Texas, nestled in a temperate zone, experiences strikingly different climates year-round.
Summer temperatures can reach over 40 degrees Celsius, creating the scorching yellow filter of Western films. The ground, scorched by the sun, visibly warps the air.
North America lacks a continuous east-west mountain range, allowing cold air from the north to flow unimpeded southward, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
Therefore, while Texas winters typically remain above freezing, extreme temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius can occasionally be experienced.
Especially in spring and autumn, the temperature difference between day and night is significant, even within the same day. The convergence of strong cold and warm air currents often results in spectacular tornadoes in Texas and neighboring states like New Mexico and Oklahoma.
Of course, for Mexican farmers, whose water supply to the lower Rio Grande has nearly dried up due to Texans cutting off their water supply, making even drinking water a luxury, the north remains a cherished paradise.
Although the sun wasn't particularly strong today, the two braved the 30-degree heat as they walked halfway around the town center. Having missed lunch, they were not only drenched in sweat but also rather thirsty.
At the crisp ring of the doorbell, Jack pushed open the wooden door labeled "Wild Boar Bar," stepped aside to let Jiejie in, and then stepped into the slightly smoky bar.
Most states in the United States have smoking bans in public places. While Texas state law doesn't explicitly prohibit it, major cities like Austin and Houston do have such prohibitions.
However, in small-town bars like these, it all depends on the owner's mood. Since the owner, standing behind the bar, was smoking a cigar himself, Jack considered the locals quite law-abiding by not noticing the stench of "American herbs."
Business at the "Wild Boar Bar" seemed brisk; quite a few people were already seated there by the early afternoon.
As the innkeeper had mentioned, although deer hunting wasn't yet season, a number of wild boar hunters had already gathered in town. Most wore denim hunting vests, dressed like wildebeests.
While there weren't the famous Winchester scenes from old Westerns, many wore large revolvers or even large-caliber hunting pistols like Desert Eagles tucked into their belts.
Jiejie might have been okay, but Jack's outfit of a high-end shirt, trousers, and leather shoes caught everyone's attention the moment they entered the bar.
The flirtatious whistles that had originally been fired at the sight of the beautiful woman died abruptly. The glances directed at Jack were filled with curiosity and jealousy, but also a hint of vigilance.
After Jiejie sat down at the seat by the window, Jack walked to the bar under the gazes of everyone, tapped his fingers a few times, and said to the bar owner who was also a part-time bartender, "Two steak sets and two glasses of the best ice beer here."
After that, he took out a few ten-dollar bills and put them on the table, covered them with his hand, and said as if in a secret code, "The rest is a tip."
The owner of the "Wild Boar Bar" was an old cowboy with a big belly. He looked Jack up and down, and was not in a hurry to take the cash that was obviously twice the cost of the meal.
Instead, like most tavern NPCs in RPGs, he gave the classic answer every player is familiar with, "What do you want to know?"
Jack smiled broadly, like a big kid whose playfulness had been satisfied. "Cody Grayson, I heard he's a regular here. I'd like to buy him a drink."
The bar owner took the banknotes from Jack with agility that belied his age. Turning around, he pointed to the far end of the bar, "That's the guy with the missing eye."
Then he shouted at the other person in a loud voice, "Cody, a kid from Wall Street wants to buy you a drink."
Jack followed the bar owner's finger, looking towards the figure sipping quietly in the corner. He must have heard the commotion, but he didn't even look up. A
large beer mug was placed down in front of Cody Grayson with a thud. Jack walked over to him slowly, pushing the mug forward.
"Hello, Cody, I have a few questions for you."
"Do I know you?" The man still didn't look up, leaving Jack with only a glimpse of his profile.
He struggled to connect the unshaven Cody Grayson with the young, fresh-faced man he'd seen in photos before. He looked slouched, overweight, and blind in one eye. Aside from his hand-me-downs, cleanly washed, he looked like just another homeless person.
"Do you know the person I'm looking for, Hana Frey?"
"Reporter or FBI agent?" Cody turned to look at Jack with a quirk of his lips, his eyes filled with malice.
"Uh, the latter,"
Jack said before he could finish his sentence when he was punched.
"Hold still, FBI!" Jack caught the soft punch with one hand, twisted it slightly, and pinned Cody against the bar. With his other hand, he pulled his ID from his pocket and flashed it to the eager patrons. Jiejie, who
was sitting by the window, also stood up subconsciously, one hand on the pistol at her waist.
The atmosphere in the bar was stagnant until the bar owner slammed a short-barreled shotgun on the table, "Get out if you want to fight. It was that idiot Cody who attacked this gentleman first."
Seeing Jack giving him a puzzled look, the bar owner shook the cigar in his mouth, "Sheriff Landry called this morning and said there were guests in town."
Nodding and thanking the bar owner, Jack lifted Cody up with one hand with a little force, "I don't know what you are planning. Maybe you want to take this opportunity to go to jail.
But I just want to ask you a few questions. Since you were not beaten to death by old Frey and his brothers, I don't think you are the murderer."
Just like a cat will be very obedient when it is picked up by the scruff of the neck, people are similar. Cody, who was pinched by Jack's neck with one hand, had almost no power to resist, and was obediently carried all the way to the window seat.
"Enjoy your meal, both of you." The waitress, her collar open to reveal her broad chest, placed two steaming steaks and fries on the table. She then turned and brought three glasses of iced dark beer. Before leaving, she even gave Jack a wink.
"We're here to investigate Hana's disappearance. Tell me what you know," Jack asked as he ate.
"What? That I killed her and dumped her body in the swamp?" Cody put on a lazy look again and pointed at his blind left eye.
"Take me away. No matter what crime you plan to accuse me of, the people in this place have already done worse to me."
(End of this chapter)