Reborn in 1878: America's Number One Bandit

Chapter 67 The Storm in Strawberry Town

Lawson handed this place over to other assassins.

He mounted his horse and rode away with Er Gou and San Gou.

Throughout the journey, Lawson seemed lost in thought.

"It seems I've been too lenient with my fellow countrymen."

During this period, the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, the California State Militia Battalion, the Pinkerton National Detective Agency...

Every group he dealt with was a behemoth of the era.

Leung Foon actually threatened him with a Chinese gang that was hiding in Chinatown and could be easily dealt with by a few foreign police officers.

It's really interesting.

He was going to San Francisco, to Chinatown.

That area has the largest Chinese community in the United States.

However, it was also a closed, dirty place that needed a fresh start.

As for those so-called gangs and Dragon Lords—

A swarm of maggots crawling on their fellow countrymen and sucking their blood.

They were involved in the dirty business of human trafficking, opium trafficking, and running gambling dens and brothels.

They fawned and groveled before foreigners.

They strike hard against their own people, exploiting them mercilessly.

There is really no need for this kind of thing to exist.

He had a thought.

Several men with Chinese features quietly entered Chinatown in San Francisco.

Lawson will not leave himself any future troubles.

Before Longzhitang could even look this way, they had to deal with them first.

……

As they approached Mrs. Marlene's farm, Lawson spotted that familiar figure in the distance.

Lucy was sitting alone on the porch steps, her hands supporting her chin, her golden braids hanging listlessly in front of her.

The girl seemed a little unhappy.

"Hey, Lucy."

Rosen reined in his horse and dismounted.

"Losen!"

As soon as Lucy saw him, she smiled broadly, lifted her skirt, rushed down the steps, and grabbed his arm.

"You're finally back."

She tilted her delicate face up, her blue eyes misty with tears: "Mr. Lawson, please go and persuade my mother."

"what happened?"

"I want to go for a walk in town, just for a little while."

Lucy pouted, looking aggrieved. "But Mom won't let me. She says the town is full of reporters and detectives now, and it's dangerous. Mom always listens to you, so could you try to talk to her?"

Before Lawson could speak, the wooden door of the small building was pushed open.

Marlene stood on the porch steps with her hands on her hips.

Today she wore a light brown linen dress that perfectly accentuated her increasingly mature figure.

However, its posture resembles that of a mother turkey ready to fight at any moment.

“Lorsen, don’t spoil her. She just went to town yesterday and bought a ton of candy and useless lace, and she wants to go again today. All she knows is spending money.”

Lawson smiled and walked up to Marlene: "She's just a little girl, how much money could she possibly spend? Besides, Strawberry Town is very safe now, it's good for her to go out and broaden her horizons."

"That won't do either. I said, if it's not okay, then—"

Marlene, her neck stiff, hadn't finished speaking when Lawson's face suddenly loomed close.

"You're being disobedient, aren't you? Come in with me."

Marlene's body trembled, and suddenly she thought of something. Her legs went weak, and her feigned toughness crumbled instantly.

"Hmm..." she responded softly and followed Lawson into the house.

……

after an hour.

Lawson walked out of the house, fastening his shirt cuffs as he went.

Lucy was still waiting anxiously on the steps.

"It's done."

He grinned. "Your mother agreed. Go change into a nice dress, and I'll take you to Strawberry Town."

"Oh, yeah."

Soon, the little girl ran out wearing a white dress with lace trim.

Lawson picked her up and placed her on the saddle, then mounted his own horse and sat behind her.

"Sit tight."

For safety, Lawson wrapped his arms around her from behind.

He didn't realize that for the little girl, those strong arms were like the safest fence.

Lucy's face flushed slightly. She could feel herself pressed tightly against a firm, hot chest, the comforting scent of soap completely enveloping her.

"drive!"

The group set off, with Er Gou and San Gou following behind on horseback at a leisurely pace.

The slight swaying on horseback caused Lucy's braids to occasionally brush against Lawson's chin, tickling him.

“Mr. Lawson…” Lucy began weakly.

"Ok?"

Did you just hit my mother?

Lawson was taken aback: "What?"

"I heard the slapping sound, it was very loud, and I also heard my mother crying..."

Lawson immediately became serious and corrected the child's understanding:
"Lucy, you misheard."

"what?"

"I was just having an in-depth discussion with your mother about some philosophical and life principles."

"philosophy?"

"Yes. Your mother was deeply moved and greatly agreed with my point of view. She couldn't help but start clapping."

"And what about the crying?"

"That was from excitement. After her soul was elevated, she even shed tears of joy. Do you understand?"

Lucy seemed to understand, but her anxiety finally subsided.

"Oh……"

The little girl smiled happily: "I knew you were the best person, you would never bully Mommy. Mommy is so glad to know you."

Lawson smiled and hugged her tighter: "Yes, that's wonderful."

As the horse's hooves trod the main road of Strawberry Town, Lawson could clearly sense that the air here was different from elsewhere.

More relaxed, with the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through the air—it's the vibrant, everyday life of the town.

This is his territory.

One hundred and twenty employees of White Tiger Security Company are like steel skeletons implanted in this town, allowing it to stand up again.

Mayor Yadan, Sheriff Mike, and the bartender who's always overhearing secrets...

They're all his people.

This small town, inside and out, is all named Luo.

"Mr. Lawson, look! There's a pottery shop here too!"

Lucy's sweet cry interrupted his inspection.

She slid off the saddle, grabbed his hand, and rushed toward a new shop with a sign that read "Mud and Fire".

"Oh my god, they also have Cincinnati glaze. Look!"

The little girl chattered excitedly, her face flushed.

As she pulled him along, Lawson smiled and dealt with her.

The ear twitched slightly—

It's intelligence from the zombie consciousness network.

The goal is approaching.

"We should arrive at the outskirts of Strawberry Town in about ten minutes."

Lawson switched his consciousness to the outskirts of the town, to the perspective of a suicide soldier disguised as a road repairman.

In the distance, a group of weary knights slowly approached along the dirt road.

The man leading the group was a middle-aged man with a thick mustache—Dennis Kearney.

This workers' leader and anti-Chinese pioneer has finally arrived.

He led a few of his seemingly capable Irish men straight to Strawberry Town.

Dennis chose Strawberry instead of San Rafael, the capital of Marin County, because he had done his research.

San Raphael is now the joint headquarters of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and the state militia battalion.

Those bastards in the militia are in a state of extreme madness, harboring intense hatred towards all Irish people, because their commander Cross was beheaded by the Irish bandits.

If he were to approach with that Irish face, he would only be asking for trouble.

In contrast, Strawberry Town, which was under the management of White Tiger Security Company, was orderly and thus became the safest option.

"Mr. Lawson? What are you thinking about?"

Lucy shook his arm, annoyed that he was distracted.

"nothing."

He ruffled her blonde hair: "I'm thinking there might be a good show in Strawberry Town today."

He took Lucy's hand and led her into a nearby grocery store.

The shop owner was also his henchman.

"Let's take Miss Lucy to the back and have some malt candy."

"Okay, sir."

(End of this chapter)