Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

“No, no rush. We can’t not distribute the money, but we can’t distribute it all either.” Igor shook his head, not at all overwhelmed by the great joy. “Sanma Town is a very isolated place. If we distribute too much money to everyone in a short period of time, they will have nowhere to spend it. In the end, prices will rise sharply, which will not benefit anyone.”

"The money I'm distributing to everyone now is enough to maintain basic price stability and allow everyone to live a better life. That's enough for now."

"The next step is to invest in healthcare, education, and transportation, which means building hospitals, schools, and railways. We absolutely cannot skimp on these areas!"

"There's also the issue of water pollution. I've already contacted some mining companies from the Nordlin era in White Torch Town. They've already set off, and Logan will be in charge of receiving them in Three Horses Town. As for the construction progress of the courthouse, that's being handled by that slippery lawyer, and I haven't been asking too many questions..."

……

In the end, there was one question that Zhang Renfeng never asked, and Yi Ge never brought it up either.

The money of the Red Center Gang.

They no longer need to rob banks, trains, or pull off big heists to acquire wealth. To put it bluntly, even if they simply deposited all their existing cash in a bank, earned interest, and then divided it equally among eight people each month, it would still amount to a considerable sum.

Don't underestimate a super-farmer in the South and his plantation family's wealth accumulated over thirty years!

Under Igor's management, the Red Center Gang gradually ceased to be a simple gang. Their methods of acquiring and distributing funds also became increasingly diversified.

Zhang Renfeng could sense that he had found the best helmsman in the face of the impending great wave of the times.

but……

Is this outcome good or bad for the gang? If they continue down this path, is there really any need for the gang to exist?

he does not know.

Immersed in Igor's promises for the future, his soul seemed to soar to the highest heavens.

Chapter 469: City of Industrial Civilization

"There's one more thing, about the cotton at the bottom of the hold. I went to San Quintak, but unfortunately, I couldn't find a suitable buyer."

At this point, Igor sighed deeply, with a hint of disappointment in his voice, "This is the consequence of not doing market research."

As Jimmy Reed commented, after selling for over thirty years, Hector has developed a path dependency and doesn't think things through anymore. He just plants, sells, and makes money every year, so why think so much? He should just enjoy life to the fullest first!

As a result, they failed to detect the shift in market trends in time, resulting in a large backlog of unsold cotton crops, which piled up in warehouses and were about to mold when the spring rainy season arrived. Adhering to the principle of making the most of resources, Zhang Renfeng assigned each person a corresponding side quest before they parted ways. Igor's quest was to go to the port city of Saint Quintak to find buyers for the cotton.

"However, I found a middleman who introduced me to someone willing to buy cotton in another port city, Lagras. The key is the price; it has to be competitive. Our quantity here is too large, so a lower price is acceptable. I need to go there in person..."

There was a light knock on the door of the private room. The two immediately stopped talking. Igor cleared his throat and adopted a more authoritative voice, "Please come in."

----

This is the Pearl Shell Restaurant, which underwent renovations at Dunn's behest, and has managed to attract some customers back.

As the reputation of the Red Center grew, this former "Nordic Grand Restaurant" became a sacred place in another sense.

Because the Red Center first rose to power in this very place, wiping out the once-ruthless Nordlin family. Looking back now, even the most accustomed to bullying and dominating nobles would cower in fear at the mere mention of that name. What could be more satisfying than that?

……

"Welcome, welcome back, Mr. Red Center... and Mr. Igor~" Dunn Hargunda, the mayor of the town, put on a fawning smile the moment he entered, and his figure seemed to automatically shrink by half a head.

Even before the Pinkerton detectives broke in, this arms dealer had firmly chosen his side—he would never betray them unless someone brought Zhang Renfeng's body to him. The Nordlin family's example was a stark warning; he simply didn't have the guts.

After hearing that the Red Center Gang had decisively defeated the Thunder Fury Gang and captured Sanma Town, his attitude became even more humble. As an arms dealer, he had also dealt with the Zola El family and knew roughly how many men and guns they had, and what level of firepower they could unleash.

