Landlord in the Arctic

Chapter 357: Chapter 275: Arrival of Goods (Part 2)

After the call went through, Director Roland greeted the person on the other end in a calm, even tone, exchanging a few pleasantries.

But he hadn’t said more than a few words before his voice suddenly shot up, his tone filled with shock and anxiety, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

Curious, Feng Shan looked over as well. He saw Director Roland holding his phone, the excited look on his face completely gone, replaced by an expression of pure shock.

His brows were knitted tightly, as if he’d just heard something unbelievable.

"Oh my God, you’ve got to be kidding me. It’s not even Christmas yet. This news is just terrible."

"Eric Reed, you have to be strong. No, no, no, don’t worry about any of that right now."

"I was calling to tell you that I found a horse with championship potential, but... it’s a shame you’re going through something so difficult."

"Okay, I’ll see what I can do for you, but I can’t make any promises."

"Okay, that’s all for now. Wait for my call."

Director Roland said with a final note of resignation before slowly lowering his phone.

He stood frozen, the look of shock still lingering on his face.

It was as if he still hadn’t processed the call. He was silent for a long moment before finally coming to his senses and turning to Feng Shan, though he seemed at a loss for words.

He seemed unsure how to explain what he’d just heard on the phone.

"Hey, what’s wrong?" Feng Shan asked, looking at Director Roland with concern.

Judging by Director Roland’s tone and expression during the call, he could tell something serious had happened.

"God, that Horse Trainer I know... he’s had the worst luck," Director Roland said, his expression grim and his eyes filled with pity and sorrow. "His stables in Lexington, Kentucky, caught fire during a thunderstorm three days ago. In one night, he lost twenty-three purebred racehorses, including three of my own that I was boarding there."

"That’s terrible," Feng Shan repeated, a look of shocked sympathy on his face.

His mind flashed back to his time at Horned Ranch, when Manager Tushen had explained the difference between purebreds and purebred racehorses.

A purebred is a horse of pure lineage, whose parents and ancestors all belong to the same breed, with no genes from other breeds mixed in.

These horses are incredibly valuable and expensive on their own, and breeding them is no simple task—it takes a very long time.

From selecting the breeding pair to the foal’s birth, growth, and maturation, every stage requires a massive investment of effort in care and training. Each step must be meticulously managed.

Take the Quarter Horses Horned Ranch bought from Kentucky, for example. Even though they weren’t considered true purebreds, a single horse could cost as much as 30,000 US dollars. That just went to show how valuable a purebred really was.

A purebred racehorse, on the other hand, was a cut above. The term specifically referred to purebreds used for professional racing.

Not all purebreds have what it takes to become a racehorse.

Only purebreds that had undergone rigorous training and possessed the superior speed, stamina, and explosive power required of a top-tier racer could ever set foot on a professional racetrack.

Furthermore, the prices for purebred racehorses were astronomical.

The most expensive purebred was "Spiritual Steed," the winner of the 2000 Kentucky Derby, which sold for 70 million US dollars.

Even a single stud fee could cost over a million US dollars, which spoke volumes about the value of a top-tier purebred racehorse.

’Director Roland’s Horse Trainer friend was unbelievably unlucky.’

’For his stables to be destroyed by a single thunderstorm...’

’Losing twenty-three valuable purebred racehorses all at once... for any stable, that was an absolutely devastating blow. The losses would be beyond catastrophic.’

"Mr. Feng, Eric Reed is an exceptional Horse Trainer. On the phone, he was hoping you might give him a chance," Director Roland said, looking at Feng Shan with earnest sincerity. "I firmly believe that if you put Cigar in Eric Reed’s hands, with his dedicated training, he can absolutely be turned into a champion."

Feng Shan frowned slightly at Director Roland’s words, lowering his head in thought for a moment.

’The man really is in an incredibly tough spot right now.’

’When it rains, it pours.’

’This Horse Trainer lost so many racehorses, and his stables are destroyed. He’s just hoping for a fresh start.’

’If I refuse him now, it would seem pretty heartless.’

