Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

But he dared not cause trouble for Zhang Renfeng, nor did he recognize the dwarf sitting to his left, and he couldn't even speak to the owner of those angry eyes behind him. In this enormous trial hall, the only person he recognized was Zhang Renfeng.

"Humphrey... what a brilliant plan! You must have been waiting for this day for a long time, right?"

Joffrey suppressed his fear, his mouth watering uncontrollably, but he still maintained a fearless and contemptuous posture, straightening his back as he questioned, "What exactly has the company done to wrong you? How dare you collude with these outsiders and go against the company? Have you thought about the consequences?"

“I don’t understand what you mean, Mr. Osborne. As far as I know, my salary does not appear to be paid by the company. I am not an employee of your company.”

Hans raised his voice, neither humble nor arrogant, as if he wanted to make his point known not only to him but also to as many people as possible. "Don't misunderstand, Mr. Osborne, I'm just here to inform you of something. You keep talking about the company; it seems you're very concerned about its operations. That's perfect, you'll definitely be interested in this."

"As mayor, I hereby declare that due to the serious safety incident that occurred tonight, all operations of 'Roannock Fuel Company' in this city must be immediately suspended."

After a brief silence, a commotion erupted outside the door, as if oil had been poured into a hot pan.

“What…” Joffrey stared in disbelief, as if he had suddenly lost the ability to understand English, utterly confused by the sentence. “What did you say?”

"You heard that. So many people died in such a serious safety accident, which is enough to prove that Roanoke Fuel Company is inexperienced in its business and indifferent to life. The specific cause of the mine accident still needs to be carefully investigated, but in any case, your company's business is officially frozen from this moment on."

Hans's expression remained half-closed, smiling gently, but his calm tone carried a chilling and murderous undertone.

In that instant, to the stunned Joffrey, he wasn't a human, but a scorpion.

It lies dormant underground, avoiding the scorching sun, but once it has the chance, it will seize it and unleash a deadly tail stinger!

“No, this…this is impossible! You have no right to do this!” Joffrey gritted his teeth, mostly out of anger and indignation. “You just open your mouth and want to shut down the company? I don’t agree, I absolutely don’t agree! Do you know how much we’ll lose if we shut it down for even a day? Absolutely not!”

……

Zhang Renfeng's eyes narrowed slightly.

Income, expenses, and profits—these three concepts had become ingrained in his very being, an integral part of Joffrey's thought process. Even now, with his head on the verge of collapse, he was still contemplating these things, showing almost no humanity left.

While feeling both hateful and somewhat saddened, Zhang Renfeng also sensed a touch of pity.

"Besides, this kind of thing didn't just happen tonight! Mine accidents like this have happened before, why didn't you investigate them then!"

“Before,” Hans said calmly, “you mean during the term of the previous mayor, right?”

"..." Joffrey was speechless for a moment.

“I have no right to deal with the issues left by the former mayor, let alone the right to do so.”

Hans's voice rose little by little, and his tone became increasingly forceful, revealing the true nature of this ambitious man who easily suppressed Joffrey. "I can't control other cities, nor do I have the right to. The power I hold is only valid in this city."

"Therefore, all businesses, factories, mines, and assets related to Roanok Fuel Company in this city must cease immediately. Until the investigation is completed, all of the company's assets will be temporarily taken over by the municipal government."

“You are the company’s highest-ranking representative in this city. I’m here tonight to inform you of this matter.”

"That's it. I still have a lot of official business to attend to. Now that the objective has been achieved, I won't keep you company any longer."

After saying that, he actually slowly got up and prepared to leave.

Joffrey's shoulders twitched; he suddenly realized that this was the only person present who could possibly save his life.

The rest of the people all wanted to die.

At this moment, saving face and such things are no longer important.

