Chapter 704: Resolution 2

His words immediately struck a chord with everyone present.

A buzzing discussion instantly erupted inside the tent.

Immediately, all the Bear Tribe members began to nod, their eyes filled with approval.

Hearing the middle-aged tribesman’s plea, Feng Shan fell into a thoughtful silence.

When he had moved the Bear Tribe to the Crown Territory, his reasons had been twofold.

For one, it was to protect the small tribe. After all, in their previous environment, their reservation had been facing encroachment from white settlers.

For another, he considered how the Bear Tribe could help him herd his cattle and sheep, contributing to the Crown Territory’s development.

But now, it seemed…

He hadn’t considered that his actions would cause the Bear Tribe to slowly lose their traditions.

‘This was never my intention.’ A pang of self-reproach welled up inside him.

He nodded at once and said, “Hunting is not a problem. You can go out anytime. However, you must prioritize safety. The Tundra is not like the inland regions; the environment is much harsher.”

Upon receiving Khilla’s approval, the Bear Tribe members grew excited, and the atmosphere became even more animated.

Immediately, another person raised their hand to speak.

“Khilla, most of the tribe members who stay in camp are elderly. We hope the Crown Territory can have a hospital, so our elders can get treatment when they fall ill.”

‘That’s a good suggestion.’

Feng Shan nodded slightly, a look of approval and contemplation in his eyes.

As the various affairs of the Crown Territory were gradually falling into place, the infrastructure would continue to improve, which would inevitably attract more and more tourists from his home country who had heard of its reputation.

However, when tourists from back home first arrived, it was inevitable that some would feel unwell while acclimating to the new environment.

If they had minor ailments like headaches, fevers, or diarrhea, he couldn’t be expected to use his Witchcraft to solve every little problem.

It was neither realistic nor a long-term solution.

Besides, the Bear Tribe’s elders were experiencing declining health and needed more professional medical care.

‘So, establishing a hospital is absolutely necessary.’

With this in mind, Feng Shan made an immediate decision without the slightest hesitation.

“No problem. I’ll put establishing a hospital on the agenda, hire doctors as soon as possible, and get one set up. In the future, you won’t have to pay a single cent when you get sick. The Crown Territory will cover all medical expenses.”

The moment he finished speaking, the entire tent erupted in a chorus of enthusiastic cheers.

Khilla!!

Khilla!!

Just then, the tent flap was thrown open, and a gust of cold wind carrying snowflakes rushed in.

Bear’s Fang and Nash walked into the tent, drenched in melted snow. Their fur coats were covered in a thick layer of snow, and sparkling icicles clung to their hair and beards.

Seeing Feng Shan sitting by the fire, Bear’s Fang immediately broke into a wide grin.

“Khilla! Why didn’t you let us know you were coming? I would have prepared a ceremony.”

Feng Shan stood up and gently patted Bear’s Fang on the shoulder. He frowned slightly, a hint of reproach in his voice as he said, “I just came by to look around. You’re not doing a very good job as chief, are you? If there are problems in the tribe, why don’t you come to me?”

Problems?

Bear’s Fang looked confused. He glanced around the crowded tent, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his people.

Finally, his eyes landed on Zicao.

Zicao hurried forward.

Speaking rapidly in their native tongue, she explained what had just happened.

She relayed everything, including the tribe’s request to go hunting and their hope for the Crown Territory to build a hospital.

Instantly, the smile vanished from Bear’s Fang’s face, replaced by an angry expression.

His brow furrowed, his eyes glinting with severity as he boomed, “Nonsense! Khilla is the great Guardian Spirit of the Bear Tribe! How dare you make demands of our Guardian Spirit!”

His rebuke instantly made the atmosphere in the tent tense.

The Bear Tribe members were so frightened they didn’t dare move.

Some of the elders, their faces filled with terror, even dropped to their knees before Feng Shan, their bodies trembling uncontrollably as they avoided Bear’s Fang’s furious gaze.

“What are you yelling about!”

Seeing this, Feng Shan shot Bear’s Fang a glare filled with displeasure.

He hurried forward, crouching down to help each of the kneeling tribespeople to their feet.

He turned to look disapprovingly at Bear’s Fang and the rest of the tribe.

