Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"This guy..." the butcher lowered his voice, glancing at Zhang Renfeng, "Do you really know him? He hasn't done anything bad to you, has he?"

“No, Mr. Butcher.” The girl shook her head and said truthfully, “He just arrived in town today and is not familiar with the place, so I brought him here.”

“Oh, I see. These scientists are all so eccentric. Just the other day, some guy came to me asking to buy ‘bear’s heart’ and ‘crocodile’s head.’ What the hell am I supposed to get those things for him? This is a butcher shop, not the home of a wizard.”

Butcher made a sarcastic remark, then changed his tone and said with considerable concern, "I ran into your mother yesterday afternoon."

Aurora fell silent.

"She's very worried about you. Mr. Newman has already visited your house several times and even managed to get you some subsidies. The situation should have improved by now, right? Why are you still going to work for that weirdo? You're still so young. What if he uses you for experiments and straps you to that iron chair?"

Butcher said worriedly, "He used this trick before and burned the brain of a death row inmate so badly it was sizzling and smoking."

“Mr. Tao, he… he didn’t ask me to do that,” Aurora argued softly. “I just felt that if there were more money, it would be better…”

“If he’s willing to give money, then give him money. But you must remember, if he makes any strange requests, just refuse him.” Butcher patted her on the shoulder and advised, “The whole town is your strong support.”

The girl remained silent without answering, but in the end, seemingly unable to resist the intense gaze of the person before her, she gave in and nodded.

----

Despite carrying large and small bags on his back, Zhang Renfeng didn't feel the weight.

Regardless, the meat was still relatively fresh. Blood and foam seeped from the packaging, dripping onto his clothes, drawing frequent glances from those around him, who cast looks of either disgust or disdain. But Zhang Renfeng never cared about others, continuing to stride confidently on his way.

The town was more crowded than he had imagined.

First and foremost, the "roads" are not the kind of muddy roads covered with footprints and ruts, but rather well-maintained cobblestone streets comparable to those in big cities. The feel of walking on them is smooth and comfortable. Even though the houses along the roadside still retain the style of a small western town, the first impression already hints at a civilized city.

The town is not small either; viewed from above, it is only slightly smaller than Baiju Town.

People from all over the world came to attend the exhibition. Judging from their attire, there were many celebrities and gentlemen.

The carriage traveled along the stone-paved road, the horses' hooves making a crisp clattering sound as they hit the ground.

……

“Um… Mr. Feng…”

Just as Zhang Renfeng was observing the fairly beautiful street scene around him, a small force tugged at his sleeve.

Aurora's face flushed slightly, even reaching her ears, as if she were about to burst into tears. It was clear how much courage it had taken for her to utter those words. Her tightly clenched lips trembled slightly, and after much deliberation, the words she finally spoke were still somewhat fragmented.

"Regarding what happened just now, what Mr. Butcher said to me... could you please not tell Mr. Tao?"

Chapter 437: I've never heard of such a request in my entire life!

Zhang Renfeng wasn't a gossip, but his listening skills were already at an unparalleled level. Bucher thought he had lowered his voice and made a show of it, but little did he know that at such a short distance, it was practically the same as speaking right next to his ear.

He has never been interested in other people's secrets as long as they don't threaten him.

"Sure, I won't say anything."

Having received Zhang Renfeng's assurance, the girl seemed relieved and visibly relaxed.

"Does your family really need the money?"

The unexpected angle of the question caught the girl off guard. She remained silent for a while, and Zhang Renfeng didn't urge her, simply continuing to walk calmly. Not everyone can organize their thoughts quickly enough, and Zhang Renfeng fully respected that.

"Well...you can't say that..."

Aurora's tone was conflicted. On the street, amidst the throngs of people attending the expo, their laughter and chatter making the girl feel utterly out of place. It was as if some inexplicable shearing line had severed her from the world.

“My father died of lung disease a few years ago. My mother had to work a lot to support me, so I wanted to earn as much money as possible for the family. Only Mr. Tao was willing to hire me, and it was only $5 a day, so…”

"Are you worried that Tao will fire you if he hears that you're close to people who talk badly about him?"

The girl nodded silently.

Seeing this worry, Zhang Renfeng didn't know whether to call her naive or mature, so she could only smile helplessly, "Don't worry, it won't happen. By the way, you've been with him for so long, haven't you figured out what kind of person he is yet?"

"Someone like him, who is immersed in his own world all day long, has no time to care about other people's opinions."

Aurora thought for a moment, then exclaimed "Ah!" and suddenly understood. After convincing herself, her furrowed brows finally relaxed, and her shoulders loosened, as if she had truly unloaded this invisible stone.

Zhang Renfeng observed this and felt puzzled. It seemed that her level of concern for this job was a little "overstepping the mark".

Generally speaking, no matter how high the salary, a job is a job. Getting paid to do something is a matter of course, and few people can develop such a strong sense of dependence on their work.

Based on his experience, there are generally only two situations where people become truly passionate about their work: First, you experience a sense of power over others through your work—simply put, directing, managing, and evaluating them. A single word from you can determine whether someone's future is tragic or bright; when you stand up, no one dares to sit down. Once you've tasted this feeling, it's hard to let go.

