Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Chapter 252: I Recognize You (Part 3)

"Hey~~~ Dunn, long time no see!"

Angelo slapped him hard on the shoulder from behind and teased, "Long time no see, hahahahaha—!! Oh, sorry, did I interrupt your conversation with our mayor?"

The way they said it made it sound like the aroma of tea was everywhere. Two grown people standing here talking—anyone with eyes could see that.

But Angelo is no gentleman. He started as a thug and worked his way up to where he is today. If he relied on gentlemanly manners, he would have been dead in some alley long ago.

Since Mason ignored him and insisted on declaring war, he would show him the network of relationships he had built up over the years. Even the newly appointed mayor of White Torch Town had some dealings with him; the Italian's connections were truly terrifying.

However, what made him vaguely feel something was wrong was Dunn's attitude.

Timid and timid, like a frightened bird, when he was patted on the back, his first reaction was to shrink his shoulders and take half a step back. This was completely different from the Dunn Harganda he remembered.

"How did you suddenly have such a bright idea and decide to run for mayor?" Angelo, taking advantage of his status as an "old acquaintance," forcefully interrupted Mayor Mason and Dunn's conversation, laughing as he said, "I heard what happened in your town, it's terrible, I mean... Wendigo Lecter even invited me to his dinner party."

"People in high positions are used to eating people alive without spitting out the bones. Don't follow in their footsteps, hahaha!"

"But seriously, winning this election must have cost you a lot of money. That's what you call... what was it again? Pre-emptive investment! An arms dealer who made a fortune off the war has become the mayor, hahaha, who can stop you now? To hell with laws and regulations! Your pockets can be even fuller!"

"..." Dunn's smile was very stiff. He quickly shook his head and denied it, "No, no way. I... all my businesses are legal and compliant. I won't touch any money that I shouldn't earn, not even a penny."

Mason silently observed the confession, his expression calm, as if he were assessing something.

"Are you alright?" Angelo's keen sense of smell detected something amiss, but he still smiled and patted Dunn on the shoulder. "Did that cannibal cut off your testicles and eat them? Hmm? Where did that war profiteer who used to smuggle arms with me and make a fortune go?"

His original intention was perhaps to encourage Dunn and use his past experiences to awaken the beast within him.

But the actual result was the opposite of what he expected. Instead, it made this guy sweat even more, his eyes darting around, as if his eyeballs were about to pop out.

Dunn took a large step back, almost bumping into the person behind him, and lowered his head to avoid Angelo's gaze. "That's all in the past. I... I'm now the mayor of White Torch, Mr. Angelo. Let's not bring up those ridiculous things from the past!"

……

Not right.

Twelve out of ten things are wrong.

Angelo frowned. "Come on, old man, you're the mayor. Look at our Mayor Mason, don't you understand? Whatever he says, I have to do, without a word of complaint."

Mason gave him a rare glare, but didn't interrupt.

“Back in White Torch Town, you’ll be the undisputed boss. One stomp of your foot and the whole town will tremble.”

Who dares to say 'no' to you?

……

"Do not."

A familiar voice came from behind Dunn, causing his shoulder to twitch slightly.

"I mean... that's a bit too absolute a statement."

----

"?!"

This was the first and probably the only time Angelo couldn't maintain his fake smile in front of a public figure. His face, usually so expressive, was contorted with shock and disbelief, his muscles bulging uncontrollably.

Looking at the man before him, all the unpleasantness he had suffered these past few days resurfaced in his mind. He had gone to such great lengths to finally get him into the police station jail. He had given strict orders to all the connections he could control in the city for this mayor's banquet, but he didn't know how effective it would be.

But clearly, the banquet was more important, so he could only temporarily hide this thorn in his side and prevent others from seeing it.

At this moment, the thorn not only came out from its hiding place, but also reappeared and plunged into his eye!

“There’s a saying in my hometown: water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it.” Zhang Renfeng ignored him and continued talking eloquently. “Whether it’s a town mayor or a city mayor, without the support of the common people, what power and status can they have?”

“That’s a very profound statement.” Mason took out a pen and paper from his pocket. “Water energy…”

……

"What does this mean?" Angelo suppressed his anger and took a deep breath, his voice filled with immense astonishment.

"What do you mean?" Zhang Renfeng looked at him with a half-smile.

