By the Ice River, all sorts of cold-water fish swam freely in the clear water. Seeing a person approach, they swarmed to the bank, waiting to be fed.

Feng said a hydro-turbine generator would be suitable for Crown Territory.

If they had electricity, things would be much more convenient.

At the very least, they wouldn’t have to smell the pungent odor of kerosene lamps anymore.

Feng Mountain thought for a moment, then took out his satellite phone to contact Manager Sam at the North Slope Petroleum Company.

After the call connected, they exchanged a few pleasantries before Feng Mountain explained the situation.

Unfortunately, Manager Sam said he didn’t know much about hydroelectric power; the petroleum company’s construction team mainly did civil engineering. However, he did provide the phone number of a generator dealer.

Feng Mountain called the number.

When the person on the other end heard Feng Mountain’s inquiry, he immediately said he could supply a hydro-turbine generator but would need to conduct an on-site inspection of the river in Crown Territory. If the conditions weren’t met, there was nothing he could do, even for extra money. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

After setting a meeting time, Feng Mountain felt a great sense of relief. At least the prospect of getting electricity was mostly settled.

He strolled along the riverbank until he reached the vegetable garden.

The garden was originally only half the size of a basketball court, but now its area had more than doubled.

Maria and Tammy were watering the vegetables, carrying a modified bucket between them.

The bucket was a discarded paint can that had now found a new purpose.

A few small holes had been drilled in the bottom, and a baffle plate was installed inside. When the bucket was full, the water pressure held the baffle firmly in place, preventing any water from leaking out.

When it was time to water, they just had to gently lift the baffle, and the water would flow out slowly through the small holes.

Under the two girls’ care, the vegetables in the garden were thriving. The tomatoes and peppers were especially eye-catching, their clusters of fruit hanging like small, exquisite lanterns amidst the green leaves.

"Khilla." The two girls quickly stopped what they were doing when they saw Feng Mountain appear.

Feng Mountain smiled and casually plucked a finger-length cucumber from the vine. These foreign cucumbers had no spines and smooth skin. Feng Mountain rubbed it with his hand and tossed it into his mouth.

It was crisp and delicious, the flesh having a hint of sweetness.

"I’m just taking a look around. You’re doing a great job with these vegetables!"

Seeing Feng Mountain pick and eat the cucumber without washing it, Tammy looked alarmed. "Khilla, we used farm manure on these cucumbers."

’Farm manure?’

’It can’t be...’

Feng Mountain looked at the two girls, his gaze questioning.

Maria nodded. "Mr. Hei Pi told us that in China, they always use farm manure for growing vegetables. That’s how they get so big and plump."

"That’s right. Mr. Hei Pi even took us to collect the dung, dig a pit to let it decompose, and then showed us how to fertilize the vegetables." Tammy pointed to the flourishing plants with a serious expression. "The vegetables grow exceptionally well with farm manure. They’ll be ready to pick in a few more days."

"Great, keep it up!" What else could Feng Mountain say? ’They’ve even learned about using manure. No wonder foreigners say Chinese people have an innate talent for farming—give them a patch of dirt and they can grow anything.’

Leaving the vegetable garden, Feng Mountain found Jenny and David, who were scouting a location for the restaurant and bar.

"Hey guys, how’s the site selection coming along?"

"Khilla, there might be a bit of a problem." David handed Feng Mountain the blueprints he was holding.

He took them and glanced over them. The camp layout on the blueprints seemed different from the previous version.

Feng Mountain was reminded of a call he’d gotten from his phone company a few days ago. They told him an upgraded version of his contract phone was available, and he could get it for an extra 30 US Dollars a month.

"The camp plans got an upgrade? A Pro Max version?"

Compared to the first version of the plans, the new, upgraded one was much clearer and more detailed.

First, the mini-cabin area had been cleverly divided into residential zones of various sizes, separated by small, stone-paved paths that also connected the zones.

This made it look much neater and more orderly, rather than the previous jumbled arrangement.

