When Jiang Hai stepped into the warehouse, he couldn't help but gape in astonishment.
The place was huge, and the entire space was packed with cages and tanks. Several high-powered headlights hung from the ceiling, casting bright light throughout the room.
In front of him were rows of large cages, each housing different animals. Stacked above them were more cages, filled with various species of birds. Further back, in a series of tanks, amphibians and rare fish swam about.
It looked more like a small private zoo than a warehouse.
As Jiang Hai and his group entered, the animals began to react—some crouched, ready to pounce; others lay limp and lifeless, seemingly devoid of will; and many let out shrill cries of alarm and fear.
"Shut up!" Barton, who had entered first, barked. Then he drew the pistol from his back and fired a shot into the ceiling. The loud gunshot immediately silenced the chaos. Clearly, the animals remembered the sound and what it meant.
Seeing Barton fire his weapon, both Azarina and Bell exchanged glances, quietly released the safeties on their own guns, and began scanning their surroundings more cautiously.
Philemon stayed calm. Though not armed or trained like the others, he had survived actual combat—he knew better than to panic, but remained alert.
"Come, this way. Let me introduce you to some of the more popular animals," Barton said casually, slipping his gun back into his waistband and smiling at Jiang Hai.
Jiang Hai followed, his eyes drifting from cage to cage, observing the exotic animals on display.
"In the United States, while we're not the most liberal country in terms of pet ownership, we're close," Barton explained as they walked. "As long as you've got the money and the paperwork from the local protection agency, you can keep almost anything—except for gray wolves and bison."
He wasn't wrong. The U.S. has very relaxed laws when it comes to keeping wild animals as pets. As long as it's not explicitly prohibited, and you've filed the proper permits, you can own anything from brown bears to golden eagles—even the bald eagle, a national symbol.
Just look at celebrities like Tyson and O'Neal—they both own tigers, albeit not fully grown ones. But still—tigers!
Compared to China, U.S. law enforcement is more permissive in this regard. That said, your neighbors play a big role. If someone reports you—and especially if your pet has ever hurt someone—then even a large dog could be confiscated.
But Jiang Hai didn't have to worry about that. His estate was large and remote, with no nearby neighbors or manors. In Winthrop, he held enough sway to raise whatever he wanted without trouble.
Of course, there were still limits. The U.S. is serious about protecting its native ecosystem, which means some animals are completely off-limits.
Take wolves, for example. The North American gray wolf, once the largest canine in the world, was nearly hunted to extinction. Now, all species of wolves—including coyotes—are strictly protected. You're not allowed to keep them under any circumstances.
The same goes for the North American bison. Once wiped out, the few remaining herds are now preserved in places like Yellowstone National Park, and private ownership is strictly forbidden.
But aside from bison and wolves, there were still plenty of options...
"Check this out. This is a black panther, brought in from Africa last month," Barton said, leading Jiang Hai to a large iron cage. "I know rich guys like you love these. There are three of them here—one adult female and two cubs. The adult is $150,000, and the cubs are $80,000 each. Not into black? We've also got leopards and cheetahs. They're cheaper. An adult leopard goes for $80,000—the same as a cub—and a cheetah only costs $60,000."
Inside the cage, Jiang Hai saw a fully grown black panther lying on its side, tongue out and pale yellow eyes fixed intently on him and his group. Jiang Hai had no doubt—if not for the cage, the animal would've pounced already.
The two cubs beside her were much more docile, curiously watching the newcomers. Jiang Hai had to admit—baby cats really were cute. Their round heads and fluffy coats were irresistibly charming.
Next to them were cages holding leopards and cheetahs. There were more of these than black panthers, and each reacted differently as Jiang Hai passed.
"This one's an ocelot. It's become pretty popular lately," Barton said, pointing to a smaller feline that resembled a mini-leopard. "It's cheaper, too. I'll give you one for $8,000—two for $15,000."
He continued down the line, pointing out different species. "Next is the lynx. We don't carry jaguars—they're illegal in the U.S.—and we don't have any mountain lions either. But we've got other interesting cats: caracals, golden cats, ocelots… all less expensive than the big ones."
They soon reached the end of the feline section, where several massive cages held the true apex predators—tigers and lions.
"There are really only two lion types—African and Asian," Barton said. "Asian lions are rare, only found in India. African lions are more common; most African countries have their own subspecies."
Jiang Hai nodded. To him, they all looked the same.
Tigers, on the other hand, came in many varieties. Back in his hometown of Bingcheng, the Siberian tiger—a contender for the world's largest feline—was a point of pride. Of course, the mountain lion roaming his estate didn't count.
"This here is a Bengal tiger—pretty affordable at $100,000. That one's a Sumatran tiger—$120,000. We can't get Siberian tigers, unfortunately. They only exist in China and Russia, and we wouldn't dare go there," Barton said with a shrug. "Those lions over there—males go for $150,000, females for $80,000."
Jiang Hai was clearly interested. These majestic beasts stirred something in him. He loved their raw power and presence. But he hesitated—feeding them would be a serious chore. Carnivores like these were no joke when it came to mealtime.
"Come on, there's plenty more to see," Barton said, undeterred by Jiang Hai's hesitation. As long as there was interest, there was hope of a sale.
They moved past the felines and entered the canine section. Since wolves were banned, the selection here was thinner. The largest of the bunch was the African hyena—but Jiang Hai found it ugly and unappealing. Its appearance and unsettling call were enough to put him off.
Next came the primates. There were monkeys and baboons, but no gorillas—Jiang Hai's favorite.
As expected, gorillas were off-limits worldwide. Too intelligent, too human-like. People projected their own emotions onto them, and so they became symbols to protect. Of course, poaching still occurred, but not here.
After the primates came the amphibians and reptiles. The selection was far smaller than what you'd find at a zoo, but still intriguing.
Jiang Hai's attention was drawn to a massive green snake, coiled and still. It measured over three meters long. Sensing his body heat, the snake lifted its head, tongue flicking as its unblinking eyes scanned Jiang Hai and his companions.
"That's a green anaconda—the largest snake species in South America," Barton said. "This one's already an adult, 3.7 meters long. On the smaller side, really. If you're interested, it's yours for $10,000."
Catching these was easy for Barton. South America was nearby, and unlike Greenland seals, there were no authorities to interfere. In a place as lawless as parts of South America, animals like this were easy prey.