Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

This job was also physically demanding, similar to that of a cowboy, but for these young people who were just moments before being sold off to mines or plantations and whose lives were hopeless, it was like stepping from hell to heaven.

Igor doesn't discriminate against people of skin color or race because he himself is a dwarf. If we're talking about discrimination, probably no one understands the feeling better than him.

Although he was reluctant, he did manage the ranch entrusted to him by his family very well. As long as they worked diligently there, they lacked nothing in terms of food, clothing, and shelter. Igor even paid them a salary, which, although meager, was enough for them to enjoy some leisure activities after they were well-fed and watered.

That's life. Most of the time, your circumstances depend on luck. If they had come earlier or later, they would already be collapsed from exhaustion, buried in the bottomless mine, and turned into bones. But it was this trip that brought them Hongzhong and the mule, allowing them to break free of their shackles and become "people" who could think and act freely.

Although it was too dark to see clearly, Zhang Renfeng was certain that these young people were much healthier than they had been in the dungeon. They weren't exactly well-off, but at least they were no longer skin and bones.

When life has hope, the eyes naturally light up.

“We heard… Mr. Jimmy and Mr. Ego are both in some kind of trouble. The Thunder Gang suddenly stormed into the ranch and seized it.” Eric gritted his teeth and said angrily, “This is Mr. Ego’s territory, and it’s our home… We can’t take it anymore!”

“We heard you would be showing up tonight, and we’ve been waiting for this opportunity. We also want to do something to protect this ranch!”

Looking at the light shining in their eyes, Zhang Renfeng couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

Perhaps, for Igor, this was just a very insignificant little favor.

But for these young men trafficked to foreign lands, Igor provided a safe haven in this hellish world. Here, there was alcohol, food, and friends of the same skin color. They could earn money through their own labor, and it's no exaggeration to say that they received a better life than 99% of their Black compatriots in this country.

A day of freedom is better than a lifetime of shackles.

Having tasted freedom, they are willing to pay any price to protect their lives!

“Good, you’ve come at just the right time.” Zhang Renfeng pointed to the half-finished church at the end of the road. “My enemies are hiding in there now, their numbers are approximately…”

“Thirty,” Mike added.

“Thirty of them. They might already be lying in ambush. I can't go in through the front gate. Do you understand…”

“The church has only had its first floor built; the second floor isn’t even fully completed yet, and the stairs haven’t been laid.” Eric was quick to provide crucial information. “Unless they can fly around on the walls like you, they’ll definitely have to ambush on the first floor.”

"However, the outer walls of the church have been repaired. Perhaps we can climb over the wall to the stained glass windows on the second floor, break in from there, and catch them off guard."

The advantages of being a local become apparent at this moment.

Ruwen and his men never usually visit the ranch, let alone this church. Even if they wanted to set up an ambush, they would only do so on the first floor if the staircase was broken. The unfinished second floor would then become a huge blind spot.

"How is it?" Zhang Renfeng asked, turning his head.

"...That's feasible. Those slightly protruding outer walls shouldn't be a problem for you, right? Your superhuman physical abilities are an advantage for us."

Mike had run out of high-explosive rounds, so he started reloading his revolver with regular bullets he'd bought wholesale from the weapons store, saying, "Same as always, you rush in through the window, make a big fuss, and draw their attention."

"In that instant, Caloway and I led the team, broke down the door, and took care of them all."

"You've all fired your guns, right?" Calaway asked with a smile. "It's very simple. Wherever the light comes on, that's where you pull the trigger. Don't be a coward. The more cowardly you are, the more likely a bullet will hit you. As long as we break up their formation immediately, they're done for."

“Then let’s get started. Have a local come with me,” Zhang Renfeng said in a deep voice. “Once we get close, point out to me where the stained glass window on the second floor is.”

“I’ll do it!” Eric volunteered, raising his hand.

----

Inside the church, darkness reigned, and an unbearable silence engulfed everything.

As Lu Wen had instructed, the remaining henchmen each chose their own cover, preparing to unleash a barrage of fire upon Lu Wen's arrival, riddling Hong Zhong and his men with bullets.

