Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Although his lightness skill hadn't reached the level of Zhu Kuilong, it was still quite remarkable. Even while carrying someone on his back, whose person was also carrying a heavy satchel, he could still move swiftly along the mountain path.

With a few light taps of his toes, Mike felt a gentle breeze on his face; it was as if by magic that he had easily made his way up. From his perspective, these few steps were so light and effortless that he couldn't help but wonder if, from Zhang Renfeng's point of view, the world was made of nothing more than bubbles.

This is one of several mountain peaks, located in a remote area, yet offering a panoramic view of the surrounding terrain.

The mountain has no name, and the paths branch off frequently, but the terrain is relatively flat, unlike Fortress Mountain, which could simply stand there and isolate the city. There are plenty of natural cover options: forests, bushes, rocks… Pinkerton detectives are not to be underestimated if a surprise attack is attempted, and they could use the cover to retaliate. Ultimately, outnumbered forces cannot sustain a long-term solution.

As Zhang Renfeng pondered, he drew a map of the surrounding terrain, his brow furrowed.

"How's this place?" Mike stomped his feet twice, the stones beneath his feet making a dull thud. "I think it's alright, sturdy enough, and big enough to put down a cannon. It's just that the road is a bit difficult to walk on."

"Okay." Zhang Renfeng nodded. "Let's nail one on first."

The term "pike" refers to setting up auxiliary tools on these difficult mountain trails. Mike put his bag on the ground and took out a climbing pike, about the length of an arm. He drove it into the mountainside with great force to ensure it wouldn't come loose, then hung a rope down so climbers could use it to climb back up. This method is quite effective when encountering sheer cliffs, but it also requires a certain level of weight and arm strength from the climber.

"Thump—!!"

Zhang Renfeng picked up a climbing piton and, relying on his terrifying strength, hammered it into the ground. He then stomped on it, burying it completely. He attached a rope to the piton and threw it down from the cliff, where it barely touched the ground. With a little effort, he could establish this high point and use it to block the surging pursuers.

As for what to deploy here—whether it's field artillery, Maxim machine guns, or ordinary armed high ground—that will depend on the specific arrangements and will be decided later.

……

"It's already six o'clock in the evening, that's about right... Let's eat here."

With just a word, Mike began setting up a makeshift camp. He gathered some pebbles, built a campfire, speared the hunted meat with his dagger, placed it on the fire, roasted it briefly, and ate it whole for dinner.

Over the past few days, Lagras, a modern and civilized city, has entered an unprecedentedly tense yet tightly-running state of combat readiness.

In situations like these, the mobilization capabilities of the municipal government become particularly important.

Hans seemed to have simulated this scenario countless times before, and he took over the power vacuum in less than a second. Of course, the mayor of this city used to be Joffrey, but now it was Igor, who had delegated some of his powers to Hans, which he executed perfectly.

The selected temporary sheriffs were all impeccable. After a brief pre-job training, they could immediately begin their duties.

Calaway, a former sheriff in San Quintak, had experience managing such an industrial metropolis. Combined with the two young women, they were both very meticulous in their work. This hastily assembled team only experienced some friction on the first day; afterwards, things went much more smoothly.

Hans was a veteran, Callaway was a veteran, and above them, Igor, who was in charge of overall coordination, was a veteran among veterans. Without Joffrey's arrogance and embezzlement, the atmosphere in the city had actually improved a lot.

Of course, the city's entrances and exits will remain strictly guarded, with no more free entry or exit allowed; otherwise, what kind of wartime state would it be? As for the Raiders of Lamo'en, they are receiving unified throwing training from the chieftain. It's easy to imagine that this brand-new weapon, the grenade, will shine in the upcoming battles.

……

After several days of hard work, Mike was exhausted and almost fell apart. He lay diagonally on the hard ground, warming himself by the campfire while enjoying large chunks of roasted meat.

