96: Picking up girls at a bar

"Screech—"

Jiang Yuan slammed on the brakes, and the aurora stopped steadily beside a huge piece of cooled lava.

At the same time.

The helicopter overhead whipped up a gale, landing precisely on the open ground beside him.

Ordinary tourists wanting to see the volcano have to hike for three or four hours, exhausted like dogs.

But Jiang Yuan didn't need to.

He pushed open the car door, braced against the rotor's wind pressure, and took a few steps to hop onto the helicopter.

"Boss, sit tight."

The pilot was a retired Royal Air Force officer, and his skills were indisputably solid.

The helicopter shot up from the ground, angling towards the crater billowing with thick black smoke.

As the altitude climbed, the view suddenly opened up.

The originally black-and-white world suddenly gained a touch of heart-stopping red.

"Damn..."

Even with the system, Jiang Yuan still held his breath in the face of nature's majestic power.

The crater below looked like a massive wound torn open on the Earth.

It wasn't the dead silence he had imagined.

Inside, nothing but crimson liquid was churning and surging wildly.

The golden-red magma, like boiling thick soup, snaked along the mountain ridge, instantly swallowing the black rocks in its path.

Boom!

The center of the crater suddenly erupted.

A column of crimson magma, like a fountain, shot straight into the sky with extreme heat, reaching dozens of meters high.

In that instant, black volcanic ash filled the sky, and the red glow of the fire illuminated half the cockpit.

The heatwave could be felt even through the bulletproof glass.

This was true violent aesthetics.

Jiang Yuan quickly raised his Nikon Z9, the shutter sounds merging into a continuous stream.

Click, click, click!

Through the lens, the black mountains, red veins, and gray smoke composed an apocalyptic oil painting.

The shock of gazing at the Earth's flowing blood from such close range was ten thousand times better than watching videos on a phone.

Satisfied, the helicopter returned and landed.

Jiang Yuan didn't pause for a moment, directly switching back to the aurora.

With a stomp on the gas, the silver beast roared once more.

This time, the destination was the highlands.

I have to say, the black technology produced by the system is simply unreasonable.

The ground was full of uneven volcanic gravel paths; any ordinary off-road vehicle would have been shaken to pieces, and running at thirty kilometers per hour would be considered fast.

But this car managed to maintain a cruising speed of 120.

Sitting inside, the top-tier suspension filtered out vibrations completely, as if it were flying just above the ground.

Before long, the car charged onto a cliff highland with an excellent view.

In the distance lay the sprawling Vatnajökull glacier, and nearby was the black lava wasteland; the visual impact of ice and fire was incredibly powerful.

Just as Jiang Yuan parked, killed the engine, and lit a cigarette to enjoy the scenery,

Thwump, thwump, thwump.

Another brightly painted sightseeing helicopter slowly landed in the open space not far away.

Several tourists wearing top-tier outdoor gear climbed out; they looked like a group of rich guys who had chartered the flight for fun.

But when they saw a sci-fi-looking off-road vehicle parked nearby, along with an Asian youth in a single layer of clothing smoking a cigarette, their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

In a desolate place like this with no roads, it was normal for a helicopter to fly up, but how did this car get up here?

Jiang Yuan ignored the foreigners' gobsmacked expressions. After finishing his cigarette, he flicked the butt away, got in the car, and activated the intelligent driving mode.

"Back to the city."

Although it was already eight in the evening, the sky was still as bright as day.

Only by checking his watch did he realize it was time for dinner.

The car pulled up smoothly beside a high-end tavern-style restaurant near the Reykjavik harbor.

The storefront was understated, but the entrance was lined with luxury cars.

"One person, find me a quiet table by the window."

Jiang Yuan casually tossed the car keys to the valet and smiled at the waiter who approached.

"Certainly, sir, this way."

The waiter was observant; seeing that the inconspicuous shirt worn by this guest was made of high-end custom fabric, his attitude immediately became even more respectful.

The location was excellent.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows lay the calm North Atlantic Ocean bay, and one could even see the iconic Harpa Concert Hall in the distance.

Perhaps because of the high cost per person, there weren't many people in the restaurant.

It felt more like a private social venue.

Quite a few well-dressed men and women sat at the bar or round tables, sipping martinis and pairing them with truffle fries, chatting in low voices with a sense of total relaxation.

Jiang Yuan didn't have to wait long before the dishes were served.

The deep-sea langoustine, a specialty of Iceland, was thicker than an arm, with firm, springy meat.

A portion of M9 Wellington steak, plus a glass of Icelandic special berry gin.

Since he had come here, he had to try the local specialties.

Jiang Yuan cut a piece of steak and just put it into his mouth when a faint scent of perfume drifted over.

It wasn't pungent; it was a high-end fir woody note.

He looked up.

A tall, blonde, blue-eyed girl was standing by the table holding a wine glass.

She had typical Slavic features.

Her features were as three-dimensional as a sculpture, and her skin was glowing white. She looked to be in her early twenties.

In Jiang Yuan's strict aesthetic radar, this level of beauty was definitely top-tier, scoring over ninety points.

"Hi, Handsome Guy."

The foreign girl was very open, her azure blue eyes staring straight at Jiang Yuan, the corners of her mouth carrying the smile of a hunter spotting prey.

"My name is Ania. Do you mind if we get to know each other?"

No hesitation, a direct approach.

Jiang Yuan wiped his mouth and raised his glass, gently clinking it against the rim of hers.

"Jiang Yuan."

"Nice to meet you."

"Are you traveling here alone?"

Ania didn't rush to sit down; instead, she leaned back slightly, resting against the edge of the table.

This posture perfectly outlined the S-curve of her waist and hips, her gaze sweeping casually across the sea outside before falling nonchalantly back onto Jiang Yuan's face.

A master hunter's push-and-pull.

Jiang Yuan cut a piece of lobster meat and put it in his mouth, his expression calm.

"Yeah, just looking around."

He swallowed the sweet, fresh shrimp meat and lifted his chin slightly, pointing to a round table not far away.

Sitting there was another blonde, blue-eyed girl who was boredly scrolling through her phone, occasionally stealing a glance in their direction.

"Is that your friend?"

Ania followed his gaze, looked back, and smiled.

That smile held a hint of slyness at being seen through.

"Yes, we are two best friends here in Iceland to shoot content."

"Since you're together, it's not right to leave her there."

Jiang Yuan raised his glass, swirled it gently, his tone carrying an irresistible invitation.

"Call her over for a drink; this meal is on me."

Ania's eyes lit up.

Generous, direct.

She loved this kind of man who didn't dither.

She waved her hand.

The girl immediately put away her phone and walked over.

Once she got closer, it was clear that this girl and Ania were two different styles.

Ania was a hot, wild cat, while this person was more like a proud white swan.

Although she was also blonde, her features were more delicate and cold, wearing a white high-neck sweater, with a chilly temperament.