A month passed like this. During this month, John accepted two bounties. One was for the black widow Ellie Anne Swann. This sweet lady killed her mother in order to run away with her boyfriend, but after all, she was a powerful woman. A weak wild girl, John conquered her in two or three strokes. Another time it was a ruthless character, Edmund Deleric, a perverted murderer active in the southeast of Valentine. The reward for him had been posted two years ago. The few bounty hunters who accepted the reward later became There was no news. This time John used a clever trick and worked with Sheriff Malloy to kill him, so the number of Valentine's disappearances was reduced a lot.
One afternoon, the sun was shining brightly and the weather was clear. After freshening up in the town, John planned to go to the police station to see if there were any new cases. As soon as he walked into the police station, John saw more than a dozen police officers arrived. Solm, Williams, Sam, and Rook were talking about something there. Chief Malloy looked serious as if something big was going on. Happened, Malloy relaxed his eyebrows slightly when he saw John walking in curiously.
"John! I haven't seen you for a few days, and there's a new case." Sheriff Malloy said.
"Everyone is here. It seems that this person is extraordinary, so where is the poster?" John asked. In his mind, there was no bounty target worth chasing by so many people.
"No, this is not the same as simply arresting people. This is a general strike of mine workers from Annesburg. The states of Ambarino, New Hanover, and Lemoyne all have the responsibility to send police officers to suppress that damned one. Strike movement," Chief Malloy said.
"Are we all going?" John asked.
"How is that possible? You and your old partner Fowler go to explore the situation. I will stay with a few police officers to continue to maintain public order in this town. If something goes wrong, I will come." Police Officer Malloy Long story.
"Do you hear that clearly John? We're going to leave immediately," said Mr. Fowler.
Sheriff Malloy stretched out his hand to stop the people who were about to leave: "Wait, don't be stupid enough to ride a horse across dozens of miles. You go to Wallace Station and take the train. Someone will receive you. Your horses only need to stay there. Valentine enjoys the delicious forage, you hear that, John Milton? That's your new name."
After everyone walked out, Sheriff Malloy called John to his side.
"I asked you to catch the train at Wallace Station for another reason. I think you have guessed it, right? Do your best to investigate the train robbery incident. I am not done with those you call "pioneers". "
Half an hour later, John and his party arrived at Wallace Station. Mr. Fowler went to handover work with the special person arranged by Sheriff Malloy, while John bought some chewing tobacco and tequila in the store attached to Wallace Station. Liquor, it can be seen that the owner of Wallace's store has obviously changed recently, because the new owner is very clumsy. While looking for goods, he would look up at John from time to time and mutter apologetic words. John knew from this. The original shop owner was probably killed directly by the pioneers.
In any case, they boarded the train on time, and it didn't take long to see the sparse houses and chimneys emitting black smoke on both sides of the tracks.
"Some people say that sooner or later these towns will be connected," Mr. Fowler said.
Annesburg Railway Station seems to be a transfer station, where conductors buy large quantities of coal and other supplies. John gets acquainted with an old Indian named Luo Yu. From the conversation, he learns that Luo Yu came back from Canada to express condolences for his deceased son. I'll take the train back tonight.
"That was such a long journey!" John sighed.
After sending Luo Yu away, John, Mr. Fowler, Solm, Williams, Sam, and Luke walked towards the street. Seeing that Annesburg did not send anyone to receive them, Mr. Fowler ordered John and Williams went to the streets to investigate the strike, while he and the rest of the group went to the local police station or security station, so John took this opportunity to take a tour of the first industrialized city in his life.
In the residential area facing the hills of Annesburg, John heard the following conversation.
"You never listen to me! I'm like playing the piano to a cow." said a female voice.
"Then what do you think of me?" a man said, his voice rough and thick, it should be a conversation between a couple.
"I don't want you to continue to be a miner, okay?"
"Do you want me to go back to being a pickpocket? Huh?" John saw that the man was short, wearing a miner's lamp on his head, and his clothes were dirty. "I'm supporting my family."
"But if your lungs break, you won't be able to support your family." The woman almost shouted, "What if there's another collapse?"
"Hey, how many times have I told you...it will get better. When I make enough money, we will move to Valentine and find a clean and easy farm job, so we don't have to worry about my health."
"Oh, yeah, who's going to change this? ... You? Or Jameson? He's just going to make you work yourself to death!" the woman sobbed.
"I've had enough! I went to work to make money." After saying this, the man walked towards the mine with a look of helplessness.
"Then go! Look, I still don't care about you coming back! Is there not a single person with normal intelligence in this town? That fool, I love him and hate him, he is covered in soot every day and coughs until midnight."
Seeing this scene, John and Williams stepped forward, trying to comfort the wife as much as possible.
When the woman saw two men in police uniforms approaching, she immediately wiped away her tears.
"Oh, gentlemen, I didn't see you over there."
"It's fine."
"Don't arrest my husband because of the strike. He is one of the few people who are still working. Jameson said that workers who have resumed work will be paid as usual. Our family is very poor... He is completely opposed to the strike. !Don’t catch him!”
"Ma'am, no."
The miner's wife told John that the strike started a week ago, when a guard's negligence caused the mine to collapse and nine miners were killed. Her husband escaped death and survived. Subsequently, the workers refused to work the next day in great grief. Jameson, the mine manager, doubled the salary to stimulate the workers to return to work, but with little effect.
"John, it's time to go. Mr. Jameson asked Sir Marlin to greet us." Mr. Fowler came over.
Mr. Fowler said that Sir Marlin was waiting for them at the entrance of the mine on the mountain. The way up the mountain was a wooden staircase, next to a round pipe for unknown purpose. There were huts painted with red paint along the way. It is said to be a temporary residence for the mine guards and miners.
"After the general strike, some workers went home, and some still lived here. The guards were well-equipped and large in number, but they still couldn't do anything to the workers," Mr. Fowler explained.
When we reached the top of the mountain, we were greeted by the smell of coal tar mixed with anthracene oil, and of course the lingering smoke. Among the countless tiny gray particles, a formally dressed gentleman holding a cane bowed. Meeting gift.
"Gentlemen from Valentine, I am Sir Marin, the chief law enforcement officer of Annesburg. Welcome to this city where capital and development are paramount." Sir Marin gave John and the others a contemptuous look and continued. "It is no exaggeration to say that we were the pioneers of southern industry, supplying nearly all the iron ore products of New Hanover and the surrounding states," said the company.
"And these black smokes that you are most proud of...cough cough...it's not hard to imagine that most of you are suffering from lung diseases." Solm couldn't understand this man's arrogance, so he even pretended to cough for this reason.
Sir Marlin's face immediately darkened. The anger in his chest could be seen from the tense muscles on his face, but as a master, he must not lose his posture. Sir Marlin put his hands on the cane and used it to hit him hard. He pounded the floor a few times and said, "It's indeed smoky here, but if it's for the development of the mining industry, I believe the workers will be proud of it."
"No one is proud of being sick and goes on strike because of it," Williams retorted, knowing that both he and John had seen what happened to the miners' family.
Sir Marlin said with a straight face: "I think you all know that the current situation is not suitable for joking. And Chief Fowler, please take care of your people and don't let your subordinates be too indulgent. This will only bring you troubles." . For this brother, don’t put aside the essence of production and look at the cost of pollution. There are some things that country bumpkins won’t understand.”
"What a prude." John thought, "If what Sir Marlin said is true, then he can handle the strike alone, but this poor guy called in foreign aid and wanted to show off, which no one will allow. "