But... the other party has been slow to show up, giving the impression that they want to drag this out forever.

No one knew how long this extremely tense standoff would last. In the oppressive darkness, rustling complaints began to emanate.

Ruven frowned. This was his own plan, so there was no way he would waver. However, when one is under constant tension, one subconsciously seeks out ways to relieve stress. He looked around, but because it was pitch black, he couldn't make out the details of the church's interior decorations. Only the four stained-glass windows on the second floor were barely visible in the moonlight.

The knight on white horse stood atop a barren hill, its color a withered, dusky yellow, reminding him of the vast deserts of Mexico.

A knight riding a black horse stood beneath the crimson sunset. Beside him was a huge tree whose fruit was exceptionally thin, like underdeveloped cucumbers or people hanging from its branches.

A knight on a grey horse stands in the cemetery; beneath his grey robe is a skeletal hand. Clearly, in this stained-glass window painting, he is the embodiment of death.

There was another window, seemingly unpainted, completely blank. Yet, behind this blankness, a shadow seemed to drift by unnoticed.

Ruwen suddenly had a very bad feeling, for reasons he couldn't quite put his finger on, so he stood up abruptly, wanting to say something.

……

"boom---!"

The blank stained glass window was shattered by a single shot. Then, Zhang Renfeng roared, smashed through the glass, and burst in from the outside. The broken stained glass window sill was just the right height for him to stand on, as if it had been tailor-made for him.

"Red Center is here!" He drew two fully loaded Volcano pistols, took up the high ground, his eyes wide with rage, like a frozen painting. "Prepare to die!"

Chapter 360: The Mule and the Thoroughbred

"No...wait...wait a minute, I!"

"boom!"

Calaway, expressionless, fired another shot. He wasn't a cruel killer; the greatest mercy he could show now was to let his victim die as quickly and painlessly as possible. He was used to shooting directly into the forehead, ensuring a single bullet would take his life.

The bullet holes in the middle of the face, that is, from the tip of the nose, were done by Angel Eye. This guy often disappears during fights, but is only discovered when cleaning up the bodies. He actually killed quite a few people. It's just that he's never seen during the fight, nor does he come out to touch the bodies afterward, so it's easy to subconsciously overlook him.

“This is the last one,” he shouted, pointing the gun far away. “Except for him.”

Not far away, amidst the broken tables and chairs, Eric was binding Ruven's hands behind his back—Ruven had changed his plans after the gunfire and the swift elimination of his henchmen. He had taken an axe and lay in ambush behind the tables and chairs, intending to pounce out and chop off Zhang Renfeng's head when Zhang thought he had won a great victory and lowered his guard!

However, reality is always much harsher than ideals... Before he could even jump out, Zhang Renfeng shot him in the left shoulder through the back of the chair.

The axe clattered to the ground, and before he could draw his gun, he was surrounded by a dozen or so young men who rushed in and gave him a good beating. Clearly, they had suffered quite a bit at the hands of the Thunder Angry Gang during this period, so they simply vented their anger on Lu Wen.

“That’s enough, Eric.” Zhang Renfeng waved his hand. “Let him go.”

“But, Mr. Hongzhong, I just finished tying him up… This guy is Laro’s brother, are you sure you want to…”

Eric was quite surprised, seemingly unable to understand why Hong Zhong, who was so decisive in killing, would show mercy to the enemy leader. But Hong Zhong's reputation was undeniable, and even though he couldn't understand it, he obediently did as he was told, gently cutting him with his knife and untying him.

Ruwen did not move.

The rope was untied, but a dozen or so dark guns were still pointed at him. Mike and Calaway's revolvers were both safely tucked into their belts, but given the accuracy they had just demonstrated, shooting him would be as easy as snapping their fingers.

"Name?" Zhang Renfeng struck a match and lit the candle.

In the candlelight, the remaining members of the Thunder Fury Gang lay sprawled on the ground like a swarm of dead ants.

"..."

“I understand. You’re the type who prefers silence.” Zhang Renfeng flicked his wrist to extinguish the match. “He sent you to kill me, so he has to explain something.”

