Landlord in the Arctic

High-proof spirits are extremely popular with Russian fishermen, so every fishing boat setting out from Alaska makes sure to bring along a case of hard liquor.

In return, Alaskan fishermen can often get some great stuff from their Russian counterparts—things like specialty seafood rarely found in these waters, or even weapons like AK-47s.

Alvin proudly continued to explain the crab’s origins. "Boss, this Red King Crab weighs a full sixteen kilograms. It’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen in my crabbing career. I had to trade a case of glacier vodka to get it from Old Ivan."

"Didn’t you just say three cases? How’d it suddenly become one?" Feng Shan asked teasingly, a playful smile on his face.

"Did I?" Having let it slip, Alvin feigned amnesia, quickly waving his hands. "That’s not important. What’s important is that this Red King Crab is a full sixteen kilograms."

Sixteen kilograms.

’That’s over thirty-five pounds.’

It wasn’t just Alvin who was seeing a crab this big for the first time; even Feng Shan had never laid eyes on such a behemoth.

"Boss, we didn’t just bring these two big guys. We brought plenty of Emperor Crabs, snow crabs, and halibut, too," the crewmen said as they unloaded one heavy styrofoam cooler after another from the plane.

"That’s very thoughtful of you," Feng Shan said, nodding in satisfaction. He then gestured for everyone to head toward the camp.

Since the number of arrivals far exceeded their estimates, the camp’s snowmobiles were prioritized for transporting the women, elderly, and children.

Feng Shan had no other choice, so the crewmen had to carry the boxes and make the trek back on foot.

Fortunately, they all worked on the frigid Bering Sea year-round, so the extreme cold of the Far North Tundra was just about bearable.

And so, the large party left the airfield and, led by Yves and the others, started toward the camp.

Just as Feng Shan was about to head back to camp with the main group, he happened to glance up at the night sky and saw a plane shakily descending toward them.

’Someone else is coming?’

Feng Shan couldn’t help but stop.

Once the plane came to a steady stop, the cabin door opened. A middle-aged, white-haired man jumped out, dressed in a thick wool coat, a large scarf wrapped around his neck, and leather gloves.

The man clutched a briefcase to his chest, head down, and hurried over to Feng Shan.

"Excuse me, pal, is this the Crown Territory?" the man asked, a hint of urgency in his voice.

"It is," Feng Shan said with a nod, sizing the man up. He searched his memory but couldn’t place him.

Hearing this, the white-haired man let out a visible sigh of relief and then called out loudly.

"That’s great! I’m the sales manager for the Barry Container House Company, Toby Barry. You can call me Little Barry. Is Mr. Feng around? Old Tom told me he was interested in learning about container houses."

’No need to shout, I’m not deaf.’

Feng Shan was speechless for a moment but nodded anyway. "I’m Feng Shan. Tom said you were at a trade show?"

Realizing he was speaking to the man himself, the white-haired man’s smile grew even wider. He spoke quickly.

"As soon as I got the call from Old Tom, I handed my work off to my colleagues and took the first flight back to Fairbanks. Old Tom said you were very interested in container houses."

"That’s right." Feng Shan saw the man’s face was pale with cold and knew this wasn’t the time or place for a long chat. He raised a hand and gestured. "Come with me. We’ll get you a cup of coffee back at the camp."

Just then, the snow began to fall again, great flakes drifting down from the sky.

The two men forged ahead against the wind and snow, following the newly laid road.

As soon as they stepped onto the Tundra proper, Little Barry suddenly realized the air didn’t feel as bitingly cold as it had moments ago.

His curiosity piqued, he tried taking off a glove to feel the air. He then turned to Feng Shan, a look of astonishment on his face.

"Mr. Feng, this temperature here...?"

’I really hate this question.’

’Why does everyone have to ask?’

Feng Shan grumbled to himself. He really didn’t want to answer, nor could he be bothered. He just said coolly, "The staff will explain it to you when we get to the camp."

