Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

“Well, I just think that trout and Nietzsche are very similar. They both drifted through a turbulent world, and in the end, they both became more profound,” Roanok said meaningfully. “Aren’t you very similar to yourself, Istavo?”

"..."

He looked at the trout, which had become delicious and juicy from its wandering, now being sliced ​​into pieces, and at the fish's eye that was pinned to the ground by a silver fork, his expression complex.

Roanok took a thin, folded piece of paper from the inside pocket of his jacket, placed it on the table, and slowly pushed it across to the person opposite him.

"The Illuminati is a vast ocean, with circles within circles and cores within cores."

Seven years ago, a blue trout, wagging its tail, mustered a large group of its kind behind it and plunged into this mysterious ocean current. It completed one test after another given by the ocean, proving that it could shoulder great responsibilities... It's really intriguing, does it really have the ability to keep up with this momentum and venture all the way into the true deep sea?

Istavo realized without looking that it was a list.

Asking the question of what the names on the list are for is simplistic, and in this context, there's no other possibility.

Istavo smiled.

"If I don't take this job, will I be the next blue trout lying on the plate?"

"...Don't be so nervous. After all, this isn't an organizational task; it's just a small, insignificant request from me personally."

In the candlelight, Roanok's smile became somewhat unreal, like a bizarre monster in human skin projected onto the wall, as if it were about to devour someone.

"After the war, the organization entrusted you with the task of developing the south. You are more familiar with the situation in the south than I am."

"You should know that recently, my company has started expanding its business to the south, right?"

"Know a thing or two."

"The South is not like the North. Although it was defeated in the war, the people there are quite fierce. I followed the experience in the North and opened factories and mines in an attempt to explore new markets. However, the management model that suited the company in the North encountered great resistance in the South."

"Many short-sighted employees dare to go against the company. Among them are a few troublemakers who collude with the militia left over from the Southern Army, trying every means to increase my costs. They make demands for this and that, and threaten to stop work at the drop of a hat. These idiots... are no longer ordinary citizens, they are thugs! They should be dealt with."

“‘Get rid of them’ means you want me to send people to kill them,” Istavo said expressionlessly.

“Heh…why be so blunt? I thought you were a bit more reserved.” Roanok took a sip of his fine wine and said softly, “You help me deal with the people on the list, make them disappear completely, cleanly, as if they never existed…”

“I can formally introduce you to the Awakener. After that, we will hold a special ceremony to formally accept you as a member of the Night Hawk Minerva, and you will join the upper echelons of the Illuminati, just like us.”

"By then, you will truly possess the key to travel freely throughout the world. How about it, isn't this a pretty good deal?"

……

"I'll think about it," Istavo said in a deep voice, taking the paper.

Although he didn't agree in person, just getting him to accept the paper would be a significant step for Roanok, and he clapped his hands with a satisfied expression.

……

The chef brought out two bowls of dishes with a very strong visual impact.

There were two small iron bowls, each with a burning flame inside, emitting a strong aroma of baijiu (Chinese liquor). The two small birds in the bowls were roasted to a golden brown, the oil and liquor mingling and hissing, releasing an indescribable flavor.

"what is this?"

“A sinful dish.” Roanok smiled contentedly. “Braised swan. In France, this is a famous dish with a long history… After catching the swan, first blindfold it with a strip of cloth, then feed it figs, oats, and millet to make it fatten up to about three times its normal size. Then drown it in Armagnac brandy, remove the feathers, and soak it in the brandy for a day and a night before it can be served.”

"Eating this dish is a very ritualistic experience; you have to cover your head with a napkin and eat it from underneath."

Watching the tiny bird being roasted in the fire, Istavo, with mixed feelings, asked, "Why?"

“There are many reasons, the most common one being that we block God’s view so that He cannot see our greed and sin. The smaller the pufferfish is, the more awe the diners feel.”

Roanoke expertly covered his head with a napkin, his tone quite excited. For him, this way of eating, imbued with mystery and style, was his favorite.

……

“Now that things have come to this, do you think you can block God’s view with a small napkin?” Istavo smiled with a complicated expression. Instead of covering his head with the napkin, he blew out the flame in the plate, picked up the still-hot swan with his bare hands, and murmured, “I have nowhere to run, and so do you, Mr. Osborne. God has seen everything we have done.”

"Perhaps soon, He will unleash His own fire of wrath and burn us to ashes."

“Ha… I hope not.” Roanok’s tone was somewhat flippant, and it was clear that he scoffed at God from the bottom of his heart. “To this world, I am far more useful than this tiny bird.”

He stuffed the prawn into his mouth and took a bite!

Scalding hot oil squeezed out from the small food and dripped down his chin.

----

Tick.

Tick.

Joffrey Osborn was hung high up in the Siegfried Casino, his body exposed to the public as if he were a criminal.

Zhang Renfeng kept his promise and really let him suffer 550 cuts before he died. This was a meticulous job, so much so that when the last cut came in, Joffrey's face trembled with gratitude—there wasn't a single piece of good flesh left below his neck.

