xymnovel Chapter 142 A cattle thief has his eye on Paradise Valley
Chapter 142 A cattle thief has his eye on Paradise Valley
Chapter 142 A cattle thief has his eye on Paradise Valley
Southwestern Montana is a vast, desolate wilderness.
The Homestead Act acted like a magnet, attracting more immigrants and sparking the Montana Gold Rush.
In just a few years, ranches sprang up like mushrooms after rain.
But in this lawless land, an ancient "profession" has also emerged: cattle thieves!
Yellowstone Riverbank.
As September approaches at dusk, a cool breeze quietly envelops the earth.
On the riverbank, a bonfire stood out starkly, crackling and sputtering as it tore through the deepening twilight.
Tom squatted by the fire, the pot of cured meat bubbling away, humming an off-key tune.
The "loach" lay sprawled on the shore, snoring loudly, and the strong smell of whiskey could be smelled from afar.
The "Snow Woman" lay aloofly a little distance away, closing her eyes to rest.
In the shadows beside Tom, two wolves were crouching.
Its eerie green eyes darted restlessly in the firelight, and its ears perked up alertly, capturing any rustling sound in the distance.
"Have you thought it through?" Tom asked abruptly, his voice calm yet sharp as an icicle piercing the night.
Who is he talking to?
"Kill me!" A weak, hoarse voice came from the icy river.
A pale-faced cowboy was half-submerged in the water, his body stiff and motionless.
Tom ignored him.
He stood up, grabbed the cowboy's wet hair with his big hand, and shoved his entire head into the rushing river!
The cowboy's body trembled violently, like a fish out of water. Strangely, even though his hands and feet were not bound, he did not struggle at all!
"Cough! Cough cough cough! Ugh—"
—
Finally, Tom pulled him out.
The cold air filled his lungs, and the cowboy coughed violently, tears and snot streaming down his face.
Tom just watched quietly, his eyes colder than the stones at the bottom of the river.
"Have you thought it through?" The same question, delivered in an icy tone, sent a chill down the cowboy's spine.
Faced with Tom's silent terror and cruel methods, the cowboy's last shred of resistance completely collapsed.
"Say it—I'll say it!" He gasped for breath, as if he had just crawled back from hell.
"I am—a cattle thief!" The cowboy's voice was filled with desperate sobs.
Tom nodded. In this dog-eat-dog world, this answer was sufficient, and deadly enough.
"Do you know why we arrested you?" Tom's icy voice sent chills down your spine, cutting straight to the point.
"I don't know!" the cowboy said stiffly, trying to hide the panic in his eyes.
"Then why are you staring at Paradise Valley?" Tom leaned forward, the campfire casting a flickering shadow on his face, each word striking the other with its own sharp edge.
Om-!
The cowboy's head felt like it had been hit by a sledgehammer!
The pupils suddenly contracted!
The last fig leaf was ruthlessly torn away, and he finally understood.
The torment, the icy river, and the suffocating fear along the way were not accidental at all!
This devilish young man's goal has always been clear and unambiguous!
"Kill me! Go ahead and kill me now if you dare!!!"
The cowboy let out a desperate howl, like a trapped beast, which resounded across the wilderness. Startled, the "Snow Woman" in the distance raised her head, her wolf eyes gleaming eerily in the darkness.
"Want to try again?" Tom's voice was completely flat, colder than the river water.
Those five short words were like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, instantly extinguishing all of the cowboy's anger and courage, leaving only a chilling cold and a deep-seated fear.
"I—I was just a spy!" The cowboy's eyes were completely empty, like a soulless puppet, mechanically uttering, "It's the Fire Dragon Gang—the Fire Dragon Gang has their eye on the cattle in Paradise Valley! They—they're in Livingston!"
"Livingston?" Tom repeated in a low voice, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
"Yes! It's Livingston!" Grasping at the last straw, the cowboy added urgently, "Those truckloads you took earlier—those truckloads of goods," gleaming gold—they've got their eyes on them! The Fire Dragon Gang has their eye on you!"
A cold laugh, undisguised and full of sarcasm and murderous intent, burst from Tom's nostrils.
"So, after all this time," he said, his eyes sharp as he looked down at the disheveled scouts in the water, "you're a bunch of robbers!"
"No!!!" The cowboy hissed, correcting him like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, as if this "profession" title was more unbearable than death itself. "We're cattle thieves! We—we're cattle thieves!"
Having obtained the truth, Tom didn't hesitate and headed straight for the Livingston Sheriff's Office with the cattle thief in his arms.
Bang!
The heavy wooden door was kicked open, and Tom slammed the limp cattle thief onto the cold floor like a dead dog.
The loud noise startled the drowsy sheriff, old John, who suddenly looked up. His cloudy old eyes snapped awake the moment he saw Tom's figure, as if he had been doused with ice water!
"The Fire Dragon Gang's spies," Tom's voice was as calm as if he were discussing the weather, yet it carried a chilling undertone, "have their eyes on my gold, and the cattle herd in Paradise Valley. I've brought them to you."
Sheriff John's brow furrowed instantly, and his heart sank.
He had experienced Tom's temper firsthand!
If this matter is not handled properly—
The sheriff dared not think further; the consequences would be far more terrifying than facing a group of desperados!
"I—I will send people to keep a close eye on the Fire Dragon Gang—" the sheriff said, trying to remain calm and reassure the officers.
boom!
"ah--!!!"
Before Old John could finish speaking, a muffled thud followed by a piercing scream suddenly rang out!
Tom's boot slammed into the cow thief's wrist, the sound of bones breaking clearly audible!
The entire police station erupted in chaos!
Several quick-reacting security guards drew their revolvers from their waists in a flash!
"Put the fuck down your guns!" the sheriff roared at his men, then suddenly turned to Tom, his eyes practically bulging out of their sockets. "Tom! Look carefully! This is the sheriff's station!"
"I know." Tom slowly withdrew his foot, rubbing the toe of his boot on the ground as if he had just stepped on a bug.
He looked up, his gaze sweeping across old John's face. "So, I want to hear what you're planning to do."
The sheriff felt a surge of anger rush to his head, and his right hand involuntarily reached for the gun handle at his waist!
Kill him!
This idea was screaming wildly.
But his remaining rationality suppressed the impulse. Not to mention that Tom's ruthless gunmen might be lying in ambush outside the door, this kid's current influence in Paradise Valley was unfathomable!
The ranch, the manpower, and the wealth of that gold mine —
As long as he's willing to throw money around, there are plenty of desperados willing to do dirty work for him!
I'm just a lowly sheriff; I'm no match for him at all!
"Arrest them!" the sheriff uttered through gritted teeth, each syllable laced with humiliation and powerlessness. "I'll arrest those bastards from the Fire Dragon Gang!"
"Very good." Tom nodded slightly, giving the sheriff a deep look. "I hope you can deliver a satisfactory result next time we meet."
The warning and contempt in his eyes were undisguised.
The sheriff felt a rush of heat to his head, and the veins on his hand gripping the gun bulged!
Who do you think you are?!
He almost shouted those words, but they were stuck in his throat.
The suffocating pressure only dissipated when Tom's figure disappeared outside the door.
The sheriff seemed to have all his strength drained away; cold sweat had soaked through his uniform on his back!
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