Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

The girl sitting at the table, dressed in black like a ninja, crossed her legs and twirled Istavo's black pork pie hat with her slender right hand, looking somewhat frivolous. The upper half of her face was covered by a lifelike fox mask, obscuring her features; only a beauty mark could be seen above her rosy lips.

"Are they... all dead?"

“There’s still one missing. Their third son, the banker, apparently heard something and ran away beforehand.” The ninja girl swung her legs and sighed, “No wonder it’s a bank. Their information network is better than mine. There’s a saying, you can escape a bounty hunter, but you can’t escape a bank.”

"The Osborn family, almost all the useful people were killed by that guy. Men, women, young and old, none were spared. The few remaining people are not enough to support the company."

"After Roanoke's death, his fuel company almost came to a standstill. The Osborne family was purged, and various factions began to emerge. They started vying for ownership and control of the company, and the major investors behind it withdrew their funding."

"Because things happened so suddenly, his assets didn't have time to be disposed of. Now, they're all pieces of meat being torn apart by those wolves. Not only that, the Osborne family's hometown, Morocco, has also fallen into chaos. All the forces that were suppressed by Osborne are starting to stir... It's truly a tragedy."

"In my opinion, things are still going to get quite chaotic."

The girl recounted everything with ease, which made Istavo look at her with a sidelong glance.

"As expected of you, Yin." He put his coffee aside and praised, "You've sorted out all these things about Xi in such a short time."

"That's right." Yin patted his chest with immense pride, his eyes behind the fox mask narrowing smugly. "Go out and ask around, when it comes to assassination and intelligence gathering, who can compare to me?"

These were clearly shameful things, yet she spoke of them with a rather smug tone. It's not hard to see that she regarded this fearsome technique as a craft.

However, Istavo, which is often in the eye of the storm, does need this skill.

"But there's something I've always been puzzled by..."

"No matter what, his family background is not small. The Osborn family, as his rival, is an absolute behemoth."

"No matter how powerful the Red Center Gang is, it's still just a bandit gang. Normally, when a bandit gang faces a wealthy and powerful family like this, shouldn't they be chased away like dogs? But in reality, it's completely the opposite. Such a powerful family was physically destroyed by a bandit gang."

"Moreover, according to the testimonies of Moroccan citizens, Red Central did not even bring many people into the city, but he himself was described as an omnipotent monster... He could run faster than a horse, kick a person against a wall with one foot, and smash a person's head with a tree branch. The more the story was told, the more exaggerated it became, and the truth was covered up."

"To accomplish such a massive undertaking so decisively and efficiently, leaving no room for any hidden dangers, who exactly is this Hong Zhong? Is there an even greater force behind him, driving all of this?"

……

Istavo was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Yin, what year did you board the ship?"

"What kind of memory do you have?" Yin teased. "You can't even remember what happened last year."

“Last year, huh? No wonder.” Istavo paused for a moment. “Actually…”

----

The door was pushed open, and Istavo was caught off guard, abruptly cutting off his words.

"Father!"

Sofia, like a charming little oriole, flew into his arms.

Chapter 546: Do you know who I am?

"Sofia?"

Istavo's first reaction was one of resistance; he was unwilling to expose his family to his "cause," especially someone as skilled as Yin, who was specifically in charge of intelligence.

But now that it has happened, there is no time to cover it up. Istavo can only play the role of a father, gently putting his arm around her shoulder, but his tone is somewhat reproachful, "You ran away again. It's a mess outside now."

"I... I had no choice. Life at home was just too boring. Every day was just practice, practice..."

Sofia naturally noticed the presence of outsiders. After a brief emotional outpouring, she released the embrace and asked curiously, "Father doesn't usually come here, why is he here today..."

“I came here to take care of some work, and since it’s the closest place, I decided to stay.” Istavo stroked the cicada pattern on the wooden cane, smiled, and gently stroked the girl’s profile. “No matter how nice the hotel is, it’s never as comfortable as home.”

Work?

Sofia glanced at Yin sitting on the table. Her clothes, posture, and even the fox mask were all very strange, making it hard to associate her with the word "work." Through the fox mask, Sofia could sense a slightly amused look in Yin's eyes.

However, she wasn't thinking too much about it at the moment; she was simply happy to see her father, whom she hadn't seen in so long.

Genuine joy cannot be hidden; it will be directly expressed in one's body language. Sofia smiled particularly brightly at this moment. Even though there were outsiders present, she couldn't be too clingy to Istavo, but she still unconsciously put her arm around Istavo's.