The Red Center Gang, consisting of only eight people, cannot win against overwhelming odds in this way!

When a person can do things that ordinary people can't even imagine, they're practically a god. At this moment, in most people's eyes, Hongzhong is an omnipotent war god.

In contrast, the bankers who came in later were more composed and sat down quite naturally.

"Long time no see, Mr. Harganda, Mr. Mesvid."

Just as they had agreed beforehand, Zhang Renfeng tried his best not to speak, only nodding slightly, keeping a straight face and maintaining the aura and mystery that a leader should have.

All the negotiation work was handled by Igor.

……

“We should thank you for choosing loyalty when the Pinkerton detectives arrived.” Ego’s small figure cast a huge shadow on the wall in the flickering candlelight. “We will never forget that loyalty.”

"Ha, ha... I foresaw this long ago. This little predicament is nothing in front of Mr. Red Center." Dunn seemed to have finally found something to praise, slammed his hand on the table, and shouted excitedly, "So what if it's Zola El? Anyone who stands in our alliance's way will die!"

The room remained silent for a while until McCann, who was with him, looked at him with a strange expression. Dunn then realized what was happening, and his face turned deathly pale.

“No, no, Mr. Igor, that’s not what I meant. I…”

“It’s alright, I’ve fully grasped your spirit.” Igor looked at him with a half-smile. “This great victory is indeed inspiring. Some trivial details about surnames can be overlooked. The reason I invited you two here today is to discuss our future development plan.”

Hearing this, the two men breathed a sigh of relief, both openly and secretly. At least for now, they were still within the Red Center Gang's vision.

“If you need professionals to help manage your finances, please consider us.” Mesvid began campaigning for himself, gently placing his hand on his chest and saying softly, “I may not have any other skills; I might not even be able to kill a person with a gun. But money and numbers are our strengths.”

“Money can generate more money if handled properly. I can’t be sure how much liquid cash you have right now, but I’ve heard a bit about Mr. Hector’s wealth. I can assure you that if things go right, even a reverse takeover of this bank would be no problem.”

Hearing this, Zhang Renfeng couldn't help but laugh.

He suddenly realized that just a month or two ago, his purpose in coming to White Torch Town was to rob the newly opened "Mesvid-Chieder Bank." It was simply because the bank had Chieder's investment; they had targeted it to annoy him and to secure operating funds for the Red Central Gang.

However, not long after, times have changed, and this bank is now on the verge of becoming his territory. With the name of "Red Center" protecting him, no one within a hundred miles would dare to covet it. And as Mesvid's partner, he now even has an obligation to proactively crack down on those who are eyeing the bank covetously.

Stances and values ​​seem to have shifted without anyone noticing.

This is the power of the "system".

It slowly devoured itself; this is a classic example of how something nourishes itself silently.

……

That's how it is with those in high positions; even a spontaneous smile can make those below them uneasy. Dunn and McCann's expressions immediately turned serious, as if they were waiting for Zhang Renfeng to give them further clear instructions.

Igor's hearty laughter dispelled their doubts. "Don't be in such a hurry, Mr. Mesvid. You have to eat one bite at a time. What's meant for you will definitely come to you."

"Oh, yes, and Mr. Dunn too."

They'd come all this way just for this one guarantee. Both of them visibly breathed a sigh of relief, to varying degrees.

"Our internal assessment of Mr. Tao's two patents, 'electric light' and 'engine,' has been completed. They show great promise and almost limitless potential in the field of applied science. However, given the level of White Torch Town... we're afraid we can't provide much support in terms of hardware."

“We did a simple statistic. Taking into account the highest acceptable transportation costs, there are only two towns within the range that have sufficient industrial capacity to provide hardware design and production for Tao. One is San Quintac, where the mayor has dealings with Mr. Hong Zhong. The negotiation process went very smoothly, and an agreement was reached quickly.”

