Reborn in 1878: America's Number One Bandit

Chapter 17 Let’s make a bet
"Tonight, have Scarface and his men go over there. I want that land, I want the apples, but I don't want the people."

"clear."

Once the order was given, Lawson forgot about the matter.

His mind was now completely absorbed by something else.

Just down the hillside in front of them, on a wide meadow, a herd of black-tailed deer were leisurely grazing on tender grass.

Among them were several large, robust male deer with beautiful antlers on their heads.

"Stop," Lawson said in a low voice.

The three immediately stopped their horses and hid behind a thicket of bushes.

"Boss, shall I go?" San Gou habitually took the bow and arrow off his back.

"Do not."

Lawson shook his head and drew his pistol from the leather holster beside the saddle. "Today, I'll do it myself."

He was frantically replenishing his nutrition, coupled with the system's continuous strengthening of his physique.

His once skinny, bony body is now covered with a layer of muscle.

His height of over 1.8 meters finally made him no longer appear thin.

More importantly, as the number of assassins increased, all sorts of skills flowed into his mind like a trickle.

Combat, stealth, reconnaissance, hunting...

He needs to verify it.

Lawson dismounted.

He kept his body low to the ground, using the knee-high grass as cover, and crept towards the deer herd.

The wind blew from the direction of the deer herd, carrying his scent behind him.

The perfect start to the hunt.

150 yards...

120 yards...

One hundred yards...

The distance is gradually closing.

A stag on lookout duty seemed to sense something, and suddenly raised its head, its ears twitching alertly.

It's now!

Lawson raised his gun.

He clearly locked onto the head of the stag using the crosshair.

Time seemed to slow down at this moment.

His vision was limited to the crosshair, the target, and the invisible trajectory between them.

"boom!"

The stag, which had just raised its head, suddenly jolted.

A burst of blood erupted from its eye area.

Its massive body fell straight down.

All the deer scattered in panic, raising a cloud of dust.

Lawson spotted another equally robust prey amidst the chaotic herd of deer.

He raised his gun again, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

"boom!"

There was another gunshot.

The stag, which was running wildly, tumbled in mid-air and crashed heavily to the ground.

Lawson blew on the still-smoking muzzle of the gun.

San Gou immediately spurred his horse forward and carried the two game animals, weighing a total of over two hundred pounds, onto his horse.

Come back fully loaded.

It was dusk when they returned to the farm.

The setting sun bathed the entire courtyard in a warm golden hue.

Marlene O'Dell was busy at the clothesline in the yard.

She was wearing a faded cotton dress, bent over, scooped the wet sheets out of the wooden basin, and then wrung them out vigorously.

This movement perfectly showcased her figure.

Perhaps due to years of hard work, her waist was very slender, but her hips were very full.

As she straightened up and draped the sheets over the rope.

Her heavy, full breasts traced breathtaking arcs with her movements.

Sweat soaked the few strands of golden hair on her forehead, clinging tightly to her skin and shimmering in the setting sun.

She heard the sound of horses' hooves and turned around.

When he saw the two plump stags that Lawson and his companions were carrying on horseback, his blue eyes immediately lit up with joy.

"My God, Lawson!" She wiped her hands on her apron and hurried over, her smile undisguised. "You've hunted deer again! And two of them!"

"I'm lucky today."

Lawson dismounted and tossed the reins to Er Gou, saying, "They ran right into my line of fire."

"You say that every time."

Marlene rolled her eyes at him.

She leaned closer, her nostrils twitching.

"Where did you go today? You went out very early this morning."

"Oh, I took a stroll around town."

Without batting an eye, Lawson lied, "I also made quite a few new friends. On the way back, I took the opportunity to beat up these two blind guys."

Er Gou and San Gou have already begun quietly processing the venison.

Marlene's smile faded slightly upon hearing Lawson's words.

"new friend?"

"In Strawberry Town, it's considered lucky if a Chinese person doesn't get into trouble. How can it be so easy to make so many friends?"

She lived here and knew all too well the attitudes of the white people towards Chinese laborers.

Rejection, contempt, and even unwarranted hostility are the norm.

Lawson plopped down on the small stool next to her while she was washing clothes, and a smell mixed with sunshine, sweat and soap filled his nostrils.

“Mrs. Marlene,” he leaned closer, “would you like to make a bet with me?”

Marlene felt a little uncomfortable at his sudden act of closeness and subconsciously moved back a little.

"What are you gambling?"

Marlene's bright blue eyes sparkled with curiosity, and she instinctively hugged the laundry tub in her arms tighter.

The twilight cast a soft glow on her features, making her look less like a weathered farm widow and more like a classical oil painting.

Lawson smiled and leaned forward slightly. "It's simple. As I just said, I've made many friends in town. If my friends come to visit me in person tomorrow..."

"Then you have to promise me one thing."

"What is it?" Marlene asked instinctively.

"Let me renovate this house."

Lawson straightened up and pointed to the slightly dilapidated two-story wooden house behind him.

“It’s too old, it needs replacing. I want to use the best fir wood, install bright glass windows, and build a spacious porch. We should live more comfortably.”

Marlene was stunned.

Renovating the house?

This is no small expense.

Wood, nails, glass...

Which one is free?

Where did he get so much money?
"What if no friends come?" she asked, composing herself and revealing the other side of the bet.

Lawson's smile grew even brighter. He shrugged, looking nonchalant. "If not a single friend comes to see me all day tomorrow, then I'll admit defeat."

So what if you lost?

"Then I'll pay you five silver dollars a day for living expenses from now on."

"Five dollars?" Marlene was truly stunned this time.

She felt like her brain was a bit out of use.

Five silver dollars a day?
That's 150 yuan a month!

This amount of money, let alone in the countryside.

Even in San Francisco, that's enough for a family to live a very, very decent life.

She carefully considered the gamble.

If Lawson wins and his friends come, he will pay for the renovation of his dilapidated house.

My daughter and I can move into a new house without spending a single penny.

If Lawson loses and his friends don't come, he will have to pay himself a huge sum of money every day, which will greatly improve his standard of living.

Marlene was stunned.

Why does it seem like I'm the one who benefits from everything?

How can there be such a good thing in the world?

She wasn't a fool; her beautiful blue eyes were fixed intently on Lawson.
"Losen, tell me honestly, where did you get so much money?"

"You want to rebuild the house and increase my living expenses... Didn't you say you were just a Chinese laborer who ran away from the construction site?"

Looking at her serious expression, Lawson burst into laughter.

"you guess?"

(End of this chapter)