In the end, Emma, unable to stop her reckless boss from heading back to the gambling table, grabbed her forehead in frustration.
It wasn’t just because she was worried Noah might lose more money gambling.
‘I’m uneasy.’
The fact that an outlaw, whose crime was robbery, had infiltrated the train as a staff member was what made Emma anxious.
Of course, she understood Noah’s point that they couldn’t catch the outlaw right away.
For bounty hunters, killing someone based solely on memory without a warrant was a taboo.
As Noah said, the most rational choice would be to quietly subdue him at San Francisco Station and hand him over to security.
“……”
But for some reason.
Emma’s instincts were screaming that they needed to catch the outlaw right now.
So, she cautiously headed back to the common room where the staff member was.
She wasn’t planning to take down the outlaw single-handedly.
She just wanted to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn’t do anything reckless.
‘I can do this.’
Though the thought of facing the outlaw again made her nervous, Emma steeled herself and entered the common room with a determined heart.
But…
“Hello.”
“Ah…”
When she entered the common room, she was met not by the outlaw Jackal, but by another staff member.
Realizing that Jackal wasn’t there, Emma asked the staff member in front of her.
“Do you know where the staff member who was here earlier went?”
“He just switched shifts with me. Is there a problem…?”
“Ah… a shift change.”
Hearing that, Emma’s tension eased, and she slumped onto the sofa.
Then, she closed her eyes, realizing she was feeling relieved.
‘…Well, since it’s come to this, I might as well stop worrying.’
There are more outlaws in the West than one might think.
They hide their crimes and identities, disguising themselves as ordinary civilians to start anew.
Maybe Jackal had left his outlaw life behind and was living a normal life as a train staff member.
Emma tried to forget that she had seen an outlaw today.
But…
“……”
…it wasn’t that easy.
Pulling herself together, Emma opened her eyes, stood up, and asked the staff member.
“Do you know where that staff member went?”
“…He probably went to the staff area to rest. But why are you so concerned…?”
“……”
Emma first tried to gauge whether the staff member in front of her was trustworthy.
From what she remembered, there was no outlaw sketch that matched this staff member.
As Emma debated whether to reveal Jackal’s true identity and ask for cooperation, suddenly…
*Clunk…, clunk clunk clunk.*
“Huh…!”
“Uh……?”
The train’s speed drastically slowed down, and then…
*Screeeech—*
With a long, grating sound, the train came to a halt.
“Did the train just stop?”
“…Yes, it seems so.”
“Was stopping the train part of the schedule?”
“…No, it wasn’t. Why would it…?”
The absent outlaw and the suddenly stopped train.
It didn’t feel like a coincidence.
*Click.*
“Hey, passenger?! Passenger!!”
Realizing this, Emma immediately started running toward the engine room.
*Clink.*
With her hand reaching for the pistol in her pocket.
**
*Knock knock.*
“Conductor, I’m Paul, the first-class attendant. Could you open the door for a moment?”
“Huh? What’s a first-class attendant doing here… Gah—!”
As soon as the conductor opened the engine room door, the outlaw Jackal subdued him and pointed a gun at him.
“Hi jack. Nice to meet you.”
“Guh…, who are you…!”
“No need to know that. If you don’t want a hole in your head, stop the train now.”
“……”
*Click.*
With the gun pressed to his forehead, the conductor had no choice but to comply.
*Screeeech—*
“Good, well done.”
“……”
The conductor had no choice but to stop the train as Jackal demanded.
Jackal smiled with satisfaction.
He had endured so much for this day.
Of course, Paul, the first-class attendant, was a fake identity he had forged.
Jackal had spent three years pretending to be an attendant, earning the trust of those around him.
And as soon as he got word that wealthy individuals were boarding this direct train to San Francisco, he conspired with his comrades.
To rob the train.
There were 13 staff members on this direct train.
Among them, besides Jackal, there was one more outlaw comrade.
Once Jackal stopped the train, the other would first loot the first-class passengers’ belongings.
