After completing the procedures, the other party noticed Li Younan as he turned around, his eyes somewhat indifferent. He glanced at Li Younan before walking past him.
Li Younan used his hand to fan away the lingering body odor in the air before reaching the service point.
The staff methodically helped Li Younan complete the registration, then handed him a competition guide, saying, "You can take a look first. If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me on-site."
Li Younan went ahead and opened the guide right there.
Simply put, the competition is a hunting skills contest with the core purposes of wilderness competition, controlling the rampage of wild boars, and protecting the ranch ecosystem.
The content of the competition is quite hardcore, with as many as twenty-odd teams participating. Each team can be registered by two people or one can participate alone.
The competition is centered around the Loneliness Ranch, extending to surrounding mountainous areas, covering more than three canyons, two rivers, and a piece of Indian ruins.
The rules of the competition are even more hardcore, requiring participants to depart from the camp, traverse dozens of kilometers through canyons and forests, complete three checkpoint sign-ins, and hunt wild boars along the way. There will be slippery rock walls, streams several meters deep, various bushes, ultimately reaching the high-density wild boar area for the final showdown.
Although the organizers are not as large as the institution behind the "Alone in the Wilderness" program that Li Younan previously participated in, it is jointly organized by the Dezhou Parks and Wildlife Department and the largest local ranch owners association, with the entire competition process broadcast live to ensure no cheating occurs.
The competition victory is scored based on quantity and size, with the higher score winning.
Hunting rifles, pistols, and other equipment can be obtained at the camp.
The staff then gave Li Younan a map, marking the location of the camp, and emphasized, "If you haven’t successfully reached the camp by 8 PM two days from now, you will be considered to have forfeited the competition. Good luck!"
Without any issues, Li Younan accepted both the manual and map, then prepared to purchase some equipment.
The organizers only provide weapons, ammunition, and broadcasting equipment, but other gear, such as climbing equipment and camping gear, need to be purchased individually.
With his rich outdoor experience, Li Younan didn’t require particularly complex gear. After simply buying some camping supplies, he planned to buy a hunting knife
Dog Town is a traditional Dezhou town where hunting knives are easy to buy, but after browsing the knife shop, Li Younan wasn’t very satisfied with what he found.
As he felt a tiny bit of regret, the knife shop owner said, "You can try your luck at the blacksmith shop in town. Bill often crafts some good hunting knives, but they are often bought immediately after being crafted, so you’ll have to try your luck."
Hearing about a swordsmith, Li Younan was immediately interested, "It sounds like Bill’s knives are quite popular?"
The knife shop owner glanced at Li Younan and laughed heartily, saying, "Of course, Bill is a skilled swordsmith."
Upon hearing this, some information about American blade culture floated in Li Younan’s mind.
The United States has a very strong blade culture.
Here, one cannot overlook the American Bladesmith Society, or ABS, which is the most authoritative blade organization globally, with a strict three-level certification system.
In the ABS system, swordsmiths are categorized into three levels: apprentice level, skilled level, and master level.
Apprentice swordsmiths don’t need to pass any rigorous skill tests; they just need to submit an application and pay the membership fee to certify, essentially registering their identity.
Whereas skilled swordsmiths are marked by being true forging experts, requiring harsh examinations and qualifying for commercialization of handcrafted forged knives.
And the top elite master level swordsmiths are extraordinary; globally, there are only 80 master-level swordsmiths, whose handcrafted knives often break auction records with prices exceeding tens of thousands of US Dollars per piece.
Skilled swordsmith?
Thinking of this, Li Younan decided to visit this Bill swordsmith.

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