In 1899, the era of gunmen and outlaws has come to an end. The United States has gradually become a country ruled by law. Even the West has been almost conquered. Only a few gangs are still at large, but they cannot escape the fate of being hunted and will eventually cease to exist.
.
Ambarino, Spider Gorge.
In the white world where the wind and snow were raging, only a brown and chestnut Morgan horse was struggling to move forward on the path where no trace could be found. The man driving the horse on the horseback was about thirty or forty years old, wearing a slightly hooded hat.
The frayed brown and black gambler's hat and blue cotton coat looked thick, but it was unclear how much protection they could provide.
Because of the snowstorm, the man's weather-beaten face turned purple from the cold. The beard on his face was covered with snow particles as fine as sand, and the air exhaled from his mouth did not have much warmth left. Despite this, he still squinted his blue eyes.
His eyes tried hard to identify the direction and ensure that he was walking in the right direction and on the right road. This was not only for himself, but also for the life and death of a large group of people behind him.
Arthur Morgan, this is the name of this cowboy. If in New Austin, the great plains and tall trees of West Elizabeth, this name can definitely be described as thunderous, but in fact, this reputation is like a trap to him.
The noose around his neck, and because of this, he is now galloping forward on horseback in the snowy mountains regardless of the safety of his life.
In front of the iron curtain shrouded in wind and snow, the outlines of several houses gradually appeared in the field of vision, and as the horses continued to approach, their appearance gradually became clearer.
Arthur's current mood is not so much happy as it is relieved. He does not believe in religion and does not know how to worship gods, but this time he feels a little grateful to the God he has never cared about.
.
But now is not the time to relax, because as Arthur gets closer and closer, he finds that there is obviously a trace of someone walking on the snow with waist-deep snow extending from the other direction to this seemingly abandoned place for a long time.
Although the traces of the small village have been almost covered by the newly fallen snow, it still cannot escape Arthur's eyes. This shows that this place has received a visitor not long ago, and it is unknown whether this visitor is easy to talk to or whether he is a threat.
"If it's really hard to talk, it's not a big deal to waste one more bullet." Thinking like this, Arthur urged his horse forward.
Quietly stopping and tethering his horse, Arthur walked to the end of the trail - the door of an abandoned hut, and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Hello! Is there anyone there?"
no respond.
According to Arthur's personal experience, this kind of situation often reveals some unsafe signals. Although Arthur is confident that he has the ability to cope with all emergencies, due to the cautious habit he has maintained in the past few days, his right hand gently
He held the handle of the revolver at his waist and slowly pressed down the hammer.
The door was slowly opened, and Arthur stepped lightly in. But the next second, he exited the house while performing a standard French military salute. Directly between his eyebrows was the dark muzzle of a carbine repeating rifle.
It's still this hellish mountainous area of ice and snow, and it's still the same mountain road where you can't even see the road ahead.
A convoy that would never appear here according to common sense is struggling to move forward in the wind and snow. It is no exaggeration to say that even if you walk in the same environment now, your speed will be faster than this convoy.
An older, slovenly man jumped out from behind the leading carriage, ran to the front of the carriage in three steps, and shouted to the man driving: "Abigail said he was dying, Dutch. Let's
You have to find a place to rest."
Dutch responded while urging the carriage: "I have sent Arthur out to look for it."
The sloppy man nodded, turned around and returned to his seat with his arms folded, as if he had taken a very effective reassurance.
On the carriage, sitting in the passenger seat, Hosea Matthews, the second-in-command of the Van der Linde gang, said to Dutch in a low voice: "If we don't stop, we will all be dead... This damn weather is even in May.
Sorry...I just hope the police are as confused as we are..."
"Look over there..." I don't know whether he really discovered something or simply wanted to interrupt the chatter of the man next to him. Dutch spoke. He shouted forward: "Arthur! Did you get anything?"
In the snowy wind wall, the shadows of a man and a horse gradually became clearer. The man on the horse was wearing a black gambler's hat and a blue cotton coat. It was Arthur who had been sent out to explore the road before.
Arthur raised his head while holding the brim of his hat, and said, "I found a place that can shelter from the wind and snow so that David can have a good rest. He... you know."
