Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

“The old man just likes these kinds of things, like models and sand tables… I guess it’s his little hobby.” Laro took out a few red chess pieces from the White Buffalo Ranch, divided them into several rows, and placed them in different positions. He sighed, “When this chessboard was built, Numa Town didn’t exist yet. He never imagined that such a large town would be developed on the other side of the mountain.”

"That slippery lawyer was right. We were just lucky to make the right choice at the right time, that's all."

"You seem to have a good outlook on things." Red Fox crossed her arms and looked at him with interest.

"There's plenty of time to adjust the family business issues later. The most important thing is to address the immediate threats first."

Laro, as if arranging chess pieces before a game, continuously placed red and blue pieces onto the stone board. The bases of these pieces were metal, and when they struck the stone, they jingled, creating a magical rhythm. Sometimes they intertwined, sometimes they separated into several strands, locked in a fierce and unpredictable battle.

“Excuse me for interrupting you when you’re having so much fun.” Red Fox frowned. “Before this, have you ever had any experience commanding a large-scale war? Because when a real war breaks out, it’s not like on a stone slab, where you can just sit with your legs crossed, a glass of brandy next to you, and set up a couple of chess pieces and win.”

"Bullets whistle, the fighting shakes the heavens, and everyone is running for their lives. Considering that your soldiers were originally gang members, I can't really trust their fighting spirit... In the end, they will scream, they will run away, and they might even wet their pants."

"And once one person starts running, it will spread like a virus to ten people, a hundred people, and finally, bang! The whole thing collapses."

He pointed to his forehead and made a shooting gesture.

“I know.” Laro stroked a red chess piece, his eyes fixed on the stone tablet, as if most of his soul had already devoted itself to this simulated war, leaving only a subconscious reaction in this body. “I know… a rabble, we are both sides, the outcome of the battle does not depend on them.”

"Hongzhong."

“Once he dies, the rest of the people will soon collapse. Rancho was not defeated by Logan, nor by the poor people of Numa Town. Given time, he can organize his forces and launch a counterattack. He was only defeated by this one person.”

“We’ll take care of him,” Red Fox said in a deep voice. “That’s why we’re here. You do your job, and we’ll do ours.”

"No...excuse my bluntness, Mr. Red Fox...I don't believe you have the ability to contend with him on the front lines. Especially since he has the other members of the Red Center Gang by his side."

“Il Ilan, Lucifer Izkanen. Before coming here, I talked to those Pinkerton detectives, and both of them were members of the Jack Gang. Now, they're both with the Red Center. With them around, you'll probably get shot in the head before you even get close to the Red Center.”

"And then there's Theon Mislandil. He was originally a weapons dealer in Aspen Town, but lately he's joined the Red Center gang and has been working against us."

"I looked into his background. He was a German immigrant who was part of the Confederate Army during the Civil War, helping the army develop the latest firearms. Later, he offended a high-ranking officer in the Confederate Army and was kicked out of the army. He had no choice but to open a weapons shop in Poplar Town."

"The weapons used by the Red Center Gang are somewhat different from those of ordinary gangs, and they are very lethal in the war... I have already proven this with the blood of one of my brothers in the battle of the ranch."

Actually, as of now, there's no clear information to prove that Ruwen is dead. But somehow, everyone has assumed it's true, as if they all know that this guy would rather die than be taken prisoner.

"According to you, Red Center is a monster that no one can deal with." Red Fox shrugged, neither confirming nor denying. "There's no need to fight this battle. Just surrender. Maybe they'll take pity on you and leave you with a whole corpse."

“I didn’t say that. What I mean is that the battle must take place at the time and place we want. It must take place in a trap that was tailor-made for him.”

Laro placed the red chess piece he had been clutching for a long time into the largest mansion in Tianma Town.

"After this, let the professionals handle the professional matters."

"Heh...haha...this is the first time I've ever seen someone so arrogant towards themselves." Red Fox couldn't help but laugh out loud. "The way you were talking just now made it sound like the people opposite you were all your puppets, and you had already won."

"Perhaps you could say it's a battle of absolute computing power versus absolute brute force. I might not be able to beat Red, he's like the embodiment of brute force," Laro said without changing his expression. "But I can at least guarantee that I won't lose to him."

----

"Cannons?" Theon's expression turned serious. "Are you sure?"

