Red Dead Redemption: The Great Philanthropist of the West

Little wooden cabin, by the fireplace

Henry and Hosea were making coffee.

“I think you’re right, Hosea. I’m actually quite surprised that you’re able to stay sober and realize the harm and impact of robbing Cornish private carriages.”

I don't know if you've considered how much use that stolen money is to you now. As for those bearer bonds, given Cornwall's power, few people in the entire West would risk offending him for such a small amount. At most, a few black markets might try to buy them back at a fraction of their value. And is it really worth risking the lives of over 20 men in your gang to gamble that a wealthy and powerful tycoon won't spend a fortune hunting you down just to save face?"

Henry picked up the coffee pot, poured a cup of coffee, and handed it to Hosea.

"I have thought about this, but not as thoroughly as you have analyzed it. To be honest, I overheard some of what you and Arthur were saying earlier, Henry, and I agree with what you said, which is why I am here now."

But Dutch... I don't know when he started becoming so obsessive; it was his own decision. Actually, this isn't the first time. Faced with these constantly changing plans, I don't know where the gang's future lies. When will we be able to find a place to live a stable life?" Hosea held a pessimistic view of the gang's future.

"Henry, I wonder what your opinion is on our way of life. I'd like to understand ourselves from an outsider's perspective, or do you have any advice for us?"

It's clear that Hosea has begun to notice Dutch's changes and is starting to develop his own consciousness. Previously, Hosea always followed Dutch's lead, helping him devise plans whatever Dutch said. The two shared the same goal, but at some point, he realized that Dutch had strayed from his original objective.

"Hosea, do you want to hear the truth? I hope you won't blame me for being blunt."

“Of course, Henry, I want to hear the truth. I’ve heard too much falsehood, and it doesn’t make any sense.”

"Your gang is already on the brink of disaster. If you don't make changes soon and continue robbing and acting so arrogantly, it's not just a matter of whether you can live a peaceful life; you will soon perish. Except for the women and children who haven't committed any major crimes, the vast majority of you will die."

As I told you before, the era of the rule of law is dawning, and you will face more and more guards with increasingly advanced equipment in the future. You can't expect to be so lucky as to escape every time.

Henry's calm tone sent a chill down Hosea's spine. He knew the gang was in a bad situation, but he hadn't expected it to have reached such a serious level with Henry.

"Perhaps you're right, Henry. I know we're not in a good position right now, so our plan has always been to keep a low profile. But, as you know, we've lost all our money, and we don't have any good options but to rob and cheat."

Hosea held his coffee, but had no appetite for it. His aged face was full of worry and exhaustion. After these days on the run, he had indeed thought a lot, but he was powerless to change anything and didn't know how to change anything.

“No, no, no, Hosea, this is no excuse for you to rob and cheat. You actually have many ways to make money, it’s just that you’re used to the quick and easy way. If you just keep a low profile, with so many skilled men, you could survive even if you went hunting.” Henry didn’t mince words, directly refuting the excuse that most people in the gang usually used: ‘We had no choice.’

Hosea fell silent, took a sip of coffee, and then slowly said, "Perhaps Henry is right. Henry, you are knowledgeable and experienced. If you were in our situation, what good solutions would you have?"

"I have two solutions here, and both are things you can do."

"Really? Tell me quickly what the method is?" Hosea was surprised by the unexpected joy. He just wanted to find someone to chat with and ease his anxiety.

"The first option is to offer them amnesty. We are currently in a period of vigorous crackdown on bandits, and the government is having a lot of headaches with those bandits who are roaming around. They need strong law enforcement officers, and skilled individuals like you are the best choice. When it comes to dealing with bandits, the bandits are the ones who are better at it. Therefore, the government will offer amnesty to criminals who have committed less serious crimes in order to crack down on bandits and maintain public order."

I don't know if you've heard the story of Sheriff Ben Wade in Blackwater before. He was a criminal who participated in numerous robberies and thefts, but he never harmed innocent people. That's somewhat similar to your own experiences. Later, he was recruited into the police force and participated in many raids on criminals. His outstanding performance in law enforcement eventually led to his promotion to sheriff.

I believe you are fully capable of handling these positions. And I happen to have connections in this area in West Elizabeth.

"As long as you return the $15 you stole, I can guarantee you'll join the police force as full-fledged officers. Of course, you can't do anything illegal again."

"And the second one?" Hosea was honestly quite interested after hearing the first one; the job was perfect for Arthur and John, the two children he had raised. Arthur could then live a peaceful life with his first love, Mary Lington, without any worries. As for John, needless to say, Abigail had always dreamed of such a life.

But he knew it would be difficult. Dutch wouldn't agree, and neither would Micah and Bill. Dutch was an anarchist; he would never accept government amnesty, even at the cost of his life. As he had once said, they were freedom seekers, willing to do anything for it. Not to mention they would have to pay back the $15 first.

"The second method, which is actually what you've been planning all along, is to find a place where no one knows you, go far away, change your appearance, and go grow mangoes or become adventurers. Disband the gang and live a peaceful life. As long as you keep a low profile and don't commit any more crimes, no one should be able to find you. Of course, the premise is that you have to go far enough."

Henry suggested a second method, but he knew that Dutch had a restless heart; he was the king of the Van der Linde gang, and a king would not leave his kingdom, nor would he dissolve it.

"Henry, I think most of us would choose the second method, but that requires a lot of money, and to make money quickly, we can't be discreet, which is really..."

“Stop, Hosea. You have money. If you want, you can keep a low profile for a month. After a month, you can send a few people who aren’t wanted back to Blackwater Town to collect your money and then run away.”

If Dutch could truly keep a low profile, wait a month, send someone to retrieve the money, and then go plant his giant mangoes, then for Arthur and Hosea's sake, aside from the legendary rat Henry who wouldn't let him off the hook, he might even give Dutch a further beating. Henry would also be willing to give Arthur and the others some of the money, to keep them from a tragic end.

Henry, like Hosea, knew that Dutch was a man who knew nothing of modesty. They exchanged a glance, sighed in unison, and silently began to drink their coffee...