Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

For Lao Zhang, killing, especially killing these petty characters who were clearly low-class but had a penchant for snobbery, was like brushing off a speck of dust. After killing them, he would forget about them in the blink of an eye, mainly because he had killed too many similar guys and there was really nothing left to remember.

However, to outsiders, especially to these young "heroes," the impact was enormous.

"Wait a minute!" The girl quickly stood up, a glint of light flashing in her eyes. The hostility she had shown earlier vanished in an instant. "You're from outside, aren't you?"

Zhang Renfeng nodded; there was no need for him to hide this from anyone.

Numa Town is not closed to the outside world. With more and more people coming from outside, one more person with yellow skin won't make a difference.

“My name is Leo, and I’m the leader of the ‘Vagabonds.’ These guys, including the one you knocked out… they’re all my companions.”

Like Colin, this girl named Leo was also immersed in dangerous gang games. But at least, the theme she chose was to punish evil and promote good, rather than to bully and dominate the market. For this reason alone, Zhang Renfeng's expression towards her softened a bit.

“I can take you to the nearest tavern, but in exchange, could you teach me something?” Leo pumped his fist excitedly. “How do you kill someone with one punch?”

“Well, how should I put it…” Zhang Renfeng scratched his head, “maybe I’m just naturally strong.”

Chapter 332: What Does It Feel Like When Your Own Cabbage Gets Stewed by a Pig?

"call……"

Logan exhaled a puff of cigar smoke, his eyes somewhat vacant as he stared at the martini overflowing in front of him.

He was very burly, and although his almost workwear-like denim outfit largely concealed this, his strong physique was still evident. His temples were slightly graying, but his beard was still very thick, a pirate-like mustache, a standard feature of a tough guy.

Logan's fingers hovered over the rim of his glass, circling it repeatedly, but he didn't drink. Instead, he stared intently at a corner not far away, where Leo, who had somehow changed to a vibrant single ponytail, was chatting and laughing with a man whose origins were anyone's guess.

"No," Logan said, his voice barely containing his anger. "I'm annoyed."

"Hahaha, even the mighty Steppenwolf has met his end." A middle-aged man with a plump body and a receding hairline originally intended to slap him hard on the back, but since he had been discovered, he changed his mind and patted him on the shoulder instead, laughing, "At least your daughter has good taste. Putting aside the skin color issue, this man is quite handsome, with well-defined eyes and a well-defined nose."

“If you can’t speak, Blackhand, you can shut your mouth.” Logan’s tone was very annoyed. “Another yellow barbarian… This town is really getting stranger and stranger.”

“Was that one mixed-race?” Black Hand whistled, took a bottle of wine from the counter, poured himself a glass, and Logan didn’t stop him. “I’ve heard that the more distant the two people are from, the more beautiful their mixed-race children are. That girl must be the tallest woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”

When sorrow enters the heart, one inevitably has to utter a few words from the heart after drinking.

“At least you still have them.” Black Palm’s tone was a little sour. “People respect you and love you, but nobody cares about me, this washed-up old blacksmith. It’s not even midnight yet, and your tavern is already packed with people.”

Logan, however, was not pleased at all. Instead, he frowned and exhaled deeply again.

After all, they've been friends for decades. Without words, even just a sigh was enough to tell that he wasn't in the right state of mind.

"What's wrong?" Black Palm asked.

“This number is very unusual. Normally at this time, there wouldn’t be so many customers drinking,” Logan said in a low voice. “Not only are there more people drinking, but more people are buying alcohol from me. At this rate, my inventory will soon be empty. What do you think this means?”

Black Palm wasn't stupid, but he remained silent on this one question.

“There’s something wrong with the water.” Logan’s tone was a mixture of resentment and helplessness. “The water source comes from the mountains. People can’t drink clean water, so they have to drink alcohol instead. These bastards… I don’t know what they’ve put in our water source.”

"What did Pentos say?" Blackhand asked in a muffled voice.

Logan shook his head, somewhat dejected. "He did his best. Rather, having the courage to cross the Fortress Mountains was beyond his usual bravery."

“Without water to drink, we can only drink alcohol, and once we drink, our blood rushes to our head. More and more people gather in the tavern, and it’s like a powder keg. Sometimes I’m really worried that one day it will explode with a bang!” Logan described it vividly, but deep in his eyes, he revealed extreme repulsion. “If this place explodes, it will be completely out of control.”

“Everyone’s watching you,” Black Hand emphasized, reminding him, “You are ‘Steppenwolf’.”

His gaze swept upwards, landing on the two sheathed blades hanging above the bar.

It hadn't been drawn for so long that even the scabbard was covered in dust.

"I am nothing."

Logan gently dipped his lit cigar into his glass, and in an instant, the strong alcohol ignited, forming a beautiful layer of flame, blue on the outside and red on the inside. The firelight reflected in his pupils, but they appeared lifeless, like withered wood. He muttered, "Just a tavern owner who's stuck here, unwilling to move, nothing more."

