stonecrandall Chapter 403 New Houses in the Arctic Circle and US Military Bases
Chapter 403 New Houses in the Arctic Circle and US Military Bases
Chapter 403 New Houses in the Arctic Circle and US Military Bases
A week later, Ilulissat.
The storm that had raged for days had long since subsided, and Disco Bay had returned to its former tranquility and magnificence.
Snowplows pushed the snow off the town's streets to the side of the road, piling it into thick snow walls two meters high, which shimmered with a crystalline luster under the polar sun.
Although the excitement of winning the championship has not completely subsided, and people can be heard talking about the "Kanak champion" wherever they go, Lin Yu-an is not immersed in the celebration.
At this moment, he was standing on the spacious viewing terrace of Hotel Arctic, holding a cup of hot coffee, surveying the building where he was temporarily staying.
It must be said that, as Ilulissat's most eye-catching landmark, the hotel's architecture itself is a visual feast.
It is not one of those cookie-cutter glass skyscrapers, but a red fortress with a strong Nordic industrial aesthetic.
The hotel's main building is a long, multi-story structure built against the mountainside, painted entirely in Greenland's classic "Faru Red".
This deep and passionate red, against the backdrop of the endless white snowfield and gray-blue sky, appears out of place yet incredibly stunning, as if it were the only burning flame in this cold world.
The building's base is made of thick white concrete, like a giant white hand gripping the rugged black rocks on the coast, giving people a sense of security that it will stand firm even in the face of a Category 12 storm.
At the end of the cliffside walkway extending from the main building, there is a row of famous aluminum alloy "metal igloos".
These silver, domed cabins resemble a row of futuristic space capsules, suspended above the rocks and the sea. Through their circular portholes, one can see massive icebergs drifting past beneath their feet.
Lin Yu'an looked at the neatly arranged windows, shook his head, and took a sip of coffee: "The view is unbeatable, and the architecture is cool, like a high-tech polar space station."
"But it's just a hotel after all. It's too standardized, it doesn't feel like home."
So that week, he took Noah and, with the help of Hans, the only top real estate agent in the area, practically turned the whole of Ilulissat upside down.
"Mr. Lin, take a look at this one! It's located in a prime location in the town center!"
Hans enthusiastically pushed open a wooden door located beside the main street, proudly introducing, "Turn left after exiting and you'll find the largest Pisific supermarket, turn right and you'll find a lively bar street, and across the street is your Arctic Hotel. It has a very vibrant atmosphere, perfect for—"
Lin Yu'an frowned and glanced at the noisy street outside the window. Several tourists carrying cameras were curiously peeking into the house, and some were even taking pictures through the window.
He glanced back at the cramped living room, where even turning around was difficult, and interrupted helplessly, "Hans, I have twelve Greenland dogs that eat two kilograms of meat per meal. If I live here, my dogs might eat passing tourists as snacks because it's too crowded."
Hans wiped his sweat and gave an awkward laugh: "Uh—that makes sense. I was a little constrained. Let's see the next one!"
Twenty minutes later, at the port.
"This one! A traditional hunter's house! Close to the dock, convenient for going out to sea, with a lot of historical significance —"
Before Hans could finish speaking, Noah came out, pinching her nose, and waved her hands repeatedly: "No way. The smell is too strong. It's the smell of decades-old fish oil seeping into the wood. You can't wash it off."
"And the floorboards creak when you step on them. I'm afraid that if I turn over in the middle of the night, the bed will collapse into the storage room downstairs."
After looking at five or six different places, I found that they were either too noisy, too dilapidated, or had such small yards that even "Mars" could hardly turn around.
Although Ilulissat is a bustling city, most of its properties are compact, practical homes, which simply cannot meet Lin Yu-an's demanding needs of "both keeping a fierce dog and enjoying a top-notch lifestyle".
As the sun was about to set and dusk was approaching.
Hans gritted his teeth, looking at this obviously "rich" but "extremely picky" Eastern client, and seemed to have made a difficult decision.
Hans's tone became hesitant, as if he was reluctant to take them: "Mr. Lin—actually, there's another set."
"That's the most unique and challenging house in all of Ilulissat. It's perched on a cliff next to the famous Church of Zion."
"Why is it so troublesome?" Lin Yu-an asked.
