Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

“After all, nominally, we have an employer-employee relationship with Mr. Thomas. Now that the employer is gone, there’s no need to insist anymore.”

"To drive me away, you'd actually kill someone so openly? You think you can scare me off? You really don't understand me at all." Zhang Renfeng smiled instead, a rare fierce glint in his eyes, as he looked at the town not far away. "I'm going to turn this Fengxi Harbor upside down!"

"Is it really okay to be so high-profile?" Alana whispered. "Don't forget, the Pinkerton detectives are about to enter. The Red Center gang has a huge bounty on their hands. What if they find out and turn their guns on us..."

"Alana, do you really think any Pinkerton detectives will get involved?" Theon, who had been observing, broke his silence and raised his hand to interrupt, asking in return, "Why don't you think about it this way: yesterday he was perfectly fine, thanking us profusely and wanting to help find his daughter. How come he changed his mind overnight and is in such a hurry to go back to White Torch? What could he possibly do back there at this hour?"

Alana is only 14 years old and not mature enough. She needs someone to give her some pointers before she can react.

Then, she shivered.

"You mean..."

“Ah, if I’m not mistaken, the nature of this Rams gang is probably similar to that of the Thunder Gang in Scarface Village. They are both the black gloves of some force.” Zhang Renfeng said in a deep voice, “Cast is so eager to suppress this matter, and after realizing that he can’t drive us away, he started killing to silence us. There is only one possibility—there is a more unspeakable secret behind the children’s disappearance.”

"If we send in Pinkerton detectives, what if they actually find out something? Will we ever be able to live like this again?"

Although he didn't hold the title of martial arts champion for long, Old Zhang had some experience in officialdom and was quite familiar with the system.

He had initially thought the political landscape across the ocean would be different. But then he reconsidered: we're all just two-eyed, one-mouthed people; when faced with the allure of "power," would the choices we make really be that different?

“From now on, we’ll split into two groups. Chief, you take Alana and go find the Rams gang. They have a lot of people, and they just made their move last night, so they can’t have gone far. Maybe they’re in this mountain.”

"If you find them, don't alert them. Retreat and tell me the location."

“Understood. At least the marks on the shore should be fresh. I can try to track them.” The chief took down his bow and arrows, pistol and sling, then slung a bullet belt over his shoulder and hung it at his waist. He beckoned to Alana, “Come on, little girl, you’re with me today.”

"The rest of you, Theon and Little Mei, will come with me to the trading post to gather more information. To prevent any sabotage, we'll stick together and not split up."

After making arrangements for everyone's departure and stay, Zhang Renfeng stepped onto a rock, squinted, and scanned the town below.

Finally, their attention settled on a dilapidated shop.

Hack Fish Bait Shop.

Since it's an old shop that's always been open, you can probably find out something from it.

"Let's start from there."

----

"Bait?" Calaway's tone was one of surprise, looking at him with disbelief. "Really?"

"What else did you think it was? That my fishing rod was kissed by God?" Mike rolled his eyes at him, swung his rod, and easily caught another fish. "There's a shop called Hacks Bait in Fort Roglin that specializes in high-end baits that work very well. Add my fishing skills and... what fish can't I catch?"

Although he didn't say it, his mouth was practically stretched to the sky.

The campsite is located near a river, which is only a five-minute ride down on horseback. The reason for choosing this location was not only due to the terrain, but also because it is close to a water source, making it convenient to fetch water every day.

Where there's flowing water, there are bound to be live fish. If you're looking to catch those legendary giants, you'll need to go to a special spot. But for catching a few smaller ones, this place is more than enough.

In the evening, Igor was thrown into a pan and fried in olive oil, making another great appetizer to go with drinks.

Zhang Renfeng took everyone else away, leaving only Mike, Igor, and Calaway to look after the house. The three brothers had nothing better to do, so they would have late-night snacks and drinks, chatting until the early hours of the morning.

"To be honest, I didn't expect him to take on this business. I wouldn't even want to touch something that looks so troublesome."

“Indeed, $1000 is not a small amount. But the problem is that this is in the case that the person has already been found, then everyone is happy, and the person will definitely be willing to pay this amount.”

Calaway was naturally restless, always fiddling with his fishing rod. Fishing wasn't really his thing. So his bucket was empty, the water crystal clear.

As he cast his line, he said, “Reality isn’t a fairy tale. What if you go and can’t find her? Or worse, what if you find a corpse? What then? After all that trouble, will they still be willing to pay you? If they pay but don’t find her, how will they live? These are very real problems.”

“Based on what I’ve learned about him over the past few days, if it really came to that, he wouldn’t be comfortable asking anyone for money. He might even have to pay out of his own pocket.” Calaway’s tone was somewhat helpless. “After all, the fact that someone would ask a gang leader to help find a lost child is absurd in itself! What’s even more absurd is that this gang leader actually went. What kind of world does such a thing exist?”

"Stop pretending." Mike calmly exhaled a smoke ring and asked in return, "If he were just an ordinary thug, would you be willing to work with him?"

