’A tenant?’

’Rent?’

Maria’s mind struggled to keep up. Back in Kivalina, outdoor enthusiasts would occasionally visit the Ice Sea and rent cabins from the local residents.

But those were humans. The creature before her was a falcon—the king of the skies in this extremely cold land.

Every year, Kivalina holds a festival to commemorate their ancestors and gods. During the festival, the elders would sing praises of the falcon’s ferocity in the ancient Inuit language.

Feng Shan didn’t know what the girl was thinking. He walked up to the White Feathered Eagle and said, "She’s from the Crown Territory. Don’t scare her anymore."

The White Feathered Eagle obediently folded its wings and humbly lowered its head, just like a tenant who was six months behind on rent, agreeing to whatever the landlord said.

’Yeah!’

’It’s more obedient than Prince.’

The more Feng Shan looked at the eagle, the more he liked it. He recalled that it was the first tenant from the Glacial River Beach. ’Since I’m collecting so much rent from it, it’s only right that I, the landlord, give a little something back.’

At this thought, he raised his hand and silently recited the incantation for the Beast Taming Witchcraft. A red ray of light shot out from his Witchcraft Bone Ring and into the eagle’s body.

The next moment, the eagle trembled all over and let out a sharp cry.

At the same time, the eagle’s black eyes grew brighter, like two dazzling black gems glinting with a mysterious light. Its form also seemed to have become more majestic.

The eagle’s reaction made Feng Shan fall into deep thought.

’I used the same Beast Taming Technique, but the enhancing effect seems much better on purely wild animals like this one, compared to Prince, Coca-Cola, the Little Wolf Cub, and the White Wolf Pack.’

’Is it because they’re more feral? Or is it that surviving in this harsh environment has tempered their willpower, making them more receptive to the Beast Taming Technique?’

WHOOSH WHOOSH!!

The eagle stood on the rock, restlessly flapping its wings, eager to fly into the sky. But the man before it seemed to be silently transmitting some kind of command, forcefully suppressing its impulse.

Rousing from his thoughts, Feng Shan saw the eagle’s restless state and raised a hand to press down on its head.

"From now on, the Crown Territory is your home. When you’re out hunting, remember to help patrol the area. If you spot any strangers, be sure to alert me. If I’m not around, go find the White Wolf in the forest."

The eagle tilted its head, stared at Feng Shan with its sharp eyes, puffed out its chest, and let out a clear cry.

"Go on!" Feng Shan withdrew his hand.

The eagle beat its wings, leaped into the air, and shot skyward like an arrow.

It circled once above the fire pit, then sped off into the distance, disappearing over the horizon.

As an observer, Maria had witnessed the entire communication between Feng Shan and the falcon.

It was hard to imagine how such a proud and free falcon could obey a human’s command.

Perhaps it was just as her grandmother had said: Feng was an emissary of the Spirit of All Things.

...

The two returned to the camp.

Maria rinsed the berries she had gathered with water, arranged them on a plate, and brought it to Feng Shan.

’I usually do this stuff myself. I never thought I’d see the day someone was waiting on me.’

Feng Shan held the fruit plate with a smile, watching the girl deftly take down the dried meat from the rack and rearrange it.

’Mm, I have to say, these berries are getting tastier.’

’I should gather some more when I have time, make jam, and mail it back home for Xiaohua to try.’

During the Tundra winter, the sun had just slipped below the horizon, and the sky darkened rapidly as if ink had been spilled across it.

Soon, darkness took over, wrapping the entire Tundra in silence and cold.

Maria personally cooked, making a pot of stewed musk ox meat.

Looking at the tenderly stewed meat in the pot, Feng Shan carefully picked up a small piece with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

’It tastes okay. It’s just simmered in water with only salt. There aren’t any other seasonings, but the freshness and natural quality of the ingredients make up for it.’

’This rustic cooking method really preserves the food’s original flavor.’

Feng Shan looked at the nervous Maria, "Not bad!"

Phew!

Maria let out a heavy sigh of relief, her worries dispelled. Even though the bruises on her face hadn’t faded, her simple smile was as radiant as the warm spring sun.

There wasn’t a trace of gloom in her smile. It was as if all her anxieties had vanished in that instant, leaving only joy and relief.

