Chapter 720 - 456: Work (2)

Chapter 720: Chapter 456: Work (2)

Feng Mountain quietly slipped out from under the warm covers, careful not to wake Jenny, who was still sound asleep.

He changed his clothes with light, quiet movements, then leaned over and kissed Jenny’s weary forehead.

He then turned, walked out of the small log cabin, and stepped into the dark of the early morning.

Today was going to be a busy day.

When Feng Mountain arrived at the dining hall, all the men who had been notified beforehand were already there.

The hall was bustling, the atmosphere charged with energy.

Even Nash and a few members of the Bear Tribe were present, adding their own unique energy to the room.

"Boss!"

"Khilla."

The moment the men saw Feng Mountain enter, they stopped their conversations, rose to their feet in unison, and greeted him with voices full of respect.

FLAP!

Loki beat his wings, landing on Feng Mountain’s shoulder.

His talons gripped the fur coat tightly as he held his head high, his eyes darting about.

He looked like a fox borrowing a tiger’s might, acting as if he were the king of the dining hall.

CLICK!

With the faint sound of a shutter, Erica raised her phone, her face beaming. "Feng, this picture is incredible! It looks just like a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean, when the pirates are about to set sail. It would be perfect if you had a hook for a hand."

"How about I fit you with a hook arm first?"

Feng Mountain shot a glare at the thoughtless Erica, his eyes filled with resignation.

Then, he turned his gaze to the crowd.

Spotting Gruus and Diego in the crowd, he gave them a satisfied nod, cleared his throat, and spoke.

"Alright, men, eat up. We’ve got a tough job today. We’re going to the Moonlight Forest to cut down trees to build the school and offices."

"Loki, go to the cabin and tell Tyson and the others to come to the dining hall," Feng Mountain said to the bird on his shoulder.

"Roger that, Captain!"

Loki convincingly raised a wing in a salute-like gesture.

Then, with a leap, he beat his wings hard and flew out of the dining hall.

The men watched Loki’s retreating figure, chuckling at his comical display, and the somewhat serious atmosphere lightened considerably.

The dining hall staff then bustled out, quickly serving the hearty breakfast that had been prepared in advance.

Piping hot beef stew sent up an enticing aroma, with large chunks of meat tumbling in a thick gravy.

The roasted lamb had a golden, crispy skin, while the inside was tender and juicy, its rich, fatty aroma filling the air.

Freshly baked bread, soft and delicious, gave off the scent of wheat. The cheese was rich and smooth with its own distinct milky fragrance, and cups of warm milk brought a comforting warmth.

The workload for the day was immense, and they would be logging outside the protective range of the Fire Seed. Without its warmth, temperatures plunged to more than thirty degrees below zero. Everyone needed to fuel up on high-energy food to endure the bitter cold and get the job done.

Feng Mountain took a plate of beef stew. Aside from a thin slice of toast for garnish, the plate was piled high with meat.

The beef was stewed to perfection, rich and savory, with a reddish-brown sheen that was mouthwatering to behold.

The clear, sharp sounds of forks clinking against plates filled the dining hall.

Everyone was hurrying to enjoy the hearty breakfast, fueling up for the arduous work that lay ahead.

"Are the logging sleds ready?" Feng Mountain asked, looking over at Yves who sat beside him. He popped a large, melt-in-your-mouth piece of beef into his mouth and chewed with satisfaction.

"They’re ready. Paine and I modified four log-hauling sleds last night," Yves said, nodding as he spoke.

Midway through breakfast, Tyson’s deep roar sounded from outside the dining hall.

Feng Mountain had instructed Tyson that while he was free to move about the camp, he was not to enter any of the cabins on his own, as it might frighten the guests.

Tyson had remembered this rule well.

Even now, having come to the dining hall, he remained obediently lying down at the entrance.

"Erica, get some food ready for Tyson and the others," Feng Mountain called out, looking up when he heard the roar.

"It’s already prepared! Are there any gentlemen here willing to help, or do you all only have eyes for your food?"

Erica stood in the dining area with her hands on her hips, complaining in mock anger.

Her voice, clear and bright, echoed through the hall.

The words had barely left her mouth when several veterans put down their utensils, stood up, and followed Erica into the food pantry.