As Arthur spoke, he turned the horse's head and merged into the convoy: "It's an abandoned mining town. It's been a few years. It's not far from here. Let's go!"
"Come on! Drive!" Half to urge the horses and half to boost morale, Dutch shouted and led the team towards the destination.
"By the way, Dutch, there was already a young hunter there when I found it, but he didn't mind sharing the place with us."
"Really? It seems that we have to thank this young man for his generosity. There are too few people these days who are willing to share their land and housing with others, especially with a large group of people."
Near midnight, the convoy with its family and family finally arrived at the entrance of Coulter Village. Arthur saw a figure wearing a cashmere coat and a deerskin hat from a distance, and shouted: "Brother Munny, I'm back!"
When Brandy heard Arthur's call, most of her growing tiredness disappeared, and she cheered up and responded: "Mr. Morgan, bring the team over quickly. The more night comes, the more terrifying the blizzard will become!"
The convoy stopped. Many people got off the car one after another. These people turned around and unloaded the packages of different sizes and the wounded lying on the stretchers from the car. Although they were anxious but not panicking, they entered the room that had already been opened.
A cabin warmed by the flames of the fireplace.
Dutch and Hosea jumped off the carriage. After Hosea nodded friendly to Brandi, he went to organize other people to take care of the wounded and settle down, while Dutch walked straight to Brandi.
, took Brandy's right hand and said gratefully: "Thank you for your generosity and kindness, young gentleman. It is no exaggeration to say that you saved us all."
Brandi's smile was very bright: "It's my honor to be able to help, sir."
"Dutch van der Linde, just call me Dutch." Dutch smiled friendly.
At this time, Hosea's voice interrupted the friendly exchange between the old and the young: "Dutch, Dutch! Although I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation with this little brother, our situation is really critical now."
Dutch politely asked Brandi to take care of things. After Brandi nodded, it was okay, he turned around and walked to Hosea.
"David is dead." Hosea said sadly. Dutch's pupils shrank slightly, and he turned to look at the lifeless man lying on the stretcher, his eyes half dejected and half sad.
"What do we do now? We need supplies." Hosea raised the question that everyone is concerned about now.
Dutch said without hesitation: "First of all, you all have to stay here and keep yourselves as warm as possible. I have sent John and Micah to explore the way ahead. Arthur and I will go out now... and see if we can
Find them."
"What's the weather like now?" Arthur asked.
Dutch glanced at the blizzard that was still rampant outside, and whispered: "We'll go back as soon as we go... This is the only choice..."
After saying that, he looked at the people in the room. During this period, these people fled with him under the noses of the police and Pinkerton detectives, running into walls like headless flies in the snow-stormed mountains. During this period,
They suffered a lot along with them.
They are all good people, Dutch thinks so, because even in this critical situation, these people who he has always regarded as family and friends have not abandoned him. Among his group, Pink
The only person Dun wants most is Dutch Vanderlinde, so even if these people really leave the team, Dutch will not only not stop them, but will also wish them a better life if they leave. They are all still there
, To be honest, Dutch is very grateful to them.
But right now, this persistent team is tired, confused, and demoralized. Now, what they need more than real supplies is the only thing that Dutch has the ability to give now, the only comfort he gives them.
and inspired.
"Listen," Dutch paused and said, "Brothers and sisters, listen to me. We have gone through... a very difficult few days. I love David... Jenny... Sean, Mike...
Maybe they can make it, maybe they can't. But we've lost some friends. If I could... trade my life for them to come back, I wouldn't hesitate in the slightest. But... we will set off, and we will find food. Everyone,
We are safe now. No one will come after us in such a snowstorm, and by the time they get here, we have already... we have already flown away. We have experienced more difficult times than this..."
Dutch set his sights on the gang's chef and logistics supervisor, and said: "Mr. Pearson, Ms. Grimshaw, I need you to transform this place into a camp... We may need to stay here for a while.
time."
After arranging the tasks, he turned his attention to his followers: "Now, all of you... everyone... warm yourself up and be strong, believe me. This is not our end."
After saying this, Dutch turned around and picked up the oil lamp on the side, calling Arthur to go out with him.
Perhaps it was out of the long-standing trust in Dachi, or perhaps Dachi's words themselves had a unique magic power. Although everyone's current situation has not changed, the confusion in everyone's eyes has disappeared.
