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

Upon entering the forest, the atmosphere changed instantly.

The dense coniferous forest blocked out most of the sunlight.

The humus layer underfoot was soft and moist, feeling like walking on a thick carpet.

The air was filled with the smell of pine resin and rotting leaves.

Chen An dropped the pretense he had put on in front of his pretty neighbor, his eyes becoming sharp and focused.

Make money.

This is the most urgent task.

Instead of wandering aimlessly, he observed the surrounding vegetation.

Morel mushrooms, known as the "king of fungi," are not readily available.

They prefer to grow in broad-leaved forests, especially in areas that have experienced forest fires.

Or perhaps it's near a dead elm or ash tree.

Montana had a very dry summer last year, and several small wildfires broke out in the mountains.

This is the clue.

Holding a dry tree branch, Chen An probed the way as he ventured deeper into the area.

After walking for about two hours, even with rain boots, my trouser legs were soaked with dew, and I was exhausted.

Although he was healthy, he wasn't one of those rednecks who spent all day running around in the wild, and his breathing began to become heavy.

"If this were a regular online novel, there would be a system notification by now, right?" Chen An chuckled self-deprecatingly, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

But he didn't.

He only had those observant eyes.

Suddenly, he stopped in front of a gentle slope.

Ahead was a small open area where several huge, dead elm trees lay sprawled on the ground, their trunks covered in moss.

More importantly, the soil there has a deep black color.

That's because the ash from the fire mixed with humus.

The temperature, humidity, and soil pH are all suitable.

Chen An held his breath and tiptoed over.

He crouched down beside a decaying tree trunk and gently brushed aside the thick layer of fallen leaves.

If there's anything in this world that gets your heart racing more than a woman's thighs, it's money.

One flower.

Two flowers.

A large area.

Those tiny umbrella-shaped canopies, resembling dark brown honeycombs, peeked shyly out from beneath the withered leaves.

Some of them are only the size of a thumb, while others are as big as a fist.

It's a black morel!

This is one of the top varieties, with thick flesh and a rich aroma.

According to the price on that purchase order, these are perfect black morel mushrooms.

If it's fresh, it can even sell for over $60 per pound.

However, if it undergoes a drying process, the price will increase several times.

But Chen An didn't have time to deal with it; he needed cash.

"I've struck it rich."

Chen An's hands were even trembling slightly.

He quickly took out a folding knife and carefully cut off the stem of the mushroom.

Try not to damage the mycelium underneath, leaving a chance for growth next year.

This is not only for environmental protection, but also to ensure that this will become an ATM in your own backyard in the future.

One after another.

Soon, the woven wicker basket was half full. It looked to weigh at least five or six pounds.

This is only a small area.

Just as Chen An was immersed in the joy of the harvest, an unusual noise suddenly reached his ears.

"Click."

It was the sound of a tree branch being broken.

The sound was very loud; it was definitely not something a squirrel or rabbit could make.

Chen An stopped what he was doing instantly, the hairs on the back of his head standing on end.

He recalled Sarah's warning: a bear, or a cougar.

He carefully and extremely slowly put down the huge morel mushroom in his hand.

His right hand slowly reached for the double-barreled shotgun behind his back.

Low respiratory pressure.

The heavy footsteps grew closer, accompanied by heavy breathing, and...

"Fuck! Damn bushes! Damn George!"

A burst of curses, reeking of alcohol and filled with rage, rang out.

Is it a person?

Chen An loosened his grip on the gun slightly, but his eyes became even more playful.

At this time, how could a drunk person appear on this private property that belongs to him?

He quietly peeked half his head out from behind the tree trunk.

About fifty meters away, a man wearing a dirty denim jacket and with a full beard appeared.

A middle-aged white man with a huge beer belly was trudging into the woods.

He wasn't holding a gun, but rather a shovel. His eyes darted around, and he looked flustered.

It's as if it's searching for something, or as if it's hiding from something.

Chen An narrowed his eyes.

Tom Miller.

Sarah's useless husband, who supposedly "slept like a log."

Shouldn't he be sleeping soundly at home right now?

Why would they come to the back of their abandoned farm? And why would they be carrying a shovel?

"interesting."

Chen An did not rush out to greet them.

In this free America, it's legal for anyone trespassing on private property to be shot dead, but he doesn't intend to do that.

Because information is often more valuable than bullets.

He quietly retreated, using the bushes for cover.

Like a ghost, it lurked and silently watched the man's every move.

Tom stopped under a crooked pine tree not far from the pile of fallen elm trees.

He looked around warily, then began digging frantically under the tree roots.

What is he digging for?

Is it a treasure left by Uncle George? Or something shady?

A few minutes later, Tom dug an iron box out of the pit.

He opened the box, glanced inside, and a greedy, ferocious smile spread across his face.

He then quickly stuffed the box into his clothes, wrapped it tightly in his jacket, and turned to leave in a hurry.

The whole process took less than ten minutes.

Only after Tom's figure had completely disappeared did Chen An emerge from his hiding place.

He glanced at the basket full of morel mushrooms worth hundreds of dollars, then at the spot where Tom had just dug the hole.

"It seems this seemingly desolate farm is much more lively than I imagined."

Chen An stroked his chin, a playful smile curving his lips.

With the "start-up capital" of morel mushrooms in hand, she also unexpectedly stumbled upon her neighbor's husband's secret.

How should I show this card to Sarah?

Or rather... how to use this card to completely win over that lonely married woman to your side?

Chen An picked up the wicker basket, slung his hunting rifle over his shoulder, and set off on his journey home with light steps.

The beef pie tonight is sure to be delicious.

………………

Until it was confirmed that Tom's Chevrolet, which was as bad as scrap metal, had completely disappeared at the end of the road.

Chen Ancai emerged from the bushes, carrying a wicker basket.

He didn't rush to find out what was inside the iron box that Tom had dug up.

In America, especially in Montana where people are known for their toughness, knowing too much is sometimes not a good thing.

Especially before you have enough leverage and the ability to protect yourself.

The most urgent task is to realize profits.

Chen An returned to the drafty wooden house and found a set of car keys on the top shelf of the grease-stained tool cabinet in the storage room.

That was a car key for a 1995 Ford F-150.