Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

The initial stages of scams are all very similar.

It depicts a scene of blooming flowers and promises people a bright future.

Especially when this future is meticulously crafted and precisely targeted, it's hard not to be confused. Gwen had never had any fanatical fans before, and this sudden appearance of one made her instantly overjoyed. Without any restraint, she blurted out everything she could and couldn't say.

Castor smiled; if necessary, he could be the best listener in the world.

Finally, like a scorpion flicking its tail, it unleashed its stinger.

“I see your potential, Miss Gwen. In my eyes, you are like a piece of naturally formed jade. With just a little polishing, you will shine brightly.” Castor shrugged and said with a smile, “I would love to be that person.”

“You could become a star just as popular as Dietersdorf, or even surpass the Muse family.”

"..." Such a fervent promise left Gwen feeling somewhat suffocated. She could hardly imagine how happy she would be if one day she could receive even a tenth of Evelyn's applause on stage.

"Snapped!"

A book with a black parchment cover suddenly appeared, blocking the way between the two.

“Mr. Theonado.” Castor recognized him and quickly stood up, wanting to greet him, “I am…”

“Spider,” Theonado said calmly, “Get out of here. I have something to say to her.”

A shadow crossed Castor's face; more astonishment than unease. But he had remarkable control over his expression, gave him a slight nod, and then rose to leave.

The not-so-spacious backstage area was now empty, with only these two people remaining.

Theonado Dietersdorf, Evelyn's brother, is also the playwright for the theater company. He's just as handsome as Evelyn, with captivating curls and eyes as deep as stars. However, he's usually very private and never appears on stage; his behavior is also incomprehensible to most. Gwen, knowing she has little connection with him, is unsure of his intentions.

Could it be that he's speaking on behalf of his sister? Just because he publicly embarrassed her?

Are you going to go with that man?

"Huh?!" Gwen thought for a long time, never expecting him to ask this. She put her hands on her hips and said irritably, "It's none of your business."

“...That’s true.” Theonado stared into her eyes and said calmly, “That’s life. No matter what you choose, you’ll regret it.”

“I also said that no matter how life goes, we all die in the end.” Gwen continued packing her luggage while retorting to him, “There’s no point in saying such correct but meaningless words.”

“Yes, but…” Theordar’s eyes were incredibly deep, as if they came from the abyss, with two bright torches burning brightly. “It is different to die peacefully in one’s sleep, amidst the warmth of a fireplace and the cries of one’s children and grandchildren, or to die on cold antlers.”

"Have you gone crazy from writing scripts? Are you really okay?" Gwen chuckled, amused by his mental state. "I'm just going to another town to hone my acting skills, that's not like I'm going anywhere. Maybe I'll come back when I become famous."

"Actually... I have no problem with your sister. I'm just jealous of her. Jealous of her acting skills, jealous of her fame... She so easily has everything I desire."

Before leaving, she pursed her lips and spoke her true feelings, "When I become a famous actress who can sell tickets, I will still be willing to perform on the same stage with her! See you then."

“You will,” Theonado said calmly, “but by then, you won’t see me anymore.”

"Alright, alright, then let's consider this our last meeting." Gwen was used to his rambling. "Is there anything else you want to tell me, Mr. Mystic?"

“Don’t give up hope, Gwen. Never give up hope,” Theonado said calmly. “The Red One has other plans for you.”

……

"Woo..."

"What's wrong……"

Gwen seemed to be drowning in a gentle ocean, unable to open her eyes. She could remember her name, her date of birth, and her hometown, but she knew nothing about recent events; large blanks appeared in her memory.

She could faintly hear some sounds, people talking.

"I have never seen such superb surgery. If you weren't in politics, you could definitely make a breakthrough in this field, Dr. Lecter!"

"How could I dare to take on such an important task if I wasn't the best? Wendigo's skills have always been recognized in the industry. I heard before that there was a colonel who was shot in the head, and he actually managed to open his skull and remove the bullet!"

Immediately afterwards, she heard a voice as cold as iron.

"Can I take this leg back to White Torch Town?"

"Of course, Lecter, what do you want to use it for?"

