American Hunting: Starting with Solitary Life in the Wilderness

Chapter 356 The Montgomery Family
The burly man who had been following him like a shadow suddenly took a step forward!
Before the fat man could react, a large hand, like an iron clamp, grabbed the back of his neck and slammed his obese body hard onto the table in front of him!

"boom!"

The fat man's face made intimate contact with the ammunition box on the table, producing a muffled thud.

Immediately afterwards, the burly man's fist, as big as a clay pot, mercilessly struck the fat man's side ribs twice, "thump! thump!" The two punches were extremely heavy, yet very measured, causing him only intense pain but not internal injury.

"Ugh..." The fat man let out a painful groan, collapsing to the ground like a fat pig waiting to be slaughtered, unable to move.

The burly man released his grip as if he had done something insignificant. His voice, hidden behind his mask, was cold and emotionless, echoing throughout the entire hard-to-finds section:

“You broke the rules, brother, and this is what you deserve. No questions asked about where the goods came from, where they're going, who the buyer is, or what they're for. Your only responsibility is to sell the goods, understand?”

The merchants at the other stalls around the area instinctively lowered their heads, pretending they hadn't seen anything.

Lin Yu'an stood still, without moving an inch, and without even the slightest emotional fluctuation, as if everything happening in front of him had nothing to do with him.

The fat man struggled to his feet, clutching his waist. His face was no longer frivolous and curious; only fear remained.

“I…I’m sorry, sir,” he stammered. “I…I was just being nosy. If you need anything done in the future, you can bring it here for us to take care of. Our prices are absolutely reasonable!”

Lin Yu'an did not accept his apology and calmly said, "Pack up the goods."

"Yes...yes..." The fat man nodded repeatedly, not daring to say another word, and quickly counted and packed all the guns and ammunition.

Finally, Lin Yu'an took out a vacuum-sealed bag from his backpack, which contained several stacks of brand-new hundred-dollar bills. He had actually taken them out from his spatial dimension, and then completed the arms deal worth more than fifty thousand US dollars.

After the transaction was completed, the burly man behind him handed Lin Yu'an a Chevrolet car key that looked very ordinary and whispered the parking space number.

"The car is in parking space number 37 in section B. The items will be delivered to the car within an hour."

"You can drive this car away. After you're done, park it anywhere in the city, and then send the address back through the encrypted channel you used when you entered. Someone will handle it. Remember, it has to be done within 24 hours."

Lin Yu'an nodded. This was one of the highest-level services offered by "Crocodile Market," providing a clean vehicle whose origin could not be traced as a disposable means of transportation to ensure that there was no direct physical connection between the customer and the goods.

He took the keys, then pulled out two hundred-dollar bills and handed them to the burly man who had been following him, as a tip. It was a way of acknowledging his service.

Only then did he turn and leave this underground world filled with desire and danger.

When he took off his mask and walked out of the used bookstore back into the Florida sun, there was nothing unusual on his masked face.

Like any other tourist, I bought an iced Americano at the corner coffee shop, sipped it leisurely, and waited patiently.

About forty minutes later, he got up and walked slowly towards the underground parking lot.

Instead of heading directly to parking space 37, he took the elevator at the other end of the parking lot. Like a ghost, he used the pillars and vehicles as cover, carefully observing the area around the target vehicle from different angles for nearly ten minutes.

After confirming that there were no suspicious people or vehicles, he quickly walked over, unlocked the car with his key, opened the door, and got into the ordinary Chevrolet sedan.

Instead of immediately inspecting the goods, he locked the car doors, started the engine, and slowly merged into traffic, driving away from the area.

After driving a few blocks and confirming that no vehicles were following him, he drove to a public parking lot of a large shopping mall a few blocks away from the hotel.

After confirming that there were no surveillance cameras or pedestrians around, he opened the rear door and trunk of the Chevrolet.

A 30-inch black hard-shell suitcase lay quietly on the back seat, while in the trunk there was a slightly smaller 26-inch suitcase of the same model.

The brand is Samsonite, which is ubiquitous, and it even has a half-torn airport baggage tag on it, disguised as the luggage of an ordinary passenger who has just finished a long-haul flight.