"Because it's too expensive. And too big."
Hans gave a wry smile and said frankly, "The original owner was an eccentric Danish historian and a wealthy man. He just passed away, and his children are eager to cash out, but the price they're asking is simply outrageous for locals."
"In Ilulissat, nobody would spend that kind of money to buy a house. Even Danes with a little money would think that price is outrageous."
"Lead the way," Lin Yu'an replied with only two words.
Hans drove the car to the very edge of the town.
Far from the hustle and bustle of tourists, a private driveway covered in snow leads all the way to the very end of the coastal cliffs.
The moment the car stopped, Lin Yu'an and Nuoya's eyes lit up at the same time.
It was a colossal building perched on a cliff overlooking the sea.
It stands proudly next to the famous black-spired Zion Cathedral, but because it occupies a rocky high ground that juts out into the sea, its view is not obstructed by the cathedral at all.
Unlike the low wooden houses I'd seen before, it was a magnificent two-story mansion, complete with an exquisite attic.
The bright red cedar wood exterior walls stand out like burning flames under the polar sunset.
What is most striking is its unique structure: a white, external wooden staircase, like a sculpture, spirals along the side of the building, leading directly to the huge terrace on the second floor that cantilevered over the cliff.
Hans took out his key and pushed open the heavy oak door. "This house was built in 1920 and was formerly the residence of a senior official of the Royal Trading Post."
The house didn't smell musty like typical old houses; instead, it exuded a faint scent of pine. Lin Yu'an stepped into the hall and was instantly stunned by the scene before him.
The previous homeowner was clearly a minimalist enthusiast; he preserved the old house's retro red exterior but transformed the interior into an ultra-modern space.
The original cramped cubicles on the first floor were all demolished and transformed into a bright, open LDK (Living-Dining-Kids) lobby covered with expensive reindeer hide carpets. The wall facing the sea was completely smashed and replaced with a massive, frameless bulletproof glass panel six meters wide.
It was dusk, and through this window, without any embellishment, the hundreds and thousands of enormous icebergs of Disco Bay burst into view without reservation.
They floated on the deep blue, almost black sea, and the setting sun gilded each iceberg with a layer of gold, making them breathtakingly beautiful.
"There are six bedrooms in total on the second floor and in the attic," Hans explained, pointing upstairs. "The original owner had two children and many students, so there were plenty of rooms."
Lin Yu'an walked to the window and looked down.
The house is built on a cliff tens of meters high, with waves crashing against the ice below.
To the left is a sacred and tranquil church, and to the right is his private 2,000-square-meter rocky backyard, which is now completely surrounded by sturdy barbed wire.
With unparalleled views and enormous space, this is more than just a mansion; it's a "perfectly designed safe house in the Arctic."
Noah was standing in that open kitchen, her fingers gently stroking the island counter made of a single piece of black walnut wood, as if she could see the morning of the future.
Outside the window, snow was falling heavily, while inside, the birch wood in the fireplace crackled and popped.
The air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and the rich scent of black coffee.
She stood there, barefoot on the warm floor heating, wearing a loose sweater, cutting freshly baked bacon. "Mars" was perched in the doorway, staring longingly at the meat in her hands.
Lin Yu'an would sit on the leather sofa facing the French windows, wiping his hunting rifle, then look up and give her a smile that made her feel completely at ease.
That is "home". Not a hotel for temporary stay, not a safe house to escape from at any time, but a home where you can put down roots, watch the sunrise and sunset, and watch the aurora borealis.
Noah turned her head. The glow of the setting sun danced on her eyelashes, her eyes were slightly red, and her gaze was filled with an unreserved longing—"I want this."
Lin Yu'an's heart was struck hard by that gaze.
"I'll take this one."
He turned around and looked at Hans, who was standing anxiously at the door, his tone as calm as if he were buying a cabbage at the supermarket.
Hans froze for a moment, and the keychain in his hand almost fell to the ground with a "clatter".
"Mr. Lin? Are you serious?"
Hans swallowed hard, his professional instincts quickly bringing him back to his senses, but he had to be upfront about the unpleasant truth: "The asking price for this house is—four and a half million Danish kroner. And—"
He looked troubled, pulled a thick stack of documents from his briefcase, and awkwardly adjusted his glasses: "Mr. Lin, this isn't just about money. According to Greenlandic law, there are very strict restrictions on foreigners who are not Danish citizens purchasing real estate."
