My Manor

Since he was interested, Jiang Hai could act directly if the conditions allowed. After communicating with Fu Yuan through a glance, he asked the big man in front of him, "Hey, buddy, we're residents of this area, and we're also half gun enthusiasts. We're quite interested in survival in the wild too. Do you think we could join you?"

Hearing Jiang Hai's words, the big man named Will couldn't help but grin.

"Of course, there's no problem, but I'll need to check with the others. You know, our group was put together temporarily," Will replied. He then stepped aside to find Paul, who was still asking Bell for directions, and explained Jiang Hai's request.

When Bell-Lester heard that Jiang Hai wanted to go into the mountains with them, he was momentarily stunned but didn't object. Instead, he made up his mind that if Jiang Hai and his group were serious, he would follow along.

"Of course, there's no problem. But Jiang, we have our own cars here, and I can't make decisions for everyone. If you want to join us, you'll need to drive your own vehicle," Paul said with a smile. As the current leader of the group, he explained that they weren't concerned about adding more people, since the group had originally come together on short notice.

"That's no problem. I don't think we can leave today anyway, so maybe we can head out tomorrow morning instead. It's about a half-hour drive from here to Winthrop," Jiang Hai replied, laughing. He wasn't particularly fond of being squeezed with others, so driving his own car was a good option.

"That works. Let me check with the others. Give me your phone number, and we'll finalize things later," Paul said. He didn't mind, but still needed to ask the others. After exchanging numbers, the plans were settled, and just as Jiang Hai's helicopter was being refueled, he and his group took off first.

Meanwhile, after the gas refill, Will and the others drove toward Winthrop.

That evening, Jiang Hai made a special call to Paul. By then, Paul had consulted with the rest of the group. As he'd said, everyone was open to adding Jiang Hai's team, since they weren't familiar with each other and didn't mind the extra members. The only condition was that Jiang Hai drive himself, which wasn't an issue.

After agreeing to meet at six o'clock the next morning, Jiang Hai passed the news to Fu Yuan, who was quite happy about it. Originally, Darlene and Marian had wanted to come along, but given the number of outsiders this time, Jiang Hai didn't want to risk complications. He promised them that he'd take them on a trip when the weather warmed up.

Bell-Lester, upon learning of this, asked if he could join as well. Jiang Hai didn't initially want to bring him along, as Bell was quite busy. However, given the helicopter at the manor and his safety concerns, Jiang Hai agreed, provided it didn't interfere with the normal operations of the manor.

Jiang Hai's manor currently ran two main businesses: the ranch, which he valued most, and the fishery. The ranch housed nearly 20,000 cows, each worth about $100,000, bringing the total value to around $2 billion. After taxes and expenses, Jiang Hai still stood to make about $100,000—a substantial sum that kept him on edge.

The fishery was still in its early stages, with plans to release fish fry on March 11. Since his return, Jiang Hai had been in regular contact with Tie Niu to ensure the project moved forward.

This meant the ranch was busy, while the fishery team had little to do. The fishermen mainly helped with the vegetable planting, as they were not skilled in cowboy work. Robbins, however, made sure they stayed out of the cattle work, as it wasn't an easy task even with cattle dogs and horses. Cowboys were generally very busy, especially with the added responsibility of patrolling the manor's perimeter to check for broken fences.

Bell-Lester, however, was familiar with using a helicopter and had even observed Maren Rupert's flying skills. While he wasn't trained on the battlefield, his flying skills were more than enough to assist in patrolling the perimeter and the sea area. With the permission of Robbins and Edward, he was free to join Jiang Hai for the adventure.

Although Bell-Lester was the most capable person at the manor, his presence would guarantee Jiang Hai's safety—especially since Jiang Hai wasn't weak himself.

The plans were made, and Jiang Hai and his group went to bed.

The next morning, Fu Yuan woke up at four o'clock, washed up, and called Jiang Hai. Despite wanting to go back to sleep and calling Fu Yuan a lunatic, Jiang Hai finally got up after five minutes of struggle. After a brief stretch, he saw the bright moon and stars outside and couldn't help but raise his middle finger at Fu Yuan.

After washing up, Jiang Hai went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. He left a note for Darlene and Marian, grabbed his AUG semi-automatic rifle, bow, and Desert Eagle, and headed out. By 5:40, Bell had already arrived on a small bike.

"Hey, boss, I thought I'd have to wait for you," Bell said, his gear nearly identical to Jiang Hai's: an UZI semi-automatic sniper rifle and a Beretta 92F, which was also Bell's favorite.

"I have an appointment with someone, better not be late. Let's go!" Jiang Hai smiled and led the way. Together, they got into an F750 and drove out of the manor. Shortly after arriving at the gate, Paul called.

After confirming their location, in under three minutes, Paul's motorcade arrived.

"Hey, Paul, we're here," Jiang Hai called, waving from the cab. When Paul saw Jiang Hai's vehicle, he couldn't help but scratch his head.

"Alright, everyone's here, let's go!" Paul waved to the others, and everyone followed Jiang Hai's car as they headed toward the Appalachian Mountains.

These outsiders weren't as familiar with the terrain as Bell, a local, so Jiang Hai and his group led the way.

As the convoy moved forward on the highway, Bell explained the specifics of the Appalachian Mountains. The U.S. has many notable mountain ranges, such as the Andes, Rockies, Blue Ridge, and more. However, the two most famous ranges in the area are the Eastern and Western Mountains. The Western Mountains, or the Cordillera, connect to the Rocky Mountains and stretch 4,500 kilometers—the longest mountain range in the U.S.

The Eastern Mountains, or the Appalachian Mountains, were where Jiang Hai and his team were headed. This 3,200-kilometer range begins in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and stretches south to central Alabama, forming a natural barrier in eastern North America. The area has a special place in U.S. history, as the original thirteen colonies were located there, which has helped protect the environment.

The Appalachian Mountains are rich in water resources like springs, streams, waterfalls, and rivers, especially in the southern regions. The Canadian mountains, by contrast, see too much snowfall to be as enjoyable. The U.S. mountains offer much more fun, making them a favorite destination for adventure enthusiasts.

The biological resources in the Appalachians are abundant, with a variety of North American plants and animals. (To be continued...)