It was nearly dark that Stewart's caravan arrived at the rendezvous point.

With Clara coming forward to intercede, and Rachel did not object, Chu Tianjiang did not drive Connie and the others back, and Connie and the others also consciously finished their daily chores. It's just that Chu Tianjiang didn't let them suffer, that is, let Rachel and a few of them teach them fighting skills respectively. Connie's fight with Maya had already exposed a lot of problems, that is, Chu Tianjiang's fighting skills might not be suitable for them.

Because the caravan did not encounter trouble along the way, Chu Tianjiang did not rush to let the caravan cross the river, but spent the night on the north bank of the Arkansas River.

At dinner, Chu Tianjiang was confronted by Stewart and inquired in detail about the situation in Albuquerque and Oklahoma City.

Albuquerque is next to Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, and is a larger city than Santa Fe, controlled by a group of Mexicans. Albuquerque is the largest mining city in the western region, producing iron, copper and tin ore. Because of its proximity to the Rio Grande, Albuquerque is also the region's main inland shipping center, with a route to El Paso, and together with the Mexican group of Mexicans in El Paso, it controls trade with Mexico, mainly exporting metals such as steel and buying grain and other goods from Mexico. However, Albuquerque's most well-known shipments are drugs, namely marijuana and cocaine from Mexico or from Central America and transiting through Mexico into the United States. The Mexican groups in Albuquerque and El Paso are also mainly engaged in the drug trade.

Oklahoma City is a different story. Because it is located in the Mississippi River Plain, although it is geographically located in the Midwest, but the natural environment is more like the Midwest, so Oklahoma City is the closest grain trade center to Denver. According to Stewart, half of all food imported from the Midwest comes from, or passes through Oklahoma City. Even Texas grain is mostly shipped to Oklahoma City and then by water or rail to Denver. Because grain is a common commodity, not too valuable, and only a few months after the catastrophe, most cities have enough food in stock, so the importance of Oklahoma City in the western region has not yet been revealed. However, as the stock of food is exhausted, Oklahoma City will sooner or later become the focus of large-scale secession forces, and the Houston Chamber of Commerce is willing to move there.

"Is the drug trade profitable?"

"Of course, it's about the same as the arms trade, but it's better not to think about it."

"For what?"

"Although drugs are very valuable, the demand is so small, no one will take drugs as a meal, and the main users of drugs are young people, and their spending power is very limited. What's more, the drug trade is already monopolized by Mexicans, and don't think about it unless you're going to take out a few Mexican groups. Stewart sighed and added, "Also, the drug trade isn't very popular. The Mexican syndicate in Albuquerque and El Paso has not been able to grow because it is involved in the drug trade. ”

"So, some of the big separatists are fighting against the drug trade?"

"Not some, but all the big separatist forces are against the drug trade. Not only is it opposed, but it is also fighting the drug trade with all its might. Although most of the large secessionist powers were also opposed to the slave trade, they were only superficially opposed. After all, the slave trade was a fundamental addition to the power of the Great Separatist Forces. The drug trade, on the other hand, only causes social unrest and the loss of social wealth, and does nothing to strengthen the power of separatism. If it weren't for the remoteness of the location, and the two Mexican groups huddled together, I am afraid that they would have been defeated by other separatist forces. Anyway, it's best not to get involved in the drug trade unless absolutely necessary. ”

"In that case, let's go to Oklahoma City." Chu Tianjiang smiled and said, "If we can, we will directly purchase grain in Oklahoma City." ”

"There's no need for that."

"For what?"

"Houston has enough food, and it is much more cost-effective to have the Chamber of Commerce come in and buy it at the lowest price than in Oklahoma City, including shipping."

"The key is that we get to Houston in time and get back to Lakewood in time."

"This ......"

"When we get to Oklahoma City, leave the caravan behind, let the deacons buy food, and just a few of us go to Houston. When we're done, we'll head back to Lakewood. ”

Stewart frowned and said, "That's fine, but it will definitely cost a lot." ”

"Then you'll have to choose a trustworthy deacon. Of course, you can tell him to take care of this and let him manage the caravan from now on. ”

"This ......"