A moment later, they emerged carrying two large crates of pre-portioned beef.

The veterans carried the beef out of the dining hall and set it down in front of Tyson.

Tyson saw the food, but he remained obediently in place, his expression calm.

The rest of the Tiger Pack, however, stirred at the scent of meat.

They had been lounging lazily on the ground, but now they were instantly alert, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

Yet they all kept their eyes on Tyson; not a single tiger made a move on its own.

They were like a troop of well-trained soldiers awaiting their commander’s orders.

Erica directed the veterans to dump the chunks of beef from the crates onto the grassy ground.

The beef formed a small pile on the grass, giving off a tempting aroma.

Then Erica patted Tyson’s large head. "Go on and eat, Tyson."

GRRRR...

Tyson lifted his head and nuzzled Erica with his big, furry face, letting out a low, affectionate rumble from his throat.

He then lowered his head, picked up a large piece of beef in his jaws, ambled off to the side, and lay down to begin his meal.

His sharp teeth tore effortlessly at the meat, and he made satisfied chewing sounds.

Seeing their leader eat, the other tigers formed a line and approached.

One by one, they each took a piece of beef, turned, and returned to their previous spots to quietly enjoy their meal.

The entire process was perfectly orderly, with no chaotic scrambling for food.

Fascinated, Erica raised her phone and recorded the entire scene of the tigers eating.

The corners of her lips curled up in a satisfied smile.

’I have to find time to post this amazing video on Facebook,’ she thought. ’More people need to see these adorable tigers.’

She even imagined the flood of likes and comments that would pour in after she posted it.

She couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

After breakfast, the men grabbed their prepared tools.

Led by Feng Mountain, they orderly crossed the wooden bridge and headed toward the snowmobile parking area.

The camp had originally been equipped with six snowmobiles.

Later, when Feng Mountain and Nash went to Fairbanks to pick up the Tiger Pack, they had purchased two additional ones to meet their transport needs during their journey across the Far North Tundra.

Thus, these eight snowmobiles constituted all the vehicles currently in the Crown Territory.

In addition, there were four heavy-duty sleds that had been hastily put together.

This type of vehicle was composed of two sleds linked by a connecting rod, a design that was both sturdy and stable.

It was specially designed for transporting logs and other heavy materials across the Tundra.

Paine was busy with a few other men, working on the sleds.

They started by laying down wooden planks on the sleds for people to sit on.

Once they were laid, Paine personally stood on the planks and jumped up and down a few times, carefully checking their stability. Only after confirming they wouldn’t come loose did he securely tie one end of a rope to the snowmobile’s tow hook.

Everything was being prepared for the transport job ahead.

Feng Mountain was the first to take a seat on a sled, then he called out his orders, "Yves, you take some men and ride the snowmobiles. The rest will ride the sleds. Tyson, you and the Tiger Pack will follow behind."

Hearing their instructions, the others quickly followed their assigned roles and boarded the vehicles.

Yves and Gunpowder straddled their snowmobiles and fired up the engines, a low roar that shattered the morning quiet.

The two of them slowly twisted the throttles, and their snowmobiles began to pull the first sled forward.

At first, the snowmobiles seemed to struggle with the load.

Their frames trembled slightly, the tracks churning with difficulty on the mossy ground.

However, once they picked up some momentum, the speed began to increase steadily. The sled runners had been polished smooth, which effectively reduced the friction against the ground.

On the Mossy Tundra, the sled runners left deep tracks in their wake.

Soon, the convoy left the riverbank area and entered a glacial estuary. A bone-chilling cold washed over them, and the temperature dropped in an instant.

The frigid air felt like countless tiny needles piercing through their face masks to sting their cheeks.

The warm air they exhaled formed clouds of mist that hung over their heads.

It looked as though each man was wearing a white hat.

The convoy sped along the mountain path they had carved out previously.

The roar of the snowmobile engines echoed across the silent expanse of the Far North.

As they drew closer to the Moonlight Forest, the surrounding scenery gradually began to change.

The monotonous landscape of ice and Tundra slowly gave way to trees.

In the faint light of the polar night, the trees appeared as shadowy figures, exuding an air of mystery.

...