The first time I saw that piece of ice
It was as if time had frozen.
It is smoother than the smoothest mirror in the world.
Snow Mountain
wilderness
My face
Sun
moon
A whole Milky Way
Everything reflected in it will be retained by it.
include
My love for you
That moment
I instantly understood the meaning of life.
When the soul shines in the aurora
I saw your smile.
Even in the dark night
Like an eternal day
--Written before the final volume, "The Ice of Eternal Day"
Winter in Alaska is vast and quiet, with most of the country covered in ice and snow except for the coastline.
Huang Liang and Quiwyn Wolf arrived in Anchorage in the evening.
In this season, the days in Alaska are very short; it gets dark before four o'clock. The city lights are already on, but they can't compare to the bright glow reflected from the snow-capped Chugach Snow Mountains behind it. A golden moon hangs high on the mountaintop, its light unhindered by any dust or fog, as bright as the Sun in the night.
A young man named Enluke came to pick them up. Hong Kui said that Enruk was also Inuit, and was actually his distant cousin. However, they did not pay much attention to seniority like the Chinese, so they did not care much about this, but due to their ethnic and blood ties, they were exceptionally united.
Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, and the Wolf Family certainly wouldn't give up this place.
A hundred years ago, when this was just a port on the newly built Alaska Railroad, they began investing here. At that time, the Wolf Family was far from being as powerful as it is today. They had no involvement in the construction of Merrill Field and Fort Richardson, but they achieved considerable success by developing scattered businesses around the railroad, which turned into a sizable commercial district many years later.
In 1964, a 9.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Anchorage area, forcing everything to be rebuilt. The Wolf Family inevitably suffered enormous losses, but the reconstruction provided them with an opportunity. They began to fully engage in town development and the exploitation of local resources. In 1968, oil was discovered in Prudhoe Bay on the North Shore of Alaska, an area home to the Inuit people, and the Wolf Family became the biggest beneficiary. Correspondingly, Anchorage, located at a southern transportation hub, also experienced greater development.
Enluke was very talkative, telling them everything about the place as he drove. Of course, he was mainly telling Huang Liang, a stranger, while Hong Kui had already dozed off in the back seat.
Huang Liang knew he had a heavy responsibility to bear and should not, and had no, interest in lingering over the scenery around him. However, Enluke's enthusiasm infected him, making him unable to help but let his mind wander and imagine the past and present of this city.
It was clear that Enluke was very proud to be a member of the Wolf Family, even though he had never been involved in the family's core affairs or even been to Vancouver.
Instead of checking into a luxury hotel in downtown Anchorage, or seeing the grand estate they had imagined, they entered a small villa on the outskirts of the city.
Hong Kui said that this was the Wolf Family's first property in Anchorage and Tushu. A hundred years ago, it was filled with makeshift sheds. Although it was a bit far from the port, many dockworkers were willing to live here just for a sip of hot wine that could warm their insides and even their bones.
Huang Liang drank this liquor in front of the fireplace in the house. It is said to be brewed using ancient Native American methods. The liquor is not particularly strong, but it is indeed very warm. When it enters the mouth, it is like a warm flame being swallowed into the stomach and spreading to the limbs and bones.
Hong Kui asked him, "How's the wine?"
He said, "This might be the best wine I've ever tasted in my life."
Hong Kui sighed and said, "The Native Americans don't think that way. They prefer to drink spirits from Europe. The colonists of yesteryear took advantage of this to gain more profits from the fur trade. Spirits spread among the Native American tribes like drugs, rapidly depleting their wealth and their spirits. In their drunkenness, they forgot that their ancestors also knew how to brew wine, and that they could brew the finest wines in the world."
Looking at the milky white wine in the cup, Huang Liang asked curiously, "So where did this wine I'm drinking come from?"
Enluke, who had been accompanying them, said, "This is brewed in our family's distillery. Over a hundred years ago, when the railroad was just being built here, Mr. Wolf wanted to open a distillery here. He hired some Native Americans to brew the wine, and that's how the technique was preserved. Now, the distillers in the distillery have changed countless times, and none of them are Native Americans anymore."
Huang Liang couldn't help but sigh. People often fail to see the precious things they possess, and readily believe that external things are better.
He said, "Luckily it was preserved. I'm fortunate to have tasted it. How wonderful it would be to drink this kind of wine Tiantian! The citizens of Anchorage are truly lucky!"
Hong Kui laughed and said, "You're lucky to have this drink, but the citizens of Anchorage aren't so fortunate. The production of this liquor is very low. In the past, liquor was extremely precious to the Native American tribes precisely because of its low production. And because the Native Americans loved their liquor, the amount produced by this brewing method was usually not enough for an entire tribe. They could only store it each year for special occasions, and normally only the tribal chief and important figures could enjoy a few sips. Although we've improved the technology, to maintain the taste, we can't change the raw materials and basic processes, so the production is still very low. Therefore, we currently only supply it to our internal staff; this liquor is simply not available for sale outside."
Huang Liang suddenly felt the cup in his hand grow heavier, but its rich flavor had diminished considerably. The taste of wine is always intertwined with the flavor of human connection; even the finest wine, without that human connection, ceases to be wine.
Just then, Enluke, who was leaning against the fireplace scrolling through his phone, suddenly exclaimed, "Oh my god, what the hell is this!"
His voice was extremely abnormal; it was unclear what kind of news he had come across that could have shocked him so much. Huang Liang and Hong Kui both looked at him, and he looked back at them.
"Quickly check your phones, open any video app or news website," Enluke said.
Huang Liang and Hong Kui exchanged a glance and simultaneously took out their phones.
Then he saw Selina's familiar face and heard her gentle and touching voice.
A barely perceptible wisp of Mental Power quietly drifted through the room, while the flames in the fireplace crackled and flickered.
Just recently, Selina attended Huang Liang's wedding to offer her blessings and express her gratitude.
Huang Liang clearly remembered that he said his courage inspired and enlightened her, and that she had to do the right thing. She meant to stop an important operation launched by the organization. She said she would become a traitor to the organization, just like him, be hunted down by the organization, and live in a world of both freedom and danger.
Huang Liang had been guessing what she would do, but he never expected her to launch such a powerful live-streamed speech. What surprised him even more was the ending of the live stream.
When Selina mentioned "human freedom," Huang Liang turned to look at Hong Kui, who happened to be looking at him as well.
He saw the shock on his face, and even saw the fire in his eyes, the blood surging in his heart. He finally understood why this young master Wolf, who could sit at home and wait to inherit billions, was so determined to come to the icy wilderness to search for the elusive, dreamlike Holy Land. He must have known something all along; he had been searching for something all along.
Huang Liang finally understood what he was pursuing. From the day he escaped from Wuzhong's prison, he had been waiting for the day when he could sever the tentacle behind his consciousness. He wanted to pursue a complete self, to breathe unrestrained air, and to let his consciousness soar freely in the universe.
As Selina died, he understood even more clearly how heavy the burden on his shoulders was, and how difficult this journey would be.
That night, neither of them spoke again, nor did they fall asleep. Until the first light of dawn, Hong Kui said:
"We need to speed things up, Enluke. Go and make the arrangements; we're going to the Kenai Mountains."
Enluke asked, "Right away? The roads are all icy right now..."
"Right away," Hong Kui said decisively.
Enluke said nothing more, got up, and went out to prepare.
Just as he opened the door, Huang Liang vaguely saw a dark figure flash past outside.
He remembered the sinister face hiding behind the cloak on television.
No, impossible! The live stream just ended, and we're over 2,000 kilometers from Vancouver. He couldn't possibly be that fast. Huang Liang thought to himself.