Luwen remained silent, blood streaming down his shoulder, yet his face remained expressionless.

"...He ordered me to kill you."

“Simple and straightforward, I like it.” Zhang Renfeng waved his hand, his tone extremely calm, so calm that it didn’t sound like he was talking to an enemy. “You can go back now.”

"When you get back, remember to tell the man who sent you to ambush me everything you heard and saw tonight, word for word. I've heard he's very sharp-minded and a smart man. He should really assess whether the prospects of this war are as optimistic for the Zolael family as you think."

……

Luwen remained silent for a long time, then stood up again and took two steps toward the door.

But he did not leave. Instead, he bent down, picked up a sharp shard of glass, and sat back down on the preaching table.

"Think it over before you act, young man," Mike said in a warning tone. "You only have one life."

"..." Ruven remained silent. To him, speaking was itself a sign of weakness. He merely glanced at Mike, tilted his head, and, using his teeth, tore off the clothes covering his wound. Then, with his right hand, he took a shard of glass and plunged the sharp end into his own flesh!

"Ugh..." Eric had never seen anything like this before. His expression immediately changed, and he almost vomited. Shooting someone to kill is one thing, but watching someone so calmly and relentlessly destroy their own body is quite another.

Humans, a species inherited from ancient times, possess survival mechanisms that cause us to experience intense discomfort and phantom pain when we see others injured. This is our body's way of warning us that a fellow human is injured, the surrounding environment is extremely dangerous, and we should run!

It was impossible not to feel pain; Ruven's eyes felt like they were about to pop out of their sockets, but he bit his lip hard to keep a sound from escaping. After a moment, he finally used the sharp-shaped glass to remove the bullet lodged in his shoulder.

"Ding--"

Even the sound of a bullet falling onto the table seemed exceptionally crisp.

"call……"

He let out a long breath, and with trembling right hand, pulled a bullet from the bottom of his pocket. During the search, they only took his gun and knife to ensure he had no other offensive weapons. They hadn't really checked the contents of his pockets. From a Westerner's perspective, a bullet, without a gun, isn't very lethal. You can't expect a bullet to stab someone to death, can you?

Ruwen bit open the bullet with his teeth and sprinkled the gunpowder onto the wound. Then, he picked up a candlestick from the table and slowly approached the wound.

"hiss---!!"

The skin and flesh were burned, and the wound was sealed up as quickly as possible.

"what!"

He finally couldn't bear it any longer, gripping the edge of the table tightly, like a drowning man about to faint. But he managed to hold on through sheer willpower, his eyes, wide and round like bells, fixed on Zhang Renfeng.

Having gone this far, everyone present knew that he definitely wasn't planning on leaving.

"Why?" Zhang Renfeng raised an eyebrow and looked at the bald, burly man in front of him again. "What could be more important than your life?"

“You killed Tuku and Rancho, they were my blood brothers.” After catching his breath, Ruwen violently shook his scorched left arm, clenched his fists, and said in a low voice, “Blood is thicker than water, this is the rule established by Lord Hector, and that is how it is.”

"Blood is thicker than water? Ha, so that's how it is..." Zhang Renfeng sneered, "Then, what about Igor? Isn't he also your brother? Why did your Lord Hector suddenly change his attitude when dealing with him?"

"He was a short mule; if he had been born into an ordinary family, he would have been drowned in a bucket." Ruwen's tone was flat. "It is already a great mercy of His Excellency Hector to have allowed him to live to this day, to be a member of the family, and to enjoy the fine wines and delicacies that most people can only dream of in their entire lives."

“…Do you know?” Zhang Renfeng squinted, unbuckled his belt, and with a flick of his wrist, draped the bag over his shoulder onto the chair.

The volcano pistol, dagger, and other throwing knives were all removed, leaving only the most primitive weapons—fists.

"In my opinion, you lot—Tuku, Rancho, and you… all of you who look tall and strong are just useless trash. You only know how to rob and oppress the common people; you can't accomplish anything great."

"The one trapped inside the mule's body is the real thoroughbred."