’Besides, for Director Roland to vouch for him so confidently, the trainer must be the real deal.’

’Giving him a chance might just be a win-win for everyone involved.’

"Alright! Have him come to the Crown Territory."

"Thank you, thank you so much! I’ll head to the Crown Territory right away! Thank you, Mr. Feng!" A man’s excited, grateful voice suddenly burst from the phone in Director Roland’s hand. It was filled with the kind of joy one feels after surviving a disaster, like someone who had just grasped a lifeline.

You could hear how desperate the Horse Trainer, Eric Reed, was to seize this rare opportunity.

After suffering such a devastating blow, anyone would be thrilled to see a new hope appear before them.

Hearing his friend’s response, Director Roland broke into a relieved smile and shot Feng Shan a grateful look.

Then he spoke into the phone again.

"Alright, Eric, get here as soon as you can. Everything’s ready on our end. Cigar is definitely going to surprise you."

「Just then.」

The sky, which had been shrouded in darkness, was suddenly filled with the roar of propellers. The buzzing sound grew from a distant hum to a deafening noise, exceptionally loud in the wide-open space.

The moment Feng Shan heard the sound, he knew his custom weapons order had arrived.

’His mind was now completely on those weapons.’

’He had no time to continue making small talk with Director Roland.’

He quickly grabbed his walkie-talkie and shouted into it.

"Paine, the plane’s here! Come to the airstrip!"

"We hear it, Boss. Already on our way to the airstrip," Bald Paine’s voice crackled back over the walkie-talkie, tinged with excitement. Clearly, he and the others had been anticipating this shipment for a long time.

"Hurry. Meet at the airstrip. And bring a couple of heavy coats."

With that, Feng Shan impatiently swung himself onto his horse. The movement was crisp and clean as he settled firmly onto its back.

He gave Cigar’s neck a light pat.

"To the airstrip."

Cigar immediately took off, galloping at full speed toward the airstrip.

When he reached the airstrip, a plane was already descending from the sky.

With planes coming in and out of the Crown Territory so frequently lately, the runway’s approach lighting system was always left on to help pilots unfamiliar with the area land safely.

Once the plane touched down safely on the runway, Feng Shan leaped off his horse and strode forward. At the same time, three snowmobiles towing sleds pulled up.

The hatch opened, and a man with a large beard, dressed in winter gear, stepped out.

Just like Snow had, the big-bearded man had completely underestimated the weather in the Far North Tundra. The minus-40-degree air made him yell, "FUCK!" before he scrambled back inside the cabin at lightning speed.

Feng Shan gave a wry smile, quickly took a fur coat from Paine, and tossed it into the cabin.

"Here, buddy, put this on."

A rustling sound of someone getting dressed came from inside, and then the big-bearded man emerged once more, now wearing a thick, windproof hood.

"God, it’s freezing out here!"

"Didn’t you check the weather forecast before you came, buddy?" Feng Shan chuckled, extending a hand.

"Checking the forecast and actually experiencing it are two different things, aren’t they?" the big-bearded man replied, shaking Feng Shan’s hand. "Will. Technical advisor for TTI Taran Tactical Innovations Company."

"I’m Feng Shan. Where are the weapons?" Feng Shan asked, looking eagerly toward the plane’s cabin.

"Before you can take receipt of the weapons, I’ll need to see your personal identification and your firearms license. It’s procedure, buddy."

Big-Beard Will stood in front of the hatch, physically blocking Feng Shan’s view inside.

At the same time, he kept one hand inside his coat. Faint footsteps could also be heard from within the cabin, suggesting someone else was still on board.

"Fine. But didn’t I already provide all my credentials to customer service when I placed the order?" Feng Shan grumbled, reluctantly pulling out his wallet and handing over his ID.

Big-Beard Will took the ID and pulled out a scanner. As he worked, he explained,

"Sorry, it’s a necessary step. You’ve purchased a large quantity of weapons, so we have to be extra cautious. The company doesn’t want these falling into the hands of... certain people."

’Certain people!’

Feng Shan, of course, knew exactly who he meant by "certain people."

He could only shrug in silent protest.

...