War

"Oh, fuck! Dutch, you're insane!" Arthur exploded, thrusting himself upright from the sofa, his body coiling with a sudden, agitated energy. His eyebrows were pulled together so tightly they almost met, a deep furrow etched between them as his eyes widened in disbelief. "This is a war, and it's a war against the United States Government!" He spread his hands wide, palms up, in a gesture of utter incredulity. "Oh, I'm sure that if we launch a coup in Saint Denis, the United States Federal Government will then have a reason to directly send troops against us!"

He took a step forward, then another, his voice rising in pitch with each word. "Dutch, Guarma is Guarma, Lemoyne is Lemoyne." He chopped his hands through the air, separating the concepts as if physically delineating boundaries. "The United States Federal Government might agree to us taking Guarma, but they definitely won't agree to us taking Saint Denis and Lemoyne!"

Arthur shook his head vigorously, his agitation evident in every line of his body. "No, no, no, your plan is just too crazy, Dutch. We can't do this! The United States Federal Government will definitely seize the opportunity, and Mr. Cornwall will certainly use this as a reason to deploy his army!" His final words were punctuated by a frustrated gesture, a hand raking through his hair.

Damn it, he had indeed felt that Dutch was getting crazier lately, but he never expected Dutch to be this crazy! He wanted to send troops against the Saint Denis Government at the drop of a hat, launch a coup at the drop of a hat, and even directly started seizing Mr. Cornwall's tar factory and Annesburg. This truly terrified him!

Listening to Arthur's impassioned rebuttal, Dutch merely leaned back in his chair, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips. He showed no displeasure; indeed, he seemed quite pleased, a soft nod of approval accompanying Arthur's outburst.

"Very good, Arthur, very good." Dutch's voice was calm, almost patronizing, as he regarded his protégé. He nodded slowly, a proud glint in his eye. "It seems your progress during this period has indeed been considerable, and you've already seen the hidden drawbacks. I think I can confidently entrust other matters to you in the future, Arthur." He waved a dismissive hand, a gesture of reassurance. "As for your concerns just now, it's not a problem, Arthur."

Dutch leaned forward slightly, his eyes holding Arthur's, a persuasive cadence entering his voice. "Our momentum is already established, Arthur." He spread his hands wide, encompassing an invisible map before them. "Our bunkers now cover every corner of New Hanover, and our bunkers can form concentrated firepower!" He clenched his fist then opened it, a gesture of immense power. "The people of New Hanover will become our logistics and troop reserves when necessary, which gives us enough confidence to undertake some major operations." A knowing, almost smug, look crossed his face. "In other words, the cost of attacking us is too great; they can only turn a blind eye to some of our less excessive actions!"

He settled back, a picture of calm confidence. "Moreover, we are not directly stealing Lemoyne, nor are we directly stealing Saint Denis. Instead, we are merely keeping the Saint Denis Senators confined in Saint Denis." Dutch's hands mimed closing a cage, a subtle, almost playful gesture. "They still act as their Saint Denis dignitaries, they are still the legitimate Saint Denis Senators and legitimate officials, and they can still use their power to manage Saint Denis and Lemoyne, just with a few more of our overseers by their side." He tapped his chest.

"Arthur, is this treason?" Dutch paused, allowing the question to hang in the air, then shook his head decisively, a slight, almost imperceptible smirk touching his lips. "No, child! Lemoyne still belongs to the United States Federal Government, and even its management personnel haven't changed at all; they merely live under my will." He flicked his wrist dismissively. "As long as we continue to regularly pay them dollars, this has no impact whatsoever on the United States Federal Government, and even less so on the capitalists who control America behind the scenes. That's why they won't risk so much over such a small matter!" He pounded his fist lightly on the table, a low thud, emphasizing his next point. "And no American general would dare to directly face our bunker clusters! Because this place holds no profit for them!"

Dutch leaned forward conspiratorially, his voice dropping slightly. "Arthur, America is a capitalist society; capitalists are the true controllers. And now, we haven't committed treason, nor have we impacted their interests. At the same time, clearing us out would not only consume a lot of resources and manpower but also yield no returns." He shrugged, as if the logic were irrefutable.

"Therefore, our actions will still be like Guarma—unquestioned!" He stated, a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

"As for Mr. Cornwall," Dutch's voice took on a sharper edge, a hint of disdain creeping in, "the reason he's powerful is his collusion with the governments of the western states. But now that New Hanover and Lemoyne have become ours, his words will no longer carry any weight." He made a chopping motion with his hand, as if severing a connection. "And all his businesses can only become sustenance for our Van der Linde Gang! And he deserves nothing more than to be thrown into the Lemoyne River, to become alligator food!" He made a dramatic, almost violent, flinging motion with his hand, as if casting something away.

"Damn the Saint Denis Government, damn the Saint Denis dignitaries!" Dutch's voice rose, filled with a simmering rage, his eyes flashing. "I said it before, I would keep them penned up in Saint Denis like pigs," his hands closed into fists, squeezing, "making them watch their families slowly decline, making them live in the terror of assassination and the helplessness of being confined! Making them understand that they are just sheep penned by a hunter!" He spread his arms wide, a vindictive smile stretching his lips. "And now, the time has finally come to realize it!"

Dutch stood, his posture tall and commanding, his voice resonating through the room, each word weighted with conviction. "From now on, New Hanover and Lemoyne shall have only one voice! And the Saint Denis Port shall only transport the arms of our Van der Linde Gang!" He swept his hand grandly, claiming the territory with his gesture.

"So, go prepare, Arthur," Dutch concluded, pointing a decisive finger at him, his eyes burning with an almost zealous fire. "This is a war, a war we actively started!!!"

Dutch's speech was deafening, Dutch's words made everyone's eyes red, everyone was immersed in the beautiful future Dutch depicted, everyone was immersed in the immense power Dutch spoke of.

Of course, most importantly, what he said was actually not far off the mark.

America in this era was still quite idiosyncratic; the concept of a nation was very weak. Soldiers had no sense of honor in defending their homeland, ordinary people had no sense of pride or unity as citizens of one country, and the upper echelons of power directly served capital. Therefore, profitability was the fundamental reason for the United States Government's operation.

And Dutch focused on this point: He didn't forcibly split America, nor did he launch a coup. At most, a higher capital controlled Lemoyne, playing the same game as those in the upper echelons. The key was that his own power was sufficient, and the area he's in was an undeveloped region in the American East, with little profit to be found for decades, or even a century. This made it feel very unappealing to external forces.

Most importantly, his set of operations was merely what the American upper class had already played out; at most, he was just a larger Mr. Cornwall, not yet significant enough to enter the list of capitalists to be slaughtered and divided in the American East.

Therefore, this is why Dutch felt that the American system was a godsend for him.

This United States Federal system was truly invented for bandits like them! It was so damn farsighted. These damned Americans even knew to leave a way out for their children.