Landlord in the Arctic

Chapter 422: Chapter 308: An Explanation

Although the apology sounded sincere, his eyes held a hint of something unreadable, as if it were all just for show.

Feng Mountain just shook his head slightly. He knew exactly what was going on here.

He had heard every word the sheriff had just whispered to Bao Wen.

’It’s a stretch to say Sheriff Ronnie was part of the kidnapping plot.’

’From the looks of it, this was all Bao Wen’s doing.’

But to claim the two of them had no connection whatsoever?

Feng Mountain didn’t believe that for a second.

Don’t be fooled by the United States of America constantly trumpeting freedom, justice, and equality.

As far as Feng Mountain was concerned, it was all a big joke.

In this country, money and personal gain were the only true freedoms.

With enough money and power, a lot of things could be swept under the rug.

So-called principles and boundaries could be easily crossed.

Take Baird Town, for instance.

Bao Wen’s Zorro Gang hadn’t just started causing trouble in town yesterday. As the town sheriff, how could he not know?

’He definitely knew. The Zorro Gang might even be directly connected to him, or perhaps they were just a front for some wealthy individual.’

Because that kind of setup was all too common in the United States, even in a place as sparsely populated as Alaska.

However, Feng Mountain understood all of this.

’As the saying goes, it’s wise to see everything but say nothing.’

’He wasn’t God; he couldn’t concern himself with everything.’

’As long as these people didn’t come looking for my trouble, everything would be fine.’

’There was no need for me to go meddling in other people’s business and attract unnecessary trouble.’

’Besides, what did it matter to me if these foreigners were screwing each other over?’

’As long as it didn’t involve the Crown Territory, I don’t want to get involved in anything else.’

But regarding this incident with Bao Wen, Ronnie, as the town sheriff, would have to give him a satisfactory answer.

After all, he had just faced a kidnapping threat. If he let it slide so easily, what would happen the next time something like this occurred?

With that thought, a faint smile appeared on Feng Mountain’s face, but his words carried a pointed meaning.

"Sheriff, regarding what happened, I hope you can give me a satisfactory resolution. I’m not an unreasonable man. Just deal with the main culprit, and there’s no need to blow things out of proportion. Don’t you agree?"

Ronnie naturally understood the implication and breathed a silent sigh of relief. A hint of gratitude crept into his smile as he nodded quickly.

"Of course, Mr. Feng. Don’t you worry, I’ll handle this and get you a resolution as soon as possible. Baird Town is a town of simple, honest folk. We’ve always cracked down hard on this sort of gang activity, and we’re committed to maintaining the safety and stability of our community."

’His words were high-minded and official, but inwardly, Ronnie was already calculating how to handle this in a way that would satisfy Feng Mountain without jeopardizing his own interests in town.’

"And what about Fiona’s custody?"

Seeing that the sheriff was playing along, Feng Mountain changed the subject, turning directly to the matter of Yves and his daughter.

At the same time, he gave Sheriff Ronnie a meaningful look, as if to convey a specific message.

’I won’t dig any deeper into the kidnapping case, and I won’t report it to your superiors.’

’How you decide to handle Bao Wen is your business. I just need a clear outcome.’

’As for the other members of the Zorro Gang, you can deal with them as you see fit.’

’I’ve given you all the face and leeway you could ask for.’

’Now, all I ask is for a smooth resolution to Fiona’s custody issue.’

Sheriff Ronnie listened to Feng Mountain, pondering for a moment as he weighed the pros and cons.

He knew Feng Mountain had already made a significant concession. If he pushed his luck, things could get ugly.

So, he gave a slight nod in response.

He then turned, walked over to Valerie, and squatted down. He looked at a young Indian man and said,

"Friend, could you untie them?"

Hearing the request, the young Indian instinctively glanced at his tribal chief, as if awaiting an order.

The middle-aged chief gave a slight nod of assent.

With his approval,

several Indians stepped forward, drew sharp hunting knives from their waists, and skillfully severed the ropes binding the Zorro Gang members’ necks and hands.

As the ropes fell away, the Zorro Gang members were free.

Yet none of them had any thought of escaping. They simply stood there, trembling, their eyes fixed on Sheriff Ronnie.

’In their minds, the life or death of their boss didn’t seem to matter, as long as they could save their own skins.’

After all, they had seen too many bosses come and go in this town.

From the current boss, Bao Wen, to the last one, Black Eye, and even the ones before him.

The members were permanent fixtures; the bosses were just a revolving door.

Bosses had changed one after another, but the sheriff had always been Ronnie.

Baird Town had a population of less than a thousand, but Ronnie’s position was pivotal. He was not someone to be crossed.

"I want to talk with you. This is your last chance," Ronnie said softly, turning to the disheveled Valerie. He then walked over to a more open area nearby.

At that moment, Valerie’s heart felt as if it had plummeted into an endless abyss. She looked around desperately at the crowd, her eyes filled with pleading.

’She desperately hoped someone would stand up and speak for her.’

’Even a single word of comfort would have been enough.’

But the cruel reality was laid bare before her.

’Her only backer, Bao Wen, couldn’t even save himself now. My future in Baird Town is going to be impossibly bleak.’