"Okay, everyone, take action..." Susan Grimshaw, the gang's housekeeper who has been responsible for overall planning and logistics, began to give orders in her iconic voice. Although she didn't know what the future would be like, she
Always know how to be present.
Here, Dutch closed the door of the house tightly and said: "We haven't met them yet, so... they must have gone down the mountain."
"Yeah," Arthur nodded in agreement, and then talked about another thing that he had always been concerned about, "Hey... I never had the chance to ask you, what happened on the ship at that time?"
Hearing these words, Dutch fell silent. Obviously he didn't want to talk about this topic, but the current situation would not be easy to get over without saying anything. After thinking briefly, he finally suppressed one sentence: "We don't want to talk about it."
I’m with you, that’s it. Let’s go.”
The two were about to leave, but Brandy, who had been observing the Van der Linde gang, took the opportunity to come up and said, "Mr. Van der Linde, Mr. Morgan, the snowstorm will be more severe in the near future. Where are you going?"
"
"Go find our other companions," Dutch said. "We never leave any of our companions behind... as much as possible."
"If possible, I would like to go with you." Brandi said.
Dutch seemed a little surprised when he heard this. He turned to look at Arthur, seemingly asking for his opinion.
Arthur glanced at this young man who seemed to be a little over-enthusiastic, with doubts flashing in his eyes, but in the end he nodded to Dutch and said: "Multiple people have equal power, Dutch."
Seeing that Arthur didn't object, Dutch no longer hesitated and said to Brandi: "Come on, young man."
At this time, a man's voice came from behind: "Hey! Do you need a horse?"
"Oh, yes, I need it." Dutch turned around and looked at the strong man leading the horse. "And Mr. Smith, please go back to the house. Your hand needs to be well trained. Oh yes.
Come on, bring this young gentleman a horse too."
Charles turned around and took out another horse, handed the reins to Brandi, and said, "I'm fine..."
"Go back to the house, kid!" Dutch said in an unquestionable tone as he mounted his horse, "We...we need you to get better."
Charles didn't refute, he just nodded to Brandi as a greeting, then turned and returned to the warm house.
Three people and three riders galloped away in the direction the convoy came from.
"Okay, let's set off now." Dutch turned the horse's head and raised the oil lamp high to illuminate the front.
"I wonder what we'll find out there, Dutch." Arthur said as he controlled the horse to follow Dutch.
"We have to try. Come closer and we'll try to follow the road."
"This damn weather..." Arthur complained.
"I've never seen this kind of weather," Brandi said, "but the snowstorm has lasted for two days and should stop soon."
At this time, Dutch also turned his attention to the young man wearing a strange deerskin hat: "Yes, I think so too. Speaking of which, there are too few enthusiastic young people like you these days. By the way, there are also
I haven't asked your name yet."
"Munny, sir, Brandy Munny."
"Ha, what a name. I knew it was you as soon as I heard it. Arthur, how did you and this little brother Munny meet?"
"Ha, after all, it was a very harmonious and harmonious encounter."
"Oh, by the way, Mr. Morgan, I haven't apologized to you yet. It's really rude to point a gun at you as soon as we meet."
"Don't worry, kid, you should be more cautious when wandering around in the wilderness."
"Haha, it seems that you have made our indomitable Arthur suffer a small loss. Yes, kid, you are a talent. I am optimistic about you. Believe me, you will have a bright future."
"Your kind words, Mr. van der Linde."
The three of them rode horses and held lanterns, walking along a road that had no trace of its existence. Dutch and Arthur were talking about the current situation of the gang along the way. Arthur's mood was always low and worried; Dutch, on the other hand, was
I don't know if he has a plan in mind, or if he really has a plan to deal with it, or if he is a leader who can stand upright in times of crisis.
Dutch suddenly stopped talking about gangs and said, "Hey, I think I see something in front of me."
When Brandi heard this, he immediately took his carbine in his hand and pointed the muzzle far ahead.
In front, there seemed to be a faint light from an oil lamp.
"Who's in front?" Dutch shouted.
As soon as he finished speaking, Brandi, who was behind him, immediately pulled the trigger. The gunfire flashed away in the blizzard, and the light of the oil lamp in front also dimmed with the sudden bloom of this dazzling light.