Landlord in the Arctic

Staring at a screen 24 hours a day.

’Is this any way to live?’

But under the captain’s fierce gaze, the second mate didn’t dare utter a single complaint. He could only force himself to nod in reluctant agreement.

He silently prayed for these hard days to end soon.

He hoped the schools of fish would obediently and frequently appear, so the fishing operation could go more smoothly.

Then everyone could suffer a little less.

SIGH!

The First Mate stood by the cockpit porthole, his heart a whirlwind of emotions as he gazed at the busy deck. He let out a silent sigh.

’What’s done is done, and there’s no point in saying more,’ he thought. ’As the First Mate, the only thing I can do is resolutely carry out my orders.’

So, the First Mate gave a slight shake of his head and walked out of the cockpit with heavy steps to relay the order to continue fishing.

The news spread quickly throughout the *River Beach*.

When the crew heard it, they froze for a moment, the work in their hands pausing.

They all knew perfectly well that this trip to catch Atka Mackerel was clearly a money-losing venture, completely different from their usual high-profit operations.

However, after only a moment’s hesitation, everyone got busy again. Not a single person complained.

This was all because of the crew’s respect and gratitude for their boss.

The boss was usually generous and never stingy with his crew. Just a few days ago, at a party in the Crown Territory, he had even given everyone a big bonus of 5,000 US Dollars.

The crew members all took this kindness to heart.

Now, their boss was trapped in the Crown Territory, caught in a cold snap and a Blizzard.

Although they felt powerless, unable to go rescue him directly, they all thought that by catching more fish, they could help alleviate his financial pressure. It was the least they could do.

’Maybe it’s precisely because the boss is trapped in the Crown Territory... that he urgently needs a lot of money to buy cold-weather supplies and keep the camp running. That must be why he has no choice but to have the *River Beach* catch a cheap fish like Atka Mackerel.’

At that moment, the entire Far North Region was being ravaged by both an extreme cold snap and a Blizzard. The world was a chaotic mess of howling winds and swirling snow, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

The Brooks Range stood like a magnificent natural barrier, its rolling peaks soaring into the clouds. It not only blocked the raging onslaught of the Blizzard but also temporarily slowed the merciless southward advance of the cold front.

However, on the side of the mountains facing the Tundra, the situation remained extremely grim.

A frigid, howling wind carrying a sky-blotting Blizzard swept fiercely across the vast, boundless Tundra at 50 kilometers per hour.

Snow piled up madly, layer upon layer.

In a short time, the Tundra was buried under a thick blanket of snow, with no sign of life to be seen.

The Crown Territory was not spared.

A sky full of snow hung like a heavy white curtain over River Beach Camp, dyeing everything a monotonous white.

Because the tribal Fire Seed’s Soul Power was nearly depleted from continuous consumption, the camp’s temperature had plummeted like a runaway roller coaster to a bone-chilling minus 50 degrees Celsius.

This was the absolute limit the Fire Seed could maintain with its remaining Soul Power.

To raise the temperature again and bring even a sliver of warmth back to the camp, they would need a continuous supply of more Soul Power to keep the Fire Seed burning.

Otherwise, everyone could only struggle to survive in an environment that felt like an ice cellar.

Faced with such a desperate situation, everyone had to take action.

Natasha had everyone abandon the tavern, which was difficult to protect from the severe cold, and move into the log cabin villa.

After all, the villa had log walls a full 50 centimeters thick, a solid barrier that acted like a warm shield, effectively blocking the biting cold from outside.

Moreover, the house was equipped with a self-circulating heating system.

Although it was struggling in this extreme environment, it could still provide some help, fending off the relentless encroachment of the cold snap and offering a temporary shelter.

Inside the log cabin’s living room, the dim light seemed to cast a heavy gloom over the entire space.

The roaring fireplace was the only source of light and warmth. Flames leaped merrily, licking the fireplace walls with a CRACKLE and POP, yet they still couldn’t drive away the endless chill.