"You need to meet residency obligations," and you also need to go through a lengthy background check by the Department of Justice—a process that takes at least three to six months.
"What if I don't take out a loan?" Lin Yu'an suddenly asked.
"This isn't a loan issue, Mr. Lin, it's a qualification issue," Hans said, sweating profusely.
"As for the legal obstacles you mentioned—"
Lin Yu'an turned to the side, her gaze falling gently on Noah, then turned to Hans and said, "Hans, the lady standing in front of you, Noah, is a native Greenlander, a daughter of this land with Inuit blood flowing through her veins."
"She has the right to reside here by birth and does not need to apply for permission from any department."
He paused, his voice becoming exceptionally clear: "I'm not buying this house for myself. I'm buying it for her. The property deed will only have her name on it."
After speaking, Lin Yu'an took out a black metal card holder from the inside pocket of his jacket. A card, entirely black with edges gleaming with the cold luster of titanium, was held between his fingers.
That's not an ordinary credit card; it's the American Express Centurion Black Card, representing top-tier global payment capabilities and privileges.
Hans gaped open, his jaw nearly dropping to the ground.
He glanced at the black card that symbolized unlimited credit, then at Noah, who looked utterly shocked.
Four and a half million Danish kroner! That's a huge sum of money! And this man didn't even blink an eye, just gave it to a Greenland girl?
The "restrictions on foreign buyers" and "Ministry of Justice approval" that originally stood in the way of the transaction instantly collapsed and vanished.
"What? Do locals need to go through a three-month approval process to buy a house?" Lin Yu'an urged, looking at the dumbfounded Hans.
"No—no need!"
A few seconds later, Hans seemed to wake up from a dream, his voice trembling with excitement. It was the exhilaration of being struck by money, and the ecstasy of having solved a difficult problem.
He worked rapidly on the tablet, speaking at a pace so fast it sounded like he was rapping: "The transfer of land use rights only requires registration at the city hall; it doesn't need to go through the Ministry of Justice at all! There are no legal obstacles whatsoever! This is a textbook example of perfect compliance!"
Hans quickly pulled a copy of the "Final House Sale Contract" from his briefcase and placed it on the expensive black walnut wood island table.
He even thoughtfully unscrewed a Montblanc pen and handed it to Noah with both hands, his respectful attitude as if he were presenting a royal decree.
"Ms. Noah, please sign here. I will take care of all the remaining formalities before sunset tomorrow."
Noah took the pen somewhat dazedly. She glanced at the dizzying number on the contract, then turned to look at Lin Yu'an.
Lin Yu'an simply smiled and nodded, his eyes full of encouragement.
The pen tip touched the paper with a soft rustling sound. As Noah's name was written, the red fortress on the cliff officially changed hands.
Next comes the moment of monetary settlement.
"very good."
Lin Yu'an nodded slightly and calmly entered the command on the keypad.
During the few seconds he waited for the transaction to be processed, he didn't look at the machine, but instead reached out and gently covered Noah's hand, which was still resting on the island platform.
The warmth traveled through my fingertips, dispelling all the cold and unease.
"It's yours now."
He looked into her eyes, his voice soft, yet more solemn than the resounding four and a half million he had just spoken.
It wasn't "we bought it," but "it's yours." It was a promise, a promise that gave her absolute security.
Noah raised her head and stared intently at the man. Her eyes were slightly red, and at that moment, the light in her eyes was more dazzling than the magnificent sunset over the iceberg outside the window.
She didn't say anything, but instead gripped his fingers tightly with all her might.
Their fingers were intertwined, perfectly aligned.
"Drip—sizzle—"
A soft yet clear electronic tone broke the silence as the POS machine finally completed a massive cross-border transaction and dispensed a long receipt.
It was more than just a certificate of a successful transaction; it was a ticket to a new life, a contract that allowed this icy plain to accept them.
Outside the window, the enormous red sun finally sank into the deep blue icy sea, and the sunset glow painted the white world with a gentle pale purple.
The indoor light dimmed, but their hearts were brighter than ever before.
The drifting ship found a harbor, and the wandering soul found a resting place.
On this white wasteland, they were no longer just fleeting passersby.
