Landlord in the Arctic

Chapter 332 - 263: Surprise (Part 2)

This was just a small, surprising appetizer, meant to give Feng Shan a good impression and pave the way for the main event.

As Jeff spoke, he opened the manila envelope.

He pulled out the ranch transfer document from within, placed it gently on the table, and looked at Feng Shan with eyes full of expectation, hoping he would be moved by this immense temptation.

"Chief Welta is very sorry for not having treated you well. To make up for it, the Chief intends to sell Horned Ranch to you for the price of 100 US Dollars. This is the transfer document. All you have to do is sign it for it to take effect."

What!

Feng Shan’s eyes widened in an instant, his face a mask of disbelief.

He never would have imagined the Elder Chief would make such a big move, offering up Horned Ranch for the ridiculously low price of 100 US Dollars.

How was this any different from just giving it away?

You have to understand, Horned Ranch wasn’t some small, ordinary ranch. It had at least several hundred acres of land, along with a large number of livestock and fully-equipped farming facilities.

Feng Shan knew full well that a ranch like this would fetch an astronomical price on the open market. Even with a high asking price, there would probably be plenty of people fighting to buy it.

And now, the Elder Chief was transferring it to him for such an unbelievably low price. The intention behind it couldn’t be more obvious.

"I’m sorry, I can’t accept this. It’s far beyond the scope of a gift." Without a moment’s hesitation, Feng Shan pushed the document, worth tens of millions of US dollars, back to Jeff.

"Man, that was a quick no." Seeing this, a bitter smile appeared on Jeff’s face.

He had originally thought this grand gift would be enough to win Feng Shan over in one fell swoop, but he never expected him to refuse so decisively. It truly caught him off guard.

Then, as if not giving up, Jeff immediately added, "Since you don’t want Horned Ranch, then you surely won’t want shares in the North Slope Petroleum Company or the Petroleum Pipeline Company either."

’As expected!’

Feng Shan sighed to himself.

’The Elder Chief’s sugar-coated bullets are getting deadlier and deadlier, the offers higher and higher, like a series of advancing tidal waves crashing down one after another. Fortunately, my stance is firm.’

The North Slope Petroleum Company had a market capitalization of 4.1 billion US dollars. Not only did it hold a pivotal position in Alaska, but it also possessed substantial assets and vast prospects for growth.

The Petroleum Pipeline Company, with a market cap of around 3 billion US dollars, was not to be underestimated either. Both companies were major players in the oil industry, controlling vast resources and operations.

Shares in both would be like getting several hundred million US dollars for free.

Such immense wealth was enough to make one’s heart race and head spin just thinking about it.

Feng Shan silently calculated the pros and cons. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this matter wasn’t simple, and a sense of unease grew within him.

Thinking back on the two guns he had accepted earlier, they now felt like they were burning his hands.

But things had already come to this. Feng Shan took a deep breath and silently warned himself.

’No matter how great the temptation they offer, as long as it involves a spot for the Fire Totem, I absolutely cannot yield.’

Just then, Jeff’s actions once again caught Feng Shan’s attention. He watched as Jeff bent down again, reached into his suitcase, and took out another manila envelope.

This made Feng Shan jump. He instinctively recoiled, his eyes wide.

’Even shares in two public companies weren’t the grand finale.’

’Is the Elder Chief planning to give me the Wild Bull Tribe?’

"You will definitely like this gift. Chief Welta pulled a lot of strings, even leveraging his voting bloc, to get this document. To us, this thing isn’t worth half a cent, but to you, it’s a priceless treasure."

As Jeff spoke, he solemnly pushed the manila envelope slowly across to Feng Shan. A peculiar look of anticipation was in his eyes, as if once this gift was revealed, Feng Shan would certainly be completely won over.

Feng Shan looked at the envelope before him, growing more and more nervous. He was both curious about what was inside and afraid that it was an immense temptation he simply couldn’t bear.

’What on earth could it be?’

He took the manila envelope, opened it, and pulled out a thick stack of documents. A line of text caught his eye.

[Sagewang-Umiat, Oil Drilling and Pipeline Construction Plan - North Slope Petroleum Company]

Seeing these words, Feng Shan was first taken aback, then his brow furrowed even more tightly.

Sagewang was a rest stop on the Dalton Highway at the entrance to the Far North Region. It was once an Indigenous People’s village, but its residents had migrated away due to the highway’s construction, and it was now deserted.

Umiat, on the other hand, was a petroleum company outpost located 150 kilometers north of the Crown Territory.

Oil workers typically only came here to work during the summer, as the relatively mild climate was more suitable for various operations.

But once the cold winter set in, the extreme conditions made normal construction impossible. The workers would all evacuate, leaving behind only an empty camp covered in snow, waiting for the next summer to arrive.

Looking at the document in his hands, Feng Shan couldn’t help but wonder.

’Did the exploration team discover a new oil field in Umiat?’

The moment this thought surfaced, his brow knitted together tightly, and his expression grew solemn.

This was not a good thing.

You see, Sagewang and Umiat were a hundred kilometers apart. While not exactly close, if they really started drilling for oil in Umiat, a series of subsequent problems would follow.

During the oil extraction process, the discharge of various types of wastewater and solid waste, as well as the possibility of oil spills, could easily seep and spread through the soil and water, eventually contaminating the land and water sources of the Crown Territory and destroying the local ecosystem.

If the Crown Territory were to be polluted by oil, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The more Feng Shan thought about it, the more his head ached. He could only force himself to continue reading through the documents, hoping to find more key information to gauge just how thorny this issue was.

The document did indeed state that an exploration team had discovered a small oil field in Umiat with some extraction value. The North Slope Petroleum Company had decided to build a road from Sagewang on the Dalton Highway to Umiat, and simultaneously construct an oil pipeline.

Looking at the detailed plans in the document, Feng Shan could almost see the originally tranquil tundra about to be shattered by the noise of construction. Heavy machinery would roll in, kicking up dust, and the natural landscape would be altered bit by bit, not to mention the subsequent risk of environmental pollution.

Flipping further, he found the review opinions from various departments of the state of Alaska.

These included the Department of Transportation and other relevant agencies, which had given their approval after considering factors like the rationality of the road plan and its traffic capacity.

State government departments also approved the plan from the perspectives of regional development and economic benefits.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and other similar departments, which logically should have focused on the environmental impact, had somehow also given their approval.

Even the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other departments that were supposed to be guardians of the natural ecology and protectors of flora and fauna, had all expressed their consent.

Looking at this string of approvals, Feng Shan couldn’t help but lament inwardly.

’The power of capital is truly formidable.’

These departments normally had their own duties, and they should have been especially cautious with projects that could have a significant impact on the environment.

But now, they had all been influenced by the power of capital and had easily given their approval.

Having this document meant that the new road was essentially a done deal, and the subsequent construction would most likely proceed as planned.

But Jeff had said it was a priceless treasure for him.

’What exactly does that mean?’

Feng Shan was filled with doubt; he couldn’t figure it out at all.

The oil drilling and road construction plan detailed in this document clearly posed a huge potential threat to the Crown Territory, so how could it be a priceless treasure?

Even if a road was built to Umiat, there were still over a hundred kilometers of tundra between it and the Crown Territory. That stretch of tundra had complex terrain and a harsh climate; it was covered in snow and mud year-round, making it completely impassable for vehicles.

Logically speaking, how could this have much to do with the Crown Territory?

Jeff spoke with a smile, one that seemed to hide some deep, inscrutable meaning.

"Feng, just look at the road route engineering map at the very end. The surprise is back there."

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