Chapter 11
Whoosh.
There were about 10 Red Beard Gang members looking down at us from above the canyon.
Among them, besides the gang leader Edward Wild, also known as Red Beard, other gang executives were visible.
They all had Sharps rifles on their backs, but...
Only Red Beard was aiming his gun at us.
Stay calm.
Earlier, Red Beard tried to drive us away, saying this was private property and we shouldn't enter.
Of course, this wasn't really their private property.
Yet, the reason they're trying to verbally drive us away by mentioning private property was...
They're being cautious too. They're on the run, so they don't want to cause unnecessary commotion.
If they knew I was a bounty hunter targeting them, they would have shot immediately.
These guys didn't realize who I was... or what happened to the gang members who came to Justice Town.
So I shouted back at him confidently, "What do you mean private property!? There should be a mine my father operated inside!"
"..."
The Red Beard Gang had definitely set up camp in an abandoned mine.
I was acting as a family member of the mine owner.
"This is quite confusing, the canyon up to here is clearly our family's land, yet you're talking about private property!"
"..."
Surprised by the sudden appearance of someone claiming to be the real owner, they didn't respond immediately.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, I gestured to Red Beard and shouted, "You with the red hair, you're the leader of that group, right? It's frustrating to talk from this distance, why don't you come closer!"
As I said this, I casually moved my hand closer to my holster.
They were taking cover in advantageous positions, prepared for any situation.
Given the current terrain, we were at an overwhelming disadvantage.
But if Red Beard lowered his guard and came forward even a little...
I planned to shoot him immediately and use the ensuing chaos to wipe out the rest of them.
But...
"...I think it would be better for you to come up here rather than me going down!"
Hooh...
Red Beard seemed more cautious than I thought, calling me to his side instead of coming down himself.
The visible numbers were 2 on our side and about 10 on theirs at a glance. Plus, they were all armed with rifles...
He probably thought he was safe next to his subordinates.
However...
"Alright! I'll come up there!"
I gladly accepted his proposal.
"Joe, move forward."
"Mr. N-Noah...! What are you planning...!"
"Don't worry and go. And..."
I whispered to Joe, who was making an exaggerated expression, "If a gunfight breaks out, hide in the wagon bed."
"...!"
In the wagon bed, I pointed to, Verdi was trembling, almost in a state of panic as soon as the Red Beard Gang appeared.
"..."
Seeing Verdi like that, Joe also started trembling, probably anticipating what was about to happen.
I patted Joe's shoulder and smiled.
"Joe, you know making big money isn't easy, right?"
"..."
"If you understand, move forward."
"...Yes."
Though his hands were shaking, Joe finally grabbed the reins.
His face was pale, but... Joe's eyes were alive.
This was a big reason why I brought Joe along.
If it were an ordinary coachman, I would have come alone no matter how troublesome.
But Joe, whom I had observed while staying in Justice Town, had this fire in his eyes.
So I believed that even if something happened, Joe would handle it calmly on his own.
Clop clop—clop clop.
As the wagon moved forward, the Red Beard Gang members also came down from the canyon to meet us.
The distance between us was closing... and the cover hiding the Red Beard Gang members was gradually disappearing.
Good... just a little more...
I slowly moved my hand towards my holster and set priorities on who to kill first.
First, take out the leader Red Beard and other executives with fanning rapid fire.
Once all 6 bullets were spent, finish off the remaining 4 with the gun on the other side.
I brought a Sharps rifle just in case, but looks like I won't need it.
I didn't expect things to turn out like this, but it was even better.
I inwardly planned to quickly dispose of these guys, then go to their camp and take all the bank money they stole.
Clop clop—clop clop.
Alright, just a little more...!
And... just as the distance closed and my plan was about to be completed...
"Aaaagh-! I'm sorry! Brother!!"
"...!"
...An unexpected person jumped out.
It was Verdi, the youngest of the Red Beard Gang, who had been trembling in the wagon bed.
"You, you...!"
"Youngest!"
"Verdi!!"
Surprised by Verdi's sudden appearance from the wagon bed, the Red Beard Gang stopped approaching and...
Click.
"You bastard!"
"What's your identity!"
...raised their guns.
Damn it...
There was no time to regret the suddenly overturned situation.
The distance was still far, and their wariness had suddenly increased.
If a gunfight started right now, there was a high chance it would play out unfavorably for me.
Having made a quick judgment, I...
Swish—
"...Huh?! W-why are you..."
I pulled Verdi over and tucked him under my arm...
Click.
"Hey, you bastards! If you move even a little, I'll shoot your youngest kid dead!"
Then I drew my gun and cocked the hammer.
"...!"
"...That bastard...!"
As expected, when I took Verdi hostage, they couldn't easily shoot.
Most gangs were made up of blood brothers or long-time comrades who had shared hardships.
It would be difficult for these guys, who valued loyalty above all, to easily shoot a captured comrade.
But...
"..."
Seeing a certain look on the face of Red Beard, the leader, I immediately whispered to Joe in the driver's seat, "Joe..."
"...Yes."
"Cuando dispara, simplemente corre." (TL Note: “When shoot, simply run.” That's a very literal translation of the Spanish Author wrote out. In case you're wondering, yes he did write it in Spanish instead of Hangul.)
"Huh? Ah...! Yes, yes...! I'll do that...!"
I spoke in a language only Joe could understand, in case they might hear.
