Reborn in 1878: America's Number One Bandit

Chapter 5 The Farm Owner and the Ultimatum
Marlene O'Dell's farmhouse.

A thick cast iron pot sits on the fire, its contents bubbling and churning with rich broth.

Large chunks of beef, surrounded by potatoes and carrots, are stewed until tender and flavorful.

Lawson sat at the table, quietly enjoying his meal.

He ate very slowly, chewing each bite carefully.

He treated every bite of beef and every piece of potato with care, wasting not a single bit.

This is not just about respecting food, but also about satisfying the body's instinctive desires.

While he was focused on cooking, his thoughts drifted to Strawberry Town, several miles away.

Five British assassins have infiltrated the very fabric of this small western town.

A robust assassin easily found a job driving a freight wagon at the town's post station.

Another assassin became a night shift bartender; there's nowhere better to hear the secrets of a town than behind the bar.

The third assassin applied for a job as a helper on a ranch outside the town.

The fourth one was chosen by the owner of the town's only carpentry shop and became his apprentice.

The last one successfully joined the Strawberry Herald, a weekly newspaper, and became a typesetter.

Having confirmed that everything was on track, Lawson stopped being distracted, completely refocused his attention, and concentrated on replenishing his body's energy.

The benefits of improved physical fitness are now fully apparent.

His digestive system is like a highly efficient furnace; no matter how much food he eats, it can be quickly broken down, absorbed, and transformed into nutrients that nourish his body.

His appetite was astonishing; he ate twice as much as Marlene and Lucy combined.

After finishing her meal, Marlene put on her straw hat, took her farm tools, and went to work in the fields.

Lawson finally finished eating.

He walked to the woodpile in the corner of the yard, picked up an axe, and began chopping wood.

Sweat dripped down his forehead; this was also a form of restorative exercise.

While chopping wood, he noticed that several of the wooden roof tiles were old and warped.

He found a ladder, had Lucy help him hold it, and climbed onto the roof. Using spare shingles and nails, he repaired the damaged area.

Sitting on the rooftop, the view suddenly opened up.

The distant mountains stretch endlessly, while the nearby grasslands and forests display varying shades of green under the sunlight.

Just then, Lawson's gaze was drawn to a group of creatures at the edge of the woodland in the distance.

Those were seven or eight mule deer, grazing on the grass with their heads down.

"Lucy," he called down to the house, "are we allowed to hunt those deer?"

Lucy climbed the ladder, shielded her eyes from the sunlight, squinted for a moment, and replied, "Those are mule deer. Dad tried them before, but they're too cunning. They run incredibly fast and disappear into the woods at the slightest sound."

A flicker of interest flashed in Lawson's eyes.

For the three dogs, who possess the [Hunting Mastery] skill, these wary creatures might be perfect prey.

As he was making his plans, the sound of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar.

In the distance, a group of four cowboys on horseback were galloping toward the farm.

The leader was a bloated fat man wearing a bowler hat and a well-tailored suit and vest.

"They're coming!"

When Lucy saw the group of people, she said nervously, "Quick, Mr. Lawson, come down! I need to find my mother!"

The girl ran frantically towards the field.

Lawson frowned slightly as he nimbly slid down from the roof.

Marlene quickly rushed back from the field.

She pushed her terrified daughter into the house, while she herself stood resolutely at the door, gun in hand, like a lioness protecting her cubs.

Lawson didn't go inside, but stood beside her, watching the group of uninvited guests.

The sound of horses' hooves came to an abrupt halt in front of the courtyard, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The fat man at the head of the group, Coleman Parker, reined in his horse and looked down at Marlene.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Odell."

"I think you should know why I'm here today. This is an ultimatum."

Parker pulled a document from his pocket and waved it: "Sign this and transfer this pitiful piece of land of yours to me."

As compensation, I can exchange two hundred acres of land for you over at Blackrock Mountain. It's a bit barren there, but it's better than having nothing at all.”

"Get off my land, Pike!"

Marlene raised her gun without hesitation, pointing it at Parker's chest: "I told you, this is a place my husband risked his life for, and I will never sell it!"

A cowboy behind Parker burst into rude laughter.

“Hey, Mrs. Odell.”

The cowboy licked his chapped lips and said maliciously, "You'd better think this through. You're a widow with such a beautiful daughter, living in this desolate place. What if wolves break in one night? That would be a real problem."

