wei rigged squid bait onto a heavy jig and convinced Aruk to give the rocky waters half an hour.
• Su Wei and Aruk dropped their jigs into the dark water.

Su Wei and Aruk hooked two enormous Pacific halibut at once and struggled to control them in the Bering Sea. After using the Wavebreaker to stop their run, Su Wei saw through Water Condition Perception that both fish were door-panel-sized halibut trying to burrow into a rocky cliff.

• Su Wei and Aruk hooked powerful fish that pulled their rods dangerously toward the water.
• Su Wei yanked Aruk back and told him to secure his rod in a holder while Aruk moved to the helm.
• Aruk used the boat to help halt the fish, and Su Wei stopped the line at 310 meters.
• Su Wei used Water Condition Perception to identify two enormous Pacific halibut pressed against an underwater cliff.