"I am sure that when we reach Houston, you will leave the caravan. If you want to stay in Houston, the president of the Chamber of Commerce will definitely give you a more suitable position. Of course, if you want to return to Lakewood with me, the president of the Chamber of Commerce will definitely let you be the local governor. Chu Tianjiang smiled and said, "In other words, in the future, you will no longer have to run around, and you will have to hand over the caravan to others to take care of." ”

"Old Chu, I'm ......" Stewart was very excited. The caravan captain, even the general affairs, no one wants to be out there all the time. The purpose of any caravan captain is to become a steward, settle somewhere, and then marry a wife and live a relatively safe life.

"Don't worry, if the Houston Chamber of Commerce doesn't give you such an opportunity, you can go back to Lakewood with me and create a Chamber of Commerce for me."

"What?"

"What, don't believe in my strength? If it weren't for the fact that I had to start from scratch, which was very cumbersome and took a lot of time, I didn't have the energy and the time, otherwise I wouldn't have been to Houston at all. If I had no other choice, I would have to create a Chamber of Commerce. Of all the people I know, you are the most suitable person. Of course, if you are willing to continue to work with me. ”

"Of course I do, just ......"

"Just don't have much confidence in yourself?" Chu Tianjiang shook his head with a smile and said, "Of course, there may be other concerns. Well, I don't think that's a problem. With the current situation of the Houston Chamber of Commerce, working with me is definitely the best choice. ”

Stewart nodded, indicating that he understood what Chu Tianjiang meant.

"Okay, let's rest early, and leave early tomorrow morning."

After dinner, after accompanying Clara around the camp for a while, Chu Tianjiang sent her back to the tent to rest, and then arranged for Connie and them to take turns keeping vigil.

After a while, Nicol and the others, who had gone out to reconnoitre, rushed back one after another.

"They were camped in a canyon about thirty kilometers north of us, far from the road, and there were no vehicles in sight." Maya drew the pattern of the enemy's camp on the ground. "There were only some tents, no fires, no lights, not even much supplies."

"How many are there?"

"About a hundred."

"No heavy equipment?"

"No, most of the people carry rifles, but everyone has a long knife or sword, and they seem to be good fighters."

"So, Monica doesn't know who we really are." Chu Tianjiang stretched out his hand to erase the pattern drawn by Maya, and said, "These guys will definitely do it after we cross the Arkansas River, and the main target is a few of us, but they will plunder the caravan by the way." ”

"The problem is, we have already joined the caravan, and it is impossible to leave the caravan alone."

"In that case, we'll have to do it early."

"Kill them?" Rachel immediately asked.

Chu Tianjiang nodded and said, "There is no one left, all of them will be killed." Monica didn't know who we really were, otherwise she wouldn't have sent just a few of her men over. Furthermore, you don't feel the energy bodies in them, suggesting that they are just X-warriors. We didn't stop killing them by surprise. It would be two days before Monica realized that the guards she had sent had been wiped out. By then, we'll be hundreds of kilometers away, maybe we'll already be in Oklahoma City, and it won't be so easy for her to deal with us. ”

"What about Clara?" Nicol asked.

"Let Connie protect her. Besides, it's only 30 kilometers, and it only takes us two minutes to run back and forth. Chu Tianjiang smiled and said, "I have already deployed a cordon outside the camp, and it shouldn't be too much of a problem to return as soon as I sense the danger." ”

"Okay, let's go right away."

"Don't worry, bring weapons and equipment." Chu Tianjiang took out a pistol from the box where the weapon was placed and put it in Nichol's hand. "Remember, try not to use the energy body directly. There are more than 100 X-fighters, and they have to fight quickly, so use pistols as much as possible. ”

The Walther P99 pistols were brought from the base and were equipped with special ammunition capable of killing the X-Warriors.

Of course, only ordinary X-Fighters can be killed with a pistol, and if you encounter an all-round X-Warrior, or an enhanced X-Warrior, the pistol will not work.

For this purpose, Nicol and the others also brought special short knives.

These short knives are specially prepared by Zhang Xiaogang for them, the blade is forged from special alloy steel with high strength, the blade is a kind of alloy steel with high hardness, and the surface of the blade is also plated with a layer of borax ceramics with a hardness close to diamond, which is not only extremely sharp, but also not easy to break. Because Nichol's energy body has increased a lot, when necessary, they can also wrap the short knife with their energy body, making the short knife indestructible.

After making preparations, Chu Tianjiang took Nicol and the others to leave the camp in a stealthy state.

Since no one saw them come out of the tents, the caravan men assumed that they had fallen asleep, and no one came to disturb them.