Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"About thirty or thirty dollars, ah!"

The person on trial, already tense and on edge, reacted instinctively to the sudden sight before him, triggering a knee-jerk reflex that made him want to stand up. David also realized something was wrong, turned around, and found Zhang Renfeng standing behind him, having opened the door at some point, without making a sound.

"Mr. Hongzhong!"

Zhang Renfeng gently pressed his shoulder and made him sit back down. He symbolically glanced around the room; it was small and cramped, originally used by the casino to store miscellaneous items. After some modifications, it was quite suitable for use as an interrogation room.

"how's it going?"

"It went fairly smoothly." David picked up the notebook on his desk, handed it to him with both hands, and said, "You guessed right, Evans Osborne's men are kept around just to clean up the company's messes. They can get to the bottom of these shady dealings with a single question. You can see for yourself."

Zhang Renfeng glanced through the book; he didn't recognize many words, but he saw that the pages were filled with dense text. Behind each long paragraph of text was a handprint and the signature of the person being interrogated.

Besides, on his desk was a stack of official documents piled up like a brick, each one containing the same content—prepared for him by Hans. Signing one's name on these small pieces of paper meant taking legal responsibility for the content of one's statements.

"Alright, that's enough for today. We'll deal with the rest tomorrow." Zhang Renfeng nodded, acknowledging his work for the day. "Pack up your things and come to the celebration banquet."

"A victory celebration?" David said cautiously. "Um, Mr. Hongzhong... I didn't go to the battlefield. We won a great victory last night, but I didn't contribute much. Would it be a bit inappropriate for me to attend the victory celebration..."

Zhang Renfeng stared at him for a long time, until David shrank his neck uncomfortably, thinking he had said something wrong, before he finally asked, "Have you ever thought about why your father sent you to me?"

David had certainly considered this question more than once, but he wasn't sure what answer Zhang Renfeng wanted, so he hesitated for a long time before speaking.

“In my hometown, there used to be a status called ‘hostage.’ It meant sending one’s son to serve in another’s hands as a way of swearing loyalty. And what could be more important than one’s son’s life? If they rebelled, the first person to be killed would be the hostage.”

When the first person to be killed was mentioned, David couldn't help but shudder. Others might be joking or just giving an example, but this guy in front of him was a different story. His father didn't need to emphasize this; there were so many ready-made cases in White Torch Town, he dared not be careless.

“Don’t be so nervous, you’ll be fine.” He patted David on the shoulder and said with a smile, “You’re not suited for the battlefield, but there’s a lot you can do behind the lines. The normal functioning of this city is the foundation of our confidence in winning this battle.”

"You did a great job. Keep it up. I won't treat you unfairly."

----

Siegfried Casino, first floor.

After their initial victory, a small celebration was held, limited to those who had participated in the war. The expanded Lamon raiders now numbered over ninety, a force to be reckoned with. They gathered in the hall, singing rough songs and drinking glass after glass of wine, creating a lively atmosphere.

When Zhang Renfeng pushed open the door and stepped out, the crowd erupted in a storm of cheers. In their eyes and in their minds, Zhang Renfeng's image had been repeatedly elevated, becoming an existence almost equivalent to a god.

Is there anything more honorable than a god walking among humans, someone you can communicate with, touch, and even serve under?

Although Igor deliberately avoided religious elements, it seems that he didn't need to cultivate them.

What's meant to come will come naturally. The extreme worship of individual martial prowess is a side effect of pursuing a path of conquest.

After finally squeezing through the crowd and settling into the table with the Red Center Gang, everyone's expressions were somewhat subtle. It was ostensibly a victory celebration, but everyone knew that the battle was far from over. In fact, they had only driven back a scouting party sent out by the Osborn family.

That's the advantage of being rich. No matter what, if you throw money around, there will be plenty of people willing to fight for you.

This time, they had the advantage of timing, location, and popular support, and won the round by only depleting a small portion of their arsenal. But what about next time? Will they have such good luck again?

No one can guarantee.

"How have things been these past few days?" Zhang Renfeng was indeed starving. He picked up a piece of dry bread, dipped it in the barbecue sauce on the plate, and asked, "Has anything new been delivered?"

