Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"laugh!"

Blood spurts.

He suddenly had a shallow wound on his ankle.

"what!!"

The gash in his ankle wouldn't stop bleeding, and half his strength vanished instantly. Tonghua's face darkened, and the intense pain caused him to let out an angry growl, but he still couldn't control himself and knelt on one knee. However, his defensive awareness was strong, and even in this situation, he didn't forget to raise his shield, covering his shoulders and above behind the round shield.

The heavy blade cleaved through the air, arriving as expected.

"when---!!"

Behind the dazzling technique lay pure power. Zhang Renfeng wielded his broadsword, the blade flashing like a mountain collapsing, cleaving through the shield and smashing a gash in it! The force pressed down from the shield to his shoulder, then from his shoulder to his spine, finally converging on his knee. Tong Hua's face turned a deep purplish-red, feeling an immense weight pressing down on his shoulder. He gritted his teeth, trying to counter with his strength, but for the first time, he experienced the inability to exert any power.

The dark black blade was like a mountain.

"Boom!"

His left knee sank down, actually pressing several small cracks into the ground.

Between the press and the push, the shield trembled slightly. Zhang Renfeng quickly noticed this small detail and made the right judgment in an instant—draw his sword and slash again!

"when--!"

"when--!"

"when--!"

……

The broadsword flew up and down, like endless waves crashing against the tattered shield.

Each strike brought immense force, shattering the round shield into countless fragments. Sharp shards flew out one after another, and this once-intact Scottish round shield, like a mooncake with half eaten, lost all its defensive capabilities.

"Bang-"

With only half the shield remaining, the sound of the blow from the broadsword was different. A downward sweeping strike hit the shard of the round shield squarely, sending the man, Tonghua, flying and crashing heavily against the wall of the dark alley.

"boom----!!"

The brick walls were broken, and dirt and stones were flying everywhere. This was on a completely different level from the minor skirmish just now.

……

"Although it may sound strange for me to say this, you seem to be relying too much on your martial arts techniques. Every move you make is just to unleash your inner strength, completely disregarding your own weaknesses. When I slash at you, you don't react at all."

Zhang Renfeng raised his longsword with one hand, looked at the figure in the dust, and commented sharply, "Martial arts are something even more mysterious and flexible."

"Why..." Tonghua leaned against the wall, struggling to stand up, a trickle of blood slowly flowing down from her forehead.

"what do you mean?"

“I’m not so arrogant as to think I can stand up to you.” Tonghua raised his left hand, wiping away a trickle of black blood from his forehead, and said in a deep voice, “You are perfectly capable of taking me down in a minute. Why have you been dragging this out until now?”

Zhang Renfeng lowered his head slightly, glanced casually at the three corpses lying on the ground, and said in a deep voice, "These three guys... were just playing around. The [Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill], such a good thing, it's a waste to leave it on them."

"?!" Tong Hua's eyes widened in astonishment when he revealed the name of her technique in an instant, but Zhang Renfeng's words were not yet finished.

He raised his longsword, slightly turning it in the air, pointing it at himself. "But you're different. You're serious. The calluses on your fists, your movements, your power generation, your recovery after being hit, the time you invest—all of these details will be revealed. You're better than this guy..."

He drew a circle with the tip of his knife and pointed at the fallen Shunzi, "It will probably take twice as long on this skill."

"Although it is a slow and meticulous process, it is not a waste of it when it is applied to you."

"..."

Flush's expression was priceless. In that instant, facing the enemy about to take his life, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned into a genuine smile. In this overly civilized world, with its dazzling lights and vibrant colors, even his fellow poker players considered him an oddball.

He had long been accustomed to being seen this way, rejecting all superficial stimulation. Every day, apart from eating and sleeping, he practiced, practiced, practiced... as if this had become an inseparable part of his life. Investing time brought him strength, and when he clenched his fist and felt the power to shatter rocks, it brought him an unparalleled sense of accomplishment.

This wealth, accumulated over time, has finally found a discerning owner today.

"when--!"

Tong Hua released his right hand and threw the half-broken shield on the ground.

They laid down their weapons, but not their posture.

Tonghua's right leg was injured and he couldn't move it, so he used his left leg for support, his hands moving as if tearing cotton. His left hand was tucked in front of his waist, his right hand was loosely clenched into a fist, and his body slowly pulled apart to the sides like a drawn bow, assuming the standard Three-Body Stance Cannon Hammer Starting Position.

Years of training have given him a very solid lower body stance; even when standing on one leg, he is like a cone firmly planted in the ground.

"I've already shown you my full power. Whether you respect me or not, this is all I'm capable of." Dropping his shield, as if he had even abandoned his fear of death, knowing that he was going to die, Flush felt relieved and laughed, "But I haven't seen your full power yet. Isn't that a bit unfair?"

Zhang Renfeng remained silent for a moment, without making any sarcastic remarks, but simply asked, "Are you serious? If this punch comes, you won't be a pleasant death."

Speechless.

nod.

