Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"That's not true at all." Zhang Renfeng didn't seem to care much. He smiled and said quite sincerely, "It's clearly because Senior Brother's Wild Goose Skill has become more and more proficient."

"..."

Caught off guard by the direct attack, Zhu Kuilong turned to the side.

The moonlight shone on his straight back, making him look like a cold, austere sculpture.

He remained silent for a long time before suddenly speaking, "What are your thoughts on all of this? Give me a straight answer."

Chapter 250: Life is but a solitary journey (Third update today!!)

"Excuse me for being frank, senior, but this question is very complicated, and its answer is also very complicated. To be honest, most of the time, I don't even know what I'm thinking."

Zhang Renfeng slowly stood up, looking at the person who had crossed the ocean specifically to come for him, separated by a railing, his eyes shining brightly, "If we are to talk, I hope that you, senior brother, can also be open and honest."

Zhu Kuilong tilted his head, looking at him expressionlessly. "Have I ever told you a single lie?"

"..."

Zhang Renfeng did not answer. Deep down, he knew the answer to the question, so he asked directly, "Senior brother, there is almost an entire world between us. How did you know I was here?"

"I have a friend."

“Friends?” Zhang Renfeng frowned. “...Are they from the imperial court, or from the martial arts world?”

“It doesn’t matter. My friend, he knows one person, knows another person, and that person knows yet another person.” After reciting a series of seemingly tongue-twisting words, Zhu Kuilong finally got to the point, staring intently at Zhang Renfeng, and said in a deep voice, “The sea breeze brings fragmented news. They tell me that on the other side of the world, an unsettling force has emerged. Like weeds, it grows disorderly and wildly.”

"Hongzhong, is that you?"

"Hmm." Since Zhu Kuilong had been so open and honest with his fellow disciples, Zhang Renfeng also made no attempt to hide anything and nodded.

"It seems you'll never learn from your mistakes," Zhu Kuilong said coldly. "At least this time, you knew to cover up your name a little, which is an improvement."

"I hope you haven't forgotten that we still have a competition. According to the sect rules, the winner takes all. This is the best way. We are all martial artists, and no one can convince anyone else, so let's settle things with our fists."

He knocked on the prison bars, making two clear, resonant knocks. "If you remember this, I suggest you take some time to review your basics while you're enjoying the peace and quiet here."

Zhang Renfeng suddenly asked, "What if I lose?"

"boom!"

Zhu Kuilong slammed his fist on the railing and roared, "You're cowardly before the battle even begins! What kind of behavior is this? Why don't you just assume you've won?"

"..." Zhang Renfeng smiled, a smile with an ambiguous meaning, containing too many unspoken words.

Deep down, he didn't think he could win.

Those who work diligently, day by day, cannot be surpassed by those who cram for a few days.

“If—and I mean, ‘if’—the fire in Zhang Renfeng’s eyes dimmed, he asked, “If I lose, would you really trade my head for 107 million taels of silver?”

"...If even a tiny fraction of what actually ends up in my hands, that would be considered a mercy from these high-ranking officials." Zhu Kuilong rarely laughed out loud, which meant he had completely given up hope on the bureaucratic system in his hometown. "Of course. You are the real culprit in the Ma case. You killed the governor of Liangjiang, which is a crime of treason!"

"Let me explain how great this sin is—as long as you live, you will never be able to atone for it. Your master, your sect, and your fellow disciples will all be implicated because of you. Just like me, I lost everything I had in the past and had to flee into the world, constantly on the run."

"Given everything that has happened in the past, Zhang Renfeng must die. Not only must he die, but he must die in a way that shakes the heavens and moves the gods to tears! His heart and liver must be dug out to offer as a sacrifice to the governor of Liangjiang, whom you smashed into mincemeat with a birch tree. Only in this way can this matter truly be considered over in your lifetime."

Zhang Renfeng understood his implied meaning, his expression turned serious, and he almost held his breath.

"That's right, Zhang Renfeng must die."

"But you, you can survive."

"With different identities, different names, different..."

"face."

"Face?!" Zhang Renfeng was immediately shocked. In this era, the concept of plastic surgery was far from being understood. To him, this was simply a fantasy. "Name and identity are fine, but how can one change their face?"

After a long silence, Zhu Kuilong finally admitted, "I have a friend, or rather, a teacher and friend. I learned several incredible magic tricks from him... He is willing to take you as his apprentice."

"What?" Zhang Renfeng was even more confused. "I don't understand, what does this have to do with whether or not they accept me as their disciple?"

“I know it’s hard to explain without seeing it for yourself,” Zhu Kuilong shook his head and continued, “but that’s his rule—only after he acknowledges you as his disciple will he ensure that you will be given the [Path of Solitude].

