This neighborhood was a place James Carter used to pass by often. He knew that anyone who could live here was no ordinary person—either rich or powerful. Ordinary people simply couldn’t afford the expensive houses here. He had always envied those who lived in this place, and never imagined that one day he would become one of them.

　　He first went to the security booth to register. The guard looked at James Carter's outfit with a wary gaze, seeing him as someone who collected scrap. But when James Carter produced his residency certificate and explained that the house was inherited, all the security guards looked at him with a mix of envy and jealousy, all thinking the same thing... This guy really hit the jackpot—he got a multimillion-dollar mansion for nothing. Why couldn’t something like this happen to me?

Chapter 4: Dream Villa

　　Walking along the tree-lined path, taking in the park-like scenery of the neighborhood, with its well-arranged layout, pavilions, paths, lawns, and fitness equipment scattered throughout, James Carter thought—this wasn’t a residential complex, it was clearly a park.

　　James Carter felt his eyes couldn’t take it all in. With an incredibly excited heart, he finally found his villa. The whole villa was three stories high, with a pointed attic at the top, exuding a European style. Outside was a low wall, with a row of ornamental trees planted inside, perfectly blocking the view from outside. Pushing open the slightly ajar iron gate, he entered the villa’s yard.

　　From the main gate to the villa was twenty meters, and fifteen meters wide. The back of the villa was quite narrow, only five meters—this was what James Carter had seen on the property deed. But seeing it in real life, James Carter was stunned. The deed was just numbers, but now he could see the scenery in the yard: a stone path over two meters wide ran down the middle, flanked by lush lawns and ornamental trees. In front of the villa was a square open space of about fifty or sixty square meters, probably meant for exercise.

　　A small stream wound through the lawn and path, its water crystal clear, the sound of flowing water like pearls falling on a jade plate, with colorful koi swimming freely within.

　　A little bridge over flowing water!

　　It was like a dream!

　　James Carter even wondered if he had stepped into a miniature Suzhou garden.

　　After admiring the scenery outside, James Carter looked at the three-story villa before him. From the outside, it looked no different from the others in the neighborhood, with a European style. The most obvious feature was the small pointed attic above the third floor—or perhaps it was really a four-story villa. What excited James Carter most was the spacious terrace above the third floor. Just imagining standing there in the morning, looking at the beautiful scenery below and breathing in the fresh air, made his heart race uncontrollably.

　　Nervously, he took out the key and inserted it into the lock, but hesitated to turn it, afraid that this was all just a dream, and that turning the key would shatter it.

　　A cool sensation from the jade pendant on his chest calmed James Carter's heart once again. He turned the key forcefully, and with a “click,” the lock opened. Taking a deep breath, James Carter finally opened the door.

　　“Whoosh”—a figure suddenly appeared before James Carter. He had no chance to dodge and was knocked to the ground at the entrance by the figure.

　　A thief!

　　That was James Carter's first thought. This was his villa, and someone had suddenly rushed out from inside—what else could it be but a thief?

　　This was property he had just acquired. Whatever was inside was his. His uncle was a wealthy man—maybe he’d left behind some antiques or something. If this thief stole them, the loss would be huge.

　　Personal property is sacred and inviolable. Without hesitation, James Carter tightened his grip and held the shadowy figure tightly, determined to defend his property at all costs!

Chapter 5: Thief? Woman?

　　“You little thief, you dare to steal from my house? Are you tired of living?” James Carter flipped over and pinned the thief beneath him, wrapping his arms tightly around the person’s chest—only to find that what he was grabbing felt surprisingly soft.

　　“Damn! It’s actually a female thief.” The thought flashed through James Carter's mind. Since it was a thief, he might as well take advantage of the situation, so he gave a couple of squeezes.

　　But just as he was enjoying himself, he suddenly felt a surge of strength from the thief, and he could no longer hold on. His body felt like it was flying through the air, and he landed heavily on the concrete path nearby.

　　The impact nearly shattered James Carter's bones. He never expected this female thief to be so strong—he weighed over 150 pounds, yet she tossed him aside so easily, and he didn’t even know how it happened.

　　Killing intent!

　　A very strong killing intent!