Chapter 144: The Former Las Vegas (I)

Half an hour before dawn, while the maid Stuart had arranged for him was preparing breakfast, Jimmy returned, bringing with him five of his companions. Three boys and two girls, all three older than Jimmy, the eldest was sixteen years old, and the other two were about fifteen. The two girls looked to be only eleven years old, at most twelve, very sloppy, ragged, and short-haired, and would surely have thought they were boys if they didn't look closely.

Chu Tianjiang had expected it, and Nicol also got up early and asked the maid to prepare some more breakfast.

It's just that six children are too sloppy.

"Nichol, take them to the lake and wash them up." Chu Tianjiang has no habit of cleanliness, but he is very hygienic. "Maya, you go find a few suitable clothes and let them change into them."

Without Chu Tianjiang's orders, Rachel and the others followed Nichol and took Jimmy and them to the lake.

"Are you going to take them in?" Clara hasn't been feeling well for the past few days.

"It's not that I want to take them in, it's that Nichole thinks they're too pathetic." Chu Tianjiang smiled and said, "Don't look at their age, you must have noticed the way they looked at us, it was full of suspicion and concern." Perhaps, before we reach Las Vegas, they will flee. ”

"Not necessarily, they're just a bunch of kids, or a bunch of kids who have lost their loved ones."

"So what?"

Clara smiled and leaned on Chu Tianjiang's shoulder. "Why don't you think about it from a different perspective? They were orphans who had lost their parents and had wandered in the wilderness for months, at least for a long time, stealing for a living, and could die at any moment. It's not that they don't need the care of adults, nor do they need the care of others, but they haven't been cared for and loved for a long time and have become self-isolated. Nicol and the others are beautiful and kind, and they are easily loved and trusted by children, especially adolescent boys. By letting Nicol take care of these children, you've made it clear that you want to take them in and not let them end up in the wilderness again. ”

Chu Tianjiang smiled and touched Clara's face. "What, you don't like them?"

"If they can't get rid of their unhygienic habits, I definitely don't like them." Clara smiled and said, "But I believe that Nichol's charm can make those four boys change their ways, and those two girls will naturally follow Nicole's example." ”

"So, you think they should be taken in, too?"

"You've made a decision, do you still need to ask me?" Clara glanced at Chu Tianjiang and said, "Husband, you have never done anything wrong. I know that you can't be ruthless, so I decided to help them. Didn't you help me for the same reason that you were in Moscow at that time? ”

Chu Tianjiang sighed, this is a fact.

"Okay, let's not talk about that, I'm starving."

"Got an appetite today?"

"It's a little better, I just want to eat anyway, but I don't have the strength to mix and don't want to move."

"Okay, you just sit here, I'll go get you some breakfast and deliver it to you." Chu Tianjiang kissed Clara on the forehead before getting up and leaving.

Breakfasts consist mainly of bread, cured meats, and canned goods, with the exception of the one prepared specifically for Clara.

Although there is no shortage of food in the United States, it mainly relies on food that can be stored for a long time, including flour, rice, smoked meat and canned food. Because agricultural production has not yet fully recovered, and there is not much land suitable for cultivation in the western region, and there is a serious shortage of labor, food that cannot be preserved for a long time, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, fresh milk, etc., is very scarce and very precious.

Clara's breakfast consists of a green apple with some wild fruit and a steamed fish.

Just like taking care of Anna in the River Valley Homestead, Chu Tianjiang served Clara very carefully after eating breakfast. In order to prevent Clara from getting stuck in the fish bones, he also removed the bone spurs of the steamed fish one by one, and his meticulousness and thoughtfulness surprised even the maids who served on the side.

You must know that in this world, even if it is a noble lady, it is only a woman who serves, and there is a matter of men serving women.

While Clara had finished her breakfast, Stewart and Carol arrived. Looking at the appearance of the two of them, I'm afraid they were too passionate last night, and they didn't have a good rest.

Just as the two of them were starting to eat breakfast, Nichole and the others returned from the lake with Jimmy and the other six children.

"Lao Chu, what's going on?" Stewart's attitude towards Chu Tianjiang has changed greatly, and he officially regards Chu Tianjiang as a partner.

"What's going on?"

"Those kids." Stewart gestured to Jimmy and the others who were walking by.

"They're the robbers from last night."