"A solitary path?" Zhang Renfeng's expression grew increasingly grim. He had never heard of this term before, but instinctively, he sensed something was amiss.

As the name suggests, "The Solitary Path" means walking alone. These three words carried a chill, reminding him of the night he parted from his hometown, standing on the deck, gazing at the shore, where a fierce and merciless wind was blowing.

In truth, who doesn't walk alone in this world?

“I think I’ve already said it, ‘Zhang Renfeng’ must die, which means you are no longer him. You will embark on a solitary path, and his family, relatives, friends…” Zhu Kuilong understood for a moment, put his hands behind his back, and looked at him with some pity, as if he were proclaiming his fate, “and the entire sect, everything that belongs to Zhang Renfeng’s past will be erased from his life.”

"You can no longer go to the places where Zhang Renfeng used to live, you can't have any contact with people Zhang Renfeng knew, you can't even take a peek from afar."

"You can no longer use Qigong, nor can you display your martial arts talent. Wash away the superficialities and be reborn, say what you will, my friend will help you do it."

"After everything is over, Zhang Renfeng will die. The one who survives will be someone else entirely."

"From this point on, the case of the attack on Ma is closed. This matter is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me, and no one else is to know about it. Not even your concubine!"

……

The moonlight was bright yet cold, shining through the cracks in the floor tiles, where a tiny ant crawled across.

He was the sole witness to this mysterious transaction.

----

Zhang Renfeng clenched his fist, his ten fingers gripping together, and an extremely strong sense of power filled his body, surging up from every part of his body.

The confidence that power brings is unimaginable. The stronger one is, the more confident one becomes, creating a reliable positive feedback loop. Zhang Renfeng's innate talent has led him down this path of no return, because so far, he hasn't encountered any bottlenecks. Martial arts are like a broad, smooth road for him, where he can run freely and unrestrained.

As always, he felt omnipotent, as if he could mold and shape the world.

"We can no longer use martial arts..."

He stared intently at his fist, muttering, "Then what's the difference between me and someone who's really dead?"

"The difference is that you're still alive, you can still breathe, and your heart is still beating," Zhu Kuilong said expressionlessly. "That's the difference."

"As for Zhang Renfeng? Let him go. In this vast land, in this boundless land of China, the loss of Zhang Renfeng will not make a difference."

……

……

……

He remained silent for so long that the moonlight shifted in the air and fell upon his shoulder.

"Do not."

The word had never sounded so heavy when it came out of my mouth.

Zhu Kuilong fell silent. He didn't waste any more words trying to persuade him; to him, the weight of those words was already enough.

"Then, I wish you good luck in your martial arts career."

He left quietly, just as quietly as he came.

Chapter 251: You All Possess Unique Skills

"Oh! Mr. Mayor, welcome... welcome! Hahaha, it's been so long since I've seen you, oh yes, and Mr. Calloway too. I remember you said you weren't a big fan of bouillabaisse when you had breakfast at my house last time, so this time I specially hired a renowned chef from another region. It's still a dish related to fresh fish, and this time, please do me the honor of trying it; the taste will be quite different!"

This is politics.

Even if two people are fully aware that the other wishes they could shoot their brains out, as long as they don't completely break off relations, this friendly game will have to continue for another day.

Angelo changed into his most formal clothes, revealing what was probably the most enthusiastic smile of his life, and embraced Mason with his arms wide open.

He also took charge of the venue setup, providing one of his mansions as the venue for the banquet, complete with a luxurious water garden. The courtyard itself was spacious enough to accommodate so many tables and chairs, and the hanging gas lamps ensured that the nighttime lighting was bright enough for the guests to fully enjoy the lavish arrangement.

The well-arranged bonsai, exquisite sculptures, and fountains made of pure gold are all breathtaking.

Under the sunlight, the water jets of the fountain sparkled like pearls dancing in the air, refracting a dazzling array of colors.

As the one who selected the banquet venue, Angelo set up his own table on the outdoor balcony of the mansion's second floor, subtly suggesting a view overlooking the guests. After the embrace, he shook hands with each of the mayor's entourage, thanking them for their presence and displaying a very cooperative attitude.

"It's a pity we couldn't invite Mr. Cheddar; he's always been a very busy man... Knowing him as I do, I'm sure he would love it here."

Angelo leaned almost entirely back on the sofa, a cigar between two fingers, and chuckled, "Look at this group of people, Mr. Mayor. Money, lust, and women... Ha... They're experts at smelling that scent, aren't they?"

“I drew up the list,” Mason said calmly as he sat down. “But as far as I know, they are all upright gentlemen.”

