Reborn in 1878: America's Number One Bandit

Chapter 70 Kane's Suspicion

When Lawson returned to the farm, Mrs. Marlene was standing on the porch with a basket of freshly washed clothes in her hand.

Lawson lifted Lucy off the saddle; the little girl's face was still flushed with contentment.

"It seems you guys had a lot of fun."

"Yes, Mom!"

Lucy proudly held up the oddly shaped clay pottery blank: "Look! This is the king oyster mushroom that Mr. Lawson made for me! Isn't it magnificent?"

"What... huh?"

Mrs. Marlene glanced at the object and her face immediately turned bright red.

She snatched the clay blank from her hand and scolded in a low voice, "Don't play with this! Go inside and wash your hands, dinner's getting cold!"

Lucy stuck out her tongue and skipped into the house.

Lawson smiled, leaned close to Marlene's ear, and whispered, "Looks like you need to give Lucy a little philosophy lessons; she's a quick learner."

Marlene froze, not daring to turn around, and fled into the kitchen.

Lawson was in a good mood.

He sat in the rocking chair on the porch and lit a cigar.

As dusk approached, the farm was bathed in a golden glow.

Erzhu and Zhou Dapao were very efficient, and the first batch of Chinese laborers were quickly settled.

The news quickly spread to various construction sites along the Southern Pacific Railway.

"Have you heard? That apple farm makes one Eagle Apple a day!"

"real or fake?"

"Absolutely true! Erzhu said it himself! He's a foreman now, so his salary is definitely higher!"

"But isn't that Liang Kuan's territory? He just left like that?"

"Liang Kuan? Hmph, you don't know? That son of a bitch Liang Kuan, who knows where he's run off to, maybe he's been fed to the wolves!"

The word spread, and countless Chinese laborers were already tempted.

Nevertheless, there is still a group of people who are waiting and watching.

They were terrified of being cheated and bullied on this land.

They didn't know if there were any other safe places besides the apple orchard.

However, Lawson had anticipated this.

In this situation, he would need an official channel.

"Ahu!"

"Yes, boss!"

“You should arrange for someone to establish a Chinese Laborers Association, called the ‘Chinese Youth Association,’ with its headquarters in Strawberry Town.”

"This guild has only one purpose."

"He was responsible for arranging and introducing jobs to Chinese laborers who wanted to escape from the railway."

"Of course, we can only introduce our industry."

Ah Hu understood immediately.

This is a human resources department, a monopolistic employment agency that only serves the boss.

"Those who are hardworking, law-abiding, willing to cut their queues, and quit opium will never have to worry about having nothing to do or not making money."

"As for those lazy, gluttonous, and cunning smokers..."

“I, Lawson, am not a charity. Those who want to be rotten to death, let them rot in the stinking ditch.”

"After the establishment of the Huaqing Association, it signed a long-term security contract with Baihu Security Company."

"White Tiger Security Company is responsible for protecting the personal safety of Chinese workers within the association and mediating disputes."

"Things that the Huaqing Association cannot handle, Baihu Security will take care of."

"The dirty work that security companies can't handle, the gangs do."

This is a perfect closed loop.

The Chinese Youth Association is his labor force reservoir, and the White Tiger Security is his legitimate armed force; both are his right and left hands in the open.

That fearsome gang was his hidden fangs lurking in the shadows.

However, the limited industry in Northern California simply couldn't satisfy his ever-growing appetite.

The land he now owns represents a huge labor shortage.

What percentage of California's territory does Northern California actually occupy?
Once his influence extends throughout California, from the redwood forests in the north to Los Angeles in the south, how many Chinese laborers will he be able to recruit?

One hundred thousand? Two hundred thousand?

He wants to build a shelter here.

A country within a country, which belongs solely to him, Lawson, and is under his absolute control.

……

San Raphael, the county dungeon of Marin County. It's filthy and reeks of blood.

Dennis and his dozen or so men were locked in a small cell.

Their wounds quickly became inflamed in the stinky environment.

But the physical pain is far less than the mental breakdown.

"let me out!"

Dennis gripped the iron bars and roared, "You bastards! This is illegal detention! I'm an American citizen! I want to see my lawyer!"

"boom!"

A military boot slammed into the iron gate.

"Shut your filthy mouth, you Irish bastard!"

A drunken militiaman spat a mouthful of phlegm onto Dennis's nose.

At that moment, the dungeon door was pushed open with a thud.

Buck walked in, carrying a bottle of liquor in one hand and a severed head in the other.

He ignored Dennis's curses, walked to the end of the dungeon, placed the head on the table, and lit a candle.

"Lieutenant!"

The dungeon door was pushed open again.

Thorne and Kane walked in with furrowed brows.

The two covered their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs, overwhelmed by the stench.

"Lieutenant Buck."

Kane said coldly, "We want to speak with Dennis alone."

Buck gulped down a mouthful of wine and chuckled, "What do you two noble detectives want to talk to him about alone? Shouldn't you be in the carpeted command post, studying those unfathomable tactics?"

As he spoke, he gently stroked the head.

"See that? This is the evidence! It was found by me, this piece of trash from the Federal Army that you all look down on!"

"You can continue to squat in the room studying the map."

"Who knows, one day those gangs might just show up on your map and line up to surrender."

"Buck!"

Thorne's patience finally ran out, and he said sternly, "We're not here to argue with you. You have to understand that Dennis has a lot of influence in the Irish community, and you'd better not kill him when you're in a bad mood."

Buck smiled and shook his head.

"No, no, no, detective, you're wrong again."

"I'm not an idiot."

"After the court pronounces the verdict, I will personally put the noose around his neck in front of everyone, and then kick away the wooden plank under his feet!"

Thorne and Kane exchanged a glance, their expressions grave.

This Buck has gone mad.

He is now more dangerous than a simple serial killer.

"Lieutenant Buck."

Kane took a step back, creating some distance: "Since you refuse to cooperate, we have nothing more to say. You'd better watch yourself."

……

"This idiot."

After leaving the dungeon, Thorne was indignant: "He'll be blinded by anger and mess everything up."

"He's already messed it up."

Kane's expression was icy: "But our troubles have only just begun."

"What do you mean?"

Don't you think that's strange?

"strangeness?"

"The problem lies with Dennis."

Kane said slowly, "He's a politician, a rogue who makes a living by inciting public opinion. He knows better than anyone what he can and cannot do."

"Even if he really was colluding with that group of Irish bandits, why would he be so stupid as to parade around with Cross's head on display?"

"Should we still head towards Strawberry Town, the place that was just massacred by the gang? That doesn't make sense."

Thorne frowned. "You mean, he was framed?"

"A political leader was beaten by angry townspeople in Strawberry, then happened to be seen by Buck's men, and then happened to find the head in his luggage."

Kane's eyes darkened as he rubbed his chin. "This is too damn coincidental. On this land, besides us, besides that gang, besides Buck and his bunch of idiots... there's very likely a third force."

"A ghost hidden behind the scenes."

(End of this chapter)