"Five more boxes of ammunition have arrived from White Torch Town: rifle bullets, revolver bullets, shotgun shells, Gatling gun bullets, and artillery shells. Mayor Dunn wrote a letter saying he would fully support us, and he 'appropriately' publicized our current situation in town. As a result, many people volunteered to help us."

"His weapons factory is now operating at full speed 24 hours a day, and more weapons and ammunition will be supplied to the front line later."

Xiao Mei essentially took on the role of a temporary quartermaster. She summarized and analyzed the information she had read, memorized it all, and then reported it to Igor. In terms of logistics, Igor already had too much information to handle in the city, and he definitely needed someone like her to bridge the gap between superiors and subordinates.

He nodded as he ate, tacitly agreeing to let her continue.

"In addition, the relief supplies from Sanma Town have finally arrived. They consist of emergency food, alcohol, and medicine. With a team of over ninety people, and three meals a day provided, this food should last for a month."

Igor nodded, indicating that there was nothing wrong with her calculations.

"A month...a month..."

In other words, a month from now, this army that was invincible tonight will face the predicament of having no food to eat.

Chapter 539: A swift blade cuts through the mess!

Zhang Renfeng's expression was somewhat grave. He knew very well that this victory was only temporary. War has no pause button. From the moment he uprooted that tree and smashed it at those lackeys, there was no room for reconciliation.

In a battle between two armies, the main battlefield is certainly important, but even more important is the contest of each side's logistics, internal affairs, and resources.

Once this stalemate begins, the Red Center Gang is no match for the Osborn family. They've cultivated their influence in the North for five generations, accumulating immense wealth and connections. Even though Roanoke has lost three sons, as long as the company exists, with money and influence, he can launch wave after wave of similar attacks.

They were left struggling to cope, and in the end, Igor's plan to build a new state of Auermania had to be temporarily shelved.

Conversely, a protracted war could engulf the entire New Orleans. The production pressures of ammunition, supplies, and military provisions would eventually be distributed across various towns, creating increasing pressure that would gradually crush the New Orleans that had been acquired.

From the very beginning, there was only one path left for him.

……

"Suppress the news of our victory for now, don't let it leak out. Just keep it quiet, the longer we keep it quiet, the greater our chances will be."

"After this battle, things will be quiet for at least a month. Even if they realize something is wrong, this place and Morocco are separated by the New Elizabeth State, making it difficult for intelligence to flow."

Zhang Renfeng looked at his companions one by one, lowered his voice, and analyzed, "From the moment they noticed, to sending people to investigate, to drawing conclusions, and then to them throwing money at the problem, building connections, and forming a second team to attack us, it will take at least half a month. This nearly two-month time difference is the spoils of our battle, and we cannot afford to waste a single moment!"

"After I leave, Igor will temporarily handle the internal affairs here. If you encounter any uncertainties regarding internal matters, just ask him. As for that banker's son, are you finding him agreeable?"

“Not bad.” Igor summed up David’s personality in one sentence: “He’s afraid of death, but he’s even more afraid of you.”

"Heh..." Zhang Renfeng smiled and nodded, "That's fine then. Use it as you see fit. Don't make yourself do those chores. Let the young people get some experience, so you can save some mental energy."

"In the event of an emergency, I mean, if someone actually attacks, the command on the ground will be handed over to Mike, and everything will be done as he says. The Lamo'n Raiders have just received a new batch of people, right? They were learning how to throw grenades and fire cannons from the chieftain and Theon, and now it's time for them to learn the basics of shooting."

When Mike heard him call on him, he didn't say anything, but simply raised his glass to him from afar and drank it down in one gulp, with a kind of heroic spirit that "everything is in the drink".

With the veteran general in charge, Zhang Renfeng felt much more at ease and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Theon, how are things on your end?

“I’ve been there these past few days,” Theon said in a deep voice. “The factories are equipped with quite complete production facilities. If we want to transform them to produce weapons like guns and cannons, it would be very simple. It’s just that we don’t have the materials to produce ammunition. What I’m thinking is… we can produce the weapons themselves in the factories in Lagras, and only let White Torch Town produce the ammunition. This way, the production pressure at the rear can be reduced a bit.”

……

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Renfeng shook his head and suddenly asked, "How's the production of the car parts that Tao needs going?"

Everyone was taken aback, then remembered that their original purpose in coming to this city was to connect with the Lagras factory so that they could produce some car parts. Similarly, the San Quintac factory also undertook some parts production.