“That bastard!” He raised his voice, ignoring the stares directed at him, and gritted his teeth as he angrily questioned Calaway, “That damned bastard, how did he end up at my party! I… I mean… he’s a criminal and should be in the police station’s jail right now, Sheriff Calaway! What a dereliction of duty it is to let him get away.”

"How could such a distinguished occasion be defiled by a foreigner? This is dereliction of duty! No matter who it is, no matter what, it's a huge dereliction of duty!"

As more and more people gathered, the countless gazes directed at Angelo quickly calmed him down.

He suddenly realized that he shouldn't solve the problem in such an extreme and confrontational way in public, as it would become very difficult to resolve.

“I’m sorry, Mayor Mason, I’m a little…” He shook his head, glaring at Zhang Renfeng with extremely resentful eyes.

It's all because of that yellow-haired bastard...it's all his fault!

"Guards? Guards!" he called out repeatedly. "Drag him away, don't let this monster spoil everyone's enjoyment!"

……

“He came with me,” Dunn suddenly said.

“…What?” Angelo’s pupils widened to their maximum size, almost unfocused.

The unexpected turn of events caused his mind to momentarily freeze. "Dunne, are you...are you crazy? Look at him, he's a pervert!"

"This is Bruce Zhang, an excellent detective from White Torch. Mayor Dunn, Mr. McCann, the banker from White Torch, and Mayor Gordon of the White Torch Police Department all speak highly of him."

Mason, who had been silent all along, finally played his trump card under the watchful eyes of everyone, "The previous mayor of White Torch Town, the cannibal, 'The Shrike of Australia'..."

"I died at his hands."

"Thank you, Mayor Dunn, for introducing me to this talented individual. I would also like to take this opportunity to announce a decision: Mr. Bruce Zhang's skin color is different from ours, but his abilities are beyond question—extremely outstanding..."

"The San Quintak Police Department is willing to make an exception for him and hire him as a special crime consultant for the city's police department."

……

These words shocked everyone present, and the discussions swept through the courtyard like a storm.

The banquet was attended not only by important figures from out of town, but also by many local invitees. They were well aware of what this scene signified.

At the eye of the storm, Angelo clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and trembled all over.

“Mr. Bruce, this is…”

“No need for introductions.” Zhang Renfeng smiled at Angelo. “I recognize you.”

Chapter 253: A Salute to the Great Captain! (Third update today!)

“Without a doubt, this is an insult, an insult directed at you personally!” Guido grumbled at the table, spearing a piece of roasted chicken with his fork, chewing it, and complaining, “You must take action, Mr. Angelo, or else…”

“Thank you for reminding me of my humiliation once again, Guido.” Angelo turned his gaze to him with a forced smile. “As if you think my impression of it isn’t deep enough.”

“I, I… I absolutely did not mean that, Mr. Angelo…”

“Normally, your flattery might be somewhat amusing, but right now, it’s just annoying.”

Angelo picked at his ear, his tone no longer cheerful but impatient. "Because right now, I need a calm mind to give me a suitable suggestion. If you don't have that kind of mind, you might as well shut up and eat your food; that would make you seem wiser."

"..."

The structure of power is as solid as iron; at this table, he can only be scolded, not retorted.

"And you, Charles?" Angelo's gaze then fell on the red-haired Charles, his teeth clenched as he stared intently at him. "Given the current situation, do you have any suggestions?"

“I’m sorry, Mr. Angelo, I’m still relatively new to this industry and lack experience,” Charles replied in a very formulaic way, “so I can’t offer any advice.”

“Heh, heh... Clever, very clever.” Angelo looked at him coldly. “Doing nothing means you can’t make any mistakes. A perfect response.”

He turned his gaze to the seat next to him, to the overweight middle-aged man who hadn't touched his knife or fork and was just sitting quietly.

“Speak, Clementa.” Angelo looked at him, his tone revealing an indescribable malice. “Say that you knew this would happen.”

“I did have a premonition, but so what?” Clementa replied calmly. “You have your opinions, and I have mine.”

"Stop talking nonsense! I'm in the middle of a war, and I'm about to lose! You're my strategist, come up with a plan!"

Angelo tapped the table and turned to look down—more and more guests were crowding around Mayor Mason. The power of authority was indeed blinding; sensing the shift in the wind, these high-ranking, distinguished guests began to actively gravitate towards that yellow-haired foreigner.

Right now, he is the embodiment of power, so skin color is no longer important.

……

After a brief silence, Clementa shook his head.

"That's not necessary."

