My Manor

In the United States, you can raise almost anything you like, from golden eagles and white-headed eagles to crocodiles, brown bears, snakes, and even tigers. As long as your neighbors don't mind, no one will interfere with you.

However, if your neighbors do call the police, those animals will be confiscated. So, unless you have a large house like Tyson or O'Neal, don't even think about raising tigers. It's not exactly cheap.

But honestly, not many people raise dolphins. First, dolphins require a large area to swim. Secondly, unless you're near the seaside, it's extremely expensive to adjust the water conditions. Additionally, dolphins are social animals—if they don't live in groups, they will die. These three factors have kept the number of dolphin owners very low. In fact, statistics show that over 50% of dolphins that are captured won't eat once they're in captivity and will die from depression. This is also why humans are reluctant to kill them.

Nevertheless, in a market economy, everything has its value, and dolphins are no exception.

There are still some people who catch dolphins for money, but the chances of successfully capturing them are slim, and getting them to their destination alive is even harder. That's why they charge tens of thousands of dollars for each one.

"The price I gave you is already very reasonable. I doubt you'll find a better deal anywhere else. Of course, if you want more, we can offer a discount." Seeing Jiang Hai deep in thought, the old man smiled and added, then fell silent. Bargaining isn't very popular in the United States. If a price is set and the deal doesn't go through, it's unlikely to be revived. It's not like the common practice at home, where one can ask for an absurd price and pay immediately.

The price the old man mentioned was the same as what Edward had quoted Jiang Hai when he first arrived.

Jiang Hai glanced at Edward. Edward didn't look at him or nod but simply stood there, unmoving, signaling that the price wasn't too high, but it wasn't low either.

"I want 10 of each, a total of 20 dolphins, all over 1.5 meters. What's the lowest price you can offer me?" After considering it for a moment, Jiang Hai spoke to the old man.

"Oh my God, are you sure you're not eating them? Twenty dolphins? Seems like you're planning to release them for a good cause, huh? But that's fine. I just want to make money from my Franklin. Twenty dolphins, all over 1.5 meters? I'll give you $13,000 each. Well, minus $500, that'll be $12,500 each. So, for 20 dolphins, the total will be $250,000." The old man laughed upon hearing Jiang Hai's request. Jiang Hai secretly nodded at the offer.

$250,000 was still within his acceptable range, and he had his reasons for wanting dolphins over 1.5 meters long.

Dolphins usually grow between 1.7 meters and 2.4 meters, with a few reaching over 2.5 meters, which is why they're so expensive. The 1.5-meter size is a critical point.

Dolphins of this size are not yet fully grown—about two years old—and cannot mate yet. However, they have some combat ability, but their minds haven't fully matured, making them easier for Jiang Hai to domesticate.

It was for this reason that Jiang Hai specifically wanted dolphins of this size.

The old man understood Jiang Hai's reasoning but wisely chose not to comment. He didn't need to know why Jiang Hai wanted the dolphins, and frankly, he didn't care.

As he'd said, his priority was to make money. The $250,000 deal meant a $50,000 profit for him, so he was more than happy to oblige.

"Money is no problem. When can the dolphins arrive?" After some mental calculations, Jiang Hai stood up and asked the old man. $250,000 was nothing for him now.

"I'll call you within a week, but you'll need to leave a deposit first." The old man stood up as well, smiling as he addressed Jiang Hai. Dolphins over 1.5 meters weren't hard to come by.

Besides the local fishermen's catches, some zoos and aquariums in the city also bred dolphins. When they gave birth, some oceanariums couldn't keep them, so they sold them to wealthy buyers or people like the old man.

"This is $50,000. I'll be waiting for your call within a week." Jiang Hai was a straightforward person. Not wanting to waste any more time, he took out a check for $50,000 and handed it over. The old man flicked the check with a smile, "Just wait for my good news!" As long as the money was right, there was nothing the old man couldn't arrange.

After finalizing the deal and signing a form resembling an agreement, Jiang Hai left with Edward and the others.

As they departed, the fishermen watched in envy. Jiang Hai's beautiful yacht slowly pulled out of the bay, and once it accelerated, it vanished like a white streak.

Watching the yacht, many fishermen sighed helplessly. Honestly, who wouldn't envy Jiang Hai's life?

He was cruising on a luxurious yacht, surrounded by stacks of cash, and plenty of beautiful women. It was a life many could only dream of. As the sound of the yacht's engine faded away, the mood of the fishermen shifted. It felt like two losers sitting in a five-star hotel, eating peanuts and bragging. But then a billionaire walks in, and the brags instantly lose their charm.

Thinking back to the past, Jiang Hai had once been just like those fishermen, but he had vowed back then—no, he swore never to return to this hotel.

"Boss, what did that guy come to you for? Big business?" As Jiang Hai left, a manager approached the old man, curious.

"Twenty dolphins. Do you think it's a big deal?" The old man smiled and didn't hide it. Buying 20 dolphins wasn't a small matter, and news of it would certainly spread. It was okay for his subordinates to know.

"Twenty? What's this guy planning to do with them?" While they knew the price of dolphins wasn't high, it was definitely not cheap either—at least $200,000. What could someone possibly do with 20 dolphins that couldn't be eaten or killed?

"We don't need to guess what the rich think. We just need to do our job." The old man flicked the check and smiled. He turned around and made a phone call. Jiang Hai's one-week deadline was tight, but manageable.

Meanwhile, Jiang Hai had returned to his home dock. But instead of heading straight to the villa, he took a small boat out to sea. He called out to the Dasha couple, who looked unchanged, though the battle scars from yesterday had completely healed.

Seeing Jiang Hai, both Dasha and his wife were visibly excited.

"Don't worry, I'll find you some mates in a few days. Next time, even if a group of killer whales shows up, we'll defeat them together!" Jiang Hai patted the two of them and reassured them.

After spending some time with them, Jiang Hai dove into the sea. He hadn't forgotten his original purpose for being here: to dig for abalones. He was craving abalone and shark fin, imagining how perfectly they would go together...

He tried not to think about it too much, but just the thought made his mouth water.

As he dove deeper, the underwater scenery once again took his breath away.

Although his area wasn't a tropical sea and the coral reefs were mostly gray and lifeless, the waves shimmered, and schools of fish swam by. It was still incredibly beautiful.

Just as he was about to start digging for abalones, a group of fast-swimming fish suddenly passed in front of him.

The fish darted around, munching on small squids and octopuses as they went. Thankfully, Jiang Hai's fish were big enough to fend for themselves, or they might've been eaten by these hungry creatures.

Jiang Hai, astonished, couldn't help but stare. After dealing with the hammerhead sharks, now these voracious feeders appeared?

His fishery was something he took great pride in, and he wouldn't let other fish eat his prized ones.

But then, as he got a better look at these new fish, he was taken aback. He knew them well but had rarely seen them up close. Their sleek bodies were torpedo-shaped, and their dark blue dorsal fins were incredibly fast. The leader of the group was around 3.5 meters long, while the others trailed behind at about 2 meters each.

Jiang Hai froze.

"Damn it, where did these bluefin tuna come from?"