By the time the short meeting ended and they walked out of the cabin, the sky was already growing dim.

The setting sun slowly sank behind the snowy mountain peaks, leaving only a final streak of crimson afterglow across the horizon.

The clouds, once lit by the sunset, gradually lost their brilliance, their colors shifting from orange-red to a dark purple.

Feng Shan took out his phone to check the time.

It was only 3:49 p.m., but night was already falling.

The days were shrinking by more than ten minutes at a time, a change that would continue until the entire region was plunged into polar night.

’Looks like building the power station was absolutely necessary.’

David led Feng Shan and Nash to the north side of the camp, where a solitary small cabin stood on the other side of the Ice River.

Crossing the Ice River, they saw a separate channel dug out along the bank. It connected to three foundation pits for the power generators, from which the sound of rushing water could be heard.

A steel grate was set over the pits. Standing on it, you could see a vortex forming in the center of the current, with turbine blades spinning rapidly within it.

David pushed open the wooden door to the power station. "Boss, we’ve tested the vortex, and the results are fantastic. All the power being generated is stored in the energy cabinets. Everyone’s been waiting for you to come back and press the main power button yourself. They all feel you’re the only one for the job."

’Since when did you all learn to suck up so well?’

’Still, I like it.’

Feng Shan feigned annoyance, but his eyes were smiling.

Inside the cabin, a unique scent filled the air—a mixture of faint machine oil and fresh wood.

A row of metal cabinets lined the wall, each with various indicator lights blinking, displaying their respective statuses.

"Boss, these are the energy storage cabinets. To prevent power outages, I put in a special request with Baima Wangmu to have them installed. Each cabinet can store up to 5,500 kWh per day. They use a turbine-based energy storage system to convert between the water pump and the water turbine, allowing for the storage and release of electrical energy to maintain an uninterruptible power supply."

"And this is the main power switch!" David said, pointing to a round button on one of the cabinets.

Feng Shan walked over, raised his hand, and pressed it firmly.

There was a solid CLICK, and the storage cabinets began to hum like a swarm of bees.

And then...

’That’s it?’

’Doesn’t feel like a particularly special surprise.’

Feng Shan looked up at David, but David just gave him a mysterious smile and pointed toward the power station’s wooden door. "Boss, the surprise is outside."

’So secretive!’

Nevertheless, Feng Shan strode toward the door.

His heart was filled with anticipation for this so-called surprise, wondering what on earth David had up his sleeve.

When he stepped out the door, he froze on the spot.

The camp, which should have been cloaked in darkness, was now ablaze with light.

Countless lights, like a smattering of stars, were scattered throughout the camp. Some were soft, others bright, all of them weaving together to illuminate the entire area.

If the Fire Seed had brought hope to the Crown Territory, then electricity had brought it light.

The light drove away the encroaching darkness, elevating life from basic survival to a more comfortable stage.

"Boss, while you were away, I not only managed the power generation project but also wired the entire camp and replaced the streetlights," David said, a hint of pride on his face.

"Not bad!" Feng Shan nodded, very pleased with the result.

’With electricity, life in the camp is going to change dramatically.’

’In terms of daily life, the lights will turn night into day. No more fumbling around in the dark, and everyone will feel safer.’

’For production, we can now use equipment that requires electricity, like power saws, which will boost efficiency.’

’For entertainment, we can use small appliances like televisions, bringing more fun to the camp.’

「Meanwhile.」

Back in the camp, the streetlights suddenly burst to life, beams of light scattering the surrounding darkness.

Objects that had been mere silhouettes in the dim glow of kerosene lamps were now revealed in sharp detail under the new lights.

Everyone’s faces lit up with surprise and excitement. Some stopped beneath the streetlights, tilting their heads back to gaze quietly at the bright bulbs, while others began to cheer and leap for joy, sharing their delight with one another.

The lights illuminated the camp’s paths. Under their glow, the winding gravel roads looked like ribbons of light, adding a unique warmth and beauty to the entire settlement.

In the dining hall, the new and old employees were bustling about, preparing for the party.

Just then, Tammy rushed into the hall with an ecstatic look on her face, her voice brimming with excitement and joy.

"Quick, the power’s on!"

The news was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, instantly causing a stir in the dining hall.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, surprised looks on their faces. After exchanging glances, they hurried to flip the dining hall’s light switches.

FLICK!

The light fixtures on the ceiling lit up instantly.

Bright light flooded down, and the entire dining hall seemed to have been given new life.

Immediately, the hall filled with cheers and laughter. The girls hugged each other, their hearts full of anticipation and hope for the future.

「On the camp’s gravel path.」

Yves was patrolling the camp with the new security team members when the streetlights suddenly came on. The team members stopped in their tracks and stared up at the lights, some in disbelief.

"Keep moving!" Yves ordered after a quick glance, and continued walking forward.

The residents from Kivalina Town on the riverbank had just happily finished their five-hour workday when they saw the camp light up.

Old Swan was filled with mixed feelings.

’The Crown Territory is changing every single day.’

’When I first arrived, this was just a barren wasteland. I never thought they’d even have electricity now.’

