Landlord in the Arctic

Just as the four of them were happily picking strawberries.

Suddenly, a sharp, questioning voice came from the direction of the plantation entrance.

"Who—who let you in? Get out, now!"

Feng Mountain looked toward the shouting. In the darkness, two figures were striding quickly toward them.

Gordon had been simmering with anger lately.

The camp had recently seen a sudden influx of people. These newcomers acted as if they’d never seen the world before, wandering all over the camp and unable to resist touching everything they saw.

The plantation, in particular, had become a disaster area.

The moment these people entered, they would start picking vegetables and strawberries without asking, and couldn’t be reasoned with.

In truth, Gordon knew that the vegetables and strawberries in the plantation grew exceptionally fast. There was more than enough to supply the camp’s personnel, so letting the guests pick some shouldn’t have been a big deal.

However, after these people finished picking, they not only wasted the produce wantonly but also wrecked the fields.

The once-level fields were now covered in footprints, and any vegetables they picked that they didn’t like were just tossed on the ground.

The strawberry patch was hit especially hard. Many of the young plants had been crushed underfoot.

The unripe strawberries also met a miserable fate, trampled into mush. Tammy and Maria had led everyone in painstakingly planting them, and to see all that hard work wasted was heartbreaking.

So, after discussing it with the other three, Gordon decided they would split into two teams. Two people would be assigned to guard the plantation each day to stop anyone else from getting in.

Who would have thought that just because they were a little late for breakfast this morning, someone else would slip into the plantation.

Xiaohua, a strawberry still in her hand, jumped at the sound of Gordon’s yell. She looked at Feng Mountain fearfully.

For a moment, she was at a loss, not knowing whether to eat the strawberry or not. She just froze on the spot.

As Gordon strode closer, he was about to unleash a verbal tirade on the strawberry thieves.

But when he got a good look and saw it was Feng Mountain, his heart skipped a beat. His angry face instantly changed, like an actor in a Sichuan opera changing masks, replaced by a fawning expression.

"Boss, why are you here?"

"Oh, I brought my little brother and sister here to look around. You’ve been farming for so long, how come you still have such a temper?"

Feng Mountain was a little annoyed. It was a rare treat for Xiaohua and the others to visit Crown Territory, and he’d been so happy to bring them to see the plantation, only for them to be scared half to death by Gordon’s yelling.

Seeing the clear displeasure on his boss’s face, Gordon’s heart pounded. Afraid his boss would get the wrong idea, he quickly began bowing and scraping as he explained the situation.

After hearing Gordon’s explanation, Feng Mountain’s irritation subsided.

’I didn’t expect these foreigners to be so different from how I imagined. Some of them have no class at all.’

After a moment’s thought, he suggested.

"You can put up a sign at the entrance to tell guests the rules for visiting the plantation and the requirements for picking."

Gordon shook his head helplessly and said with a bitter smile, "It’s no use, Boss. I tried that before, but people still sneak into the plantation."

Feng Mountain frowned slightly and thought for a moment. "Don’t worry. I’ll find you a couple of helpers later. With them around, it shouldn’t be a problem."

"That would be great!" Gordon’s face immediately broke into a relieved smile. He turned to Daniel beside him. "Don’t just stand there. Go pick a basket of strawberries for the boss. Pick the big ones."

Daniel quickly turned, ran into the strawberry patch in just a few strides, and began carefully selecting the biggest strawberries.

’Not bad. He’s sharp.’

Feng Mountain nodded to himself. ’As expected of someone who could lead a team of poachers. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, both in how he acts and speaks.’

Then, he turned and said gently to Xiaohua.

"Hua’Er, why don’t you guys go look around for a bit? I need to talk to Gordon about something."

"Okay!" Xiaohua replied obediently. She understood that Brother Shan must have business to discuss, so she took Hu Zi and Black Hide by the hand and led them away.

Gordon stood rooted to the spot, his heart pounding like a cornered rabbit.

His eyes were filled with apprehension as he looked cautiously at Feng Mountain. His mind kept replaying what had just happened, worried that his rash behavior would get him kicked out of Crown Territory.

He thought back to the past. Ever since he was caught poaching and allowed to stay in the camp, living a stable and peaceful life, he had come to cherish this hard-won tranquility.

Here, he no longer had to live on edge, exposed to the elements. He worked from sunrise to sunset each day. Life was simple, but it was solid and secure.

Not long ago, he had even found love, starting a relationship with one of the female workers at the camp.

The girl was gentle and kind, and for the first time, Gordon was experiencing what it felt like to be truly loved. It made him even more reluctant to leave this place.

Gordon’s expression grew increasingly panicked. Fine beads of sweat broke out on his forehead as he stammered.

"Boss, I didn’t know that lady was your sister. I really didn’t do it on purpose. I beg you, please don’t kick me out."

By the end, his voice was trembling, and his eyes were full of desperation.

’Kick you out?’

Feng Mountain was taken aback for a moment. He frowned, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "When did I say I was going to kick you out?"

He paused, looking at Gordon’s anxious face, which looked as if he were awaiting a verdict, and continued.

"You did nothing wrong. Guarding the plantation is what you should do. Why would I kick you out?"

"I wanted to talk to you to get your thoughts on the plantation’s current situation. Tammy and Maria are good at farming, and they manage the fields well, but if we want the plantation to truly grow, it’s going to be difficult to rely on just the two of them."

So that was what the boss wanted to talk to him about.