Reborn in 1878: America's Number One Bandit

Chapter 44 I'm an adult now!
The next morning, the sun shone brightly.

On the table were crispy, browned bacon, golden scrambled eggs, and freshly baked bread covered in butter.

Everything was the same as usual, but the atmosphere was subtly different.

Mrs. Marlene kept her head down, silently cutting the food on her plate, seemingly unable to meet Lawson's gaze.

Whenever Lawson's gaze swept over her, a blush would involuntarily rise on her cheeks.

Lucy knew nothing about this.

She poked at the fried egg on the plate with her fork, looking at her mother curiously: "Mom, what's wrong with you today? Your face is so red, do you have a fever?"

Before Marlene could answer.

Lawson cut a piece of bacon with a knife and spoke with a smile.

"It's nothing, Lucy. Your mother had a few drinks with me last night."

Mrs. Marlene's fingers tightened suddenly around the coffee cup.

As if oblivious, Lawson continued to tease, "But your mother's alcohol tolerance is really low. She drank for a long time on such a big bottle, but still couldn't finish it."

"puff--"

Mrs. Marlene nearly spat out the mouthful of coffee she had just taken a sip of.

She coughed violently, her face turning bright red.

I don't know if it was from choking or from embarrassment.

Lucy's eyes lit up immediately: "Wow! A whole bottle? Mom, you're amazing!"

She put down her fork, rested her chin on her hands, and said expectantly, "Mommy, I want to drink too! When can I have a taste?"

“No!” Mrs. Marlene refused instinctively.

"why not?"

Lucy pouted, unconvinced. "I'm sixteen already! Anne from town, her dad let her drink beer when she was fifteen! I'm an adult!"

"Nonsense!"

Mrs. Marlene snapped, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "What are you doing drinking alcohol, little kids!"

"I'm not a child!"

Lucy pouted, unconvinced. "Mr. Lawson said you couldn't handle it after just one bottle. Maybe I can drink better than you! Next time, let Mr. Lawson drink with me, and I'll definitely finish a whole bottle!"

"If you keep talking nonsense, you can forget about dessert today!" Mrs. Marlene said, somewhat embarrassed and angry.

Watching the conversation between the mother and daughter, Lawson's smile deepened.

Today is another new day.

Of the 47 newly added assassins, seven were sent to various locations to carry out infiltration missions.

The other 40 were all incorporated into White Tiger Security Company, 30 of whom were of Chinese descent.

Northern California is in complete chaos right now, and it's time for the Chinese community to step up.

Their mission is to establish a positive image for Chinese people in California.

When the California anti-bandit forces are completely wiped out and the white men are trembling with fear, then they will step in to turn the tide.

Lawson will use his influence to elevate them to hero status.

Meanwhile, a storm is brewing in the county seat of Marin County—

The town of Saint Rafael is brewing.

After a night of bumpy train and ferry rides, Allen Cross and his three disguised henchmen finally arrived in the chaotic town.

They went straight to the sheriff's office, a symbol of law and authority.

Before they could get close, a noisy and angry commotion came from inside the building.

Like a pack of wild beasts roaring in a cage.

Cross frowned slightly, and the four quickened their pace, pushing open the slightly ajar door.

The scene inside the door was even more chaotic than they had imagined.

The once spacious office was now incredibly crowded.

More than a dozen simple coffins made of rough pine planks were laid out on the ground.

A group of men and women dressed in black were wailing and lamenting around the coffins.

They were the families of Sheriff Miller and the officers who had fallen in the line of duty. An elderly woman with white hair lay on one of the coffins, wailing inconsolably.

A young widow, holding an infant in her arms, stares blankly at the ceiling.

On the other side of the crowd.

Several well-dressed men were pointing their fingers at local officials and hurling insults.

They were councilors and officials who had come from Sonoma County.

"FUCK YOU! Thompson!"

A portly Sonoma County councilman was spitting so hard that he almost landed on the face of former Marin County Sheriff Thompson.

"You fucking explain yourself! Why did our twenty-one good young men from Sonoma County go to provide support?"

They've all turned into headless corpses lying in boxes, and your Marin County police didn't even manage to scratch a single hair on their heads?

Thompson's face was extremely pale, and he remained silent.

He has lost all his positions.

"This is a trap! A trap that uses our lives as bait!"

"You tricked our officers into coming here to die so your own people could escape! You cowards! Murderers!"

A councilor from Marin County, sporting a goatee, tried to explain: "It's a misunderstanding. We didn't expect those bandits to be so cruel..."

"Misunderstanding? Fuck your misunderstanding!"

The Sonoma County councilman grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall: "I'm telling you, this isn't over! Pay up!"

We must provide substantial compensation to the families of every fallen police officer! And there must be an explanation!

Otherwise, Sonoma County will go to war with your Marin County!

Just as they were arguing fiercely, the office door was pushed open.

Sunlight streamed in from outside the door, outlining four tall and silent figures.

Everyone was involuntarily drawn to the few uninvited guests at the door.

Allen Cross was standing in the doorway.

He was facing away from the light.

His expression was hidden in the shadows, and his emotionless eyes, like those of a hawk, stared at the crowd.

"Is this the sheriff's office, or some damn vegetable market?"

Everyone turned around in astonishment and looked towards the doorway.

The Sonoma County councilman who was grabbing someone by the collar released his grip as if he'd been electrocuted.

He looked at Cross, then at the three menacing-looking men behind him, his Adam's apple bobbing, momentarily forgetting what he was about to say.

"Who are you?" an official from Marin County asked, mustering his courage.

Cross ignored him, instead taking a document from the inside pocket of his trench coat and casually tossing it onto the nearest coffin.

The document was stamped with the governor's seal.

"Alan Cross. Special Commissioner appointed by Governor William Irwin."

“From this moment forward, I will take full control of all matters related to banditry in Marin and Sonoma counties. All of you, either shut your mouths and obey my orders, or get out of here.”

Allen Cross!
Sacramento Butcher!
Officials from both Sonoma County and Marin County looked as if they had seen a ghost.
Why would the governor send this madman?

The arrogant, accusatory tone that the Sonoma County councilors had just displayed vanished without a trace.

Cross's gaze swept over the weeping family members, his brow furrowing with a hint of annoyance.

"Get them out of here."

"Get all these whining women and useless men out of here. The state government will handle the compensation. This is a military control zone now. All irrelevant people, get out!"

His men pounced on them like wolves, roughly shoving the crowd and dragging the still wailing family members out of the office.

"You can't do this!"

"This is my husband's body!"

The sounds of resistance and cries were quickly silenced outside the door by a few loud slaps and the threat of a gun butt.

Only the officials from the two counties and Thompson remained in the office.

(End of this chapter)