Su Wei looked around the dilapidated wooden house. It was too old, Su Wei really wanted to improve his quality of life.
That priceless bearskin and that incredibly valuable deer antlers will definitely be kept at home from now on.
On top of that, I'll be living here long-term; just thinking about it makes every extra day feel like torture.
Moreover, the sooner construction begins, the sooner you can enjoy underfloor heating and a whole-house constant temperature system.
"Wait a moment."
A candidate flashed through Su Wei's mind.
"If I'm not there, can I have a friend watch the land for me? He knows this place very well."
"As long as someone can guide us and sign off on the exploration area, that's fine."
Matt was easy to talk to.
"No problem, then it'll be nine o'clock tomorrow. I'll contact someone right away."
After hanging up the phone, Su Wei immediately pulled up Aruk's number.
The kid is in town, and he doesn't seem to have taken on any long-term hunting missions lately.
The phone was answered after ringing twice.
The background noise was somewhat chaotic, like in a small pub, mixed with the clinking of glasses and the rough laughter of men.
"Hey, Su Wei, my brother."
Aruk's loud voice made the receiver buzz.
"Why are you calling me now? Regretting not coming for a drink? The stout is on sale today, only three dollars."
"I'll pass on the drinking; I need your help with something important."
Su Wei moved her phone a little further away.
"Are you free to come to my place tomorrow morning at nine o'clock?"
"Go to your place? It's freezing cold, do you want me to go to your run-down wooden hut to get some fresh air?"
Aruk let out a burp.
"Even though we're very close, this job..."
I want to rebuild the wooden house.
Su Wei interrupted him.
There was a brief two-second silence on the other end of the phone.
Even the background noise seemed to have faded away.
"What did you say?"
Aruk's voice rose an octave, like a groundhog whose tail had been stepped on.
"Rebuild? You mean just patch things up, replace a few rotten planks?"
"Tear it down, rebuild it."
Su Wei spoke calmly.
"I've found Polar Strong Shield to rebuild the whole house. They're coming to survey the place tomorrow morning, but I have to go to learn specimen preparation, so I'm busy. Could you keep an eye on things for me?"
" Polar Strong Shield?"
Aruk gasped.
"Those vampires charge at least tens of thousands of dollars. Dude, did you rob a bank, or did you actually dig out gold nuggets from inside that brown bear?"
Although Aruk knew that Su Wei had made some money last time, he never expected that the kid would spend it so extravagantly.
This is a whopping $100,000 to $200,000. That's a huge sum in Kodiak Town.
I guess so.
Su Wei did not elaborate on the matter of the compensation.
Should we help or not?
"We must help, we absolutely must."
Aruk was as excited as if he were building his own house.
"I also want to see what those guys who claim they can build villas on glaciers are really capable of. Don't worry, I'll be there at nine o'clock tomorrow, and I absolutely won't let them get an inch of land."
Thanks. I'll treat you to meat later.
We'll talk about meat later.
Aruk chuckled, a hint of mystery creeping into his voice.
"By the way, since you have the money to build a house, it means you're financially comfortable lately. Perfect timing, I've also accomplished something big."
"What?"
Su Wei was somewhat curious.
I bought a boat.
Aruk's voice betrayed an undisguised smugness.
"A 24-foot aluminum alloy fishing boat, secondhand, but I replaced it with a brand new Yamaha external engine. It's incredibly powerful."
Buy a boat?
This suits Aruk's restless nature perfectly.
Hunters in Alaska often work part-time as fishermen during the summer.
After all, things from the sea are sometimes more valuable than things from land.
"Sure, Captain."
Su Wei joked.
"Is he planning to switch careers and become a fisherman?"
"What fishermen? They conquer the sea."
Aruk laughed.
"The snow crabs are at their fattest this season. Add to that the flounder and grouper... Brother, with this boat, we won't just be wandering around the mountains anymore. Once I get all the paperwork done, I'll take you out to sea in a few days."
Snow crab.
Upon hearing this word, Su Wei's throat moved involuntarily.
Those are top-quality ingredients.
In supermarkets, a few crab legs can cost tens of dollars. If you could catch them yourself...
Moreover, this seems to be a good way to make money.
There are limited prey options on land, but while there are prey options in the sea, there are more species and more opportunities.
"OK."
Su Wei agreed readily.
"Call me when you're done. I'm not allergic to seafood."
"Haha, it's a deal then. I'll show you what a true sea hunter is all about."
The two chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up.
Su Wei sent Matt a message confirming that Aruk would be the contact person for tomorrow.
After all this was done, the room became quiet again.
Cotton Candy had finished the bag of minced beef and was lying on the rug by the fireplace, licking her paws with a satisfied look on her face.
Su Wei went over and added two birch sticks to the fireplace.
The flames flickered, casting an orange glow on his face.
In the past, we struggled to survive, having to stretch every penny to make ends meet, and every day we woke up to huge debts.
Now, the land has expanded to 100 acres, the houses are about to be rebuilt, and there are even plans to go out to sea to catch crabs.
Su Wei stretched, listening to the cracking sounds coming from his joints.
He went to the bathroom and took a quick shower, washing away the fishy smell and sawdust from his body.
Lying in bed, even the sounds of wind and snow outside the window seemed pleasant.
I have to get up at five o'clock again tomorrow.
They also had to deal with that eccentric Old Hope and that mess of bones.
But what does it matter?
Su Wei closed his eyes, and before his consciousness sank into darkness, one last thought flashed through his mind:
I wonder if that boat can fit him and Cotton Candy.
If they don't allow it, then let Aruk swim back by himself.