Chapter 66 - The Calm Before The Storm

Meanwhile, at the Rush and Gold gang camp.

"Boss, John's group has returned after collecting money in Lotio County."

"Is that so? It's been a while since I've seen John's face, I should go out."

Justice Town estimated the size of the Rush and Gold gang to be around 40 people.

But...

In fact, there were far more than 40 members in the Rush and Gold gang.

40 gang members remained at the camp, plus 20 more who had just returned after collecting money in other towns.

The Rush and Gold gang was a massive gang with 60 members.

Since 10 members went to William's mansion to help deal with Noah, there were 50 men gathered on this rocky mountain where the camp was located.

"Hey, John! Good work!"

"Boss! Haha, it's been a long time!"

The usually quiet rocky mountain quickly became noisy.

Bert, the leader of the Rush and Gold gang, welcomed his right-hand man John's return and quietly asked him, "...John, did you collect the money well?"

"Haha, Boss! Who do you think I am? I did it perfectly!"

John was on his way back after making the final collection in Lotio County, which the Rush and Gold gang had already thoroughly exploited once.

John answered Bert's question heartily and lifted the tarp of the carriage he had ridden.

There were bundles of cash that ordinary people would hardly see in their lifetime.

"A clean $5,000! We squeezed every last drop out of those Lotio County bastards!"

"Hahaha! John, you've done a great job! How can we not have alcohol on a day like this!? I have a barrel of very expensive whiskey, let's drink that and have fun tonight!"

"Wahaha! It's a party!"

When alcohol was added to a place with 50 dark-skinned men, the atmosphere quickly heated up.

The members, seeing expensive whiskey that was usually hard to come by, went crazy drinking it...

When they got somewhat drunk, they started making slightly unreasonable requests to Bert.

"Um... Boss...! Wouldn't it be a shame if there were no women on a day like this?"

"...Women?"

A member whose cheeks were already red pointed to a quiet warehouse in a corner of the camp and said, "Aren't there many women over there...! I think there's even one special A-grade among them, hehe..."

That warehouse was where the Rush and Gold gang members were keeping village girls they had brought instead of debt.

Looking at the warehouse, the member was already drooling with his eyes rolled back.

But Bert was adamant.

"Hey, you bastard, are you out of your mind? Don't you know we can sell those girls for a higher price if they're virgins? They become worthless once used."

"Tsk... But still, Boss..."

"And I told you not to touch that A-grade girl especially because she's bait to catch a big fish."

The big fish Bert was referring to was Noah.

Understanding this, the subordinate shouted as if protesting, "Come on, that guy must be dead by now, right? 10 of our guys went, and they said they'd bring 10 from there too, so 20 in total, how could that guy still be alive?"

"...That's true."

Bert also thought in his head that the guy must be dead by now.

But why?

Somehow I feel uneasy.

His intuition kept sending him danger signals.

As if walking through a forest full of beasts with bare hands.

So Bert ultimately refused his subordinate's request.

"...Still, don't touch them. We're going to sell that girl too, and used goods lose value."

"Boss is a miser!"

"Drink a lot of alcohol instead. Tsk tsk, I'll give this unlimited."

As the party was proceeding without including the women, that's when it happened.

"B-Boss! Boss!!"

"Huh, what's wrong?"

A member who had been on watch at the outskirts of the camp in shifts ran to Bert with an urgent expression.

"I told you to keep good watch and I'd switch you with someone else later. Ah, have the guys who were dispatched to the rich gentleman's mansion returned?"

"Well..."

As Bert asked while drinking, the subordinate answered with a face as if he had seen a ghost, "It's not our members... that guy has come."

"...What?"

Bert could immediately understand who that guy was.

But how...?

Could that bastard have survived 20 gunslingers?

At the news that Noah had come, the anxiety that had been consuming him since earlier doubled.

For outlaws who always lived life on a tightrope, the most important ability was intuition.

Following his intuition, Bert put down the glass he was drinking from and shouted to the crowd, "Everyone stop!! Pause your drinking for a moment!"

"...!"