"You led us to breach the Fortress Mountain Range and set foot on the land of Tianma Town for the first time." Through the flames, Black Palm seemed to see that era again, and his eyes blazed with fire once more. "You are our hero!"

"And then what happened?" Logan asked, disheartened. "Just more people, more guns, and more bloody repression. That's the end, old friend. Right now, the Zola El family has complete control of this land."

"They have the manpower and the guns; it's long past the era where you could fight your way through the world just by carrying two revolvers on your waist."

The end of an era is always accompanied by the fading glory of heroes, a poignant reminder of loss. Having lost so much, Logan was no longer the valiant warrior he once was, contemplating a retreat. With life gone, everything else became meaningless.

Unfortunately, despite his habitual retreat, this time he finally retreated to the base of the wall.

----

"Boom!"

The tavern door was suddenly kicked open, and a cold wind rushed in, sending chills down one's spine.

Logan's eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the horses parked at the door, their legs adorned with deep blue ribbons.

“Emily Rossum, damn it…”

Almost instantly, Logan realized something and looked at Leo, who was hiding in the corner. The girl seemed afraid of meeting his gaze and turned her head to the side.

In the old father's heart, it felt as if ten thousand alpacas were stampeding through!

The woman named Amy had her hair styled into a very short braid, tied at the back of her head, looking both sophisticated and capable.

Her attire was also different from that of other members of the Thunder Gang. She wore a European-style white short robe, with a set of fine brown leather armor underneath, and wrist guards on both arms.

Below the knees, he wore thick-soled military boots identical to those worn by men, and a gleaming silver slender sword hung at his waist.

Unlike broadswords, this rapier is more cone-shaped, relying more on thrusting techniques than striking. Looking at his attire, he's a quintessential Western swordsman, but the two revolvers on his belt give it a slightly cosplay feel.

Countless gang members poured in instantly, making the already somber atmosphere in the tavern even more tense.

“If you had just quietly pushed the door open, perhaps I would have greeted you with a welcome.” Logan quickly composed himself, standing behind the bar, his voice steady and authoritative without being angry. “Now, all I have left for you is to ask, ‘What brings you here?’”

Amy showed him no respect whatsoever. She waved her hand, and the menacing gang members quickly surrounded the entire tavern.

“Someone killed a member of the Thunder Fury Gang about an hour ago.” Amy’s voice was calm. She did not stand on a high place, but seemed to be looking down at everyone, scanning their faces. “Hands were severed, and there were multiple bruises all over their bodies from being beaten with blunt objects. There was more than one murderer.”

"The body is still in the alley. If you don't believe me, you can come with me to see it."

……

Upon hearing this, most people felt the alcohol they had drunk turn into cold sweat, which then evaporated from their foreheads.

Leo's expression also showed some panic. Her original intention was probably just to teach that man a lesson. But who could have imagined that she would be trampled to death by a humanoid Gundam while passing by?

After the initial excitement of punishing evil and promoting good wore off, she gradually realized that things had gotten much worse.

“You’ve always been in charge of the Black Alley. If something happens, they’ll definitely hide here with you.” Amy took a step forward, stared into his eyes, and said coldly, “Hand it over, and this matter will end here. Mr. Rancho won’t pursue it further.”

Chapter 333: Victory!

“I do oversee the alleyways, that’s true, but this has nothing to do with us.” Logan also emphasized, repeating, “Why don’t you think about what this guy who was killed did to offend anyone in his life? Did he do something heinous to deserve this kind of retribution?”

"..."

Amy ignored his words and instead scanned every corner of the pub with her own eyes. After looking around, she suddenly sensed something, and her bright eyes immediately fixed on Leo, who was sitting in the corner.

Compared to her parents' generation, the girl still looked a bit too young.

The bottom line of her little gang was roughly "punishing evil and promoting good." But neither she nor her gang were prepared to "eradicate evil completely." Fortunately, Old Zhang, who happened to be passing by, filled this gap for her.

As the saying goes, in human communication, language only accounts for 30%, while the remaining 70% is directly reflected in other ways: eye contact, micro-expressions, body language, and so on. And some people are particularly good at understanding these unspoken subtexts.

"despair!"

"despair!"

"despair!"

……

The sound of thick-soled military boots on the floor was crisp and imposing as they strode towards the table. By the time Leo noticed, the nimble female swordsman was already standing in front of him, her emotionless eyes looking down at him.

Where were you an hour ago?

“…What?” Leo tried to appear calm, but the more she tried, the more she wanted to swallow. However, what she subconsciously revealed was her confusion about the question, as if she couldn’t understand English.

“This is a routine questioning. If we can’t find the murderer, none of you will escape.” Amy raised her voice slightly and continued to press, “I’ll ask you one more time: where were you an hour ago, who were you with, and who can testify to that?”

