America: The neighbor's wife is so incredibly hospitable!

【XNUM X Year X NUM X Month X NUM X Day】

My heart has been pounding a lot lately. Those people seem to have lost their patience.

I saw unfamiliar tire tracks in the woods. If something happens to me, I hope this gun can help those who come after me.

Whoever unlucky soul inherits this mess, remember: don't sell the land, don't trust Tom, and guard the "devil's throat" on the back hill.

The diary ends here.

"Devil's throat?"

Chen An frowned.

He had never seen this place name on a map before; it sounded like a local name that only the older generation knew.

However, George's message explained a lot.

Why would a seemingly powerful company be interested in this godforsaken wasteland?

Why would Tom, a good-for-nothing who only knows how to drink, take a shovel and dig a hole?

And today, that was the black Jeep following behind him.

"It wasn't for the treasure after all, it was for the water."

In this western state that is becoming increasingly arid due to global warming,

High-quality water sources with mining rights are indeed more enduring and precious than gold.

Chen An closed his diary, his eyes appearing somewhat deep in the dim light.

Every husband is not guilty, and he is guilty of his crime.

It seems I've inherited not only a farm, but also a war without gunfire.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The simple dinner was fried rice with eggs made by Chen An using that bag of rice.

Served with some pickles from Walmart, it was simple.

But being able to eat a hot bowl of carbohydrates on a cold night is already a rare treat.

Just after finishing the last bite, Chen An was preparing to boil some water to wipe himself down.

"Knock knock knock".

A sudden, rapid, and disordered knocking sounded at the door.

Even amidst the howling wind, the knocking sounded exceptionally frightening and helpless.

Chen An's eyes narrowed, and he instantly grabbed the M1911 from the table, tucked it behind his back, and then covered it with the loose hem of his hoodie.

He walked to the door and looked out through the peephole.

Outside the door were not some ferocious thugs, but a pale, tear-streaked face.

It's Sarah.

Chen An opened the door.

The cold wind swept Sarah in, making her stumble and fall.

"Ann...please, close the door...close it now!"

Sarah's voice was trembling uncontrollably; she wasn't even wearing a coat.

She was only wearing a thin nightgown with a wool shawl draped over it.

Her blonde hair was disheveled, her face was streaked with tears, and her beautiful blue eyes were filled with fear.

Chen An quickly closed the door, locked it, and then supported her swaying body.

Her body was as cold as ice, and she was shivering violently.

"Calm down, Sarah. Look at me." Chen An placed his hands on her shoulders.

He used a little force to bring her back to her senses. "What happened? Did Tom hit you?"

If it were domestic violence, Chen An would now have a reason to take a gun and have a chat with that "good neighbor" about life.

"No...it's not Tom..."

Sarah gripped Chen An's arm tightly, her nails almost digging into his flesh, and she gasped for breath.

It seemed that only by being close to this man's body heat could she feel a sense of security.

"It was...it was a few strangers. Just now...a black Jeep stopped in front of my house."

A black Jeep.

Chen An's pupils contracted slightly.

It really was that group of people.

"What did they do?" Chen An's voice remained calm, and this composure seemed to infect Sarah.

"They knocked on the door, very loudly. That bastard Tom wasn't home, I don't know where he'd gone... It was just me and the kids at home."

Sarah said, trembling, "I didn't dare open the door. They were calling Tom's name outside, saying... saying it was about a gambling debt."

"If he doesn't pay back the money by Friday, they will... they will burn down our barn, and they might even take Mike and Jerry away..."

At this point, Sarah finally broke down, covering her face and sobbing.

"I called the police... but Chief Reynolds said it was a financial dispute, and since no one was injured, he wouldn't be able to send a patrol car for at least two hours..."

In this sparsely populated area, the police are always just floor cleaners who come to collect corpses.

Chen An pulled her into his arms and gently patted her back.

The nightgown was very thin, but you could still feel her plump, soft body trembling.

But this is no longer a romantic flirtation; it is the instinctive fear of prey facing a predator.

"Shh...it's alright now," Chen An whispered in her ear. "You're safe with me."

"I'm so scared, Anne." Sarah looked up, her still-beautiful face filled with despair.

"That 15,000 US dollars... I really don't know what to do with it."

"He stole all the family's savings long ago. If those people really lay a hand on the children..."

"They dare not."

Chen An helped her to the sofa and poured her a glass of hot water. "Those are debt collectors, not outlaws."

"Their goal is money, not jail time. Intimidation is their only tactic."

Although he said that, Chen An had already sentenced Tom to death in his heart.

Bringing this danger to their doorstep and exposing their wife and children to this fear has crossed a line.

"Where are the children tonight?" Chen An asked.

"I locked them in the second-floor bedroom; it's a security door." Sarah held a glass of water, her color returning slightly.

But her eyes still wouldn't leave Chen An. "I... I can't sit still at home. I feel like they're breaking the windows whenever I hear the slightest noise."

"An, can I... stay here with you for a little while? Just a little while..."

This is not a matter of "staying for a while".

This is a married woman's complete surrender to the only reliable man in her life when she is in a state of extreme fear and insecurity.

Chen An looked at her.

At this moment, Sarah had shed her usual allure and deliberate seduction.

All that remains is the vulnerability of a helpless mother and a frightened woman.

The neckline of the nightgown had slipped down a bit because of running.

Her skin was exposed, revealing large areas of snow-white skin and a deep cleavage, but she even forgot to cover it up.

"You can stay here. You can stay as long as you want."

Chen An squatted down, looked directly into her eyes, and reached out to tuck the wet stray hairs from her cheek behind her ear.

"I'll keep watch here tonight. Not even a mosquito will be able to fly into this room."

After saying that, he stood up, walked to the window, and deliberately opened the curtains a little.

He pulled the M1911 from his back waist and, without any hesitation, cocked it in front of Sarah with a "click."

In the dim light, the boy's back looked tall and cold, and the gun in his hand gleamed with a chilling metallic sheen.

Seeing this, Sarah's breath caught in her throat.

violence.

This is the most primitive and intuitive aesthetic of violence.