Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Isn't this a kind of karma in this lifetime?

“Besides this cash, there are some assets…the kind that can’t be converted into cash immediately,” Igor continued. “A considerable portion of the cotton and tobacco grown last year still hasn’t found buyers. Hector wants to sell the two together; if someone wants to buy our tobacco, they have to take a portion of the cotton as well. It’s practically no different from being a thug.”

"These days, the demand for cotton is basically saturated. The era of making money by blindly growing cotton is long gone."

"Then... what about the cotton?" Alana couldn't help but ask. "Won't it just be stuck with us?"

"Let's weave it into clothes," Igor said half-jokingly. "We'll give everyone a set of winter clothes, stuffed with cotton. Consider it a perk from Red Army. What do you think?"

"However, we do need to find a way to at least get rid of the stockpiled tobacco. As for the cotton... we'll see. I need to go to a place with a port like Saint Quintak. Foreign merchants there might be interested in cotton."

"This land can't be left to waste; we still need to find people to cultivate it. After all, right now, it's the only source of gold coins we can rely on."

"Continue with the plantations?" Mike raised an eyebrow. "Or should we let the Blacks do it?"

"The status of 'slave laborer' can no longer continue. To be honest, this status, which is full of historical evils, should have been eradicated long ago. We can adopt an employment system, just like employees in other industries, pay them wages, and let them continue to grow things on the plantation."

"However, this approach will create new problems. For example, the ownership of the land. From a legal perspective, these plantations still belong to the Zola El family."

“Hector is dead. Legally, I am his son, and he didn’t leave a will. So let’s just consider it my legal inheritance of his property. It would be best if, when recruiting workers, you didn’t do it in my name. I believe that if they knew they were working for you, they would be more enthusiastic.”

“Once the funds come back, or once we’ve collected all of Hector’s ‘legacy’ that he’s hidden in various places, I’ll try to transform the business… for example, we can grow other crops besides cotton, and see what’s suitable.”

……

"I can't help with these things at all." Zhang Renfeng yawned, completely confused. "Anyway, you can decide for yourself. Spend money when necessary, don't hesitate."

“Eighty thousand dollars, that’s no small sum,” Mike remarked. “How does it feel to suddenly become one of the richest people in New Orleans?”

“A tycoon… ha…” Zhang Renfeng scratched his head, feeling that everything had come too fast and was not real. “There is a saying in my hometown: ‘When you are poor, no one cares about you in the city; when you are rich, you have distant relatives even in the deep mountains.’”

“That’s quite apt,” Igor commented. “That’s human nature.”

"Luckily, I have yellow skin." Zhang Renfeng shrugged, with a hint of sarcasm, making fun of his skin color. "So that no random people will come and claim kinship with me."

“Yes, there are no distant relatives, but there are definitely many who are envious,” Igor murmured. “It won’t be long before news of what happened here spreads. I guess some people will be unhappy about it, after all… Hector, relying on the Thunder Fury Gang, spent decades building up a complex network of interests, and now you’ve cut it all off as soon as you arrive.”

"No matter what happens outside, I'll handle it," Zhang Renfeng said with a smile. "Just use this money in peace and build up your hometown."

----

Zhang Renfeng stared blankly at the girl in front of him, who was clasping her hands together in front of him.

"Could you repeat that?"

"I'm sorry!" Zhang Tito clasped his hands together, looking at him earnestly with pleading eyes. "Please lend me some money!"

Chapter 408: The Bet is the Ticket to the Next Era

When they first met in the mine, Zhang Renfeng found it strange.

He could vaguely sense that this girl didn't belong here at all, much less in this isolated and decaying mine. A certain quality she unintentionally exuded was completely out of place in this backward land.

However, out of respect, he didn't pry further. As long as he confirmed the other party's goodwill, everything else was a personal secret. Everyone has a few secrets when traveling.

It wasn't until his assistant brought it up that he finally understood the whole story.

Hector was not a competent businessman or merchant; his powerful military force gave him the confidence to break treaties at any time.

He always used the idea that "great things don't require being bothered by trifles" to pave his way, but in reality, once a bad habit is formed, it will seep into every aspect of life regardless of the size of the matter.

This small amount of money was nothing to Hector, but he insisted on delaying payment, saying he would wait until the drug's efficacy was tested before paying.

