Chapter 46: The Party (Part 1)
"Oh! Arthur, you really went through hell and back to rescue me from that dragon's den of a place!
Don't you want to share a few heartfelt words with your good brother, who has returned to your side after such trials and a narrow escape from death?"
Sean, having finally reached the camp, showed no signs of stopping, his mouth continuing to chatter incessantly.
Arthur's already exhausted nerves were now completely shattered by Sean's rambling; he couldn't take it anymore.
He suddenly whipped his head around, glaring fiercely at Sean, sparks of anger flickering in his eyes.
"Enough! Listen, Sean. Our brotherhood was indeed enough to make me risk everything to go back to a deathtrap like Blackwater Town to fish you out, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to your endless noise in my ear for forty-eight straight hours!"
Before his voice even faded, Arthur, like an enraged lion, reached out and grabbed Sean by the collar, effortlessly tossing him under Karen's tent like a helpless chick.
Even after doing this, Arthur's anger hadn't subsided; his chest heaved violently as if a raging fire were burning inside him.
Next, he took large strides, heading straight toward the large tree where Kieran was tied up.
Each step carried a heavy weight of fury, the ground seemingly trembling under his feet. Reaching the tree, Arthur casually snatched up a bottle of beer sitting there and took a massive swig.
The cool liquid slid down his throat into his stomach, slightly calming the fire in his heart.
Seeing this, Kieran, who had originally intended to beg for mercy, instantly shut his mouth, terrified that the man would vent his anger on him.
However, just one mouthful of alcohol was clearly not enough to fully extinguish the flames in Arthur's heart.
Arthur set the bottle down, wiped the remaining beer from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and then looked with a dark, brooding gaze at Johnny, who was laughing and talking with others nearby.
"Hmph! Johnny, you insufferable fellow, it's all because of you that I suffered forty-eight hours of mental torture.
If I don't make you collapse drunk and make a fool of yourself today, I won't rest!"
With that, Arthur marched aggressively toward Johnny, a fierce drinking contest seemingly about to begin.
(Because Trelawny was a contractor and wasn't very familiar with Sean, Javier couldn't stand it, and Charles and Johnny had some minor incidents that made Arthur a bit jealous, a sulking Arthur ended up having to bring Sean back himself.)
Arthur was clearly venting his frustration on Johnny, who had reaped all the benefits.
Dutch stood to the side, quietly watching everyone crowd around Sean, peppering him with questions.
For a moment, the scene was incredibly lively, but Dutch didn't step forward to interrupt. Instead, he walked a bit further away with Johnny and Trelawny to quietly discuss some key details of the mission.
When he heard that Arthur had actually been tortured by Sean for forty-eight hours, Dutch was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter.
He laughed so hard he nearly lost his breath, followed by several bouts of heavy coughing.
At that moment, Arthur's sharp, hawk-like eyes quickly caught the undisguised smiles on the faces of Dutch and the others.
He immediately realized he had become the object of their ridicule, and the fire in his heart flared up instantly. With his hair practically standing on end from rage, he strode aggressively toward Dutch and the group.
However, the experienced Dutch, with his keen sense for killing intent, sensed something was wrong almost instantly.
He whipped around, his gaze meeting Arthur's furious eyes head-on.
In a flash, Dutch seemed to have divined what was about to happen.
Thinking fast, Dutch didn't hesitate to raise his voice and shout loudly:
"Hey! Everyone, come over here!" His voice was as loud as a great bell, instantly ringing throughout the entire camp.
The crowd that had been surrounding Sean turned their heads one after another, looking curiously toward Dutch.
As people gradually gathered, Dutch cleared his throat and began to deliver a passionate speech:
"Dear friends, today, I want to introduce and honor several fearless warriors!
It was they who, disregarding their own safety, resolutely ventured deep into that dragon's den of Blackwater Town, enduring countless hardships to successfully rescue our lovely Irish lad—Sean!
Let us all raise our glasses together to pay tribute to these five brave heroes!"
As he spoke, Dutch was the first to hold his glass high.
In this way, Dutch used a sudden speech to cleverly interrupt Arthur just as he was about to explode, successfully breaking Arthur's momentum.
The crowd then happily raised their glasses, though everyone had different feelings in their hearts; the Ladies seemed more pleased about the recent string of positive events.
Not only did they have the tents they had dreamed of, but the Gang was now basically back on track.
The men's faces were filled with ecstatic smiles, their eyes locked onto Sean as if seeing the light of hope descend once more.
For them, Sean's return wasn't just about an extra pair of hands; it was a symbol—the Gang never abandoned a member.
No matter how difficult or dangerous the situation, even if it meant returning to the peril-filled Blackwater Town.
At this point, Dutch, with a smile on his face, raised his glass high again and said loudly:
"Come! Let us toast a second glass together, this one dedicated specifically to the fearless Johnny!
This young man, when the Gang was in its most critical moment, resolutely reached out a helping hand, choosing without hesitation to fight side-by-side with us to repel the enemy's invasion.
Furthermore, whenever the Gang was short-handed, he always threw himself into various operations without looking back, never retreating a single step.
More importantly, Johnny himself is a Gunslinger who never misses; in this incredibly fierce battle, over thirty enemies fell to his gun alone. His heroic performance is truly astonishing!"
Hearing this, everyone present couldn't help but feel their blood boil, their emotions surging like crashing waves, instantly pushed to a peak.
After all, in this Gang, almost everyone had received Johnny's generous assistance.
Thinking back to the time in the freezing snow-capped mountains, when everyone was cold, hungry, and desperate, it was Johnny who tirelessly brought food to sustain their lives;
When night fell and the biting wind made it hard to sleep, it was again Johnny who timely delivered warm and comfortable bedding, allowing everyone to sleep peacefully.
These various acts of kindness had long been deeply etched into everyone's hearts, becoming a series of indelible, beautiful memories.