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But how? He considered several options. Perhaps he could establish himself as a bounty hunter, taking down outlaws and earning a reputation as a skilled gunslinger. Alternatively, he could try to become the best poker player in town, using his Poker skills to win big and gain notoriety. He wasn't sure yet which path to take, but he knew he needed to do something to stand out.
As Caleb stood there, lost in thought, he realized that making a name for himself wouldn't be easy. Valentine was a rough town, full of tough individuals who wouldn't take kindly to an outsider trying to rise through the ranks.
But Caleb was determined. He had already made significant progress in his skills and attributes, and he was ready to take the next step by gaining real experience.
With a deep breath, Caleb decided to start small. He would continue his work at the stable and butcher stall, but he would also look for opportunities to take on bounties or participate in high stakes poker games.
He needed to build his reputation gradually, proving himself to the people of Valentine while staying under the radar of the law. If he played his cards right, he could position himself as someone the Van der Linde gang would want to recruit or at least take notice of.
As he walked back toward the center of town, Caleb felt a renewed sense of purpose. The next few days would be critical. He needed to stay sharp, keep training, and seize any opportunity that came his way. The Van der Linde gang's arrival in Valentine's was inevitable, and he intended to be ready when they finally showed up.
With that in mind, Caleb headed to the stable, where he planned to continue his work as he had been doing for the past five days. When he arrived, he noticed Mr. Levi deep in conversation with a couple of ranch hands.
Their faces were serious, and Caleb could tell that something significant must have happened. Curiosity piqued, he approached them, careful not to interrupt but close enough to overhear their conversation.
The ranch hands were discussing a troubling issue: over the past four days, cattle and sheep had gone missing from their ranch south of Valentine. Each night, three cattle and five sheep had disappeared without a trace.
While the losses weren't catastrophic, the consistency of the thefts was starting to hurt the ranchers' bottom line. Mr. Levi listened intently, asking questions about whether they had any suspects or if they had increased night patrols around the pens, to which the ranch hands replied they but didn't found anyone, well from what they see that is.
Caleb, standing nearby, was surprised by what he heard. His memory skill quickly confirmed that there had been no such mission or event in Red Dead Redemption 2.
While he hadn't played every side mission in the game, he had explored Valentine thoroughly and never encountered anything like this. This realization struck him, while this world was based on the game, it had its own unique problems and challenges that weren't part of the original story. It was a reminder that this world was both familiar and unpredictable.
As the ranchers continued to speak, Caleb heard them refer to the thief as a "ghost." The nickname came from the fact that there were no traces left behind, no footprints, no broken fences, and no signs of a struggle.
It was as if the animals were vanishing into thin air. Caleb's interest was immediately sparked. This could be his chance to make a name for himself in Valentine's. By helping the ranchers solve this mystery, he could increase his reputation and prove his worth to the community.
The livestock yards were an important part of Valentine's economy, and if he could protect them and their interest, it would earn him the respect and trust of the townsfolk at the same time increase his stature.
After a moment of consideration, Caleb decided to step in. He gave a light cough to attract the attention of Mr. Levi and the ranch hands. All three turned their heads toward him, and Mr. Levi greeted him with a nod.
"Caleb, good to see you," Mr. Levi said. "This here is Tom and Jed, ranch hands from the livestock yards south of town. Boys, this is Caleb. He's been helping me out around the stable."
The ranch hands nodded politely, though their expressions remained grim. Caleb took the opportunity to introduce himself further. "Pleasure to meet you both," he said. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. It sounds like you've got a real problem on your hands."
Tom, the older of the two ranch hands, sighed heavily. "That's putting it lightly. We've been losing cattle and sheep every night for the past four days. No tracks, no signs of a break in, nothing. It's like they're just disappearing out of thin air."
Caleb nodded thoughtfully. "That's strange. Before I arrived in Valentine," he said, stretching the truth a bit, "I did some traveling and picked up a thing or two about investigating missing things, livestock included. If you're willing, I'd like to help you figure out what's going on."
The ranch hands exchanged glances, clearly skeptical but also desperate for any help they could get. Jed, the younger ranch hand, spoke up. "You think you can find out who's behind this? Or what's behind it?"
Caleb shrugged modestly. "I can't make any promises, but I'm willing to try. If it's a person, I'll find them. If it's something else… well, I'll figure that out too."
Mr. Levi, who had been listening quietly, gave Caleb an approving nod. "Caleb's a good man. If anyone can help you, it's him."
Tom and Jed seemed to relax a little at Mr. Levi's endorsement. "Alright," Tom said. "We'll take any help we can get. If you're serious about this, meet us at the livestock yards tonight. We'll show you around and fill you in on the details."
Caleb nodded. "I'll be there. Just tell me where to go."
