bookbashuk Chapter 429 The Value of Polar Soft Gold
Chapter 429 The Value of Polar Soft Gold
Chapter 429 The Value of Polar Soft Gold
Pipaluk was a plump, kind-faced Inuit woman.
She was clearly prepared for the arrival of four men who reeked of blood and sweat. The room was blasting heat, and tableware was already laid out on a long table.
Half an hour later, when the first dish was served, it was so delicious that Wang Hu almost cried.
That was pan-seared musk steak, a top-quality ingredient cooked in the simplest way.
Thick slices of deep purple lean meat sizzle in a skillet, sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and served alongside browned onions and soft mashed potatoes.
"Try it." Nanuk cut off a large piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth. "It's cooked."
Lin Yu'an cut off a piece and put it in her mouth.
Unlike the crisp, tender sweetness of raw liver, fully cooked musk beef exhibits a different, more assertive flavor.
It lacks the rich, fatty aroma of beef, but the meat is extremely firm, and you can feel the chewy texture of muscle fibers breaking with every bite.
The meat juices are locked inside the fibers, overflowing with each chew, carrying a rich, gamey aroma. It's not dry at all; on the contrary, it gets more fragrant the more you chew.
Hans closed his eyes, looking completely rapt. "This has more character than any of the top steaks I've ever had at a Michelin-starred restaurant."
This wild, untamed flavor can never be matched by farmed cattle.
The four of them devoured the meal in a flash.
In addition to the steak, Pipaluk also served a large pot of milky white beef bone broth with noodles cooked in it.
A bowl of hot soup dispelled all the chill and fatigue of the wilderness.
After the meal, it was time to deal with the spoils of war.
Pipaluk helped clear out the living room, and the two huge cowhides, still warm and smelling of blood, were laid on the floor.
"Let's begin, warriors." Nanuk took out several professional long-toothed iron combs and distributed them to everyone. "Let's pan for gold."
"This is too much trouble." Wang Hu looked at the long hair that was tangled together like a raincoat. "Can't we just use a knife to scrape this thing off the skin and then pick it out slowly?"
"No! Stop!"
Before Nanook could speak, Hans jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, grabbed Wang Hu's wrist, and cried out in terror, "Hu! With that one stab, thousands of dollars will be gone! You're destroying a work of art!"
"Huh?" Wang Hu looked completely bewildered. "It's just hair, is it really that big of a deal?"
"That's why you need a German," Hans sighed, pointing seriously at the cowhide as he gave everyone a lesson.
"Listen, Tiger. You think this is the same as sheep's wool or cashmere? Wrong, very wrong."
Hans plucked a very fine undercoat and showed it under the light: "Ordinary wool, even the finest Australian Merino wool, is covered with barbed scales like fish scales when viewed under a microscope."
"That's why wool feels itchy when worn next to the skin," and it shrinks after washing because the scales get stuck together.
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"But Qiviut (cowhide) — its surface is completely smooth, without scales. It will never shrink, and it will never harden."
"Furthermore, its fibers are hollow. Top-quality cashmere has a fineness of approximately 14 to 19 microns, while yak cashmere is only 11."
Up to 13 micrometers.
"What does this mean? It means it's finer and softer than cashmere, but eight times warmer than wool!"
"If you scrape it with a knife and mix the coarse, stiff outer hairs into this perfect down, even God couldn't pick it out."
This pile of fluff is completely ruined!
After hearing this hardcore science explanation, Wang Hu was completely convinced: "Alright, Professor Hans, I'll do it! Fine, I'll be a beautiful embroiderer, okay?!"
So the four rugged men, who had just finished fighting in the wilderness, were now like craftsmen repairing cultural relics, surrounding the two cows and using combs to pluck out the long hairs bit by bit from the roots.
This job is tedious, but the rewards are amazing.
As the comb moved, clumps of grayish-brown, cloud-like light underpile were brought out.
Lin Yu'an held a large clump of freshly combed Qiviut in her hand.
The feel of it was amazing. It was so light that it was almost weightless, and you couldn't feel any pressure when you held it in your palm, as if you were holding a ball of air.
But just a few seconds later, my palms started to get hot because the hollow fibers were frantically locking in the heat.
It was softer than any cashmere Lin Yu'an had ever touched, with no itching sensation, and as smooth as touching a baby's skin.
"No scales — eight times warmer — no static electricity —" Lin Yu'an muttered to himself.
He looked at the gray "cloud" in his hand, and two small figures suddenly appeared in his mind.