“The other city is Lagras, but we have no contact with that place, so…”

Zhang Renfeng raised an eyebrow.

This was the second time he had heard the name of this city tonight.

Chapter 470: From Chess Piece to Chess Player

"Gambling City, City of Conmans, City That Never Sleeps... In short, you can roughly understand its character from the names given to it by the underworld, right?"

Once the two "partners" left and the door was closed, Igor and Zhang Renfeng's relationship returned to its usual carefree state.

"In short, the key word is gambling, right?"

For Zhang Renfeng, putting on airs and acting serious in front of others was exhausting, perhaps even more exhausting than taking down ten thugs. He slumped back in his chair, looking utterly listless.

"Texas Hold'em, blackjack, dominoes, roulette, dice games—you name it, you can experience it there. The most famous place in that city is probably the Siegfried Casino. I don't know about the north, but in the south, it's undoubtedly the biggest and most luxurious casino."

"How big are the stakes there?" Zhang Renfeng couldn't help but ask curiously.

“Low-end games are like those in any pub, ranging from a few cents to a few dollars, at most $20. But high-end games… well, let’s put it this way.” He patted Zhang Renfeng on the shoulder and said earnestly, “Our current net worth is just enough to get us into high-end games; we’re still far from their inner circle.”

"what?"

Zhang Renfeng's expression went blank for a moment, then he looked at Igor again and realized that he was not joking, which made him even more shocked.

"The Zolael family did accumulate a lot of money through those plantations, but compared to those northern lords, it was just a drop in the ocean. They could only barely compete with them because they entered the business early and accumulated so much money."

"In the casino, Hector always gambled away fortunes, thinking himself very impressive. In reality, in the eyes of the Northerners... he was nothing more than a stinking gang leader."

At this point, Igor shook his head. He repeatedly mentioned his non-existent biological father, and subconsciously, he had complicated feelings toward Hector.

This kind of complexity is similar to a college student who has already been admitted to university, living each day comfortably and lazily. One mild afternoon, after a good nap, he wakes up to find his roommates all gone to class, and the dormitory empty. In that instant, he feels a sense of loss, recalling his intense high school life, and savoring a trace of sweetness from those tough days.

But if you actually ask him to go back, he'd rather die than do it!

"The casino's apparent owner is Hans Humphrey. I've never met him in person, but I've heard Hector mention him. Byron spoke highly of him, calling him a man of great magnanimity."

"He was not only the manager of the casino, but also the mayor of the entire city of Lagras. According to Byron, this man's control was extremely terrifying; any disturbance in his territory would eventually reach his ears."

“This character setting… sounds familiar.” Zhang Renfeng couldn’t help but laugh.

“This time it really isn’t,” Igor said seriously. “I’ve also inquired about it. This Humphrey is completely different from Hector. He wields the greatest power in Lagras, but he rarely uses it for anything. Most of the time, he locks himself in his office at the casino, dealing with forms, documents, numbers, and ledgers. People who go there for fun don’t even know he exists.”

"Regardless, the 'factory,' a place that generates direct profits, is definitely under his nose. If we want the factory to cooperate with us and produce new parts according to the design drawings, this person has to give his approval. Since we have to get through this sooner or later, we might as well take the initiative."

"Of course, there are also factories in San Quintak that can meet the demand. You and Mayhew are close, so production can start at any time."

"However, having two sources of parts would naturally be more stable for us. In the end, using other people's factories is just a temporary measure. Everyone is producing the parts designed by Tao for the first time. Even if we follow the blueprints, there will inevitably be times when they don't fit together properly. If we only have one source of supply, we may not be able to meet the demand when we really need to put in the effort."

"When we can build factories of the same level on our own land, we won't need to ask for help anymore."

"You're the boss, so you're in charge of making the final decision on what to do."

……

Zhang Renfeng shook his head with some distress, sighed, and said with emotion, "I feel like there are more and more things to consider now."

"Because you have jumped out of the pool that is specially prepared for novices, which is not easy. Most gang leaders wander in the wilderness their whole lives and never manage to jump out of this pool."