Fresh blood dripped slowly from his ankle to the ground.

Its mouth was slightly open, as if it were calling out something, and its eyes, like dried fish eyes, were looking into the distance.

Chapter 515: Civilization VI, Activated!

"..."

"..."

"..."

The members of the Red Center Gang sat back down in the lobby of the casino's first floor. They found a corner with a decent number of tables and chairs, looked at each other, and all seemed hesitant to speak. Zhang Renfeng, however, sat on a bench with his hands on his forehead, silent, his tone and expression heavy.

It was late at night, two in the morning, but they were wide awake. Tonight's events had been a significant shock to everyone—except Angel Eyes. As usual, this guy sat at a not-too-distant spot, this time on the bar counter, arms crossed, watching the crowd with a distant, enigmatic air.

However, in a way, seeing him still so calm and composed is somewhat of a psychological comfort.

"I'm sorry." After a long silence, Zhang Renfeng looked at Yige and spoke first, his tone somewhat heavy, "I couldn't help myself tonight and ruined your entire plan."

“Well, how should I put it… well… it’s not entirely like that.” Igor tossed a round chip on the table like a spinning top and said in a deep voice, “I’ve always had some thoughts about this city.”

Zhang Renfeng looked somewhat surprised and couldn't help but suspect that he had made up this excuse on the spot to comfort himself.

But Ego, as if he could read his mind, shook his head. "No, Red Center, I'm serious. Do you remember the map of New Austin?"

"The entire southern part of New Orleans, which used to be the territory of the Zola El family, including the town of Three Horses, a contiguous stretch of fertile land and large plantations, now belongs to us."

"White Torch, the most developed town in the heart of New Orleans, is now ours."

"In the eastern part of New Orleans, the most developed major city is San Quintac. Although it doesn't officially belong to us, after the Italians were defeated, I sent some of my former subordinates to take over the underground business there. Mayor Mayhew of that city has also become more friendly with us."

"Then, there's Lagras, the second most developed industrial city in northern New Orleans, which is now also ours. In the smaller towns in between, the Red Center Gang's reputation has already spread like wildfire. After tonight, the entire New Orleans will be our territory."

……

It's incredible that a gang could have such influence.

This vast territory was entirely won by the Red Center Gang, through blood and sweat, without any manipulation.

"To completely conquer a place, you don't necessarily have to rely on force. In my opinion, there are roughly five methods."

This was the first time Igor had explained his plans to the members of the Red Center Gang. Considering the varying levels of knowledge among the members, he spoke in great detail.

"The first is technology, which is why I suggested you go to Dover Hill and recruit that scientist. In the future... technological development will become more and more rapid, and those who fail to keep up with the trend will be left far behind. Right now, we don't have enough scientific and technological talent, but at least we've taken the first step."

"The second is culture."

"Speaking of which, I was really happy when you introduced me to that snake oil seller. Whether it was your intention or not, as the leader of this gang, you finally started to care about the gang's future development model."

"Culture is something that cannot be seen or touched; it must be expressed through a medium. The most typical example is books, and less so are entertainment facilities, tourist destinations, and legends. These can all be mediums for culture."

"So that's how it is." Zhang Renfeng seemed to realize something, and suddenly understood. "So that's why they made that Red Center brand snake oil?"

Igor nodded.

Books and biographies are too early to discuss, and it's not feasible to find someone specifically to write about the Hongzhong Gang right now. As for tourist destinations, they're not mature enough yet. After considering all options, the most suitable solution seems to be publishing a product with strong ties to the Hongzhong Gang and practical value—Hongzhong brand snake oil. It's arguably the best choice, even if the profit margin isn't huge. What Igor values ​​is its underlying cultural significance.

As the snake oil is sold, the story of Red Center will spread throughout New Orleans, further strengthening the gang's influence in various towns.

Of course, the effects won't be so immediate at first. And it's not like selling snake oil guarantees anything significant.

Little by little, day by day, this force will eventually become undeniable—Igor is very good at making this kind of investment that requires long-term operation.

He took out another bottle of Hongzhong brand snake oil, placed it on the table, and showed it to everyone.

"Wow~~ This is it..." Calaway unscrewed the cap, dipped his finger in it, applied it to the back of his hand, and smelled it tentatively. He exclaimed in surprise, "We have our own brand now?!"

"I don't know much about this. How is it different from the snake oil on the market?" Xiaomei leaned closer, sniffed the bottle, and couldn't help but frown. "Is it that different?"

"It's all made from real snakes, not just snake oil, but also the juice extracted from snake gallbladders," the chief explained. "In my tribe, there's a folk remedy that snake gallbladders can clear heat and detoxify, and are good for the eyes."

"This bottle is just a trial release. I also plan to add some herbs. As for the formula... it doesn't need to be too strong. It can be adjusted further."

"Alright, I'll leave this to you. Don't underestimate this little bottle of snake oil. In my opinion, its importance is no less than that of guns or cannons."

