Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Like two hedgehogs, getting too close in this situation will only breed distrust. Maintaining a certain distance is the best way to huddle together for warmth.

Ren made a simple bed on the floor, lay on his side with his back to the two of them, and breathed evenly, as if he had already fallen asleep.

Zhang Tito's expression, however, was somewhat uncertain in the firelight.

"There's a stranger in the room, and you actually dared to close your eyes and rest?" Zhang Tito found it unbelievable. "He was just about to draw his knife and attack you. You trust him so much, is it really okay?"

"When you're out and about, and you've just been robbed by a group of gunmen, if you're even a little slower, you might be shot dead. It's normal to overreact when you suddenly hear someone come in. After he recognized me, he stopped, didn't he?"

Zhang Renfeng waved his hand, completely unconcerned. "Besides, you checked the back yourself, and there are indeed these corpses, right?"

“The corpses only prove that he did kill people, not that he wasn’t lying.” Zhang Tito frowned slightly. “Anyway, they can’t speak, so who knows what the truth is? Maybe this warrior killed them all because he was greedy for money.”

“You haven’t seen it. Istavo has such a grand presence in San Quintac. Even the mayor has to bow down to him. If you follow him, you can have anything. Why would you do such low-level things?” Zhang Renfeng narrowed his eyes. “I suddenly realize that you seem to be quite suspicious.”

“Ha, haha…” Zhang Titto chuckled dryly, mocking himself, “What can I do? I grew up in a place where animals roamed everywhere. If I hadn’t been careful, someone would have taken my kidney.”

"What should we do then?" Zhang Renfeng asked helplessly. "Aren't we going to sleep?"

“We’ll take turns. I’ll keep watch for the first half of the night, and you keep watch for the second half.” Her attitude was firm. “When you’re out and about, spending the night with strangers, this level of vigilance is essential!”

"Okay, okay, then I'll keep an eye on him. You go get some sleep." Zhang Renfeng couldn't persuade her otherwise, and said in a coaxing tone like she was talking to a child, "I'll call you again in the middle of the night..."

----

"Crench!"

The sound of wheels crushing thick snow.

Hearing the noise, the two of them turned to look at the door.

At the same time, Ren, as if possessed by a ghost, instantly sat up from his side-lying position and grabbed the long sword that was beside him.

……

"Damn it, this awful weather... all the drawing paper is ruined, it's like seeing a ghost..."

The sounds of cursing and swearing squeezed in from the cracks in the door and wall, followed by unrestrained banging on the door.

"Boom boom boom!"

"Is someone inside? I saw a light, so I quickly opened the door. Damn it... F**k! This awful weather is freezing my hands off!"

Chapter 417: A life for a dollar, that's what you call value for money.

The door opened, and the man who had been spouting profanities at the entrance hurriedly walked in, casually took off his wet suit jacket, and threw it directly at Zhang Tito, leaving the girl completely bewildered.

The man wasn't particularly tall, but he had a meticulously groomed mustache, which showed he had put a lot of effort into it. However, in the blizzard, not only was his mustache disheveled, but his hair was also blown into a mess.

His eyes were fixed on the fire, and he muttered curses about the weather as he strode toward it.

Tito's satchel was blocking his way, so he kicked it away impatiently. Zhang Renfeng placed the half-empty bottle of brandy on the ground near the fire, thinking he would warm it up before drinking it. Without asking a question, he picked it up and gulped it down, finishing it in one go.

Zhang Renfeng squinted at him without saying a word.

"Ah, damn it... This is fucking amazing, even better than sleeping with ten thousand women!" After finishing his drink, he seemed to come back to life. He wiped the wine stains off his beard with the back of his hand, turned his head, and saw Zhang Renfeng. He blurted out, "You, yes, you, the yellow-skinned one."

"Our paints, brushes, and canvases are all in the carriage outside. Go and bring them in for us, quickly."