Therefore, Zhang Tito stayed in Numa Town to urge Hector to make the payment on time. Thus, quite "coincidentally," he became involved in a series of events within the Red Gang.

Now that Hector has passed away, the only option left is to bite the bullet and ask his successor for the money.

“Experimental research is actually quite expensive, especially the stuff he’s researching… There are almost no precedents to refer to, so he has to figure it out step by step himself. The cost of trial and error alone is astronomical,” Zhang Tito sighed and explained. “To keep the research going, I’ve practically worn my legs out. I’ve already reached out to every sponsor I could find.”

"If they weren't desperate, who would want to cooperate with gangsters?"

“Oh, so that’s how it is…”

In the mine, Zhang Renfeng had witnessed Tao's invention firsthand. Even though he knew nothing about science, he could tell that this electrically powered lamp would soon become a global phenomenon. Compared to kerosene lamps, it was safer, more convenient, and provided brighter light—a truly superior alternative.

Besides, Gwen's exquisite prosthetic leg was also custom-made from Tao. This makes sense, as Tito probably said; that expensive prosthetic leg was probably one of the side jobs he earned to fund his experiments.

"In short... we've traveled to many places, and this is the last stop. We must assemble the prototype before the conference. There's also the last batch of components, which hasn't been delivered due to funding issues. If this continues, we'll miss the conference!"

"Tao's original plan was to showcase our latest research findings at the conference to attract more investment. If we miss it... if we miss it once, we'll miss it every time..."

"Um, I didn't mean anything by it, but if I may ask," Zhang Renfeng narrowed his eyes and asked cautiously, "Approximately how much will it cost?"

Finally, they got to the really important topic. Tito looked hesitant, as if she herself knew just how outrageous the figures that were about to be exported would seem to ordinary people.

Until the very end, she didn't say it outright, but simply held up one finger.

----

"Ten thousand dollars?!" Alana nearly choked on her hot coffee, pounding her chest repeatedly, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Am I the one with the problem, or has the world become strange...? Why are there astronomical figures like this after today?"

"A scientist, huh...right?" Calaway shrugged and said in a tone that sounded impressive but not really. "Back in San Quintak, I heard that this profession seems to have been created just to burn money."

"Do you think Hector's mansion was luxurious? Even if you didn't burn down his house, but sold it and invested the money in scientific research, it might not even make a ripple."

“If it were a thousand dollars, that would be fine, but she asked for ten thousand… To be honest, that number makes me a little uneasy.” Mike turned his gaze to Jimmy, who was sitting at the very edge, looking completely unserious and only concerned with showing off. “Speaking of which, didn’t you say you took on that scientist’s commission? What kind of person is he?”

"Hmm... how should I put it..." Jimmy gnawed the braised beef shank in front of him down to the bone, his cheeks stuffed full, "I can only describe it as abstract."

He then gave a detailed account of the intellectual property dispute cases he had received.

A time machine, publicly displayed, chaos ensued, design drawings leaked, copyright infringement... In the end, it all turned into a complete mess, and even his hard-earned undefeated record was broken in this case. However, his legal colleagues expressed understanding, after all, Tao's case itself was far too abstract.

"In other words, he claimed that the machine could allow people to travel through time. And the actual demonstration... was just a death row inmate being strapped to an electric chair and electrocuted to death?" Xiaomei swallowed hard, unsure of who to sympathize with, and sighed, "What a niche way to die."

"According to him, it was because of a parameter setting error that the current was too high, exceeding the human brain's load limit. Well... as a lawyer, I'm not qualified to judge my client's professional competence. My task is to stand completely on my client's side and defend him."

At this point, Jimmy's tone became serious. "So, I just described my client's experience to you in the most persuasive way possible. As for the specific judgment, that's for you to think about and make your own; it has nothing to do with me."

……

When it comes to things related to his job, Jimmy always gives off a very professional vibe. However, it's only at these times that he becomes a little serious.

Inside the restaurant's corridor, a luxurious private room has now become the de facto gathering place for the Red Center Gang.

The soundproofing here is excellent; once the door is closed, it can basically shut out all the noise, so naturally no one would be foolish enough to bother them.

