Landlord in the Arctic

’What kind of choice is that!

It’s no choice at all!’

The freight truck driver looked in terror at the menacing truckers surrounding him.

He knew that if he didn’t answer quickly, he wouldn’t be leaving here in one piece today.

"I’ll do the transfer. I’ll handle it. This is all just a misunderstanding."

"A smart choice." The lead driver nodded, satisfied. He clapped the freight truck driver heavily on the shoulder, the force a clear warning not to pull any more stunts.

He then turned, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and called out a few of the truckers by name.

"A few of you, stay here and watch this guy. Make him transfer the container to Lisa’s truck. If he tries any funny business, just tie him to the bumper and send him to Dead Horse Town!"

The truckers who were called out broke into wicked smiles and eagerly nodded their assent.

The lead driver then walked over to Feng Shan and said with a grave expression, "Buddy, the shipping company you hired has a terrible reputation. They’re known for finding problems halfway through a job just to jack up the price. Good thing you ran into decent folk like us, or you would’ve been out a lot of money."

"Lisa, drive safe out there. Watch your speed during the polar night."

"Got it!" the blonde girl, Lisa, replied brightly, nodding vigorously to show she understood.

As the truckers gradually filed back into the restaurant, Feng Shan turned to Snow with an exasperated look and asked irritably, "You picked this company?"

Snow looked glum and spread his hands helplessly. "What could I do? They were cheap. You know the rescue station is short on funds. We have to save every penny we can."

After that little episode, the freight truck driver was like a tamed beast, suddenly becoming docile. When Lisa pulled her truck around, he proactively went over and got to work without a fuss.

The truck was equipped with a winch system, so transferring the container wasn’t too complicated.

They parked the two trucks tail-to-tail, attached the steel winch cable securely to the container, and then slowly drove the truck forward. The container slid smoothly onto the flatbed trailer, where they carefully secured it. The job was done.

Worried the animals inside might get scared during the transfer, Feng Shan stayed inside the container the entire time.

He soothed the animals with a soft voice, and the tigers seemed to sense his goodwill.

Their restlessness, caused by the container’s movement, gradually subsided. The vulture stopped flapping its wings and settled quietly in a corner, and the parrots ceased their chattering.

Once the container was successfully transferred and inspected, Feng Shan and the others worked together to lift two snowmobiles onto the truck.

Old Tom had also bought a tent and some other essential supplies, which they loaded onto the truck as well.

The weather in the Far North Tundra was notoriously unpredictable, after all, and it was best to be prepared for emergencies caused by extreme conditions.

With everything ready, Old Tom stood by the truck and looked at Feng Shan, his eyes filled with reluctance to see him go.

"Feng, Snow and I will wait in Levingood for Yves to get back."

He had already done all he could to dissuade Feng Shan from his bold plan to cross the tundra.

Now, all he could do was silently pray to God, hoping Feng Shan would reach Crown Territory safely.

Lisa sat in the cab, meticulously double-checking the truck’s systems.

She went through each gauge one by one, double-checking the data on the dashboard. She didn’t miss a single detail, making sure every part of the truck was in optimal condition.

After confirming everything was in order, she gestured through the window for Feng Shan and Nash to get in.

Compared to a normal truck, the interior of this behemoth was incredibly spacious.

Stepping inside was like entering a small room on wheels. The three of them sat inside without feeling crowded in the slightest; there was even room to stretch.

The moment Feng Shan sat down in the cab, his attention was captured by the console before him.

It was completely different from any he had seen before, with a complex, high-tech layout.

Besides the familiar steering wheel and gearshift, a dizzying array of gauges and switches was packed onto the console.

A small radio, in particular, stood out.

Seeing Feng Shan’s fascination with the instruments, Lisa picked out a few of the more important ones and patiently began to explain.

"This truck has an Eaton 10-speed transmission. It ensures we always have enough power on icy roads and can easily handle any complex terrain."

"This is a special braking system, a Jacobs engine brake, also known as a Jake brake. It uses engine compression to slow the truck, which helps maintain critical traction on the drive wheels."

"The radio keeps us in the loop. The roads get icy in the winter and there are a lot of accidents. If you don’t get a heads-up in time, it can be extremely dangerous for everyone involved."

Once she finished her explanation, Lisa buckled her seatbelt, gripped the Steering Wheel, and smiled at the two men.

"Gentlemen, sit tight. We’re off!"

With that, she gave a hard pull on the air horn’s cord.

A piercing blast from the horn echoed across the parking lot.

Accompanied by the resounding blast, the heavy-duty truck rumbled to life. Its wheels began to turn, the chassis vibrating slightly like an awakening behemoth as it slowly pulled out of the restaurant parking lot and onto the road ahead.

The truck entered the start of the Dalton Highway, which was completely shrouded in darkness.

Feng Shan sat quietly in the passenger seat, his eyes glued to the road ahead. Nash was lying down in the sleeper berth behind them. He wasn’t asleep, however, and would occasionally glance out the window.