He thought of his twins at home, just over a year old, crawling all over the place. He also thought of Arya's swollen belly, with the little life that would arrive in three months.
Winters in Alaska and Montana are long and cold, and children's skin is delicate. Wool is itchy, down jackets are too bulky, and synthetic fabrics are not breathable.
But this cow wool—it's practically made for babies.
Lin Yu'an raised his head and looked at everyone: "Friends, I want to buy these velvets."
He pointed to the two hides on the ground, then to the piles of down that Hans and Wang Hu had combed out: "I want all the down from these two hides, and I also want to collect some more from the village."
"What do you need so much for?" Nanook asked as he combed his hair. "This one hide can yield almost three kilograms. Three kilograms is enough to make sweaters for the whole family."
"I need to make clothes for the children." Lin Yu'an's tone softened, her eyes filled with love. "I have two babies who are a little over a year old, and another one will be born in a few months."
"I want to make each of them a onesie sweater. This kind of fleece is not itchy against the skin, and it is light and warm, which is the best for pregnant women and babies."
After listening, Nanuk looked at Lin Yu'an, and his eyes, which had been decisive and ruthless on the wasteland, now revealed a kind of elder's affection.
"Three children?" Nanuk smiled, his wrinkles smoothing out. "That's a large family, a blessing."
A blessing that even La would envy.
"Lin, you want to use this fluff we just combed to make clothes?" Nanuk shook his head. "Then you'll have to wait until your child is in kindergarten."
"It takes at least two months just to wash, degrease, remove impurities, and spin this raw wool into yarn."
Lin Yu'an was taken aback: "Huh? This is so troublesome—"
"There's a specialized hand-knitting workshop in town, run by a few veteran artisans. They have the best finished products, which they export to boutiques in Europe."
"However—" Nanuk paused, "those handmade calf wool baby sets are produced in extremely low quantities. Orders are estimated to be booked until next year, so even if you have the money, you can't buy them in stock."
"Nanook, don't give up," Wang Hu, the impatient one, interjected. "Quickly, think of a solution for your brother. You can't even handle this little thing, can you?"
"What's the rush? I haven't finished speaking. Outsiders may not have it, but I do—"
Nanuk proudly raised his chin: "Who am I? I'm the best hunter in the area. I've lived here for over fifty years!"
"I'll take two of the best hind legs of meat first thing tomorrow morning and go straight to the workshop. As long as I slam the meat on the table and ask for a few sets of clothes, they won't say a word."
He said confidently, "Reservations and queues are rules set for tourists. I'll have them bring out the stock that was originally reserved for Danish merchants and give it to you first."
"Three sets. As long as they have them in their warehouse, I can get them for you by noon tomorrow. I guarantee they will be top-quality handmade items."
Lin Yu'an felt a surge of warmth in his heart after hearing this. He knew that this was not just a business transaction; Nanook was using the "face" and connections he had accumulated throughout his life.
"Nanook, I'll remember this kindness. Thank you."
"Don't mention it! You are a true hunter and a good father. Your child, wearing this uniform, will surely grow up to be as strong and fearless as the musk oxen of this wilderness!"
After a satisfying meal, the matter concerning soft gold was also resolved.
But tonight's work isn't over yet.
Nanook stood up: "Let's go, the final step. If you don't take care of those two big guys, you won't even get through Greenland's airport security."
Led by Nanook, the group entered the work shed. The room was filled with a faint smell of formaldehyde and bleach.
The room was filled with a faint smell of formaldehyde and bleach. In the center was a large, specially made stainless steel pot. Nanuk skillfully added water and lit the fire.
Hans looked at the two ferocious, enormous bull heads, his eyes revealing the scrutiny of an expert. "What we need to make are standard European skull specimens."
"Keep only the bones and horns, remove all the skin and flesh. This is the most classic and easiest solution."
Looking at the bull's head with its two eyes still wide open, Wang Hu felt the steak he had just eaten churning in his stomach.
"This is too much trouble. Can't we find someone to handle it and process the shipment?"
Hans, holding a boning knife, stared at Wang Hu as if he were an alien, pushing up his glasses: "Hu, this is international transport of wildlife products, not local specialties!"
"In the eyes of customs, this is a huge source of virus. Without a veterinarian's certificate of no disease and without thorough bleaching and disinfection with hydrogen peroxide, it will never leave the customs hall."
"Not to mention all the tedious paperwork," Hans shook his head, "Greenland hunting permits, legal hunting licenses,..."
