Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

……

“I’m afraid that won’t work.” Tao shook his head. “Miss Tito has provided extraordinary support for my experiments. Without her, the laboratory’s operation would be greatly hampered, and I…”

"What's the date today?" the assistant suddenly asked, a question that seemed completely unrelated.

“The 16th,” Tao replied after a moment’s thought. “March 16th.”

"Was it March 16, 1879?" Zhang Tito continued to ask.

Tao nodded. He wasn't surprised by the question, because he himself sometimes forgot the year or the day.

Sometimes, when your mind is so absorbed in an experiment that you forget not only the date, but also the passage of time. When he came to his senses, he had been standing in front of the lab table for almost 5 hours.

“Okay, I’ll stay.” The assistant suddenly changed her tune and nodded decisively. “It’s alright, Mr. Tao, I’ll be back soon. Just a few days at most, and then our research funding will be secured!”

Since the other party had taken the initiative to speak, Tao couldn't say anything more. After a moment of silence, he could only nod.

……

Things proceeded as Hector had expected, but for some reason, he didn't feel happy. Instead, in an instant, he lost all "interest" in Miss Zhang.

An old horse is cunning, an old person is slippery.

An old horse that has lived to this day will not lose its ability to sense danger just because it is living a comfortable life.

For a moment, he felt that the way that tall girl looked at him...

It's like looking at a dead person.

Chapter 327: A World with a Strict Hierarchy

Eugene made no attempt to restrain his gaze, even more unrestrained than his grandfather, his eyes roaming over the girl's body with excitement, like a wolf eyeing a piece of meat exposed before it.

In the territory of the "Three Horses," everyone knew that Hector was the emperor whose word was law.

Like a fish, he spawns continuously throughout the year, ruling over the entire southern part of New Austin through his vast blood ties.

Of these, the most likely to "inherit the throne" was Eugene's father, Laro Edmunds Zolaër. In other words, Eugene was the undisputed crown prince, and someone born at the pinnacle of power from childhood was destined to have no shortage of women. His attitude towards women, naturally, was unlikely to be particularly courteous.

He had to admit, he had never seen such a tall girl before, conservatively estimated at 1.8 meters. Standing there, she was even half a head taller than him.

Riding on horseback, her shoulders, waist, and hips were in near-perfect proportions. Although she was tall, her legs were quite sturdy and strong, not the kind that looked frail.

Her hair was styled into three pigtails, giving her a somewhat childlike appearance. Her hair color was a deep black with a hint of flax. Her face didn't resemble that of a local woman; her nose was higher and more prominent, and her dark eyes gave her a more exotic look.

"Are you mixed race?" Eugene asked bluntly. "Zhang Tito... what kind of name is that? Which one is your last name anyway?"

“My surname is Zhang.” The assistant girl’s attention was not on him for a moment, and she didn’t seem to mind his presumptuous gaze. She swayed her head left and right, observing the surrounding buildings and people. “My ancestors have Chinese blood, and this surname has been passed down through generations.”

“Ancestors?” Eugene scoffed dismissively. “You mean your father’s generation? Before that, there were no barbarians on this land.”

"Hmm? Uh... Yes, you're right, that's correct." The assistant paused for a moment, then nodded perfunctorily.

"The old man asked me to entertain you, so you can stay at my mansion."

Eugene pointed to a mansion standing on flat ground not far away. Although it couldn't compare to where Hector and his men lived, it was still a grand and secluded residence.

“Only those who have made outstanding contributions to the family are qualified to live in Rongma Town. Damn it… it’s all that damned dwarf’s fault! He had someone secretly attack the bootlegging camp and ruined our family’s bootlegging business in Saint Quintak. That kind of traitor should be torn to pieces according to family law!”

Eugene said bitterly, making no attempt to hide his anger at Igor for ruining his plans.

Actually, there are no fortresses or mountains separating Tianma Town and Rongma Town, but just one street makes all the difference.

