BANG! BANG! BANG!!

The iron sheet door of the warehouse was pounded on heavily. Yves and the veteran walked inside, and Yves kicked at the sleeping bags huddled in the corner.

"Get up! You’re still sleeping!"

A head poked out from one of the sleeping bags. The Red Hat Man said, disgruntled, "Even if we’re criminals, you can’t just wake us up like this. We have rights, you know."

A cool breeze whistled through the cracks in the warehouse walls.

"The boss says you’re not going to Fairbanks today. You need to compensate Crown Territory before you can leave." Yves turned his head. The veteran behind him was holding four shovels.

Compensation?

’Where am I going to get money for compensation? If I had money, I wouldn’t be poaching in the first place.’

The Red Hat Man and his three companions crawled out of their sleeping bags.

Their hearts sank in unison.

The Red Hat Man frowned, trying to reason with Yves. "We really don’t have any money to pay you. Can’t you cut us some slack?"

The corners of Yves’s mouth turned up in a grin.

"No money is no problem. You can work off your debt. Since you poached a large number of wild animals, causing immeasurable losses to Crown Territory, the boss has determined that your compensation will be 1.2 million US dollars. You’ll start working today for a monthly salary of 1,000 US Dollars. As soon as you’ve worked off the 1.2 million, you’ll be free to leave Crown Territory."

What?

A 1.2-million-dollar compensation fee!

Split four ways, that was 300,000 US Dollars per person.

’Were those reindeer studded with diamonds or something?’

’Or were the foxes made of solid gold?’

’How else could the compensation be so high?’

’A month’s work for a measly 1,000 US Dollars.’

’Compared to that enormous debt, such a meager income was just a drop in the bucket.’

’How long would they have to work to pay off a debt like that?’

The Red Hat Man and his three companions stared at each other, their eyes filled with despair. When they looked at Yves, the smile on his face seemed as terrifying and malevolent as a demon’s.

"But don’t you worry. Our merciful boss will provide you with a small cabin, and your meals will be free. Once you’ve paid off the debt, the boss will drop all charges against you." Yves grinned, then, as if remembering something, he yelled toward the entrance, "Come on in!"

WHINE!

A series of low whines approached.

Four powerful Taiga Wolves entered the warehouse. They were large and imposing, their white fur gleaming in the dim light.

Their piercing gazes locked onto the Red Hat Man’s group of four, a clear warning against any thoughts of escape.

The four men scrambled backward in fright, their faces instantly turning pale.

Yves waved his hand dismissively. "Don’t be afraid," he said, his expression deceptively kind.

"We’re short-staffed at the camp, so we can’t watch you 24/7. The boss asked these four to help supervise. From now on, wherever you go and whatever you do, they’ll be right there with you. Don’t even think about leaving the camp. You know what a Taiga Wolf is capable of, don’t you?"

’How vicious!!’

A bleak despair washed over the four men.

Trying to escape from a Taiga Wolf during winter in the Far North Tundra, with no weapons and no survival gear, was an impossible fantasy.

You’d have a better chance of convincing yourself you were the reincarnation of God and tricking a few morons into wiring you their life savings.

"Here, take a shovel and get started on today’s work. A White Wolf will lead you to the worksite." Before Yves had even finished speaking, the veteran beside them was handing out the shovels. His voice held a hint of jest, as if to lighten the mood.

"Look on the bright side, fellas. Working at Crown Territory is a lot freer than being locked up. At least you don’t have to worry about dropping the soap."

The truth is a bitter pill to swallow.

The Red Hat Man knew the veteran wasn’t wrong.

In their dire circumstances, he had no choice but to accept their cruel reality.

Staying at Crown Territory to work off the debt at least meant breathing free air, which was a hell of a lot better than being locked up behind high prison walls.

At the very least, he wouldn’t have to worry day and night about someone ambushing his backside.

He shuddered just thinking about what he’d been through in prison.

’That feeling... it really, really hurt!’

Staying at Crown Territory to work off the debt at least meant breathing free air, which was a hell of a lot better than being locked up behind high prison walls. At the very least, he wouldn’t have to worry day and night about someone ambushing his backside.

’That feeling... it really, really hurt!’

"We... we haven’t had breakfast yet," the Red Hat Man said, taking the first shovel and looking hesitantly at Yves.

"Buddy, take them to the dining hall. After they’ve eaten, bring them to the vegetable garden," Yves said, looking down at a sturdy White Wolf. The wolf nodded its head as if to say, ’Roger that.’

"So smart," Yves marveled at the White Wolf’s intelligence. When Khilla had introduced the White Wolf Pack to everyone that morning, they had all been stunned. The idea of wild wolves performing camp duties sounded like a joke.

But when the White Wolf Pack perfectly executed the commands issued by Feng Mountain in front of everyone, their surprise had turned to utter shock.

WHINE!!

The four White Wolves let out a low whine, as if urging the four men to work faster.

Yves waved his hand. "Go on, don’t waste time. You’ll be on an eight-hour workday: 8 AM to 12 PM, a two-hour break for lunch, and then you’re off at 6 PM."

The Red Hat Man walked out of the warehouse with his shovel. The other three hurried after him, each man flanked by a White Wolf. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

If you didn’t know what was going on, you might think they were just four men out walking their dogs.

The arrival of the White Wolf Pack certainly added a unique flair to the camp.

Their forms, weaving through the camp, brought with them a raw, primitive beauty.

...

「The Camp’s Vegetable Garden」

On this vibrant patch of land, the work of making tomato sauce was proceeding in an orderly fashion.