Little Barry noticed Feng Shan’s impatience and gave a helpless shrug. "Alright. But my grandfather once told me the Crown Territory was a desolate, frozen wasteland. This is completely different from what he described."

"Oh? Your grandfather came to the Crown Territory?" That piqued Feng Shan’s curiosity, and he pressed for more details.

Little Barry nodded. "He did. My grandfather sold a yellow bus to the previous owner of the Crown Territory. I heard it was shipped by sea from Anakre Port to Barrow Town, and then it took a massive effort to get it all the way here."

A yellow bus.

’That’s the camper van my grand-uncle left me, the one that saw me through those lonely early days in the Crown Territory.’

’I can’t believe it’s connected to Little Barry.’

Feng Shan instantly felt a little closer to Little Barry, and a genuine smile spread across his face.

"Well, in that case, welcome to the Crown Territory, pal. When you have a moment, I’ll take you to see the bus. It’s still in use."

"I’d be honored." Little Barry sensed the warmth in Feng Shan’s tone and nodded eagerly.

「Back at the camp.」

The scene that greeted them was a stark contrast to the earlier silence.

The camp was now buzzing with a newfound vitality, bustling and loud.

The sudden influx of over a hundred people made the camp even more lively than when the tour groups were there.

After all, the tour groups were comprised of tourists. The camp staff treated them with a service-oriented mindset, often having to adhere to set procedures and rules.

But this was different. The arrivals from the River Beach were colleagues and friends. They were like family with one another, so there was no need for such formal pleasantries.

Here, the vibe was purely casual. Everyone did whatever they felt most comfortable with.

If someone was hungry, they could head straight to the restaurant, where Jenny had already prepared a wide variety of delicious food, just waiting for everyone to dig in.

If someone wanted a drink, they could go to the tavern. All the alcohol was available, open bar style. As long as no one caused trouble, they could drink their fill.

Not only that, but all of the camp’s special attractions were open as well.

Anyone who wanted a dip in the hot springs could go and enjoy their soothing warmth, relaxing body and mind in the steam.

Those who liked to fish could try their luck at the Melting Ice River and experience the simple joy of angling.

Shooting enthusiasts could head to the firing range to experience the thrill of shooting.

And those interested in nature and animals could even go out on the Tundra to watch the Bear Tribe graze and take in the unique ecosystem.

Best of all, every single activity was completely free of charge, all so that everyone could fully enjoy their time in the Crown Territory.

"Boss, this place is amazing!"

"Boss, I love it here! As God is my witness, even the air tastes sweet."

Along the way, every sailor Feng Shan encountered showered him with praise for the Crown Territory.

Meanwhile, Little Barry, walking at his side, saw the rows of quaint mini-cabins in the lodging area and immediately understood why Feng Shan had sought him out.

For single young people, the mini-cabins offered a decent living experience.

But for larger groups, these small cabins were clearly inadequate and stretched thin.

Container houses, by comparison, held a significant advantage.

They were like Lego blocks, offering incredible flexibility and allowing for completely custom construction.

With the right design, it was theoretically possible to assemble a building up to eight stories high.

The two continued on. As they reached the entrance to the tavern, they saw colorful laser lights spinning and flashing, and heard a chorus of howling, off-key singing from within.

Feng Shan stopped and turned to see Little Barry frowning slightly, clearly uncomfortable with the noise. Feng Shan could only give a helpless shrug.

"Right, this probably isn’t the best place to talk business," he said. "Let’s go somewhere else."

The two then turned and walked over to the bank of the Melting Ice River, where they found a bench and sat down.

Liu Lan came rushing to the riverbank with Fiona, Lotti, and a few other children who had just gotten off the plane, all of them holding bread.

"Hey, don’t get too close to the edge! Be careful you don’t fall in the river!" Feng Shan called out loudly. After shouting, something occurred to him, and he waved Liu Lan over.

....