My Manor

"Finally, I found you." Jiang Hai couldn't help but laugh as he saw the deer before him. These were the very ones he had been searching for.

He unstrapped his beloved rifle from his back, setting the crosshairs on the deer in front of him.

Deer antlers are often referred to as "deer horns," but they come in various grades. Bigger and thicker is not always better.

As male deer age, their antlers grow larger, and the same applies to white-tailed deer. Antlers serve purposes like collection and fighting, but beyond that, they hold little value.

The prime age for deer antlers is between three and six years old, although those between two and three years old are also desirable.

This time, Jiang Hai was aiming for the half-grown male deer—no one paid much attention to deer of this age.

Soon, Jiang Hai locked onto a male deer with antlers about ten centimeters high. His rifle steadied as his breathing slowed.

But just as he was about to fire, the herd suddenly grew alert. In a matter of seconds, they scattered in every direction. Then, from a distance, gunshots rang out.

Jiang Hai saw the deer he had been aiming for collapse to the ground, and more than a dozen others were shot as well. At the sound of the gunfire, the female deer, unscathed, fled quickly.

"What's going on? Is someone else hunting this group of deer?" Jiang Hai frowned slightly, not overly concerned about losing the deer. After all, it wasn't his to begin with, especially since it was a wild deer.

The real reason for his concern was the unexpected intrusion and the threat it posed. Based on the gunshots, there had to be more than a dozen people involved. He and his team, consisting of only two men and four women, were outnumbered. In the wild, anything could happen, so caution was the best course of action.

Jiang Hai retracted his rifle, signaling Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai to take cover. He instructed Beier to protect the other four women in case things escalated.

Though the girls had never faced such a situation before, they understood that sometimes, the greatest danger in the wild wasn't the animals but people. They stayed silent, standing still and awaiting orders.

After the deer scattered, a deep horn sounded, and a group of people emerged from the forest in the distance.

There were about fifteen or sixteen individuals, all tall and sturdy, and they looked quite similar to one another. Their clothing was casual, unlike the hunting attire Jiang Hai and Beier wore. Most striking, however, was the fact that many of them appeared to be of Asian descent.

They had black hair and dark skin, but it was the kind of black hair common among Asians, not black people. With big noses and deep-set eyes, they resembled the Mongolian people of China.

These individuals carried guns, but unlike the well-maintained rifles Jiang Hai and Beier used, their weapons appeared to be homemade—simple, with wooden handles, looking rough and primitive. When they saw Jiang Hai and Beier standing there, they hesitated, but ultimately sent three of their group to approach the two men, while the rest began harvesting the deer for meat and skins.

"They're Iroquois," Beier murmured in Jiang Hai's ear, noting that no one had raised a weapon, which indicated a temporary peace.

"Iroquois?" Jiang Hai was slightly taken aback, having never heard of them before.

"They're a group of Native Americans. The term 'Indian' is a misnomer created by European invaders to refer to all indigenous people across the Americas, not a specific group. It's similar to how the Chinese refer to themselves as 'descendants of Yan and Huang,'" explained Cindy Clive, a teacher who had taken it upon herself to educate the group about such matters.

In truth, "Indian" was a derogatory term, coined by Europeans who first encountered the indigenous people. Some of the most famous groups, such as the Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs, were all classified under this umbrella. However, like the 56 ethnic groups in China, these groups had their own distinct names. Tragically, most of the Native Americans were nearly exterminated in the 16th century. A few escaped into the mountains or fled to Canada, but before 1950, they were still among the most persecuted people in the United States.

Some people have compared the early American Empire's treatment of Native Americans to the exploitation of Chinese immigrants. At least the Chinese were allowed to survive and work in America, while Native Americans were treated as less than livestock. The Sioux, the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota tribes, were practically wiped out, with the Iroquois having once resisted these invaders through an alliance.

The alliance eventually broke down, and most of the Iroquois fled to Canada or were kept in captivity like livestock. By 1950, the U.S. government began to officially recognize them, but by then, many had become self-isolated, living in protected areas or national parks. Despite decades of suffering, they had made peace with the Americans, though that peace was more about coexistence than friendship.

Now, the Iroquois lived their lives in their own communities, trading with trusted merchants for necessary goods, using the skins and other materials from their hunts. They had little to do with the outside world, and they didn't trust outsiders, especially those of African or European descent. If it weren't for Jiang Hai's gesture, they probably wouldn't have given him a second glance.

As the Iroquois finished processing the meat and prepared to leave, Jiang Hai glanced at the sky. It was getting late, and he realized that if he let these people go without attempting a trade, he would lose the opportunity to get the deer antlers he'd come for. He had traveled a long way to hunt today, and this might be his only chance for a while.

With some hesitation, he took a step forward.

Seeing him approach, the three men guarding the group stiffened, their hands gripping their guns more tightly, eyeing Jiang Hai warily. However, Jiang Hai, undeterred, handed his gun to Beier and called out to the group in front of him.

"Does anyone here speak Chinese—no, English? I'd like to buy the deer antlers you've harvested."

The three men hesitated for a moment, then one of them stepped forward.

"You want the antlers? Fine, but what do you have to trade?" he asked, his tone pragmatic. "And don't offer any of those U.S. knives you carry. We're not interested in that."

Though they lived in their own tight-knit circles, the Iroquois still needed to trade. Their economy didn't rely on agriculture or industry, so they exchanged hunting materials, skins, and crafts for goods they couldn't produce themselves.

"We can work something out," Jiang Hai replied with a smile. "Clothes, food, cloth, steel, weapons—anything you need."

The man considered it for a moment before nodding. "Alright, let's see what you've got."

Jiang Hai quickly rummaged through his backpack, pulling out a few items. "Here's a tent, a tactical dagger, a set of clothes, a searchlight, and a marching pot. What do you think? Would these be good for an exchange?"

The man took the items, inspecting them carefully. After a moment, a satisfied look appeared on his face. He shouted a few words to the others, who paused in their work to listen.

"These are good. High quality. All the deer antlers are yours," he said, waving a hand dismissively.

With that, the group quickly packed up and left, leaving Jiang Hai with the antlers.

"That was easy," Jiang Hai said with a smile. "And even better—decorations included." He chuckled, pleased with the unexpected gain.

(End of chapter)