Chapter 705: Confession

Then, Feng Mountain remembered that the moss had only just started to recover.

Even if he had the Fire Seed focus on the Mossy Tundra, it would still take some time.

With so many cattle and sheep purchased at once, feeding them every day would be a huge problem.

“Is there enough fodder? On my way over, the moss was only palm-high. Can this pasture really support so many cattle and sheep?”

Bear’s Fang frowned and shook his head, his face showing a hint of worry.

“The livestock aren’t in their fattening period yet. The kids and I are doing our best to herd them to farther pastures and rotate the grazing lands. That should ease the strain on the fodder supply for now, but once they need to be fattened, we’ll have to think about buying fodder from elsewhere.”

‘As long as it’s enough for now.’

Feng Mountain smiled, a glint of confidence in his eyes, and he spoke in a reassuring, mysterious tone.

“Don’t worry. Everyone will have to work a little harder for the next few days, so just keep rotating the pastures as you said. In a week at most, the moss and grass will be back to normal, and we won’t be short on fodder anymore.”

Bear’s Fang didn’t know about the Fire Seed.

When he first came to the Crown Territory, he saw the lush, vibrant Mossy Tundra.

He had assumed it was the unique geography of the Snow Mountain River Beach and the geothermal heat that allowed a patch of the Mossy Tundra to survive the harsh winters of the Far North Tundra.

But after the recent extreme cold snap, the Mossy Tundra had been completely destroyed.

‘Now Khilla’s saying the Mossy Tundra will recover in a week?’

‘How is that possible?’

‘It’s still the polar night.’

‘Even if the temperature returned to normal, it couldn’t possibly recover with just the geothermal heat.’

‘And with daylight being so short, the plants get no sun. For the moss to grow back to how it was before… it would take a miracle.’

Bear’s Fang opened his mouth but forced himself to swallow the doubt he was about to voice.

Having said his piece, Feng Mountain stood up and stretched.

He glanced around and said with a smile, “Alright, that’s pretty much everything sorted out. I’m heading back to the main camp. In the future, if any of you have problems, don’t keep them to yourselves. Just tell me directly. We’re all family here.”

Then, Feng Mountain looked over at Nash. “Nash, are you heading back to the main camp?”

Nash, still stone-faced, gave a curt shake of his head. “We’re short-handed for rotating the pastures.”

“Alright then. I’m not planning on going anywhere soon, so you can stay and help your father. I’ll find you if I need you.”

Feng Mountain nodded.

With a gentle smile, he reached out and patted Nash’s shoulder.

He patted Nash’s shoulder, then walked out of the tent as the others saw him off. The members of the Bear Tribe trailed after him.

He walked to the gate in the camp’s fence.

Putting his fingers to his lips, he let out a sharp whistle.

The crisp sound carried far in the silent air.

Ashes, who was frolicking nearby, heard the whistle. Its ears shot up, and it pawed the ground in excitement before breaking into a full gallop, racing toward the tribe’s camp.

A moment later, Ashes appeared before the crowd, its mane whipping wildly in the wind.

Feng Mountain swung himself onto the horse and, from the saddle, nodded to Bear’s Fang and the members of the Bear Tribe.

Then he gave Ashes’s neck a gentle pat.

“Home!”

Ashes neighed in response to its master’s command.

It reared, its hooves churning up clumps of grass, then shot off toward the main camp like a gray meteor.

Amidst a spray of grass, the figures of the man and his horse receded into the distance.

They left the people of the Bear Tribe standing in place, watching until he was out of sight.

「Back at the main camp.」

Feng Mountain walked along the gravel path. The cold winter wind brushed against his face, but it failed to dispel the vague, heavy feeling in his heart.

As the log cabin drew nearer, his steps grew heavier and his feelings more tangled.

The thought of facing Jenny weighed on his heart like a great stone.

His pace slowed until he finally stopped at the gate to the yard.

He looked up at the log cabin, and the familiar structure now seemed to radiate an invisible pressure.

After a moment of internal conflict, Feng Mountain suppressed his turmoil, turned, and walked away.

「Inside the log cabin.」

Jenny stood at the window, her eyes glued to Feng Mountain’s determined back as he turned and walked away.

Her eyes instantly reddened.

Tears welled up, her lips trembled, and her heart filled with a sense of being wronged and confused.

“I think you two should see a psychologist.”

A voice, tinged with mockery, sounded from behind Jenny.

Erica stood with her arms crossed, an exasperated look on her face.

She couldn’t understand why the relationship between Jenny and Feng Mountain had to be so complicated; to her, the whole situation was just ridiculous.

Then, she continued, her tone full of exasperation.

“You two have already slept together, so why are you still acting out this terrible movie plot? What is this, some kind of cheesy drama?”

“I don’t know how to bring it up with him,” Jenny said, lifting her head slightly. Her eyes were filled with confusion and helplessness as she struggled to hold back her tears, but their glistening betrayed her vulnerability.

“Just tell him! Or I’ll do it for you!” Erica turned, walked over to the sofa, and dropped into it like a dead weight. She sank into its soft cushions, only her impatient face visible.

“Feng’s actually a really traditional guy—more traditional than most Asians, even. You’d better spell it out for him, otherwise he’ll be confused forever.”

As she spoke, Erica reached over to the coffee table, picked up an apple, and took a casual bite.

“I’m realizing now that backing out was the smart move. It’s way more comfortable just being with Demi. Men… they’re too much trouble. If I need something, I can just buy it off Amazon. They have every model imaginable, and you can even get them custom-made.”

SIGH!

Jenny didn’t seem to register Erica’s outrageous words at all.