"When is Father coming home this time? It's perfect timing, Mother and Sister Julia haven't seen Father in a long time either, let's go together..."

“This time… I still have a lot of things to take care of.” Istavo didn’t know how to answer, so he forced a smile, grasped Sofia’s fair hands, and deeply expressed the complexity and helplessness in his tone, “I’m sorry.”

Sofia's smile froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered, shook her head, and said softly, "Father has to consider the family, there's nothing I can do about it. In that case, I won't disturb Father's work any longer... See you tomorrow."

With the impeccable manners of a well-bred lady, she lifted the hem of her skirt, bowed to Yin, and closed the door behind her as she left.

The atmosphere inside the room suddenly became somewhat awkward.

"Ha." Yin spoke first, his tone somewhat teasing. "This is the future 'Water Fairy Nymph', isn't she? To be honest, I really can't imagine this sheltered young lady killing someone. Surely she wouldn't politely ask before killing someone, would she?"

Whether she becomes a water nymph is not something I can decide; the Waglet family will naturally worry about it.

Istavo's tone was somewhat firm, and although his words weren't harsh, they already let Yin know that he didn't want to discuss this topic in depth.

"...Could you help me get a ticket to the First State?"

"Huh?" Hidden beneath the fox mask looked utterly astonished. "When do you need it?"

"tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" Yin jumped off the table. "You're kidding me! Look at the time! There are only two hours left until 'tomorrow'. Where am I supposed to get you a train ticket?"

Istavo remained silent, simply standing tall and looking at her. In their eye contact, she sensed he was serious.

"why?"

"Roanok's position within the Illuminati was [Nighthawk Minerva], above which only the highest-ranking [Awakener] remained. The sudden elimination of such a high-ranking member couldn't have been inactive. The Illuminati and the Red Center have now become enemies, and the battles between them are far from over!"

Yin's expression also turned serious. From the change in her boss's tone, she could tell that things were heading in an out-of-control direction.

"I've been at sea for many years, and this is the situation I fear most. On the surface, the sea is calm and everything is peaceful, but beneath the unseen surface, whirlpools and undercurrents are brewing. Only by anchoring the ship on shore can it be safe."

“If she goes back to her mother, at the very least she can be protected by the Wagner family.”

He rarely talks this much to his subordinates, partly because the demands he made earlier were somewhat unreasonable.

He needed to explain the cause and effect and the hidden meaning so that she could understand his intentions.

"Alright, in that case, I'll..."

----

"Hahaha."

Laughter suddenly broke the silence, and Istavo's shoulders twitched, his heart sinking instantly.

Because he was quite certain that only he and Yin had been in the house the whole time, and that Sophia had gone in and out and closed the door. At this moment, however, a person had suddenly appeared in the corner! He was dressed in coarse cloth clothes, had a goatee on his chin, and was leaning against the corner of the wall with a slightly hunched back. He looked quite old and inconspicuous.

But his dark eyes, and the smile within them, sent a chill down Istavo's spine. For a moment, he couldn't be sure whether the person standing there was a real person or a phantom he was seeing due to excessive pressure.

"As parents say, their love for their children is profound and far-reaching..."

"Upon seeing it today, it is indeed so."

……

The next moment, without any hesitation, Yin suddenly lowered his body and threw a bullet out of his bag.

"boom----!!"

The small room was filled with smoke and dust, which made Istavo quickly cover his mouth and nose.

The moment she threw the smoke grenade, she leaped forward, a habitual move of hers—even if she blinded her opponent, the attack would still come from the most unexpected place.

To this end, she practiced the Spider Stance diligently. Even while sprinting almost to the floor, she still had the strength to draw her dagger, twirling it before bringing it to her feet. Close to the location she remembered, she plunged the dagger into the intruder's neck!

"when---!!"

It couldn't penetrate?!

The pupils behind the fox mask dilated instantly, the recoil from the blade making her hands go numb. What should have been one of the most vulnerable points on the human body had, with just a layer of flesh, used to withstand the blade.

"Ah……"

"Hahahaha—!!"

As the smoke cleared, the old man laughed wildly, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, as if the dagger pressed against his throat were made of paper. Only then did Yin notice a star-shaped burn scar running across his right cheek, extending to the side of his neck, a horrifying sight.

Withered, wooden fingers gently tapped her heart twice.

"Dong dong!"

……

He remained frozen in his sword-drawing stance, his expression one of astonishment.