“…Heh.” After a brief silence, Calaway smiled. “That’s true.”

"They don't exploit the poor or rob ordinary people. I've never seen a gang like this before, except for the Jack Gang. Hong Zhong may not have thought that much about it, but reputation is built up slowly through cases that others wouldn't handle."

Mike remarked, "This is the Red Center Gang's best brand. With it, they can open any door effortlessly."

----

"boom!"

Upon seeing Zhang Renfeng and his group enter, the boss looked alarmed. He abandoned his bloated and lazy sleeping posture, rushed forward, and slammed the door shut!

But he was too late. Zhang Renfeng had already squeezed one foot through the crack in the door and firmly held the door in place.

"Please, anyone, just don't come looking for me." Upon closer inspection, the shop owner was none other than the balding middle-aged man who had exchanged a few words with Zhang Renfeng that morning. At this moment, his face practically screamed "I'm in a bind!" As he pushed open the door, he pleaded, "This little shabby shop doesn't have many customers to begin with... I'm not doing business today, I'm not doing business at all!"

Chapter 289: The martial world isn't just about fighting and killing; it's about human relationships and social interactions.

Since he needed their help, Zhang Renfeng couldn't be too forceful.

Although he could easily push the door open along with the man, he maintained his posture, engaging in a struggle with the balding man.

Only after the other person's face turned bright red and they were about to burst out laughing did Xiaomei casually add, "Boss, the longer you stay like this with us, the more likely people will notice!"

These words were like a wake-up call, instantly sobering the boss up. He quickly stepped aside and let the three of them into the shop.

There's no need to worry about being overheard. As he said, the business at this shop can only be described as "deserted".

The floor and walls were filthy, covered in a layer of dust. On the wall were several fish-shaped patterns stained with ink, much like how an old hunter would remove parts of an animal and hang them on the wall for display. Experienced anglers had the same habit. These on the wall were "rubbings" of various fish, souvenirs made by rubbing them with ink after they were caught.

Each one is incredibly large, perhaps a testament to the store's former glory.

The boss scratched his already thinning hair, quickly stood up, and first issued himself a disclaimer, "Let me make this clear, I don't know anything. If you're going to be stubborn, there's this guy at Custer's who always wears an iron bucket, go and bang your head against him!"

……

Zhang Renfeng didn't rush to speak, but first made a gesture to Xi En, who understood and closed the door.

"I can tell just by looking. Your business here can't be doing too well either." He examined the shop's layout for a while before speaking slowly. "This morning, I took a look around. The river is so polluted that no fish can survive. There are all sorts of half-rotten fish bones floating on that layer of oil, and even birds won't eat them."

"Without fish, it's no wonder your fish bait shop is deserted."

These words perfectly struck a chord with the boss.

Things that concern one's own interests are often the most moving. He sighed, steadied himself on the chair, and his expression was no longer as wary as before.

“What can I do…” he muttered, “Just endure it, what else can I do? I can’t make the factory move. That processing plant is right next to the trading station. To save trouble, they just dumped wastewater into the river. In just a few months, even the fish fry were poisoned.”

"So how do you make a living now?" Xiaomei couldn't help but ask curiously. "Under these circumstances, no one will come to patronize you, right?"

“I have some regular customers, they seem to belong to some kind of ‘fishermen’s association,’ and they come to patronize my business regularly. They really know their stuff, hey… what a pity…”

When the topic of fishing came up, the owner's eyes lit up with enthusiasm, but it quickly dimmed again.

For a seasoned angler, what could be more painful than having his fishpond taken away?

“In my hometown, there’s a saying: ‘A tree dies when it’s moved, but a person thrives.’ What if I could help you move to a different place?”

Seeing the fish drawn to him, Zhang Renfeng calmly cast his bait. "Both White Torch Town and Saint Quintak are big towns, and there are plenty of fishing spots nearby. If you're really that confident in your bait, why not open a shop in a big city instead of staying in this run-down place?"

The boss abruptly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief and a flickering flame of ecstasy.

Desire is something that is very easy to provoke.

"What are you saying? This... how is this possible? Shops in big cities are very expensive, I can't afford that..."

Although he was still denying it verbally, his slightly raised eyebrows and the corners of his eyes had already betrayed him.

Zhang Renfeng smiled calmly, took out two business cards from his pocket, and gently pressed them on the counter.

One is Dunn Halganda, and the other is Mason Lemieux.

"The mayor of White Torch Town and the mayor of Saint Quintak City both owe me favors."

Zhang Renfeng's tone was calm yet firm. Although the boss's rational mind was vehemently denying the fact—for he couldn't fathom how someone of such stature could be associated with someone of Asian descent—deep down, his emotions had completely convinced him.

“You see, this thing called ‘human relationships’ is so wonderful… To them, your matter is just a small favor, nothing to worry about. If they want to help, they certainly will.” Seeing his expression, Zhang Renfeng knew that things were about 80% done, so he smiled gently, put his arm around his boss’s shoulder, and whispered in his ear like a devil, “Similarly, I also need your help with a small favor.”