The crown prince, who should have soared to great heights and begun to participate in the family's affairs, is now forced to live in Tianma Town, which is a kind of inexplicable humiliation for him.

However, putting aside these external factors, Eugene was quite proud of his house, which belonged solely to him: "I have 20 servants in my house. Five take care of my daily life, five do chores, five feed my horses and look after the animals, and five maids."

He didn't say exactly what the maid was responsible for, but it was as if he said everything, his eyes sparkling.

“Besides that, there’s a team of chefs. Whatever dish you want to eat, you can have them make it anytime, anywhere. Food, clothes, and other necessities—you name it, we can provide it all here. How about that?” He turned his head eagerly, waiting for his assistant’s reaction.

The thrill of showing off also has a threshold.

Everyone here knew he was Laro's son and Hector's grandson, and they all treated him with utmost respect. Maintaining his status, yet unable to show it off, gradually became boring. Now, finally, a woman from outside arrived, giving this young man, who always looked down on others, someone to boast to.

However, the assistant didn't look at his mansion for even a second, but instead stared intently at something else happening on the street.

Another thing, in Eugene's view, was not even a big deal.

……

Two men stood by the roadside. One was dressed in a black suit, looking like a businessman, his attire suggesting he had spent a considerable amount of money. However, his demeanor was obsequious, making him appear inferior. The other man was an ordinary member of the Thunder Gang, but he stood ramrod straight, his face etched with impatience.

It's clear that in the current environment, those who can become members of the Thunder Gang and move freely in Tianma Town are considered superior.

"Could I...see Mr. Byron again, and explain to him personally that there were indeed reasons why we couldn't meet the deadline this time..."

"You?" The gang member sized him up, a smirk playing on his lips. "You piece of trash who can't even collect money, and you want to see Mr. Byron?"

“Recently, a strange disease has been spreading in Numa Town. I’m not lying to you, it’s true!” The man in the suit tried his best to convince him, and you could see that every muscle in his face was straining. “Large numbers of people are starting to feel weak in their limbs, dizzy, and even have difficulty doing basic work. I heard that in some severely affected areas, people have already become…”

"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Eugene suddenly shouted, startling the man.

He was already intimidated by the gang member, but seeing Eugene made him tremble even more.

“Ah, Mr. Eugene, I…”

“I remember you are… what was your name again?” Eugene sat upright on his horse, his eyes half-closed, staring at him with an extremely stern gaze.

“Pentos, sir.” He tried to force a fawning smile.

"I fucking don't care what your name is!" The next second, Eugene's face changed like a dog's, and he started cursing, "Get your place! You're hired by our family to serve us, not to cause trouble! What disease? You're trying to fool my uncle with this stupid talk?"

“No, no, no… I absolutely did not mean that!” Pentos shook his head like a rattle drum, cold sweat pouring down his face. Even his rebuttal seemed so powerless at this moment. “I, I have always respected Mr. Byron.”

“Fine. Now, you’d better cross the Fortress Mountains, go back to your stinking ditch, and find Rancho Edwards Zolael,” Eugene sneered. “You should know him, shouldn’t you?”

“Of course, of course, Mayor Rancho, of course I know him…”

"Write down a list of all the difficulties you've encountered, which troublemakers are unwilling to cooperate, and who owes you money that you can't collect. Also, remind those bastards who they owe everything to!"

"If they're willing to cooperate, then all the better. If not, then have Uncle Rancho take his beloved hammer and go door-to-door to reason with them. Do you understand?"

A bitter look flashed across Pentos's face, but in the end, he nodded, chuckled awkwardly, and left.

Chapter 328: The Wildfire Approaches, Sweeping Away the Chaos

"see it?"

Eugene was clearly very satisfied with his performance. This feeling of displaying power in front of females has been one of the biological instincts of males since ancient times, regardless of race. "Those fleas from the stinking ditch need to be dealt with from time to time, otherwise they'll fly into the sky."

The assistant, however, ignored his words, tilting her head as if deep in thought. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Those people living in Numa Town, they work for you too, right?"

