"Have you heard? Winthrop is letting us go hunting in the mountains!"
Inside the Cowboy Song bar in Winthrop, two middle-aged men who lived in one of the larger buildings sat with fine beer in hand, listening to country music. On the small stage ahead, a few dancers were performing spontaneously. The atmosphere was unbelievably comfortable—a place where people worn down by city life could finally relax. Even middle-aged men who came purely for entertainment often lingered here for a while before heading home.
To them, life here felt almost unreal. It was simply too comfortable.
There was no need to rush around or check off tourist attractions. Life in this small town embodied leisure at its finest.
Of course, those who traveled only to take photos and see landmarks wouldn't choose Winthrop. But for people who truly wanted to relax, it was paradise.
Most tourists who went out to sea had to wake up around three in the morning. Those who didn't could sleep in as long as they liked. Aside from Jiang Hai's seaside villa, every hotel and guesthouse—private or shared—had kitchens that served breakfast. In the mornings, visitors could stroll through town, breathe in the fresh air, walk along the beach, or head to the pier to buy freshly caught seafood.
Under Jiang Hai's regulations, seafood prices here were at least two-thirds cheaper than in China.
Even so, local fishermen weren't losing money. In China, a lobster weighing over two pounds could sell for at least 200 yuan. Here, two large prawns cost $20, and even the biggest ones were only $30. All prawns and crabs were live and enormous—there were no small ones at all. Each crab weighed about eight ounces, yet sold for just $8 per kilogram. Prawns cost only $5 per kilogram, all of them live deep-sea prawns. Other seafood was even cheaper.
In China, ninety percent of cod on the market was fake. Here, it was all genuine deep-sea cod—and it cost only $1.50 per kilogram, cheaper than freshwater fish in China.
Despite these prices, fishermen still earned over thirty percent more than they would selling to fishing companies.
For food lovers, this place was heaven.
Beef was outrageously cheap and of excellent quality. In China, steak was often served with pasta because it wasn't filling. Here, you could eat steak until you were satisfied for the same price. The beef people ate wasn't even from Jiang Hai's manor—just ordinary beef, and it was already more than enough.
Seeing the business potential, Old Zhang Dehai specifically contacted Jiang Hai and rented a shop in town to sell Chinese goods. Chinese seasonings, in particular, became incredibly popular.
It was safe to say that anyone who came to Winthrop never had to worry about food. Ninety-nine out of a hundred visitors left deeply satisfied, reinforcing Winthrop's reputation. Seafood that was outrageously expensive in China sold here for half—or even a third—of the price. Beef from various countries that fetched sky-high prices back home cost only five dollars here.
Beyond food, there was no shortage of activities.
The town's commercial street bustled daily, especially with women shopping. High-quality American clothing was far cheaper than in China, and famous brands—without tariffs—were even more affordable. Cosmetics, computers, clothing, and certain foods were all hot sellers.
After lunch, men could visit the shooting range, go horseback riding, or swim at the beach. They could pick fruit in orchards, tour farms and ranches, and even order fresh milk to be delivered the next morning.
For a town like Winthrop—a haven for leisure and retirement—its reputation in China was exceptional.
It was currently the off-season, with winter approaching, so visitor numbers had dropped slightly. Even so, about a hundred people still came to Winthrop every day. During China's summer holidays, that number easily doubled.
With Winthrop so attractive, local businesses naturally flourished.
The town's two oldest bars were doing especially well.
Cowboy Song and Sea Warrior catered to different crowds, but both were raking in money.
Compared to when Jiang Hai first visited Cowboy Song, the atmosphere was now completely transformed. Back then, the bar had nothing but two pool tables—cowboys weren't exactly enthusiastic about those games. Now there were four pool tables, dartboards with scoring machines, spacious sofas, and comfortable booths.
Several Chinese students worked as waiters, weaving through the crowd. Directly across from the bar counter was a stage where Old Tony had hired a country band to perform every night from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., giving the small bar a distinct charm.
"Of course I've heard," the middle-aged man opposite replied, taking a sip of his dark beer with a hint of disdain. "The place I stayed at last year was run by hunters. I knew it. Winthrop makes money from tourism—there's no way they'd miss this opportunity."
"You wouldn't believe it," another middle-aged, heavyset man chimed in, laughing. "I was here last year during a deer infestation. I saw townspeople carrying guns and even cannons into the mountains. It got my blood pumping. I asked to go with them, but those Americans didn't trust us with weapons. Probably thought we'd start a revolution."
His words drew laughter from the surrounding tables.
"Now we can finally go into the mountains. I'm signing up tomorrow!" He clenched his fist excitedly. Winthrop was fun, the food was great, and life was comfortable—but it lacked excitement.
The sea here was deep and barren, and diving wasn't encouraged. For thrill-seekers, there wasn't much to do.
But now, things were different.
Going into the mountains stirred the blood of many military enthusiasts.
"I heard there's training involved this time. It won't be that easy to get in," someone said.
The heavyset man chuckled, unconcerned.
"Old Zhang, stop talking nonsense. Aren't you going tomorrow?" another man said with a grin.
"How could I not?" Old Zhang immediately replied. His eagerness sent everyone into laughter. There was no doubt—many people would be registering the next day.
The next morning, Jiang Hai slowly woke up.
He hadn't risen this early in a long time, but today's events were tied directly to him. It wouldn't look right if he didn't show up. Gently removing Qi Jie's arm from his waist, he sat up and glanced at the time.
6:30 a.m.
It was time to get moving.
Jiang Hai had returned to Winthrop four days earlier. Since his trip hadn't been long, Qi Jie and the others didn't feel much separation. After a few days at home, Jiang Hai received a message from Mayor Wallis.
All details had been finalized with the state government. The hunting project in Winthrop officially began today. The previously stalled profit-sharing issue had been resolved after Jiang Hai explained the real sources of revenue. Mayor Wallis stepped back and left the state government to handle it. They didn't mind the percentages—after all, the real profits came from the surrounding industries.
With the main issue settled, everything else became simple. Jiang Hai no longer needed to personally intervene.
Over the past three days, Winthrop had cleared out a police training ground, and the state government dispatched its first group of instructors.
To show sincerity, these instructors weren't ordinary police officers but retired military personnel. Most had frontline experience. Whether they had actually killed anyone was unknown, but their mental toughness was unquestionable—they had seen blood. Any problems in the mountains would be within their control.
These instructors were more than willing to come. It was a publicly funded assignment, their salaries were paid as usual, and the state government offered additional compensation. Leading a team into the mountains for five or six days—including training—earned about a thousand dollars. Opportunities like that were rare.
Even so, since this was the first batch, the state government selected only the most experienced individuals.
As the key intermediary, Jiang Hai naturally accompanied the first group.
After washing up, he went downstairs for breakfast and found Bell-Lestat already waiting.
"You're here early," Jiang Hai said. "There's still time. Want some breakfast?"
Bell chuckled. "No, boss. I'm not letting this chance to make extra money slip by."
Jiang Hai smiled, quickened his pace, and finished eating. Then he mounted his battle shield and, together with Bell-Lestat, headed toward Winthrop's training grounds.
(To be continued.)