Landlord in the Arctic-Chapter 50: Barbecue

By the time they hauled all the supplies and equipment back to the camp, the sky had turned gloomy. The once-spacious clearing was now piled high with goods.

Worried it might snow on the Tundra during the night, the two of them got right back to work. They grabbed a waterproof tarp from the toolshed and worked together to cover the pile of supplies.

By the time they finished, only a sliver of the setting sun remained on the horizon.

"Nash, let’s not cook a big meal tonight. How about some barbecue?" Feng Shan said, spotting the reindeer tenderloin on the meat-drying rack.

Nash nodded. As long as he could be by Khilla’s side, it didn’t matter what he ate.

"Then it’s settled!" Feng Shan took down the reindeer tenderloin, rinsed it with clean water, cut it into small pieces, and marinated it with various seasonings.

He had Nash find some fir branches and shave them into skewers. Once the meat was marinated, he threaded it onto the wooden skewers and placed them on the stove to grill.

Night fell. A brilliant aurora appeared in the sky, and the fire in the stove roared to life.

A handful of reindeer skewers danced in Feng Shan’s hands. He expertly flipped them from time to time, ensuring every side was heated evenly to achieve the perfect state of being crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Meanwhile, his other hand precisely grabbed various spices from the array of seasonings beside him, sprinkling them evenly over the skewers.

The spices fluttered down, instantly meeting the reindeer meat and releasing an enticing aroma that drifted away on the night breeze.

Nash watched from the side, dumbfounded. His wide eyes were filled with curiosity and anticipation.

Usually, when they hunted prey, they would simply skin it, clean out the organs, toss it on the fire to roast, and sprinkle some salt on it when it was cooked.

But Khilla could make such magical food.

’Could this be the food of Elves?!’

"Do you like spicy food?" Feng Shan asked, holding up the reindeer skewers.

The skewers of reindeer meat had taken on a tempting caramelized color. Their surfaces glistened with a faint golden sheen of oil. Each piece of meat was slightly curled, with crispy edges, and gave off a mouth-watering aroma.

Nash, completely captivated by the reindeer skewers, nodded subconsciously.

"You know what’s good. Skewers without chili have no soul!" Feng Shan gave him an appreciative look, then grabbed a handful of chili and cumin powder and sprinkled it evenly over the reindeer skewers.

"Here, try one."

A reindeer skewer was passed to Nash, who accepted it with a solemn expression.

’This is food bestowed by Khilla!!’

He was about to drop to his knees on the spot.

Quick as a flash, Feng Shan grabbed Nash’s shoulder, a look of anger on his face.

"Let me tell you, from now on, no more kneeling. A man’s knees are precious. You can kneel to heaven, to the earth, to your parents, but not to anyone else—and that includes me. Stand up straight!"

"If you kneel again, you’ll have to leave the Crown Territory. I won’t have you stay here."

Nash stared intently at Feng Shan’s face, his eyes filled with awe, confusion, and a hint of unconcealable, pleasant surprise.

’Khilla is willing to let me stay.’

"Hurry and eat. The skewer will get cold," Feng Shan said, letting go of Nash.

Without hesitation, Nash picked up the reindeer skewer, stuffed it into his mouth, and began to chew heartily.

Instantly, a fiery taste exploded in his mouth like a burning flame, quickly spreading until his entire tattooed face flushed red.

His throat felt like it was on fire, and his breathing became rapid.

Nash hurriedly grabbed a handful of snow from the ground and stuffed it into his mouth, trying to relieve the burning sensation. But he didn’t know that eating something cold only makes the spiciness worse. The snow wouldn’t lessen the heat; it would intensify it.

Seeing Nash tilt his head back and fan his open mouth with his hand, Feng Shan grabbed a can of beer from the supply pile. "Drink this. It’ll help with the spice."

After downing the can of beer, the color finally returned to Nash’s face.

"If you can’t handle spicy food, just say so. Don’t force yourself. These don’t have any chili on them," Feng Shan said, handing Nash a handful of skewers that he had intentionally left plain.