Igor looked at him with a complex expression, a mixture of pride and relief, but more than anything, worry about what was to come. “Going up further, the opponents you’ll encounter will probably not be gangsters anymore.”

Perhaps the meeting with Zeta had already foreshadowed this.

government.

The news that he had shaken the Zolael family finally reached the ears of the northerners via the railway and steamship.

"Going up further, problems can no longer be solved with guns and fists."

“You killed the Nordlin family, and then the Wendigo came.”

"Putting aside his shady hobby, he turned a blind eye to the slave trade, cultivated relationships with families like the Cheddar and Mesvid, and allowed Dr. Chilton to develop his mental hospital... He only cared about opening his bag and collecting money, and he didn't care what happened to the people below him, or whether pretty girls would be dragged to the mental hospital in the street."

"It wasn't until you killed Wendigo and we worked together to put Dunn in the position of mayor, and began to truly control everything in the town, that the situation in White Torch truly improved. That's the transformation from pawn to player."

"Embrace this change, Lao Zhang. As a gang, and a gang with influence and money at that, this is the only path you can take if you want to die peacefully."

Zhang Renfeng fell silent.

He actually had a vague idea of ​​what Igor's plans were all for.

Although things seem calm and peaceful right now, with no one causing trouble, the real chain reaction was already triggered when the sandstorm hit. Just as Tito said on the train, the American government will sooner or later notice this growing "threat" and want to eliminate the Red China Gang in one fell swoop.

The more pieces you have in your hand, the more advantageous the situation will be for you.

After thinking it over, Zhang Renfeng accepted the fact with some helplessness, sighed, and said with a wry smile, "Alas, there are so many things to deal with, and I can't help you with them. It's all on your shoulders."

"Mule, that animal, has no other merits but being tough and durable." Igor patted his not-so-broad chest and encouraged him with his favorite self-deprecating dwarf joke, "Have some faith in me, I can still carry this weight."

The two exchanged a smile, both understanding that everything was understood without words.

"it is good."

After getting up, he pushed the chair back in, waved his hand as if to throw all these future matters to the winds and no longer care, and said with a smile, "Let's go home!"

Chapter 471: Home

Returning to this "home" again, Zhang Renfeng's expression was somewhat amused and exasperated.

This was the temporary camp that Mike had initially chosen for them near White Torch, nestled against the mountains and beside the water, offering both offensive and defensive advantages.

More importantly, it's not far from the downstream river; you can walk a few steps to the bank to cast your fishing rod. For professional angler Mike, it's an excellent spot.

However, upon returning, a three-story duplex villa stood on the flat ground. Its design and decor were undeniably luxurious, yet it clashed somewhat with the surrounding environment. Zhang Renfeng naturally knew this was Deng En's doing.

The act of subordinates flattering their superiors to curry favor with those in power is a universal phenomenon that transcends time, place, and culture. Perhaps the moment he received news of the Red Central Gang's crushing defeat of Sanma Town, he had already decided to have someone build such a luxurious villa as the Red Central Gang's base.

After the project was completed, and even during our brief meeting just now, he didn't mention it.

Regardless of whether the Red Center Gang will return to White Torch Town and here after the great victory, Dunn has always been quite adept at understanding these kinds of human relationships.

He knew very well that nothing stays hidden forever. Once this conspicuous building was completed, news of it would eventually reach the ears of the Red Central Gang and Zhang Renfeng. At that point, his purpose of demonstrating his loyalty would be achieved.

His luck was pretty good. A few weeks later, the members of the Red Center Gang returned from their respective journeys, laden with spoils, and reunited in White Torch Town. Perhaps it was because, subconsciously, this camp was the place where everyone, the entire Red Center Gang, could truly gather in peace, and their true "home."

As he stood at the door, the sounds of laughter and chatter wafted out from behind the walls, mingling with the warm light and the aroma of steaming cinnamon. At that moment, he felt that all his efforts had once again gained meaning.