Landlord in the Arctic

In Lisa’s eyes, Feng Mountain was just another one of those spoiled rich kids. With too much money and time on their hands, they trampled all over the livelihoods others risked their lives to build.

At that moment, any good impression Lisa had of the handsome man before her vanished into thin air.

Only one strong thought remained.

’Disgusting!’

Unwilling to continue the conversation with Feng Mountain, she abruptly stood up, shot him a contemptuous glance, and turned to leave in a hurry.

’How bizarre,’ Feng Mountain thought. ’Did she just look down on me?’

Feng Mountain was baffled. He rubbed his nose sheepishly, his mind filled with confusion.

He couldn’t understand how the girl’s attitude toward him could change so drastically in an instant.

’I don’t think I said anything out of line!’

But on second thought, they were just strangers who had met by chance. They would probably never cross paths again, so there was no point in dwelling on it.

So, Feng Mountain gave a calm smile, suppressed the minor ripple in his heart, and resumed his quiet conversation with Snow about their next steps, as if the little interlude had never happened.

Before long, a waiter brought their steaming combo meals to the table.

The portions on the plates were truly generous. The slab of roast beef in Combo A looked incredibly thick, weighing at least two pounds by the looks of it. A slightly charred color seeped into the grain, and it gave off an aroma of mixed spices.

Meanwhile, the roast chicken in Combo B was a sizable drumstick with the thigh attached, its skin roasted to a faint golden brown, the grease glistening under the lights.

The fries, however, were a bit unusual. They were large potato wedges, each one slathered in a thick layer of ketchup.

In the corner of the plate lay a single roasted pepper, adding a splash of green to the meal.

Feng Mountain picked up his fork, gently cut off a piece of roast beef, and chewed it thoughtfully.

The beef’s texture was firm, but the seasoning seemed a little lacking. The taste was passable, but nothing more.

As for the roast chicken leg, judging by the frown on Snow’s face, it was about the same as the beef.

Overall, it wasn’t what you’d call delicious, but it wasn’t inedible either.

In any case, it would certainly fill you up.

The restaurant owner probably knew that most of their customers were truckers on the road, and what they needed was food that could fill their stomachs.

So, the restaurant competed on quantity.

After all, for these drivers, during their long and exhausting journeys, no gourmet delicacy could compare to a meal that could quickly replenish their energy and fill their bellies.

Feng Mountain and his two companions only took a few simple bites before putting down their forks and resuming their quiet conversation.

Lisa, who had been secretly watching them, saw this and became even more certain of her assumptions.

’Someone like Feng Mountain, so picky with his food that he quits after a few bites, must be one of those pampered rich kids who treats the Dalton Highway like a playground.’

’He has no idea about the hardships of people like us, who struggle just to make a living.’

Just then, the restaurant door was thrown open, and a blast of cold wind swept in, carrying a flurry of snowflakes.

Old Tom was covered in snow from head to toe, looking like a walking snowman. He stomped his feet and brushed the snow off his clothes.

After a quick scan of the room, his eyes locked onto Feng Mountain’s table. He strode over and plopped down onto a nearby chair.

Noticing the barely touched meals on the table, Old Tom didn’t stand on ceremony. He simply reached out, pulled a plate in front of himself, and started eating heartily.

In no time, he had wolfed down the entire piece of roast meat.

Old Tom let out a satisfied burp, leaned back comfortably in his chair, and took a moment to recover before looking at North and speaking.

"Look, North, the driver you hired refuses to drive this stretch of the Dalton. He laid it out plain: either you call off what he considers a suicide mission, or he’s driving the truck straight back to Anchorage."

"That bastard! How can he say that? He already took the transport fee," Snow exclaimed, jumping to his feet in anger.

Old Tom, however, remained calm. He leisurely gestured with his hand for Snow to sit back down.

"He’s not wrong. According to transport safety regulations, a driver absolutely has the right to halt a job when faced with imminent danger."

"Did you guys even consider the actual conditions on the Dalton Highway? His truck can’t handle this road at all. The body doesn’t have enough weight, and the tires have no grip on this ice and snow. The slightest problem could easily lead to a disaster. To drive this highway, you need one of those 18-wheelers like the ones outside."

"I’m not familiar with any of this. My original plan was to fly the animals to the Crown Territory," Snow said with a helpless and frustrated shake of his head.

Seeing this, Feng Mountain quickly raised his hands, signaling for the two of them to calm down.

’The problem is right in front of us. We just need to figure out how to solve it. Why waste energy getting worked up about it?’

"Can the truck’s cargo container be detached completely?" Feng Mountain asked after a moment of thought.

Snow nodded. "Yes. To make air transfers easier, the shipping company used a standalone container. It can be detached whole."

"Well, there you go," Feng Mountain said with a shrug, gesturing toward the bustling restaurant. "Since the truck you hired can’t handle the Dalton Highway, just switch to one that can. This place is full of drivers. All you have to do is pay to hire one. It’s that simple."

"We could, but the rescue station doesn’t have the money to pay for a second transport fee," Snow sighed helplessly.

Of course he knew they could switch trucks, but the problem was that the animal rescue station wasn’t a for-profit organization. It relied entirely on government funding and public donations, so every expense had to be carefully managed.

"Don’t worry about it. I’ll pay," Feng Mountain said, standing up. He clapped his hands together, and the sharp sound instantly drew the attention of the many drivers in the restaurant.