A long silence filled the room. Zhang Renfeng didn't answer him, but instead looked towards the doorway again. His companions who had entered with him were still standing there, not stepping inside. It was as if they wanted to distance themselves from this man with the mustache.

Including the man with the mustache, there were six people in total. Two of them were dressed in a very similar style, and judging from their attire, they were probably coachmen. The remaining three each had their own unique characteristics.

One of the women, a tall woman with a black veil covering her face, seemed to sense that something was amiss and said, "Frank, it's best not to trouble them with this kind of thing..."

"What are you talking about? Isn't this what we're supposed to do?" Frank interrupted him impatiently. Seeing Zhang Renfeng still standing there, he frowned and scolded him angrily, "Why are you still standing there? Have your feet rooted to the ground?"

"Oh, right, I forgot, Voir l'hybride aux yeux d'argen (money-grubbing bastard)."

With a look of utter disgust, he pulled a crumpled one-dollar bill from his soaking wet pants pocket and threw it in front of Zhang Renfeng.

"Here it is, get to work."

……

Looking at the crumpled one-dollar bill in front of him, Zhang Renfeng's first reaction was not even anger, but a deep sense of powerlessness.

Recently, he has been dealing with many high-ranking people, such as the sheriff of White Torch and the mayor of San Quintak.

These sophisticated people never use derogatory terms based on skin color. They understand very well that a little bit of necessary respect can earn them goodwill without spending a penny.

Take Cao Mao from the late Three Kingdoms period, for example. On his way to be proclaimed emperor, before entering the palace gates, he still got out of his sedan chair and walked alongside his officials. When asked why, he said, "I am a junior, and besides, I am not yet the emperor. You are all my uncles and elders, so it is only right that I do this."

This kind of respect and commitment, expressed through words and actions, can earn a lot of goodwill without costing a penny.

It doesn't matter if you're faking it; everyone knows you're faking it. But even if you just pretend a little, why not? Compare that to the Marquis of Haihun in history, who didn't even bother to pretend. Upon receiving the news, he rode several horses to death and galloped towards the capital, practically wearing the words "I can't wait" on his face.

However, the reality is that most people don't even bother to pretend. Leaving the renowned New Orleans of the Red Center and arriving in New Elizabeth, even in a blizzard, encountering a group of strangers instantly reveals their true colors.

Looking at the man with the mustache in front of him, Zhang Renfeng felt only fatigue and annoyance. He didn't want to reason with him anymore, and he was too lazy to even make threats or harsh words.

Let's fast forward to the end.

"Why are you still standing there? I paid you, so get to work!" Frank said irritably. "You've delayed my trip, you'll regret this..."

"Boom-!!"

Zhang Renfeng picked up the empty wine bottle he had thrown on the ground, swung his arm, and smacked him on the forehead.

The glass bottle shattered instantly, shards landing all over his face and completely cutting off the rest of his sentence.

Frank was stunned for a long time, seemingly unable to believe that this Asian man dared to attack him. He reached up and touched the shards of glass embedded in his skin, as well as the blood slowly trickling down his cheek. He then screamed, "Ahhhhhh!!!"

He pulled out a shard of glass, still streaked with blood. "Damn it, damn it! You damned yellow devil, do you know who I am? I..."

The instant he smashed the bottle, Ren moved as if he had heard a starting gun. He lowered his center of gravity, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and swooped down towards the crowd like an osprey skimming the water. Before the two drivers/security guards could react, he had already drawn his twin knives and used his own body as an obstacle to knock one of them to the ground.

"Boom!"

In less than a second, Ren completed three movements: rolling, getting up, and raising his leg, placing one foot on the coachman's chest, while his longer katana was firmly pressed against the coachman's jaw. At the same time, he moved behind another standing coachman, his short wakizashi pressed against his lower back. From this angle, the stab would pierce the coachman's kidney.

No threats are needed.

The cold, hard blade is the greatest threat.

"Snapped!"