The ranch hands gave him directions to the livestock yards, which were located a short ride south of Valentine. After finalizing the plan, they thanked Caleb and Mr. Levi before heading back to their ranch to prepare for the night.
Once they were gone, Mr. Levi turned to Caleb with a raised eyebrow. "You sure about this, son? Chasing after a 'ghost' doesn't sound like an easy job."
Caleb smiled. "I'm not one to back down from a challenge. Besides, if I can help them, it'll be good for the town and good for me as well."
Mr. Levi chuckled. "Well, I can't argue with that. Just be careful, alright? Ghost or no ghost, there's something strange going on out there."
Caleb nodded, his mind already racing with possibilities. This was his chance to prove himself, not just to the ranchers but to the entire town of Valentine.
If he could solve this mystery, it would be a major step toward building his reputation and gaining the attention of the Van der Linde gang when they eventually arrived.
As he prepared for the night ahead, Caleb felt a mix of excitement and determination. The "ghost" of Valentine's livestock yards was about to meet its match, or even its conqueror if he could handle this right.
He first helped Mr. Levi around the stable, doing his usual work. Since business was a bit slow that day, the two of them had more time to talk as they worked. Mr. Levi, noticing Caleb's interest in tracking and investigation, began to share some of his own experiences from his younger days.
"You know, Caleb," Mr. Levi said as he brushed down one of the horses, "back in my day, I used to track horses and livestock that had gone missing. It's not an easy job, but there's a trick to it. You've got to pay attention to the smallest details things like broken branches, disturbed dirt, and even the way the grass is bent. Sometimes, the tracks are faint, but they're there if you know how to look."
Caleb listened intently, absorbing every word. While he didn't gain a new skill from the conversation, the knowledge was invaluable. With his high perception attribute and his memory skill, which allowed him to recall the layout of Valentine and its surroundings in detail, he felt more confident about his ability to track down the so called "ghost" of the livestock yards.
In the afternoon, Caleb and Mr. Levi continued their horse riding lessons. Mr. Levi was impressed by Caleb's progress. "You're a natural, son," he said as Caleb guided Morgan through a series of advanced maneuvers. "I've never seen someone pick up riding so quickly. From barely knowing how to sit on a horse to mastering the basics and even some advanced skills in just a few days, it's remarkable."
Caleb smiled, feeling a sense of pride. "I've got a good teacher," he replied, giving Mr. Levi a nod of gratitude. After finishing the lesson, Mr. Levi handed Caleb his daily wage of 1 dollar, and Caleb mounted Morgan to head toward the livestock yards in the southern part of Valentine.
As he rode, Caleb's mind raced with possibilities about who or what could be behind the mysterious disappearances of the cattle and sheep. He ruled out the idea of a single person being responsible, since it would be nearly impossible for one person to steal multiple animals without leaving a trace.
The supernatural crossed his mind briefly, after all, the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 did have its share of strange and unexplained phenomena. But Caleb was more inclined to believe it was the work of a small, organized group of outlaws.
What troubled him most was the possibility of an inside job. The fact that the animals disappeared even with patrols and guards on duty suggested that someone within the ranch might be involved.
If that were the case, it would explain the lack of tracks or signs of a struggle. The thieves could be using their knowledge of the ranch's layout and routines to carry out their thefts undetected.
Caleb felt a mix of nervousness and determination as he approached the livestock yards. This was his chance to prove himself, not just to the ranchers but to the entire town of Valentine.
Solving this mystery would increase his reputation, earn him the trust of the community, and possibly lead to a reward. But more than that, it would be his first real test, a chance to put his skills to the test in a high stakes situation.
If it came to a gunfight, it would also be his first real combat experience, something he knew he needed to further harden his mentality and prepare for the challenges ahead.
As the livestock yards came into view, Caleb took a deep breath and steadied himself. He tied Morgan to a hitching post near the entrance and approached the ranch house, where Tom and Jed were waiting for him. The two ranch hands looked relieved to see him.
"Glad you made it," Tom said, extending a hand. "We've been going over the details, and we'll show you around the pens. Maybe you'll spot something we missed."
Caleb nodded. "Let's get started. The sooner we figure this out, the better."
As they walked through the livestock yards, Caleb kept his eyes sharp, using his heightened perception to look for any clues that might have been overlooked by Tom, Jed, and the other ranch hands.
Using his perception of 8 to its maximum potential, Caleb noticed small details in the pens that seemed out of place. Among the dirt and hay, he spotted faint impressions that looked like bootprints. He crouched down to examine them more closely, his sharp eyes picking up on subtle irregularities that the ranch hands had missed.
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Name: Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 6/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 6/10
- Charm: 4/10
- Luck: 5/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 1)
- Rifle (Lvl 1)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 2)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 1)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 1)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 1)
- Poker (Lvl 1)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 0)