He lunged forward, rushing to Hans's side, his face filled with fear and despair, pleading, "I'm sorry, Mr. Humphrey, I... I realize my mistake. You... you want to move up, don't you? With your abilities, the fact that you're willing to condescend to be mayor here means you definitely want to move up. I can help you!"

“I can write to my father and have him recommend you to some big shot up north, really! It’s so easy for him, he doesn’t even need to spend any money, it’s just a matter of writing! As long as you… you let me write a letter, really, I just need to write one letter!”

……

Zhang Renfeng did not interrupt him. Instead, he rested his chin on his right hand, crossed his legs, and squinted his eyes slightly, as if he were enjoying an interesting performance.

Hans stopped and glanced at him. Finally, even his feigned smile vanished, revealing a cold, expressionless undertone.

"You said before that the world is a giant pyramid, right?"

"Uh... I... I didn't mean that..."

"As someone in a position of authority, even if you think of yourself 70% of the time, you should at least think of your colleagues who work with you 20%. And the remaining 10% should be for others, for those who give you the job. Only then can you be considered a decent human being."

"And someone like you, who is completely self-centered... ha... in a sense, you are quite a peculiar person."

Hans lowered his voice slightly and asked, "If you dig through the ground beneath your feet, can you unearth a piece of pure gold without any impurities?"

"..."

Ignoring Joffrey's astonishment and silence, Hans said nothing more, turned around, and quickly left. Only when he stepped out of the casino did Hans close his eyes slightly, let out a soft breath, and finally relax his tense state of mind.

At this moment, he had completely severed ties with the Osborne family and truly extricated himself from this ultimate test.

Chapter 513: I am not a partner of justice

One play has ended, and another play begins from this moment on.

Zhang Renfeng slowly stood up. He had been resting with his eyes closed while Hansen spoke, just so that at this moment, two captivating beams of light would burst forth from his eyes! His already high aura rose to another level. Some of the Ramon raiders who were watching the show from behind, even though they knew he was not an enemy at the moment, were still so nervous that they swallowed hard.

When they fought side by side, Zhang Renfeng's two Volcano pistols were still stored in a cabinet in the casino.

He doesn't use a gun; he enters the fray alone with a sword. His fighting style, full of power and beauty, will bring a powerful shock to both opponents and teammates.

Thinking back to this morning, when the Ramon raiders tried to hijack their wagons, Red Center had already drawn his greatsword. It's hard to imagine whether he would still be sitting here watching the show if Meteora hadn't given the signal to stop them in time.

While I admired him, I was also a little scared.

----

"There's only one thing I want to ask you tonight."

Zhang Renfeng's voice wasn't loud, but it was powerful—the kind of volume that could be clearly heard once the venue was quiet. There was no need to raise one's voice or shout for silence. Everyone loves a good show, especially seeing the arrogant and high-and-mighty kneel on the ground, mired in misery. The current situation is something many people wouldn't even dare to dream of.

More and more workers heard about it, left their homes, took to the streets, and surrounded the casino.

“In southern New Austin, there used to be the territory of the Zola El family. There’s a village a little way from Numa and ahead of it. Your company originally planned to open a factory there.”

Unexpectedly, Zhang Renfeng did not mention what happened tonight, but instead asked about the distant town of Numa.

"In order to get the villagers in that area to move away voluntarily, you put boxes and boxes of toxic slag into the groundwater. The water source was polluted, and the villagers drank the toxic water, causing all sorts of illnesses. Skin diseases alone caused them unbearable pain."

"Did you know about this?"

“…Wh…what?” Joffrey’s eyes widened involuntarily, revealing a look of confusion. He shook his head instinctively. “I don’t know. I…I’m in a management position. These frontline business operations are handled by the specific sales staff who negotiate with the partners.”

"Trying to shirk responsibility?" Calaway said coldly. "Can't you even manage your own men?"

"Ah……"

There's a saying, "A leopard can't change its spots," which isn't a very elegant metaphor, but it's quite true. What's ingrained in one's nature is often very difficult to change.