“Of course.” Eugene’s lips curled into a smile. “The entire Three Horses Town belongs to the old man. He fought his way through it all.”

“In that case, if there’s a large-scale outbreak of health problems, why not extend the deadline?” the assistant asked. “Relax the deadline and the criteria, and send two more doctors with some medicine. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you, right? Once they recover, they can generate more benefits for you, which would be a win-win situation.”

"A win-win situation?" Eugene scoffed dismissively. "Who wants to win with those filthy ditch crawlers? I don't care if they get sick and die."

The assistant looked at him for a while, then suddenly asked, "Are there any inns in Numa Town?"

“Yes, of course it is. It’s shabby and damp, like a pigsty.” Eugene’s tone was full of disdain. “But it’s perfect for slaughtering those foreign idiots.”

"Okay, then I'll stay there."

"What did you say?" Eugene was utterly shocked by her answer, his eyes widening in shock. "You mean... huh? You're giving up a clean and comfortable mansion to live in a stinking ditch? Are you out of your mind? They say you're a scientist's assistant, but the way you look to me, you seem a bit off."

……

"Have you ever seen a wildfire?" the assistant asked with a smile. "It's actually a way for nature to regulate itself. When the vegetation is too dense and the trees form a canopy that blocks out the sun, monopolizing all the nutrients, rainwater, and sunlight, the closer it gets to a wildfire. The fallen leaves, branches, and their own flammable structure... all the conditions are already in place."

"At this point, just a tiny spark can ignite a massive, raging fire."

"Once the fire starts, it is very difficult to extinguish. It may continue for several days until the forest is burned to ashes and everything starts anew. Interestingly, life does not end there. New shoots will continue to emerge from this scorched land."

Eugene himself was not very educated; the gang was his best school, but it didn't teach him any knowledge. He had never seen a wildfire and had no idea what Miss Zhang was talking about.

"So, you...you're planning to..."

"The wildfire was bound to come eventually, Mr. Zolael, it was only a matter of time." The assistant gave him a sweet yet enigmatic smile, then turned her head, her gaze seemingly piercing through the Fortress Mountains to the other side of Numa Town, "That spark that will burn everything is about to reach its forest."

----

Zhang Renfeng, riding at the very front, caught sight of a figure kneeling on the roadside, seemingly a hunter out hunting. But the man had already tossed his gun aside, his hands were tightly clutching his stomach, his jaw was clenched, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his features were contorted in agony.

"Hey, don't..." Mike knew exactly what he was going to do, so he quickly reached out to stop him, but he was a second too late.

The internal struggle lasted less than a second before Zhang Renfeng dismounted and walked towards him.

“Sigh…” Mike sighed. “Does he even know what we’re doing? We’re too busy taking care of ourselves to care about others.”

“Haha.” Calaway wasn’t surprised at all. “If he hadn’t acted like this, I doubt you would have gone with him.”

Angel Eyes remained silent, mounted on his horse, his heterochromatic eyes silently observing Zhang Renfeng's every move, as if an infinitely large stone wall existed within his mind, engraving Zhang Renfeng's every action and word onto it.

These four people were the first group of the Red Center Gang to arrive in Numa Town. As for the remaining four people, Zhang Renfeng assigned them other tasks—to be in charge of various logistical matters, including weapons.

In the battle of Windhaven, they faced off against the Skinners, Custer, and Ilyn Pine's private army. Meanwhile, Mike and Calaway also fought a tough battle against the Pinkerton detectives who had tracked them down, and their basic ammunition was nearly exhausted.

Ammunition doesn't grow on the ground; it requires specialized personnel to manage it. Looking at the Red Center, Theon is the most suitable for this role. Coincidentally, the current mayor of White Torch, Dunn, is also from the Hargunda family. This family is a renowned arms dealer, with no shortage of ammunition, but specialized weapons like grenades still need to be manufactured in factories.

The gang's readily available weapons and ammunition, once gathered, would be enough to arm four people. And those four had just returned from Windhaven Harbor and hadn't even had a night's rest. A hasty attack could very well backfire.

