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"Appreciate it, Mr. Burt," Caleb replied, tipping his hat. With that, he strode out the saloon's main doors into the bright morning. Stark stood waiting at the hitching post, ears flicking. Caleb gave the horse a fond pat, mounted, and guided her northward. The streets of Blackwater rolled beneath him, cobblestone giving way to dirt, and soon the town was fading behind him.
This time, he didn't take the same route he came in on. Paranoia was survival, and he had no intention of letting a Pinkerton shadow him out of town. He rode north, crossing the Upper Montana River, then swung northwest toward Strawberry.
The little town came into view, its streets busy with the usual noise of commerce. Caleb didn't linger. He followed the road through to Strawberry's northern exit, then diverted off into a hidden patch of woods he knew well from his Past Life Memory. There, safely out of sight, he pulled the four sacks from his inventory and immediately shoved them back in, resetting the overload timer.
"Not today," he muttered at the system. "Not in front of anyone."
From there, the path led him northwest to Wallace Station. The station bustled with a few travelers and wagons, but Caleb kept moving, circling wide until the noise faded behind him. He pressed northward, the trees parting to reveal the roar of Cumberland Falls.
Crossing the river carefully, water splashing up Stark's sides, Caleb pressed onward. The dirt trail wound southward first, then veered east, guiding him steadily toward familiar lands. His heart thrummed harder with every mile, anticipation building.
And finally, finally, the sight of Valentine's auction yards loomed before him. The town sprawled out in front of him, rough, dusty, alive with noise and movement.
He was back. Back richer than ever before.
As Caleb rode into town, the familiar sights and sounds of Valentine swirled around him, the clatter of hooves on mud slick streets, merchants hollering their wares, the smell of hay and horse sweat thick in the air. The weight of his secret fortune pressed heavily against his thoughts.
He knew he couldn't just dump this money into circulation. That much cash would raise eyebrows, maybe worse. But with it, he could build. He could lay the groundwork for something real, land, supplies, security. Dutch's dream, perfected.
He dismounted at the stables, brushing Stark's mane. "We did it, girl," he whispered. "We really did it."
Stark, hearing Caleb's words, let out a couple of gentle snorts while her tail swung left and right, clearly sharing the excitement and happiness her rider was carrying in his chest. Caleb couldn't help but chuckle at her enthusiasm, patting her neck as he understood perfectly well that she was also very happy.
"Oh, I get it, girl. You're just as happy as I am. Don't you worry, today you're gettin' the best treatment this stable's ever given, " Caleb promised warmly. "The best food, the sweetest treats, and a full body care session like you deserve. You've earned it more than anyone."
The promise made Stark's ears perk even higher. She gave a playful shake of her head and even began to trot in place, almost dancing in joy. Caleb laughed outright this time, the sound lighter than it had been in weeks. For once, there wasn't danger breathing down his neck, no Colm O'Driscolls, no Pinkertons, no sudden ambushes. Just victory, relief, and plans for the future.
At that moment, Mr. Levi came walking out from the stable, wiping his hands on a rag. His sharp eyes caught Caleb and the dancing Stark immediately. With a friendly smile, the stablemaster called out, "Well now if it isn't Caleb! You've returned quicker than your usual long journeys out of town."
Caleb smirked, tipping his hat, brushing Stark's neck with one hand. "Heh, just a small trip this time, that's all. Nothing too grand."
Mr. Levi's gaze flicked from Caleb to Stark, then back again. He chuckled knowingly. "I can see it's gone well for you. That mare's excitement speaks louder than any story you could tell. Haven't seen this girl so fired up in weeks, other than when you come here to take her out of course."
"You could say that," Caleb replied, still grinning. He leaned closer to Stark and stroked her mane again. "I've promised this girl the finest treatment today, food, treats, and a full body care. The whole works. Ain't lettin' her down on that."
As he spoke, Caleb reached into his satchel, pulled out a neat wad of bills, and counted off ten dollars without hesitation. He handed it directly to Mr. Levi. "This should cover it. Nothing but the best for her."
The stablemaster's eyebrows shot up slightly at the sum, it was generous, very generous, but he quickly pocketed the money with a respectful nod. "Why, that's plenty more than needed. Consider it done, Caleb. She'll be treated like royalty for this."
"Good," Caleb said firmly. "That's exactly what I want."
Mr. Levi nodded, tucking the bill away. "Then you've got my word. She'll be the shiniest, happiest horse in all of Valentine before sundown." With practiced ease, he took hold of Stark's reins and led her toward the stable. Stark snorted again, pleased, as if she already understood what awaited her.
Caleb turned on his heel, the weight of his satchel lighter but his heart steadier, and hurried across the muddy main street toward the hotel. He didn't linger, didn't exchange unnecessary greetings. He had something far more important to do.
Up the stairs, down the hall, right turn, the door at the end was his. Caleb slipped inside, turned the key, and locked it behind him. For good measure, he dragged the small chair near the desk against the knob. Only then did he let out a long breath.
The four sacks weighed heavily in his inventory, even though the system hid their bulk. Without hesitation, he pulled them free and placed them onto the floor. The sight alone made his pulse quicken.
Two sacks he stuffed into the sturdy chest at the foot of the bed, tucking them beneath some of his tuff there. The other two he carefully stacked into the wardrobe at the corner of the room, hidden behind someones folded spare shirts and trousers that was left behind do who knows how long.
He closed both hiding spots firmly, testing to make sure the latches held. Only then did he finally lean back, exhaling. The money was safe. Safe here in Valentine, for now.
He allowed himself a grin. For the first time since he'd set out on this insane journey, he could actually rest easy.
