Chapter 226: Returning Home

In addition to sedans, Jiang Hai also considered SUVs, which are off-road vehicles. SUVs, short for suburban multi-purpose vehicles, are generally divided into two categories. One is the pure off-road type, like the well-known Wrangler series, and the other is the urban SUV. While the urban SUV is fine for trips to the countryside or the suburbs, it may not be suitable for more rugged adventures.

Since Jiang Hai had already purchased a sedan and was planning to buy an MPV, there was no real need for an urban SUV.

After Lu Qing's explanation, Jiang Hai discovered that, in addition to off-road SUVs like the Wrangler and the Mercedes-Benz AMG, there was another category known as civilian armored vehicles.

Many of these were familiar to Jiang Hai. For instance, when Paul and his team went into the mountains last time, several of these armored SUVs were in their convoy.

The most famous—and affordable—of these is the Land Rover Defender. Besides the Defender, there were two other vehicles Jiang Hai hadn't recognized at the time: one was a French model, the Renault RPA, and the other was a Soviet-Russian vehicle, the GAZ Tiger armored off-road vehicle.

However, the vehicle Jiang Hai purchased wasn't one of these. Perhaps because he wasn't very interested in older, established models, he opted for something more cutting-edge. Even though he had already bought an excellent sedan, costing him nearly 500,000 yuan (including tax), he decided to spend even more on an armored SUV—so much so that he could have bought three Rolls-Royces for the price.

This new purchase was the Kayberch War Shield, the second most heavily armored SUV in the world. It comes in two versions: the combat version (three-box) and the command version (two-box). The bulletproof levels range from B6 (which can withstand rifles and AKs) to B7 (which can resist sniper rifles and large-caliber weapons), and finally to NATO level (capable of defending against shotguns, machine guns, anti-tank rifles, and anti-material sniper rifles). Given his recent sense of unease, Jiang Hai felt more secure with this choice.

But the price was staggering. The highest NATO-level armored car costs 20 million RMB in China, while in the U.S., the asking prices were $1,738,800 for the highest configuration, $1,359,900 for the B7 version, and $990,000 for the B6 model. These prices were for the basic cars—additional costs like insurance, vehicle tax, and purchase tax would add up. The highest configuration could reach $2 million, but Jiang Hai didn't mind spending that amount. He had recently earned over 10 million, but even so, spending $2 million on a car made him uneasy.

He had worked long hours to earn this money, and spending so much on a car seemed extravagant. Plus, he still needed to set aside funds for developing his winery. However, considering his safety, Jiang Hai reluctantly decided to go for the best option.

There was still a month before the New York Beef Show, and he was confident that he could manage for that time.

"This is it—the NATO-class," Jiang Hai said through gritted teeth. Upon hearing this, both Lu Qing and the Clive siblings, Kama and Cindy, were stunned. They hadn't expected Jiang Hai to be so willing to spend such a large amount of money.

But the money was Jiang Hai's to spend, and they had no say in the matter. Besides, it was clear that he was thinking about his safety, and although spending that much made him uneasy, he considered it a necessary expense.

"Okay, I'll note it down for you." Lu Qing, though surprised, nodded professionally and recorded Jiang Hai's request. Vehicles of this level were typically custom-made.

Perhaps because of the heavy investment in the SUV, Jiang Hai decided to be more modest when selecting his MPV, avoiding an overly expensive model. He settled on a Ford E350, a six-door, seven-seater vehicle, which became his primary mode of transportation.

While the E350 may seem modest compared to the armored SUV, it was still a high-end vehicle, worth over $100,000 in the U.S. It may not have been as luxurious as the War Shield, but it was a solid choice.

After making his selections, Jiang Hai paid the full amount in one go. During the transaction, he ran into the manager who had helped him with his previous purchase. Since Jiang Hai didn't need financing, he paid in full, and the manager offered him a 95% discount.

Although the discount wasn't massive, it helped offset some of the costs. The remaining expenses were cleared swiftly using Jiang Hai's card, and the last few percent of his assets vanished in an instant. Still, given that he hadn't earned any more money recently, he wasn't too upset.

News of Jiang Hai's purchases spread quickly. Kama's classmate, Louis, was also at the dealership with a friend, looking for a car for his wife as a wedding gift. Louis had planned to spend about $70,000, a considerable sum but far less than Jiang Hai's two-million-dollar purchase.

Lu Qing estimated that her commission from this sale would be enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her college years. Meanwhile, Louis was left in shock, realizing that Jiang Hai was far wealthier than he had imagined. As he rushed to explain himself to Jiang Hai, he found that Jiang Hai had already paid and was heading to the parking lot.

Because the cars Jiang Hai had ordered were all custom-made, there were no available stock vehicles. He would have to wait about half a month for the factory to finish production and deliver the cars directly to his manor.

After confirming the delivery schedule, Jiang Hai left with the Clives. Louis, meanwhile, was forgotten.

With the sound of the engine, Jiang Hai and his companions quickly returned to the manor. Once they parked the car, Xiao Huang, Xiao Bai, Ban Ya, and Jiu Jiu—all of whom loved playing outside now that it was spring—came running from a distance. They recognized Jiang Hai's voice and scent instantly.

"Hey, good dogs!" As soon as they saw Jiang Hai jump out of the car, Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai rushed to him, eagerly rubbing their heads against his legs and licking his outstretched hand.

Jiang Hai affectionately scratched their chins and rubbed their heads.

Unlike Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai, Ban Ya and Jiu Jiu were a little slower to approach. Since Ban Ya had absorbed Jiang Hai's blood, it had grown much larger, but unlike typical larger animals, Ban Ya was very strong. It had always been a fast climber, and now it was even faster. But its increased size had led Xiao Bai to stop carrying it on his back.

Jiu Jiu's growth was similar. Its feathers had almost completely grown, and its wings were about a meter long. Though it couldn't fly yet, it was clearly adjusting to its new environment. Jiu Jiu followed the other three animals around the manor, running and jumping with them, even though it was slower than the others.

When Ban Ya and Jiu Jiu finally approached Jiang Hai, they stopped and stared at Cindy and Kama. They were familiar with Cindy, but not with Kama, so they watched her warily.

"Wow, what a big dog, and a huge squirrel... is that an eagle?" Kama exclaimed, excited at the sight. As she took a step toward them, Ban Ya quickly retreated, running over to Xiao Bai and squeaking at it. Jiu Jiu also moved aside.

The two dogs, who had been docile moments before, suddenly became protective. Xiao Bai straightened up, exposing his sharp teeth and growling, while Xiao Huang crouched low, ready to pounce.

Seeing this, Jiang Hai quickly scolded his dogs.

"Stop it! This is Kama Clive, Cindy's sister. Go play!"