Reborn in 1878: America's Number One Bandit

Chapter 46 Cross's Intuition
Cross and his entourage rode away.

Horse hooves kicked up a trail of dust on the only dirt road in Strawberry Town.

“I hate that kid.” Cross glanced back again.

The skinny monkey immediately let out a shrill laugh: "Yes, Major. That glib tongue of his makes me want to rip his tongue out. But we don't need to do it. I hope their nice new uniforms will soon be chopped open by those Irish pigs' knives, and their heads will be used as chamber pots!"

Cross did not speak again.

He urged his horses on, and, led by Thompson, continued the patrol.

He developed a sense of disgust towards the White Tiger Security Company and its young leader.

They headed north.

Just as they were walking through a dense oak forest, a building suddenly came into Cross's view.

Against the backdrop of California's golden, wild hills.
A brand new two-story Victorian-style house has sprung up.

It has exquisite bay windows, a wide porch, and a steep roof, in contrast to the surrounding farmhouses built of rough logs and prioritizing practicality.
It was as if a richly dressed noblewoman had wandered into a filthy miners' camp.

Cross suddenly pulled on the reins.

“What place is that?” he asked Thompson.

Thompson followed his gaze and quickly replied, "Sir, that's Mrs. Marlene O'Dell's farm. She's a young widow; her husband died in the war for the Union, and she's raising her daughter alone."

The one-eyed burly man behind Cross questioned, "A widow? Where did she get the money to build this fucking luxurious little house? Even if you sold her, you couldn't afford a single window."

"This one……"

Thompson scratched his head: "I'm not too sure either. I just heard that a very wealthy Chinese man recently moved into her house."

Before Cross could speak, the skinny monkey burst into another sneer: "Ha! A Chinese guy moved into a white widow's house? Jesus Christ! That young widow isn't bad looking, is she? Is that Chinese guy trying to intrude on our white women's territory? He's not worthy!!"

Cross's facial muscles twitched.

He didn't participate in the vulgar discussion, but his eyes became even more sinister.

He despises people who disrupt order the most.

In his view, a yellow man moving into a white widow's home was a defilement of the racial order.

"Go over and have a look."

He spurred his horse and headed straight for the small building.

They hadn't even gotten close to the fence yet.

A dark figure leaped down from a tall oak tree by the roadside and landed on the dirt road in front of the manor.

Ah Bao's eyes were as cold as a real cheetah's as he stared at these uninvited guests.

Almost at the same time.

Several figures suddenly appeared under the porch, behind the windows, and even in the shadows of the barn of that beautiful little building.

Er Gou, San Gou, Da Niu, Er Niu, A Hu...

They were all carrying a loaded Winchester rifle.

The bolt clicked shut.

Lawson, who was talking to Mrs. Marlene on the porch, narrowed his eyes.

We just parted ways in Strawberry Town, and I never expected to meet again so soon.

That old geezer is really persistent. He could sense Mrs. Marlene's nervousness beside him.

He gently patted her shoulder and reassured her, "Don't panic, she's probably asking for directions. The roads here are indeed not easy to navigate."

Cross and his group slowly stopped at the entrance of the manor, confronting Ah Bao.

Cross's gaze swept past Ah Bao, landing on the fierce-looking Chinese men who emerged from the shadows.

He spotted Lawson standing in the shadows of the porch at a glance, and his intuition told him that this young man was the one in charge here.

"Chinese people, what are you doing here?"

Before Lawson could answer, Mrs. Marlene stepped out from behind him.

“They are my hired workers, is there a problem, sir?” she asked with undisguised hostility.

Thompson stepped forward and said, “Mrs. Marlene, don’t be nervous. This is Mr. Cross, a special commissioner sent by the state government. He’s here to deal with those damned Irish bandits and is just asking a few routine questions.”

"I don't care who sent him!"

Mrs. Marlene interrupted him rudely: "There are no Irish people on my farm, only hardworking workers and my family. We don't welcome strangers, please leave!"

Cross ignored her dismissal: "Mrs. Odell, which army does your husband serve in?"

Mrs. Marlene hesitated for a moment, but still gave out a number.

Cross nodded. “The 17th Infantry Regiment, a heroic unit. The soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the Union are all heroes of America. It is precisely to protect the widows of heroes like you that we are here. Therefore, I must warn you to be careful of these Chinese people of unknown origin. They…”

His gaze swept meaningfully toward Lawson.

This remark ignited Mrs. Marlene's anger.

She let out a bitter laugh: "Yes, my husband was a hero, but the pension he received at the cost of his life was mostly embezzled by those damned bureaucrats! Where were you respectable people who keep calling yourselves 'heroes' when my daughter was sick and I had no money for medicine, and when my roof was leaking and no one was there to fix it?"

She turned and grabbed Lawson's arm, puffing out her chest: "And they! These Chinese people you look down on! They helped me when I was in my most difficult time! They are hardworking, kind, and respectful to me! They are a million times better than any hypocritical American 'gentleman' I have ever met!"

Cross's expression turned somewhat grim.

His gaze settled on Lawson again, with a scrutinizing look: "Among the Chinese, there are not many as strong as you."

Lawson smiled.

He replied calmly in fluent, even somewhat elegant Oxford English, "That only proves that the food here at Mrs. Marlene's is too good, doesn't it? Steak, eggs, fresh milk—enough to fatten up any skinny man into a bull. Otherwise, I wouldn't have stayed. You know, I'm a very picky person."

He paused, then gave Cross an innocent smile: "Mr. Cross, would you like to stay for a simple meal?"

Cross gave Lawson a deep look before finally warning, "Chinese, remember, this is American territory. Behave yourself and don't cause trouble."

"Thank you for reminding."

Lawson's smile remained unchanged: "I've been seriously studying American law lately, especially the parts concerning property and personal rights. I find it very interesting, and I'm even planning to open a law firm in San Francisco someday. Mr. Cross, if you ever get sued during law enforcement, I'd be happy to represent you."

Cross's eye twitched.

He snorted coldly, knowing that staying here any longer wouldn't yield any suspicious information.

The other party were legitimate ranchers and her hired workers who were armed to defend their homeland, which was perfectly justified in this western land.

He turned around and waved to his men: "Let's go!"

The group remounted their horses and turned to leave.

(End of this chapter)