"Okay." After a moment's thought, Zhang Renfeng nodded, lifted his right foot, drew a complete circle on the ground, and promised in a deep voice, "I will definitely let you see enough."

----

"boom-------!!!"

In the dim night, a loud bang suddenly rang out, shaking the city. No matter how far or near, everyone's eardrums hurt from the shock and they almost jumped up.

"What's that sound?!" Meteora tensed instantly, looking around. "Do they still have field artillery?"

It's no wonder he's so sensitive; during the conflict between the North and South armies, the South suffered greatly in terms of equipment. They were constantly being bombarded by the North's artillery, forced to flee in disarray. Therefore, he has a natural fear of such loud noises.

Otto, on the other hand, seemed to have anticipated something and said in a deep voice, "I think it might not be the sound of weapons firing..."

Following the loud noise, the group wandered through a maze of turns until they found a dark alley. The brick walls had fallen to the ground like scattered flowers, and the ground was riddled with cracks, as if some indescribable monster had casually stepped on it, destroying the place beyond recognition and leaving behind terrifyingly large claw marks.

Joffrey Osborne, the arrogant young master who always looked down on others, was currently curled up in a corner, clutching his head like a pill bug, with an expression that showed his worldview had been shattered.

Not far away, steam and dust billowed out together, and there was half a person standing there.

He was described as "half a person" because only his lower body was missing. The part above his waist was gone.

“Holy shi…” Otto had never seen such an artistic scene before and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

……

Not far away, the upper half of the man with the flush lay flat on the ground. The flush he wore on his chest had fallen out of his pocket.

For some reason, his expression didn't show much pain; instead, he was smiling.

His eyes were somewhat vacant, and his lips moved as he murmured, "What an impressive punch... I'm so sorry I couldn't give you your satisfaction..."

Zhang Renfeng looked at him calmly, his eyes devoid of sorrow or joy, like a silent deity.

"The ladder to heaven can only go this far."

Tong Hua gave a cryptic smile, his gaze passing through Zhang Renfeng and looking into the void of the night. He murmured, "Father, what's up in the sky? Today... I finally saw it..."

Chapter 511: Dramatic Change

Joffrey couldn't remember how he got here; the scene that unfolded in the dark alley had terrified him so much that his legs went weak.

Zhang Renfeng refused all help, holding a knife in one hand and grabbing the back of Osborn's neck with the other, dragging him down the street as if he were a bag of garbage. The once arrogant and invincible Mr. Osborn was now like a dead dog with a broken neck, being dragged along.

As he emerged from the narrow alley, the horrific sight of corpses stinging the ground instantly choked him.

Only the Raiders of Lamon remained, scavenging the corpses for anything of value—rings, pocket watches, belts, and even the gold teeth embedded in their mouths, which they brutally knocked out with the hilts of their knives. Upon seeing Zhang Renfeng emerge, they immediately stopped what they were doing, rising to their feet and bowing slightly as if they had seen a god walking on the earth.

No one asked them to do this; it was a completely spontaneous reaction after fighting side by side.

After the war ended, people finally dared to open their doors and windows and look outside, and naturally they saw this scene.

This is where the factory workers live; most of them are workers belonging to the Roanoke Fuel Company. The only advantage they have over the miners in the Buddy Mountains is that they don't encounter as many fatal accidents. But they still have to work tirelessly in the factory, like spinning tops, squeezing every last drop of their blood and sweat for greenbacks.

Soon enough, someone exclaimed with extreme joy, "Osborne has been arrested! Osborne has been arrested!"

"God, you have finally shown your power! Joffrey is not a man, but a beast in human skin, a demon!"

"Good job! Excellent!"

……

The Siegfried Casino, which he had longed for, came into view, but at this moment, for Joffrey, this place was no longer his luxurious palace, but a synonym for hell.

The further you go, the more angry eyes you see—they are all relatives of the victims of tonight's mining disaster, tempered after their battles with the poker players and the sheriff. Their gazes are devoid of any reverence, filled only with hatred!

He seemed to finally realize what was about to happen, and cried out in alarm, trying to struggle to escape. But his strength was so little that Zhang Renfeng didn't even notice. With a thud, he kicked open the casino door and, with a flick of his arm, threw Joffrey inside.

"Boom!"

To maintain the casino's high-society ambiance, Joffrey personally emphasized during the renovation that the floors must be paved with the finest marble. He stressed that the lighting should be so bright and clear that it would be completely luminous; inferior wood flooring was strictly forbidden, otherwise, what would be the difference between it and an ordinary pub?

He never imagined that one day his face would come into close contact with the marble floor tiles here. And just like that, he knocked out two of his front teeth.

The gambling tables were used as trenches and bunkers on the battlefield; some were overturned and riddled with bullet holes.

Chips, glasses, dice, cards... scattered all over the floor, some still stained with blood that hadn't dried.

His prized poker players were now a haphazard mass of corpses, lying scattered on the ground, being carried out one by one. They were tossed onto the wagons with dull thuds, sending chills down Joffrey's spine. Once stacked like bricks, the wagons came to collect them all and hauled them away together.