Secondly, this job is something you truly love from the bottom of your soul; it's your second home, inseparable from your life, becoming an integral part of it. The Red Center Gang, which he built from scratch, belongs to this second type. The gang members basically treat this place as their second family, and therefore, they will devote all their energy to working for the gang.

The girl in front of us seems to have already reached the second stage in her work as an assistant.

Somewhat abnormal.

"Didn't he say that this guy named Newman applied for some kind of loan for your family?" Zhang Renfeng continued to press, "Isn't that money enough? Why does he need a little kid like you to come out and work to earn money?"

……

"..."

However, before Aurora could answer, an untimely flyer flashed out of the corner of his eye and was handed to him.

"Sir, sir, please wait a moment. Could I have a moment of your time?" A man dressed in a heavy gray robe, dressed in extremely simple clothes, stopped him in the street. But the gray-robed man's actions were far less polite than his tone. "Please inquire about the Newman Hotel."

There was no hair on his head under the hood.

The flyer still smelled of ink, as if it had just been printed. The name of the Newman Hotel was written in gold-stamped lettering, and below it were some densely packed, tadpole-like small characters.

Zhang Renfeng felt a headache just looking at it. He couldn't even recognize a few words, let alone understand these fancy and strange fonts.

"You must be here for the upcoming Science and Humanities Expo, right? The logistics, props, lighting, stage, and all the performance effects for this expo are provided by Newman Hotel. We have ample experience in organizing events and sufficient funds for practical operations."

"This is a community full of artistic, humanistic, and scientific pursuits. Here, you can meet many like-minded partners. Life is a difficult journey, and each of us exchanges, learns from, and understands each other in the process of hardship."

"What makes humans human is that they have transcended barbarism and ignorance. We need to pass on this civilization in various forms to..."

"Sorry, I'm not interested." Zhang Renfeng rejected him directly. "Go find someone else."

----

He walked past the gray-robed man, took Aurora's hand, and prepared to leave.

In an instant, more figures in gray robes emerged from the surging crowd and stood before him, blocking his path with expressionless faces. They varied in height, but their gray robes were all equally oversized, making them appear like shadowy ghosts.

The bustling street fell silent for a moment, and many people cast their gazes in this direction, their faces expressionless and cold.

Zhang Renfeng then noticed that they were passing by a magnificent, pointed building. It resembled a church, but there were no crosses or statues of the Holy Child. Instead, there was a roof as black as oil, dazzling stained-glass windows like a kaleidoscope, and a strange, blooming flower engraved in dark red strokes on the roof.

Directly beneath the building, many people dressed in gray robes, seemingly all cut from the same mold, were doing the same thing to the passing crowd as the gray-robed figure. But then, at the same instant, they all stopped, simultaneously raising their heads to look in their direction. Behind their eyes, different colors and shapes, lay something identical, sending chills down one's spine.

"Ugh——"

A low, rough, and unpleasant tone.

The gray-robed men standing behind the railings and walls did not come out; instead, they all took out an empty bottle—most of them were wine bottles.

They blew into the bottle opening, playing this strange melody, as if performing some kind of eerie ritual.

"You're from out of town, so you might not be familiar with the situation here. Please allow me to repeat myself," the gray-robed man repeated in a cold, mechanical tone. "We sincerely invite you to join the Newman Hostel. Here, we share the joys and sorrows of life's journey, and..."

"I'll say it again." Zhang Renfeng smiled, gently placed the packaged meat he was carrying on the ground, and said, word by word, "Get out of here."

Aurora was quite frightened. Seeing more and more gray-robed men surrounding her, she even forgot her shyness and quickly grabbed Zhang Renfeng's sleeve, saying, "Mr. Zhang, this is the rule here... You don't have to join. Just take a flyer, and they will let you leave."

“Your companion’s words make a lot of sense,” the gray-robed man said. “I suggest you reconsider.”

"It won't hurt you to learn about it."

The four gray-robed men who were blocking the way took a step forward in unison. They were all very tall and seemed to be forming a wall with their bodies.

The streets have become completely quiet.

Zhang Renfeng's smile grew even brighter. "Is that so?"

"Alright then."

He took the leaflet from the gray-robed man.

"You see, it's not that difficult," the gray-robed man said with a hint of arrogance. "All you need to do is open your heart and take the first step..."

"Sizzle—!!"

Zhang Renfeng folded it in half, tore it open several times, and then casually tossed it onto the other person's head.

Fragments of the leaflet fell like snowflakes onto the gray-robed man's shoulders.

Chapter 438: Please Don't Set Off Randomly

Flyer crumbs landed on his shoulder, and he stood there stunned for a long time. Zhang Renfeng's actions seemed to him like those of an alien. For a moment, it wasn't a matter of anger anymore, but utter shock.

"Is everything alright now?" Zhang Renfeng gently swept away the snowflake-like scraps of paper with the back of his foot, his tone as usual, as if he didn't take him seriously. "We're in a hurry, goodbye."

But the four-person wall showed no sign of moving away; instead, they moved even closer, almost touching his face.

