Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"Om-!!"

A streak of black light flashed through the air, and the incredibly heavy longsword flew towards them at a speed far exceeding everyone's expectations. Like the Grim Reaper's scythe, it lightly spun in mid-air and snatched away the head of the person who fired the shot... to be precise, the part above the chest, with just a light graze.

In an instant, the gunfire ceased, and the severed body stood silently on the ground, its hands still in the firing position, appearing both eerie and terrifying.

The knife, not satisfied with killing one person, crashed into the fleeing crowd, slaying several more before finally embedding itself heavily in the rocks beside it with a loud "boom".

Several pebbles flew out, all stained with a layer of blood.

"Ah...ah—!!!"

This single blow completely shattered the fighting spirit of the remaining men. Accustomed to the hail of bullets, they rarely witnessed such a bloody scene. Red Center was already infamous, and few had ever seen anything quite like it. Seeing it firsthand, they found it several times more terrifying than the legends suggested. Whether it was the Pinkerton detectives or the supervisory team, at this moment, only one thing was on their minds.

Escape for your life.

With morale already shattered, Zhang Renfeng paid little attention to his surroundings and planned to remove the weapon embedded in the stone.

However, the heavy helmet eventually made his vision and hearing less sensitive than before, which was an inevitable compromise he had to make when choosing the combination of heavy armor and a greatsword.

He didn't hear the approaching hooves immediately. By the time he realized something was wrong, Mickey had already tightened the reins and charged into firing range.

Just like in the book, a strong wind arose, and the knight charged towards the Iron Tower!

"Bang---!!"

"Bang---!!"

The two loud bangs, when heard close by, sounded more like cannon fire.

"Uh……"

Caught off guard, Zhang Renfeng took two hits. His unprotected breastplate took the first hit head-on, and he instinctively raised his arm to block the second. This was a rare moment of shock for him. The slight stinging pain in his chest, though very faint, almost like a tickle, pulled him out of his invincible aura.

"Shotgun shells?!"

Mickey's thinking was very clear: since neither revolver nor rifle bullets could penetrate this armor, he would use the most powerful double-barreled pistol.

He approached on horseback because of the gun's characteristic of being most effective at close range. In Mickey's mind, even the thickest armor was outdated technology from the last century; it would inevitably be penetrated by a shotgun.

The idea itself wasn't wrong, but who could have predicted that Zhang Renfeng could wear something so heavy and still walk as usual? Two shotgun shells, both hitting him close to his face, didn't kill him, only made him take two steps back.

"Damn it, this is unbelievable..."

Mickey cursed under his breath, but he had no other choice. His extensive combat experience as a Union veteran meant he didn't need to spare a hand to reload; in this situation, switching weapons was much faster. Still on his horse, he tossed aside his double-barreled pistol, drew the short-barreled pistol from his waist, and intended to smash the man's head in the blink of an eye.

However... before the two passed each other, Zhang Renfeng gave him no more chances, extending his right arm and delivering a fierce and devastating blow to the horse's head.

"Boom-!!"

The Tennessee horse beneath him immediately began to neigh pitifully.

Taking advantage of the horse's pain and wobbling, Zhang Renfeng used both arms to grab the horse's neck, and with a slight twist of his feet, he used his strength and arm power to throw it over his shoulder. The man and horse flew through the air in an arc, seemingly light and airy, but finally crashed heavily to the ground with a "bang".

……

When a person falls to the ground, they are pinned under the horse's back. Even the lightest adult horse weighs around 300 kilograms. Such a heavy object suddenly pressing down on a person's body immediately causes their eyes to bulge out, like a tomato being squeezed in a hand and about to be crushed.

In the final moments, Mickey's eyes widened as he saw the scene of utter devastation: the dead, the fleeing, and the scattered debris on the ground.

He wanted to say something, but he didn't even have the strength to leave his last words. He opened his mouth, but only managed to utter a faint whisper.

Unlike before, Zhang Renfeng showed no pity or hesitation. Even when facing an opponent whose lower body was paralyzed and who couldn't even move a finger, he still drew the Fish Intestine Sword at top speed.

A cold, sharp light flashed as a sword was thrust into the throat.

Chapter 533: The First Battle

"My God..."

Otto frowned, his left hand constantly holding the binoculars, never lowering them. He lay in ambush, following orders, watching Zhang Renfeng's every move. In the past few days, Hongzhong had already given him many shocks of varying degrees. Otto thought that no matter what Zhang Renfeng did, it wouldn't surprise him anymore, but he never expected that he had jumped to conclusions too early.

Back in the Badi Mountains, the act of uprooting poplar trees to smash people wasn't just about sheer strength—strength beyond what most people could imagine—but also a psychological shock. It's like an ordinary person suddenly encountering a color or artwork they've never seen before, something beyond their expectations, and thus revering that person as a god.

However, tonight, Zhang Renfeng brought him a real physical shock.

Humans subconsciously repel corpses and gory scenes; this is an instinct ingrained in our genes. It's our instinct reminding us that there are corpses of our own kind here, that this environment is unsuitable for survival, and extremely dangerous—leave immediately.