Instead of dragging the box out, he quickly unlocked the default combination lock on the back seat of the car and confirmed the integrity of the goods with just a glance.

Lin Yu'an first opened the largest box on the back seat. As soon as the lid was lifted a crack, a strong smell of gun oil and a cold metallic scent instantly wafted out.

Inside the box were two DDM4 rifles, disassembled into upper and lower receivers, wrapped in a layer of oiled paper, lying quietly on one side of the box; on the other side, boxes of 5.56mm rifle ammunition, like heavy gold bricks, filled the bottom of the box tightly.

After confirming everything was correct, he closed the lid of the box, then opened the smaller box in the trunk. Inside were two Staccato P pistols, all the magazines, and the heavy load of three thousand 9mm pistol rounds.

After the inspection was completed, Lin Yu'an placed his palms on the two suitcases one after the other, and a thought popped into his head.

The two suitcases, weighing a total of nearly 400 pounds, vanished without warning or sound within seconds, as if swallowed up instantly by an unseen dimension.

The car is now empty, as if no one had ever placed anything inside.

He took out his disposable, dirty cell phone and sent out the address where the Chevrolet was parked through the soon-to-expire anonymous messaging app.

He then left the parking lot like an ordinary shopper, walked several blocks, and hailed a ride-hailing car to return to the hotel.

Only after doing all this did he truly breathe a sigh of relief. Now, he finally felt absolutely safe.

He glanced at the time; there was still more than an hour until his appointment with Mike.

He calmly walked into the bathroom, took a shower, and then took out a well-tailored casual suit from the closet to change into.

He believed that during his time at the dinner party, the car, along with all the traces it carried, would disappear silently into the Florida night.

An hour later, after tidying himself up, he got into the rented car and entered the address that Mike had sent him into the car's navigation system.

It would be impolite to arrive empty-handed at a family dinner invitation. Before setting off, I navigated to a nearby top-notch wine shop.

When faced with a family with such a rich heritage as Montgomery, a bottle of ordinary Lafite or Penfolds would only seem perfunctory and lacking in taste.

He glanced at the text message Scout had just sent, which included an address and a contact named Julian. "Tell him you're my client. He'll give you the best from the cellar."

Lin Yu-an entered the address into the navigation; it was a top-tier wine shop hidden deep in a private garden, open only to members by appointment.

As Lin Yu'an entered the store, a well-dressed manager wearing gold-rimmed glasses immediately came to greet him.

Good evening, sir. Do you have an appointment?

“I’m looking for Julian,” Lin Yu’an said calmly. “Scout Braun sent me.”

Upon hearing the name "Scout Braun," the manager's expression instantly changed. The initial aloofness vanished, replaced by a profound sense of respect and reverence.

“Mr. Braun’s guest!” He immediately bowed slightly. “Please wait a moment, I will go and inform Mr. Julian right away!”

He dared not delay and strode towards the office. A few seconds later, a man who looked to be in his fifties, wearing a dark suit and with his hair neatly combed, strode out. He was Julian, the manager of the store.

“Hello! I’m Julian,” he said, extending his hand warmly with a genuine smile. “I just received a call from Mr. Braun saying he has a very important guest on his way. I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly! Welcome, welcome!”

"Lin Yu'an." Lin Yu'an shook hands with him.

“Please follow me, Mr. Lin.” Julian personally led Lin Yu’an around the exhibition area open to the public.

Then, a black electronic card opened a heavy wooden door, leading to a temperature- and humidity-controlled rare wine cellar at the deepest part of the store.

“Mr. Braun has already instructed that you need a substantial gift.” Julian did not recommend those flashy Bordeaux wines, but went directly to a separate display case with soft lighting.

There, lying quietly, was a bottle with a simple label, yet exuding a regal aura.

“Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon,” Julian said in a tone befitting an artist’s presentation.

This is not just an ordinary, expensive bottle of red wine; it is the crown jewel at the very top of the American "cult wine" pyramid, the Hermès Birkin bag of the wine world.

