Landlord in the Arctic

The real risk didn’t come from the Death Highway itself, but from the somewhat crazy young man before them.

He wanted to lead a group of animals across the treacherous Tundra on a snowmobile, in the dead of winter in the Far North.

The Tundra in December was no joke. Blizzards rated Force 7 or higher and brutal cold fronts could sweep through at any time, wiping out everything in their path.

If the young man met with some misfortune while crossing the Tundra and died, the person responsible for his transport would be unbelievably unlucky and have to bear the legal responsibility.

Forget about whether they could even keep the job that put food on their families’ tables.

Just the thought of being sued by the young man’s family was terrifying. The compensation alone could bankrupt them, wiping out a lifetime of savings in an instant.

How would their families survive?

With these concerns in mind, none of the drivers dared to take the job.

Feng Mountain, standing to the side, was fuming. He grumbled to himself.

’What the hell is this?’

’It’s one thing if you don’t want the job, but why use contract rules to stop anyone else from taking it?’

At that thought, a surge of anger flared up in Feng Mountain. He was just about to open his mouth to argue when Old Tom shot him a quick, sharp look, stopping him in his tracks.

Then, Old Tom quickly got to his feet and addressed the white-bearded driver with an accommodating smile.

"Sorry, friend. We didn’t think this through and we’re causing you all trouble. But what if we draw up a liability waiver? It would state clearly that we’ll assume all risks during the transport, and that it has nothing to do with the driver. How does that sound?"

Hearing this, a hint of hesitation appeared on the driver captain’s face. He was clearly swayed.

With a waiver like that, the driver who took the job would indeed be spared a lot of potential trouble.

In the midst of their indecision, Lisa suddenly seemed to make up her mind. She stood up and strode over to them.

Her clear voice drew everyone’s attention.

"I’m off today. How about I take the job?"

"Of course, that’s not a problem, miss! What are your rates?"

Old Tom’s heart leaped. He responded enthusiastically while nudging Snow beside him to make room, gesturing for Lisa to sit down and discuss the details.

Seeing that Lisa was actually going to take the job, the other drivers looked astonished. They started to speak up to dissuade her, but swallowed their words before they came out.

Lisa might have seemed gentle and delicate on the surface, but she was incredibly stubborn. Once she made up her mind, not even nine reindeer could drag her back.

The driver captain, Fransen, looked especially worried, his eyes fixed on Lisa.

’He knew Lisa was an ambitious girl, eager to make a name for herself in the transportation business, but this job was extremely risky.’

He said to her in a serious, heartfelt tone, "You’re still a trainee driver. The load isn’t heavy, so you can give it a shot, but if anything goes wrong, it has nothing to do with the Carlisle Transportation Company."

"Thank you, Fransen." Lisa nodded obediently, then walked right over and sat down beside Old Tom.

She turned to look at Feng Mountain, whose expression was still sour. A charming, captivating smile played on her lips as she spoke softly.

"Look, buddy, they weren’t wrong. The risk you’re carrying is just too high for anyone to take on lightly. If it were me, I’d have to think twice too."

Feng Mountain shrugged helplessly. Though still annoyed, he knew she was right, so he said nothing.

Then, Lisa turned toward the restaurant bar and called out in a clear voice, "Jerry, can I get a pen and paper? Thanks!"

A moment later, the waiter hurried over and placed a pen and paper on the table.

Lisa pushed the pen and paper in front of Feng Mountain. "Look, buddy, if you want me to take this job, you’ll need to write up that liability waiver. I have no intention of getting dragged into a world of trouble over one transport gig."

"Of course," Old Tom chimed in, turning slightly to Feng Mountain to explain further. "Feng, you have to understand. When a company driver gets an official transport order, they’re covered by company insurance if there’s an accident. It saves them from bankruptcy. But your job is a private order. There’s no insurance, so the risk is extremely high."

Feng Mountain listened quietly, and his frustration began to fade. The tightness in his chest from moments before dissipated completely.

He nodded slightly, took the pen and paper, and began to draft a liability waiver with Old Tom, Snow, and Lisa all chipping in with suggestions.

The finalized agreement essentially stated that Lisa was only responsible for safely transporting the cargo to Sagewang. For all subsequent actions of the cargo owner, Feng Mountain, after he was dropped off—including but not limited to his snowmobile journey across the Tundra to the Crown Territory, as well as any accidents or consequences that arose along the way—Lisa would bear no responsibility whatsoever.

Once it was written, they each signed their names on the agreement.

Lisa carefully folded the signed agreement and tucked it into her small bag. A great weight was instantly lifted from her mind.

A brilliant smile immediately spread across her face. She looked at Feng Mountain playfully and asked in a bright, clear voice, "So, boss, how are we settling the freight charges?"

"What are your usual rates?" Feng Mountain wasn’t about to be taken for a ride. It’s not like his money grew on trees, so he threw the question right back at her.

Lisa’s eyes darted thoughtfully as her mind raced. After a moment, she laid out her terms in a clear, organized manner.

"Normally, we calculate freight fees based on cargo weight and mileage. But this is a private job, off the books, with more variables and greater risk. Naturally, the price is going to be higher."

Here, Lisa paused for a moment, as if gathering her courage. With a slightly nervous glance at Feng Mountain, she added, "How about 5,000 US Dollar? I’ll personally assume all the risk during the trip."