"Follow us the whole way. If you find anything, come back and tell us right away."
Jiang Hai patted Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai on the heads as he spoke seriously.
The two dogs stuck out their tongues, then lowered their bodies and darted into the forest like arrows. In seconds, they disappeared among the trees.
Once they were out of sight, Jiang Hai and the others returned to the cars and began studying the next part of their route.
To be honest… Jiang Hai was completely confused by the map.
"So which way do we go next?" Qi Jie asked while chewing on a hamburger.
"I'm not entirely sure either," Hua Lisi–Shelley replied from the back seat, frowning at the GPS. "But this road should be right… probably."
It had already been nearly half a day since they entered Yosemite National Park.
Several hours earlier, they had crossed the park and entered the Sierra Nevada Mountains. After passing the Merced River, there were no major rivers ahead.
"Let's just drive slowly," Jiang Hai said with a chuckle. "We'll find it eventually. And if we don't, we'll camp overnight. We never expected this to be easy anyway."
The others nodded in agreement. After confirming over the walkie-talkies, the engines restarted, and the convoy continued forward along the rugged mountain terrain.
Calling it a road was generous.
In fact… there wasn't a road at all.
Although the Mercedes AMG65 had decent off-road capability, it was still far inferior to Jiang Hai's Battle Shield. The vehicle shook constantly as he maneuvered around rocks, tree roots, and uneven ground, weaving through the forest at a careful pace.
They couldn't go fast, but that also meant they didn't have to worry about Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai losing them.
Finally, just before nightfall, they emerged from the forest.
Unfortunately, the situation didn't improve much.
Ahead lay barren, rocky terrain with almost no trees.
The Sierra Nevada range formed the western edge of North America's Cordillera Mountains, stretching mostly through Nevada, with its western slopes in California. Running more than 640 kilometers from north to south, its highest peak—Mount Whitney, at 4,418 meters—was the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States.
The eastern slopes were steep and dry, while the western side was forested and lush. Snow and glaciers capped the summit, creating striking scenery.
It was famous for hydroelectric power and gold mines.
And Jiang Hai's group was heading straight toward the dry eastern side.
The farther they drove, the more desolate the land became.
Not figuratively—literally.
It felt like crossing a desert. Grass was sparse, and the ground was covered with rocks and exposed stone. Ancient geological layers were visible everywhere.
If someone discovered fossils here, it wouldn't be surprising at all.
North America was well known as a hotspot for dinosaur fossils. Long ago, all the continents had formed a single landmass—Pangaea—before drifting apart. Dinosaurs once roamed the entire world.
But compared to densely populated regions like Europe and Asia, where many fossil layers were destroyed over centuries of human activity, North America preserved far more of its original terrain. As a result, fossils were better protected.
For dinosaur enthusiasts, both North and South America were practically paradise.
The Tyrannosaurus rex, Seismosaurus, Giganotosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus—many giants of prehistory had once lived here.
Jiang Hai had loved dinosaurs as a child.
Now, staring at the lifeless landscape, he couldn't muster much interest.
What puzzled him more was the environment itself.
Water resources weren't bad. Several rivers contained fish and aquatic plants. Yet vegetation on land was extremely scarce. It felt strangely unbalanced.
It even reminded him of the "Gates of Hell" he had once visited—barren and lonely, though at least this place still had mountains.
Wildlife was scarce too.
Before coming, Jiang Hai had researched the area.
Black bears mostly stayed on the western slope. Stone sheep lived farther south. Mountain lions were rare. Grizzlies were solitary and unpredictable.
Birdlife should have been abundant, yet he barely saw any.
Occasionally, a lone bird would pass overhead, but otherwise, the sky was empty.
As the sun began to set, they decided not to push forward.
Instead, they found an open clearing near a water source, parked the two vehicles in a defensive formation, and started a fire to rest.
Of course, no one planned to sleep outside. The vehicles were spacious enough—six people per car—and with two taking watch, it was more than sufficient.
Not long after the fire was lit, Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai returned proudly, each carrying a rabbit.
Jiang Hai grabbed his fishing rod and walked to the river.
The fish here seemed completely unafraid of humans, as if they had never seen one before. With just a few worms as bait, he quickly caught several trout—two river trout and one rainbow trout.
Because this wasn't a commercial fishing area and no one farmed here, the ecosystem remained pristine. There were no invasive species like Asian carp—only native fish.
Before long, the rabbits and fish were roasting over the fire.
As he ate, Jiang Hai couldn't help thinking about the fish back at his manor—the Yangtze knife fish, large yellow croakers, and the stock he was cultivating. With the nourishment of spiritual energy, they grew quickly. He estimated he could harvest a new batch next year.
After dinner, everyone chatted casually before returning to the vehicles.
Jiang Hai and Relis Carter took the first watch. Alerzara and Valentina would replace them later.
Night watch was essential in a place like this.
This was Jiang Hai's first time chatting alone with Relis. The conversation was relaxed—mostly small talk about how she was adjusting and whether she was comfortable with her new life. After everything they had already been through together, it didn't feel awkward at all.
They simply sat by the fire, sharing warmth and watching the stars.
Perhaps, for Relis, it would be an unforgettable night.
Far away, on a distant hillside, a drone silently hovered.
Through its camera, the group hiding in the forest locked onto Jiang Hai's position.
"Relax," the cowboy-hatted man said calmly. "He's right there. He can't escape. If we attack now, it'll be risky. This is open terrain, and his vehicles are better than ours. Once we confirm his exact location, we can corner him—and make a fortune while we're at it. You can rebuild your father's casino… and get your revenge."
The young man slowly unclenched his fists.
The cowboy was right.
Now wasn't the time.
They wouldn't just kill Jiang Hai—they would profit from it too.
So they waited through the night, engines off, lights dark, not daring to move.
Only after Jiang Hai's group resumed their journey the next morning did they start their vehicles, following from a safe distance, careful never to enter his line of sight.
After all…
They were professionals.
(To be continued.)