King of the Wilderness

Last night.

The flames in the fireplace crackled as Lin Yu’an was immersed in the joy of getting his driver’s license and the warmth of a family reunion.

Yet, suddenly, the encrypted satellite phone rang at an inopportune moment, and the caller ID showed it was Max.

"Lin?"

The voice on the other end was no longer its usual relaxed and teasing self, but was instead filled with an inescapable fatigue and anxiety, like a string pulled to its breaking point.

Lin Yu’an’s heart sank suddenly; he could perceive the storm behind that voice. "Max? What’s happened?"

Max’s voice was a bit hoarse, "It’s December, its condition... is very bad, I might need your help..."

She began to recount the events of the past month, a difficult journey filled with hope, frustration, struggle, and despair.

Since Lin Yu’an’s last visit, December’s condition had worsened dramatically.

Max said, "Initially, we thought it was just simple separation anxiety, a normal reaction all young animals might exhibit during rewilding training."

"We strictly followed the human imprint removal protocol of Level One, reducing direct contact with it, and the food supply was completely randomized."

"But the situation was much more severe than we imagined; its appetite has plummeted by seventy percent over the past three weeks."

"We tried everything, switching to the freshest seal meat from the Bering Sea, even obtained top-grade bluefin tuna fat, but it just sniffed and walked away indifferently."

"Its weight has stopped increasing, and there’s even a sign of decline." Her voice carried the helplessness of a scientist losing control of a research subject.

"Moreover, its behavior has become abnormal; it no longer plays or explores its environment, spending most of its time lying motionless in the corner of the isolation area, staring at the doorway."

"Sometimes it would just lie there all day long. That kind of look..." Max paused, seemingly at a loss for words, "like a dying fire, with all of its life energy slowly fading away."

"We conducted the most comprehensive physical examinations on it - blood, X-rays, CT scans, neurological reactions... all indicators were normal."

"We ruled out any physiological pathologies. Therefore, the research center’s expert committee gave a final assessment conclusion yesterday."

With great difficulty, she stated that conclusion, "December has severe psychological trauma-induced depression, accompanied by progressive anorexic behavior."

"It might feel like it’s been abandoned by the world once again." Max’s voice was tinged with pain.

"For wild animals, especially top predators like the Polar Bear, once they give up the will to survive, any external intervention becomes almost ineffective. If we don’t intervene timely, what’s waiting for it... is only death."

"Sorry Lin, December’s condition is indeed unsuitable for rewilding training; what needs to be done now is finding a way to save its life..."

Lin Yu’an’s hand gripping the phone began to turn white. He could imagine the little one’s lonely figure curled up in the corner, the image stabbing into his heart like a knife.

He never imagined that December was so deeply reliant on him! Has it been waiting for him to visit all along...

Max’s tone turned angry and frustrated as she continued, "The research institute’s leadership has convened several emergency meetings over this."

"You know, this is no longer just an animal rescue project. Behind December stand Environment Canada, the International Animal Protection Foundation, and the millions of eyes watching from your yet-to-air Alone in the Wilderness."

"It can’t die, especially not under the watch of our research center. So, an ugly blame game unfolded this afternoon." Max’s tone was full of sarcasm.

This afternoon, at the Alaska Arctic Biological Research Center, top-floor conference room.

Outside the giant floor-to-ceiling windows were the magnificent snowy mountains and bay of Anchorage Port, but inside the conference room, the atmosphere was colder than the glaciers outside.

Sitting beside the long conference table were the highest echelons of the research center.

At the head seat was the Director of the center, Dr. David Fisher, a nearly sixty-year-old man with meticulously combed hair and gold-rimmed glasses.

He seemed more a shrewd politician and bureaucrat than a scientist.

To his left was the representative from Environment Canada, Isabella Leclair, a stern-looking, well-dressed French Canadian woman.

To the right was the observer from the International Animal Protection Foundation, Mark Jenkins, a white elite who often spoke of humanitarianism and procedural justice.

Meanwhile, Max, as the project’s direct leader, sat alone at the end of the long table, like a defendant awaiting trial.

Fisher cleared his throat, crossing his fingers on the conference table before him: "Doctor, we are all aware of the situation - a regrettable assessment report and a disappointing status quo."

His gaze first turned to the representative from Environment Canada, Isabella Leclair. His tone was official and distant, with an intentionally orchestrated sorrow.

"Ms. Leclair, firstly, I sincerely, on behalf of the Alaska Arctic Biological Research Center, express our deepest regret to the legal originating and guardian country of December, Canada, for its current unfortunate condition."