Landlord in the Arctic

Seeing this, Feng Shan told Nash to stay in the truck and quickly got out of the passenger seat.

He trudged through the deep snow, stumbling with each step. He hurried to Lisa’s side and shouted over the howling wind.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Yes! Take this shovel!" Lisa yelled back, thrusting the shovel into Feng Shan’s hands. She pointed to the ground at her feet and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Find the edge of the outer roadbed and clear a line in the snow! I’ll park the truck on that line."

"Okay!" Feng Shan shouted in reply, giving her an OK sign.

He swung the shovel, forcefully clearing away the top layer of snow. Soon, the black pavement was exposed.

Then, using the exposed pavement as a reference point, Feng Shan shoveled vigorously toward the outer edge.

Each swing of the shovel required all his strength because the snow was thick and hard-packed.

He kept going until the gravel-paved surface gave way to dirt, confirming he had found the edge of the roadbed.

Then, Feng Shan worked his way forward, digging step-by-step along the edge of the gravel roadbed. The wind and snow beat against his face, blurring his vision.

Finally, a long trench was dug in the snow.

However, the snow was falling so fast that the freshly dug trench was quickly buried by new drifts.

But luckily, it was enough time for Lisa to drive the truck over and stop on top of the cleared line.

Just like that, they had cleared the wider, inner portion of the highway for the convoy of tanker trucks to pass.

This wasn’t the Crown Territory, where he had the protection of the Fire Seed. Even Feng Shan could barely withstand the -40 degree temperature and the howling blizzard.

Back in the truck, Feng Shan was frozen, shivering uncontrollably, his teeth chattering.

He hurriedly took the cup of freshly brewed coffee from Lisa and eagerly took a sip.

The scalding coffee flowed down his throat, and a wave of warmth instantly spread through his body, chasing away much of the chill.

After he recovered a bit, Feng Shan finally asked.

"Why did we have to give up the inner lane? The other trucks are coming from the opposite direction. Won’t we collide when we pass them?"

Lisa gave a wry smile and patiently explained.

"Tanker trucks have absolute right-of-way on the Dalton Highway. If a pilot car radios us to make way, it means the convoy is definitely fully loaded with oil."

"In that situation, it’s extremely dangerous for them to drive on the outer edge, so any truck traveling in the opposite direction has to yield the right-of-way for the inner lane. We can only get back on the road after the tanker convoy has safely passed."

As the two were talking.

Through the swirling blizzard, two yellow lights appeared at the far end of the road. They flickered in the snow, like a pair of eyes peering through the darkness.

Then, an orange Pickup Truck slowly emerged from the snow. The warning lights on its roof flashed continuously, standing out starkly in the vast, snowy night.

As the Pickup Truck passed Lisa’s truck, it honked its horn in a gesture of thanks.

"Heads up, the tankers are coming!" Lisa said, holding her coffee cup, her eyes fixed on the approaching convoy.

Feng Shan quickly turned his gaze to the windshield.

The next moment, a massive cloud of white snow spray appeared, roaring toward them like a tidal wave. A heavy tanker truck, like a bellowing beast, shot past, scraping right by their truck as it thundered by.

The tanker trailed a powerful draft of air, an invisible giant’s hand that slammed into their truck. The entire vehicle shook violently, like a leaf trembling in a gale.

Caught off guard, Feng Shan and Nash instinctively tensed up, their hearts leaping into their throats. They involuntarily gripped the handles next to them, their eyes betraying a hint of nervousness and unease.

One, two, three, four....

The heavy tankers passed one after another, a seemingly endless steel dragon charging mightily through the blizzard.

Each truck that passed was accompanied by a powerful gust of air and a violent shudder, leaving one in awe of the convoy’s shocking power.

After the entire convoy of heavy oil tankers had finally passed safely, the pilot car’s driver radioed his thanks. He also made sure to remind Lisa that the ice and snow on the upcoming "rollercoaster" section of the road were severe, and that it would be best to put on snow chains before attempting the climb.

Heeding the warning, Lisa started the truck again. She skillfully handled the steering wheel, moved back into the inner lane, and continued driving toward Sagewang.

The next stretch of road seemed much easier. The repeated passage of the heavy oil tankers had compressed the once-soft snow, making it incredibly hard, as if it had been paved with natural blocks of ice.

Driving on this surface, the truck’s wheels had a relatively stable grip, no longer slipping as easily as before. The ride became much smoother and more relaxed.

However, Lisa’s expression grew increasingly serious.

Just as Feng Shan, full of doubt, was about to ask what was wrong, the truck once again slowed to a stop on the side of the road.

"Passing another vehicle?" Feng Shan couldn’t help but ask, guessing they had to yield to another truck like before.

"No, we’re putting on the snow chains. The rollercoaster section is just ahead. The pilot car driver just said the snow is heavy, and the truck won’t make it up the climb without chains." Lisa explained, grabbing her winter coat from the seat and quickly putting it on.

Then she looked at the two grown men in the passenger seats, a sweet smile on her face. "Well, gentlemen," she said, half-joking, "are you just going to sit back and watch the one-woman show?"

Feng Shan got the hint and smiled, then motioned for Nash to get out of the truck with him.

The moment he stepped out, a bone-chilling cold hit him in the face.

The temperature was noticeably lower near the snow-covered mountains. The howling mountain wind carried flakes of snow that felt like tiny knives, whipping against his face with a stinging pain.