Chapter 703: Solution

Pemmican!

It didn’t look very appetizing.

They were reddish-brown meat patties with a somewhat coarse surface, and the berries mixed in looked rather shriveled. It really wasn’t enough to whet one’s appetite.

But compared to the strange foods of the Inuit, the mere thought was enough to make one’s skin crawl.

In comparison, the Pemmican in front of him didn’t seem so difficult to accept.

Seeing the expectant gazes from Zicao and the Bear Tribe members sitting around him, Feng Shan reached out, picked up a meat patty, and slowly brought it to his mouth before taking a gentle bite.

The meat patty entered his mouth.

A strong flavor of animal fat immediately burst forth, and a greasy sensation instantly spread through his mouth.

As the fat melted, a faint, salty-and-gamey taste emerged. It was a peculiar flavor.

However, that was immediately followed by the faint, sweet-and-sour taste of berries, which intertwined with the greasy and gamey flavors.

How to describe it?

Compared to air-dried shark, boiled whale meat, or pickled auks, it was an absolute delicacy.

And while the Pemmican had a complex flavor, at least it was barely edible.

Still, a meat patty made from animal fat and berries like this would certainly provide a lot of energy when eaten in the winter.

The animal fat was rich in fat.

Adding berries not only served as seasoning but also helped people supplement their vitamin intake. For a winter when resources were scarce, it was an undeniably intelligent food combination.

Meeting the expectant gazes of the Bear Tribe, Feng Shan took another large bite of the patty.

A sincere smile bloomed on his face as he praised them loudly, “This is great. It’s delicious.”

In that instant, the atmosphere in the once somewhat reserved tent burst into life.

The elders’ faces were filled with relief as they exchanged satisfied glances. The middle-aged members began to chat in low voices, their laughter rising and falling. Even the children standing at the entrance to the tent started to jump around cheerfully.

Finishing the patty in a few more bites, Feng Shan accepted the berry tea Zicao offered him and took a long, satisfying gulp.

The warm, sweet-and-sour tea flowed down his throat.

A pleasant warmth instantly spread through his stomach, dispelling the winter chill that lingered in his body and making him feel comfortable all over.

Then, with a smile, Feng Shan looked at the simple, honest members of the Bear Tribe before him.

“I’m sorry, I’ve been rather busy lately and haven’t had a chance to sit down and talk with all of you. If you have any problems or need help with anything, just speak up. I’ll be sure to find a way to resolve it.”

“Khilla, we’re very happy here in the Crown Territory. We don’t need anything.”

Zicao hurriedly interjected.

Her eyes held a hint of nervousness, as if she were eager to express her gratitude to Feng Shan and didn’t want him to worry about the tribe’s affairs.

However, as Feng Shan’s gaze fell upon the faces of the Bear Tribe members, he caught the subtle expressions that flickered across them.

He kept his kind smile and said patiently, “Please, don’t stand on ceremony with me. I’m sure there are things you need. I need to hear the truth.”

As soon as he said this, the once lively and cheerful atmosphere in the tent suddenly grew a little awkward.

The members of the Bear Tribe looked from one person to another, communicating silently with their eyes.

They were hesitant, yet there was also a glimmer of hope in their expressions.

Everyone was debating whether or not to voice what was truly on their minds.

Seeing this, Zicao understood that Khilla had come this time because he genuinely wanted to understand the tribe’s situation.

If everyone continued to be evasive and hide the truth, they might very well displease Khilla.

After a moment of deliberation, she took a deep breath, cleared her throat, and mustered the courage to speak.

“Khilla, the tribe does have a problem right now. We’re in urgent need of a teacher. Teacher Lucy used to come and teach the children of the tribe, but after the cold snap and blizzard, she said on the phone that she can’t make it to the Crown Territory.”

“That’s simple. I’ll take care of it right away!”

Upon hearing this, Feng Shan didn’t hesitate for a second. He immediately pulled out his phone.

He found Yves’s number.

Yves was currently on his way to Lengwan.

Their route would take them right through Anchorage, so they could conveniently pick up Teacher Lucy along the way.

After a few rings,

“Hello, boss.”

Yves’s voice came through the receiver.

The signal was poor due to a malfunctioning base station on the mountain, so his voice sounded choppy and intermittent.

Noticing the poor signal, Feng Shan stood up, phone in hand.

He started pacing back and forth inside the tent, speaking loudly to be heard.

At that moment, the transport vehicle Yves was leading had just slowly crossed the Canadian border and successfully entered Alaska.

On both sides of the road were mountains and forests blanketed in ice and snow. The silvery landscape was beautiful, but it also made driving much more difficult.

With the signal cutting in and out,

Feng Shan did his best to simply explain that the camp needed Teacher Lucy and that he wanted Yves to pick her up when he passed through Anchorage.

Once he confirmed that Yves had more or less understood, he hung up and sat back down.

He then handed his phone to Zicao. “Text Yves Teacher Lucy’s phone number and tell him to pick her up when he gets to Anchorage.”

“Oh!”

Zicao replied.

She quickly took the phone and typed in Teacher Lucy’s number.

After double-checking it, she sent the message to Yves.

Feng Shan looked at the Bear Tribe members again, his expression gentle as he asked, “Who else has a problem that needs to be solved?”

With the precedent of him so easily arranging for the teacher to come, the members of the Bear Tribe couldn’t help but feel eager to speak up as well.

Just then, a burly, middle-aged tribesman hesitated for a moment before slowly raising his hand. With apprehension in his eyes, he said,

“Khilla, we want to go hunting. The tribe’s children need to learn hunting skills, but right now, they can only stay in the camp and herd the animals. If this goes on, the traditions of the Assabasba people will gradually disappear.”