Otto, accustomed to killing with guns, had a concept of corpses limited to a few bullet holes in the head or body. He had never witnessed such a brutal method of killing and was immediately stunned. Adding to this, this large knife had nearly been used to cut himself one morning just over ten days prior. Now, Otto had a completely new understanding of it, and of Zhang Renfeng.

“When I talked to him before, he seemed no different from a normal person, so I didn’t have this feeling. Now it seems…” Otto sighed deeply, sincerely remarking, “It’s so good that we didn’t become enemies with him.”

"Unlike most of us, he knew exactly what he was doing and the weight of every life... People like him, regardless of the era, are born for war."

The chief didn't use binoculars; he looked directly at the battlefield with his extraordinary eyesight—Zhang Renfeng had already walked to the edge of the rocks and gently pulled the long sword off.

"That's about it. Let's get ready and get started."

----

Meanwhile, at the temporary camp.

“You’re quite composed.” A man dressed as a bounty hunter stepped over the sparks flying from the campfire and sat down next to Evans, his tone slightly teasing. “You sent your own brother to scout ahead, while you stayed put with the main force.”

“You don’t understand his personality, Joe. He’s our youngest brother, and he was spoiled by our father since he was little. He’s very arrogant.”

Evans glanced at him and said slowly, "If we don't give him a chance to prove himself now, he'll hold a grudge for the rest of his life."

Unlike the Pinkerton Detective Agency, "The Blinking Dutchman" doesn't have a strict hierarchical structure. It's very simple: besides the boss, "The Dutchman," there are several leaders. Anyone who meets all three requirements—can shoot a gun, ride a horse, and kill—and is ahead of the others, can become a leader. Each leader then manages a large group of people, more like a spontaneous organization formed by bounty hunters banding together.

It's more like a gang with differing stances than an organization.

And the man in front of us, Joe, is one of them.

In a sense, Pinkerton detectives and bounty hunters have overlapping roles, and people from both sides can switch roles when necessary. Since they're in the same circle, they naturally recognize each other. Evans and Joe aren't particularly close, but they can still sit together, offer each other cigarettes, and have a few drinks.

"Let's not talk about my brother anymore. Where are all your people? Have they all settled down?"

“Don’t worry about that. Bounty hunters are like cacti; they can handle even the worst conditions with composure.” Joe stretched out his hand to warm himself by the fire, but his gaze seemed somewhat gloomy. “However, my men are stationed on the flanks and rear. To be honest, they’re a little apprehensive about getting to this point.”

"You'll get exactly what you're owed, not a penny less, I can guarantee that," Evans said calmly. "Before, you had to bring a corpse or a living person to collect the bounty. Now, everyone who participates can get a substantial reward, enough for you to live comfortably for about a year. Isn't this a sure-fire way to make money?"

"You can have money, but you also need to be alive to spend it." Qiao wasn't swayed by him and just said leisurely, "In my opinion, it won't be that easy."

Evans glanced up at him, his tone wary. "It's just Lagras. With so many people, you can't take it?"

"Hard to say."

"How is it hard to say?"

"Heh... You Pinkerton detectives work for the rich, and you're the son of a rich man, so you must know exactly what kind of work you do." Joe grinned, revealing a strange smile. "Your opponents are nothing more than civilians who have no power to resist. They can't fight tough battles."

"Why would he dare to stab your brother more than five hundred times and hang him from the casino?"

……

Evans' expression was somewhat moved, but before he could say anything, he heard a slight commotion coming from the front of the camp.

The leader, positioned in the center, was highly sensitive to such commotion. Evans immediately realized that his brother had suffered a defeat, and as expected, the enemy had been on guard for his arrival, setting up an ambush in the mountains. The absence of cheers meant defeat.

"Your brother is back," Joe said, changing the subject.

"Heh... He lost. It was expected. I never expected him to achieve anything." Evans shook his head, his tone quite helpless. "He's only ever fought on the military academy's sand table. This is his first time leading a team. He's just indulging in a bit of bravado, that's all."

Evans' plan was to have Tolman lead the team, firstly to satisfy his craving, and secondly... to test the waters. After all, they weren't far from the city, and a single mountain path would get them to Lagras quickly. They'd just throw them out there and see the reaction.

This supervisory team was his father's private security force, specially transferred here, and Evans had considerable confidence in them. Even if they were ambushed, they would definitely be able to retreat and return.

"No, it doesn't seem that simple."

Joe's mutterings made his expression change, and he immediately stood up and looked towards the front line of the position.

No one returned from the dark thicket, only horses.

The horses let out heart-wrenching neighs, clearly terrified, and rushed out of the woods, galloping towards the crowds.

The horses kicked up dust with their hooves, but their saddles were empty, not a single horse could be seen. They swept past the edge of the position and fled aimlessly into the distance.

The scene was terrifying, and many people subconsciously swallowed hard as they looked at the dark forest, as if some kind of demon lurked within it.

At this moment, almost everyone in the camp stood up, their hearts pounding in their throats once again.

Tolman, riding on horseback and desperately stabbing the horse's belly with his spurs, fled in a panic, his face pale, confirming their suspicions.