These scattered items will be transported together by rail to White Torch Town, where they will be pieced together to become a brand new invention.

Upon arriving in Lagras, one thing after another came crashing down on everyone, and they almost forgot about the whole affair.

“Since we’ve decided to do this, we can’t give up halfway.” After finalizing the parts, Zhang Renfeng changed the subject, “What about the police station…”

"No problem for me." Calaway leaned back in his chair with a nonchalant air, legs crossed, a relaxed smile on his face. "A piece of cake!"

Back in San Quintac, there was a powerful and deeply entrenched Italian in the city, whom Caloway could rival. Now, the Red Center gang is the undisputed ruler of the city, making management much easier for them.

It's rather ironic, really. When Joffrey was in charge, the sheriffs here were all henchmen of the Osborne family, and there was even a violent organization like the Poker Gang that went beyond the law and the police force. Now that both have been violently eliminated by Zhang Renfeng, and a seasoned veteran with work experience has taken over as sheriff, the security situation has improved considerably.

To put it simply, everyone knew war was coming, but no one seemed to care. They continued eating and drinking as usual. Casinos were temporarily requisitioned, but other entertainment facilities remained in the city. While there was certainly anxiety about the war, it didn't significantly impact daily life, which was undoubtedly related to Caloway's management style.

“As the acting sheriff, you should theoretically be the position with the closest relationship to the mayor. As for Hans… for now, maintain a cooperative attitude and don’t neglect him, but don’t believe everything he says either. If anything seems amiss, remember to discuss it with Igor.”

"Don't worry, Lao Zhang." Calaway shook his hand, extinguishing the match in his hand, and laughed, "When you come back, this city will completely belong to you."

"Thank you for your kind words." Zhang Renfeng pondered for a moment and then instructed, "Alana, your task remains the same as before: to help Calaway with some of the sheriff's work. Xiaomei, you don't need to follow Calaway anymore. It seems that the two of them are enough to handle this workload... You should follow Igor. There are always some things that David can't handle, so you can take care of them."

He spoke somewhat cryptically, but Xiaomei immediately understood, nodded, and wholeheartedly agreed.

Outsiders are outsiders after all, and these matters involving the internal interests of the Red Army are not suitable for David to handle. For example, the situation in the rear areas—letters sent from there falling into the hands of outsiders would inevitably leave a thorn in his side.

Whether it's a proton or an eyeliner, it's all just a matter of a single thought.

He seems obedient now, but that can't be guaranteed in the long run. The original intention of placing Xiaomei next to Igor was to have Igor teach her more about the big picture and strategic thinking.

……

"As for Angel Eye and the Chief, you two go ahead to Morocco and gather information for me. Where does that Roanok live? How many people are in his family? What forces are he involved with? Time may be limited, but I still ask you to dig as much information as possible. Once I arrive with my men, we won't have to spend time worrying about these things anymore."

“Tomorrow morning, Meteora will help me select ten elite raiders from among the Ramor raiders, and he himself will accompany me. In this way, the actual leader among the raiders remaining here should be Otto, so you should get along well with him.”

"As for me... don't worry, I'll be back soon."

Zhang Renfeng's tone suddenly changed, and beneath the suppressed intensity, there was a hint of ruthlessness in it: "This trip will be swift and decisive, cutting through the mess!"

Chapter 540: The King of Tall Trees Greets You

The campfire reflected in his dark pupils. At dusk, the sky was a deep honey color, and the dew was heavy. Zhang Renfeng was unfazed by the cold, but helpless against the dampness. Fortunately, there was a campfire nearby where he sat, offering some warmth.

The horses were tethered to one side. There was a shortage of everything here except hay, but Zhang Renfeng rarely fed his warhorses hay. A good warhorse is not easy to raise, so naturally he couldn't mistreat it. Zhang Renfeng fed it horse oat cakes, which were actually edible for humans and were considered quite refined food.

They say true hermits live in the city, and he had spent so much time hidden by the windswept sands of the stables, learning quite a bit about how to care for horses. While the other horses were grazing with their heads down, that dark red Turkmen warhorse remained motionless, leaning against a tree, taking a nap.

"Here."

Zhang Renfeng shook his head when presented with the half-bottle of smuggled liquor.

