"Boss, we're almost at Isabela." Hearing Bell-Lester's voice, Jiang Hai woke from his sleep, rubbed his eyes, and looked at the distant land, just a thin line on the horizon. He couldn't help but stretch.
"Ah, we're finally here!" Jiang Hai said with a smile, leaning on the table in front of him.
This was the ninth day since Jiang Hai had left Winthrop. The first seven days were spent playing along the United States' coastline. After arriving in Miami on the seventh day, Jiang Hai took a day off to send Selena Gomez back. After everything was settled, Jiang Hai headed south on the ninth day.
Their destination this time was Isabela. Of course, that was just the name of a city in Puerto Rico. There was a reason why they chose this country.
South America is actually no more peaceful than Africa. It's chaotic, especially near the Caribbean Sea. This region has been a back garden for all of Europe since the beginning, and wars and territorial disputes never really cease.
The relationship with the United States is also a mess. Some countries are hostile, some are ambiguous, and others want to become U.S. states. There are 20 countries along the Caribbean coast, including Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, and more. With so many countries, Jiang Hai didn't have many options.
These countries are either in chaos or are territories of other nations. A wise man doesn't stand under a dangerous wall.
Although Jiang Hai isn't exactly a "wise man," he's at least afraid of death. If someone targets them, who will be the first target?
In addition to these countries, there are some that aren't friendly to the United States—Cuba, for instance.
Cuba is a nail planted by the great red alliance right next to the U.S. If the island country is the U.S.'s outpost, then Cuba is the red alliance's. Although Jiang Hai is now a member of the court, this ship is still an American ship, and the people aboard are all Americans. If they go to Cuba and provoke the locals, it would lead to big trouble.
So countries like Cuba are off-limits. In the end, the only country Jiang Hai can visit is Puerto Rico.
Speaking of Puerto Rico, it's quite a tragic case. The country doesn't even recognize itself as a proper nation. While it's not a fully recognized country, it's not entirely a U.S. state either.
Puerto Rico was originally inhabited by the Taino tribe of Indians. It was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and named San Juan Island. In 1508, the Spanish established a colony there, making it part of Spain's territory. By the end of the 19th century, after the Spanish-American War, Spain fell, and Puerto Rico was defeated by the United States, becoming part of U.S. territory.
Initially, the U.S. wanted to turn Puerto Rico into a colony, but the locals resisted due to their bitter history with the Spanish. In 1950, they even attempted to assassinate the U.S. president. Recognizing the unrest and lack of strategic value in Puerto Rico, the U.S. decided to give Puerto Rico self-governance in 1952. The U.S. would only retain control over defense, diplomacy, and tariffs, leaving the rest up to the Puerto Ricans.
At first, Puerto Ricans were happy with the newfound "freedom," but they soon became disillusioned. With no heavy industry, light industry, or agricultural products, their economy was unsustainable. They could only sell cocoa beans and had trouble even getting enough food without the U.S.'s support.
Unlike large countries, Puerto Rico can't just make its own products to compete with U.S. goods. It's like a beggar being offered a chance to work for a rich man in exchange for money. The beggar eventually rebels and wants freedom, but when he leaves, he realizes he's still a beggar with no skills and no way to make a living elsewhere.
By 2012, Puerto Rico voted on its relationship with the U.S., with three options: becoming the 51st state, expanding autonomy, or full independence. While 61% of people voted to become a U.S. state, the U.S. government refused, and Puerto Rico remains in limbo, claiming autonomy but still identifying as an American territory.
As a result, Puerto Ricans often say they are Americans, but they remain in an awkward position. Jiang Hai found this situation humorous. He had little interest in the politics of the place, and while he was there for tuna fishing, his primary goal was to find treasure. Tuna fishing was just a diversion, but treasure was the key to his survival.
Jiang Hai's destination, Isabela, is a small city that's not even mentioned in the Baidu Encyclopedia. It's too small, and there's not much to say about it. It shares the typical Caribbean offerings: coral reefs, fish, sunshine, beaches, and beauty, which are all common in the region.
When Jiang Hai's ship approached the harbor of Isabela, his yacht was the largest vessel in sight. He looked out from the captain's room and saw only a row of low bungalows, the small town in front of him.
This wasn't the city center of Isabela; it was just a dock town. But the arrival of Jiang Hai's yacht caught attention. When the boat docked, even the person in charge of the harbor was startled and immediately ran out of his cabin.
"Hello, are you tourists from the United States?" The harbor manager asked nervously as Jiang Hai and his team tied the boat to the dock.
"Yes, we're here to fish for tuna." Jiang Hai smiled, trying not to laugh at the man's cautious manner.
"Welcome, welcome! Your arrival truly brings glory to our town," the harbor manager said excitedly, his accent strong. "Are you heading to Isabela or just staying in our town?"
"We'll be staying on the boat, but we might buy some things here or find food," Jiang Hai replied, wondering if these locals would try to sell the boat to him after he and his crew left.
The manager smiled and nodded. Jiang Hai turned to his group and said quietly, "Be careful. I have a feeling these people are too friendly."
Though some of his crew may not have shared his concern, they all deferred to Jiang Hai as the boss.
It was getting late after their day of sailing, so Jiang Hai instructed Darlene, Marian, Azarina, and Harriman-Fells to remain on the boat and stay alert. He and Bell-Lester would go into the town to get supplies, test the waters, and see if the locals were friendly enough to trade food or local delicacies.
As they walked into town, Jiang Hai was surprised to see that nearly everyone greeted them warmly. Among the 1.3 million people in Puerto Rico, only a small percentage of young radicals despised Americans, while the majority had a friendly attitude. Many girls even flirted with Jiang Hai and his friends as they passed by.
Jiang Hai couldn't help but laugh at himself for being too paranoid. Bell-Lester, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the attention and was more than happy to return their flirtations. If any of the beauties showed interest, he was more than eager to take up the offer.