Landlord in the Arctic

This necklace held the story of Feng Mountain’s thrilling adventures when he first arrived in the Crown Territory.

Back then, he was a newcomer who knew nothing. He went hunting in the Moonlight Forest with Frank and Old Tom and managed to take down a massive brown bear.

To commemorate the hunt, Feng Mountain crafted several necklaces from the bear’s teeth and gave them to Xiaohua, Hu Zi, Black Hide, as well as Jenny, Erica, and Tammy.

Now, after all this time, the one he held in his hand was the very last one left.

"You came all this way to see me, and I haven’t given you a thing. Here, this Bear Tooth Necklace is for you. It’s been blessed by the spirits of all things, so it will keep you safe and bring you good luck."

As Feng Mountain spoke, the corners of his mouth curved up slightly into a sincere, somewhat goofy smile.

He then raised his arm, holding the Bear Tooth Necklace out to Natasha.

In truth, the so-called "blessing of the spirits of all things" was just something he made up on the spot to make the gift sound more mysterious.

The real secret lay in the Blessing Witchcraft he had privately cast on the necklace, which had cost him a good deal of his Soul Power.

This Witchcraft was an ancestral inheritance passed down to him in his dreams.

It had a tangible effect, capable of protecting the wearer in critical moments, just like an invisible talisman.

Just look at Xiaohua, for example.

She was running around like a madcap little girl despite her big pregnant belly.

It was all thanks to the protection of her Bear Tooth Necklace. Otherwise, she would have gotten into trouble a hundred times over by now.

Natasha’s gaze fell on the necklace in Feng Mountain’s hand, and a flash of surprise crossed her eyes.

Judging by its craftsmanship and appearance alone, the necklace was exceptionally simple and crude.

It was just a cord woven from common tree bark, strung haphazardly with a few brown bear teeth. It lacked the brilliant splendor of gold and jewels, and showed none of the fine carving of a master artisan.

Compared to the high-end luxury jewelry she was used to seeing—pieces crafted by top designers, encrusted with diamonds and gemstones, and radiating opulence—it was a world apart.

It was like an ugly duckling that had stumbled into a flock of swans, utterly unremarkable.

If it were sold at a street stall, it probably wouldn’t even earn a second glance from a passerby.

And yet, it was this very simple, unadorned, almost primitive necklace.

The moment Natasha first saw it.

A strange jolt ran through her heart, and an indescribable impulse surged within her.

It was a desire so strong that it surprised even Natasha herself.

She felt a desperate urge to snatch it, to hold it in her palm and claim it as her own.

"You don’t want it?" Seeing Natasha’s indifferent expression, Feng Mountain felt a little annoyed, assuming she looked down on his Bear Tooth Necklace.

Not long ago, Xiaohua had told him that Natasha had given her a very valuable gemstone necklace. As Xiaohua’s older brother, it was only right that he return the favor.

True, judged on surface value alone, this Bear Tooth Necklace couldn’t compare to the gemstone one.

But the special power hidden within this Bear Tooth Necklace was something a thousand gemstone necklaces could never hope to match.

It carried the blessing of an ancient, mysterious Witch, making it a uniquely precious artifact.

Seeing that Natasha still wasn’t reacting,

Feng Mountain shrugged indifferently, a slightly self-mocking smile touching his lips.

’She doesn’t know a real treasure when she sees one,’ he scoffed inwardly and moved to put the necklace away.

But just as he did,

Natasha seemed to snap out of her daze and quickly grabbed his hand.

She didn’t forget to give him another one of her flirtatious eye-rolls.

She chided the man who seemed allergic to romance.

"Who said I don’t want it? Don’t you know that you’re supposed to put it on for the lady yourself? That’s how you show sincerity."

’Put it on her myself?’

Feng Mountain grumbled to himself when he heard that.

’Why is she so much trouble?’

’There wasn’t all this fuss when I gave necklaces to Jenny and the others. They’re all straightforward people; they just took the gift, said thank you, and that was that.’

But now, seeing Natasha already turned around, her back straight in silent declaration of her expectations, it was obvious she was waiting for him to show this so-called "sincerity."