"This...this is..." Istavo's eyes widened, and he immediately assessed the situation, lowering his gun. "Pressure point manipulation?!"

"As expected of the captain, 'Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles.' You truly know your stuff." He took the dagger from his hidden hand, gripped it in his palm, and with a gentle squeeze, the blade and hilt separated with a clang, turning into a pile of scrap metal. "...Do you know who I am?"

……

“Father,” Istavo said in a deep voice.

Chapter 547: Should we send this invitation from the King of Hell, or not?

Yellow skin.

They were wearing unremarkable coarse cloth clothes.

He looks no different from an old man.

Most importantly, his burn scar, stretching from his right cheek to his neck, is incredibly distinctive. Knowing this detail and matching it to his face, there's absolutely no way to mistake him. To survive burn scars in such a location is no ordinary feat.

At this point, Istavo's mind began to race. He knew of his father, but this was the first time he had ever met him. For a moment, he was unsure what the other man's purpose or intention was in coming to see him.

"Don't make that face, Captain. You can use me as a mouthpiece; I'll convey the will of the [Awakened One] to you."

The old man, however, made no attempt to stand on ceremony. He pulled up a chair and sat down opposite Istavo, casually tidying his hair as he did so. "You know what's been happening lately, right?"

Istavo let out a long breath, nodded, closed his eyes, and frowned. In a sense, he had long had a vague premonition of this day and had mentally rehearsed it countless times. And now, this day had finally arrived in the way he least wanted to see.

The order came directly from the highest levels of this power organization.

“Previously, it was just small-scale fighting, destroying one or two towns, which was fine. But the enlightened ones are considering a larger picture.”

"But now, things have changed a little. A restless catfish has suddenly entered the pond, ready to turn it into a muddy mess... You know who I'm talking about, right?"

Istavo was well aware of this.

Ultimately, the Illuminati's foundation in the South was far weaker than in the North. It was only almost after the war that they began to extend their reach into the southern prefectures and towns. Lacking a deep base, they naturally adopted a conservative strategy.

As for the bandits, as long as they didn't go too far, they would tolerate them. Southern families like Chaidell even considered establishing a temporary "symbiotic" relationship with the gangs; he had a brief collaboration with the Thunder Gang. If Zhang Renfeng hadn't interfered, this merchant-bandit cooperation model could have continued for a long time.

However, the emergence of the Red Center Gang changed everything.

To be precise, it started when they "took away" White Torch Town.

If it's just robbery or murder, they don't really pose a significant threat. Even when gangs go on a killing spree, they generally don't target officials or wealthy merchants. As for money stolen through bank robberies or train hijackings, there are countless ways to extract it back from ordinary people.

However, the Red Center Gang's logic differs from that of ordinary gangs. They not only don't rob the poor, but also use a series of swift and decisive methods to completely seize control of the territory. White Torch, St. Quintak, Windhaven, Three Horses, Lagras… Currently, several key towns in New Austin have all been taken over.

The entire state was effectively under the control of the Red Center Gang.

The Illuminati could not tolerate this happening.

"Clap!"

The old man took a mahjong tile from his wide sleeve and placed it on the table.

That character "中" (zhong) seemed to be stained with blood.

“You’ve always been in charge of the south, and you’re the only one who can shoulder the responsibility.” The old man flicked his finger, sending the mahjong tile flying towards Istavo.

"Go and take care of Hongzhong."

"After you succeed, the Awakener will personally summon you and promote you to a member of the Nighthawk Minerva, to participate in the Illuminati's decision-making council. Simply put, he'll put you in Roanok's place."

An enlightened being is like a precise and accurate machine; you put in your contribution, and it gives back your reward, without missing a single cent.

This secret society has reached its current level largely due to his exquisite and unparalleled ability to distribute benefits. The strongest and most universal connection between people is the connection of interests. He uses this as a chain to bind everyone tightly together.

Istavo had no doubt about the truth of these words. Since it was a promise from an enlightened being, as long as he killed Hongzhong, no matter in what form, this promise would definitely be fulfilled.

but……

“Even your son was defeated,” Istavo said tactfully. “I’m afraid I also…”

"That kid knows Qi Hard Technique," the old man said casually. "Before he reaches the thirteenth level, Prajna Technique will naturally be inferior to Qi Hard Technique."

Istavo's eyelids twitched, surprised that the old man before him could so accurately describe Zhang Renfeng's cultivation method. However, his composure was excellent, and he quickly suppressed his emotions, not letting them show on his face.