My Manor

"Watch your step; don't step on any snakes or anything like that. I need to head back to make some wine, and there are lizards around—be careful..."

Jiang Hai is indeed a homebody, but in reality, he's more of a "fake" homebody. When he has something to do, he isn't always keen to stay at home. Ever since Moses Adams reported on his bet with Carlett Company yesterday, and the security incident at the New York Beef Show, Jiang Hai has been busy. Today, he brought a group of people to the mountains to search for what he needed.

Moses Adams is reliable. Carlett Company owed him $10 million, and when Moses Adams was about to visit, he verified the debt and was promptly paid, though the expression on his face was anything but happy.

For a company like theirs, reputation is paramount. After all, they serve as middlemen. If a company fails to pay its debts or doesn't keep its promises, their reputation takes a huge hit. No individual landowner would want to sell cattle to them again, and they'd end up losing far more than $10 million.

So, even after handing over the $10 million, Carlett Company sent Paul Kaye to prison and dismissed Roslin Carlett as the general manager. Of course, this was just the surface-level consequence. In reality, they also removed Roslin Carlett from his position as the heir to the family, not because of the $10 million loss, but because of his poor judgment.

This matter, though troublesome to discuss, was resolved quickly. However, since the $10 million was paid, it was still subject to taxes. After the amount reached Jiang Hai, only $7.2 million remained. Jiang Hai immediately transferred $200,000 to Moses Adams. While this sum wasn't small, it was just a drop in the bucket for Jiang Hai now.

As for the Carlett Company incident, the situation with the security company was much simpler. The company simply couldn't afford to pay the debt. If pushed further, they would be forced to hand the company over to Jiang Hai. But what would Jiang Hai do with a security company?

Ultimately, the money owed by this company would be considered an equity stake, and they wouldn't need to repay it.

Jiang Hai now holds 49% of the shares, though he has no interest in running the company. He just wants to use their security services quickly. There are also dividends at the end of each year, though this amount is still a small sum for Jiang Hai.

But, as the saying goes, "no matter how small the mosquito, it's still meat," so Jiang Hai agreed. After Moses Adams happily left Jiang Hai's villa, Jiang Hai couldn't stop thinking about the mention of snakes and other creatures. So that afternoon, instead of staying home, he went to the town to apply for a hunting license.

Though guns are widespread in the U.S. and there are plenty of fish in the rivers, a license is required for hunting or fishing. Without a license, you'd be arrested for fishing or hunting in the mountains. However, since Jiang Hai is a local big shot with some connections to the police, he had no trouble getting the license in under half an hour. That evening, after checking the weather forecast and confirming that conditions would be good, he called Cindy Clive to invite her to the mountains the next day. Of course, Darlene and Marianne would join too.

When Cindy arrived, Jiang Hai was surprised to see that she had brought her sister, Kama Clive, along as well. But it didn't matter. After greeting her, Jiang Hai was ready to head out. This time, he only drove one car—the War Shield. Thankfully, the War Shield he bought was a real civilian armored vehicle, with the interior nearly identical to that of real armor.

Unlike other cars, which might have two people in the front and three in the back, this one had two rows of seats in the back, allowing it to comfortably seat seven people when turned around, or more than a dozen if needed. It mainly depended on whether they had the appropriate driver's license.

With Jiang Hai, Cindy Clive, Kama Clive, Darlene, and Marianne, there were only five people, which was more than enough.

Naturally, Jiang Hai wasn't heading into the mountains alone this time, so his staff wasn't going to let him go without backup. Bell, his loyal bodyguard, was always by his side. Recently, Bell's role has been evolving. It would be a waste of talent to let a retired sniper from Delta State become just a cowboy, so Jiang Hai increasingly relied on him as a bodyguard.

However, unlike typical bodyguards, Bell only accompanied Jiang Hai when he went out. His role felt more like that of a friend than just protection personnel. Back at the manor, Bell still preferred to be a cowboy, and Jiang Hai continued to pay him as usual. Every time they went out, Jiang Hai would transfer him thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, a relationship that was never formalized in a contract.

This time, Bell not only brought along Bell-Lester, but also took the initiative to bring Xiaobai, Xiaohuang, Banya, and Jiujiu.

Once these animals entered Jiang Hai's shield, which had seemed quite spacious before, the interior became significantly more crowded.

By six in the morning, everyone had gathered, and Jiang Hai drove his beloved car toward the Appalachian Mountains.

It was the last days of April, with Labor Day approaching. While it was no longer early spring, late spring was still a fitting description. The scene along the roadside had completely transformed since Jiang Hai last drove this route.

After the season's rains, the trees, grass, and wildflowers were in full bloom, with lush greenery everywhere. Occasionally, old farmers could be seen tending cattle and sheep along the highway, although unlike Jiang Hai's manor, their herds were smaller.

As Jiang Hai sped along the road, he opened the window, allowing the fresh breeze to blow into the car, filling it with fresh air that gradually uplifted their spirits. Cindy, sitting next to him, also widened her eyes, clearly enjoying the surroundings.

Soon, they arrived at their destination: the foot of the Appalachian Mountains.

After parking in the lot, Jiang Hai and Bell led the group of women and animals up the mountain trail. The scene that had been dull and dry on their previous trip was now vibrant and alive, with various trees vying to show off their new growth. Jiang Hai didn't know much about trees, so he could only recognize a few, like the red maple, which also produces tasty maple syrup.

Though Jiang Hai didn't remember the other names, Bell-Lester knew them well and shared his knowledge. From Tangdi to Bauhinia, Tulip Trees to Dogwoods, Acacia, Sourwood, and Deer Eye—Jiang Hai listened intently but couldn't keep track of them all.

Meanwhile, Xiaobai and Xiaohuang led the group, as Jiang Hai fell into a heightened state of alert. They had entered the inner mountain, a path most people avoided, and after about half an hour of walking, Bell, who had been leading, suddenly raised his hand. Jiang Hai immediately understood and ordered the others to stop. Xiaobai and Xiaohuang crouched low, moving forward stealthily. Though Jiang Hai hadn't trained them, they had learned the art of hunting on their own.

As the animals crouched, Banya, who had been riding on Xiaobai's back, jumped down.

Though Banya, the branch mouse, had a violent streak, it was a herbivore and showed no interest in hunting. Jiujiu, who had been following Jiang Hai, felt both curious and apprehensive about the forest. While it was larger than a pheasant, Jiujiu, unable to fly, was essentially just a bigger version of one.

"Boss, looks like we've found lunch," Bell whispered, approaching Jiang Hai.

"What is it? A wild boar or a deer?" Jiang Hai asked eagerly.

"Neither. It's probably a turkey. And judging by the sounds, there should be a small group," Bell replied.

Jiang Hai's excitement waned a bit. Wild turkeys weren't exactly hard to come by. Domestic turkeys were sold in supermarkets, and there were wild ones in Jiang Hai's forest. Still, he knew better than to be picky in the wild.

"Woof, woof!"

Just as Jiang Hai was wondering what weapon to use, a burst of barking from Xiaobai broke the silence. The turkeys, startled, took off flying in a panic. Though they seemed clumsy, wild turkeys could fly quite far.

Xiaobai's sudden appearance had scared them into flight. While not a wolf, Xiaobai's appearance was enough to send them fleeing.

Jiang Hai watched as the turkeys, despite their initial shock, flapped their wings and tried to escape. Would they succeed in evading capture? (To be continued.)