"If you help me, and I help you, won't that solve the problem?"

"..."

The boss keenly sensed that he was standing at a crucial juncture in his life. He couldn't see the future, so the next few minutes were a high-stakes gamble.

Is it to preserve your principal, choose Custer's gang, and continue to live a peaceful life in this hopeless, desolate place? Or is it to go all in, bet on this unknown outsider, and believe the pie he's painted for you?

He gritted his teeth and finally made a decision.

If you don't even dare to cast a hook, what kind of angler are you?!

"I don't know much either, you can ask me!"

----

To avoid causing trouble for their boss, Zhang Renfeng and his team were very careful and went out through the back door to make sure no one saw them.

As a long-established brand that has been operating for decades, regardless of how the business is doing, the information provided by the owner is very valuable.

"Let's organize this first." Xiaomei took out a notebook and pen from her bag. These were handwritten notes from the boss's description. "The first point is that a large ship will dock regularly, about once a month. The boss has witnessed more than once what cargo Caster's men would load onto the ship, and what they would unload from it three or four hours later."

"Secondly, every time someone causes trouble in the factory and refuses to obey management, it won't be long before something like what happened this morning happens... Ramsay Bolton is in cahoots with him and they have some kind of vested interest. The workers are treated terribly, and they have tried to resist, but it all comes to nothing. This place is still the domain of Castor and Ramsay Bolton."

"Third, everyone under Caster, except for Orlock, is one of his own. Except for Orlock, who used to be a local unemployed hoodlum, the kind that everyone disliked. Caster hired him because of that. He is now the foreman of the mine and the logging camp, and he is very strict with the workers."

"Hmph." Zhang Renfeng snorted coldly, "There are people like this everywhere."

“I have a feeling that although we have a lot of information, something is still missing, and we haven’t been able to connect them.” Theon sighed. “After all, we are just bystanders, and this is all we can offer.”

Zhang Renfeng felt his sleeve being tugged.

Looking down, he saw a dirty little child tugging at his clothes and making a begging gesture with his palms up.

"beggar?"

Looking again, there were several beggars in the distance, none of them even older than ten. They were hiding around the corner, peeking out their little heads, looking at them curiously like a flock of birds waiting to be fed.

Chapter 290: Things Are Getting Stranger

Zhang Renfeng spotted the child who caught his eye immediately. He strode forward, grabbed her shoulder, and pulled open her empty sleeve.

As he expected, there was nothing under the sleeve; it was cut off at the elbow.

Xiaomei's expression hardened at the sight. Upon seeing the obviously missing limb, she made the reaction that untrained people would typically make—experiencing phantom pain. She then immediately pressed her arm to confirm that it was not injured.

"Where are you from?" A shadow crossed Zhang Renfeng's eyes upon seeing the wound. But he quickly changed his expression, smiling as he squatted down and slipped a five-dollar bill into the little beggar's left hand. "Where are your parents?"

"..." The little beggar took the dollar with his left hand, stared at him blankly, and didn't say a word.

The other children eagerly chirped and chattered like birds. But after a while, they only said two words.

died.

In this era, it was not uncommon for workers to die in mines due to the high intensity of their work.

Extensive mining techniques, excessively long hours of physical labor, and extremely harmful environments... have made miners almost expendable commodities.

The situation at the logging camp is relatively better, but just yesterday, a tree fell and crushed a person to pieces.

With the family's breadwinner dead, the uneducated wife had no other way to make money except through pimping.

After such a sudden change in circumstances, there might not be one in a thousand elderly people like Mike, who are over fifty and still able to earn money. These children from broken families naturally have no choice but to band together for support, resorting to begging to send as much money as possible back home.

Those who really can't endure it may disappear silently after one long winter night.

"Thank you! Thank you, sir and madam, thank you!"

"You are such good people...May God bless you!"

……

That's why, when Xiaomei received Zhang Renfeng's approval and gave them some money, their faces revealed undisguised excitement and joy. It was fortunate that the culture here was different; their expressions basically stopped at the level of "overwhelmed with gratitude." Otherwise, they would have knelt down and kowtowed several times to Zhang Renfeng.

For the current Red China Gang, cash flow is very stable.

After a great deal of work in San Quintac, including uprooting Angelo, Mayor Mason, in his personal capacity, gave them $10,000.

Zhang Renfeng gave the $10,000 directly to the chief without any hesitation or delay, not even a penny of it went into his own pocket, treating it as a mere passing-through benefactor.

However, while he and his senior brother were fighting fiercely, the remaining members not only watched the battle, but also ransacked Angelo's mansion.

He hid many valuables in his home: jewelry, precious stones, rings, expensive pocket watches, and all sorts of other things... In short, he took everything he could—gold, silver, and valuables.

During this trip back to White Torch Town, I also took the opportunity to sell all these things to Kebiin.

Five dollars is nothing to them.

But for those struggling on the brink of life and death, and who might not even survive the night, this is an immense fortune.