It has little flavor, but one bite brings a cheap sense of satisfaction—a taste that our ancestors in primitive times could only enjoy after much effort.

"Want a sip?" He shook a glass bottle—it had no brand, it was bootlegging. The pressure had been immense these past few days; even Mike, a staunch "no-drinker" at night, had broken his rule to relieve stress. And regular liquor wasn't strong enough; it had to be bootlegging to satisfy his needs.

"……Um."

Zhang Renfeng nodded, casually took the bottle that Mike tossed to him, and took a sip.

The warm wine was just right to cut through the greasiness of the roasted meat, leaving only the slightly charred and crispy texture.

As the sun sets and the moon rises, the twilight deepens into a mysterious crimson hue, like a veil draped over heaven and earth, elusive and unfathomable. The mountains are quiet; the wind rustles through the trees, occasionally bringing the calls of wild animals, but these are too far away to cause them any concern.

Zhang Renfeng turned on the electric waist lamp made by Tao. For miles around, it was the only man-made light source, shining like a lighthouse.

The scenery here is breathtaking. A flock of geese flies overhead, unaware that a great battle is about to begin.

----

“You know, this fate is just unbelievable,” Mike murmured. “When I was on the train from White Torch to Windblown Sand, I was just looking for a job to support my family.”

“Do you remember, in that dilapidated shack in the wind and sand, you and I were discussing how to rob Cheder’s train together? At that time, my name was already on the local sheriff’s radar, and the warrant couldn’t be put on for nothing; I had to make some money for my grandson.”

"How did it come to this?"

"Ah, fate..."

Zhang Renfeng was filled with even more emotion, and shook his head, unsure how to express his feelings.

Mike felt this way simply from White Torch to Windblown Sands, and what about himself? Separated by an ocean, gazing at the moon over a foreign land. What fate had in store for him?

The time wasn't right, and he couldn't grasp it immediately.

However, we must win this battle; only by winning can we have any chance of continuing to thrive on this land!

Chapter 527: An Unexpected Guest

After four days, we've roughly surveyed the external environment. Keeping it outside any longer would just be feeding insects.

Upon returning to Lagras, Zhang Renfeng received some good news.

"The weapons have arrived?"

"Ah."

Xiao Mei, riding on horseback, nodded. With a shortage of manpower, she also took on some of the duties of a sheriff, patrolling the streets.

Just then, Zhang Renfeng and Mike, who were returning from the mountain, met on the street. "They were brought by train. They just arrived. Ammunition, firearms, and parts for some machine guns and field artillery have all been unloaded. In addition to these, there are also more than a dozen boxes of canned food, rations, and liquor, which were also delivered together. The boxes have the brand name 'Xidi Store' on them."

“Riverside Store…it’s a fairly large store in San Quintak, they sell everything.” Mike frowned, pondered for a moment, and asked, “Which city did the train come from?”

“Saint Quintak”.

"Good news! The train came from Saint Quintak, and with these supplies, it's a sign of Mayhew's stance. At least for now, he's still willing to work with us. This means Evelyn has completed two-thirds of her mission and should be on her way to Three Horses."

Mike breathed a sigh of relief and muttered, "I really underestimated this actress. She managed to get things done so well in just four days."

Having a working tool in hand gave him peace of mind. From the very beginning, Zhang Renfeng was very confident in Evelyn's abilities, and a proud smile appeared on his lips. But soon, he noticed the strange expression on Xiaomei's face.

"what happened?"

“Well, Mr. Hongzhong, besides supplies and military provisions, this train also carries other people.” Xiaomei’s expression was very complicated. “You’d better go and see for yourself.”

----

"DaDaDa..."

The sound of teeth chattering.

It's obvious without even looking that this guy was incredibly nervous when facing Zhang Renfeng.

"I vaguely remember him, his name is... what was it again? He was the one who rode in the same carriage as me when we were in the snow mountain."