’This is a test from Khilla. How can a Hunter of the Yosemite Tribe show fear?’

Nash shook his head firmly and pointed at the spicy reindeer skewers.

"Those."

"You dare to eat more?" Feng Shan was a little surprised, but he still approved of Nash’s courage. He generously handed over a few more skewers coated in chili powder. "Here you go. Real men eat spicy."

Staring at the bright red reindeer skewers, Nash felt his stomach burning. But he couldn’t back down in front of Khilla. With a pained grimace, he took them and, with the courage of one facing a brown bear, put them in his mouth.

WOOF WOOF!

MEOW!

Coca-Cola and Prince, who had been waiting impatiently, were now gathered around the stove, crying out.

"Here, these are all for you!" Feng Shan gave the unseasoned reindeer skewers to the two little guys.

On this quiet, cold night in the Far North Tundra, the aurora danced and spun across the sky like a fantastical dream. The brilliant ribbons of light intertwined, decorating the entire night sky like a mystical scroll painting.

At Crown Camp, a kerosene lamp hanging from the wooden shed emitted a dim, warm light.

Under the dim yellow light, Feng Shan and Nash sat around the stove, chatting cheerfully as they ate. Hearty laughter rang out occasionally, while a cat and a dog chased each other playfully, sketching a warm and cozy scene.

...

As the first light of dawn appeared, a cold aura, like a thin veil, enveloped the vast and silent land.

The withered yellow moss, covered in frost, looked even more fragile and silent, clinging tightly to the earth as it waited in slumber for winter’s full arrival.

The low-lying shrubs were hung with crystalline frost flowers. Each leaf was like a meticulously carved work of art, glittering with a cold light in the faint morning glow.

Feng Shan, wrapped in a fur coat, stepped out of the bus, just as Nash walked in from the edge of the camp carrying a bucket.

"Morning!" Feng Shan greeted with a smile.

Upon seeing Khilla, Nash habitually started to kneel in greeting. But then he suddenly remembered what Khilla had said the previous night. His bending knee froze halfway, and he hesitantly straightened back up.

Feng Shan nodded in satisfaction, gave a big stretch, and took a deep breath of the unpolluted air.

’Ah, so refreshing!’

"I’ll go make breakfast. We ate too much meat last night, so let’s have bone broth noodles this morning. Something lighter is better for you."

"After we eat, we’ll go install the Iridium mobile terminal. It’s really inconvenient not having a phone."

"Okay!" Nash didn’t hesitate. ’Whatever Khilla says is right. I’ll do anything he asks, even if he told me to kill someone.’

After breakfast, the morning fog on the Tundra slowly dissipated. The sun struggled to pierce the thick clouds, casting down a cool, clear brilliance.

According to the instruction manual, the Iridium mobile terminal should be installed in a high, open area for better signal transmission.

For this reason, Feng Shan planned to place the mobile terminal on the summit of Beheading Cliff behind them.

To reach the summit of Beheading Cliff, one had to follow the Melt River valley, enter the Glacial River Beach area, and then climb the mountain from its rear face.

Feng Shan had never traveled this route. Since moving into Crown Camp, he had never once entered the snowy mountain region.

This was mainly because he wasn’t familiar with snowy mountains and glaciers, nor did he have any relevant mountaineering experience.

However, with Nash around, everything became much easier. All Feng Shan had to do was contribute his strength.

Nash found the necessary mountaineering equipment in the toolshed, sorted it, and packed it into a backpack. As for the satellite mobile terminal, which weighed a hefty 50 kilograms, it could only be carried by Feng Shan.

"You two stay home. We’re climbing a mountain this time, not going out to play. It’s dangerous."

Blocking Prince, who wanted to follow, Feng Shan patiently explained to Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola was sensible. He catwalked over to the yelping Prince and gave him a few good smacks with his paw. Prince immediately behaved.

"You’re the only one who can manage Prince around here." Feng Shan, pleased, took out a strip of dried reindeer meat and placed it in front of Coca-Cola. Then he shouldered his pack and left.

...