Before Frank could draw his weapon, Zhang Renfeng's large, tangible hand suddenly appeared, his five fingers gripping Frank's neck like iron clamps.

"Don't move." He tightened his grip slightly, issuing a warning.

Feeling the terrifying power emanating from those five fingers, Frank finally realized that the person in front of him could easily snap his neck as easily as snapping a goose's neck.

In his terror, his eyes suddenly cleared, and even with his feet slightly off the ground, he made a "surrender" gesture, indicating that he posed no threat.

Indeed, the best time to make someone admit their mistakes is always when life and death are at stake.

There's a saying in my hometown: "A person can teach a person a thousand times but they won't understand; an experience can teach a person in one go. So what I'm about to say, I'll only say once."

Zhang Renfeng scanned the people who came over and said in a deep voice, "We're out and about, and the mountains are blocked by heavy snow. This house isn't ours either, so it's fine if we want to share the same roof."

“I don’t care if you artists are used to being waited on hand and foot outside. Here, put away your attitudes and show some basic respect.”

Having said that, he lowered his right hand slightly, allowing Frank's feet to touch the ground. This single movement, looking down at him from above, made him tremble with fear, like a pig in a sty, bound hand and foot, about to be slaughtered.

"name?"

“Frank Shannett…”

“Very well, Frank, you should thank yourself a minute ago for at least knowing to give me a dollar. For that dollar, I'll spare your life. I once met someone who wouldn't pay for a piece of candy. Just 25 cents, and he suffered terribly afterward.”

Zhang Renfeng released his neck and gently tossed him away, causing him to stagger and nearly fall.

"If there's a next time, I'll take it all back with interest."

Chapter 418: Why are all the Vivians poor?

With four artists, two rickshaw pullers, and Zhang Renfeng and his group, the hall suddenly became a bit crowded with nine people.

Humans are indeed social animals, and this ability can manifest itself unconsciously.

About ten minutes ago, Tito didn't quite trust Kenjiro, and when they rested, their beds were naturally spaced apart. However, when a new group of people entered, their stance immediately changed.

Compared to this group of complete strangers, and those with whom he had just clashed, at least this Japanese samurai had met Zhang Renfeng at some social event. He had also secretly contributed to the conquest of Sanma Town. In the earlier conflict, both he and Old Zhang were Asians who had been discriminated against by Frank.

Based on so many things in common, they quickly formed a group. Even their sleeping berths were quietly moved together, creating a clear divide between them and the newcomers.

“Well, now we really need to keep watch.” Zhang Renfeng shook his head with a wry smile, looking at the six people huddled in the other corner of the hall, which almost spanned the entire space, and muttered to himself, “Your exhibition in Dover Valley… isn’t it supposed to be about scientists? Why are there so many strange people here?”

“You make it sound so easy. These days, how many scientists are there within a hundred miles?” Zhang Tito said irritably. “Most of them are just here to make up the numbers. There are only two people who can truly be considered to be doing ‘scientific’ research: Tao and Immensa Duke. Even with those, we can’t even gather ten people. We can’t let the exhibition be too deserted, so we invited some artists to liven things up.”

"The full name is the Science and Humanities Promotion Fair, that's the idea."

Zhang Renfeng and Qian Chuanren exchanged a glance. The other party shrugged, making a somewhat eccentric "helpless" expression.

"Judging from their attire, these guys seem to be from the north."

"The north..."

Zhang Renfeng murmured, his heart filled with countless emotions.

Having lived in this land for so long, even if he had no interest in it at all, he still knew a little about the history of the past few years.

The south and the north had just fought a war due to differences in their national systems.

The Northern League's victory means that slavery is no longer legally valid in the South and has been completely abolished. Of course, theory is theory, and practice is practice. In places like Three Horses, slavery was only truly abolished last week.

This result creates a false impression: if the backward and barbaric slave system had been eliminated, then the people in the north must be more advanced and civilized, right?

