Falsifying history is good business

Chapter 394: Why are you so nervous about doing an experiment?
"You want us to help you hunt down fugitives. Do you think it's necessary?" Dutch van der Linde would not be easily fooled by names like "just cause" because he himself often used misleading slogans like "freedom" to fool the rough guys in the gang.

Lin You was puzzled: "Why, do you have doubts about this? As far as I know, the Van der Linde gang sometimes works part-time as bounty hunters; especially in those states where there are no wanted warrants for you."

"No, you don't understand what I mean." Dutch explained, "I mean, I have no connection with the fugitives in Europe, and Your Excellency, you... are actually not short of manpower."

As he spoke, the gang leader glanced around the tavern; he couldn't find any flaws in those people's identities, but it was these people who gave him tremendous pressure just with just their looks.

"You are mistaken, Mr. van der Linde. There has always been some indirect connection between you and that young Mr. Meinhard; I was referring to the Pinkerton detective."

"What do you mean?"

"After young Mehhad fled to the United States, in order to save his own life, he signed a contract with the Pinkerton Detective Agency and hired a large number of detectives to be responsible for his security." Lin You said seriously.

Dutch was stunned: "I thought Pinkerton detectives were all about chasing fugitives, not protecting them?"

"You are wrong again. The primary goal of Pinkerton detectives has never been to hunt down or protect fugitives, but to make money. They open the door to do business; they hunt down fugitives because they can make money, and they provide security for fugitives because they can also make money." Lin You stretched out his hand and pointed at the reward amount on the wanted poster. "The reward for little Mehad is six figures, but he is not wanted by the US government, and it will also bring seven figures of income to the Pinkerton Detective Agency, so it is obvious what choice the detectives will make."

"This is not surprising at all. I have always known that these Pinkerton detectives are always dogs of capital." Dutch sneered, and Hosea and Arthur beside him nodded in agreement; "But what do you want me to do, interrogate those detectives? Then I am afraid you will be disappointed. The only way for us to communicate with them is with guns."

"Yes, it's guns. I need you to kill a large number of Pinkerton detectives, causing them to suffer serious losses in local manpower. When the manpower chasing you is seriously short of manpower, Mr. Cornwall will put pressure on the Pinkerton Detective Agency to draw reinforcements from other places. With Mr. Cornwall's character and his hatred for you, I believe he will do so."

Lin You calmly recounted his plan, and his every word might determine the loss of dozens of lives.

Daqi's expression suddenly turned ugly, because Lin You's words touched some of his bottom lines; "You want to hire us to kill people for you - just to weaken the security forces around the European fugitive?"

"Hire a killer? Of course not!" Lin You sneered at some of Dutch's "bottom lines" in his heart. All players who have completed "Red Dead Redemption" know that this man is not the kind of person who can stick to the end. "I am inviting you to participate in the capture of the fugitive; I will not pay you even a penny, the only money you can get is this."

Earl Goff tapped his finger on the wanted poster. The reward figure of 150000 pounds was shocking.

"Pinkerton detectives have been chasing you, and Cornwall is rich and powerful, and is one of the biggest customers of the detective agency. It is not a solution for you to keep escaping like this. It will be of real benefit to you to weaken the power of the pursuers. This time I am not hiring you, but I am seeking your cooperation. After the success, you will take the reward and I will return to England to receive the reward for my meritorious service. We will each get what we need."

Dutch was still hesitant, and so were Hosea and Arthur. On the one hand, they were considering the pros and cons of the matter, and on the other hand, they were also considering the possibility of success.

The Van der Linde gang has more than 20 people with their families, but less than half of them are capable of confronting the Pinkerton detectives head-on with guns; it is not easy to cause heavy casualties to the Pinkerton detectives.

Most of those detectives have experience working in the military or police system, and their combat effectiveness cannot be compared with that of ordinary people with guns.

"Why are you looking for us? You must have enough manpower to do this." Dutch asked worriedly.

"Well, it's not convenient for my people. After all, this is the United States, not Europe, let alone the United Kingdom." Lin You said half-truthfully, "Little Mehad is wanted by major European countries, but the US government refuses to issue a warrant for his arrest and allows him to enter the country. If a large number of American citizens are killed or injured in the pursuit, it will cause great trouble at the diplomatic level. Do you understand what I mean?"

I don't understand shit! Dutch cursed inwardly.