For various reasons, Zhang Renfeng decided to split the gang into two groups. The four of them would act as the vanguard, rushing 800 li day and night with light cavalry to first take over Numa Town. Once ammunition and logistical supplies were replenished, Theon would then lead the rest of the team to follow. The two groups would then merge in Tianma Town, and then in one fell swoop, directly attack the heart of the Zolael family—Rongma Town.

……

"Are you alright?" Zhang Renfeng approached the hunter and noticed that he looked terrible, his lips were bluish-purple, and his hair was thinning and almost falling out.

"Ah...ah..." The hunter didn't hear him at all, so Zhang Renfeng had to raise his voice and repeat it, finally making him look up, his face filled with astonishment, "Help, help! I saw it, I can feel it!"

"They're inside my body..."

"What?" Zhang Renfeng looked on with suspicion. "What? In your body? Did you have someone cast a curse on you?"

“Ignore him, Red Center,” Mike said in a deep voice. “He’s a madman. Let’s go, time is of the essence.”

“Or,” Calaway’s hand was already on his belt, “we can be even more certain and free him forever.”

Zhang Renfeng rolled her eyes at him, but still reached out and pulled him back. "What did you just say, 'in your body'? It's okay, speak slowly."

……

“Demon.” The hunter’s tone seemed calmer, but his words were still wildly incoherent. “Curse! We’re cursed! They… it’s all the fault of those ignorant miners. They angered the demons deep in the earth, and we’re all going to die from this curse.”

“Really?” Angel Eyes said with a smile. “That sounds like a good start.”

"Where are you from?"

"Numa Town... not only the people in front of the town, but even the animals have been cursed. It's only a matter of time..."

"Alright, enough of this nonsense." Zhang Renfeng mounted his horse first, then grabbed him like a chick and lifted him onto the horse's back. "We'll take you back."

Chapter 329: The Cursed Village

"Oh...my God..."

It's clear from their personalities that a bloodthirsty spectator like Calaway couldn't possibly be a devout believer. Michael is similar in this respect, though he doesn't show it much. Both were once members of Jack's gang, with countless lives on their hands; according to their doctrine, they should definitely be heading to hell to meet Satan.

The meaning of religion is to persuade people to do good, but those who have already fallen into the path of killing are unlikely to believe in that stuff.

Therefore, the fact that he called out the name of God speaks volumes about how astonishing everything was.

Before even stepping into the village, Zhang Renfeng had a vague feeling that something was wrong; there was a strange smell in the air, as if something was rotting but no one was willing to deal with it.

His gaze caught sight of two fawns running through the woods. In that fleeting glance, he noticed that their frozen movements and postures were unlike those of normal animals, possessing a stiffness to them.

If the chief were here, he would probably be able to tell at a glance that the fur of these deer is completely different from that of normal, healthy deer; it looks like it's covered in a layer of moss. Upon closer inspection, one would discover that this "moss" is actually a dense patch of sphagia growing from beneath the fur, enough to make someone with trypophobia faint on the spot.

The horses' hooves entered the village, only to be met with utter silence.

It was as if all life had been stripped away, leaving only the shadow of death. Even crows and vultures would not visit this cursed and ominous place.

"Oh, Lemuel! Poor old bachelor... what's wrong with you?"

An elderly man struggled to his feet from a chair in front of the door and walked over. His action seemed to trigger a chain reaction in the village; several figures emerged from the darkness and followed him. This group was the reason for Calaway's scream.

Using the words "demons and monsters" to describe them is not an exaggeration at all.

No one's skin is perfect; more or less, everyone has some problems, large areas of scars, and in some cases, the skin and flesh have already begun to rot.

The most horrifying thing was that the skin below one person's neck had swelled up like dough, covering his body. This made his lower body incredibly large, unable to support his head. A putrid, rotten smell emanated from him, like fish bones mixed with other kitchen garbage that hadn't been disposed of for days, oozing a sticky, fishy-smelling liquid.