What is all this?

Wasn’t having Maria around enough? Now he was stuffing more people in. Did he think the Crown Territory was some kind of charity shelter?

Although Feng Mountain sympathized with their experiences, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t angry at Frank for unilaterally deciding to bring people to the Crown Territory without his permission.

After giving the newcomers a slight nod, Feng Mountain shot Frank a look, signaling for him to follow him outside.

Once they were outside, Feng Mountain stared right at Frank, his eyes a mixture of anger and confusion.

"I need an explanation."

Frank sighed, pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, and lit one up. He took a long drag, then slowly exhaled a plume of white smoke.

"Did you know? I was once just like them. I was born into a tragic family. My father was gay, and my mother was a prostitute."

"Growing up in such a dysfunctional environment, I never experienced normal familial love. My father’s emotional investment in other men meant he paid no attention to his family. My mother spent her days entertaining all sorts of men; her life was a complete mess."

"Every time my parents fought, they’d take it out on me, beating me black and blue. A few times, if the neighbors hadn’t found me, I probably would have met God."

Hearing this, the anger in Feng Mountain’s heart slowly faded. He took the pack of cigarettes from Frank’s hand and lit one for himself.

He’d quit for nearly ten years, only to pick it up again now.

The harsh tobacco sent him into a coughing fit, and the smoke made his eyes water and squint.

"And then what?"

"Later, I saved up some money delivering newspapers every morning. After the last time they beat me, I decided to leave that house for good. I snuck onto a ship to Alaska and made my way north to Fairbanks. Fairbanks was a lot colder back then than it is now."

"If Feng hadn’t been taking out the trash, I probably would have frozen to death in a dumpster."

"So, those people inside... we’ve walked the same path. I think if Feng were still alive, he would have supported my decision."

’So he’s using my grand-uncle to guilt-trip me!’

Feng Mountain rolled his eyes and stubbed his cigarette out in the snow. "You already promised them?"

"That’s right. I told them there was a Land of Angels that could save their souls." Frank met Feng Mountain’s questioning gaze without flinching and asked in return, "Don’t they deserve to be saved? To be given a chance, just like Feng gave me one? What do you say?"

Feng Mountain stared at Frank for a moment, then nodded silently. "If you’re the one asking, I’ll take them in. But this is the last time."

"God will thank you for this." A relieved smile spread across Frank’s face. "And believe me, these five will be a great help to you."

Feng Mountain gave him a resigned look. "No next time. Do they have any bad habits? Drinking, drugs, gambling, anything like that?"

Frank immediately placed one hand over his heart and raised the other, swearing solemnly.

"I swear to God, other than some mental issues, they have absolutely no other bad habits."

"Fine. Just this once. The last time!" Feng Mountain said, nodding as he backed away. He suddenly remembered something. "I forgot to ask, how old are you?"

"Forty-nine. Why?" Frank replied, looking puzzled.

"Nothing!" Feng Mountain waved his hand dismissively and turned to walk back into the house.

...

Back in the living room, the atmosphere was so heavy that Tom felt like he could barely breathe. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to ease the feeling, but it was no use.

The five newcomers didn’t speak or move. They just sat there silently, their expressions numb and their eyes vacant, as if they were soulless.

The only sound was the television, which was playing a talk show punctuated by bursts of laughter.

When Feng Mountain re-entered the living room, the five people Frank had brought with him raised their heads and stared fixedly at him.

Stared at by those empty gazes, Feng Mountain felt his chest tighten, and he paused for a fraction of a second.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and slowly walked to the front of the room near the TV.

"Everyone, welcome to the Crown Territory. Before we go any further, I need to make a few things clear. The Crown Territory is located in the Far North Tundra. The climate is freezing, the environment is harsh, and it’s completely desolate. There are no other human settlements for hundreds of kilometers. Once you’re there, you’ll have to do everything for yourselves."

"If you don’t want to go, you can raise your hand. You’re free to stay or leave."

His words hung in the air, but the five of them just sat there quietly. No one raised a hand.

Perhaps, in their eyes, one place to be homeless was just as good as another.

Feng Mountain glanced at Frank and shrugged.

"Alright then. Tom will pick you up tomorrow morning. You’ll take a plane to the Crown Territory. I hope you’re all mentally prepared."

"Tom, I’ll have to trouble you to take them to the Crown Territory tomorrow. And tell Nash for me."

"Okay," Tom replied with a quick nod.

"Wait," Frank, who was standing to the side, raised his hand. "Pal, I think you should keep Yves with you. He’s skilled in personal security, and I’m worried someone might try to cause you trouble."

Hearing Frank say his name, Yves Kingsley, who had been sitting on the sofa, shot to his feet, walked over to Feng Mountain, and gave him a sharp salute.

"Sir."

Feng Mountain quickly motioned for him to lower his hand and looked the retired Ranger over.

His posture was ramrod straight and a little stiff, a habit likely carried over from his time in the service.

He was half a head taller than Feng Mountain, with a sturdy but lean build. He had short, neat, dark brown hair, a pair of striking blue eyes, and a faint scar on his neck.

All in all, he made a good first impression. At least he looked more dependable than Tom.

"I’ll be counting on you for the next few days, then!"