"Hahaha... Mr. Mayor, I didn't mean to mock you. You just lack intelligence. Because you lack intelligence, you were deceived by appearances and couldn't make the right judgment. This is not your fault. If anyone is to blame, it's your subordinates for not helping you build the right intelligence network in the first place."

As he said this, Angelo glanced at Calaway, who was nonchalantly sipping the wine on the table. After just one sip, Calaway's brow furrowed, and like a barbarian, he spat it onto the floor.

"Is that so?" Mason said dismissively. "I'd like to hear more."

……

“Mr. Forsell.” Angelo pointed with a lit cigarette butt into the air at a man in a black and red naval uniform, head held high, with burn scars on his face. “The famous sugar merchant, spice merchant, ha… I prefer to call him a slave trader.”

"As far as I know, this guy secretly owns an island. Don't let his respectable appearance fool you; once he's on the island, he's the absolute ruler. He forces slaves to work for him in places where civilization and law can't reach, and he constantly replenishes his slave supply by ship from all over the world... That's why his prices are always lower than others."

“This is Ilyn Payne, an officer of the Confederate States of America…”

“He’s a war hero, isn’t he?” Mason suddenly interrupted him, half-warningly. “Perhaps we should be more careful when talking about him.”

“Oh, sir, there’s nothing to be so careful about. His quirks are common knowledge.” Angelo shook his head with a smile, getting more and more excited as he spoke. “So-called war heroes are nothing more than appropriating the credit of their subordinates. Anyway, the dead won’t jump out of the ground to refute them.”

“He just likes… that kind of… hard-to-describe, ‘imperfect beauty’.” Angelo shrugged, a complicated smile on his face. “Well, the judgment of beauty is always very subjective. I don’t think outsiders can really say anything about it.”

"This kind of hobby must be hard to satisfy, right?" Calaway frowned, his left hand unconsciously pressing on the gun handle. "Where are you going to find so many incomplete people?"

“Hahaha, Mr. Calaway, you underestimate the power of money.” Angelo’s laughter revealed a hint of disdain. “Beauty can be customized. These days, as long as you have enough money, you can customize anything. Mr. Ilyin is very wealthy. Thanks to the war, his official position and status have risen steadily. I believe there will be people willing to pay for his unique aesthetic.”

“Oh, of course, how could we overlook this one, Richard Griers, the head of the ‘Harbor Newspaper,’ ah…”

"Maybe one day we'll find his boots in Blackwater Lake. If that happens, it will be a huge help!"

Angelo's tone turned sinister as he stared intently at the newspaper editor below, his smile unchanged.

He suddenly stood up, raised his glass, smiled, and shouted down, "I hope you all go to hell—!!" (Italian)

Most people don't understand Italian, so they naturally don't know what Angelo is saying, but when they see him raise his glass, they also raise their glasses in response, and for a moment, blessings and praises come down like raindrops.

Having fooled everyone, Angelo was even happier. He slumped onto the sofa, threw the cigar he had barely smoked at his feet, and crushed it.

“You see, Mr. Mayor, these guys… all have a dark side, but to be honest, I don’t care at all.”

"That's what it means to be human. Under the blazing sun, no one can remain unscathed. That's why people like me exist."

……

"call out---"

"Snapped!"

Fireworks exploded.

The dazzling light shone on his profile, casting a shadow over his face and making his thin face and high nose appear even more defined.

"That's why people like me exist. I am the shadow of this city, the dark side of people's hearts after the sunlight shines down."

"..." Mason listened quietly without saying a word.

“I know there have been some misunderstandings between us recently, harmless misunderstandings. It's all been stirred up by someone. I've always believed that I can maintain a good relationship with this current mayor, which is you. After all…”

"Mayors come and go in different terms, just like the flowing water in this garden. The old ones leave and the new ones come. But the dark side of people's hearts will always exist."

“Look at how well we’ve worked together over the past few months, like brothers. San Quintac, under our leadership, has become so developed and advanced; we should be proud of ourselves!”

"Forget about the unpleasantness of the past few days, Mayor Mason. From this moment on, we can still cooperate and achieve mutual benefit."

He handed over the glass, waiting for the crisp sound—the clarion call of his victory.

……

Mason remained motionless, only glancing downstairs.

“Our distinguished guest has arrived.” He stood up. “Excuse me, Mr. Angelo, I must leave.”

Angelo's expression froze, and he reluctantly put down his wine glass.

----

“Sir…” Guido, who was standing beside him and had witnessed everything, couldn’t help but remind him, “They’re gone.”

"Hmm." Angelo poured the wine from his glass onto the floor and murmured, "Then let's begin."