America 1883: The Western Homeland

Chapter 120 The transformation of Paradise Valley is unprecedented in Montana!

Chapter 120 The transformation of Paradise Valley is unprecedented in Montana!

The news that Tom was going to build a research lab seemed to give the old cowboy a shot of adrenaline!

This old guy's enthusiasm is simply uncontrollable!

The lively conversation at the dinner table wasn't enough; they continued chatting even after entering the tent!

In the dead of night, Tom's tent was brightly lit!

The old cowboy, the foreman, and Peter squeezed inside, unable to sleep.

The old cowboy took a sip of whiskey, frowned, and said, "Tsk, this isn't good, kid. You've got some good stuff hidden away."

Tom, holding his wine glass, glanced at him sideways: "What decent stuff can you find in this godforsaken place?"

"Alright," the old cowboy nodded, "Next time, I'll bring you some real good stuff!"

Thanks.

Tom responded, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Peter and the old cowboy. Suddenly, he felt that the old cowboy's mannerisms were so similar to Peter's.

A thought struck him, and he asked directly, "Isn't Peter also with your railroad company? Don't you know him?"

Upon hearing this, the foreman immediately fixed his scrutinizing gaze on Peter's face.

He was a man who didn't look young, but I really had no recollection of him.

"Are you really from the Pacific Railroad?" the foreman blurted out, his question laced with undisguised scrutiny.

Tom's gaze was also fixed on Peter.

Peter remained unfazed: "We're in different departments, it's normal that we don't know each other."

The foreman said "Oh," and nodded as if he understood, but the doubts in his heart only deepened.

Tom casually swirled his wine glass and then asked, "You've been gone long enough, hasn't anyone contacted you at the company?" This seemingly casual remark instantly struck a nerve with the foreman.

"Yeah, right!" the foreman immediately chimed in, his eyes sharpening. "Which department are you in? Your job seems so easy."

His words were loaded with meaning, the subtext of which couldn't be clearer: you're probably using the company's name to make extra money on the Paradise Valley project!

Who doesn't know that Paradise Valley has projects?

But this is the first person to stay here so long without moving!

If Peter could hear what the foreman was thinking, he'd probably slap him twice in anger!

Run? He'd like to!

Didn't you see those damn wolves? They're always hanging around the campsite! They're like ghosts that won't leave you alone!

"Kid, what other requirements do you have for the renovation of Paradise Valley?" The old cowboy glanced at Peter, who looked a little stiff, and subtly changed the subject.

Tom gets really excited when the blueprint for Paradise Valley is mentioned!

He straightened up abruptly, his gaze fixed intently on the old cowboy: "Simple! Just think of it as building a brand new community!"

"First, the living areas and pasture areas must be completely separated!"

The old cowboy nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.

Tom's fingers traced an invisible dividing line on the rough wooden table, his speech quickening: "Second, the water supply, drainage, and sewage systems must be independent for each area! The areas where people live must always be upstream of the water source!"

Peter's eyelids twitched. This kid had big ambitions! He was clearly trying to create an Eastern metropolis out of the western wilderness!

Tom didn't give anyone time to process the questions, bombarding them with a barrage: "Third, the drainage system is of paramount importance! Where will the rainwater go? How will it withstand heavy rain? How will the pipes be constructed? Won't they freeze and crack in the dead of winter?!"

Fourth, how will the community grounds be treated? Are we going to expect everyone to walk through mud every time it rains?

'

Fifth, the design of the ranch area must be reasonable and fully functional; it cannot be done haphazardly!

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three men, before finally throwing out a groundbreaking idea: "Sixth, the valley is so long, why not lay a narrow-gauge railway? It could even go all the way to Livingston! Connect to the train station there!"

"hiss--!"

"What?!"

"Train tracks!"

After he finished speaking, the tent fell into a deathly silence!

The foreman stared wide-eyed, his mouth agape, and nearly dropped the wine glass in his hand.

Peter gasped, as if he were seeing this young man for the first time.

Even the seasoned veteran cowboy was completely dumbfounded, his hand holding the wine glass frozen in mid-air, his jaw almost dropping to the ground!

Goodness! This kid really dares to dream!

Not to mention Paradise Valley, no one in all of Montana would dare to do that!

If this really happens, it won't just be Tom who gets exposure; the whole of Montana will become famous!

Difficulty? Tom knows better than anyone!

The timing? It's extremely tight; it has to be done before winter!

The old cowboy and the foreman left early the next morning.

Tom was pondering his renovation plan when the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from outside the camp.

Immediately afterwards, a group of people rushed in, looking travel-worn. The leader was wearing a uniform and had sharp eyes.

"You're looking for me?" Tom's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the group of uninvited guests.

"Mr. Tom?" The leader stepped forward, his tone stiff and businesslike. "We're from the Livingston Sheriff's Office. There's been some trouble on the Crow Reservation that involves a gold mine under your name. We need you to come with us to cooperate with the investigation."

Gold mine? Klaus? Chaos?

Tom's mind was filled with countless questions, but he tried his best to remain calm.

As he pondered rapidly, he subtly approached the leader's deputy.

"Thank you for making this trip, sir," Tom said with a smile. As he spoke, he flicked his finger discreetly, and a roll of green banknotes silently slipped into his deputy's jacket pocket. "The roads in this godforsaken place are tough. Let's buy the brothers a drink to help them relax."

The assistant's hand almost instinctively reached into his pocket, the solid feel of his fingertips softening the lines on his face instantly, even causing him to grin and reveal a knowing, meaningful smile.

"Ahem," the deputy cleared his throat, lowering his voice and quickening his pace, "It's not complicated! It's just a group of audacious gold prospectors who forced their way into that gold mine on the edge of the Crow territory, claiming it was unclaimed. They couldn't agree, a fight broke out, and it almost resulted in a death! The Covingston sheriff detained them, and during the interrogation..."

The deputy paused, then leaned closer to Tom with an expression of anticipation: "The elders of the Klaus tribe, in front of everyone, insisted that the gold mine belonged to you, Mr. Tom Dutton! They were just keeping an eye on it for you!"

"Well, that's great, the case has been dumped on your head! The higher-ups sent us to invite you over to explain things."

He shrugged, giving off an "that's how it is" look.

To put it bluntly, someone stole the mine, and the Klaus clan directly pinned the blame on Tom!

"Zach! Cooper! Wade! Thomas!" Father James's gaze swept over the four of them like lightning. "You lot, all of you go with Tom!"

Only Ennis, Jonah, and James remained in Paradise Valley.

Tom's heart skipped a beat.

He took a deep breath and led his father, James, quickly to his carriage.

"Look at this."

He grabbed the heavy canvas covering the back of the carriage and yanked it off!

The canvas slipped down, revealing a sturdy wooden crate underneath.

Tom took out his key, clicked the lock on the box, and unhesitatingly lifted the heavy box.

The moment the scene inside the box was exposed to the light!

James, a seasoned veteran who had seen it all, suddenly had his pupils contract and his breathing stop for a moment!