“David,” the young man said tremblingly, “David Mesvid, Mr. Red…Mr. Red…”

Zhang Renfeng patted him hard on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Young man, stand up straight when you speak."

That day, in the blizzard, David, Barbara, and Becky were riding in the same car. Although David didn't stop Zhang Renfeng from getting on the bus when he cut in halfway, he didn't give him a friendly look either.

Of course, he wasn't exactly friendly to anyone. In White Torch Town, the Mesvid family was a powerful clan that even the mayor had to fawn over, so a bit of arrogance was to be expected. As for his attitude towards Zhang Renfeng, it stemmed from skin color—a very common form of discrimination at the time, and had nothing to do with his own status. Even if Zhang Renfeng went to the docks and saw many white beggars, they would still look at him with disdain.

After learning that he was Red China, David's attitude took a complete 180-degree turn.

"Uh, um, what... here... there's a letter, written by my father..."

David quickly took out a letter and handed it to him with both hands, feeling extremely apprehensive.

Since White Torch Town, news from Saint Quintak, Three Horses Town, and the Red Center Gang has frequently reached his ears.

Everyone else was full of praise, saying how inhuman the Red Gang was and how ruthless they were. But David felt a chill run down his spine every time he heard it. Now that he thought about it, he was sharing a small space with someone who could kill him at any moment, and yet he had never given him a kind look.

From an outsider's perspective, the once-glorious Nordling family has died under mysterious circumstances.

Hongzhong could kill him in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Renfeng didn't take such offense to heart. He took the envelope, glanced at it casually, and tossed it to Igor, saying, "Just tell me, what are you here for?"

“I…my father sent me here…I think, well, I studied at the Virginia Military Institute before, and my father wanted me to come here to gain some experience, this…”

Virginia Military Academy.

Zhang Renfeng recalled briefly that David had mentioned this matter in the carriage. Regardless of the prestige of the military academy, David's tone when mentioning it was quite proud, completely different from his current timid tone.

On the one hand, he held the name "Red Army" in utter awe, a common trait among the wealthy in White Torch Town. On the other hand, he had never been to a battlefield in person, and had always regarded the military academy as something to boast about. Now, in this situation, he was more afraid of death than anyone else.

He is still unable to understand his father's good intentions.

Igor had finished reading the letter, said nothing, and nodded to Zhang Renfeng.

How's your marksmanship?

"Uh, it should be... alright..." David was a little nervous, his lips trembling.

It's alright now, but if you mess up on the battlefield, you'll get shot.

"Whether it's good or bad, we'll find out by trying." Igor had a rough idea of ​​why McCain had sent his son here, and sighed inwardly. "Chief, could you do me a favor?"

The chief understood immediately and placed six glass bottles on a table in the distance.

"Let us see."

……

Perhaps due to nervousness, David's shooting motion was very stiff. Of the six bullets fired, only one bottle was broken, and he only managed to hit it by luck.

"It seems the military academy teaches everything except how to fire a gun," Otto couldn't help but mock. It was perfectly normal for someone like him, a self-taught amateur, to look down on the academic school, especially since the academic school itself was also disappointing.

"How is your riding skill?" Igor continued to ask.

"Uh, this..."

To be fair, David thought his riding skills were decent. He had gone up the snow mountain in search of the legendary white horse that supposedly lingered by Lake Annabelle. But he had a lingering concern: what if he nodded and admitted his riding skills? Would Zhang Renfeng immediately enlist him in the cavalry? Charging forward on horseback would naturally increase the chances of getting shot. So, he hesitated and chose to remain silent.

“Your father is a banker, so you must be very good with numbers.” Zhang Renfeng saw through his thoughts and didn’t press him further, but simply asked, “And you, how are you?”

“If it’s just calculations, I can do that too.” David breathed a sigh of relief. “My father taught me these things since I was little, I…”

"Okay, I understand." Zhang Renfeng thought for a moment and then understood what David meant.

