Sea

Although Mexico claimed to be a dictatorship internally, it was actually not much different from the modern Mexican government. The controlled areas were at loggerheads with various rebel forces' territories. The government could not fully assert its authority, and even within controlled areas, terrorists occasionally caused trouble.

Even the various rebel forces, which had gathered in an encircling manner, could still be called drug cartels, because the environment and sunlight in Mexico were too suitable for growing various drugs. Since the mid-19th century, opium had already been introduced into Mexico, and under the control of old European capital, Mexico had already become a major drug-producing country at this stage.

Although the Mexican government was a dictatorship, it did indeed strengthen Mexico's economy and people's livelihoods, developed the economy and various basic facilities, and at the same time restricted the vigorous development of drug cultivation, making the region not as rampant as it is today.

If it continued to develop this way, Mexico might well become a normal country, but unfortunately, its neighbor was the United States, and across the sea was Europe.

These countries did not give it a chance to develop; a stable regime did not align with the interests of other countries, which meant that Mexico's internal strife almost never ceased.

But now, Dutch has appeared, perhaps there is another turn of events?

"Toot toot toot..."

The whistle sounded, carried far by the wind.

The sound of this whistle, heard from afar, had a profound sense of age, immediately conjuring in one's mind a scene of farewell: a cruise ship sailing away on the sea at sunset, against the shimmering waves.

It could evoke sadness in one's heart.

Javier sat on the edge railing of the ship, leaning against a protrusion behind him, staring blankly at the distant shore.

As the saying goes, the closer to home, the more timid one becomes. Javier was experiencing such a feeling now.

He was born in Nuevo Paraíso, Mexico. Because the area was under the Díaz dictatorship, his wish back then was to become a revolutionary to overthrow Díaz's tyrannical rule. He was persecuted for this and had no choice but to flee to the United States. He joined the Van der Linde Gang in 1885.

It has been fourteen years now.

For fourteen whole years, he had never returned to Mexico. During these fourteen years, his parents passed away, his sister got married, and he himself had been immersed in the beautiful dream of freedom carefully woven by Dutch, unable to extricate himself, sinking deeper and deeper.

He had originally thought that he might never return in his lifetime, but he never expected that due to a robbery in Blackwater, Dutch suddenly changed, and within half a year, he was sent back to his hometown.

This couldn't help but make him feel some tension and fear.

The crisp, cool wind swept across the ship's deck, gently caressing Javier's cheek, deepening the sorrow in his eyes. He couldn't help but pull out a harmonica from his Pregnant, and began to play it along with the howling of the waves.

"Choo~ Choo Choo~~~"

The beautiful melody was carried by the wind, drifting across the deck. Beautiful music always awakens deeply buried emotions in people's hearts, expressing the melancholy of life.

"Oh, the Van der Linde Gang's music master is playing his beautiful and moving music again? He feels good about himself like a damn dancer.

Hey, Javier, if your sister asks you what you've gained from being out all these years, how will you answer?

Are you going to say you've learned a fashionable dressing style?"

The tranquil atmosphere was broken by an annoying voice.

Spurs clattered on the ground, and heavy footsteps approached Javier. Javier's inner sorrow vanished, and cold sweat began to appear on his forehead.

"Oh, Arthur, I didn't provoke you, did I?"

Javier turned his head and looked at Arthur, a little nervous.

This damned person, who is hated by both men and dogs, has become a taboo in the Van der Linde Gang lately.

Everyone now turns and walks away when they see Arthur, because this damned guy's mouth is too foul now, and he always attacks people's weakest points!

For example, Javier likes fashion, trends, and acting cool, so Arthur specifically attacks in that direction.

Listen to what came out of that dog's mouth just now! What does he mean by learning a fashionable dressing style after all these years?

Is that something a human can say?

"Of course not, Javier, I was just joking with you." Arthur chuckled twice, then walked over to Javier and rested his hand on the railing.

"So, we're going back to Mexico this time. Are you sure you're not going to see your only remaining family member?" Arthur looked at the faintly visible Mexican mainland in the distance and said in a deep voice.

"Hmm..." Javier hesitated, his gaze fixed on the water, his thoughts a chaotic mess.

To be honest, he wanted to go back and see his sister, and also visit his parents' graves, but he didn't dare to go back. There was always a sense of fear in his heart.

He dared not face reality.

"Let's go back for a trip, Javier. I'll tell Dutch, and we'll go back with you then.

I think at the very least, you should leave some money, shouldn't you? And give yourself something more to remember." Arthur patted Javier's shoulder.

They had known each other for a long time, a full fourteen years. Arthur knew Javier, who was also a young man, when Arthur was twenty-two.

Over all these years, they basically knew each other's feelings and thoughts completely.

Arthur knew Javier's timidity, so he naturally stepped forward to confirm this choice for him.

Listening to Arthur's persuasion, Javier nodded and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you, Arthur. I just, I just don't know how to face her!"

"It's simple, Javier, just summon the courage you usually use when you're acting cool. I think walking around the camp and city in those flashy clothes takes a lot more courage than going home!"

Arthur smiled and patted Javier's shoulder, then walked towards John, who was lying on a deck chair on the deck.

"Sh*t!, Arthur, I just thought you were a good person!" Javier couldn't hold back.

Meanwhile, Dutch and Hosea, sitting in the luxurious room of the oil tanker, were also conversing.

Bright electric lights illuminated the opulent room. Even in this era, ordinary people could hardly comprehend what luxury truly meant.

For instance, there were countless small Western villages that couldn't even get electricity, yet Mr. Cornwall's luxurious train car used electric lights.

For example, in the hot summer climate, there were piles of ice cubes placed in the room for cooling, to ensure the room remained cool.

The interior of the luxurious oil tanker suite was extremely extravagant. Not to mention the genuine leather furniture and various decorations in the center, just the crystal table in front of the genuine leather sofa and the ice cubes in the crystal table used to cool the entire room were already unimaginable for many people.

However, the two people in the room clearly did not pay attention to this. This oil tanker was also one of the oil tankers requisitioned from the Saint Denis nobles.

"So, Dutch. Our main purpose for entering Mexico this time, besides expanding trade channels, is to establish a Mexican base?"

Hosea leaned back on the soft leather sofa, his brows furrowed, holding a pipe and smoking.