Landlord in the Arctic

Taking the phone, the First Mate’s expression was just as grave.

His fingers flew as he scrolled through the text messages.

As his eyes scanned line after line, his brow furrowed tighter and tighter. Just like Alvin, he was completely baffled.

They weren’t supposed to conduct a rescue. Instead, they were to begin fishing operations immediately.

And for the cheapest kind of fish, no less—Atka Mackerel, which they’d normally never bother with.

With this type of fish, you could only maybe earn some hard-won cash by relying on large-scale, high-volume operations with small profit margins.

If a boat like the River Beach, which prioritized high efficiency and high returns, were to fish for them alone...

...it would be a purely money-losing deal. The gains wouldn’t even cover the costs.

However, the First Mate also knew that since the boss had already given clear instructions...

...as crew members, all they could do was follow orders.

Besides, the northern region was now a no-fly zone, and the severe weather at sea made a rescue voyage next to impossible.

There was simply no way for them to get to the Crown Territory to carry out a rescue.

It was better to just get to work and do as the boss asked.

As for what would ultimately happen to the Crown Territory, and whether it could survive this catastrophic cold wave...

...they could only pray for God’s protection.

"Captain, I think we should just carry out the boss’s orders," the First Mate said, lifting his chin slightly. He looked at Alvin with a steady gaze, offering what seemed to be the most sensible advice.

"Is that... appropriate?" Alvin’s brow was knitted tightly, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

’He knew, of course, that the boss’s orders couldn’t be defied.’

But to just stand by and watch as the Crown Territory was engulfed by the cold wave and blizzard...

...while he was out here fishing... it just felt wrong, on every level.

The First Mate seemed to see through Alvin’s thoughts. He took a small step forward and patiently tried to persuade him.

"There’s no ’appropriate’ or ’inappropriate’ about it. We work for the boss. Whatever he tells us to do, we do."

"Given the situation, with the Far North Region’s airspace designated a no-fly zone and the roads blocked by snow, there’s no way for us to get there anyway. Instead of worrying ourselves sick, we’d be better off just focusing on the boss’s orders."

"Besides, if the boss dared to build a camp on Extreme North Moss, he must have had contingency plans. We shouldn’t worry too much. Let’s just do our jobs."

Alvin understood the hidden meaning behind those words all too well.

’To put it bluntly, we’re all just hired hands. What difference does it make who we work for?’

The boss paid the money, and the crew provided the labor.

Now, they were thousands of kilometers apart. Even if they wanted to help, they were powerless to do so.

It was better to just work as the boss requested. That way, if any trouble came up later, it wouldn’t fall on their heads.

The words were harsh, but it was the cruel reality of their situation.

Alvin let out a long sigh and slowly raised his head to look out at the turbulent sea. Though worry still gnawed at him...

...he was gradually beginning to see what he had to do next.

He walked to the control console with heavy steps, his eyes filled with a new resolve.

His fingers traced a path on the sea chart, as if searching for one last glimmer of hope, before he snatched up the intercom handset.

"This is the captain. Engine room, full speed ahead. We’re heading for the waters around Jovette Island. Deck crew, prepare the trawling nets. Our target is Atka Mackerel, unlimited catch. Acknowledge."

Alvin’s voice echoed through every corner of the River Beach via the intercom, reverberating down the ship’s corridors.

"Engine room, acknowledged."

"Foredeck, acknowledged."

"Storage hold, acknowledged."

Hearing these replies, Alvin’s tense expression eased slightly.

He put down the handset and had just turned around when his gaze swept over a group of crewmen standing by the cabin door, still whispering amongst themselves and looking lost.

In an instant, his face turned cold. The pent-up, directionless anger in his heart burst forth like a flood from a broken dam.

"Fuck! You got nothing to do? Didn’t you hear my order? Start the trawling operation now! Anyone I catch slacking off can get the hell off the River Beach!"

His roar made the cabin door buzz.

The crewmen flinched, then scattered in every direction.

They hurried to their posts, not daring to slack off for another second.

"First Mate, notify the crewmen who aren’t aboard to fly to Ivanhoff Bay and take a boat to rendezvous with the River Beach." Alvin turned to the First Mate, his tone slightly softer but still carrying an unyielding authority. "The deadline is 5 p.m. this afternoon. If they can’t make it, tell them not to bother coming. Plenty of people would kill for a job on the River Beach."

’Whoa, the captain’s mad!!’

The thought shot through the crew like a spark.

They all looked at each other, their eyes wide with shock. After all, the captain was famous for his good temper.

Even when they sometimes poked fun at his legs, saying he walked like an elegant penguin, the captain would just laugh along with everyone and never held it against them.

So, the crew never expected the captain to blow up like that.

"Hurry, hurry!"

Someone urged their companion in a hushed voice.

After that, the crewmen scattered like a startled school of fish, each sprinting back to their post.

They were terrified that being even a second too slow would draw the captain’s wrath.

The deck of the River Beach was now a hive of activity.

A crewman skillfully operated a crane, slowly extending its long arm and precisely reaching into the equipment hold.

With a mechanical roar, a large bundle of brand-new trawling nets and brightly colored buoys was hoisted out.

This set of equipment was no simple matter; it was new gear Alvin had added to the River Beach after getting approval from Feng Mountain.

The profits from crab season had been fluctuating year after year, and the risks were also increasing. So, after the Alaska Fish and Game Bureau canceled next year’s crab season, Alvin had planned to open up new revenue streams for the River Beach.