They have a home now.
three days later.
With the formalities completed, this house, boasting the most expensive view in the entire town, officially belongs to Noah.
Lin Yu'an stood on the cantilevered terrace on the second floor, holding a steaming cup of hand-drip coffee in her hand and wearing a soft gray cashmere sweater.
Although we've only been living here for three days, the house has already undergone a complete transformation.
The former homeowner, a Danish historian, was eccentric but possessed remarkable taste in aesthetics.
The house has an excellent foundation in terms of its hard furnishings, with large areas of walls made of micro-cement and carbonized wood splicing, preserving the original and rugged polar style.
The enormous fireplace is constructed from local basalt, with its flue leading directly to the roof. All the light fixtures are classic Danish designs, with cool and restrained lines.
But for Lin Yu-an, this "museum-like" serene atmosphere lacked a bit of the warmth of everyday life.
Thus, a renovation focused on "comfort" is underway inside the house.
Noah was directing several workers to move furniture. "Careful! Be gentle! That sofa leather is very delicate!"
Like a responsible hostess, Noah directed the workers to place a set of expensive Italian Batter leather sofas in the center of the living room, replacing the original hardwood chairs that, although beautiful, were not comfortable to sit on.
Lin Yu'an carried coffee into the master bedroom and saw the workers unpacking the new mattress that Hans had gone to great lengths to find.
"Heistenson's blue and white checkered pattern?" Lin Yu'an raised an eyebrow. "Hans is really capable; he actually managed to get his hands on this in three days."
"He said it was stolen from the warehouse of the presidential suite at a five-star hotel in Nuuk."
Noah walked over with a smile, carrying a stack of snow-white bedding. It was specially selected to match the new mattress; it was made of 120-count high-thread-count cotton, which felt as smooth as silk and had the warmth of cotton.
She skillfully spread out the sheets and neatly arranged the quilt.
"I really like the decor here. It retains the framework of the old house, but we need to soften it up a bit." Noah patted the fluffy down pillow and turned to look at Lin Yu'an. "Just like you, you may look cold on the outside, but you're actually very warm inside."
Lin Yu'an smiled, walked over and hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder: "Is there anything else that needs to be changed?"
"I really like that black walnut wood island in the kitchen, so I don't need to touch it."
Noah carefully considered: "The living room on the first floor is already perfect with the addition of a carpet and sofa. But the second floor—"
She turned around and pointed to the row of closed doors on both sides of the corridor.
The mansion is incredibly luxurious. Besides the master suite with its stunning ocean view that they are currently in, there are five empty rooms on the second floor and in the attic.
"It's such a waste to leave so many rooms empty," Lin Yu'an said casually. "How about turning them into a gym or a home theater?"
"No, it can't be changed."
Noah shook her head, her expression suddenly becoming somewhat serious, even carrying a touch of the raw and straightforward pragmatism unique to Greenland women.
She took Lin Yu'an's hand, walked into the corridor, and pushed open the door to the first guest room.
The place has been cleaned spotless, with warm-colored curtains installed and even a bouquet of dried flowers placed there.
"This room has great natural light; you can see the first rays of sunlight in the morning," Noah said, pointing to the room. "I left it like that."
"Who should I leave it to?" Lin Yu'an asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Leave it to Arya," Noah said calmly, looking into his eyes.
Lin Yu'an was stunned: "Who?"
"Arya, that regret from your past life," Noah said, recounting it as if it were a familiar story, before pulling him towards the next room.
"This room has the most magnificent view, with windows facing the sea. It's perfect for that girl named McCorz; she'd probably like this cool vibe."
"The attic room is the quietest; it's suitable for that one—"
"Noya, you—" Lin Yu'an was speechless for a moment, a complex feeling welling up in his heart, along with a strange sense of emotion.
"My dear, you are destined to be a man of great things in this life."
Noah turned around and gently straightened the collar of his cashmere sweater, her eyes clear and open: "I've said before that in Greenland's tradition, a good hunter never has only one partner. Your ability to protect more people shows that you are strong enough."
She raised her head, her dark eyes showing no trace of jealousy, only composure and magnanimity: "I don't care how many women you have outside, nor do I care about your complicated business empire. But here, in Ilulissat, I am the mistress of this place."
