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🕑 Added 2025-04-05 15:43:37 +0000 UTCWind in the Smoke
Chapter 177 – Setup
On the way to the area where the magic would happen, Dante insisted that Kayce go and take care of his family first. As for his brother’s attitude, it was flat. He knew that if he went back, Monica’s attitude would still be the same.
In that regard, Dante stopped insisting. He still had work to do, and there was no need to push his brother to solve family problems.
"Are you going to use that?" Kayce asked, looking at the rifle Dante carried that day.
"Well, I know the bullets won't be enough, but it’ll still be useful somehow."
Although there was a weapon hanging on the saddle, Dante clearly hadn’t had the chance to hunt on the ranch and hadn’t seen a single rabbit along the way. Not even a gunshot had been heard—it seemed no hunting group had found any rabbits in the grass.
After a morning of routine work, Dante felt pain in his back and waist, mainly because he was exhausted from traveling and helping some of the farmhands.
At that moment, Ryan made a call after spotting a group of deer appearing at the edge of the pasture. Kayce, who had just returned, brought bad news: “It’s likely those deer will enter the pasture, but we’re not in a position to take them down right now.”
There was nothing they could do. Even though there was a high chance the deer would enter Dante’s ranch, after all, it wasn’t hunting season.
If you killed a deer then and got caught, and someone reported it, it would become a pretty serious problem—even for the Duttons, who had a lot of power.
Dante couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. It seemed that his ranch didn’t only attract rabbits but also deer. With the ranch expanding, it had definitely become a good place for herbivores, and it was only natural that they’d want to move in—or had already started doing so.
Moreover, putting up a fence wasn’t ideal because Dante didn’t want the ranch’s expansion to be private. That made things even more complicated.
Kayce grabbed a water bottle and said, “If they really do come in, we’ll just have to scare them off. They’re easy to spot, so anyone can be driven back into the forest.”
That seemed like the best solution. Since the deer couldn’t be killed, the only option was to drive them away.
…
Main Ranch – Dante’s Cabin
After washing his hands, Dante kissed Susie and asked, “Anything I should be aware of?”
“You already have enough trouble with the rabbits and deer. Why worry about anything else?” said Susie, who, ever since deciding to be with Dante, had made it clear she’d help with the business.
“Well, just so you know, I won’t be heading to the ranch this afternoon. I need to check the irrigation system,” Dante said while eating and organizing his tasks. “I also need to plant some vegetables. I’ve got to prepare more carrots—my horses love them. I’m also planning to plant other vegetables, like tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, and broccoli. I’ll plant a bit of everything.”
Susie had no objections to Dante’s plans, and naturally, his brother Kayce had even less when he told him.
Not to mention, Dante still had some important things to take care of—even if he was lazy sometimes, it didn’t matter, because he was a rancher. Someone who runs a ranch or is a farmer is never idle in a place like this, especially with the ambitions he had.
Kayce, on the other hand, being a role model for the cowboys, resumed work after a short break.
The main task during this period was weeding, which also required constant observation and monitoring of grass growth.
Even though the grass on the ranch seemed to be growing well now, much of it had been reseeded and had little resistance to disease and insect pests. Plus, due to excessive water, the grass in some areas wasn’t growing particularly well, and continuous reseeding would be necessary.
Cowboys didn’t necessarily have to ride horses to herd cattle, and a cowboy’s job wasn’t just about using a lasso to tame unruly bulls.
Dante’s work had to continue. One of his greatest achievements was taking care of his personal greenhouse. This place kept him busy and focused on tending to his vegetables and fruits, and it helped him stay calm.
As Felipe Lobos had recommended, he had to find balance and lead from the shadows. That’s what he had been doing so far—whenever he got the chance.
His dogs ran joyfully around him. They didn’t need to follow him to be noticed, nor did they have to draw attention to be happy.
As long as they were with Dante, they were happy.
It was even better when Dante took the time to interact with them occasionally.
Now digging the soil, Dante looked more and more like a farmer. The hard work and studying during this period had paid off. Even if his movements were a little unfamiliar or his experience occasionally lacking, his common sense was enough to take care of his fruits without much trouble.
“Carrots, carrots! My horses love carrots!” If someone saw Dante right now, they’d never imagine he was the leader of the most dangerous organization in the country.
Comments
Nato J
That can miss lead people into finding the Sons of Anarchy Leader and use his legit businesses to make Montanna a food state that supports agricultural production in America. Will have to at some point deal with the Serbian Mafia.