Meteora didn't mind, dusted off the dust on his knees, sat down next to him, and began to drink. He drank very elegantly, sipping his wine in small sips, a style quite different from the rough men, despite both being from the military.

"Are you OK?"

Zhang Renfeng asked suspiciously, "What do you mean?"

“Your mental state,” Meteora said in a deep voice. “I’ve seen many cases like this. Although they came down from the battlefield, that’s only in their bodies. Their minds are still on the battlefield. Not everyone can be calm about killing.”

He glanced at Zhang Renfeng, "Some soldiers were incredibly brave on the battlefield, but once the war ended, they couldn't even live a normal life. Guilt, remorse, and guilt... They were overwhelmed by the pressure of war and ended their own lives."

"But what about you? You've been killing people non-stop these past few days, and not with guns, but with your melee weapons. I've heard people say that killing with melee weapons feels completely different from killing with guns. It's more brutal, more...real."

"I thought you were going to say something," Zhang Renfeng said with a smile, waving his hand. "I'm used to this kind of thing."

"Accustomed to what?" Meteora asked. "War? Or killing?"

“They’re both the same.” Zhang Renfeng said this softly, but his tone carried a heavy, chilling edge. “I…”

"I wish I could kill all the evil people and demons in the world!"

“Is that so…ah…”

Meteora was somewhat shocked and dared not ask any further questions. In this era, the people of this country were generally quite devout in their faith in God. Zhang Renfeng's behavior made it difficult for his comrades-in-arms to regard him as a "human being," and Meteora was no exception.

If others said that, it might sound like boasting. But when he said it, it carried the weight of a vow, as if he truly intended to sweep away the filth from the world.

He could vaguely foresee how this trip to Morocco would end.

……

"Red Center! Mr. Meteora!"

Just then, a subordinate rushed over, looking flustered. "Something's wrong!"

----

The news that Hong Zhong was of Asian descent had already leaked out, and his subsequent killing spree in Windswept Sands and Dover Hill in New Elizabeth had naturally earned him no good reputation. If he were to travel by train, there was no guarantee he wouldn't be recognized.

To avoid alerting the enemy, they decided to bypass towns as much as possible, traveling swiftly on horseback through New Elizabeth. Since the Cheddar family's withdrawal, the development plans for this state had been temporarily shelved, lacking funding. Vast tracts of land lay barren, and for miles around, not a wisp of smoke could be seen.

The team traveled through the night and crossed New Elizabeth State faster than expected, arriving in Granite State.

At the southernmost part of this prefecture lies something special—a dense, natural forest, like a maze, stands before them. Even though it would be a long detour, Meteora insisted on not going through this forest. He remained tight-lipped about the reason behind it, and despite Zhang Renfeng's repeated questioning, he only uttered two words.

[Tall Tree].

……

We pitched two tents in the wild; it wasn't even a campsite, just a place to sleep and rest for the night.

About twenty meters away, a cavalry caravan stood quietly. The riders' clothing, accessories, and hairstyles were a completely different style from the rest of the group.

The leader held a torch aloft in his right hand and loosely gripped the reins with his left. The others each carried a bow on their backs and quivers at their waists, their expressions calm, as if they were simply there to do something pre-arranged. In contrast, the Raiders of Lamon appeared extremely tense, their hands already on their holsters, ready to draw their weapons at any moment.

Guns and bows.

Outsiders and indigenous people.

The two face each other from a distance of less than twenty meters, as if they were separated by a world.

……

Zhang Renfeng crossed the distance and slowly stepped forward, raising his hand to signal the men behind him to lower their guard. He couldn't understand it either; logically, they all had guns, which were far more advanced than the enemy's bows and arrows, so why did they still act as if they were facing a formidable enemy?

The leading Native American man was significantly more muscular than his followers. Although he was mounted on horseback, he surprisingly showed no condescension. On the contrary, his eyes and expression were as still as stagnant water, utterly devoid of any emotion.

Zhang Renfeng wasn't sure if the other person spoke English. Just as he was about to make a couple of hand gestures, the other person took out a small trinket with a serial number from his bag and handed it to him.

"Is this... a wolf's tooth?" Zhang Renfeng stroked the small ornament made of sharp teeth and immediately determined the species based on the size of the teeth, "A coyote?"