----

"By the way, do you guys know about nitroglycerin?" Igor pondered for a moment, then suddenly spoke up. "Imagine you're old, full of health problems... and suddenly one day, a sharp pain shoots through your heart, and you feel like you're about to die."

"At this time, only this can save your life. It is a special medicine for treating angina. It was about last year that it passed a series of complicated tests and became available on the market."

"So, here's the question: do you know what this drug went through before it was actually marketed? In some special cases, taking this drug could actually accelerate death. These findings were gradually drawn from countless cases of death."

"Scientific progress is always accompanied by sacrifices, some of which are visible, while others are difficult to see. Moreover, judging from that electrically powered lamp, it is made of genuine materials."

Igor tapped the table twice and said in a deep voice, "I tend to think... we can make a gamble-like investment in this person. We've already missed the era of steam and railways, so the stakes now are our ticket to the next era."

"I bet that 'electricity' will become an indispensable new thing."

"Of course, you're the boss, so in the end, your opinion will prevail."

Chapter 409: Vampire

After a moment of silence, Zhang Renfeng neither nodded nor denied, but said something that seemed unrelated: "We should take a break."

Mike, who had worked with him the longest, immediately understood what he was talking about. He lit a cigarette, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke from his nostrils, and asked, "The gang?"

"Do you guys remember that pimp from Fengxi Harbor? Before he died, he gave me an analogy that I found quite insightful." Recalling Castor's face and his philosophical maxims, Zhang Renfeng asked himself, "Porcupine or python?"

“Igor and Jimmy were taken away from White Torch Town about two weeks ago. When they got into trouble, we were still on our way back from Windhaven Harbor, and the camp was attacked by Pinkerton detectives. It was a complete mess... After that, we rushed here without stopping. From entering the village to launching the final assault, everything went smoothly thanks to everyone.”

"The combined territory of Sanma Town is almost enough to encompass the entire southern part of New Orleans. Our territory has more than doubled in just two weeks."

"It's about time. I should take some time to relax. If I'm always taut like a bowstring, I won't be able to keep going."

The group looked at each other in bewilderment, only then realizing that they seemed to have fought a tough battle that other gangs might never encounter in just two weeks.

Jimmy's connections in the legal circle are mostly in White Torch Town, so he has to go back there to recruit people.

Igor decided to make a trip to Saint Quintac, a rare port city where he could inquire if any foreign merchants urgently needed cotton. He was willing to accept even a lower price; the important thing was to quickly sell off the cotton piling up in his warehouses.

Now that he no longer has the protection of the Thunder Gang, just in case, the former sheriff, Calaway, who is most familiar with the city, is traveling with him as his bodyguard.

As for the remaining people, they were divided into two teams: Mike, Alana, and Xiaomei in one team, and the Chief and Theon in the other.

On one side is the classic "old and young" duo; no matter who Mike is paired with, the presence of Mike in the team provides a sense of security. On the other side, Theon and the Chieftain are both very experienced and not easily swayed by emotions. This isn't their first time teaming up, and they are quite familiar with each other.

Two groups set off separately, their objectives clear: to recover the Zola El family's assets hidden throughout New Orleans. Rather than a serious mission, it was more like an opportunity to take a well-deserved trip and relax. After all, the money was there, and only they knew the locations; they couldn't just disappear.

Finally, Zhang Renfeng's plan for himself was...

"Dover Hill?!" Little Mei exclaimed. "Mr. Red Center, are you going back to New Elizabeth?"

"It's been quite a while since we caused a ruckus in Windblown Sands. Right now, the Pinkerton detectives have been lured to New Orleans. Plus, Chedel has gone to Granite State. With our sugar daddy away, his dogs naturally don't need to wag their tails to show their loyalty."

Zhang Renfeng picked up an orange from the table, peeled it, and took big bites of it, continuing, "Going over there now won't be any problems."

“I’m not worried about Pinkerton, I’m worried about…” Mike squinted and complained, “Wherever you go, trouble is bound to happen. You’re just unlucky, like you’re haunted by death.”

"Haha, it's not that serious. I'm going to Dover Valley, not to fight or kill anyone." Zhang Renfeng waved his hand with a smile. "Ten thousand dollars is no small amount of money. Whether it's worth it or not, whether I should bet on him or not, I need to see him in person before I make a decision."