He wanted a relatively safe position that wouldn't require him to go to the front lines, but would still allow him to participate in the war. This might be a further sign of McCain's overtures. Sending even his son to the battlefield showed that McCain was completely on McCain's side.

But he didn't think so.

He really wanted to see for himself the prestige of the Virginia Military Institute.

"From now on, you'll be working for me," Zhang Renfeng said. "You'll do whatever I tell you to do, understand?"

"..." David did not expect this result. His face turned pale. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded.

“Alright, then, I’ll give you your first task,” Zhang Renfeng said in a deep voice. “Go and compile a list of all the supplies that have arrived by train, and hand it over to Igor.”

Chapter 528: One Fish, Multiple Ways to Eat It!

With David's affairs settled, the meeting room was now empty, and someone naturally had to step in.

Angel Eyes slowly spoke, "I've roughly figured out what's going on on the other side. They're making a big show of it. It'll probably take them another two or three days to get here."

He took out a stack of new Elizabethan newspapers and spread them out on the table.

Without even turning the page, the newspaper's heading, in huge, eye-catching letters, proclaimed "The Time for Liquidation of Sins"—this was the main title. The article itself listed the Red Center gang, primarily all the evidence of their crimes—starting with the Nordlin family in White Torch and continuing to the recent Joffrey incident. The final form of this news story depended entirely on the author's will.

Even if what the newspapers say is true, and the Red China Gang did kill those people, the newspapers don't explain why they killed them.

Ordinary people, upon seeing this astonishing KDA, would naturally gasp in astonishment. Furthermore, Zhang Renfeng's reputation in Windblown Sands and Dover Hill wasn't exactly stellar. The common people of New Elizabeth State, unlike those in New Orleans, wouldn't regard Zhang Renfeng as a god, but rather as a deranged and insane serial killer.

"How could these guys write us like this..." Alana muttered with some dissatisfaction.

“The pen is in their hands; they can write whatever they want.” Igor was not surprised by this and said in a deep voice, “We have been neglecting this need. Relying solely on word of mouth is no match for the propaganda machine of newspapers.”

It's no surprise that this matter also fell on Igor's agenda. The power of the press in New Orleans must be in their own hands.

But those are all plans for the future. For now...

“If they don’t portray us as utterly wicked, how can they have an excuse to send troops to punish us?” Zhang Renfeng flipped through the newspaper, which even contained an interview with Roanok.

In the interview, he was portrayed as an innocent father whose son was suddenly killed by a gang, while Joffrey was depicted as a "virtuous" good man. Since the newspaper was published in New Elizabeth, and most people had never even met Joffrey, they naturally believed whatever they heard.

"The Osborne family seems to be constantly stirring up public opinion on this matter, using the power of the people to force the authorities to take action against us, and has attracted a lot of sponsorship."

Angel Eye began reporting the intelligence he had gathered: "Weapons, ammunition, supplies, food... just like us, the Osborn family is mobilizing New Elizabeth and becoming our enemy."

“New Orleans, is it the same as New Elizabeth?” Mike asked with some doubt. “I thought this so-called great family from the North would be more…”

"sharp?"

“Good thing.” After a moment of silence, even though they were thousands of miles apart, like the distance of a whole state, Igor saw right through Roanok’s thoughts. “The North has many connections, but also many enemies. Roanok started his career in the North, and these painstakingly cultivated and intricate relationships, once used, will incur favors that are the hardest to repay. Roanok is unwilling to use them unless absolutely necessary.”

"In other words, he doesn't yet consider us an enemy that 'needs to fight to the death,' believing that he can deal with us simply by mobilizing the forces of the new Elizabeth."

“That area used to be Cheder’s territory, but after the Sandstorm incident, he fled to Granite State, leaving it vacant. Now, Roanok’s forces are taking advantage of the situation and are about to completely swallow it up.”