Chapter One

Bang!

The barn's wooden door was kicked open.

Ron rushed in holding a Glock pistol, that greedy smile still on his face.

"Billy, how was it? Buddy, you promised me four percent—"

His voice stopped abruptly.

The dim flashlight beam swept across the ground, illuminating that pile of bloody mess.

Billy's corpse lay on the hay pile, chest completely caved in, internal organs scattered everywhere.

"Fuck!" Ron's face went white. He raised his gun with both hands, aiming in all directions. "What the hell?! Who's fucking there?!"

I huddled in the corner, covered in blood.

The moment I saw him, I immediately wiped the blood remaining at the corner of my mouth onto my clothes and scrambled up shakily.

"Ron!"

I threw myself into his arms crying, my whole body trembling.

"Monster... there's a monster!"

Ron's body stiffened for a second, gun barrel still pointing around.

"What monster?"

"A bear! A huge brown bear!" I clutched his collar desperately, crying breathlessly. "It charged in... and Billy... God, I thought I was going to die too..."

Ron looked down at me, then at the corpse on the ground.

Billy's wounds were indeed bizarre, the chest cavity seemingly torn open by something.

But bears in the mountains weren't exactly rare.

"You're okay?" His voice still carried wariness.

"It... it seemed only interested in Billy."

I buried my face in his chest, voice trembling. "I hid in the corner. It looked at me once and ran off... Ron, I'm so scared..."

Ron's breathing gradually steadied.

He holstered his gun, but his eyes began to flicker.

"Fuck, can't stay here." He pushed me away, glanced outside. "If Old Earl and his crew hear the commotion they'll definitely come. Then I'll be buried with him! I gotta get out of here..."

He turned to leave.

I immediately grabbed his arm.

"Take me with you! Please!"

"Let go." Ron shook me off. "I need to run myself. No time to worry about you."

"I have money!"

I clung tightly to his arm, fingernails nearly digging into his skin.

"My home is deep in these mountains! My parents left millions of dollars in cash there!"

Ron's footsteps stopped.

He turned around, eyes lighting up again.

"What did you say?"

"The manor... my family's manor." I choked out. "There's a safe inside, full of cash... Just get me back there and all that money is yours."

Ron stared at me, clearly weighing the truth.

"Your family's that rich?"

"My parents dealt in antiques." I leaned on his shoulder, voice weak. "But my father died in a car accident three years ago... Only my mother and I and my younger sister are left at home..."

Ron's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Your sister..."

"She's still at the manor." I looked up, tearfully meeting his eyes. "Ron, I can't abandon her... She just turned eighteen. If I die, what will she do alone..."

I pressed against his chest, voice sobbing:

"Just get me back there, and all the money is yours. My sister... she'll be very grateful to you too."

Ron's expression completely changed.

"Where's your house?"

"Deep in the mountains. I can guide you."

"Why live so remote?"

"It's a family tradition."

"My family... has some special customs. Each generation can only have one outsider male enter the manor."

This was said very lightly, as if mentioned casually.

But Ron heard it.

His eyes flashed with fanatical light.

Several million dollars.

Devastatingly beautiful twin mother and daughter.

And some family tradition about "only one outsider male."

This was fucking manna from heaven.

"Let's go." Ron pulled me up. "Right now."

...

The Ford pickup sped along mountain roads.

I leaned back in the passenger seat, watching the increasingly thick fog outside the window.

Appalachian Mountain nights were deathly silent and cold. Tree shadows twisted into bizarre shapes in the fog.

Ron gripped the steering wheel, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror, his face full of barely contained excitement.

"Your family really has that much cash?" He asked again.

"Yes." I nodded weakly. "My parents don't trust banks. All the money is hidden in the safe."

"Then why didn't you say so earlier?"

"I... I was afraid you'd think I was lying."

Ron sneered, eyes full of satisfaction.

He was already fantasizing about his wonderful life—

Driving luxury cars, living in mansions, with two exquisite beauties by his side.

As for Billy's death and Old Earl's pursuit, none of that mattered.

With money, everything could be settled.