Browns

But her worry was too early.

As soon as she brought up Mr. Van der Linde, the mood on site altered entirely.

The five carriages that had just past or were waiting to pass all halted, and the drivers on each one drew out their guns. Their eyes were full of alertness, even though they weren't pointed at Miss Camille and her group.

"Miss, I think you need to make it clear what you really want!" Damn it, Mr. Van der Linde has never done anything to make you mad! And if you don't make it plain, I don't think you'll be able to go out of here!

"Yes, if you want to target Mr. Van der Linde, I guarantee you'll have to step over my dead body!" 

"Damn it, no one brings thirty gunmen when cooperating! This isn't working together; it's showing who's in charge!

Some carriages even sped to the front and back of the caravan, blocking the highways. And it wasn't only them; a lot of other carriages had also arrived. Almost two out of every three carriages had passengers stop their cars and take out guns to protect against the convoy in front of them.

However, what struck Miss Camille even more was that most of the aggressive persons in these trains were elderly adults in their forties or fifties, while the young people and women all leaped out of the coaches and lay on the ground. 

Damn it, do the inhabitants in this place have some kind of odd Hobbies? This isn't how you avoid danger, is it? They don't even conceal behind cover, they just lie there! 

Of course, none of that matters. What's crucial now is how to prevent the situation from growing further! 

Miss Camille felt at a loss for the first time. The behavior of these merchant organisations was too odd; their emotions were just unfathomable. Was Mr. Van der Linde truly that charming? Even requesting for information was considered ill-intentioned? 

Damn it, what procedures did Dutch Van der Linde use? 

Why did even these commercial groupings, who had nothing to do with him, hold him in such high regard? They revered him more honestly than their own ancestors? 

Fortunately, however, Mr. Brown displayed his effectiveness for the first time in front of Miss Camille. 

"Hey hey hey, gentlemen, gentlemen! I'm Rhodes Brown, the president of Morgan Bank in Saint Denis! Some of you should have seen me, right? Or heard about me! Mr. Van der Linde and I have long since struck a cooperation to jointly develop the mines in New Hanover. Gentlemen, you must have heard of me. Listen to me, we honestly have no evil intentions. This is a lady from our Morgan Family who arrived from the East. She's here particularly to handle collaboration concerns with Mr. Van der Linde, and the shooters we brought are to assure Miss Camille's protection. You know how dangerous the West is, with numerous gangs running rampant! And being a member of the Morgan Family, Miss Camille's safety cannot be compromised! So, this is merely a misunderstanding, fellas, we didn't raise our firearms at you immediately!" 

Mr. Brown, clear and comprehensive, rushed to Miss Camille's side and explained to the alert merchants. 

As he explained, and as the merchants glanced at their clothes, a couple of them began to waver. 

"Ah, I think I did see this gentleman. Last time he was riding with Mr. Van der Linde, and it looked he was actually Mr. Van der Linde's partner." 

"Probably! I also heard that Mr. Van der Linde is partnering with the Morgan Family to establish a mine." 

"Ah? Then didn't we execute a nice deed with evil intentions? Damn it, what shall we do? We cost Mr. Van der Linde a loss!" 

The people from the trade groups muttered among themselves, but in actuality, everyone could hear them. 

After a round of deliberation, they finally concluded that this episode was certainly a misunderstanding. 

"Oh, dear lady, I am extremely sorry that we gave you this fright. Lady, this error is all my fault. Please punish me. This situation has nothing to do with Mr. Van der Linde. I trust my acts will not hinder your collaboration with Mr. Van der Linde, otherwise, I would die ten thousand deaths without regret!" 

The father, who had just been alert, quickly softened. He hurriedly put his gun back into his carriage, and then leaped out of the carriage, really kneeling directly in front of Miss Camille, his face filled with the terror and guilt of having committed a mistake. (This arrangement would normally be impossible in the West; women had no status, and men would not kneel before women. It's apparent that for Mr. Van der Linde, this old father had abandoned his dignity.) 

It didn't matter if his business was harmed, but if Mr. Van der Linde was affected, then he would truly be a sinner! 

His friends, relatives, and family would never forgive him! He would be abandoned by his family, reviled by his friends and relations, and eventually he would depart this land alone. Because he himself would have no face to continue living here. 