“I had you move to the Crown Territory to be my neighbors, not my slaves! We’re living here together, so if you have a problem, you should speak up. I’ll say this again: from now on, when you see me, do not bow, and absolutely no kneeling. If you do, you can all pack up and go back to the Susitna River!”

This startled Bear’s Fang. A panicked expression appeared on his face, and he waved his hands frantically.

‘We finally found our Tribal Guardian Spirit after so much hardship. We were even fortunate enough to join His territory. What a rare opportunity this is. If we get expelled and sent back to the reservation because of my impulsiveness… the consequences would be unimaginable. The Athabasca Tribe Alliance would surely kick the Bear Tribe out of the Alliance. At that point, the Bear Tribe would face endless shame.’

“No, no, Khilla.”

Terrified, Bear’s Fang subconsciously started to kneel.

But as his knees bent, he suddenly remembered Khilla’s explicit order forbidding it.

He froze, forcing himself to stop the motion.

He was left half-squatting, half-standing on the spot.

The posture was extremely awkward, his face a mask of mortification and terror.

“Khilla, my father didn’t mean it!” Seeing the situation, Zicao quickly stepped forward to plead for her father, her expression anxious and her eyes begging.

She understood Khilla’s importance to the tribe. She didn’t want this incident to create a rift between them.

Feng Shan, seeing his chance, took the olive branch she offered. He glanced at the awkwardly frozen Bear’s Fang, deliberately let out a cold snort, and said in a mock-serious tone, “I’ll let it go this time. Don’t let it happen again.”

“Th-There won’t be a next time.”

As if granted a pardon, Bear’s Fang quickly straightened up, a look of lingering fear still on his face.

He quickly shot a look at a tribesman beside him.

The man immediately understood.

Feigning some urgent business, he turned and hurried out of the tent.

How could the other Bear Tribe members not understand the cue?

With a silent, mutual understanding, they all began to make excuses.

One by one, they quietly left the tent.

They were afraid that staying even a second longer might anger Khilla again.

Soon, only Feng Shan, Zicao, Bear’s Fang, and Nash remained in the tent.

The three men sat around the fire, the brightly burning flames illuminating their faces.

Zicao served each of them a cup of steaming berry tea.

Then she quietly took a seat to the side. The firelight danced on her face, but it couldn’t hide her reserved expression.

For a moment, the atmosphere was frozen.

Bear’s Fang didn’t dare to speak.

He was still shaken from the earlier scolding, afraid he would say the wrong thing and displease Khilla again.

Nash, for his part, looked as if he couldn’t be bothered to speak.

His eyes were half-lidded, and he seemed unconcerned with his surroundings.

Zicao, as a woman, followed tribal tradition and felt she shouldn’t be the one to speak up.

Left with no choice, Feng Shan had to be the one to break the awkward silence.

“How many cattle and sheep did Yves buy?”

Bear’s Fang was holding his teacup.

At his words, Bear’s Fang’s hand trembled, nearly spilling his tea.

He quickly steadied himself and said, “Since there’s an overlap between Angus and Hereford Beef Cattle, Mr. Yifei only bought 200 head of Angus this time. He also got 20 Simmental Beef Cattle for their milk, and 200 Suffolk Sheep.”

As he spoke, Bear’s Fang carefully observed Feng Shan’s expression.

Feng Shan nodded slightly.

Initially, to determine which breed of beef cattle was best suited for the Crown Territory’s environment, he had deliberately purchased a number of all three breeds for the Horned Ranch.

After a period of observation while they grazed, he’d found that under the influence of the Fire Seed, all three breeds of beef cattle in the Crown Territory grew at an astonishing rate.

However, when judged solely on the quality of their meat, the Angus cattle stood out among the three.

Its meat was tender and juicy, with a fine texture and an excellent mouthfeel.

As such, it seemed inevitable that the Hereford Beef Cattle would be phased out.

This would also effectively reduce the frequency of conflicts that arose when herding two different breeds together.

As for the Simmental Beef Cattle, their milk production was excellent.

They could provide a stable supply of milk for the camp.

A small number of them could be raised specifically for milk production to meet the camp’s daily demand for dairy products.

The performance of the Suffolk Sheep, of course, was beyond question.

Under the influence of the Fire Seed, their meat was unbelievably delicious.

Roasted lamb and beef had now become the most popular signature dishes at the camp’s canteen.

That fact alone was the most powerful testament to its quality.