“…This is the leg of an adult woman, very healthy, just to my liking,” Wendigo added, as if making a dry joke. “I mean, from a medical perspective, it has research value.”

"Ha ha ha ha--!!"

Everyone burst into laughter, but Gwen felt increasingly uneasy.

What legs? The legs of an adult woman?!

Every cell in her body began to scream, urging her on, but even with all her might, she could only open her eyelids a crack.

Then she saw her empty right leg.

"..."

“————!!!”

She wanted to scream, but couldn't open her mouth. She felt the world spinning around her, and the light was blinding.

----

"My God..."

After listening to the whole thing, Xiaomei could only utter these two words.

Evelyn.

Theonado.

Wendigo.

Zhang Renfeng was unfamiliar with the term "butterfly effect," but at that moment, he felt an unprecedented shock.

A person's past and present can be so deeply intertwined with themselves!

“That day… when I heard you were from White Torch Town, I was terrified… I’m sorry. I didn’t have the courage to step forward… because that place is just too…” Gwen almost bit her lip until it bled. “I was swindled out of everything there, and one of my legs was even taken to some clinic in White Torch Town…”

“Not at the clinic,” Zhang Renfeng calmly interrupted her.

"Mr. Hongzhong?" Xiaomei swallowed hard. "I think it's better not to tell her..."

“She’ll find out sooner or later after we leave here.” Zhang Renfeng, however, was determined to cut to the chase and said everything he needed to say in one go. “The man who took your right leg is called Wendigo Lecter, and he’s the mayor of White Torch Town.”

"He is the Australian Shrike."

"What?!" Gwen exclaimed in astonishment. "He... the Australian Shrike? It's him?"

She probably wouldn't know the name of the town mayor, because Baiju Town is too big, and a low-level actor like her wouldn't care what the mayor's name is.

But when it comes to the Australian shrike, its reputation is truly legendary, regardless of social class; its fame is off the charts.

Before Gwen could react, Zhang Renfeng's next words completely stunned her.

"Don't be afraid, I've already killed him."

"Rams of the Skinflint Gang? Perhaps you were afraid of him too. It doesn't matter, I've already killed him. And with him, the Skinflint Gang is gone too, completely wiped out of history."

“You saw with your own eyes how I killed that tin-headed guy outside.”

“Cast? Ilyn Payne? And the others behind this deal—don’t be afraid of them, I won’t let any of them get away!”

……

To be honest, I'm not afraid anymore.

Gwen was a little confused. She had been immersed in Castor's theory of "authority" for so long that she had unconsciously begun to think in that way as well.

The Game of Thrones is like a game of chess, but Old Zhang doesn't play chess with them. He transforms into a mighty chess master, grabbing a stone chessboard and smashing it over their heads. This approach leaves her somewhat at a loss for how to respond.

He could only murmur, "Why?"

After issuing a series of decisive declarations, Zhang Renfeng took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Because I am the red one!"

----

Everything seemed to have been answered at this moment.

“Red God…” Gwen said with some relief, “So… it was you.”

Chapter 308: How can someone like you be changed? (Part 27)

"It's not good, it's not good!"

Penny ran upstairs and saw a group of people standing or sitting with different expressions. She was unsure whether to speak or not.

"what happened?"

"A huge ship is coming from the harbor!" Penny gestured with her fingers, but with her thin arms and legs, she could only describe it with simple words, no matter how hard she tried. "I just saw it from afar, and there were so many people on the deck, all wearing the same clothes..."

"Are there weapons on the ship?" Theon asked. "Fixed cannons or something like that?"

Xiaomei immediately flipped to a page in her notebook and quickly sketched out the shape of a cannon, then showed it to her.

"It seems not." Penny shook her head.

“Merchant ships.” Theon breathed a sigh of relief. “That makes sense. No matter how capable Ilyn Payne is, he’s just an officer in a land-based army group. It’s unlikely he can mobilize ships.”

"Perfect timing." Zhang Renfeng's expression was calm, as if he was not surprised by the outcome at all. Instead, he rubbed his hands together, eager to go. "Let's go, let's meet them!"

“…Wait a minute.” Theon looked at the mess on the ground, picked up a sharp piece of broken bottle, examined it closely, and suddenly asked, “Penny, do you remember approximately how many people you saw?”