Marlene was so angry that she trembled all over and her face turned ashen.

The cowboy's gaze slid from Marlene to Lawson.

He looked Lawson up and down with disdain and let out a sneer.

“I knew it, Mrs. Odell, you must be really thirsty.”

He drew out his words, revealing a set of yellow teeth, and pointed at Lawson with his riding crop, "You shouldn't have chosen such a skinny Chinese guy. Can his small frame satisfy you?"

"If you really want one, you should come find someone like me. I guarantee I'll show you what a real man is, and make you so happy you won't be able to get out of bed for three days, haha!"

These foul words completely ignited Marlene's anger.

"Damn it!" she roared, slamming the shotgun down and pulling the trigger!
"boom!"

With a loud bang, a bullet struck the cowboy's horse's hooves, sending dirt and grass clippings flying.

The cowboy's horse was startled and reared up, but he simply pulled on the reins skillfully and steadied the horse.

Instead of being intimidated, he and his companions behind him burst into even more unrestrained laughter.

“We will come again, Mrs. Odell.”

Parker glanced one last time at the silent Chinese man beside Marlene, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"I hope you can make a wise choice next time."

He turned his horse around, and with his men, rode away.

After Parker left, Marlene's tense body slumped, and the shotgun in her hand fell limply to her side.

"They won't let us go."

Marlene turned to Lawson and explained, “Parker is the biggest farmer in town, and he’s got his eye on our land because there’s a creek running through it. He wants to trade two hundred acres of barren land on Blackrock Mountain for it—no grass grows there! I’m afraid I can’t hold out for more than a few days.”

Marlene then comforted Lawson, saying, "Don't be angry, those cowboys just don't talk like humans."

After saying that, she returned to the field, looking dejected.

Lawson stood in the courtyard, looking in the direction where Pike and the others had disappeared.

"I never get angry with dead people."

Lawson chuckled softly; he was quite comfortable living here.

I don't want to move.

"The biggest farmer in town..."

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "Then... your family must be very rich, right?"

He glanced down at the huge oak tree outside the yard.

A figure draped in a dark cloak, almost blending into the shadows of the trees, turned silently and disappeared into the distant wilderness.

Lawson looked away, picked up the axe again, and began chopping the firewood, stroke by stroke.

Lucy came out of the house. "Mr. Lawson, what should we do?"

Lawson stopped what he was doing, gave her a gentle smile, and comforted her, "Don't worry, Lucy. Maybe Mr. Parker will break his leg tomorrow."

The little girl clearly didn't believe it, and just sighed worriedly.

……

The sky gradually darkened.

The immense pressure left Marlene exhausted and with no motivation to cook.

Lawson then took over the kitchen.

He used the ingredients he bought today to make a big pot of fragrant beef and vegetable risotto.

Simple ingredients are transformed into extraordinary delicacies in his hands.

The rich aroma dispelled the gloom that shrouded the wooden house.

Marlene and Lucy ate with gusto, temporarily forgetting their worries from the day.

After the meal, everything was as usual.

After washing up, everyone went back to their rooms to sleep.

It was four o'clock in the morning.

Lawson opened his eyes.

His eyes shone brightly in the darkness.

In his field of vision, Er Gou's location had already appeared near a manor with scattered lights, several miles away.

That was Coleman Parker's mansion.

"Refresh using Er Gou as the anchor point."

The order is issued.

In a grove of trees outside the manor, eleven burly Irish men appeared silently behind Er Gou.

They drew their hunting knives.

Er Gou made a few simple tactical hand gestures.

The manor housed three fierce hunting dogs and three drowsy night watchmen.

"Solve it."

Er Gou's figure darted out like a ghost.

The remaining eleven followed closely behind, moving swiftly and silently.

After a few muffled groans and whimpers that were forcibly suppressed, the manor returned to silence, though a faint smell of blood lingered in the air.

In Parker's bedroom in the main building of the manor.

Coleman Parker was lying on the soft bed, snoring loudly.

The bedroom door was pushed open silently.

Several dark figures flashed in.

As Parker slept, he seemed to sense something. He turned over and instinctively reached under his pillow for the Colt revolver.

He touched nothing.

He suddenly opened his eyes and saw only a dark gun barrel pressed against his forehead.

A voice with a heavy Irish accent rang out:
Are you looking for it?

(End of this chapter)