"Dovercho, um... Dovercho..." Mei's expression was hesitant.

Strictly speaking, she was the only new Elizabethan here, and Zhang Renfeng immediately sensed something from her attitude.

"What's wrong? Is there anything I should be careful about, Dovercho?"

“I don’t know either, but my father… when he was still alive, he mentioned that place to me. It was a bit scary. Apparently, there was some kind of powerful sect that was popular there for a while, and some strange things happened there. Several people in charge came and went, but they couldn’t suppress it.”

"There have been sightings of vampires in the Dover Valley moors on more than one occasion. There are also legends of werewolves and even rumors of zombies in the area."

"What the hell, all of them coming out in droves, huh?" Calaway lit a cigarette and said half-jokingly, "It's quite something that he can do science in a place full of all sorts of poisons."

Zhang Renfeng's reaction was even more unexpected.

"What is a vampire?" His face was full of doubt. "I've vaguely heard of zombies (unfortunately, what he was thinking was completely different from what Xiaomei described)... What does 'vampire' mean?"

"Huh?" This time, it was Xiaomei's turn to be surprised. "You didn't know?"

“Nonsense, he’s not a local, how would he know?” Alana sighed, somewhat helplessly. “Xiaomei, have you forgotten that Hongzhong comes from the other side of the earth because you’ve been together for so long? Their mythology is different from ours, isn’t it?”

Xiaomei then realized that, subconsciously, she no longer regarded Zhang Renfeng as a foreigner.

"Simply put, it is a degenerate creature. Originally, this idea originated in the Balkans and in the folklore of the Eastern European Slavs." Angel Eyes, who had been silent throughout the meal, suddenly spoke. His voice was soft, but it had an extraordinary attraction that immediately drew everyone's attention to him—or more precisely, to his pair of strange pupils.

All I can say is that his appearance is perfect for this line of work.

"The characteristics of this creature are: it is generally active at night, can transform into a bat, survives by sucking human blood, fears sunlight, silver materials, and garlic, and possesses evil powers such as dark magic."

"Joseph Sheridan La Finnu, in a novel he published several years ago, described a charming female vampire. It is said that vampires are born with the power to charm humans, and even women can become obsessed with it."

"You still watch that kind of stuff..." Igor couldn't help but complain.

"It's all fake, isn't it?" Theon didn't seem to care much. He was wiping his weapon with gun oil and doing maintenance when he said in a calm tone, "It's just because medical conditions were so poor during the Black Death. Many of the buried corpses weren't actually dead yet. After being buried, they would come back to life and be mistaken for vampires."

"When people are in a state of extreme panic, all sorts of rumors will spread. That's how 'Nittat' (a famous German vampire legend) came about. If you go to Windblown Sands and revisit the place, you'll find that the name Red Center is much more well-known than vampires or anything like that."

"Ha...haha...I don't even know whether I should be happy or sad..." Zhang Renfeng said with a wry smile.

"Speaking of which, in Mr. Hongzhong's hometown, aren't there any monster legends used to scare children?" Xiaomei asked curiously.

"That's a lot!" Zhang Renfeng sat up straight, his interest piqued. "I once heard a story about Chen Dahai digging up ginseng..."

……

The night is long.

This peculiar family chatted under the lamplight about the strange and supernatural tales of their respective hometowns.

Warm laughter, along with the lamplight, filled the room.

Chapter 410: Tobacco and the Future

"It's snowing?" Zhang Renfeng looked at the snowflakes outside the car window, somewhat surprised. "It's already March."

“It’s cold in early spring.” Zhang Tito waved his hand and said casually, “It’s normal, especially in Dover Valley. The weather is always pretty strange. One minute it’s foggy, the next it’s snowing heavily. You get used to it. Tao is overjoyed when there are thunderstorms. He’s always wanted to create all kinds of lightning from nature in a man-made experimental site.”

After arranging their respective itineraries, they rested for a day in Rongma Town before Zhang Renfeng officially handed over the position of "town mayor" to Luo Gen.

Actually, everyone had somewhat anticipated this—unless Red Center was willing to step in and take charge, there was no other candidate besides Logan who could command respect in terms of seniority, reputation, and achievements.