“You’re not the only one who’s been in the army, kid.” Mike’s tone was a little heavy. “I bet my eyes can tell.”

……

A day has passed, and all those who needed to gather have assembled. It's time to prepare for the next move.

Before the troops move, the scouts go first. Despite their large, swarming numbers, they knew absolutely nothing about Tianma Town, just across the mountain. Logan had last set foot here seven years ago, and even then, he was driven back after a short stay. They only occupied this small pasture, lacking knowledge of the more remote Tianma Town, or even Rongma Town—a near-fatal problem on the battlefield.

Only when you know yourself and the enemy can you fight without danger.

Zhang Renfeng sent Mike, Xiao Mei, and Alana to gather information, mainly because this group didn't seem like a threat. If they encountered a minor situation, they could at least make up a lie about a grandfather taking care of his granddaughter and get away with it.

As the day passed and dusk fell, Tianma Town remained quiet in the distance, showing no sign of launching an attack. It was as if the impending war was merely a figment of their imagination.

However, when the three returned, they brought not-so-good news.

“We did see them, and there was more than one.” Alana nodded. “There are people who take care of them, wiping the gun barrels and such.”

"Do you remember what it looks like?" Theon's face was serious. "Draw it for me."

Chapter 369: You Have Cannons, I Have Superman

Of the three, Xiaomei was the best painter. Since the matter was of great importance, she did not dare to put pen to paper easily. She pondered the matter repeatedly in her mind for a long time before she finally drew the cannon that they saw.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Theon, the weapons expert, to make his final judgment. The atmosphere became incredibly heavy; even breathing felt like a chore. Every subtle change in Theon's expression gripped everyone's attention, and determined the outcome of the war.

“Parrot field gun… damn it…” Theon sighed.

"Is it something famous?" Zhang Renfeng had not experienced the civil war and knew nothing about it, so he could only ask this question.

"In October 1861, Robert Parker Parrott applied for a patent for a new method of manufacturing cannon barrels."

"Simply put, it's a modular rifled cannon. The barrel itself is made of cast iron, and then a heated, thick-walled forged steel tube is fitted over the breech to increase its strength. This allows it to withstand enormous chamber pressure, use more propellant, and thus increase its effective range."

Theon took the pencil from Xiaomei and drew an almost straight arc in front of the cannon barrel she had drawn. "After modification, the smallest Parrot field gun, weighing 10 pounds, has a maximum range of about 4600 meters. Of course, accuracy... is more a matter of chance and cannot be forced, but its destructive power against dense formations should not be underestimated."

"The 10-pound Parrot cannon was probably the most common model. Production began during the Civil War, and if I remember correctly, the Northern states produced 630 and the Southern states produced 80. It's not impossible that a few of them were bought by the Zolael family... after all, the market price of a cannon was only about $180."

"It seems he's not even as expensive as me." Zhang Renfeng, whose net worth is $7000, pursed his lips and laughed. "This has given me an idea. When we get back, let's get a few cannons to play with."

“You’re really optimistic…” Mike sighed helplessly. “That’s a cannon.”

"If you go up the weight, there are 100-pound and 300-pound guns, but those are things that would be loaded on ships. As the weight increases, the gun barrel will also become larger. As far as I know, a 300-pound field gun has a range of about 8000 meters."

The atmosphere visibly became somewhat heavy.

If it were a gunfight, everyone would be quite confident of victory, and could even keep the casualty ratio very low. But when it comes to artillery, everything becomes uncertain. At the very least, the originally planned dense, dagger-like charge might not be effective.

The Zolael family had been based here for many years and had eventually accumulated some wealth.

Only Zhang Renfeng spoke in a normal tone, simply asking, "Where are those cannons now? Have you seen them?"

“Every now and then, a carriage would come out, load up the well-maintained cannons, and head towards that mansion.” Xiao Mei pointed to the faint outline of the mansion in the distance—the largest mansion of the Zolael family in Tianma Town.

Starting from there, the entire town, as well as a location about one kilometer in front of it, are within the firing range.

"Are they planning a defensive battle?" Theon gave a thumbs up, closed his left eye, and used his finger to roughly measure the distance and impact point. "This decision is a bit risky, I don't quite understand it... The shells might land in their own town."

