King of the Wilderness

As soon as MacKeez finished speaking, Jenkins from the foundation let out a scoff full of disdain and skepticism.

"Doctor, with all due respect, your proposal sounds... very unprofessional, even absurd." His tone brimmed with the arrogance of procedural justice.

Jenkins spread his hands and said in an exaggerated tone, "Lin Yu’an, who is he?"

"He’s an adventurer, an internet celebrity, but he’s not a veterinarian, not an animal behaviorist, and certainly not a legally credentialed member of our international rescue project!"

"According to the ’Endangered Species Cross-Border Rescue Operations Protocol’ jointly formulated by our foundation and the Government of Canada, anyone who has direct contact with the rescue targets must undergo strict background checks and professional training. Can you tell me which of these does he meet?"

"Do you now want an unqualified outsider to intervene in one of the most critical scientific projects? This is playing with December’s life! It’s also trampling over the professional processes that all of us have established together!"

His words were like daggers to the heart. He deftly shifted the issue from effectiveness to compliance.

Faced with this procedural low blow, MacKeez retorted uncompromisingly: "Process? Jenkins, when a life is about to perish in your so-called perfect process, you’re still talking to me about process?!"

Her voice suddenly rose: "The real cruelty is letting a polar bear, completely unguarded against humans, die from separation anxiety! This is what you bureaucrats, who only know how to follow procedures, have personally caused!"

"Enough!" Director Fisher finally spoke up again, interrupting the dispute that was about to spiral out of control.

He knew that further entanglement in scientific rights and wrongs was already meaningless.

Because once the worst-case scenario happens, scientific rights and wrongs are worthless in the face of overwhelming public opinion. It’s political time now.

His voice became heavy, and his gaze swept over everyone present: "The fact is, the project is at an impasse, December’s health is continuously deteriorating, and we need to conduct a worst-case scenario simulation."

He glanced at his secretary, who immediately understood and projected a document onto the big screen.

It was not a public opinion analysis report but an "Assessment Plan for Potential Public Opinion Risks of the December Project".

"Let’s suppose," Fisher’s tone was as cold as a scalpel, "despite all our efforts and bringing in Lin Yu’an into the project, December still tragically dies due to psychological issues. What will we face then?"

He pointed to the first headline on the screen, bloodthirsty shark-like media.

On the screen, a video appeared, footage from two months ago of December and Lin Yu’an in the same frame.

The first half of the video showed the lonely and mournful cries of a small white furball in the snowstorm.

The latter half was the warm scene inside the helicopter cabin, with Lin Yu’an gently holding it in his arms, feeding it bit by bit.

Fisher said, "This video was sent to us by Discovery Channel; they want to know about the recent situation of December because of Lin Yu’an’s sudden popularity, the Alone in the Wilderness Frozen Throne program is about to be aired ahead of schedule!"

"In the public perception, the first half of the story is already established—an orphan abandoned by Mother Nature is rescued by a compassionate human hero."

"Now, if the story ends with this orphan dying in the quarantine zone of our research center, how do you think the media will narrate the second half of this story?"

Fisher’s voice became more severe: "An irrational public won’t care whether our rescue plan is scientific or well-intentioned."

"They don’t need complex scientific explanations; they just need a simple story full of emotional conflict. A hero, a victim, and a villain."

"Lin Yu’an is that irreproachable hero, December is that heartbreaking victim."

His gaze, like a searchlight, slowly scanned over the representative of Canada, Isabella, and Jenkins from the foundation, finally landing on MacKeez.

"So, ladies and gentlemen, who will play the villain who forcibly separated them and ultimately caused the tragedy?"

The conference room fell into a dead silence. The question poured like a bucket of ice water over everyone present.

They could clearly foresee the approaching tsunami of public opinion that would tear them all to pieces.

Environment Canada would be accused of regulatory failure, the International Animal Protection Foundation would be questioned for its ability to provide cross-border assistance, and the Alaska Arctic Biological Research Center would become the eye of the storm, labeled as unprofessional and executioners.

Seeing the silence of the crowd, Director Fisher finally presented the solution he had prepared long ago, which was the real purpose of this meeting.

"Therefore, to avoid this potential catastrophic public opinion risk, I propose an urgent restructuring of the current management structure of the December project."

He looked at MacKeez, with no emotion in his eyes: "Dr. MacKeez, on behalf of the board, I agree with your suggestion to invite Lin Yu’an to join the December rescue project."

This decision brought a moment of joy to MacKeez’s heart, but the following words made her heart sink.

Fisher said with indisputable authority: "The center can continue to provide the venue and basic equipment to support your team in the follow-up research and rescue."