Chapter 602 - Bounty and the Alcoholic Sherriff (1/2)

The little conflict that had just taken place in the county town quickly settled down in the presence of the sheriff.

But many heard the gunshots and had come out to see what was happening, thereby witnessing the whole incident.

Zhang Heng had achieved his first goal. Later, when he walked the streets again, no one dared to provoke him anymore. But, on the other hand, he had gotten himself on Lincoln County’s unpopular list.

The way the sheriff looked at him said it all.

As a matter of fact, the townspeople’s att.i.tude towards him hadn’t changed much at all, except that they were now more wary of him. When Zhang Heng and Radish pa.s.sed by, the women would drag their children into their homes while the men would stop in their tracks, offering nothing but a look of nervousness and hostility on their faces.

Zhang Heng found a pub where he bought some gra.s.s fodder and beans for the Radish as a reward for all the hard work for the past few days. He also ordered a pint of dark lager recommended by the bailiff, alongside a staple of steak and fried eggs. As he ate, he contemplated his situation and his next move.

He had found Lincoln county, but this place was harsher than he thought it would be.

In terms of unpopularity, he was probably ranked second only to the Native Americans. In fact, he might even be ranked higher than outlaws and gang members.

Zhang Heng wasn’t even sure if the cook had actually spat in his steak.

Having spent three out of the forty-nine dollars he had taken from Rich, he was now left with forty-six. If he were to put up at a hotel, he would be looking at one dollar a day; meals included, which meant the money was only enough to last him about a month and a half.

As usual, Zhang Heng still needed to find a way to make more money to survive in this quest. At that time, he began to miss that 40 kilograms of gold. Zhang Heng didn’t know what the system meant when it asked him to settle down in Lincoln County as the main quest. Was he supposed to look for a place to stay, or was he supposed to stay here for some time? Or, was he supposed to just live here until the system sent him back to the real world. The first two requirements could be achieved easily. As for the third requirement, if he were about to stay here for an extended period, he would have to consider a property purchase.

Nonetheless, thinking about things that would only take place in the future was pointless. After Zhang Heng finished lunch, he decided to head over to the police station in town. There were actually many jobs that he could involve himself in, but when he thought about the way the townspeople treated him, he didn’t have many options left to choose.

Among the odd jobs on offer, the work that could provide him with quick money and required no cooperation from anyone would undoubtedly be a bounty hunter.

The police station’s sore lack of manpower could barely cope with the West’s vast and complex environment. Most towns had only a law enforcement officer or two, and their enemies outnumbered many a time. Not only did they have to maintain local law and order, but they even doubled up as judges. It was almost impossible for them to take the time to go out of town.

Even with the bailiffs’ help, they still required a great deal of workforce to help them deal with the problem in the West. It was the main reason why the law was nearly non-existent in those parts at that time. Once someone committed a crime at a certain place, it was difficult for the police to track the person down after they changed their name or lay low.

Thus, the inception of the bounty hunter profession.