Extending outward from the residential area, the stone paths crisscrossed, dividing the rest of the camp into more zones of different sizes.

David stood beside him, explaining his planning concept.

"Khilla, these demarcated areas can be used as the camp’s future commercial and recreational zones. Designing it as a grid-based community has many benefits."

"First, it’s easier to manage. A clear grid layout makes the function of each area obvious at a glance, making both routine maintenance and emergency response more efficient."

"Second, this layout will be a huge convenience for future electrical and plumbing installation. The grid design allows for more logical planning of utility lines, reducing construction difficulty and cost, while also improving the stability and reliability of the systems."

"It’s just..." David paused after his explanation.

"Just what? If there’s a problem, just say it." Feng Mountain was very satisfied with this new plan. If they could pull it off, the basic framework of a small community would be complete. All that would be left was to fill it with various facilities and equipment.

David took a deep breath and said slowly, "Khilla, we’ll need a lot of manpower and resources for construction. With the number of people we currently have in Crown Territory, it’ll be very difficult to finish this in a short time."

Hah!

’And here I thought it was some major problem. It’s just a shortage of people.’

A lack of people was the last thing Feng Mountain was worried about. Kivalina and Point Leando were full of idle hands.

Now that winter had set in, the communities and villages in the Far North Tundra Region were basically at a standstill. People at home did little more than eat and sleep. If he offered them a job with room, board, and a salary, Old Swan and his crew’s eyes would be glowing green.

"You don’t need to worry about people. I’ll find them for you. You just focus on managing the site."

"Boss, here’s a list of things for the restaurant. A lot of the equipment needs to be ordered from the mainland United States." Jenny also produced a list for the restaurant.

The list detailed all the equipment the restaurant needed, from stoves and ovens to tableware. Jenny had carefully considered every item.

"You don’t need to give it to me. Just give it to Tom and have him handle the procurement."

Feng Mountain shook his head. ’Since he’d chosen to trust them, he should be able to confidently hand the work off to the right people.’

’In a team, everyone had their own specialty and responsibilities. The team could only operate efficiently if everyone’s strengths were put to good use.’

’If he had to worry about everything himself...’

’...where would he find the time to slack off?’

「In mid-November on the Tundra, there were only six hours of daylight.」

Time seemed to be compressed in these short daylight hours, flying by in a flash.

Feng Mountain finished his tour of the camp, inside and out. By around 4:30 in the afternoon, the sky was completely dark.

Darkness rushed in like a tide, blanketing the land.

The moment the last glimmer of twilight vanished, it took the hustle and bustle of the day with it.

Everyone returned to the cabin, gathering around the dining table for a simple dinner. They chatted about their day’s accomplishments, and a warm atmosphere filled the room.

Under the dim, yellow light of the kerosene lamps, everyone’s faces seemed particularly soft.

The simple food gave off a warm aroma, replenishing them after a tiring day.

They shared stories of their work from the day, one after another. Laughter and conversation intertwined, creating a harmonious melody.

In this cold season, this warmth was like a fire in winter, warming everyone’s heart.

It made everyone feel the warmth of home and cherish each other’s company even more.

Just then, the cabin door was pushed open, and a gust of cold wind rushed in.

Yves and Demi walked into the dining area.

"Erica, did you miss me?" Demi went straight to Erica’s side, and the two of them showed their affection openly in front of everyone.

As Feng Mountain stood up to greet them, he cast a puzzled glance at Jenny, who returned a helpless look.

"Khilla, the fruit trees have all been delivered. Two thousand of them in total." Yves took off his gloves.

"The fruit trees are here!" Feng Mountain’s eyes lit up. He quickly called the men to go outside and bring the trees back to the camp.

’Outside the camp proper, the temperature on the riverbank was still quite cold. If left in the plane’s cargo hold overnight, they would likely freeze to death.’

Four snowmobiles drove out of the camp and headed for the airstrip.

