"Hello, long time no see!" Jiang Hai smiled as he reached out and patted the giant snake's head.
The anaconda hesitated. After all, it was still a wild animal, not a pet. Its wariness was natural, but the deep sense of submission it felt toward Jiang Hai made resistance futile. It tried to recoil but ultimately allowed Jiang Hai's hand to touch it. Unlike warm-blooded creatures such as Xiao Huang, Xiao Bai, or even Ban Ya, who all loved Jiang Hai's tickling, cold-blooded animals found such touches odd. They didn't enjoy them—but they endured.
Sensing its discomfort, Jiang Hai only stroked it twice before pulling his hand away.
"Take me to see the big guys," he said, withdrawing his hand. He had already confirmed the truffles were growing well, and that was his main reason for coming here. With that worry gone, he decided to check on the other two overlords of the forest.
The python flicked its tongue, then slowly turned and slithered deeper into the woods. Jiang Hai followed behind, marveling at its sheer size.
The anaconda was enormous now—much larger than last year. The largest snakes in the world, wild anacondas, typically reached 5–8 meters, with the record at around 6 meters. But this one had already surpassed that. By Jiang Hai's rough estimation, it stretched at least seven meters long, and it was still growing. With his spiritual energy saturating the forest and an abundance of prey, there was no doubt it would grow even larger.
The thought made Jiang Hai a little excited. If he returned next year, how much bigger would it be? Could it rival Dasha and break ten meters? If it reached that length, it wouldn't be a mere anaconda anymore…
His thoughts drifted to the legendary Titanoboa, the largest snake ever known, a terrifying cold-blooded creature that once ruled after the dinosaurs. If his mountain lion could evolve into a North American lion, why couldn't his anaconda someday resemble a Titanoboa? The very idea sent a thrill through him.
"Hiss!"
The python suddenly froze, letting out a low hiss. Jiang Hai snapped out of his thoughts and looked ahead.
They had arrived at the familiar forest clearing—the pond. The water rippled as if something massive stirred beneath it. From the distant trees came the sound of heavy footsteps crushing the grass.
Almost at the same time, two enormous figures appeared.
From the pond rose the giant crocodile. Compared to last year, it had grown terrifyingly larger, its armored scales thicker, its slit pupils colder, and its mouth lined with even sharper teeth. It was now nearly as big as the anaconda—and seemed poised to grow larger still.
From the opposite side of the clearing, a powerful figure padded into view: the mountain lion. Jiang Hai recognized it immediately. It was the same lioness he had first encountered years ago, back when she was still a mother with cubs. But now, she was alone.
Predators like lions and tigers drive away their offspring once they reach maturity, usually around two years old. Even in Jiang Hai's food-rich forest, this lioness had followed her instincts and sent her cubs away to claim their own territories.
She had grown much larger since last year.
When she spotted Jiang Hai, her eyes lit up. With a joyful roar, she bounded forward, pressing her massive head against his chest. Jiang Hai laughed and scratched her thick fur, his fingers sinking into the warm coat. Unlike the cold-blooded python or crocodile, this creature reveled in his touch.
"I really didn't expect you all to get so much bigger!" Jiang Hai grinned, continuing to scratch her. The sight of these creatures thriving filled him with comfort and pride.
The crocodile, noticing Jiang Hai, shook its head—not in a plea for attention, but in acknowledgment. Then it dove into the pond. A moment later, it surfaced again, something clamped in its jaws. With a splash, it tossed the object onto the shore in front of Jiang Hai.
The sound drew Jiang Hai's attention. He crouched and examined the bundle—it looked like a wad of filthy, rotting rags. A foul stench rose from it. Using a stick, Jiang Hai pried it open and froze. Inside were fragments of something all too familiar.
"Guns?" Jiang Hai muttered, staring in shock.
The mountain lion let out a triumphant roar, as if to boast. Jiang Hai pieced it together quickly. Anyone carrying guns into this forest couldn't have come with good intentions. His animals recognized the people from the manor, so they wouldn't have attacked them. Strangers with hostile intent, though—those were fair game. Clearly, these three had taken care of them.
"Well done!" Jiang Hai praised, nodding to the python, crocodile, and lioness. "If anyone else dares to sneak in, deal with them the same way. But also, be careful."
He reached out and touched each of their heads, channeling streams of spiritual energy into them as a reward. The three beasts shuddered in delight under the infusion, basking in the blessing. Jiang Hai couldn't help but look forward to what terrifying forms they might grow into in the future. After all, one could never have too many hidden trump cards.
After lingering in the forest for a while, Jiang Hai returned to the villa with the truffles he had gathered. He handed them to Qi Ya, who was stunned by the sight.
"When did truffles start growing in our manor?" she asked, holding one in disbelief. She had thought finding just one was already a miracle, but Jiang Hai had returned with several more.
By Feng's estimate, these white truffles alone would fetch thousands of U.S. dollars—they were simply too rare and too valuable.
"Don't worry about it," Jiang Hai replied with a casual smile. "If they show up again, just note where they're growing in the forest."
He didn't explain further. Qi Ya already knew about his truffle planting experiment, and she was smart enough to connect the dots. Normally, truffles wouldn't have matured in just a few years. The less said, the better—it was safer that way.
As for selling them, Jiang Hai decided it was best to keep quiet. Unless he was truly pressed for money, he would rather focus on his beef and fish. Those were his core businesses. The truffles could remain their little secret.
"Alright," Qi Ya agreed with a smile. She wasn't the type to pry. A traditional Chinese woman at heart, she was content with Jiang Hai's answer. Taking the truffles into the kitchen, she set about preparing a truffle cake for dinner.
Jiang Hai returned to his recliner, savoring the peaceful rhythm of his life. No matter what others might think, this simple routine suited him best.
That evening, however, his phone rang. It was Robbins-Garcia.
Pla Walton had just taken another batch of cattle from the ranch, leaving Jiang Hai with around 10,000 head: 4,000 cows, 3,000 calves, and 3,000 bulls. This meant Jiang Hai had to purchase more cattle. Robbins-Garcia wanted to discuss exactly what kind to buy, and how many.
After all, Jiang Hai's pastures had grown enormously—his land had expanded by nearly 150%. In theory, it could support 100,000 head of cattle. But Jiang Hai didn't plan to raise that many. He still intended to sell off the surplus grass. The details, however, were for him to decide.
For now, one thing was certain: Angus cattle would remain the foundation of his herd. His barns, his feed, his entire operation had been designed around them.
The question now was whether to raise only Angus, to introduce other breeds, or perhaps even to establish a second ranch. And with the expanded pasture, should all the excess grass really be sold?
Those were decisions Jiang Hai would have to carefully consider.