Even in this predicament, reduced to a piece of meat on the chopping block, Joffrey still looked down on these people deep down. Therefore, when he heard Calaway's question, he didn't say anything, but let out a cold laugh. Although he quickly suppressed the laugh with his reason, true feelings often only need a moment to be expressed.

"Sir, do you think the company is your gang? Like a tribe, a group of people gathered together, shouting orders and directly managing several people under their command?"

Joffrey explained slowly, “Roannock Fuel Company is a large conglomerate. We have the most advanced corporate management model, with a clear and strict management structure, reward and punishment measures, and promotion and demotion mechanisms. Above the salesperson is the supervisor, above the supervisor is the leader, above the leader is the executive officer, and above that is me!”

"That deal you mentioned might have just been negotiated by a salesperson. Countless things like that happen every year. I also have a casino business to run, how could I possibly know every single detail?"

"What about tonight's events?" Zhang Renfeng changed the subject, asking calmly, "It was all done by my subordinates, it has nothing to do with you—is that your version of events too?"

"……I……"

Joffrey's forehead began to sweat. He instinctively turned around and saw the families of the mine disaster victims, their eyes filled with intense resentment.

He bit his lip, stood up from the cold stone bricks, looked at everyone standing opposite him, and shouted, "What does this have to do with you? You think...you think you're upholding justice? No! You're neither a sheriff nor a judge, you...you're just a wanted criminal!"

Otto's eyes grew increasingly sinister. He subconsciously wanted to step forward and teach Joffrey a small "lesson," but Zhang Renfeng stopped him with a raised hand.

He remained seated in the middle, staring blankly at Joffrey.

"And you...you ungrateful bunch!" Joffrey turned around and angrily berated the onlookers outside the door. "Who do you think funded the construction of this city? Who pays your salaries and gives you jobs to support yourselves? It's all us! It's all thanks to the company! Without our efforts, this place would still be a wasteland!"

"The law is the cornerstone of judgment in the civilized world. If you think I'm guilty, then we should see each other in court. Let the prosecutor prosecute me, and I'll prepare my lawyers, gather all the evidence, and finally, under the judgment of the jury and the judge, we'll know what crime I committed and what punishment I should receive... like this... like this..."

He became increasingly agitated, even waving his arms and legs, encompassing the casino that had been turned into a courtroom, and shouted, "There is neither judicial justice nor procedural justice. Arrest, trial, conviction—you're doing it all by yourself. This is unfair!"

"I want to contact a lawyer; I demand a just judicial process!"

……

"Justice... that word is so useful. As soon as you say it, no matter how heinous the crime you've committed, you can be forgiven. It's like a wonderful magic."

Zhang Renfeng gripped the handrail and slowly stood up. His voice was low, yet it carried a menacing aura, like a beast unleashed from its cage. Joffrey, who had just been talking at length about the law and justice, immediately cowered, shrugging his shoulders and instinctively taking a step back.

But behind him were the families of the victims of the mine blowout disaster.

They formed a circle, staring at him silently and resentfully.

"You seem to have misunderstood something very important."

"I have never intended to be a partner of justice. You talk about justice, and I find it all ridiculous, really."

Zhang Renfeng smiled. He stopped approaching and instead grasped the long sword standing on the ground, gently stroking its heavy hilt.

"I just want to be the nightmare of people like you every night before you go to sleep, that's enough."

"What do people like you have to go through before they realize the need to change?"

……

As he spoke, he stood face-to-face with Joffrey. His lips trembled, and his face was ashen.

He let out a resigned sigh, straightened his neck, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Since that's how it is, I have nothing more to say. Do you really think that what you've done here will go unpunished? The bullet aimed at my forehead will eventually pierce your head too!"

----

The prolonged silence caused Joffrey's hard-won courage to face the gun to gradually dissipate.

Zhang Renfeng tilted his head slightly.

"bullet?"