“Its production is extremely limited, with only a few hundred cases produced each year, and it is never sold publicly,” Julian explained. “Only channels like ours, which directly serve top-tier clients, have access to quotas.”

He put on white gloves and carefully removed the bottle: "This is the 2018 vintage, which received a perfect score of 100 from Robert Parker. For a new vintage of Screaming Eagle, this is one of the most collectible." "How much?" Lin Yu'an asked calmly.

“For Mr. Braun’s clients, our membership price is six thousand five hundred US dollars,” Julian quoted a price that would leave ordinary people speechless.

Lin Yu'an didn't even blink. He knew Scout's name, which probably saved him from some unnecessary premiums.

He chose this bottle of wine not to show off, but because he knew that for the Montgomery family, the Screaming Eagle represented more than just money; it was a "hard currency" of status and social standing.

"Great, this is the one. Please wrap it in the best gift box for me."

Back in the car, looking at the route displayed on the navigation system, which pointed to Las Oras Islands, Fort Lauderdale's most famous affluent neighborhood, he realized it wouldn't just be an ordinary, luxuriously decorated villa.

But when he actually drove there, he realized that he had underestimated the Montgomery family's wealth and influence.

The car slowly crossed a small private bridge and entered a tranquil and private island community surrounded by canals. Finally, it stopped in front of a large, rather sizable seaside villa.

The main body of the villa is a two-story white building with a typical Mediterranean style, featuring beige Spanish tiles, arched porches, and huge floor-to-ceiling windows, which appear warm and elegant in the afterglow of the setting sun.

In front of the building, instead of a traditional lawn, there is a meticulously designed courtyard covered with white gravel and tropical plants, with several tall royal palm trees standing like sentinels.

The most striking feature is the side of the villa, where a private driveway leads directly to the shimmering inland waterway in the backyard.

A private marina, large enough to berth a 70-foot yacht, quietly extends into the water. The professional supply bollards and shore power boxes on the marina all demonstrate the owner's expertise.

Lin Yu'an carried the exquisitely packaged wine bottle gift box, stepped forward, and rang the doorbell.

After a while, the door opened. It wasn't Mike who opened the door, but Raven.

She had clearly dressed up carefully, but the stunning effect didn't come from the glamour of a traditional evening gown, but rather from an understated elegance that was full of artistry and modern flair.

She changed into a uniquely designed black deconstructed knit dress. The edges of the dress featured unfinished, raw tassels, outlining a silhouette full of tension.

A thin white bra strap slipped casually off her shoulder, which, far from being out of place, added a touch of laziness and casualness to the avant-garde design.

Her long, light golden hair had been cut into a pretty shoulder-length bob at some point, with natural, slight curls that seemed to casually fall beside her cheeks, yet perfectly outlined her defined jawline.

She wore very light makeup, almost invisible, which only made her already sculpted features appear even more serene and captivating under the warm light of the porch.

Seeing Lin Yu'an outside the door, Raven showed no surprise; instead, a knowing smile flickered in her blue eyes.

She turned slightly to the side, gazing at him with a calm expression, as if admiring a painting.

"Good evening, Captain," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice, "You've managed to find your way here. I thought you'd get lost."

"The navigation was very accurate, but there was some traffic on the way, sorry." Lin Yu'an replied with a smile, handing over the wine in his hand, "It's a small gift, I hope you like it."

His gaze, however, involuntarily lingered on Raven's neat, shoulder-length hair. Raven reached out and took the bottle, her fingertips inevitably brushing against the back of his hand.

"Oh? It seems you noticed." She casually brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, the movement crisp and clean, carrying a carefree air she didn't have when she had long hair.

"Some things, if left too long, become a burden during voyages. Occasionally, we need to change the ballast so that the ship can sail faster and more steadily, right?"

Raven glanced at the label, raised her eyebrows in surprise, and her blue eyes lit up instantly. "Screaming Eagle? My God, Lin, this is no small gift."

Although she said that, she still held the wine in her arms. "However, I thank you for this 'generous gift' on behalf of my father. He will absolutely love it. He couldn't even snag a bottle at the auction last time."