The few individuals lying on the ground also stood up, standing by helplessly, while the other old men in the other carriages also got out from their carriages, each bending their heads in humiliation and pleading Miss Camille for punishment. 

Their state of being surprised Miss Camille to the point of fear. 

Damn it, what kind of spell did Dutch Van der Linde put on them? Making them even surrender their dignity and kneel directly before her, a woman? 

Let alone in the West, even in the East, no male would surrender his dignity like this to bend before a woman for a tiny error! 

And this wasn't just one guy suddenly transforming; this group of individuals who were merely nasty were now all overcome with shame and despair, acknowledging their mistake. This showed that Van der Linde's influence had thoroughly reached each of their hearts! 

Damn it, damn it, if Van der Linde's impression in her head was already mysterious and powerful, now it was starting to become a bit terrifying! 

Miss Camille felt that her prior re-evaluation might need to be re-evaluated again. 

He had great influence, an extraordinarily bright mind, and now he also demonstrated terrible influence, even deeply ingrained in the hearts of the common people. 

This kind of powerful, mysterious, and frightening display of authority she had never seen in anyone, not even her father! 

Looking at the abruptly changed sight before her, Miss Camille took a deep breath, recovering from the shock in her heart. 

She finally spoke, "Alright, sir, please stand up. I think this is just a misunderstanding." 

"Re-really?" The old man was still a little incredulous. 

"Of course, it's merely a misunderstanding." Miss Camille nodded, even signalling to Mr. Brown to come forward and help the elderly father up. 

"Oh, thank you, dear lady. May Mr. Van der Linde bless you with a healthy and fruitful life!" The old father eventually let out a breath of relief, and he didn't know how surprised Miss Camille, who had just calmed down, was by his inadvertent comments. 

"Damn it, what does 'May Mr. Van der Linde bless you with a healthy and prosperous life' mean? Isn't it God? Isn't it Jesus? Oh, sh*t! Has Mr. Van der Linde become like God in their hearts?" 

Miss Camille was breathing carefully, easing the jolt in her heart. Her usual European-American blue eyes were filled with fear. She fought hard to repress her series of enquiries, attempting to calm herself down. 

But her heart was now filled with homicidal purpose against Mr. Brown. 

Damn it, Van der Linde has developed to such a scale here, and you still know nothing? You even gloated about robbing him! 

"Whew! Well, thank you, sir. Can we resume our prior topic? I want to know whether you're genuinely not worried about the gangs here when doing business? I heard this place isn't too tranquil after all. And even if Mr. Van der Linde swept out the existing gangs, new ones might develop, or they might not have been totally cleared out." 

The audience, forgiven by Miss Camille, gathered around, everyone speaking to answer Miss Camille's enquiries, as if to atone for their prior transgression. 

"Of course not afraid, Miss Camille. Mr. Van der Linde has entirely emptied up this home. We've lived here for a month, and there are no gang members at all. You don't even have to be afraid to camp and sleep here at night; no one will come to steal or rob you! Of course, you still need to look out for alligators and dangerous snakes." 

"Yes, you actually don't need to arrange so many gunmen. It's entirely needless. Mr. Van der Linde's bunkers are just there. I heard there are two Maxim guns available at all times to maintain security. With them present, no one dares to rob on this path. Those damn gang members, if they dare to appear here, they will meet Mr. Van der Linde's ruthless Eliminate!" 

"Yes, Mr. Van der Linde said he would create an absolutely safe environment for us, and it will be absolutely safe…" Everyone chattered about Mr. Van der Linde's excellent actions, but Miss Camille, listening nearby, abruptly froze. 

"Wait! You said those two little mounds are bunkers, not some dumb swampy, moving terrain?" 

"Yes, they're bunkers. Otherwise, why would we have forced the children lie on the ground just now? We absolutely needed to dodge the Maxim gun's sweeping fire!" The old father said as a matter of course. 

Who doesn't know this? This is also why they are so at ease! 

"Bunkers? Damn it, you said those two little mounds are bunkers?" Miss Camille's voice had already warped as she pointed to the swampy, changing terrain that Mr. Brown had mentioned in the distance, losing her voice. 

My gosh, two bunkers? 

Two bunkers near the entrance of Saint Denis? 

And that damn Rhodes Brown said it was muddy, changing terrain! 

Oh, sh*t! Rhodes Brown! 

You no longer have a purpose to exist!!!