?Chapter 1507:


    At that moment, several local herders rode past on lean horses, headscarves wrapped tight against the sun. They slowed, eyeing the two men in suits with open curiosity and called out.


    Unable to catch their words through the thick ent, Kolton scowled. “Ask them who is in charge here — and why no one has shown up to wee their new boss.”


    Jimmie hurried forward, exchanged a few sentences with them, and slipped into the role of interpreter. After only a few exchanges, the color drained from his face, leaving him pale as if he had just seen a ghost. He turned stiffly toward Kolton, his pupils shrinking, his voice shaking beyond his control.


    “Kol… Kolton…”


    “What now?” Kolton snapped, irritation creeping into his tone.


    Jimmie swallowed hard and raised a trembling finger toward the massive machinery, despair spilling into his words. “They said… this oil field was shut down three years ago. The reserves werepletely depleted. There is nothing left underground. Not even a single drop of oil.”


    Jimmie’s words hit Kolton like a splitting headache, a sharp throb pulsing through his skull. His thoughts buzzed chaotically, refusing to settle.


    The relentless heat and ring sunlight made the ground seem unsteady beneath his feet. For a moment, it felt as though the entire world was tilting, leaving him struggling to remain upright.


    He surged forward abruptly and seized Jimmie by the shoulders, his grip tight enough to hurt. “What did you say?” Kolton demanded hoarsely. “Are you sure you understood them? Did you mistrante? How could there be no oil here?”


    Jimmie froze, stunned by the intensity of Kolton’s reaction. He had never seen him like this. The man known for hisposure and razor-sharp judgment now looked frantic — almost unhinged.


    Even so, Jimmie forced himself to speak again, dashing Kolton’s hopes without mercy. “Kolton… they were very clear. This oil field waspletely depleted three years ago. It has been abandoned ever since. There is nothing left underground.”


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    Kolton turned stiffly toward the impassive local herdsmen. A heavy wave of despair crashed into his chest. How was this possible? This deal had been his final gamble. Could it all really be a mistake?


    His hands shaking, Kolton pulled out the contract he had been clinging to like ast lifeline. He jabbed at the coordinates and map, barking at Jimmie to verify them again. As Jimmie struggled through an awkward exchange in the broken local dialect, Kolton felt as if he were sinking deeper into a bottomless pit.


    His naturally suspicious mind began spiraling out of control. Where had things gone wrong? Had Kiley deceived him with a forged agreement? Had Granger, that damned oil magnate, yed him from the start? Or worse — Kolton’s gaze hardened as it slid toward Jimmie, the young man he had saved and trained. Had Jimmie brought him here deliberately? Had he mistranted the herdsman’s words on purpose, tricking him into believing the oil field was gone — just so he could swoop in and take the agreement once Kolton gave up?


    The thoughts grew darker, more erratic, feeding on one another like poison.


    Then suddenly, Jimmie came running back, his face lit with relief, as though he had narrowly escaped disaster. “Kolton — good news! We were at the wrong location. I told the herdsmen we’re looking for Granger Sparrow’s oil field and showed them the exact coordinates from the contract. They said this is just an abandoned mining site. The real oil field is further ahead.”


    In an instant, the fog in Kolton’s eyes lifted. The wild paranoia evaporated, reced by blinding hope — like a drowning man breaking the surface for air.


    “Excellent,” Kolton said, forcing himself to steady his voice despite the surge of excitement in his chest. “Ask them if they can take us there. Tell them we’ll pay double — no, ten times the usual fee.”


    Jimmie hurried off and soon returned. “They agreed. They say it’s not far.”


    “Then let’s move. Now.” Kolton couldn’t contain his eagerness any longer.


    Still, the earlier shock left a trace of unease. Once inside the car, Kolton pulled out his phone and dialed the number listed on the contract — the so-called oil field manager. He had tried calling repeatedly during the flight and along the road, but no one had answered, which was why he had rushed here in person.


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