The elite force of about one hundred men, carefully selected, was utterly defeated!

Chapter 534: Sacrificing the Flag

"Still alive, that's good..."

When Evans saw his brother, who had finally come out, he breathed a sigh of relief and instinctively blurted out what was on his mind, but he immediately realized that something was wrong.

Turning her head again to look at Qiao, who had been standing beside her, she saw that Qiao's expression had changed from relaxed to quite serious.

One hundred fairly capable Pinkerton agents, along with the supervisory team, were routed; the enemy's strength was greater than expected.

Bounty hunters, as the name suggests, work for the bounty; the relationship is based on mutual benefit, and loyalty is not something to be expected. Joe could analyze the situation as he saw it, and seeing a tough opponent, a hint of retreat appeared on his face.

His instantaneous judgment told him that he could not delay any longer; he had to fight immediately and win!

……

"Run, run quickly!"

Tolman rushed out of the woods and saw the temporary camp where the garrison was located, and the campfires burning in the camp. He was overjoyed.

But the horse beneath him suddenly slowed down and began to pant heavily. He was immediately filled with fear and tried to pull on the reins and use the spurs on his shoes to squeeze the horse's belly. But the horse wouldn't listen and became increasingly difficult to control, swaying from side to side and almost throwing him off.

"Kid, stop messing with this horse. It's really a curse to have it with you." An agent who escaped with him passed by and couldn't help but complain, "Can't you see it's panting? You're pulling too tight. It's running out of energy. If you tighten the bit any more, it might throw you off its back!"

Tolman wasn't incapable of riding a horse; he was simply running for his life, growing increasingly frightened as he ran, forgetting everything else, and only knowing to tighten the reins, which tormented the horse greatly.

He touched his head and was incredibly relieved to find it still hanging around his neck. Looking back, he could no longer see any people on the backs of most of the fleeing horses.

Forced to stop in place, Tolman squinted and spotted a chestnut warhorse leaping out from the herd.

From head to back, it was twelve feet long; from hoof to back, it was eight feet tall. Majestic and imposing, it seemed to have stepped out of a painting. One couldn't help but wonder, "Was there such a red horse before?"

……

Suddenly, a flash of blood appeared on the side of the horse's body—it was a blade stained with blood!

----

Besides testing strength, martial arts skills, archery, and military strategy, the most important aspect of the martial arts champion's examination was horsemanship. Since Zhang Renfeng excelled in all these tests, it meant that, at least in the first year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, he was the most skilled horseman in all of China.

In this surprise attack, he used a classic "hiding in the swallow's nest" technique—hooking his foot around the stirrup under the saddle, wrapping his arm around the neck, and hiding his body to the side of the horse. If the enemy was on the left, he would hide on the right side of the horse, and vice versa, using the horse's body as a shield to block the enemy's view.

His heavy armor, coupled with his large sword, combined with the difficulty of performing such a maneuver, would have easily thrown him off any other horse. Therefore, for this part, Zhang Renfeng could only use the Turkmen warhorse he had personally trained.

He didn't need to exert much effort; he relied entirely on the momentum of the horse's gallop, only drawing his sword at crucial moments!

"laugh---!!"

A knife.

It pierced my back and then my heart, leaving a chilling sensation.

"?!!"

Tolman's pupils dilated instantly. Before he could even feel the pain, Zhang Renfeng had already mounted his horse and lifted him high, like a flag hanging on the tip of a knife.

He tightened the reins, crossed the horse, and rode around the agents' temporary camp from left to right.

As the blade slowly pierced Tolman's body, his expression became unreadable. Only blood rained down, soaking his helmet and staining the mane of his horse a deep crimson.

Until the blood-stained "flag" was embedded in the blade and remained motionless, the voice, which seemed like that of a ghost or god, suddenly burst into a thunderous laugh.

"what!"

"Hahahaha—!!"

At this point, no words or provocations are needed; those are merely external manifestations of power. When power reaches a certain level and can deliver a direct impact, it becomes superfluous. Zhang Renfeng's voice was full of energy. The night was long, and in the wilderness, where all was silent, his laughter echoed throughout the entire camp. Countless people witnessed it firsthand, their hearts trembling.

Then, with a turn of his horse, Zhang Renfeng raised the Tolman sword, which was no longer moving and hung on the blade like a gourd, and disappeared into the woods like lightning.

In just a few minutes, the situation took a dramatic turn for the worse, catching everyone off guard. Evans, leading the team, was faster than anyone else in sensing the pervasive fear. Driven by fear, human instinct compels them to make a choice—to fight or to flee.

With morale low, the army could collapse in an instant; the surge of adrenaline had nowhere to go.

If they were to flee now, it would mean utter collapse. To wipe out the Red Center Gang, they had been making a show of force throughout New Elizabeth, and with the addition of the Peacekeeper Detective Agency and bounty hunter deals, they would have to spend some money to show their sincerity. The total investment was already considerable; if they went back like this, one could imagine what kind of face their father would have.

This is absolutely unacceptable to him.

"boom--"