……

What Leo answered was no longer important, because Amy didn't want to hear it at all. What she was really focused on was Leo's subconscious reaction as she pondered those answers. Her pupils constricted, her breathing quickened—she had gotten what she wanted.

“She’s been here the whole time, sitting with me,” To her surprise, in such a tense atmosphere, the man sitting next to her was able to speak without any hesitation, “I can vouch for that.”

"you?"

Amy frowned slightly as she looked at the troublemaker who had suddenly appeared. She wasn't quite used to this feeling. Usually, no one dared to speak in situations like this.

Don't underestimate the immense psychological pressure the first person to speak in a short, intensely oppressive atmosphere.

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Everyone's smart enough to understand this principle, so nobody wants to be the first one to stick out. Everyone hopes that someone else will fire the first shot so they can follow behind. If they succeed, they can share the benefits; if they lose, they won't be the first to be punished.

But now, the first one to stick his neck out has actually emerged here. And judging from his tone, he doesn't seem to be afraid of me much.

A sense of unease settled over the tavern, and hushed whispers began to surface.

It must be suppressed immediately!

"Watch your tongue, outsider!" Amy instantly drew her swift sword from her waist, pointing it at Zhang Renfeng, and warned angrily, "I don't care where you're from, here, we're the ones who make the rules. I'm not asking you anything, so shut your mouth! Otherwise..."

Zhang Renfeng looked at her slender sword, and for some reason, he grinned, revealing a smile that was somewhat excited but genuine.

He leaned on the table and slowly stood up.

"if not?"

"?!"

To Amy's utter shock, he stepped forward and used his throat to block the very tip of the rapier!

Everyone else in the tavern was stunned. Even the members of the Thunder Fury Gang, for a fraction of a second, marveled at how incredibly brave this guy was. They'd never seen anyone dare to offer their neck to a swift rapier. On the Zolael family's territory, wasn't killing someone as easy as eating and drinking? Was he really that confident he wouldn't get a hole pierced in his throat?

Of course, the combined shock of everyone else couldn't compare to the horror Amy felt at that moment.

It won't go in!

She was not one to hesitate; immediately, she exerted force with her wrist.

However, this battle between flesh and iron ended with the swift rapier being slightly bent.

The man before her had lowered his eyes and was still smiling, but his gaze remained fixed intently on her, never wavering. For a moment, Amy had a strange feeling, as if this man wasn't an ordinary person, but rather an upright bear. She imagined that if she made any further movement, a powerful bear paw would strike and knock her head away!

"enough!"

With a loud bang, Logan finally lost his temper and slammed his fist on the bar.

The commotion drew everyone's attention, and the other members of the Thunder Angry Gang seemed to only then remember what they were there for. They hurriedly drew their guns from their belts and aimed them at the owner standing behind the bar.

Despite having a gun pointed at him, the bearded man showed no fear, only his gaze toward Amy grew increasingly furious.

"Don't forget where you are." Logan gripped the bar with both hands, letting out a threatening growl. The muscles in his shoulders and back were already tense, making his workwear jeans look sharp. His eyes and movements were ready for battle. "Go ask Rancho what our agreement was when you put me in charge of the alleyways?"

"You mind your own business, I'll mind my own business, and we'll keep to ourselves. But what about now? You actually dared to brandish a knife at my guest on my turf?"

"Let me give you a piece of advice, young lady. You didn't experience the horrors of those days, so you probably don't understand what happened..."

He slightly raised his shoulders and neck, glanced at the twin swords hanging above his head, and said coldly, "Once these things are taken down, it will be difficult to put them back up."

Black Palm looked at him with disbelief, as if he couldn't understand how his old friend could change his mind so easily.

When it comes to important decisions, Logan possesses a subtle intuition that belies his rugged appearance, and this time was no exception. From the moment Amy led her men to break down the door and openly brandished her swift rapier in his tavern, he realized that this time there was truly nowhere to retreat, he was backed against the wall.

With no way to retreat, the only option left is to toughen up!

Steppenwolf's imposing presence remained, and his furious roar gave everyone a much-needed boost of confidence. The already indignant guests' eyes hardened—in this day and age, whether you have a gun or I have a gun, it's all a matter of one shot; whose life is more precious than whose?

"..." Sensing the change in aura and seeing the strange smile on the man's face, Amy pondered for a moment before putting away her swift rapier.

"This isn't over, Logan. Someone died, and we'll keep investigating. Even if you don't say anything, someone will eventually."

"At that time, no one involved in this matter will be able to escape!"

She glanced at Leo, then led the group out of the tavern.

----

"Oh----!!!"

The emotions that had been suppressed for so long were released at this moment, and the tavern was filled with applause and cheers.

After being trampled on for so many years, they finally won a small victory against the Zola El family.