48 Hours a Day

However, when they arrived at their destination, they found that Ghulja had already been engulfed by flames, leaving behind only a ground filled with burnt bodies.

Matthew got off his horse, stood in the middle of the town, and looked up. There were broken houses everywhere, and no living creatures could be found.

“I told you that they all died in the fire.”

Zhang Heng would have definitely recognized the one who just spoke. The bailiff named Morton that he encountered by chance on the first night he entered this world. However, he didn’t look like he was in a perfect state. His eyes were bruised, the bridge of his nose was broken, and at least four or five teeth were missing from his mouth. He was tied on a horse, and he wasn’t talking properly since his teeth were missing.

“I don’t believe your tale about the mysterious Oriental gunman... I’ve lived in Lincoln County for so long, and I have never seen such a person,” Matthew frowned.

“As I said, if it weren’t for that night, I wouldn’t have believed that such a strange person lived in this world. He is like a mysterious ghost. No one knows where he comes from. I followed the direction he came from and asked the nearby towns, and no one had ever seen such a person! He seemed to have suddenly materialized in the Gobi. He killed seven good shooters in the bar and carried forty kilograms of gold and the thing you were looking for. When I met him, I did hear him say that he was going to Lincoln County.”

“Then let’s go to Lincoln County,” said the hunched old man.

“No, I won’t go to Lincoln County with you.” Matthew shook his head. “I know what you are trying to do here. Cook, you deliberately revealed my name to Bliss’ folk when you kidnapped this man over here,” Matthew pointed at Morton on horseback, “Using this method to get me stuck with Cook’s Gang?”

“You are a Cook Gang member and one of its founders,” the old hunchback casually said.

“No, I have nothing to do with your gang, and Lucky Horseshoes has nothing to do with Cook’s gang either,” Matthew said. “Are you putting up an act right now, Cook? You and this guy named Morton? You both are ganging up to make me stay in Cook Gang. You went through so much trouble just to trick me into going to Lincoln County with you.”

“You think too highly of me, boy,” the old hunchback muttered. He then took out a box of chewing tobacco, “I am not from the United Pacific Railway Company. Hence, the bailiff here will not serve me. While traveling, I’ve been thinking about getting you to go to Lincoln County with me. However, it seems that the problem has been resolved. it’s all probably fate.”

“I don’t believe in shitty fate,” Matthew responded.

“I didn’t believe it before as well. But if it were not for fate, we would all be sitting together in your house now. You will be holding your son, and I will be holding my granddaughter. We would be drinking cold beer and having a laugh over daily life. And Mary... Mary would be preparing dinner in the kitchen.”

Cook paused, “But you are right. Fate doesn’t exist. This is a dog-eat-dog world. I do not regret establishing the Cook Gang; I only regret that I did not do it earlier. I allowed myself to be blinded by the happy life that I once had. Just like you now. The cruel reality will wake us up one day. I heard that you married another woman in Lincoln County, and she gave birth to a daughter.”

“This is between us. Don’t involve them,” Matthew warned.

The old hunchback smiled. “It is not me you should be worrying about, but the fate you spoke of. Aren’t you afraid that what happened to Mary will happen to them again?” Matthew fell into silence upon hearing this.

“Look how fragile your so-called happiness is. There are too many powerful people in this world, like the directors of the United Pacific Railroad. You are just an ant under their feet, Matthew. You don’t know when the world will crumble upon you. Know where I went after the three of us were separated?”

“Where?”

“I took the train to the east coast.”

“Then why come back?”

“What, did you really think I headed to New York to enjoy my retirement?” The hunched old man laughed. “No, I will carry out my revenge to the end. I am going to kill United Pacific Railroad’s director. I have come up with a plan for myself if I get caught. Since Mary is no longer in this world, I don’t want to live anymore... Things have gone smoother than I thought. I slipped into the target’s house without much effort. Those from the East Coast are different from us.

Their alertness is almost nonexistent. Before I kill him, I even had the opportunity to indulge his wife before him. And then I noticed the way he looked at me, so frightened and helpless, like a puppy in the rain. At that moment, I suddenly realized that I had become his fate.” “What are you trying to say here? “Matthew frowned.

“My point is that if you wish to get rid of this tragic fate of infinite loops, you have to become fate itself,” Cook said. “Join us, Matthew, stop being a fate’s pawn. We have forty fearless men with us. With their excellent marksmanship, the entire west is our hunting ground.

“Since you already have more than forty allies, why do you want me to join your gang?” “Because we are related, Matthew. I have always treated you as my son. Your bloodline makes you less popular in town. I took you in and taught you how to use a gun, ride a horse, and let you marry my daughter. You were like me when I was young. Join us, and I will continue to guide you.”

“Guide me to? To hell with you?”

“This ending is not too bad. If we work together, we can kill the devil even if we tumble in the depths of hell.”

The old hunchback looked with anticipation at Matthew.

Then the latter shook his head. “No, Cook, I still have a wife and a daughter. I can’t be a robber with you. The revenge is over. We killed an entire town. It’s over. The love I have for Mary is no less than you. Because of this, I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to see you like this. You just inflict whatever pain you have suffered on others. What different are you from Reuben then?”

“I’m stronger than him. That’s why I survived,” the old hunchback replied. “On this land, only the strong win the right to survive. Unfortunately, Matthew, you are not strong enough. But it doesn’t matter. You will be strong enough soon. Come on, son. Let us both welcome a new future together.”