The somewhat rowdy Rush and Gold gang all stopped what they were doing and focused at their leader Bert's words.

"Everyone pick up your guns. It seems we have a guest."

"..."

At Bert's order, the subordinates put down their glasses and picked up their weapons.

Click, click.

Revolvers, pistols, rifles, shotguns, etc.

The sight of 50 members making metallic sounds and efficiently preparing their weapons was truly fierce.

"...Let's go."

"Yes!!"

So they headed towards the camp entrance with solemn looks, led by their leader Bert.

And what the gang members encountered at the camp entrance, which had a heavy atmosphere, as if about to start a battle right away, was...

"Huh? What's this? I thought I heard it was lively earlier, weren't you having a party?"

"..."

"Let me join the fun too! Haha!"

…the sight of a man who was clearly drunk, waving his hands around.

***

"Hey! I just ran out of the alcohol I was drinking, let me have some of yours!"

"..."

There was only one emotion Bert felt when he saw Noah who had come to the Rush and Gold gang camp.

It was bewilderment.

What's with this bastard?

20 gunslingers must have attacked him, so how is he alive?

And why on earth did he come here on his own feet?

Could this guy be bait and there are deputies or other gunslingers around...!

Bert first suspected it was a trap and looked around.

But...

"..."

The surroundings were impossibly quiet.

If someone was lying in ambush, it couldn't be this quiet.

Noah was definitely alone.

Should I just have my subordinates shoot him dead right now?

What Noah was holding in his hand was just one whiskey bottle at most.

What was guarding Noah's back was just one horse.

Seeing Noah's appearance that was so careless it was almost begging to be killed, Bert let out a hollow laugh.

Has this bastard gone crazy from drinking?

Judging that he could kill Noah at any time, Bert first shouted and asked him, "Hey, Noah! Did you happen to see our gang members on the way? They must have met you!"

"Ah, those guys? I met them, but I killed them all!"

"What…?"

The gunslingers Bert had sent to kill Noah were the elite of the Rush and Gold gang.

Bert tried to dismiss Noah's words as bluff, but...

"...!"

His mouth corners hardened when he saw the bloodstains soaked all over Noah's clothes.

Thinking that his subordinates might really have all been killed by this guy, Bert held a gun in his hand and asked Noah again, "...Your joke is too much. Forget about my subordinates. What's the reason you came all the way to our camp?"

"I heard my secretary was captured here because of debt! I came to pay off her debt! I can't eat without her!"

"...Ah, I see."

Even the strongest man couldn't use his strength when his precious woman was held hostage.

Bert, feeling a little relieved, gestured for Noah to come to their side.

He planned to ask about the whereabouts of his missing subordinates after capturing and torturing Noah.

"If we're going to talk business, we should see each other's faces. It's dark, so come over here."

"Okay."

Step, step.

At Bert's call, Noah really tied up his horse and walked into the Rush and Gold camp.

...Is this bastard really crazy?

Bert was rather flustered as Noah approached boldly without any fear.

"...We're the cautious type. I'd like you to hand over your gun for a while too."

"Alright."

Thud, thud.

Noah even went as far as handing over all his revolvers and knives.

As Noah disarmed himself willingly, the suspicious Bert gestured to a subordinate.

But...

"There are no hidden weapons."

Soon the subordinate who had finished searching Noah's body shook his head.

Guns and knives were quite bulky.

Even if hidden in underwear, it would be very noticeable.

If they couldn't find any despite that, it meant there really were no hidden weapons.

"..."

This was beyond crying out to be killed, it was like voluntarily putting his neck to a swinging blade.

Noah spoke first to Bert, who was dazed because he couldn't understand the situation at all, "Ah, before that, can I see Emma's face first? I'm worried if she's doing well."

"...Sure."

Why not grant the wish of a man who's about to die anyway?

Bert let out a hollow laugh and guided Noah to the warehouse where Emma and the village girls were.

Of course...

Click, click, click.

Even while moving that short distance, the Rush and Gold gang members aimed their gun muzzles at Noah's head, wary of him.

The sight of dozens of gunslingers aiming their gun muzzles at just one man was truly spectacular.