My Manor

"Wow!" The curtain of the first trailer was pulled back.

Immediately, a large aquarium appeared before Jiang Hai and his team, glistening under the sunlight. In the clear water, four dolphins swam restlessly.

Perhaps sensing the light, the dolphins stopped and floated in the water, curiously staring at Jiang Hai and his team from the outside.

Seeing their curious and anxious gazes, Jiang Hai smiled. These creatures would become his warriors from this day forward. He approached the trailer and placed his hand on the glass. The dolphins, intrigued, swam around his hand. Witnessing this interaction, Jiang Hai grew even fonder of them.

"These five dolphins are white dolphins from New York. Actually, eleven out of the twenty dolphins here are from New York. There's an ocean park there that's about to go bankrupt, and they're selling off their sea creatures. If you're interested in killer whales, I can arrange that for you." The old man approached and spoke to Jiang Hai with a smile.

"Killer whales? No, thanks. I can't afford to keep them here. These dolphins are perfect. When can I release them into the sea?" Jiang Hai responded, his curiosity piqued. To be honest, he was more interested in powerful creatures like killer whales, but dolphins were still useful, particularly as guards.

"Anytime. The weather is warm, so the dolphins won't need time to acclimate to the sea water," the old man explained.

At Jiang Hai's signal, the water tank of the trailer opened, and the sea water poured down a slide into the ocean. The dolphins were swiftly carried downstream by the current.

Jiang Hai stood next to the tank, waiting for the dolphins to descend. As one dolphin came down, he gently slapped it. A surge of spiritual energy entered the dolphin's body. Though his energy was draining, Jiang Hai knew some sacrifices were necessary for his own safety.

The dolphin paused briefly, then seemed to revive, speeding off into the ocean. But instead of leaving, it swam in circles, popped its head out of the water, and let out a joyful cry, seemingly directed at Jiang Hai.

Although others assumed the dolphin was calling to its companions, Jiang Hai knew it was acknowledging him.

The second dolphin soon followed, and once again, Jiang Hai transferred spiritual energy. As the third dolphin descended, the water flow slowed, but by then, the workers were ready. They quickly moved the remaining dolphins into the water, and Jiang Hai provided spiritual energy for each of them.

Once all the dolphins from the first trailer were released into the sea, they lingered nearby, playing and watching Jiang Hai intently.

Dolphins, known for their high intelligence, soon understood that Jiang Hai was their master. They would obey him from that moment on.

Jiang Hai continued to provide spiritual energy to each dolphin as they came from the second, third, fourth, and fifth trailers. By the time the last dolphin had entered the water, Jiang Hai waved at them, signaling them to leave. They immediately dove into the ocean and disappeared.

Watching them go, the old man couldn't help but ask, "Do you think they'll just run off if we let them into the water?"

"It's fine. If they run, they run. Consider it a release," Jiang Hai replied confidently, handing over $200,000 to the old man.

The old man, impressed by Jiang Hai's boldness, gave him a thumbs up. "You're really something. 250,000, just like that," he muttered, but didn't care as long as he'd made his money. He smiled and left with the trailer.

Afterward, Jiang Hai's team packed up the slide, unsure of what their boss would do next. They kept the equipment, just in case.

As they finished their tasks, Jiang Hai rolled up his pants and waded into the sea. Almost immediately, the dolphins that had just been released followed him.

Surrounding him in a tight formation, the dolphins fixed their small, curious eyes on Jiang Hai. Dolphins' eyes may be small, but they were known for their friendly demeanor, often associated with saving people and their constant "smiling" faces.

Now, these dolphins were lying beside Jiang Hai, appearing almost too cute. Despite being a man who wasn't inclined to appreciate cuteness, even he couldn't help but soften. But he quickly reminded himself that cuteness had no place in a man like him.

"From now on, you'll be the guardians of this area. Protect it from sharks, and if you find two sharks with similar energy to yours in the sea, they'll become your companions. You're not to harm them," Jiang Hai said, patting the heads of the dolphins.

The dolphins, though unsure whether they fully understood, slapped their tails in response. Jiang Hai chuckled. Whether or not they grasped the concept, these dolphins were now the protectors of his waters.

He sent another surge of spiritual energy into them, then gently nudged them to hunt and digest the energy in their bodies.

After they left, Jiang Hai collapsed onto the beach, exhausted. This was the first time he'd expended so much spiritual energy—forty releases in such a short period. Even he felt dizzy and light-headed.

Spiritual energy, much like the essence within Jiang Hai's body, could be released, but not in excess. Releasing forty in a single day felt like performing a strenuous activity repeatedly without rest—though he wasn't half-done, his heart raced, and his vision blurred. It was a clear sign of oxygen deprivation.

"It's better not to do this again in such large quantities," Jiang Hai thought. His spiritual energy had been growing steadily over several months, and he estimated that his next upgrade might come in just over half a year.

Grateful he didn't need to use any energy from his scales at that moment, Jiang Hai took a break. After half an hour, he stood up and walked slowly back to his villa.

As soon as he arrived, he ran into Bernice, who noticed his unsteady steps. She frowned and approached him.

"Hey, why are you out here?" she asked.

"I went to release the dolphins. I'm tired," Jiang Hai answered, feeling his face flush. What did she mean by dying on a woman's belly? If anything, it would be the other way around! He wasn't even looking for a woman.

Bernice, however, waved it off, "I'm not my sister. I'm telling you as a friend—take care of yourself. Your body's strong, but if you keep pushing yourself like this, you'll end up dead on some woman's belly."

Jiang Hai chuckled nervously and said, "Okay, I know, I'll take care of myself."

"Alright, we're all adults. Just don't overdo it," Bernice responded casually before turning to lie down in the sun. She took out her phone and began scrolling.

Jiang Hai, feeling frustrated, muttered under his breath, "Damn, there's no way to explain this."

As Bernice lay back and continued browsing her phone, Jiang Hai just shrugged and leisurely headed home, tired of defending himself. He was exhausted, and all he wanted to do was sleep.

"Is it really that interesting?" Bernice mumbled to herself, thinking of the mysterious thing Jiang Hai had been up to. She had heard similar things from her friends, but had never tried it herself. Watching Jiang Hai, though, she couldn't help but smile.

Inside, Jiang Hai collapsed onto his bed, slipping into a deep sleep from sheer exhaustion.

He slept until evening, when Xiaoya had dinner ready. Just as he was enjoying a well-deserved meal, his phone rang. It was a call from Yueyang.