Chapter 378: Chapter 286: Calling People
Feng Shan could only regret this.
Such were the natural conditions of Crown Territory. Turning it into a city that never sleeps like Las Vegas—full of excitement and bustling activity—was probably asking too much.
After all, the local environment and resources simply didn’t permit it.
However, Zhang Kai had a flash of insight and made an interesting proposal: they could develop the tour groups into wellness retreats.
After all, the domestic economy was booming.
People had money to spend, and they were more than willing to splurge on anything related to wellness or improving their health.
Money was no object when it came to one’s health.
Feng Shan mulled it over.
And when it came to wellness, Crown Territory had absolute confidence.
The Fire Seed was no joke. It had even cured people with mental issues like Yves and Erica, so something as simple as promoting wellness would be a piece of cake.
The two agreed instantly. They decided then and there that the third wave of tour groups would be promoted with a focus on wellness.
After a few phone calls, evening had arrived before he knew it.
Even though they were in the middle of the polar night, everyone still had to stick to a normal daily routine.
If their routines were completely disrupted, their bodies wouldn’t be able to handle it. Over time, all sorts of health problems would emerge.
So, even without sunlight to mark the transition between day and night.
When it was time to get up, everyone still forced themselves to shake off their drowsiness and climb out of their warm beds, starting another busy day.
And when it was time to rest, they would consciously put down their work, wash up, and get into bed, allowing their exhausted bodies to relax and recover.
Just like now, as soon as evening arrived.
The lights in many of the camp’s tents and cabins began to dim.
Feng Shan was no exception. He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and stretched his arms high above his head, enjoying a long, deep stretch that seemed to drive the day’s fatigue from his body.
He gazed out at the pitch-blackness. While the polar night offered no scenery, his thoughts began to wander.
A warm smile unconsciously spread across his face as he thought about Xiaohua, Hu Zi, and Black Hide coming to Crown Territory in just a few days.
As he savored this happy thought, the image of Alvin, far away on Saint Paul Island, suddenly popped into his mind.
An idea suddenly struck him.
’Since Xiaohua and the others are coming to Crown Territory for Christmas, why not just bring over all the families of the *River Beach*’s crew too?’
’Christmas is like Chinese New Year—the more, the merrier.’
The more Feng Shan thought about it, the better the idea seemed. He immediately pulled out his phone and called Alvin.
....
「The season turned.」
The Bering Sea crabbing season was over. The fleets of boats that had once bustled across the waves, fervently hauling in crabs, had now all pulled in their nets and returned to port.
Meanwhile, groundfish season wouldn’t start again until January 1st of the following year. This meant that all fishing operations for the remainder of 2017 were effectively banned, as the Bering Sea officially entered its off-season.
This period was a time for the sea to rest and recuperation, giving the heavily fished populations a chance to recover and reproduce, thus maintaining the marine ecosystem’s balance.
Sport fishing boats, however, were still allowed out on the water.
After all, sport fishing was different from large-scale commercial operations. It typically involved only a few people with fishing rods, catching fish in a casual, dispersed manner that had a negligible impact on marine populations.
Therefore, even during the off-season, sport fishing enthusiasts could still take their small boats out to enjoy a day of angling on the open sea.
The scene at the Saint Paul Island docks was now quite a spectacle.
All the crabbing boats and fishing vessels were moored neatly along the shore, bobbing gently side-by-side with the waves, temporarily out of commission.
Compared to the hustle and bustle of the crabbing season, the entire harbor was now filled with a much more tranquil atmosphere.
「In the days that followed.」
For the crewmen, who were used to braving the wind and waves of the open sea, life suddenly slowed to a crawl.
Their primary job was boat maintenance.
They checked the hulls for damage, ensured the machinery was in working order, and replaced any necessary parts to prevent major problems on their next voyage.
Beyond that, there wasn’t much for them to do.
They could either kill the long, boring hours at the bar or pick up odd jobs at the fish processing plants. The pay wasn’t nearly as good as a haul from the sea, but it was at least some extra cash to help support their families.
The *River Beach* was no exception.
As was customary, after the crabbing season ended, she was sailed to a shipyard in Anchorage for maintenance.
Alvin and the crew of the *River Beach* were all stuck on Saint Paul Island with nothing to do. Without the work of the fishing season, it was as if they had suddenly lost their purpose.
They spent their days either drinking at the bar, using liquid courage to hit on women, or deliberately picking fights with other crews over trivial matters.
Just last night.
Alvin and the crew of the *River Beach* were gathered at a bar, drinking as usual.
They happened to run into the crews from the crabbing boats that had been deliberately tailing the *River Beach* and poaching their crabs all season.
The two crews had developed bad blood while out fishing on the sea.
Back then, in the competition for more crabs, they had hurled plenty of curses at each other. A few times, when things got heated, they had even fired warning shots to intimidate the other crew.
Comments