"Well, I didn't pay much attention, but I think..." Penny pondered for a while, "...around forty or fifty people?"

“I have an idea.” Theon nodded, looking at Gwen, his tone still calm. “A place like this must have a lot of bars hidden inside, right?”

“Of course.” Gwen didn’t know what they were going to do, but she was also excited and nodded repeatedly. “When guests come, they will definitely drink. In this respect, Castor is very attentive. Different strengths and different flavors are stored in the storeroom.”

“Alright.” Theon then looked at Zhang Renfeng, as if seeking his boss’s opinion. “I can use the remaining time to make a highly lethal weapon for people, but it requires a certain amount of arm strength. Simply put, I need to throw a wooden box weighing about fifty kilograms onto the deck of a merchant ship, preferably into a crowd of people…”

"Fifty kilograms?" Zhang Renfeng couldn't help but laugh. This number, which was unattainable for ordinary people, was like a joke to him. He simply waved his hand and said, "It's nothing!"

----

"Welcome aboard my ship, Mr. Caster."

Surrounded by a group of soldiers, Ilyn Payne slowly rose to his feet, as if surrounded by stars. Seeing that he had stood up, Castor had to jog a few steps, put on a smile, and reach out to greet him. This exchange vividly demonstrated the difference in their status.

no way.

Beneath the high-flying banner of the Iron Cross, he was nothing more than an ant, so small as to be insignificant.

"Welcome, Mr. Pine."

A sash, medals, a crisp military uniform, and a star-shaped scar on the side of his neck.

Ilyin was still tall, but his beard and hair were slightly gray, and his eyes often squinted. It was said that he had been shot on the battlefield, affecting his optic nerve, but Castor never believed such a thing. When he saw a girl with a physical disability, his eyes would widen more than anyone else's.

“I received your telegram, it’s such a… such a pleasant surprise…” He made a gesture as if to grasp something, a smile playing on his lips. “I knew it, you’ve always been someone I can trust in this regard.”

“Of course, Mr. Payne,” Custer said with a smile, his expression unmoved. “I consider it a noble cause, and therefore I will dedicate myself to it wholeheartedly.”

“Noble?” Ilin slapped his thigh and let out a rough laugh like a buffalo.

He smiled, and his soldiers laughed along with him; clearly, they all knew what Castor did.

For someone like that to talk about nobility is a dark joke in itself.

But Castor didn't take it seriously, instead arguing, "Actually, I'm just like the church, I sell illusions. It's just that the kind I sell..."

"It's more entertaining."

“Well said, entertaining!” Ilin sat down again, slammed his hand on the edge of the bench, and a soldier handed him a bottle of strong liquor and a cigar. “On the battlefield, I’ve seen bullets, artillery fire, and that killer that even bullets can’t kill! I’ve seen all kinds of monsters. I barely crawled out of a pile of corpses to get to where I am today!”

"Everything is illusory—honors, flowers, applause…you can't take any of it with you. Only pleasure is real; enjoy every day you can. If you can make me feel good, I can solve your problems."

at last.

After standing there for so long, the old man finally relented. After all, the reason he could do business here peacefully was largely due to the old man's influence. Although Yilin had never openly admitted this, their close relationship was, in the eyes of others, a powerful signal.

Rams's Skinning Gang was a force he kept for himself, used to eliminate and intimidate those who disobeyed. At least until he encountered Zhang Renfeng's gang, this weapon was very effective; just a glimpse of it was enough to terrify ordinary people.

However... it's not enough against Red Center.

To get this powerful figure to personally intervene and support him, ordinary "offerings" were clearly insufficient. He was already tired of lambs; it had to be a young lamb, freshly born and not yet fully developed, tender and juicy, to satisfy his ever-growing appetite.

Castor considered his words carefully and was about to speak when he saw a soldier hurrying up from the deck, running towards him.

"Major Payne!" he exclaimed urgently, "The house looks like it's on fire!"

……

Castor felt a chill; this was the first time he had shown any sign of panic in front of others.

"Oh...hoho...isn't this your territory?" Ilin took the binoculars the soldier handed him, glanced at them, and then swallowed a laugh that had no meaning.