Hearing Galina's words, Jiang Hai paused for a moment. He took the documents from her hand, his expression slightly serious. He walked away, still holding a stack of cookies, eating them as he read.
Ever since he and Azalina had gone to Ulan and rescued the girls, they had been protecting Jiang Hai and his business. While some might find it embarrassing—especially chauvinistic men—that young women were guarding his safety and career, Jiang Hai felt at ease. That was precisely their purpose.
Besides safeguarding his property and personal safety, the girls had been given three missions by Jiang Hai:
First, to hunt down the Christian Edith family—a task 95% complete, though ultimately unsuccessful.
Second, to locate the exact position on the map that Tarak had brought him after leaving the forest.
Though Jiang Hai had ample resources, he never ignored an opportunity to gain more.
Third—and this was the mission that concerned him most—was the search for that mysterious marker.
Jiang Hai was satisfied with the progress of the last two tasks. Within a short period, the girls had confirmed that both locations were in California, so his attention now focused there.
And today, both pieces of information had appeared. The map Tarak had given Jiang Hai confirmed the exact locations.
Technically, calling it "California" wasn't precise. More accurately, it was the border region between California and Nevada—the intersection of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Cordillera, and Yosemite National Park. It was a vast area, impossible to pinpoint without physically going there. Wallace Shelley had scouted with drones, and Relis Carter had searched personally—but neither had succeeded. They could only estimate the mine's location.
As for Bruce David, the situation was more complicated. The report indicated that the man had gone insane.
"Insane?" Jiang Hai asked, frowning at the record.
"Yes," Galina replied. "This man lost his mind a long time ago. He was a sailor in his youth, traveled to Antarctica, and after returning, started acting strangely. Nobody noticed then. He retired from the military, opened a bar, and taught girls to mix drinks—though his intentions weren't pure. He also marked girls with tattoos or other disturbing acts when they were drunk. Last year, his mental state worsened. Someone discovered he had eaten a person, so he was arrested and sent to a mental hospital on the outskirts of Marysville, near Yuba."
"Eaten… people?" Jiang Hai's stomach churned. He had suspected the bartender was unstable, but he hadn't imagined cannibalism. A strange melody lingered in his mind: "Please tell me, tell me, what is that structure? What else exists inside my body?" Glancing at the cookies in his hand, he nearly lost his appetite.
"Phew… I'm thinking too much," he muttered. Shaking off the unease, he refocused on the upcoming trip to California. With both destinations identified, the next step was planning the journey.
The mountains posed dangers, and preparation would be extensive. Even Relis Carter had failed to find the location, so Jiang Hai knew it would be challenging.
But then he looked at Little White and Little Yellow in the distance. With them around, his chances improved. As for the lunatic, he would deal with him when they arrived.
"So, who's going this time?" Galina asked hesitantly. Jiang Hai considered the question carefully.
The team couldn't be too small, nor too large. He had to consider security at the manor, the company, and in China, so Du Ning couldn't leave. Bell-Leist alone couldn't guard the house.
After some thought, he decided: either Azalina or Galina would command the group. Valerie Shelley, as a web spider and intelligence agent, would go. Zheng Yijin couldn't be left behind. That left Valentina, Little White, Little Yellow, Azalina or Galina, Belial, Aler-Sala, and Liss-Carter—five people and two dogs. That should suffice.
"I'll stay home," Galina said. "Although I'm alpha wolf 1-1, Azalina is stronger. There won't be any conflict in her commanding Valentina and Aler-Sala."
Jiang Hai nodded. Indeed, alpha wolf rankings didn't override personal hierarchy. It was better to let Azalina lead.
"Alright, then it's settled. Let's leave as soon as possible," Jiang Hai said seriously. But before he could continue, a hand tapped his shoulder.
"You're going out again? Christmas is almost here!"
He turned to see Qi Jie, clearly displeased. Jiang Hai had just returned from South Korea and China, barely staying three weeks. Now he was leaving again, with no clear return date.
"I've got things to handle. Besides, Christmas is over a month away—and we don't even celebrate it!" Jiang Hai chuckled, the girls around him all clingy, with Qi Jie the most proactive. Only Ai Xiaoxi could rival her, but as a student still in university, she rarely interjected.
"You know, there's only a month left! After Christmas comes the New Year, then the Lunar New Year. I've been busy! You're not going this time. Unless… you take me with you!" Qi Jie said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Mid-sentence, her tone shifted, serious now.
"Uh… take you with me? Heh, I'm not going on a trip for fun—what would I do with you?" Jiang Hai smiled wryly. This trip was for the badge and the mine. Dangers awaited, and Qi Jie would be a burden.
"What? Am I useless? I'm a doctor. If you get bitten by a snake, stung by an insect, or fall ill in the wild, I can save your life!" she insisted. Jiang Hai remembered: she wasn't a general physician, nor a surgeon, but her knowledge of first aid could be invaluable.
Having a doctor on the team made sense. And Jiang Hai trusted her enough to reveal some of his abilities—though the Dragon Ball, the ultimate life-saving tool, remained a secret.
"Alright, then you should prepare too. We might leave soon," Jiang Hai said. Qi Jie's face lit up; she clenched her fist and left happily.
"Are you sure about this?" Galina asked seriously. "We're going treasure hunting, not sightseeing. Bringing someone with no combat skills—"
"I know," Jiang Hai interrupted. "She's a doctor. That's important. As for the rest… I'll train her over the next few days. She needs to learn self-defense and how to handle a gun."
Galina nodded, and Jiang Hai sighed. At least the next few days would be productive.