My Manor

"Boss, please watch your feet as you walk. It's summer now, and you never know what's hiding in the bushes here. Use your rifle to clear the way before you step forward." Bell Lester whispered to Jiang Hai, glancing at him.

Jiang Hai nodded in acknowledgment, signaling that he understood. He used his augmented reality gear to clear the bushes around him and kept a sharp eye on the small forest as he walked.

"Boss, let me go ahead and clear the path," said Harriman Fells, who was walking behind. He couldn't help but laugh at Jiang Hai's caution. Harriman didn't say much to Jiang Hai, mostly due to his own tendency to process things slower than most.

In fact, when talking to him, there were times he'd go silent, as if losing his train of thought, only to remember the conversation an hour or two later when the moment had passed. This made him somewhat of an outcast in town, but he truly appreciated Jiang Hai.

Jiang Hai was one of the few people who accepted him as a colleague. He provided Harriman with food, shelter, and even bonuses. That acceptance meant a lot to Harriman, who, despite his slower nature, worked with remarkable dedication.

He might not be the most noticeable person, but he was one of the hardest workers on the ranch. While others completed their tasks and sometimes went above and beyond, Harriman's love for the land and animals was evident. He was especially fond of watching Jiang Hai's cows give birth, even at night.

Though Jiang Hai never mentioned these things explicitly, he noticed. Harriman was always the one to receive the highest bonuses, but no one begrudged him. They were happy for him, glad that he had a good job and a kind boss. He was often tasked with the hardest and dirtiest jobs, like cleaning cow manure, but he never complained. So when he heard there might be danger in the bushes ahead, he offered to help.

However, Jiang Hai waved him off. Harriman didn't have a gun, and the rifle vendor had been cautious about selling him one. Given Harriman's occasional unpredictability, Jiang Hai didn't want to risk it. Instead, he carried a large machete, custom-made by Jiang Hai himself.

In the United States, while guns are widely permitted, the regulation of cold weapons is extremely strict, including crossbows. Even carrying things like knives, daggers, and swords is illegal in public. When Jiang Hai arrived, he'd bought some outdoor cold weaponry, but these were mostly decorative pieces hanging in his home, including bows, arrows, and various replicas from games, like Frostmourne and the Twin Blades of Azzinoth.

One sword, a prototype of the Fallen Ashbringer, had been given to Harriman after he admired it during a party. After polishing it, Harriman's sword looked impressive, even though it wasn't magical. Jiang Hai, who was a little shorter than Harriman, smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"It's alright. I appreciate your concern, but I can handle anything that comes my way." Jiang Hai said with a smile, knowing that Harriman might be a bit slower to process the conversation, but that didn't lessen his respect.

Harriman nodded slowly, understanding. The two continued their trek, and the rest of the group followed suit, their attention focused on the surroundings.

The group's weapons varied, reflecting their different approaches to safety. Jiang Hai's standard gear consisted of a rifle and a large Desert Eagle. Bell Lester had a similar setup, with an extra weapon for good measure.

The three older men in the group were also armed in their own ways. Burke Dahler carried a double-barreled shotgun, always wearing a cowboy hat and puffing on a pipe, looking every bit the grizzled old ruffian. He didn't speak much but was in a better mood lately. Recently, he had managed to pay off his alimony, surprising his daughter and ex-wife. Although his daughter had initially been hostile toward him, things had started to improve after she learned about the money he'd made working for Jiang Hai.

Enor Ceci and Andrew Christian, walking at the back, carried more conventional weapons: Remington shotguns, some of the most popular civilian firearms in the U.S. Known for their ease of use, shotguns are especially favored by fishermen for their effectiveness against sharks. But hunting mountain lions posed a different challenge, one that was causing them some unease.

With the tension growing, the group fell silent. Only the sounds of the wind, the rustling leaves, and distant birdsong filled the air. Even the insects seemed to sense the group's intent, remaining eerily quiet.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, they began encountering more wildlife. The first to appear were the most abundant creatures at the bottom of the food chain: rabbits. They darted across their path, and though Jiang Hai had no intention of hunting them today, he couldn't help but think of how plentiful they were at his ranch.

Though rabbits weren't a problem at the manor, their numbers were still high, much higher than the cattle. Sometimes when Jiang Hai's dogs, Xiao Bai and Xiao Huang, were hungry or wanted to play, they would catch a few for fun. Wild rabbits weren't very tasty, but they could be cooked in various ways to improve the flavor, such as marinated with pepper and cooked in a spicy broth. However, Jiang Hai was not fond of wild rabbits due to their strong earthy taste.

What he preferred, however, were the pheasants in the forest. Pheasants had lean meat with a rich oil content, and after cooking, the meat was tender, flavorful, and fragrant. These birds were mostly found in the forest, avoiding the open fields. This made them a prized catch, and Jiang Hai enjoyed hunting them when he had the chance.

With rabbits and pheasants being the most common creatures encountered, the group continued to push forward, each on high alert.