America 1883: The Western Homeland

Chapter 158 Tom Leads a Group to Buy Up the Proceeds from the Gold Mine

Tom remained unmoved, his eyes sharp, and pressed on with the fatal question: "Who would believe that? If it's really as you say, then why would a renowned New York doctor appear in this desolate place like a fugitive?"

These words struck Catherine's heart like a heavy hammer.

The anger on her face froze instantly, her pupils contracted sharply, and all her explanations and fury seemed to be instantly drained away, leaving only a sense of bewilderment and helplessness as if all pretense had been stripped away.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Tom caught a glimpse of despair in her eyes and knew the time had come.

He took a step closer, his voice low but carrying an undeniable, seductive power: "Only I." His gaze was resolute, fixed intently on her. "Only I can give you the chance to pick up the scalpel again and prove them wrong with your skills!"

The immigrants to the West were a mixed bag, but their goals were surprisingly the same: to wash away their past in this wild land and fight for a chance to turn their lives around!

Catherine was brought out by a New York hospital to take the blame, and her reputation was already ruined.

For someone like her, who aspired to leave her mark on medical history, to live out her remaining years in obscurity was more unbearable than death!

So when Tom extended that olive branch, she seemed to have a choice, but in reality, she had no other way out.

Having taken on the job from this future boss, Catherine naturally took extra care of his family members, whom she valued highly.

Soon, Elsa's condition finally stabilized, and she entered a long period of rest and recuperation.

The entire Dutton family breathed a sigh of relief.

Only then did everyone's attention get drawn to the persistent wailing. "Waaah! Waaah!" The little guy cried his heart out, his face turning red, as if he would never give up until he got his food.

"They're starving!"

Everyone understands, but the rice porridge on the stove isn't ready yet.

Looking at the chubby-cheeked, muscular baby in the cradle, who would have thought that he had just undergone a harrowing cesarean section?

He didn't look like a premature baby at all; he looked more like a full-term baby.

"How about we look again and see if there are any women who can feed the child?" Ennis suggested cautiously from the side, his gaze fixed tightly on his wailing son.

No one should go hungry, but his children should not!

Tom glanced at the hungry little wolf, then at Ennis, who looked anxious, and said succinctly, "Have Cooper go look again tomorrow."

It's not that we didn't find a feeding woman, it's that one feeding woman simply wasn't enough to feed them!

This little boy, who is almost a month old, has an astonishingly large appetite; his food intake is equivalent to that of two other children. This is almost a legend on the ranch.

Ennis had just smiled and was about to volunteer when his father, James, cut him off with a single sentence: "You stay home and take care of Elsa."

The air in the room froze instantly.

Everyone knew that Elsa had nearly died in childbirth, and the person who was most angry and blamed Ennis the most was James.

He almost lost his most beloved daughter, and James still holds that debt in his heart.

Tom yawned widely and quietly slipped back to his room.

He didn't have time to deal with these things; he had to get up early tomorrow to go to the gold mine and collect the debts!

Last year, we sold that gold mine, only receiving the down payment; a large sum of the remaining balance is still outstanding.

This trip is to collect the first six-month installment payment.

The total price is US$2,067,000, and I've already paid a 10% down payment of US$206,700.

The remaining 1.8 million yuan will be paid in ten installments, with payments made every six months, and the debt will be settled in five years.

This time, they are going to personally retrieve the first installment of $186,030.

This is no small amount; it will require the use of force to escort it.

Tom personally led the team, with Thomas and Zack following closely behind, along with ten of the most elite cowboys.

Each man carried two revolvers at his waist, and Winchester lever rifles were tucked beside his saddle. Fully loaded with bullets, they charged straight toward Billings with murderous intent.

The cold wind was still biting, like a cold knife scraping across the barren land of Montana in April.

This silent team, carrying a heavy secret, finally arrived at its destination: the gold mine in the heart of the Klaue territory that once belonged to the Dutton family.

Ten cowboys reined in their horses and silently surveyed this legendary land of wealth.

Their faces were covered with a thin layer of frost, and the white breath they exhaled was instantly blown away by the wind.

Only now, seeing the scale of the gold mine with their own eyes, did they truly realize the immense wealth they were transporting—enough to make anyone rise to the top or bring them to utter ruin.

Tom's sharp gaze slowly swept across the faces of each cowboy.

The cold wind reddened the tips of their noses, but it couldn't freeze the fleeting shock, greed, or unease in their eyes.

He didn't need verbal interrogation; the wasteland, the gold mine, and the chest of gold themselves were the cruelest touchstone.

Wade and Thomas jointly recommended these players, whose performances are impeccable and who are top-notch.

But the value of loyalty often only becomes truly apparent when faced with temptations that could overturn one's entire life.

The thirty coveted permanent positions at Dutton Estate not only signify generous compensation and status, but also the possibility of becoming a core member of the "family".

Now, the road leading there is laid out on this cold land that once produced countless gold, testing their every ounce of resolve.

Tom offered no explanation, nor did he try to incite anyone.

He simply waved silently, signaling the team to enter the core of the mining area.

The air in the office was so heavy it felt like you could wring water out of it.

The aroma of pine wood mingled with the spicy smoke of the cigar, yet it couldn't mask the metallic tension permeating the air.

Tom sat on a hardwood chair, leaning back slightly.

Thomas and Zach stood like two gatekeepers behind him, one on each side, their hands hanging naturally at their sides, just an inch away from their holsters.

Ten cowboys stood silently outside the office door, their shadows stretched long in the afternoon light, the barrels of their Winchester rifles occasionally reflecting a cold glint.

The other party in the transaction, Nick, the young man who used to wear a suit, is a shrewd descendant of Scots.

He nodded to the men behind him.

Several burly men carried in two heavy pine crates covered with sheet metal, which were placed heavily on the deerskin-covered floor with a dull thud.

The moment the lid was opened, the entire room seemed to be illuminated by the soft golden light reflected from the velvet lining.

It wasn't paper money, but the gold that Tom had anticipated.

"Mr. Dutton, according to the contract, the first installment is $186,030."

Nick's voice trembled slightly. Facing this group of taciturn debt collectors with dual pistols at their waists, no one could remain completely calm. "It's all here. Standard Montana gold ingots, nine thousand ounces in total. You can inspect them yourself."

Zach walked forward without saying a word.

He took out a finely folded brass balance, a set of weights, and a black touchstone with a smooth, mirror-like surface from his leather bag.

The gold verification process was silent and solemn, filled with a sense of ritual.

Zach randomly picked out a few heavy gold bars.

Each piece clearly bears the foundry's mark and purity stamp.

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