They loaded the fruit trees onto sleds and hauled them back to camp without stopping.

The bundles of saplings, wrapped in frost-proof cotton, attracted everyone’s curiosity. However, no one expressed any doubt about whether they would survive.

’If even vegetables could survive in the camp, then trees would be no problem at all.’

Feng Mountain got ahold of the fruit tree inventory.

cold-hardy apple trees, 200 haskap berry bushes, 300 ’Number 8’ cherry trees, 300 ’Black Phoenix’ plum trees, 300 American citrus trees, 200 American persimmon trees, and the rest were hawthorn and blueberry trees.

This batch of fruit trees consisted of cold-hardy varieties carefully selected by Tom. In Feng Mountain’s opinion, however, it was completely unnecessary. ’With the protection of the tribe’s Fire Seed, practically any fruit tree could survive.’

Since it was still early, Feng Mountain decided to plant a batch in front of the main cabin first. This way, they could serve as a fence and also add a touch of natural beauty to the cabin.

Imagining the trees grown up in the future, with lush branches and leaves heavy with fruit, Feng Mountain’s heart filled with anticipation.

No sooner said than done. There was nothing else scheduled for the evening, anyway.

He sent Nash to the toolshed to get some tools.

The men were in charge of planting the trees, while the women were responsible for carrying them.

The blueberry bushes, being shrubs, were planted on the very perimeter, along both sides of the stone path.

The rest were planted randomly. The men’s team, led by Feng Mountain, just focused on digging holes. As for which type of tree went into which hole, that was entirely up to the women’s mood.

The camp’s soil had been improved by the Fire Seed, making it exceptionally soft and fertile. It only took a few digs with a shovel to make a hole.

In less than an hour, the area around the main cabin and the staff dormitory was filled with fruit trees.

It was still early, so everyone decided to keep planting.

The women, carrying bundles of saplings, were like flower girls in a parade. With radiant smiles, they weaved through the camp, randomly placing trees in spots they liked.

The men followed behind, digging a hole and planting a tree wherever one was placed.

Around the fire pit of the tribe’s Fire Seed, Feng Mountain deliberately planted a circle of persimmon trees.

When they grew tall and autumn arrived, the trees would be covered in bright red persimmons, like little lanterns illuminating the entire settlement.

They took the last fruit tree from the sled and planted it in the soil.

Everyone’s gaze focused on the newly planted tree, as if they were witnessing the birth of a new hope.

The soil was gently packed around the sapling’s roots, as if giving it a warm embrace.

The aurora flickered in the night sky, its dreamlike colors dancing across the celestial canopy.

Illuminated by the kerosene street lamps lining the stone paths, the camp exuded a warm and tranquil aura.

The dim yellow light spilled onto the ground, complementing the aurora in the night sky and creating a unique and enchanting atmosphere.

Everyone stood together, their eyes full of hope, quietly looking at the fruit trees they had just planted.

The small saplings stood straight in this new land, as if showing off their vitality and vigor.

Unconsciously, tears welled up in the eyes of Jenny, Maria, Erica, Tammy, and Demi, an indescribable feeling of being moved washing over them.

These fruit trees were not just plants; they were their hope for their future lives.

Looking at these trees, they could almost see the prosperous future of the camp, see people playing happily under the trees, and see everyone sharing the joy of a bountiful harvest.

"Wait!" Feng Mountain remembered something. He quickly told everyone not to move, then turned and ran back to the cabin. When he returned, he was holding a camera.

He mounted it securely and set it to the self-timer mode.

After setting up the camera, he double-checked the settings before confidently rejoining the group.

"Come on, everyone look at the camera and shout ’Yay!’"

"Yay!"

CLICK!

The camera captured the beautiful moment.

In the photograph, the aurora flickered with magnificent colors in the night sky, the kerosene street lamps cast a warm glow, and the newly planted fruit trees swayed gently in the breeze. In the middle of it all stood the group, their faces lit up with brilliant smiles.

...