Under the sunlight, a soft felt hat with a red ribbon was spinning in the air, flipping over several times before falling to the ground.
Henry's blond hair was disheveled, the pupils in his eyes were dilated, and his mind was still stuck on the moment when he fired the gun.
At that moment, he and the strong man pulled the trigger at the same time, but only the other's bullet hit his hat, and his own bullet disappeared.
The entire audience was silent, but anyone with a discerning eye could understand that Henry had lost the duel just now, and the opponent also avoided his vital points and did not take his life.
The strong man did not turn around, but simply put the pistol back. He hooked his thumbs in his trouser pockets, and a cowboy next to him came over and gave him a cigarette.
"The reason I didn't aim at your head is because you also showed mercy to my companion. I will repay this favor with a favor. Now that we don't owe each other anything, you can just get out!"
"Wait a minute! Did you make my bullet disappear?" Henry asked in surprise without picking up the hat.
"That's because I fired two shots, do you understand?"
The strong man waved his hand, looking a little impatient.
"Arthur Delevingne!" Victor suddenly walked up to the strong man and called out his name.
The strong man was not surprised. He smoked a cigarette, looked Victor up and down, and said, "You are not from Black Gold Town, are you in the same group with him?"
"It can be understood that I am a merchant from Valding. Can you lend me a moment?" Victor said while scanning the surrounding crowd.
"Anyone who knows me knows that I don't discuss business with strangers."
Arthur was about to leave as he spoke, but at this moment, the local sheriff came to maintain order. After Downey communicated with the other party, he evacuated the crowd of onlookers.
"It doesn't matter, I can give you a gift."
Victor walked up to Arthur, and his companions were full of vigilance.
"You can take it back and try it. It's still early today. We will rest at the hotel. If you change your mind, come and find us."
After speaking, Victor stuffed a small water bottle into Arthur's vest pocket.
The other party frowned but did not refuse. Then he led his three companions and left the street.
"What did you give him?" Henry just picked up his hat and didn't see the specific thing Victor gave him.
"Of course it's a 'new product'." The corners of Victor's mouth gradually raised with a smile, "I think most alcoholics can't resist it, and that guy is obviously an old alcoholic."
What can impress partners, besides favors, is of course high-quality products.
Victor's guess was correct. In the evening, the strong man changed his clothes, led his two companions to the hotel, and found Victor in the lobby.
"What is this?"
"Some kind of drink." Victor replied with a smile.
"It contains alcohol, and you are blatantly asking me to sell private liquor?" Arthur's face was drawn, looking a little dissatisfied.
"But you still came to see me, didn't you?" Victor placed a small bottle of liquor directly on the table, not caring whether it would attract the attention of the people around him.
"I can immediately notify the Sheriff to arrest you, including you, the Sheriff of Walding!" Arthur stared at the badge on Downey's chest next to him, and the latter's expression was still a little confused.
"Is this wine?"
Donnie blinked. He had already drank a lot and didn't realize what he was drinking.
Victor didn't show the slightest fear in the face of Arthur's questioning and intimidation. He lowered his voice and said: "There is no name for this new product in Prohibition. You can sell it openly without hiding it at all.
”
Arthur's right eyelid twitched. He asked his companion in a low voice and received confirmation from the other party.
"There are still risks."
"What's the risk?"
"If the amount in circulation is too large, the possibility of being included in a banned item will also increase."
"So what? By then, we will have already earned enough money." Victor replied disapprovingly.
There is some truth to this. Arthur has actually begun to be attracted by it. And this is not the only thing that makes him interested. He also likes the taste of this new variety very much.
There is a slight sweetness that is not easy to detect, and it is particularly spicy after entering the throat. Only those who have experienced vicissitudes of life can taste the real life.
Arthur is exactly such a person.
"So, what's your expected price?" Arthur lit another cigarette.
Since everyone asked about the price, Victor knew that he would definitely agree to cooperate, so he thought for a moment and replied: "Can a 23-ounce bottle be sold for forty to fifty cents?"
The ounce is the world's liquid measurement unit, 1 ounce is equivalent to 29.5 milliliters.
Arthur smoked and thought, and then asked: "How many goods do you have?"
Victor immediately gave a vague number: "If they are all bottled, it will be about more than a thousand bottles."
"How about we sell it for 40 or 60?" Arthur asked to try to make his own profit.
"Three-seven, you three and I seven." Victor bargained naturally.
"My pay is too low." Arthur was a little dissatisfied and seemed to be testing Victor's bottom line.
"Only Sanqi, my friend, you and I both know the value of this batch of goods." Victor didn't give in even a step.
Arthur looked disappointed: "In this case, let's cooperate for now, but I can't guarantee that those drunkards will like it, so you have to give me some guarantee."
Bargaining is really a troublesome thing, and Victor always feels that he is not suitable to be a businessman.
He thought for a long time before saying: "How about I give you the profit from the first batch of 100 bottles of wine?"
"Deal!" Arthur finally showed a long-lost smile after hearing this.
The two shook hands and drank on the table.
Although there will be some profit, Victor knows that his inventory is actually far more than a thousand bottles. If all are bottled, it can reach at least about 2,500 bottles.
If Arthur has a big belly and can swallow it all in one mouthful, then it will be more than enough to earn 500 francs.
However, what Victor didn't know was that Arthur was also secretly calculating in his mind: Forty or fifty cents a bottle? This guy doesn't even know the value of alcohol under Prohibition...
After drinking together, Arthur suddenly raised his head and stared at Victor: "Are you from Walding? But I know all the vendors in Walding. There are not many people who can retain such a large amount of private wine. The only one is Damon who was burned down a few days ago."
Home..."
"Correction, it was not burned down..." Victor responded sideways.
Arthur's eyes suddenly narrowed into slits.
"That's it...haha"
……
In Missouri, some people can drink comfortably in small town taverns, while others brave the scorching sun and walk in the middle of the barren land.
It was an escort wearing a black old cowboy hat. He had crossed a large area of uninhabited land in the past few days, exhausted his horse, and finally arrived at a lost valley that had not been inhabited for thousands of years.
Outside.
There is a terrifying and huge depression there, like an irregular crater smashed by a meteorite. Strong winds are gathering towards the center. Dark clouds are covering the top of the head. Three tornadoes under the crater are sucking yellow sand and flying violently towards it.
The sky.
Adolf's face was wrapped in a dark cloth. He stood on the edge of the pit and stared at the unknown promised land below.
""Pandera's Eternal Fire"... I finally found the Zoroastrian ruins recorded above."