Joe, who clearly understood my words, nodded while trembling.
At that moment, the gang leader Red Beard, who seemed to have finally grasped the situation to some extent, pointed his rifle at us and asked.
"You... You came targeting us, didn't you."
"..."
"Are you a sheriff? Or a bounty hunter? You couldn't have come here alone... where are your companions?"
It's a bluff for now.
"I am Sheriff Jett Gray of Justice Town-!"
"...!"
Saying this, I took out Jett's sheriff badge that I had stashed away and showed it.
When I mentioned being a sheriff and pulled out the badge, Joe and Verdi were the first to flinch.
Still, they didn't show it much and remained silent.
"Willie Merikes' gang, who dared to swarm into Justice Town without fear, has already been caught! And there are 30 deputies from Justice Town and Lincoln County spread out in this area!"
"What...?!"
"Brother Willie was caught?"
"30 deputies?"
"Damn it...!"
The gang members started to stir at my boastful words.
Good, it's working.
"If you don't all want bullets in your heads, drop your weapons and surrender immediately!"
The best-case scenario here would be for the scared guys to surrender on their own.
Of course, the probability of that was extremely low, but...
Let me try to get an easy job done for once.
I prayed for some stroke of luck to make such an impossible miracle happen.
But...
Bang—!
"......"
"......"
Contrary to my expectations, a single gunshot rang out.
The one who was shot was...
"Ugh... Big Brother... why..."
Verdi, the youngest of the Red Beard Gang whom I was holding hostage.
The gang leader Red Beard, who had shot Verdi, lowered his rifle and spoke coldly, "...So our youngest sold out his brothers' location to the sheriffs to save himself."
"..."
"You all know. Traitors only deserve death."
Click.
Red Beard reloaded his gun and shouted to his subordinates.
"You all!!! Think about what's behind us! And fight!! Whether it's 30 or 300 government dogs, we're fighting to protect what's precious to us-!"
"Waaah!"
"Let's fight!"
Seemingly inspired by Red Beard's shout, the other gang members also raised their guns and yelled.
And taking advantage of that moment...
"Hiyah!!!!"
"...Huh?!"
Joe whipped the horses pulling the wagon and made a sudden start.
As we suddenly rushed forward, we could hear the gang members' bewildered voices.
"B-Brother?! Those guys are running away?"
"They're heading towards our camp-!"
"S-shoot! Don't let them go forward!"
And then they started shooting to try to stop us from leaving, but...
Bang—!
Bang—! Bang!
"Damn it...!"
"It could be the enemy's trap, so search the surroundings and pursue slowly!"
They couldn't forcibly stop the wagon that had already rushed ahead.
The guys who were on top of the canyon couldn't immediately follow us.
Having escaped their encirclement, we rushed forward as if we didn't know what was behind us.
"Joe, run! Just fucking run!!"
"Yessssssss!!"
Joe's sudden start of the wagon as soon as Red Beard shot wasn't a spontaneous action.
That phrase that only Joe, being of Spanish descent, could understand.
— Cuando dispara, simplemente corre.
When those guys shoot, simply run.
I spoke in Spanish in case other guys might hear and find it suspicious...
And Joe understood this and executed it brilliantly.
"But Mr. Noah! How did you know they would shoot and give the order in advance?"
"You can tell just by looking."
Originally, gang members value loyalty.
But from Justice Town, the Red Beard Gang guys were a bit different.
They didn't care much even when their subordinates died.
The Red Beard Gang wasn't just a gang, but had a rational side, like soldiers accurately carrying out objectives.
I thought such guys wouldn't care about the life of one gang member.
"Mr. Noah. How is Verdi's condition?"
At Joe's words, I looked down at Verdi lying there bleeding.
He hadn't been breathing for a while now.
"He's dead."
Red Beard's bullet had hit Verdi's heart precisely.
His shooting skills are excellent...
The Sharps rifle was a military weapon.
To handle such a Sharps rifle so well meant...
Maybe these Red Beard Gang guys really are ex-military...
Thinking this might be possible, I closed Verdi's eyes, which had died open.
"Tsk tsk, I really was going to save him, why did he have to act up."
I had no resentment towards Verdi, who had messed things up.
He had paid for it with his life.
Planning to exchange Verdi's body for bounty later, I moved him to the back of the wagon bed for now.
Then I patted Joe's shoulder and urged him, "Joe, run faster before those guys catch up."
"...By the way, Mr. Noah. You told me to go forward so I'm going, but where exactly are we heading?"
"I told you there's a Red Beard Gang camp ahead. We're going there."
The Red Beard Gang was said to have about 20 members.
But we took out 7 gang members in Justice Town, and there were 10 guys in the canyon just now, so there shouldn't be many left at the main camp.
What's in their camp?
Probably bundles of cash they stole from the Wells Fargo Bank.
And...
— You all!!! Think about what's behind us! And fight!! Whether it's 30 or 300 government dogs, we're fighting to protect what's precious to us!
Thinking back on Red Beard's words earlier, I felt there might be something else hidden besides the cash.
"By the way, Mr. Noah. When did you learn Spanish?"
"Oh, that was when I was in New Mexico… This is privacy, so don't ask and just drive the wagon faster."
What could they be hiding?
Entering the empty main camp bloodlessly and looting it would be more enjoyable than anything else.
I excitedly rushed forward with Joe, anticipating what might be in the Red Beard Gang camp.