"Tonight alone, you've killed fifty-five people. And that doesn't even include the last mining accident, or countless other shameful and sordid acts. With such heinous crimes, you actually think I'd execute you with a single bullet?"

"Is your life so precious? So much suffering, so many tears, can your death erase it all?"

“You…what did you say…” Joffrey’s eyes widened, his pupils dilated. “This is inhumane! This is inhumane! I…”

He finally remembered to run, but after only a few steps, he was pushed back by the victims' families who had formed a human wall, and he sat down on the ground.

Joffrey's expression was completely out of control, and it wasn't just his expression; he also lost control of his bladder.

What is truly terrifying is not death, but something far more terrifying yet unimaginable.

"Humanity, humanity, you said it yourself, it's meant for humans. For a beast like you... I brought from my hometown a death more fitting for you."

Zhang Renfeng pulled out a dagger he rarely used from his belt, twirled it, and said, "This is one of the specialties of the Celestial Empire; you have to try it."

"You killed fifty-five people tonight. I won't count it as more than ten. Let's just say ten stabs each."

"If you want to die, you'll have to endure these 550 cuts before you die!"

Chapter 514: God's wrath has descended!

The fish's eyes seemed to blink, and its mouth opened and closed as if it were about to say something.

On the luxurious dining table were exquisite candlesticks that gleamed with a cool light, an immaculate high-end tablecloth, and cutlery made entirely of sterling silver. Bathed in candlelight, they shimmered and sparkled, showcasing a sophisticated and luxurious style.

There were already many different dishes on the table, but what made Istavo most uneasy was the unusually large French blue trout placed in the very center of the table. Its scales and internal organs had been removed, and it had been cooked in acidic water until the skin turned a slight bluish-purple. It was then served with vegetables and a thick soup, which naturally colored it so that it looked like a live fish.

Served on the same plate as octopus legs, it has a cold and elegant beauty, yet it is inexplicably repulsive, and it can hardly be considered a dish that is perfect in terms of color, aroma, and taste.

Istavo had long understood that for the wealthy, the "taste" itself was no longer important. Their palates had been accustomed to too many fine dishes, their thresholds raised too high, and they had long lost the anticipation of tasting delicious food. Compared to that, they cared more about a spiritual enjoyment; for them, food was merely a symbol of power, wealth, and status.

The well-dressed gentleman in front of me was the same.

“It’s kind of you to come all the way to Morocco, Istabo… We haven’t seen each other in a long time.” Roanoke Osborne, who usually takes great care of his health, looks quite young and moves with considerable composure.

At this moment, as the host, he sat on the other side of the long table, using a silver fork to pick up a piece of red wine-baked snails, putting the snail meat in his mouth, and chewing silently. Adhering to the principle of "never speaking while eating," he waited until the snail meat had gone down his throat before taking a napkin and symbolically wiping his lips, which hadn't gotten any on them.

He took a sip of brandy, but only used it to rinse his mouth before spitting it into another plate.

"What's wrong? Is the food I prepared not to your liking?"

“Thank you for preparing dinner for me, Mr. Osborne.” Istavo took a sip of wine from his glass and said in a deep voice, “In principle, as members of the Illuminati, it is best not to have too much public interaction outside of the Society.”

“I’d heard you liked to be alone, but I didn’t expect you to be this solitary.” Roanok’s voice was flat. “Would you prefer to be with your sailors and pirates, drinking rum and singing drunken, lewd songs?”

“…I’ve spent most of my life on ships.” Istavo emphasized his words slightly to express his displeasure, but a faint smile remained on his face. “Perhaps you should change the dish for tonight’s main course.”

“Really? I think this dish has a very good symbolic meaning.” Roanok held the fish’s eye with his fork, stirred it gently, and asked, “Do you know Nietzsche?”

“I haven’t read many books,” Istavo shook his head, but there was no real shame in his tone. He simply said, “The sea is my school.”