"Please come in." She stepped aside to let Lin Yu'an into the villa.

As soon as Lin Yu'an entered the villa, he was immediately enveloped by an atmosphere full of stories.

The interior decoration of this villa was not the kind of opulent modern luxury he had imagined, but rather a unique style that blended ocean exploration with classic British aesthetics.

In the very center of the living room, instead of a gaudy contemporary art painting, there is a huge old nautical chart framed in an exquisite wooden frame, with the various islands of the Caribbean marked on it in elegant cursive script.

Instead of a crystal chandelier, a retro chandelier made from a giant ship's wheel hangs from the ceiling.

The bookshelves along the wall are filled with various finely bound books about navigation, history and exploration. At the top of the shelves are several exquisitely handcrafted antique sailboat models.

Lin Yu'an immediately recognized one of the ships as Lord Nelson's flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar—the HMS Victory.

Above the fireplace, in the most prominent position, hang two items that highlight the family's bloodline and glory.

On the left is a military medal in a velvet-lined case. It is a white medal with a gold cross, and in the center is a golden crown surrounded by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory.

The medal's ribbon is red and blue, and although it has faded somewhat, you can still see the glory of its heyday.

Below is a small brass plaque etched with the words: "Colonel Alistair Montgomery, in recognition of his outstanding service in the Battle of the Atlantic, 1943."

On the right is a small, round clan emblem set in the frame.

The main body of the badge is surrounded by an intricately carved ribbon and clasp, on which is engraved an Old French motto—'Gardez Bien' (Protect with care).

Within the ribbon is a goddess dressed in a blue classical robe, holding an anchor symbolizing navigation and hope in one hand and the head of a barbarian in the other, symbolizing victory over the enemy.

At the very top of the frame, a small and exquisite crown is carved separately, with pearls inlaid on it, signifying the noble status of this family as viscounts.

These details silently tell the story of the Montgomery family's glorious and extraordinary past.

“Wow,” Lin Yu’an exclaimed sincerely, looking at the coat of arms above the fireplace that symbolized the viscount’s status. “It seems that Captain Montgomery’s story is much more exciting than I imagined.”

"You noticed it too?" Raven followed behind him, her tone carrying a hint of pride mixed with a touch of helplessness.

“My family always likes to display these old antiques in the most conspicuous place, as if they are afraid that others will not know that we came from that cold and damp island.”

She acted like a hostess, showing Lin Yu'an around.

“This nautical chart,” she said, pointing to the huge antique nautical chart in the center of the living room, “was left to my great-great-grandfather’s generation. It is said that he once used it to find a Spanish shipwreck in the Caribbean Sea.”

“This model of the Victory,” she pointed to the most exquisite ship model at the top of the bookshelf, “was made by my father by hand over a whole year. Every part is exactly the same as the real ship.”

Her descriptions, filled with the warmth of family and humorous quips, instantly brought these cold decorations to life.

Lin Yu'an's gaze fell on the photos displayed on the small table next to the bookshelf. One was of young Mike, and the other was of Raven as a child.

"Is this you?" He picked up the photo of the little girl.

"Oh God, put it down!" Raven blushed and tried to snatch it from his hands, but it was too late.

In the photo, the little girl with pigtails, missing two front teeth, and making a face at the camera creates an adorable contrast with the confident and poised female coach in front of her.

"Very cute," Lin Yu'an commented with a smile, putting the photo back where it belonged.

"Ahem," Raven cleared her throat, forcibly changing the subject to hide her embarrassment, "My dad and grandma will be downstairs soon. Please make yourselves at home. Would you like something to drink?"

Just then, a strong, cheerful, old voice came from the stairs.

"Oh, my dear Raven, no need to ask! Go to the liquor cabinet and pour our brave guest from afar a glass of the finest Scotch whisky!"

Accompanied by the sound, an elderly woman dressed in an elegant silk dress, with her hair neatly combed and her eyes still sharp and bright despite her full head of silver hair, slowly walked down the stairs with Captain Mike's help.

She is the mistress of the house, Elizabeth Montgomery.

(End of this chapter)