"As long as they come here, this is home. I've prepared four of the best rooms; is that enough?"
Lin Yu'an looked at the petite yet powerful girl in front of him and couldn't help but chuckle. He reached out and ruffled her hair roughly.
"That's enough. And—you will always be the only mistress of this place."
"That's good." Noah nodded in satisfaction, instantly reverting to her usual domestic woman demeanor.
"Alright, I'm going down to check if the workers have set the tables properly. You go check on Odak; he flew over here specifically to help today."
Watching Nuoya's busy figure, Lin Yu'an shook his head, a helpless yet doting smile on his lips.
He carried his coffee back to the terrace and looked out over the spacious backyard.
A series of clanging and knocking sounds came from there.
Odak is helping to build a row of brand-new windproof and heat-insulated dog kennels.
"Lin, you're insane," Odak grumbled as he worked. "These guys have never slept on a heated bed before. Aren't you afraid of sleeping all their thick, life-saving fur off?"
Although Greenland dogs are naturally cold-resistant and can even sleep in the snow at minus forty degrees Celsius, Lin Yu'an still insisted on laying moisture-proof and anti-corrosion wooden floors for them and even luxuriously connected them to underfloor heating pipes.
Lin Yu-an explained, "The underfloor heating is only turned on in the clean area to facilitate snow melting and cleaning, and to keep it dry."
"Fine, fine, you're rich, you call the shots." Odak shook his head, but his men worked even harder, building the row of dog kennels like a miniature townhouse.
Mars and its eleven brothers were lying on the rocks, belly up, basking in the sun. Next to them were piles of high-quality whale meat steaks and seal oil—their well-deserved retirement.
"Isn't this place nice?" Lin Yu'an leaned against the railing and asked, turning around.
"It's more than just nice—" Odak wiped the sweat from his brow, looking at the house with envy. "This is the best hunter's lodge in all of Greenland. Lin, are you really planning to settle down here? Not one of those big hotels with swimming pools?"
"This is the best place." Lin Yu'an put down his coffee cup and looked at the white land in front of him, which was both cruel and gentle.
He thought of his wanderings in his past life, and of his journey in this one. He needed a place like this.
"Here you'll find the best hunting grounds, the most loyal dogs, and the most magnificent icebergs —"
He lowered his head, recalling Noah's adorable appearance when assigning rooms, and his eyes softened considerably.
'
And there are people I need to protect.
This house on the cliff is not only his home, but also a symbol of his presence in the Arctic Circle.
No matter how turbulent the outside world is, no matter what crisis his business empire in America faces, as long as he returns here, there is a warm fireplace, a pack of fierce dogs, a lover, and that Tikka rifle hanging on the fireplace, always loaded.
"Well then, welcome home." Odak raised the hammer in his hand, as if raising a wine glass to Lin Yu'an in salute.
Sunlight shines on the massive icebergs of Ilulissat, refracting a dazzling light.
On the terrace of his new home, after finishing the last sip of coffee, Odak didn't immediately leave to enjoy his runner-up prize money. Instead, he mysteriously pulled a crumpled list from his pocket.
It was covered with all sorts of strange words written in crooked Danish and English.
"Lin, don't rush to lie down on your new bed." Odak tapped the paper with his rough finger, his expression becoming somewhat mysterious and excited.
"The day after tomorrow, there's another great show. It's our annual Easter tradition as Arctic hunters," he said, adding that in some ways it's even more important than going to church, and more rewarding than winning a competition.
"What program? Going to hunt another whale?" Lin Yu-an asked curiously.
"No, this time we're going to 'hunt' something else. Something of value that only exists in the civilized world."
Odak stood up and pointed to the far north—south of Karnak, a place where his heart was forever tormented by pain and longing.
"We're going back north, to Pitufik, which the Americans call Thule Air Base."
Lin Yu'an was stunned when he heard the name.
He knew where it was; it was the northernmost U.S. Space Force military base in the world, home to a massive BMEWS (Ballistic Missile Early Warning System) phased array radar.
During the Cold War, it was the first eye watching Soviet nuclear missiles and an absolute military no-go zone.
"What are you going there for? That's US military territory. Civilians will be arrested by military police if they get close," Lin Yu-an warned.
"Normally it's a restricted area; even a bird flying over would be detected by radar. But these Easter days are different."