"No one has ever been able to leave unscathed after insulting the inn." The gray-robed man's voice was gloomy and hoarse. He slowly turned around, and the eyes projected from beneath his gray robes became as sharp as a venomous snake. "You will pay the price for this."

“Is that so?” Zhang Renfeng smiled calmly. “Then I am honored to be the first.”

"Boom!"

With a backhand slap, he struck one of the gray-robed men blocking his path in the lower abdomen. He had deliberately glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye and chosen the tallest and strongest one. He didn't even use any special force; pure brute strength was enough to send a robust adult flying several meters away, causing him to fall heavily to the ground.

Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake—this is a principle of conduct that his senior brother repeatedly taught him. You see, those newly appointed county magistrates all have to bring along an accompanying clerk; they rely on this kind of lubricant to communicate with the local tyrants.

Their rules have been in place for decades—who gets to eat the meat, who gets to gnaw on the bones, who gets to drink the soup, and who licks the bowl clean. Everything's already been assigned. If you suddenly show up, making a scene and demanding changes, it's no wonder they stab you in the back.

Of course, all of this is predicated on being able to coexist peacefully with the local bullies. If they insist on provoking us repeatedly, then snake gallbladders, served with alcohol, are a good remedy for clearing heat and detoxifying!

The gray-robed figures swarmed in from all directions like a dark cloud. Unlike his past opponents, they didn't shout any threats as they gathered. Instead, they moved silently and swiftly, surrounding him like an iron barrel.

"Heh, that's interesting... It seems you're not quite satisfied with just tearing up flyers." Zhang Renfeng shielded the girl, who was already cowering in fear, behind him, and smiled even more brightly. "I can tear up more than just flyers."

“We are not afraid of death.” The gray-robed man who had initially stopped him slowly stepped out from among his companions, staring at Zhang Renfeng with an expression that was hard to describe as calm or numb, and said, “Death is not the end, but the beginning of a new life.”

"Is that so?" Zhang Renfeng sneered. "You've never actually died, how would you know?"

……

"Enough, Edley, haven't I told you this more than once?"

A dignified and cold voice came from the crowd at just the right moment. As if receiving some kind of command, all the men in gray robes immediately split into two rows, forcing a path through them. "We should not be so rude to our friends from outside!"

Upon hearing the voice, the girl leaning against Zhang Renfeng's calf trembled inexplicably. The gray-robed man, who just seconds before had adopted a fearless posture, as if ready to die for his cause, immediately lowered his head obediently, as if receiving a sacred message. Together with his companion, they retreated to the side, their hands hanging naturally at their sides.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one could see a tall, robust middle-aged man.

His attire was neat and tidy, a brown work jacket and a white shirt, as if he had just returned from a shooting range. His thick beard obscured his age, but his lion-like eyes, though slightly narrowed, couldn't conceal his sharpness and ambition. At least, at first glance, Zhang Renfeng would never have thought this was an easy-going, mild-mannered man.

Newman Rudinburgh, the town's owner and the organizer of the exhibition.

Zhang Renfeng realized the difference: he and Hector were completely different types.

The latter's mindset remained stuck in the Middle Ages, or even more backward. He ruled his territory through fear and force. Most of the common people living in the town hated him to the core, which is why so many rebels sprang up whenever Logan raised his arm.

As for Newman... at least, the moment he appeared, there was genuine cheering from the crowd.

In contrast, the old man beside him seemed quite inconspicuous—his ginger-red hair was almost completely gone, and his legs were not very nimble, requiring a cane for support. He obediently followed behind Newman, like his shadow.

"Please allow me to apologize, sir. For some reason, Edley's desire to share... could easily swell to an unprecedented level." Newman bowed slightly, quickly withdrawing his hawk-like gaze, his eyes behind his glasses narrowing into slits. "I apologize for his recklessness and impetuosity."

“You’ve come at just the right time. If you’d been a minute later, this guy… would probably have ended up like this flyer.” Zhang Renfeng glanced at him and said coldly, “A good dog doesn’t block the way. I have absolutely no interest in these superstitious things.”

Newman nodded slightly, smiled again, and raised his voice slightly, "We are not a religious group, but I fully understand what you mean."

"I assure you that this behavior will be fully rectified in the future. Ultimately, the existence of a hostel is more like providing a haven for those who are lost. Everyone has the freedom to choose to join or not."

"Pop-pa-!"

Some people started to applaud.

Meanwhile, the men in gray robes pulled out paper and pens from their large pockets and began recording Newman's words. This scene made Zhang Renfeng's scalp tingle. He didn't want to get entangled with these strange-looking fellows any longer and turned to leave.

"Aurora".

Newman suddenly spoke, calling out the girl's name, a strange smile curving his lips. At the same time, the girl beside Zhang Renfeng seemed to freeze, suddenly standing still.

“Your mother came to talk to me. She hasn’t seen you for several days and she’s very worried.” He squinted his eyes and smiled like a kind elder. “You’re still young. You’ll have plenty of time to do work later.”

"Whatever disagreements you have, after today, take some time to go home and have a good talk with your mother, okay?"

……