"Laro may have already assumed that we are the attackers and he is the defender. To set up an offensive formation, we must cross this pasture, which will inevitably expose us to artillery fire. On the other hand, they are going to rely on the architectural structure of Tianma Town to fight a so-called defensive battle."

"They are prepared to sacrifice some of their positions in order to annihilate us all."

……

"Why are you all making that face?" Zhang Renfeng shook his hand and stood up abruptly. "There's still time, isn't there? The cannon is powerful, but as long as we can't fire it, it's just a pile of scrap metal."

"Ha...it's starting again..." Mike sighed, rubbing his forehead. He had been a member of the Red Center Gang the longest, and for some reason, he and Zhang Renfeng had developed a certain tacit understanding. Before he could finish speaking, he already had a premonition that some big job was waiting for him.

"You wouldn't be thinking of picking a few people to sneak into Tianma Town with you and blow up those cannons, would you?"

"No." Unexpectedly, Zhang Renfeng first shook his head, then said, "I'll go alone."

After all, they were in the heart of enemy territory, carrying out a near-death mission. The slightest mistake could cost them their lives. In such a situation, the person they could trust most was themselves. Zhang Renfeng insisted on infiltrating alone; one less person meant one less obstacle.

"I'll sneak in, throw the explosives into the cannon barrel, and then... bang! There will definitely be a big firework. Once night falls and everything quiets down, the sound will be really loud."

"They're going to fight a defensive battle, right? Hearing the explosion will definitely throw them into disarray. Take advantage of this time, under the cover of night, and launch a preemptive strike! Remember, you must be fast, preferably on horseback, and rush into Tianma Town at top speed, not giving them time to rebuild their defenses. You attack from the outside in, and I'll attack from the inside out, a pincer attack that will surely crush them in one fell swoop!"

“Igor and Jimmy should still be in Tianma Town. We can search for them slowly after we drive them away. After the defeat, if any Zolael survives, he will definitely run towards the last town, Rongma Town. At that time, whether we pursue or block them will be in our hands.”

……

Zhang Renfeng's battle plan was entirely based on his incredible ability to act, which seemed like a complete fantasy to others.

While other commanders-in-chief sit in their bases to direct operations, he, before the battle even begins, flies directly into the enemy's headquarters to sabotage. Not content with just bombing, he plans to coordinate an attack from within and without, striking from the inside out to completely annihilate the enemy.

The most outrageous thing is that, just because his real name is Zhang Renfeng, this plan actually has a slight possibility.

only……

"It's too risky."

Logan shook his head. Despite being wrapped up like a mummy, he dragged himself to the pre-battle meeting. He could only numb the pain with cigarettes and alcohol; before this, he had remained silent.

"Let me confirm first, Red Center..."

“I’ve seen with my own eyes that your body can withstand cold weapons.” He tilted his head slightly, looking at Zhang Renfeng. “But can you stop bullets?”

Zhang Renfeng shook his head.

"So, your trip there is like putting yourself in a huge uncertainty. You're going to the heart of the enemy lines. If you take a step away, bullets will come from all directions... You are our backbone. If anything goes wrong, we won't be able to fight this battle."

"Instead of this tightrope walking game, how about this: we block the mountain pass of the Fortress Mountain Range. The food supplies for Tianma Town and Rongma Town all rely on this mountain pass to be transported in. Blocking this place will cut off their food supply."

"In the remaining two towns, the only place to store grain was the barn and warehouse built on the White Buffalo Ranch, which we now occupy. There are several hundred people crammed into the remaining space, and these people need to eat every day."

"If we hold out for a while, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, they will inevitably make a desperate fight when their food supplies run out. They will come out of Tianma Town and set up an array to fight us. At that time, the cannons will be useless. Instead, we can use this time to set up positions and ambush points on the mountain."

"If we switch sides, wouldn't our chances of winning be much greater?"

Chapter 370: On the other hand, Jimmy's side is...

“That won’t work.” Mike shook his head decisively. “I understand that you want to surround them… but while we can do it on this side of Fortress Mountain, what about the border? We can’t surround them from that direction.”

"Don't forget, their border with Mexico is adjacent, and the Zolael family itself has a long-standing cooperative relationship with warlords on the Mexican side. They could easily ask for help from there, send in food, and get through the crisis, couldn't they?"

