Chapter 440 - 317: Punishment
What a great idea!
Feng Shan was secretly delighted. He immediately handed Loki, who was still playing pitiful, to Fiona.
"Go on. I’m sure that through hard work, Loki will come to realize his mistake."
"Papa, I don’t want to go! I was wrong!"
Seeing that his only refuge had failed him, Loki panicked. He flapped his wings desperately, struggling to escape, but Fiona held him tight in her arms, and he couldn’t budge.
"Bad Papa!!"
Loki shrieked at the top of his lungs, his voice full of grievance and indignation.
He watched as the children cheerfully escorted Loki to the dining hall.
Feng Shan felt a great sense of relief and couldn’t help but sigh in admiration.
’It takes a rascal to tame a rascal. Looks like Loki has finally met his match!’
Seeing Loki reminded Feng Shan of something.
The tigers promised to him by the Anchorage Wildlife Rescue Center hadn’t arrived yet.
Snow had already finished his site inspection and promised to have the animals sent over as soon as he got back.
Almost a week had passed, but there was still no news.
’Don’t tell me it’s not happening!’
At that thought, Feng Shan’s heart tightened. He pulled out his phone and dialed Snow’s number.
The phone rang a few times, then the other end simply hung up.
’He hung up on me? What’s that supposed to mean?’
Just as Feng Shan was feeling completely confused, his phone rang again. A glance at the screen showed it was Snow calling back.
After he answered, Snow’s apologetic voice came through the receiver.
"Buddy, I’m really sorry, but we might not be able to get the tigers to you. I’m sorry to disappoint you."
’What does he mean?’
’Did the rescue center back out?’
’We were one kick away from the goal, and now you’re telling me this?!’
’Are you messing with me?’
Feng Shan couldn’t help but frown, his tone stiff as he asked into the phone, "Snow, this isn’t April Fools’ Day. I’ve already signed the adoption agreement with the rescue center and made the donation. How can you tell me now that you can’t bring the tigers over? Are you guys messing with me?"
"NO, NO, I don’t play with men," Snow quickly denied from the other end of the line, then hurriedly explained, "The animals have already been brought to Fairbanks. The problem is, there’s no way to transport them to the Crown Territory. I’ve been stuck in Fairbanks for a whole day. If I can’t find a solution soon, I’ll have no choice but to take the tigers back to Anchorage. I’m sorry."
’A transportation problem?’
’You call that a problem?’
Without a second thought, Feng Shan said, "Get a helicopter to airlift them. I’ll cover the cost."
A wry laugh came from the receiver first, followed by Snow’s helpless voice. "Buddy, federal law has clear regulations about transporting wild animals by helicopter. Before using a helicopter for transport, a public meeting must be held near the operational area."
"Furthermore, authorized personnel have to ensure the complete integrity of the animal herd and constantly monitor numerous factors like terrain, weather, travel distance, and the animals’ real-time condition."
"Given the sluggish bureaucratic efficiency of the Alaska State Government, it would take at least half a year to get a final decision."
’Damn it!’
’Dogshit efficiency.’
Feng Shan couldn’t help but curse out loud.
In half a year, the animals could crawl from Fairbanks to the Crown Territory on their own.
’What if I call Jeff and have him secretly fly the tigers over from Dead Horse Town in a helicopter?’
Thinking of this, Feng Shan quickly told Snow to wait a moment, then hung up and promptly dialed Jeff.
Once the call connected, Feng Shan briefly explained the whole situation.
As always, Jeff agreed to help unconditionally with Feng Shan’s request. He told him to wait a few minutes and that he would call back once the helicopter was arranged.
Unfortunately, when Jeff called back, he brought bad news.
The North Slope Petroleum Company’s helicopters were undergoing maintenance and inspection. It would be at least a week before they could be used.
After helplessly thanking Jeff, Feng Shan hung up and fell into deep thought.
’Ground transport is impossible, and the helicopter for air transport is under maintenance. Do I really have to just sit and wait for a week?’
Just then, the children returned from the dining hall, chattering all the way as they discussed where to play next.
Seeing Feng Shan’s frowning expression, Liu Lan and Fiona quickly came over.
"Uncle, are you in trouble?"
"Yes. Uncle’s animals are stranded out there, and they can’t come home because they can’t take a car or a plane," Feng Shan said with a smile, trying to use a light tone so as not to worry the children.
Fiona tilted her little head, her big eyes full of confusion, and asked innocently, "That’s so sad. If they can’t take a car or a plane, why can’t Uncle just walk and bring them back?"
Her words struck Feng Shan like a bolt of lightning, shocking him awake.
Like a man jolted from a dream, his mind suddenly became clear.
’She’s right.’
’Since I can’t count on a helicopter, I might as well go get them myself.’
’Other people can’t manage those tigers, but I can control them. With the Beast Taming Technique, if I tell them to go east, they wouldn’t dare go west.’
Besides, cutting across the tundra from the Dalton Highway, the straight-line distance is less than 300 kilometers.
If I ride a snowmobile, given their speed, I could make the round trip in a single day.
With his mind made up, Feng Shan immediately sprang into action.
He immediately called Snow and told him to get in touch with Tom, and that he himself would head to Fairbanks to meet them at the flight school.
Then, Feng Shan called Tom.
He tasked him with immediately buying two Arctic Cat Pandora snowmobiles on his behalf.
After arranging all this, Feng Shan noticed the children hadn’t left yet. He called out directly to Fiona, "Fiona, go tell your dad that Uncle needs the plane. Have him get to the airfield and prepare for takeoff."
After speaking, he turned to Liu Lan. "Have you seen your brother, Nash?"
"Nash is at the ranch, butchering a cow," Liu Lan replied after a moment’s thought.