"Let’s eat." Feng Shan smiled and also silently sighed in relief. ’This kid has finally put that unfortunate day behind her.’

Maria asked curiously, "Where’s Nash?"

"Don’t worry about him. He’s often not home. We’ll eat first and save some for him!" Feng Shan waved his hand dismissively and picked up his plate.

Just as he was speaking, the bus door slid open. A gust of cold wind rushed in, and Nash, covered in ice and snow, stepped inside.

Feng Shan asked with a smile, "You’re back. Is Morris settled in? Tell him to go chop trees tomorrow morning. No food until he’s chopped down a hundred."

The moment his words fell, the bus went silent. Upon hearing that name, Maria was reminded of that night’s nightmare. Her face instantly turned pale, her hands clenched unconsciously, and her body trembled slightly.

As for Nash, he wore an indescribable expression. After a moment, he said quietly,

"Morris accidentally fell into a Tundra swamp. He’s dead!"

This sentence exploded in the air like a bombshell, stunning everyone into silence.

Time seemed to freeze in that moment, with only Nash’s low voice echoing in their ears.

’What?’

Feng Shan froze, the smile fixed on his face.

’Did I hear him wrong?’

’Morris fell into a swamp and croaked?’

’Dude, it’s winter on the Tundra. Any swamp would be frozen solid as a rock.’

’And those mud splatters on you... do you think I’m blind?!’

’If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable. Saying he got eaten by wolves would be more convincing than him falling into a frozen swamp in the middle of winter.’

CLANG!!

The sound of a plate dropping echoed in the living area.

Feng Shan and Nash turned their heads at the same time to look.

Maria’s pupils were dilated, tears welled up in her eyes. She bit her lip, her body trembling slightly, and let the plate fall to the floor, scattering rice and musk ox meat everywhere.

"S-Sorry!" Maria hurriedly crouched down, scooping the food back onto the plate with her hands. She lowered her head and rushed into the kitchen, followed by the sound of suppressed sobs.

"Buddy, next time something like this happens, give me a heads-up so I can prepare!" Feng Shan shrugged, a hint of helplessness on his face.

’I’m not going to blame Nash for burying Morris.’

’Scum like that are only good for fertilizing the soil.’

’It’s just a shame to lose a free tree-chopper.’

"Where did you bury him?"

"Threw him in the Colville River," Nash replied quietly.

"That place has some nice scenery. He got off easy. Let’s eat!" Feng Shan gestured for Nash to sit down.

The Colville River was located a few kilometers north of the Hunter’s Lodge on the border of the Crown Territory. Originating from the Brooks Range and the Tundra, it formed a great river that stretched for thousands of kilometers before flowing into the Bering Sea, making it the second-largest river in Alaska.

His grand-uncle had written in his diary that he had once caught many large fish in the Colville River.

Faint sobbing could be heard from the kitchen.

Feng Shan didn’t go to comfort her.

This girl had been through too much, her heart long suppressed by pain and fear. Giving her enough space and time to vent was the best way to show respect.

In the small kitchen, Maria squatted in a corner, hugging her knees. She had imagined this moment countless times, but now that it had actually happened, it didn’t bring the satisfaction she had expected.

Tears blurred her vision, but she paid no mind to her hands, which were covered in food scraps.

...

In the living area.

Listening to the crying coming from the other side of the wall, the two men, Feng Shan and Nash, sat by the fireplace with their plates, eating and chatting.

"I’m going to Fairbanks a day early for a meeting tomorrow. I might have to stay for a few extra days. I don’t feel right leaving Maria home alone, so you should stay. Is there anything you need me to bring back?"

"Fuel, onions, potatoes, a snowmobile, dynamite..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you’d better write that down on a piece of paper. I’m getting old, my memory’s not what it used to be. What do you need dynamite for?"

"To blow up a mountain..."

After dinner, the crying from the kitchen hadn’t stopped.

Nash had handled the burial, but not the aftermath. After finishing his meal and wiping his mouth, he took off to the Glacial River Beach to guard the tribe’s Fire Seed.

This left Feng Shan, a lone man, to miserably hold down the fort.

’What good does it do trying to console a crying woman?’

’It’s not like I can congratulate her on getting her revenge and suggest we celebrate with a drink.’

...