Stewart was stunned for a moment and said, "You caught them all?" ”

"I didn't catch them, they came on their own." Chu Tianjiang smiled and said, "I'm going to take them to Las Vegas." ”

Stewart was stunned again, and then said with a smile: "They are not young, they can all work, and they can sell for a good price." ”

"Stewart?" Chu Tianjiang's face immediately changed. "I'm going to take them in, and they're not slaves, they're my retinue."

"What!?"

"I will let them do some of the labor that I can, and I will bear the cost of supporting them, and there will be no additional burden on the caravan." Chu Tianjiang let out a long sigh and said, "They are all free people, not hard work. Remember this phrase and I won't remind you again. ”

Stewart sighed and said, "You are indeed a good person, but you can save them, can you save everyone?" ”

"You can save as much as you can." Chu Tianjiang paused for a moment and said, "When you get to Las Vegas, you have to buy enough vehicles, hire enough drivers and guards, and then buy all the children and teenagers you can buy, and then consider other slaves." ”

"This ......"

"What, is there a problem?"

"Juveniles can't sell for a good price, children are even less valuable, and no slave owner wants to buy slaves who need to be fed for years to work."

"They are not slaves."

"But ......"

"Isn't the diamond I gave you not enough?"

Clara understood what Chu Tianjiang meant, took out the bag containing the diamonds, and put it in Chu Tianjiang's hand.

"There should be more than a hundred more here." Chu Tianjiang threw the bag to Stewart. "If it's not enough, I'll find a way. I have only one request, to buy teenagers and children first, then women, and then men. How much you can buy depends on how many you can find and how many vehicles you can buy. When I get to Las Vegas, all the minors, and the women who want to stay, are mine, and the rest is yours. As for the vehicles you buy, and the guards you hire, they are all yours. As long as you get this done, I will not only arrange for a powerful force to escort you to Houston, but I will also give you an extra reward. ”

"This ......"

"I'll give you a personal reward equal to fifty percent of the total cost and extra."

"Extra?"

Chu Tianjiang nodded and said, "Of course, the premise is that this matter must be handled well and I will be satisfied." ”

"Okay, just do as you tell you." Stewart is a businessman, and of course he knows what that means. Chu Tianjiang had already given him more than a hundred large diamonds, and even if he didn't return to Houston with a single slave, the fifty percent extra reward would make him rich overnight.

Chu Tianjiang didn't talk to Stuart anymore, and asked Nichol to bring a few teenagers over.

Aside from Jimmy, the oldest boy is called Miller, who is the leader of the group; Of the two slightly younger boys, the taller one was called Nelson and the shorter one was called Baker; Of the two teenage girls, Alyssa is twelve and Faith is eleven.

The six children all changed into the clothes that Maya had found for them, but they were all adult clothes.

After they finished introducing themselves, Chu Tianjiang spoke: "Although you are all children, in my eyes, you are all individuals with the ability to survive independently, so I respect your wishes and give you a chance to choose freely, and it is the only chance." ”

"What choice?" Miller was the most daring and the most unruly.

"Now, there are two paths before you." Chu Tianjiang raised two fingers. "First, eat a packed meal, then take some of the food I have given you, get out of my eyes at once, and pray that you will never see me again. If you dare to come to my camp to steal again, I will treat you as real robbers, and my men will shoot without hesitation, and you will not have such good luck next time. ”

"What about the second way?"

"Come with me to Las Vegas and go somewhere else. But......" Chu Tianjiang looked at Miller carefully before he said, "After embarking on this road, you will become my subordinates, and you must obey my command and do some labor within your ability." In return, I will provide you with a living and security, and in your free time, I will let Nicol teach you to read and write. ”

"We went to school."

"Then teach you some other survival skills, such as fighting, shooting, etc. If you do well, I'll teach you some of the better fighting techniques myself. ”

"You're a soldier?" Miller was a little disbelieving in Chu Tianjiang.

Chu Tianjiang smiled and said, "I am not only a soldier, but also the most powerful soldier in this world. However, you must remember that there is no turning back after you have embarked on this path. From now on, whether you follow me or follow the people I assign, you will all be members of the team. Of course, when you reach the age of eighteen and are able to face the challenges of this cruel world on your own, and solve the problems on your own, I will give you a second chance, and it is up to you to decide whether to stay with the team or go it alone. ”

Miller's eyes rolled a few times, as if he was tempted.

Chu Tianjiang knew that not only Miller was tempted, but Jimmy and the other five children had already been tempted, but they were all waiting for Miller to make a decision.