But rest wouldn't last long. There was more to do.
He turned toward the door with the intention of heading back out, maybe to check how far along the construction of his building had come, he'd been so consumed with chasing and securing Dutch's lost fortune that he hadn't noticed the progress right under his nose. His food stall was transforming into something greater, and it deserved his attention.
Just as he reached for the door handle, however, the system interface blinked to life in front of his eyes.
A notification popped up.
[Luck attribute has increased by 2.]
[New Skill Acquired: Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX).]
[Inventory Space Upgraded: 5×5×5 → 10×10×10.]
Caleb froze, stunned. "What the hell…?"
His eyes widened as he reread the glowing words. His Luck, one of the hardest attributes to improve, had gone up. Just like that. Eighth out of ten now. Eight! He felt a rush of exhilaration. Luck wasn't just a number. In this world, it was survival. It was the difference between a bullet grazing your ear and one tearing through your skull.
He clenched his fists, grinning. "Damn right."
And then his gaze shifted to the new skill. Treasure Hunter. MAX level, no less. He opened its description with anticipation gnawing at him.
The words appeared, and his jaw nearly dropped.
[Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX): The user can track treasures across the world. Any treasure that exists within explored areas of the map will appear as golden markers.]
He sat heavily on the bed, his heart pounding.
"Holy…"
This was overpowered. Beyond overpowered. Not just some card trick skill or a minor perk, this was a world breaking ability. Treasures from the game, and maybe even treasures outside the game's canon, would now be visible to him.
Immediately, he opened his map interface. And there they were.
Dozens of golden dots littered the parchment-like map. Every area he had traveled through before now glittered with opportunities. Gold. Hidden stashes. Trinkets. Jewels. It was all there.
He laughed under his breath, shaking his head. "This… this is insane. Top five? No. Top three. Hell, this might be number one."
For a while, he just sat there, staring at the map, dreaming of the wealth and possibilities it laid bare. His pulse refused to settle. But eventually, Caleb forced himself to calm down. He couldn't rush. Not now. Not with so much at stake.
But just as he was calming from that high, his eyes drifted back to the first line of the notification. The third reward.
Inventory Space upgraded.
From 5×5×5 to 10×10×10.
Caleb blinked. Then blinked again, as the sheer math hit him.
"Oh my god."
He shot upright, pacing the room. Before, his inventory was already a miracle compared to saddlebags and wagons, a hidden cube where items were weightless, timeless.
But it had limits. He'd been juggling weapons, ammo, food, valuables, and now literal sacks of money and gold bars. Even with his careful stacking, it strained due to the four sacks, which have caused him to hit overload for the first time.
But now?
His inventory system was improved twice the size from it's previous size, allowing more room for him to store many item, hell he was sure that if he put all four dack, he wouldn't be overload.
His laughter bubbled out uncontrollably. "This is… this is ridiculous. I could carry a goddamn small horse inside me now if I took out everything!"
He spun back toward the wardrobe, gripping its edge just to ground himself. Relief washed through him in waves. No more random ejections, no more risk of drawing attention because gold bars spilled out on a road. No more sweating over limits.
This changed everything. Not just convenience,strategy.
Caleb's grin stretched wide. "Oh, Dutch. You poor bastard. You buried money in your momma's grave and thought you were clever. But me? I've got a vault in my pocket that never runs out of room."
"All right," he muttered, closing the interface. "Later. Treasures later. First thing's first, the business."
With resolve firm again, Caleb stood, straightened his jacket, and finally left the room. Down the stairs, out through the hotel's front doors, into the bustling Valentine streets.
And when he reached the building site—
"My god," Caleb whispered.
He stopped dead, a smile tugging at his lips. The structure that had once been nothing more than a half built frame was now nearly complete. The roof was firmly in place, fresh wood beams gleaming under the morning sun.
Windows had been fitted neatly. Doors, too. And at the front, a wide, clean counter jutted outward beneath an overhanging awning, the perfect window for folks to order food.
Beside the building, a porch stretched out, its surface lined with freshly laid round tables and chairs. Overhead, a simple but sturdy roof terrace shaded the area, ready to protect patrons from rain or sun. It wasn't just a food stall anymore. It was a proper eatery, a place people could gather. Caleb's chest swelled with pride. This was real. This was his.
...
Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 7/10
- Agility: 7/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 7/10
- Charm: 6/10
- Luck: 6/10 → 8/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 4)
- Rifle (Lvl 3)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 3)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 2)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 3)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 4)
- Poker (Lvl 4)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 2)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 3)
- Bow (Lvl 2)
- Pain Nullifier (Lvl 1)
- Physical Regeneration (Lvl 0)
- Crafting (Lvl 3)
- Persuasion (Lvl 2)
- Mental Fortitude (Lvl MAX)
- Cooking (Lvl 3)
- Teaching (Lvl 2)
- Germanic Language Proficiency (Lvl MAX)
- Inventory System (Permanent - 5x5x5) → (10x10x10)
- Acting (Lvl 2)
- Alcohol Resistance (Lvl MAX)
- Treasure Hunter (Lvl MAX) → NEW
Money: 1,977 dollars and 10 cents
Inventory: 5,407 dollars and 43 cents, 7 gold nuggets, 8 gold bars, 7 silver rings, 1 Double Action, 1 Schofield, 2 large bags of jewelry, 4 gold rings, 2 silver rings, 4 silver pocket watches, 3 gold buckles, 1 gold pocket compass, 2 platinum pocket watches, 2 Colm's Schofields, land deed (Parcel), and four sacks of dollar bills and gold bars.
Bank: -