My Manor

"Hey, let's go! Old Tony is a good man! He'll like you, boss," Robbins said with a smile, as he parked the car, jumped out of his old vehicle, and patted Jiang Hai on the shoulder.

"I hope so!" Jiang Hai replied with a smile, reassured by Robbins' cheerful demeanor. In reality, he wasn't worried at all.

After all, he wasn't the same as before. On land, his physical strength had reached the human limit, meaning that even ten or twenty people wouldn't be a match for him. More importantly, he could breathe underwater. As long as he wasn't poisoned, he could easily escape—ordinary people wouldn't be able to catch him.

This was why he trusted Robbins after signing the contract with him. It was really a matter of his skills and courage.

Fortunately, Robbins didn't give Jiang Hai a chance to show off his extraordinary physical abilities.

Following Robbins, the two walked into a bar named Cowboy Song.

As soon as they entered, Jiang Hai was hit by the smell of alcohol and cheap cigarettes, which made him frown.

Jiang Hai wasn't a smoker. He lived in the Ice City, where winters were extremely cold. His family's trachea wasn't very strong, so even though he tried smoking for a couple of years in school, he gave it up after a particularly harsh winter. Only a few close people knew about his smoking habit.

For those who have never smoked, the smell of cigarettes isn't that bad, but for someone who has quit, it can be unbearable. Fortunately, with his enhanced physical capabilities, Jiang Hai quickly adapted to the smell and followed Robbins into the room.

"Hey, Robbins, you haven't been around for a while! I heard Green Forest was sold? Are you looking for a job?" An uncle in an apron came over, smiling. He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, with gray hair, an apron stained with oil, and worn-out clothes. He was about 1.8 meters tall, almost the same height as Jiang Hai, though his large belly made him appear even bigger.

"Hey, Old Tony, I'm not looking for a job, but I'm here to give these guys a job. Let me introduce you—this is my boss, the wealthy Oriental man who bought Green Forest," Robbins said with a grin, introducing Jiang Hai to the older man.

"Oh? So this is the man who bought Green Forest? What a surprise, young man! I thought the buyer would be an old man in his sixties or seventies, someone about to retire. Haha, nice to meet you," Old Tony said, laughing and shaking hands with Jiang Hai.

"Hello, you can call me Jiang or Hai," Jiang Hai said with a smile, shaking Old Tony's hand.

"Boss, please sit over there for a while. I'll go check if those good players are here," Robbins said before walking into the crowd. Jiang Hai followed Old Tony to a table, ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, and sat down, observing the bar.

The bar wasn't too big, but not too small either. The first floor covered about 1,000 square meters and was divided into four areas. In the corner on the left, there were three billiard tables, where many men and women were playing.

Next to the billiard tables, there were several dart boards, with a group of young people playing darts.

Beyond the entertainment sections, the main business area was about 600 square meters. Many small tables filled the space, much like the one Jiang Hai was sitting at. Several people were chatting and laughing. At a table in the center, two large men were arm wrestling, with a small stack of money next to them—mostly one-dollar bills. It seemed like they were gambling. The bar was located on the other side, with a row of chairs in front of it, many people seated and chatting.

Inside the bar was a huge wine cabinet, and the bartender was performing tricks. There was also a large TV on the wall, showing a football game. A group of cowboys sat watching it intently.

In the United States, there are four major leagues: baseball, ice hockey, rugby, and basketball. Football was still growing, but it wasn't as prestigious as these other four sports.

As a major sports city, Boston had teams in all five leagues, and they were all traditional powerhouses.

The Boston Celtics were probably the most famous team, with 17 NBA championships, 21 Eastern Division championships, and 20 Atlantic Division championships. They were considered the NBA's No. 1 team. However, basketball wasn't as significant in the United States as baseball, rugby, or ice hockey.

The Boston Red Sox in baseball had won 12 American League championships and seven World Series championships.

The New England Patriots in football had won three Super Bowls and six division championships. Even the Boston Bruins in ice hockey had claimed six Stanley Cups and sixteen division championships. Boston was truly a sports city.

Right now, it was the NFL regular season, with the New England Patriots playing against the Buffalo Bills. Although Jiang Hai didn't know much about these stars and didn't usually watch the NFL, he had seen a cartoon called Lightspeed Masked Man before, so he had some understanding of the game.

He understood the basic concepts—offense, defense, touchdowns, field goals—and was enjoying the game. Football was almost like a fight, with all the bangs and collisions, which made it quite exciting.

"What? Jiang, are you interested in football too?" Old Tony asked as he brought over a cup of Long Island Iced Tea and smiled.

"It's okay, I don't even recognize all the players. Watching the NBA is more popular where I'm from," Jiang Hai said with a smile as he accepted the drink. Old Tony sighed at his words.

"I used to be a fan of the Celtics, but now they're so disappointing, aren't they? I understand trading away Kevin (Garnett) and Ray (Allen), but my heart broke when Paul (Pierce) was traded away. He was the symbol of the team. Watching him win against us with another team—it really makes you wonder what the general manager was thinking!" Old Tony couldn't help but talk about basketball, but Jiang Hai just smiled.

In China, the home team was always the Rockets. Though Jiang Hai had his own preferences, he liked Western teams as well. His favorite was the San Antonio Spurs. For Jiang Hai, the Spurs' finesse was far more entertaining than the usual basketball brawls.

"Hey, looks like you're having a good chat!" Robbins' voice interrupted, and Jiang Hai turned to see him walking over with a few others.

Most of them were men. One looked about forty, with a short beard and a mature, handsome look. He had the kind of presence that made him seem more like a Hollywood actor than a cowboy.

Another man, probably also in his forties, was Black. It was difficult for Jiang Hai to judge his age—Black men often looked forty regardless of their actual age. The man's age was a mystery unless he was bald.

Along with these two men were four others, probably around thirty or younger. One looked very confident, wearing sleek cowboy clothes. He seemed to stand out a bit too much. Next to him was another man with a similar style, but he was more reserved and walked slowly.

Behind them were two more individuals. One was tall—over two meters—looking a little dull but with a beard. He was dressed somewhat sloppily. The final person was quiet and simply walked at the back.

"Oh, you really brought some good guys. Alright, I'm going to work now. Hope you find the right people," Old Tony said with a chuckle as he looked at the group.

Robbins began to introduce them. "Hey, man, I heard you're looking to hire?" The man in neat attire asked with a smile before Robbins could speak.

"Shut up." Jiang Hai frowned, not a fan of people who were overly familiar. The man's smug look irritated him. Perhaps sensing his disapproval, the man's companion shot him a cold look, causing the first man to fall silent but still glare at Jiang Hai.

"Let me introduce you," Robbins said, "This is Burke Dahler, one of the best cowboys here. He's been herding for twenty years and won the Texas Sheep Grabbing Championship three times. To be honest, my riding skills probably aren't as good as his."