After meeting Frank and his group, he was completely disillusioned; it turned out they were all the same everywhere.

He sighed, slightly raised his eyes, and focused his gaze on the six people opposite him. Now, everyone quieted down, finally having a chance to observe them properly.

Frank, the unfortunate fellow who had spoken rudely to him, was prying shards of glass off a dusty mirror, one by one. He was muttering curses under his breath, but his voice was so low it was almost indistinguishable from lip reading.

There was a man dressed in a thick cotton coat and wearing a tall hat. Judging from his posture and demeanor, he was quite old, at least over 60. The old man had seen too much in his life and had nothing to say about the conflict that had just occurred. He simply sat there, bringing his hands close to the fire and rubbing them together to warm them.

The other man, middle-aged, sat ramrod straight, his face indifferent. From the faintly visible muscles in his arms, one could discern his exceptionally strong physique and remarkable cold tolerance. At this moment, his brow was furrowed, and he sat a little further away, drinking alone, his eyes somewhat gloomy, lost in thought.

The two bodyguards, who also acted as chauffeurs, had just narrowly escaped death; the blade was a fraction of a centimeter from their necks, and they hadn't even drawn their guns. They were still shaken.

And that woman with the black veil, the only one who spoke up to stop Flock...

After a brief silence, he stood up and slowly walked over.

----

Ren remained kneeling, supporting himself on the floor with his toes and big toes, his right hand holding the sword with the hilt slightly open. In this position, he could strike at any moment, delivering a quick iaido slash to cut his opponent in two.

Feeling the menacing aura emanating from him, Zhang Renfeng turned around and stopped him with a look.

"Um... I know our first meeting didn't go too well..."

The woman's black top was form-fitting, resembling both a trench coat and a suit, with bright silver buttons adorning the cuffs and chest. The skin exposed at her shoulders and neck was shrouded in a mysterious black veil. Her lower body was clad in a deep black fringed long skirt, concealing most of her figure, emphasizing only her slender waist.

Her face was covered by a black veil, making it impossible to see her features. Her voice was so elegant that Zhang Renfeng felt a sense of distance from her in tone and manner of speaking.

In real life, this was the first time he had ever heard someone speak like that.

“I am Vivian Heysen Cavendish, and I suppose I could call myself a painter.”

She extended her right hand to Zhang Renfeng.

"Hello, Vivian." Zhang Renfeng didn't rush to shake her hand, but instead asked coldly, "Is there something you need?"

"Well, it's a little difficult to say..."

Vivian pursed her lips, hesitating for a long time before finally managing to speak. They'd come in with a vengeance, driving their diplomatic points into the negative; trying to recover them now was harder than climbing to heaven.

"Our carriage is parked outside, and on it are the paintings we'll be using for this exhibition; they haven't been framed yet because of the sudden drop in temperature,"

"The temperature has plummeted, causing some of the paints and inks we used to darken, and the paper will also be affected, becoming very brittle. In short, those paintings are unusable. We have to redo them in a warm place before we reach Dover..."

"So you want me to help you move things, right?" Zhang Renfeng raised an eyebrow, feeling a surge of amusement, and couldn't help but tease, "He at least gave me a dollar, and you're just coming along with your mouth full?"

"...I'm sorry, I know that in this situation, there should be a more formal contract to hire you, but..."

As she spoke, Vivian lowered her head slightly, and Zhang Renfeng seemed to be able to see the conflicted expression on her face as she pursed her lips through the black veil. "Right now, I really don't have that much money. Could you please help me first, and I'll pay you back once I've sold the paintings and saved up some money?"

……

Seeing her pitiful appearance, Zhang Renfeng's tone softened a bit, "Don't you have money? You were invited to the exhibition, so you should be considered famous, right?"

Vivian could only manage a wry smile, somewhat embarrassed, and lowered her voice, "I wouldn't say we're dirt poor, but... we are a little..."