What can a gangster roaming in the wilds of the West know about the international situation and how much diplomatic rules can he understand? At most, he reads a few petty bourgeois literature that moans without reason, and then brainwashes a group of gang members who are also marginalized people in society.

Of course, these truths cannot be spoken out loud; Dutch pretends to know the truth and mocks with indignation: "Dirty politics..."

Lin You smiled and did not expose the other party's pretense. Instead, he asked seriously: "What is your decision, Mr. van der Linde?" "I want to know your plan first; as you said, there are dozens of Pinkerton detectives in St. Denis. Without a complete plan, it is impossible to cause casualties to them." Dutch still refused to give in.

"My plan is very simple. First, kidnap the leader of the Saint Denis Mafia, Mr. Angelo Bronte." Lin You calmly pointed out the plan. "When the Mafia focuses on rescuing the leader, they cut off the local spies of the Pinkerton detectives. Then, pretend to extort ransom and keep changing the hostage transaction location to mobilize the gangs and the police and drain their manpower. At this point, the Pinkerton detectives are isolated and helpless."

Lin You briefly recounted the experience of kidnapping cases in the past 100 years, which amazed the three members of the Van der Linde Gang. The violent crimes of this era were crude and straightforward, and the experience summarized by the kidnappers of all generations with their lives and blood was completely beyond the limits of their imagination.

"How can we get Mr. Bronte to go with us?" Dutch asked the key to the whole plan, which was also the premise of everything.

"My friends are in charge of this matter. It just so happens that the Mafia and the Hongmen have a small business dispute, and they are looking for an opportunity to sit down and talk with Mr. Bronte. As for some technical details..." Lin You smiled meaningfully, "Have you decided to join, Mr. van der Linde?"

Dutch did not answer, but turned to his right-hand man for advice.

"Working with others? We've never done that. Let me say... I don't know, I don't feel sure." This is what Arthur Morgan said. He was instinctively suspicious of people outside the gang.

"I think we might as well give it a try, if, I mean if, the Earl can really 'invite' Mr. Angelo Bronte to be our guest." Hosea was a little tempted, and he saw the basis for cooperation between the two parties at a glance.

If the other party really succeeded in kidnapping the Mafia leader, it would mean that they themselves were involved in the game, rather than standing on the shore and instructing the Van der Linde gang to serve as cannon fodder.

"It seems that we need to unify our internal opinions." Dachi spread his hands towards Lin You.

"No problem, but please hurry up." Lin You reminded, "The mission of hunting down little Mehad is of great importance, and I can't wait indefinitely. Tomorrow, I will visit Lakai and hope to get accurate answers from you all; is that okay?"

"Of course." Dutch agreed readily. If they were just discussing countermeasures, one night would be enough.

Lin You stood up and saw them off: "Then it's settled. Now, you'd better leave as soon as possible; those policemen and Pinkerton detectives have been waiting for you for a long time and have become restless. Although my people have tried their best to help cover up, the Mafia's spies will soon lead people to this neighborhood."

An originally "horrifying" bank robbery ended in vain after a meeting in the tavern; the Van der Linde gang came in a hurry and left with full thoughts. The only good news is that they once again avoided the deadly trap without any casualties.

The day after the meeting, Lin You visited Lakai Village.

The day after visiting the village of Lakai, Angelo Bronte mysteriously disappeared in his villa; that afternoon, the disappearance was confirmed as a kidnapping case because a ransom letter was received from the kidnappers.

The day after the kidnapping, Pinkerton detectives were ambushed in the swamp, resulting in heavy casualties.

The death list included Milton, the detectives' operational commander, and Milton's deputy, Agent Ross.

Agent Ross, who had lived until World War I, participated in the establishment of the predecessor of the FBI, and single-handedly led the hunt for the remnants of the Van der Linde gang, died in a rotten swamp on the banks of the Mississippi River more than ten years earlier.

However, the Van der Linde gang did not know what would happen in the future; they did not know that killing Agent Ross was Lin You’s primary goal in this collaboration.

When Agent Ross's skull was ripped open by the bullet, the accountant appeared beside the writer and yelled like crazy: "What are you doing? There are fragments of consciousness in this person, and you didn't cut off the 'causal line' in advance."

"Of course I know." Lin You looked at the accountant with surprise. "I just want to do an experiment before actually solving the problem. It's just a fragment of consciousness, and the information contained in it is not complete. Do you have to be so nervous?"

(End of this chapter)