If the dozens of armed comrades waiting nearby subdued the armed staff and looted the general passengers’ belongings as planned…
‘That’s the day my life blooms, damn it.’
Now that the train had stopped.
His comrade was probably entering the bar where all the first-class passengers were gathered, ready to steal their money.
*Bang—!*
“……!”
Just then, a gunshot echoed from far behind.
From a distance, it was a car with a bar where first-class passengers were gathered.
“Hehe, this guy must be out of practice with robbery, his methods are quite extreme.”
Jackal had a premonition that their train robbery would end successfully.
Unless something unexpected happened, of course.
**
10 minutes ago.
“Hoho, Noah. Did you get scolded by your wife? You look so serious.”
“…Scolded? Let’s just start the game.”
“Such confidence! You seem to have brought plenty of money… Shall we enjoy ourselves again?”
Before entering, I had already taken out a lot of money from my inventory and rejoined the battlefield of the rich.
‘Stay calm. There are plenty of bullets, so just play it safe…’
Even though I had just lost a lot of money, these rich uncles didn’t use any tricks.
Thinking about it, I hadn’t lost many rounds, but the stakes were so high that the losses were significant.
In pure skill, those uncles had a slight edge over me, but poker is a game where luck plays a role.
I was confident I had a fair chance of winning.
And so the game began.
“I’ll raise 300 dollars.”
“…I’ll call.”
“Haha, everyone must have good hands, huh?”
…From the first round, the betting amounts started to skyrocket.
“1000 dollars.”
“……”
“How about it, Noah? Will you call?”
Soon, the betting amount reached 1000 dollars…
I slowly calculated my chances of winning in my head.
‘I’m aiming for a full house… Is the opponent going for a flush?’
If I complete the full house, I win.
And if I win this round…
‘I can break even this time.’
I could recover all the losses from previous games.
…A real man must seize the opportunity when it comes.
“…I’ll call 1000 dollars.”
“Whoooa-!”
“Hoho, this is getting interesting from the first round!”
Cheers erupted from the others, and it was time to reveal the cards.
“Alright, let’s open them!”
‘Please… please…! Just let me complete the full house!’
I prayed to God to let me complete the full house.
And the result…!
“Queen of Hearts!”
“Waaaaah-!!”
God had favored me.
The Queen of Hearts appeared, and I had completed the full house.
“Ahahaha-! I have a full house! I’ll take it all~!”
Feeling the thrill of victory, I reached to sweep all the money to my side.
But then.
“Wait.”
“…?”
The railroad tycoon uncle, my opponent in this round, stopped my hand with a smile.
“Noah, shouldn’t you see my hand?”
“Uncle, at best you have a flush, right? I have a full house…, huh?”
I tilted my head and checked his hand.
8 of Hearts, 9 of Hearts, 10 of Hearts, Jack of Hearts, Queen of Hearts.
“……”
It wasn’t just a flush… it was a straight flush.
“Too bad.”
“……”
The railroad tycoon uncle coldly slapped my hand away and started sweeping the money to his side.
I sat there, petrified, watching the scene unfold.
Please, just let me get a full house!
??? : Got it.
I thought I was praying to God, but it was actually the monkey’s paw.
My wish for a full house was granted, but the opponent had a straight flush.
It was a perfect defeat.
“This can’t be…”
Thud.
Having completely lost this round, I slumped into my seat.
‘Boss! Have you lost your mind? How much more are you going to lose this time!’
‘Stop it-!’
I should have listened when Emma tried to stop me.
Why do I only regret after losing all my money? Haha, damn it.
Just as I was drowning in self-loathing…
Clunk…, clunk clunk.
Sccccreeeech-.
“Huh…?”
“Did the train stop?”
“What’s going on?”
After a long screeching sound, the train came to a halt in the middle of the tracks…
Bang-!
“…Huh?”
Suddenly, the bar’s door was roughly opened, and a uniformed employee entered.
And in his hand…
“Everyone, hands up-!!”
“…!”
…was a pistol.