Export quarantine certificate —
"Especially since Lin has to go back to the United States, he has to fill out that damn USFWS3-177 declaration form and must go through the designated port of entry for customs clearance."
"How could we possibly have time to run around like this these past few days?" Wang Hu felt a chill run down his spine.
"So, we need money," Nanuk said calmly as he lowered two enormous bull heads into a pot of boiling water.
"There's a trophy broker right next to Comkluswag Airport. Let's do the dirtiest work tonight; that'll save us a lot on labor costs."
"Tomorrow morning, hand over the cleaned bones to the agency. The rest will involve meticulous bleaching, disinfection, packaging, and handling government paperwork."
"We arranged for air freight; they took care of everything."
"Of course," Nanook grinned, "shipping fee paid in advance."
The next two hours were filled with "violent aesthetics".
The huge bull's head tumbled in the boiling water, emitting a strong, unique aroma that was a mixture of meaty fragrance and fishy smell.
Several people were sweating profusely in the steam, using wire brushes to clean the gaps between their bones.
As Wang Hu was brushing, he couldn't help but ask, "Hans, in the movies, aren't European war trophies always so lifelike, with skin and fur still attached? They look like they're alive when they're hanging on the wall."
"Wouldn't it be too plain to cook it into a skull? It doesn't look like a trophy, it looks like a prop from a horror movie."
"Tiger, that's typical old-fashioned aesthetics."
-
Hans tapped Lin Yu'an's skull, which was already mostly exposed, with the hilt of his knife, producing a crisp sound.
"Don't you think this is nature's most authentic masterpiece?"
Hans pointed to the exposed grayish-white skull, especially the two huge, tightly packed horny shields on the top of the head, his tone full of admiration: "Without any flesh covering it, it's simple, austere, and full of power. This is the most popular modern style in the international hunting world right now."
"Most importantly, Lin, look at this."
As the flesh was removed, the broken left horn on the old bull's skull became even more gruesome. The fracture was as rough as rock, and the surrounding bones were covered with countless impact craters.
Hans pointed to the scars, "Only when it becomes bones can you clearly see how many battles it went through and how many times it was injured in its life."
"This isn't a prop from a horror movie; it's a biography etched into bones."
Lin Yu'an took off his gloves, stroking the rough, broken edges, feeling the rock-like texture between his fingertips. He nodded.
"Hans is right. Even as a skeleton, you can tell it was once a tough guy. Preserving it as a specimen also shows its value."
The next morning.
The group first went to the workshop that Nanook had mentioned.
Just as the old hunter had said, thanks to his influence and those two top-quality hind legs, the veteran craftsmen beamed and brought out their best stock.
Lin Yu-an successfully "hijacked" three sets of top-quality calf wool baby sets that hadn't even been labeled yet.
The cloud-soft texture made Lin Yu'an love it so much that she could almost see the children looking warm and cozy in it.
Next, they drove to an inconspicuous blue corrugated iron warehouse next to the airport – the "Greenland Polar Logistics Center".
The sense of accomplishment of the hunt only materialized when Lin Yu-an and Hans signed their names and wrote down their addresses on that cumbersome "Wildlife Products Export Commission Form".
The staff member was a burly Danish man with a large beard, who skillfully measured the two skulls that had already undergone preliminary processing.
"It's been processed very cleanly, a standard European skull," the bearded man exclaimed. "We'll be doing the final bleaching and preservation treatments."
"Shipping to Montana, including USFWS customs fees and air freight, will cost approximately $1500."
"Mr. Hans, although the journey to Munich, Germany is shorter, the EU's quarantine fees for bone products are quite high, totaling 950 euros."
"If everything is fine, it will be shipped in about two months. Be prepared with a drill and expansion screws by then, because this thing is extremely heavy when hung on the wall, and ordinary nails won't hold it up."
"Deal." The two said in unison and readily swiped their cards.
Stepping out of the warehouse, the midday sun shone on the frozen ground of Conkruswag, and the air was filled with a dry, crisp quality.
Lin Yu'an touched the three sets of light, almost weightless musk ox wool clothes in his backpack, then glanced back at the warehouse containing the trophy skull.
Whether it was winning a medal as a hunter or bringing back a gift as a father, the trip was fulfilling.
Nanook stretched, a tired but satisfied smile on his face: "Let's go!"
"I'll take you to the airport so you can catch your afternoon flight back to Ilulissat. I should go back and catch some sleep too."
"These past few days have been fantastic! I look forward to your next visit!"