Thick animal hide blankets were spread out on the floor, centered around the fireplace.

Behind the blankets were high stacks of firewood and neatly arranged boxes of food.

The women, wrapped tightly in reindeer blankets, huddled before the fireplace like a flock of frightened birds.

Their pale faces were etched with worry, their eyes fixed on the dancing flames as if it were their only connection to the outside world.

The firelight flickered across their faces, and they would flinch involuntarily whenever a spark flew out.

The men stood by the windows, leaning forward slightly, their eyes revealing their tension and unease.

They stared out at the gray world, where the torrential snow danced wildly, threatening to devour everything.

The howling wind battered the windows, making a heart-stopping noise.

Under the brutal influence of this extreme low temperature, the Melting Ice River began to freeze. The water froze solid, and the hydroelectric turbine system ground to a halt.

Worse, the power in the backup batteries in the electrical cabinet was also rapidly depleting.

Like a candle about to burn out, it could go out at any moment.

To ensure the last of the electricity was prioritized for the crucial radio, the camp had to shut down all other electrical equipment.

But even with this sacrifice, under the double assault of the cold snap and the Blizzard, the radio signal had become extremely unstable, only allowing for intermittent communication.

Every time a call dropped, it was like a heavy hammer striking their hearts, making everyone feel the depths of their despair and helplessness even more keenly.

’How long can this predicament last? Will rescue even arrive in time?’

They could only pray silently for a miracle in this dim, cold cabin.

Feng Mountain stood quietly by the window, his figure appearing somewhat thin and lonely.

He gazed through the frost-covered glass at the world being ravaged by the wind and snow, his heart filled with anxiety and helplessness.

After sending one last text message to Alvin, the satellite phone’s battery died completely.

He plugged the satellite phone into a charger, hoping to bring it back to life.

However, in the brutally extreme cold, the battery wouldn’t charge.

It was just like the old saying... when it rains, it pours.

Right now, Feng Mountain’s heart was filled with apprehension.

He couldn’t be sure if Alvin had followed the instructions in his text and immediately started the fishing operation.

There was pitifully little Soul Power left in the tribal Fire Seed, just enough for a single long-distance connection with the Fire Totem on the *River Beach*.

’But what would happen after connecting? What if I see that Alvin hasn’t started fishing?’

After all, the Fire Totem had limited functions; it could only be used for observation, unlike the tribal Fire Seed, which could take initiative.

’If I waste the last of the Soul Power, and Alvin still hasn’t started fishing... the Fire Seed and the camp will be completely finished. If I rashly waste the last of the Soul Power and don’t get the result I want, the camp really will be finished.’

At this thought, Feng Mountain’s body trembled slightly.

Every second of waiting felt as long as a century. His eyes revealed a deep exhaustion, yet deep down, he faintly hoped that Alvin would carry out the mission.

"Brother, when will the snow stop?" Xiaohua asked, curled up to one side and wrapped in a thick blanket.

Her usual sunny smile was long gone.

In its place was a face full of worry and fear, her eyes revealing her terror.

’When will it stop?’

Feng Mountain muttered to himself, his gaze drifting to the endless curtain of snow outside the window, his heart full of bitterness.

’It’s not like I don’t want to know the answer either.’

The warning text had only mentioned when the cold snap would arrive; it said nothing about when it would end.

Based on experience, given the current terrible conditions, this cold snap and Blizzard would definitely last for at least a week.

But right now, the biggest problem wasn’t when the cold snap and Blizzard would end.

It was whether Alvin had started the fishing operation as he had been asked.

If there were enough Soul Power to supply the tribal Fire Seed, the camp’s situation wouldn’t be so critical, and everyone wouldn’t have to be so terrified.

Thinking of this, Feng Mountain sighed helplessly, his heart filled with resignation.

Suppressing the anxiety in his heart, he calmed his mind.

And reached out to communicate with the tribal Fire Seed.

...