Chapter 361: Let's start over from scratch

"It's scalding hot, you stupid pig! Can't you even control the water temperature?" Eugene glared, intending to splash the coffee directly onto the poor girl's face, but a glance at Laro's fixed gaze made him shudder, and he stopped himself, only kicking her instead. "Enough, get out of here!"

The girl was terrified; her shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and she ran away without looking back.

For both sides, tonight will be a difficult, sleepless night.

After the battle plan was finalized, Laro did not leave, but remained seated in the council hall, awaiting news of the battle's outcome from the front.

He stayed up until the early hours of the morning without showing any signs of sleepiness. He would stare blankly at the wall or gaze at the town map in front of him, lost in thought, as if he had projected a part of his consciousness onto the map.

Igor seemed much more relaxed. For various reasons, and given his own complicated position, the task of fighting against the Red Army could not possibly fall to him. He was able to close his eyes and rest, holding a cup of warm wine in both hands and sipping it slowly, while waiting for time to pass.

In comparison, Eugene's composure was far inferior to his father's. He ate plate after plate of figs and grapes, but he could never sit still. Every now and then he would stand up and walk around, or take out his pocket watch, glance at the time, and then sigh.

As the night passed, at five o'clock, the sky was beginning to lighten, and the sounds of explosions and gunfire in the distance had subsided.

"No matter what, they should be back by now, right?" Eugene scratched his head, his frustration almost overflowing. "It's just a few people... almost a hundred people against a few, there's no reason they can't handle it!"

"Let's prepare ourselves mentally." Igor glanced at the wall clock. "Number advantage is not an advantage against Red Center."

"Oh, come on." In his annoyance, Eugene didn't forget to cast a contemptuous glance at Igor. "Uncle, compared to your height, your courage is even more insignificant. I sincerely hope that one day it can grow to half your height, that would be enough."

"Ha, don't give me that, kid. If I got a dollar for every height joke I heard, I'd be the richest man in America by now." Igor just chuckled. "You can't even face your opponent properly, yet you're here talking about how to beat him. Don't you find that ridiculous?"

"The real battlefield is probably still too far away for a Boy Scout who is used to playing gang games."

Eugene gritted his teeth, his face contorted with rage. "What did you just call me?"

“…That’s enough for today.” Laro suddenly said, “Tell the men who are supposed to be there to meet us that we don’t need to wait any longer. Go back and rest. You’ve been up all night and need to recharge. But don’t take off your clothes and boots. Even if you fall asleep, keep your guns in your hands and be ready for battle at any time.”

Eugene's expression shifted from anger to surprise, and he involuntarily said, "But, Father, Uncle Ruwen hasn't..."

“If we had won the battle at the ranch, Ruwen should have been bringing me Red Center’s head by now. But he didn’t. I haven’t even seen a single deserter from the front. Your uncle is right. In this situation, as the commander, you should have accepted the failure and prepared for the next step.”

Laro said calmly, "The Red Army needs some time to prepare before they can unite their forces on the ranch. Once they're fully prepared, they'll launch an attack on us. At that point, they'll have even less time to rest."

"This current gap is also our only remaining time to rest."

"Then... what about Uncle Ruwen? Did you just abandon him like that?" Eugene found it unbelievable, his mouth slightly agape. "Blood is thicker than water, isn't it?"

"Don't let your emotions control your mind; use your mind to control your emotions." Laro tapped his forehead with his finger and said expressionlessly, "Eugene, think, and then make a decision."

----

It was clear that Eugene was not satisfied with his father's teachings, but out of respect, he accepted them without question and left.

“You’ve given me so much guidance.” Igor raised his glass and gestured for a toast to him. “I never imagined that one day you would become a qualified father.”

"...Can he really defeat an enemy twenty times his size all by himself?"

"To be precise, he's not alone; he definitely has teammates with him. It's just that they seem insignificant compared to him." Ever since he learned that Hongzhong had infiltrated Tianma Town, Igor had never worried about him, and now he said leisurely, "However, if he really faced a hundred people alone, the result wouldn't be much different."

"How do you think Tuku died? Not from a gunshot wound, not from a knife stab, but from a fist."