’It’s a shame Louise’s promises weren’t good enough. Otherwise, I might have been a part of the Crown Territory myself.’

The other town residents all looked toward the camp.

"The Crown Territory has power! Oh, Spirit of All Things!"

"They said they were getting a generator last time. They got it working so fast."

"Two generators cost 500,000. Feng is really rich."

"I wish I could live here."

Hearing the other town residents’ chatter, Old Swan felt even worse. He turned and snapped irritably.

"Is having power a good thing? It just means more work! Stop standing around and get ready to work!"

「At the Mammoth excavation site.」

They were supposed to stop work once it got dark, but when Mikhail Milyutin saw the camp had power, he hurried over to request an electrical line be run to the site.

’The sooner we dig up the mammoth, the sooner I can go home.’

「Far off on the riverbank.」

Two figures were trekking with difficulty through the snow.

One of them, who had a wild rabbit hanging from his waist, looked up and saw the blaze of light from the direction of the camp. He asked in confusion.

"Wawa, your camp has electricity now?"

His voice was filled with surprise and curiosity, as if he found it completely unexpected for the camp to suddenly have power.

Wawa squinted, peering carefully in the direction of the camp.

Gazing at the bright expanse of lights, he said slowly, "The boss must be back."

"Brother Feng is back?" The man’s face lit up with pleasant surprise, and he quickened his pace back toward the camp.

...

After activating the power, Feng Shan returned to the camp.

He had seen the camp countless times during the day, but this was the first time he’d seen it at night, illuminated by lights.

The lights gave the camp a completely different atmosphere than it had in the daytime.

The paths and buildings, so clear in the daylight, now had a tranquil warmth under the glow of the lights.

When he arrived at the dining hall, Feng Shan’s appearance brought the atmosphere to a new peak.

Seeing Feng Shan, the new employees eagerly gathered around him, their faces beaming with excitement.

However, in the next moment, Maria, Erica, Tammy, and Demi sprang into action.

The four of them worked in perfect coordination to surround Feng Shan, forming a human barrier to prevent any other girls from getting close.

They were like four mother hens, carefully protecting their little chick, Feng Shan.

Their possessiveness was practically overflowing from the dining hall.

Feng Shan gave a helpless, wry smile. He had to change the subject to get the four of them to move, or else he wouldn’t be able to get anything done.

"Erica, have you seen Prince and Princess? I brought back two little polar bear cubs from Kaktovik."

Two little polar bear cubs!!

Sure enough, as soon as they heard about the polar bear cubs, the four girls immediately shifted their attention away from Feng Shan.

"No, Prince hasn’t come back to the camp," Tammy said, shaking her head quickly.

"That’s not right. I remember they came back first." Feng Shan quickly communicated with the Fire Seed in his mind, searching for Prince and Princess.

He soon found them behind the tool shed.

At some point, Prince and Princess had dug a den behind the tool shed and lined it with animal-hide blankets. The two little polar bear cubs were currently curled up in Princess’s embrace, while Prince lay dutifully beside them with a piece of stolen dried venison.

’Those two idiots.’

’They’re not even adults, and they’re already trying to be parents.’

"I remember now. Prince and Princess should be behind the tool shed. They dug a den."

The moment Feng Shan finished speaking, the four "guardians" surrounding him vanished, rushing impatiently toward the tool shed.

Just then, Jenny walked over with a gentle smile, as if she had seen right through Feng Shan’s little trick. She shot him a flirtatious glance, as if to say she knew he’d sent the other four girls away on purpose.

’To be honest, among these five women...’

’Jenny might not have the most conventionally beautiful features, but her face as a whole has a unique charm, making her the most captivating to look at over time.’

’It was especially worth noting that the scar on Jenny’s face didn’t detract from her beauty at all. In fact, after her time recovering in the Crown Territory, it had added a unique quality to her aura.’

’Combined with her mature figure, it gave her a distinct allure.’

’Especially those few times he’d used the Fire Seed to survey the camp and had accidentally seen Jenny... well, let’s just say she was curvy in all the right places. It was an unforgettable sight.’

Now, looking at Jenny’s flirtatious expression, Feng Shan’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.

Her complex, enchanting aura and mature charm sent ripples through his heart.

In the end, however, he forcibly suppressed those lustful thoughts, pretended to be calm as he glanced around, and then changed the subject.

"Is everything all set for the party?"

Jenny seemed to have noticed Feng Shan’s strange behavior long ago.

In her eyes, Feng Shan wasn’t entirely without feelings for her, but he always suppressed his heart’s desires.

She sighed silently to herself.

’I’ve known for a while that Feng Shan once had a lover.’

’Every time I go to clean his bedroom, I notice the photograph on his bookshelf. It’s wiped spotlessly clean every day, without a speck of dust on it.’

Jenny could understand this man’s inner devotion, which also made her own feelings toward Feng Shan more complicated.

She offered a small smile to ease Feng Shan’s awkwardness, but it was slightly forced. She said softly,

"Everything for the party is more or less ready. We’re just waiting for it to start."

...