Texas's terrain is high in the west and low in the east, with the Edwards Plateau on the left and gradually transitioning to the coastal plains near the Gulf of Mexico to the right.
Flanked by the Great Plains on both sides, numerous rivers converge here and ultimately flow into the Gulf of Mexico. As a result, much of Texas is extremely flat, with fertile soil and abundant water resources, resulting in highly developed agriculture and animal husbandry.
Texas often conjures images of Western cowboys on horseback, endless prairies, and herds of cattle, but animal husbandry is actually primarily concentrated in the relatively dry west, while eastern Texas boasts a crop industry comparable to California's.
Furthermore, Texas boasts abundant mineral resources, particularly oil and gas, accounting for nearly half of all oil production in the United States. Therefore, regardless of how much East Coast or West Coasters may disdain the Midwestern rednecks, Texas is truly thriving.
Besides oil, Texas boasts vast resources of coal, iron, copper, and other minerals, and many small towns were originally built around the local mines.
Bishop was once one of these mining towns. Although the mines are now dry and mothballed, the local economy hasn't declined. Instead, it's thriving thanks to the rise of various hunting sports.
"You're lucky! If you'd come a week later, all the rooms here would have been booked," the owner of what's billed as the area's largest inn told his guests.
"Doesn't traditional deer hunting season start in September?" As a future son-in-law in Texas, Jack was somewhat familiar with local customs.
The parking lot in front of the inn was filled with expensive SUVs and jeeps, which not only demonstrated the wealth of Texans, but also left him a little puzzled.
"Deer hunting season is still two months away, but it's wild boar breeding season now. They're so rampant that the state legislature has even approved helicopter hunting and is encouraging hunters to hunt regardless of size.
There's a $20 bounty for every pair of pig ears, regardless of size," the innkeeper explained.
"Sounds good! It'll satisfy people's hunting hobby while also helping with gas bills," Jiejie agreed with a smile.
A $20 price tag for a wild boar is only enough to cover gas costs. While the hogs ripping through Texas still pale in comparison to the "super hogs" that have evolved in Canada's colder regions, they're still no match for a standard shotgun using 0-gauge buckshot.
These creatures possess a built-in "biological bulletproof vest." Adult male wild boars have two nearly 4cm thick cartilage plates running from their shoulders to their sides. Combined with their tough hide and fat, they're not invulnerable to bullets, but they're essentially immune to standard small-caliber handgun rounds.
Most importantly, they're not tasty. Their pungent, fishy flavor is unbearable, not to mention the crude American cooking skills. Even Jack would only manage to make them barely palatable. They're even harder to handle than turkeys.
Even foodies in this country would struggle to cope with such a situation, so most wild boars are buried immediately after being killed.
Fortunately, Texas, with the highest per capita gun ownership rate in the US, has no shortage of skilled hunters. Furthermore, there are professional companies that help farmers and ranchers deal with hog shortages, making the situation much better than in other US states.
Jack had no interest in wild boar hunting. While this was a vacation, and Jiejie had enjoyed the trip, their real purpose was to investigate a missing person case that occurred 20 years ago.
After booking a room and dropping off their luggage, they drove their rental car to the town police station.
Reese believed the number the "machine" gave him, that of Hana Frey, the 15-year-old girl who disappeared 20 years ago, was now Gen, but Jack disagreed.
While he couldn't recall the specifics, he vaguely remembered that Gen's current behavior was connected to this case, and that the missing girl seemed to be her friend.
Small places often have their advantages, especially in a town like Bishop, which has never experienced an economic recession. Local turnover is low, and everyone holds a fixed, routine position.
The officer who handled Hana Frey's disappearance 20 years ago is now the chief of the small town police department. Although he is now gray-haired and frail, Jiejie still remembers the case vividly.
"Yes, ma'am, I remember it clearly, but I don't understand why the FBI has suddenly become interested in this case," said the old chief, named Landry, after the two FBI agents explained their purpose and invited them into his office.
Although he didn't immediately call to verify the authenticity of the ID Jiejie presented, a deep sense of alarm shone in his seemingly dim eyes.
Small-town law enforcement agencies have this problem. While they're technically obligated to cooperate with federal agents, most of the time, the two sides don't see each other for 800 years.
Reopening old cases is always a thankless task. Solving a case is naturally a win-win for everyone, but if these two young people, seemingly on their honeymoon, are just poking around, it could easily cause unnecessary unrest in a peaceful town.
Jack didn't really want to use his power to bully others, but since he already had connections, he didn't necessarily want to create a tangled mess by creating a whole mess.
Soon, the phone on Sheriff Landry's desk rang. Hannah's uncle, Cordell Walker, was now the captain of the Austin Mounted Police office. While not a superior department to the local police department, he was at least considered one of their own, and they had a lot of dealings with them.
After some introductions and small talk like "the famous BAU team," "we're all old friends," and "let's meet for drinks next time," the old sheriff's attitude took a sudden 180-degree turn after hanging up the phone.
Not only did he personally lead two FBI agents to dig out the dusty old files from the archives, he also offered an explanation.
"First of all, I'm not being intentionally disrespectful, but Bishop has always been a peaceful and tranquil town. This damn missing persons case is the only unsolved serious crime here in recent decades.
Most of the people involved are still alive today. Without a good reason, it would be difficult for me to convince them to cooperate with the investigation, as this could easily lead to unnecessary rumors."
Jiejie smiled and nodded in understanding. "So we chose to visit the town police station as soon as possible rather than rashly disturb them. The reason we're investigating this missing persons case is because we suspect someone involved is connected to an ongoing kidnapping case."
"Do you suspect Hana Frey is still alive?" The old sheriff suddenly became excited.
(End of this chapter)