“I’ve considered that too, and the conclusion is that it won’t last long.” Logan grabbed the bottle, tilted his head back, and downed the liquor in one gulp, as if it were water, letting out a satisfied sigh. “The land in Mexico isn’t as fertile as you think. Any surplus grain is used to save their own lives. Even if a warlord really had enough reserves to supply hundreds of people for a long time, he wouldn’t just sell it off. At best, it would only provide a short-term boost, prolonging the situation by a few days.”

"By the same token, you don't need to worry about what if they abandon these two towns and instead go to join the Mexican warlords."

"A gang of several hundred members, including their original core members, is far too unstable. No warlord would dare to take them over. If they suddenly mutiny, wouldn't the empire I worked so hard to build fall into Zola's hands?"

"Right now, the Thunder Fury Gang is like a wounded beast lying on the ground. Perhaps it still has the strength to fight to the death. We don't need to risk going forward. We can just stay where we are and wait for it to bleed dry. Even if it makes a counterattack in its dying moments, after losing so much blood, it will still be weakened."

"We'll have the best chance of success if we take action then."

This is what immersive warfare is like.

Although in hindsight, many of the decisions may seem inexplicable, they are still talked about with great interest by later generations. This may even lead to thoughts such as, "How could this guy be so stupid? If it were me, I would have gone in/withdrawn/set up camp in the middle/go all in."

In reality, those directly involved often lack sufficient information to support all their inferences. The battlefield situation changes rapidly; every choice, seemingly full of opportunity, is fraught with peril.

Each person can only make one choice at a time.

Logan's idea wasn't entirely unreasonable. He wasn't the type to act recklessly; his fighting style was primarily conservative. Otherwise, he wouldn't have accepted the Zola El family's negotiation proposal seven years ago when he stormed into Tianma Town.

Occupying a strategic location and then continuously depleting resources is indeed a viable strategy.

only……

"Ultimately, can our people hold out that long?"

Zhang Renfeng slowly stood up, and as soon as he spoke, he drew everyone's attention to the problem at hand.

cohesion.

Or rather, the morale of this makeshift army.

"Everyone should know what's going on with those people gathered outside. To put it nicely, they're carpenters, potters, hunters, cowboys... and maybe even slaves who grow things for the Zola Els. All sorts of people."

"To put it bluntly, this is a ragtag army, hastily organized out of a fit of rage. Most of them are civilians from Numa Town. If you get close, you might accidentally shoot your own teammates. They haven't been trained in combat or killing; they've only come here with us by following their emotions."

"Right now, having taken over the white bison ranch is something to be excited about. It's reignited the fire in our hearts, everyone's spirits are high, and no one has backed down."

"However, anger fueled by emotions cannot last long. Once they calm down, they will realize that they are doing something that will lead to their death if they fail."

"What will happen if we remain inactive for an extended period in this situation?"

"At least the other side is a unified group—the Thunder Fury Gang. They have common goals and common interests, and the Zola El family is the only group they might be loyal to at this stage. Our team, on the other hand, is made up of countless families, and its structure is quite loose! In a sense, the other side's unity must be far greater than ours."

Everyone fell silent for the second time, except for Mike, who was quite surprised and looked at Zhang Renfeng with a different expression.

It's amazing.

Because, based on his experience, people often get carried away when they're on a winning streak, and they start to feel invincible. They simply don't consider the unfavorable factors hidden behind their great victories.

Old Zhang fought his way from Numa Town, winning every single time, yet he still retains this kind of thinking. It seems he's not a mindless brute; it's just that his usual petty squabbles aren't worth his time to ponder.

“In my hometown, there is a saying: ‘One should press on with one’s might, but the second will be weaker and the third will be exhausted.’”

Deliberately creating a moment of silence, Zhang Renfeng slowly stood up, looked around, and said, "Many times, what's missing might just be that final blow. Once he recovers, the opportunity has slipped away, and it becomes very difficult to create favorable conditions again."

Why let the enemy go while he still has a breath left?

……

"It's up to you." After a moment of contemplation, Logan nodded. "If this move can turn our advantage into a victory, it would be a good move."

"High risk, high reward. High reward, high risk." Zhang Renfeng looked at Tianma Town in the distance. The sky was gradually getting dark, but he felt a long-lost excitement. "Finally, I can wipe out these scourges all at once."

Deep down, he also had his own selfish motives, but he kept them hidden.