Igor set the snake oil aside for the moment and continued, "Then, the third method is the economy."

"Specifically, we need to have our own products—the kind that can generate high profits, snake oil is not included."

“We have land in Sanma Town, so forget about cotton. We can grow other crops, buy and sell them, and make a good profit.”

“We have factories in San Quintac and Lagras. My original plan was to build similar factories in our own territory, White Torch, modeled after those two cities. Tao’s invention requires a fairly large industrial production line to produce and assemble, and that takes time.”

"Besides real industries, we can't sever our relationship with Mesvid Bank. Diversifying our investments in the financial sector helps us mitigate some of the risks."

"The fourth method... is religion. I don't want to consider this approach for now, and I hope I'll never have to use it in the future."

Zhang Renfeng was stunned for a moment, then recalled that there seemed to be such a trend in Baiju Town.

While gaining public approval and worship through superstition and deception was highly effective, Zhang Renfeng fundamentally rejected this approach. Dover served as a cautionary tale; if he were to follow this path, wouldn't he be sitting at the same table as Newman Rudinburgh?

"The fifth one, which is also your favorite, is military conquest, which is what we have been doing all along."

Igor sighed. "The first four methods all rely on influence, which is slow and relatively low-risk, and they are built up over time. Technology, economy, culture, and religion can be converted into each other to some extent. Even if we remove religion, there is still room for maneuver in the remaining three areas."

"But the fifth option, taking the path of conquest... is like a potent medicine, fast-acting but risky, and it easily attracts the attention of other forces. It would be fine during a civil war, but in this era, it is not advisable to use it repeatedly."

Chapter 516: The Storm of War

"No matter how unsuitable it is to use, it's time to use it now."

Igor's tone was somewhat helpless. "I don't like you always taking the route of conquest. First, this method is too high-profile and will arouse the government's vigilance; second, the territory conquered by force is always difficult to stabilize. Local forces are complex and intertwined, and without local people to keep an eye on things, it is easy for them to turn against each other."

"However, it seems that this city doesn't have such concerns now."

"Is it because the mayor here is willing to cooperate with us?" Mike followed his train of thought. "But, after all, he's an outsider..."

“This guy is ambitious and shrewd.” Igor glanced at the chair Hans had once sat in, then turned to Zhang Renfeng. “He proposed a deal to you, didn’t he?”

Zhang Renfeng nodded and said, "He wants to be the governor of the new Austin."

Everyone was taken aback, both by Hans's frankness and by the size of his appetite.

"That's why he's shrewd... As I mentioned before, right now, the Red Center Gang's influence over you in the entire New Orleans is quite significant. Rather than taking the normal career path and climbing up step by step, it's faster to make a deal with you directly."

Igor sighed, "That's good. With this person around, this modern city is truly in our hands. We can directly use so many factories and production lines, and with such a large market share being given to us for free, we need someone to manage it."

"What's clever about this guy is that he's aligned his interests with ours. Right now, he's used his power as mayor to take down all the companies in Lagras City, which can be seen as him handing over his pledge of allegiance to us. As long as his interests align with ours, I don't think there's much of a problem with keeping him around."

This statement essentially defined Hans and also completed the final and largest piece of the puzzle for Lagras.

At this point, the entire landmass of New Austin was connected, becoming a complete machine.

Perhaps no one would have imagined that, in the end, the one who would actually be piloting this behemoth would be a short dwarf.

“Let’s call it a day. It’s late, and everyone’s tired. Let’s find a place to rest. Don’t go too far. I think there are some empty rooms on the second floor of this casino.” Igor tapped the table and laughed. “If I’m not mistaken, we’ll have a long way to go.”

When he said this, everyone smiled knowingly, a hint of helplessness in their expressions.

As the Red Center Gang's territory expanded, so did the scale of their disturbances. Their last major operation in Sanma Town resulted in the complete annihilation of the Thunder Gang. However, the Thunder Gang was ultimately just an unorganized band of bandits, hardly a serious threat. This time, the Osborne family could mobilize far more powerful bandits than easily dispersed mobs.

soon.

Once the news gets out... it will get out sooner or later. Even late at night, you can hear the boisterous noise outside the casino. In this city that has been drained of its lifeblood by the Osborn family, seeing Joffrey executed is like a festival for nine out of ten people. They are celebrating and making a ruckus outside. In a few days, the news will reach Roannock's ears.

Based on Zhang Renfeng's understanding of these people, if it were just a matter of killing one of his sons, he might weigh the pros and cons. But now, Hans has directly dismantled all of the company's assets in Lagras. Roanok will undoubtedly go all out to target them.

A tough battle seems inevitable.

"Old Mike, Old Zhang, don't go yet."

----

There are three strategists in the Red Center Gang.

Jimmy is a legal advisor. After the Battle of Sanma Town, he was left there by Zhang Renfeng to rebuild this backward and barbaric rear area with Logan.