Yves straightened up, about to reply, but Feng Mountain stopped him. "This isn’t the army. Relax. From now on, you can call me Khilla or Brother Shan."

"O...Okay, Khilla!" Yves hesitated for a moment before nodding, a complicated look in his eyes.

Feng Mountain was pleased with Yves’s response. It suggested his condition wasn’t as severe as he had feared. He then turned to Frank and Tom.

"I’m not going back to the hotel with you. I’m staying here tonight. Remember to pick me up early tomorrow."

"Alright, pal. Hope you have a fun night." Frank approved of Feng Mountain’s decision to stay. A little time together would help build understanding and trust, and break down some barriers.

It seemed Frank’s lecture at the restaurant had been quite effective.

He saw the two of them off.

Returning to the living room, Feng Mountain pulled out his phone with a wide smile and looked at the five newcomers. "Anyone want to get some Chinese food? Or maybe KFC, McDonald’s, fries, that sort of thing?"

Unfortunately, he was met with silence.

The smile on Feng Mountain’s face faltered for a second, but he quickly regained his enthusiasm and cleared his throat. "Okay, I’ll just order a variety then!"

With that, he dialed the number of his chatty acquaintance from Lin Garden.

The call connected almost instantly.

"Brother Shan! Why’d you leave without saying anything? I wanted to see you off."

"How was the food today? To your liking? I specifically told Chef Liu to cook it the authentic way, just like back home."

"I was going to pay the bill, but by the time I was free, you’d already settled it. You shouldn’t have! Next time, it’s my treat, you have to let me!"

Feng Mountain held the phone, unable to get a word in edgewise. The guy just kept chattering on, his mouth going like a machine gun.

’If he keeps this up,’ Feng Mountain thought, ’he won’t be done by tomorrow morning.’

"Whoa, whoa, stop. It’s Feng Jun, right? Can I still place an order? We can talk more later."

"Ordering food? You didn’t get enough to eat tonight, did you? I knew it! That Chef Liu is cutting corners! Skimping on an order for a fellow countryman? I’ll sort him out when I get back."

’How did he start up again?!’

Feng Mountain was speechless and had to interrupt him again. "Xiaofeng, just get me one of each of your house specials, plus six orders of rice. And if you don’t mind, on your way, could you stop by a KFC or McDonald’s and grab some burgers, fried chicken, fries, and Coca-Cola?"

"Brother Shan, why eat that junk? How about I personally cook you my special goose stewed in an iron pot?"

"No, no, I’ve got some foreigners here. It’s what they like to eat."

Just then, David Steel, the one who was thin as a rail and had been avoiding eye contact, suddenly raised his hand. In slightly broken Mandarin, he said, "Boss, we don’t like KFC. Popeyes’s Bonafide Chicken would be better, with a side of Red Beans and Rice."

Huh?!

Feng Mountain, still holding the phone with Feng Jun chattering away on the other end, looked at David Steel with a slightly awkward expression.

’You speak Chinese, too?’

’Is Mandarin really that common in Alaska these days?’

’Guess I’ll have to be more careful about cursing people out from now on.’

He then relayed the new order to Feng Jun over the phone and hung up as soon as he was sure the guy had written it all down.

Dealing with such a talkative guy from back home was exhausting.

After ordering the food, Feng Mountain looked at the five newcomers, and they looked back at him. They all just stared at each other, with no one showing any intention of speaking.

Time seemed to freeze, and the air grew even thicker with tension.

"I’m going out for a smoke," Feng Mountain said, grabbing the first excuse he could think of. He beat a hasty retreat from the house, but heard footsteps behind him.

Feng Mountain turned his head and saw Yves following close behind.

’I just came out here for some fresh air, and now I’ve got a shadow,’ he thought.

Yves came to stand beside him and looked up quietly at the night sky. After a long moment, he said softly, "I can understand how you feel."

Feng Mountain glanced at him and gave a wry smile. "You do? The atmosphere in there is suffocating."

Yves lowered his head and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Actually... they just don’t know how to express themselves. Could you tell me about the Crown Territory?"

Feng Mountain was taken aback for a second. "The Crown Territory? To be honest, it’s a pretty terrible place. There’s nothing there but snow-capped mountains, tundra, forests, and glacial riverbeds. The weather’s cold enough to kill you, and every day is either snow or wind. All our food comes from hunting, supplies are scarce, and a single blizzard can take away everything you have."

Yves looked up, a puzzled expression in his eyes. "But... it sounds like the scenery is beautiful."

Feng Mountain let out a bitter laugh. "If we’re talking about scenery, then yeah, it’s not bad. If you go there, I can guarantee you’ll eat meat every day, and no one will ever look down on you. Freedom is probably its only redeeming quality."

Yves listened quietly, a look of longing in his eyes.

After that brief exchange, the two of them seemed to run out of things to say again.

But soon, a pickup truck with its headlights blazing turned onto the street and pulled over.

Feng Jun, dressed in winter gear, got out of the truck and looked around. Spotting Feng Mountain in front of the house, he quickly waved him over.

"Brother Shan, come give me a hand! I bought a ton of stuff."

Feng Mountain hurried over. Feng Jun opened the back door of the truck, revealing a pile of foil-wrapped containers on the seat.

...