“No?” Angelo narrowed his eyes. “Don’t forget, old man, you and I, and everyone at this table, are all in the same boat, sharing the same fate. What good will come of it for you once I decline?”

“I can offer suggestions, as always; and you will ignore them, as always.” Clementine showed him no mercy, saying in a deep voice, “A great battle is imminent, we’ve come this far, there’s no turning back, unless…”

"You want me to surrender?" Having known him for so many years, Angelo didn't even need him to speak before he understood his meaning. His face showed anger and resentment. "To Mason? Or to that damned yellow-skinned bastard! He ruined everything we had!"

“I’m not a coward, Clementa. I’m an Italian, and this is my territory. I have men, guns, and connections. Why should I give up before the fight even starts?”

“The outcome of the war was decided before it even began,” Clementza sighed. “I’m sorry, old friend, I really don’t see any chance of you winning. He’s now the mayor’s special advisor, and rightfully so. Next, he might use the mayor’s name to purge us.”

"While there's still room for negotiation, let's humble ourselves, admit our mistakes, and get through this ordeal."

“We have a strong hand, why go all in this one hand?” Clementsa pleaded. “Haven’t you figured it out, my old friend? They’re planning to use this game to kick us off the poker table for good!”

"Once you get off the table, how easy is it to get back up?"

……

"Ah……"

"Ha ha... Ha ha ha ha—!"

Angelo's tense face suddenly relaxed, followed by a chilling burst of laughter. He laughed wildly without restraint, drawing frequent glances from the guests below, as if they were looking at a leper. Rumors spread rapidly, and people couldn't help but wonder if the shift in power had driven this underground boss mad.

Guido looked at him in surprise, but dared not say anything.

“Congratulations, old friend, you passed the test.” Angelo resumed his greasy smile, crossed his legs, and his previous anxiety vanished. “Judging from your advice, you remain loyal to the gang. I am certain of that once again.”

“What?” Clementine frowned. “You mean, you’ve been…acting all along?”

“Not entirely.” Angelo slumped onto the sofa, spreading his hands. “To be honest, I didn’t expect this damn mayor to turn against me so soon. This day would come, sooner or later.”

“That Huang Fan has the mayor backing him up, while I…”

"Me too, I have someone backing me up."

Guido's eyes lit up. "You mean... that important figure is here too?! This is a golden opportunity! Of course, he certainly wouldn't want to see his fellow countrymen being bullied in this city!"

He was infected by Angelo's smile and stood up as well, his face showing excitement. "With his power, Mason Lemieux is nothing more than a flick of his finger, and that Calaway is even less of a problem."

"Are you sure?" Clementa was still somewhat incredulous at this shocking reversal. "He hasn't shown up for a long time, especially in Saint Quintak. How could he suddenly..."

“We’re just a transit point, Clementa. He has his own things to deal with. As for what those things are, I have no idea.”

“All I know is that for that man, nothing is more important than family.” Angelo flashed a confident smile. “I’m from his hometown, here…”

"I am his only family!"

----

The wheels made a crisp sound as they rolled over the stone pavement.

A luxurious, enormous black carriage pulled up to the intersection and slowly came to a stop in front of the mansion's gate.

"when!"

The car door opened, and the sound of the wooden cane striking the ground was so clear and firm.

"..." A look of disbelief flashed across Zhang Renfeng's face. He clearly remembered hearing this sound more than once at a certain time and place. But at this crucial moment, his memory, like soap soaked in water, slipped through his fingers.

Two figures, clearly out of place at the party, stepped down from the carriage.

The leader wore a canopy over his head, dressed in plain clothes, with two swords at his waist, wooden clogs on his feet, and a shakuhachi (a type of Chinese wind instrument) hanging around his neck. As he reached the bottom, the soles of his shoes struck the stone surface with a crisp, scraping sound.

The second person to come down was a tall, white man with a protruding belly, wearing a short-sleeved shirt and two gleaming axes at his waist. He had thick eyebrows, a wide grin, and sized up the crowd like a ferocious wild beast.

The person they were protecting at the center appeared to be just a thin, middle-aged man.

Thin, but dignified.

A black suit, trousers, and a black pork pie hat that looked like antlers.

As soon as he stood there, the crowd parted naturally and burst into thunderous applause.

"To the great Captain Istavo White Ulysses!" Among the crowd, there were some quick-witted individuals who were the first to shout at the top of their lungs, "Homage!"