Feng Mountain sighed helplessly and steeled himself to step forward.

He gently undid the clasp and carefully looped the Bear Tooth Necklace around Natasha’s fair, slender, swan-like neck.

The instant his fingertips brushed against her skin, a jolt, like a tiny electric shock, shot through him, making him flinch. He quickly composed himself, adjusted the necklace, and made sure it was hanging properly.

Natasha lowered her head slightly, her gaze softening as it fell upon the Bear Tooth Necklace now resting against her chest.

It was strange, but in that instant,

an indescribable sense of peace washed over her. It felt as if a pair of warm, strong arms were wrapped tightly around her, chasing away the loneliness and anxiety that had plagued her for so long.

"All done, take a look!" Feng Mountain, completely oblivious to the delicate change in atmosphere, blurted out with his usual bluntness, shattering the mood.

His words were like a piercing blast of wind from the Tundra, instantly scattering the threads of warmth that had just begun to gather within her.

’This idiotic man.’

Natasha fumed inwardly.

A wave of helplessness washed over her. All her anticipation felt like a punch thrown at cotton—it met with nothing, leaving her feeling utterly exhausted.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but imagine...

...what it would be like if it had been Uncle Frank giving a necklace to Natalia.

With Uncle Frank’s romantic and affectionate nature, in an atmosphere as tender as this, he would have probably followed it with a lingering, passionate kiss, letting love flow freely through the air.

Not like Feng Mountain, who was so completely clueless about romance.

He had single-handedly ruined the perfect atmosphere.

"Don’t take it off for no reason. It’s best to wear it all the time. It works," the oblivious Feng Mountain continued to instruct, his eyes filled with conviction about the necklace’s power. He completely failed to notice Natasha’s quietly clenching fists.

Her knuckles were turning white from the force.

"I... know!" Natasha squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying her best to calm the storm inside her. Only then did she manage to suppress the urge to let her fists fly.

But she’d lost all interest in staying with this blockhead.

She worried that if she stayed any longer, she might actually suffer an internal injury from sheer anger.

And so, after saying this, she turned on her heel and strode quickly toward the dining hall without a single glance back.

Her ugly reindeer boots crunched loudly on the gravel, the sound deliberately amplified as if to vent her frustration.

Feng Mountain stood where he was.

Watching Natasha’s graceful figure hurry away, he couldn’t help but shake his head and mutter to himself.

’This woman is so rude.’

’She takes a gift and doesn’t even say thank you.’

Just as he was silently complaining, the phone in his animal hide coat suddenly let out a piercing alarm.

The shrill sound shattered the surrounding quiet, echoing through the empty camp.

Feng Mountain’s expression instantly tensed.

He pulled out his phone, a hint of confusion on his face.

The moment his eyes fell on the screen, his expression changed dramatically.

He immediately broke into a sprint toward the dining hall, his steps as urgent as if he were being chased by a cheetah.

Halfway there, Natasha heard the sound of urgent footsteps behind her.

Her heart leaped with joy. ’He finally gets it,’ she thought. ’He’s come to his senses and is coming to apologize.’

A slightly smug smile crept onto her lips. Full of anticipation, she stopped, stood gracefully, and waited, imagining how Feng Mountain would apologize once he caught up.

However, reality was a basin of cold water dumped right over her head.

Feng Mountain blew past her like a gust of wind without so much as a glance, tossing a single sentence over his shoulder as he ran.

You’re not leaving today!

By the time she processed his words, Feng Mountain was already far away, leaving only his rapidly shrinking back in the distance.

Natasha suddenly felt a nameless rage surge through her, so intense it made her cheeks burn.

’I already humbled myself so much for him.’

’Back in Lengwan, given my usual way of doing things...’

’A man who dared to mess with me like this...’

’...wouldn’t live to see a second episode. I would have thrown him into Lengwan to feed the crabs long ago.’

’But now, here I am, being messed with by Feng Mountain time and time again.’

The more Natasha thought about it, the angrier she became. Gritting her teeth, she quickened her pace and headed for the dining hall.

Her boots crunched on the gravel path with increasing speed and force, as if venting her fury.

....