O
Odak grinned, revealing that old fox-like smile: "That's our tacitly agreed-upon trading day with those American soldiers," officially called "Armed Forces Day."
""
Audak leaned comfortably against the newly installed Italian leather sofa and began to educate Lin Yu'an about this "black tradition" that you would never find in any travel guide: "Lin, do you know? The place where that base is located was originally the village where our ancestors lived for thousands of years."
Odak's voice lowered, carrying a hint of historical vicissitude: "In 1953, the Cold War began."
The Americans had their eye on that land and said they wanted to build radar there to defend against the Russians.
"So they gave us four days and forcibly drove our entire village to this wasteland that is now Kanak."
"We lost our best hunting grounds, we lost our ancestral graves. To compensate, the Americans established an unwritten rule—on a certain day each year, they will open their gates and welcome us home." See?
"Of course, nowadays nobody cares about going home to visit; what we care about is what they have in their hands."
"You know, those American soldiers were left to guard the radar in this godforsaken, icy wasteland for six months straight. Even though there's a bowling alley and a pizza shop at the base, they're going crazy with boredom."
Odak famously gestured, "They want to bring back some real Arctic specialties" to brag about. Like walrus ivory, polar bear paws, sealskin gloves, or our handmade bone knives.
"And we—" Odak patted his somewhat worn sealskin coat, his eyes burning with a thirst for supplies: "We need the American goods they have."
"The goods shipped from Denmark are too expensive, and the taxes are too high. We need the duty-free goods that are only available in the US military supermarkets, such as cheap Marlboro cigarettes, Jack Daniel's whiskey, and large barrels of protein powder."
"Of course, there's also the most important thing—equipment. The US military's tactical flashlights are as bright as the sun. Their MREs..."
(Individual rations) may taste bad, but they are extremely high in calories; they were our lifesavers during blizzards.
"And their polar flight boots are even more durable than our reindeer hide boots."
"Does it need to be done secretly?"
Upon hearing Lin Yu'an's guess, Audak shook his head vigorously.
"No, no, no, Lin. It seems you still don't understand our relationship with the Americans. We don't pass things through a net like thieves."
"On that day, the doors were wide open."
"We won't sneak in. We'll drive in on a dog sled, swaggering right up to their base, right under their radar station!"
"That's the most spectacular sight of the year! Can you imagine? All the indigenous people from Kanak and the surrounding hundreds of kilometers around would come out."
"A long line of hundreds of dog sleds made their way across the sea ice."
"When our pack of dogs ran on the clean asphalt roads of the U.S. military and peed on the wheels of stealth bombers that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build—those were the most satisfying and craziest days of the year for us."
At this point, Odak licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with a primal craving for high-calorie carbohydrates: "And—I've been missing that U.S. Army mess hall called 'Dundee's' for a whole year!"
"The double cheeseburgers there are this big!" He gestured a size larger than a human head. "And that bar, their fried chicken wings are all-you-can-eat!"
"I'm going to take Alek to see what American junk food is like. That kid's never even tried McDonald's before."
"Of course, the most important thing is still sourcing goods."
Audak pulled out a crumpled wad of US dollars from his pocket and pointed at Lin Yu'an: "Lin, you have to come with me. Although I can speak some English, it's too much trouble to bargain with those gum-chewing, fast-talking black soldiers."
"Last time, someone in our village got ripped off. He wanted to buy a box of beef cans, but because he couldn't read the labels, he bought a box of premium cat food instead! His wife scolded him for six whole months, and in the end, he fed it all to his dog."
Lin Yu'an seemed to be thinking about something, and Audak noticed his thoughts.
"That's right, Lin, just as you thought, that person is Peeta."
Lin Yu'an couldn't help but laugh out loud.
He was incredibly excited about this surreal scene of primitive tribes going to US military bases in groups to shop, eat hamburgers, and trade walrus ivory for whiskey.
This is absolutely more exciting than anything you've ever seen in a movie, and that's the unique charm of Greenland.
"Okay." Lin Yu'an stood up, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Then let's assemble the most luxurious fleet of delivery trucks."
"Perfect timing! I also want to see what kind of life these American soldiers, exiled to the ends of the earth, lead. And while I'm at it—I also want to find some good stuff."
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