The lobby on the first floor had been cleared out, and the miscellaneous ordinary tables and chairs had been pushed aside. They borrowed three high-backed chairs from the bar and arranged them in a slightly crooked "mountain" shape.

On the far left chair sat a dwarf with curly hair, a thick beard, and bright eyes.

His height was only about half that of an average person, which was quite disproportionate to the imposing high-backed chair. When he sat on it, his feet couldn't even touch the ground. Therefore, when he wanted to talk to the person sitting on the right, he had to hold onto the armrests and lean his upper body completely over the middle chair, which looked rather comical.

On a normal day, Joffrey might have thought this was some new show put on by a circus or acrobatic troupe; using dwarfs for comedic performances is nothing new. Watching these guys, who are less than half the height of an average person, jumping around and making a fool of themselves always made him burst into laughter.

But upon witnessing this scene tonight, Joffrey was first shocked, and then enraged.

On the far right seat sat Hans Humphrey—the mayor of Lagras.

He looked at himself with a normal gaze, without any guilt or remorse, as if he were just doing something ordinary.

"Humphrey...it's you! I knew it, it's always been you!" He seemed to have temporarily forgotten his own situation, his face filled with grief and indignation as he glared at him angrily. "From the very beginning, you have been disloyal to the Osborne family, you wolf in sheep's clothing!"

He stood up, wanting to find Hans to get some answers, but a large hand pressed down on his shoulder and forcefully pushed him backward.

A tall, silent Native American stood beside him and gave him a gentle push, causing the defenseless Joffrey to stumble.

Perhaps it was because the chief's appearance wasn't too fierce, or perhaps it was his appearance that gave Joffrey a misconception, but his first reaction was one of offended anger. For him, this night was an incredibly humiliating one, but he simply couldn't accept that Native Americans, who had always been at the very bottom of American society and no different from animals, could point fingers at him.

“Damn it…Are you all blind? Are you all crazy? This is a red-skinned guy! He’s a red-skinned guy!” Joffrey looked around, trying to find someone who, like him, at least somewhat resonated with the topic. “Someone would actually work with a red-skinned guy? Aren’t you afraid he’ll scalp you?!”

……

Zhang Renfeng stopped, turned around, and glanced at him.

"?!"

Joffrey felt a sudden tightness in his throat, his shoulders hunched, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees on the marble floor with a thud. Perhaps at this moment, he would hate his former self for decorating the casino so luxuriously and extravagantly, kneeling on the cold stone bricks, his kneecaps chafing painfully as if they were about to crack.

"when--!!"

The long sword, supported by a slab of wood, stood firmly on the paving stones, its blade still stained with blood, resembling a heavy tombstone.

With a look that intimidated him, Zhang Renfeng turned around again and, without any hesitation or politeness, slowly sat down in the seat that had been specially prepared for him.

Beneath three high-backed chairs, the rest of the Red Center gang stood on the left; Meteora, Otto, and the higher-ranking members of the Lamon raiders stood on the right.

Ren arrived with Igor, but his position was somewhat unusual—directly behind Zhang Renfeng's chair. His right hand rested on the hilt of his katana, and he was scrutinizing Joffrey, who was kneeling before him, with a serious expression. Ren wasn't good at hiding his emotions, and it was clear that Joffrey's words about skin color had stung him, causing him to show his anger.

The remaining Raiders, following Meteora's orders, temporarily took over the role of the city's sheriff—cleaning up the battlefield and maintaining the simplest form of order.

Since they were "plunderers," it was normal for them to take some spoils from the corpses, but that was about it. Meteora's arrival brought the discipline and tactics of the Rangers to this group, and they were able to obey their leader's orders almost absolutely.

In this mining accident, the victims' families stood a little further away, spontaneously forming a circle to watch the scene, their eyes brimming with anger.

Further back were ordinary people who had come to watch the spectacle. Most of them stood at the entrance, peering into the casino and whispering excitedly.

Even the most oblivious person could clearly sense that... a dramatic change was about to occur.

Chapter 512: Is there such a thing as pure gold in this world?

"What...what do you want to do?" Joffrey had never seen anything like this before, being stared at by countless eyes, some angry, some curious, some gloating. This pampered young master, who had lived a life of luxury since he was born, had never experienced anything like it. He felt that these gazes had become so scorching, as if they were going to punch holes in him.

He subconsciously raised his head and looked towards the third floor, at the throne that belonged to him, only to see a scene that broke his defenses.

Evelyn Dietersdorf, the down-on-her-luck noblewoman who had rejected wealth and honor and was thus left here to die, was still sitting there.

On this night filled with bloodshed and upheaval, for some reason, the girl remained dignified, as if she hadn't moved an inch since the beginning. At this moment, she placed her hands clasped on her lap, like a figure in a still oil painting, casting a condescending gaze upon herself.

His heart clenched; he was deeply hurt by that look.