Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

“…This…” David subconsciously touched his face, his voice trembling slightly, “I don’t understand…”

"Thump—!!"

The next moment, Zhang Renfeng didn't hesitate at all, pressing his head down heavily onto the table. Mike, Calaway, and Theon reacted almost simultaneously. All three of them were dual-wielding, so in an instant, six dark gun barrels were pressed against his head from different angles.

"W-What are you doing?!" David was terrified, his voice rising an octave. "I'm your comrade, aren't I? Isn't this going too far to treat a comrade like this?!"

“Sorry, I unconditionally trust Angel Eye’s judgment. He and we have a life-or-death bond.” Zhang Renfeng pressed one hand against his head, and with the other, he drew a Volcano Pistol from his belt, pressed it against the back of his head, and said in a deep voice, “Alright, whoever you are, I’ll give you five counts. If you don’t confess after you’ve counted, I’ll let you see your own brains!”

"five……"

"Four……"

"No, no, no, no! Don't kill me!" Seeing that these people were serious, Yin's true voice was terrified. He quickly confessed, "I was just curious and wanted to see what the Red Center Gang was like... I didn't kill this guy, I just let him sleep for a while. Really! He's in his room. If you don't believe me, you can send someone to check."

With just a glance from Zhang Renfeng, Xiaomei immediately understood, grabbed Alana, and went to check on David's safety.

No matter what, he was a hostage. If he died for such an unclear reason, Zhang Renfeng wouldn't even know how to explain it to his father.

"You're a woman?" Calaway asked curiously. "My goodness, the appearance is one thing, I can barely understand it. But how did you manage that voice? A woman's voice can't possibly produce a male voice so naturally, can it?"

"This...this...is a secret, I can't tell you..." He swallowed hard, afraid that his lack of cooperation would prompt Zhang Renfeng to fire prematurely, and quickly said, "It's Istavo! Istavo White Ulysses!"

"what?!"

Zhang Renfeng reacted violently, unconsciously increasing the force in his hands, causing several cracks to appear on the table. He gritted his teeth and said, "Why did you drag him into this!"

"No! It hurts! My head is going to break! You, you, you... you've misunderstood, I didn't drag you into this..." Yin's voice trembled as he was pressed down. "I'm one of his men. He sent me to find you, saying he had something to tell you."

“'See you at our usual spot'—that’s all.”

----

"..."

Zhang Renfeng seemed to have been hit by a bullet. After a moment of silence, he let go of her hand and staggered back a few steps.

"Boom!"

He leaned against the table leg, slumped down, and looked utterly dejected.

Chapter 550: The human heart is the most fickle thing in the world.

The moment the door was pushed open, she flinched, her first instinct being to cover her face. After catching a glimpse of the person through her fingers, she breathed a sigh of relief and complained, "Why did you take so long? They scared me to death!"

"...So this is what you look like. I've never seen your face under the mask before," Ren said with a hint of teasing. "What a beauty."

"Heh." There was no point in hiding it anymore. Yin lowered her hands and said irritably, "How do you know this face of mine isn't fake?"

Ren shrugged; he wasn't interested in the topic. He pulled up a chair and sat down in front of her.

"So, you're now one of the Red Center Gang's people?" Yin was quite displeased with this. Having just been held at gunpoint, she couldn't possibly let it go so quickly. "That shouldn't be the case. How could anyone see through my [Tanuki Face Transformation Technique]? That's the most powerful illusion technique in the Iga school!"

"There are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. Your little tricks are nothing compared to theirs."

Ren watched the entire fight between Zhang Renfeng and Zhu Kuilong. While Zhang's martial prowess amazed him, he was even more impressed by Zhu Kuilong's illusionary skills.

Compared to Zhu Kuilong's elaborate charade of changing the world, changing one's face or voice seems unremarkable.

"Zhang told me you have another letter here, written to me by Istavo?"

"Tch, who knows what he's thinking? If I'd known it was such a hellhole, I wouldn't have come." Yin muttered reluctantly, but still took out the letter and handed it to him. "Here, take it. I haven't read a single word."

Ren took the letter, looked it over, and found that it was indeed as she said, unopened. Only then did she open it to read.

"..."

Japanese.

Although the grammar and writing style were still unfamiliar, it was indeed a language he was familiar with.

In this foreign land, Ren rarely saw this kind of writing anymore. The letter wasn't long; a quick glance would have been enough to take it all in, yet Ren read it countless times. He continued reading until he had dissected and thoroughly understood every detail, even every punctuation mark, before tilting his head back and letting out a deep sigh.

There seemed to be a glint of tears in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Yin noticed his strange expression and became nervous. "What did it say in the letter? Is it really that serious?"

"...Time is running out, I have to go." Ren put away the letter and said this abruptly, "He has something for me to do."

----

Respect is always mutual.

Within the Red Center Gang, there are quite a few people carrying secrets. Mike and Calaway have their past with the Jack Gang, the Chief has his unspeakable secret about Takashu, and Angel Eyes is even more so; to this day, no one even knows his real name.

But none of that matters; Zhang Renfeng respects everyone's privacy equally. Conversely, they are all the same; very few people mention his past.

Even if you're just guessing, it's not hard to imagine that leaving one's home and going to the other side of the world is definitely not a heartwarming story.

Right now, this tender bond that held them together has been pierced.

……

"Mr. Hongzhong, please have some hot water first." Xiaomei's eyes were full of worry. As far as she could remember, this was the first time Zhang Renfeng had shown such weakness. "No matter what happens, we will be with you."

“No.” Zhang Renfeng was silent for a moment, then shook his head with a bitter smile. “This time, it has nothing to do with you.”

"I have to go see him myself, it has to be just me..."

“Didn’t you hear what that ninja said?” Mike frowned. “His superiors gave him orders to deliver your head! What do you think he’ll do to you after you go? Do you think he’ll treat you to a nice meal?”

“I don’t think so,” Theon disagreed. “If he wanted to kill Hong Zhong, he should have sent his men to poison him. Whether they succeeded or not is another matter, but it certainly wouldn’t be like this, where he just tells us the news.”

“That’s what makes him so insidious!” Mike slammed his fist on the table. “Everyone knows Red is loyal. That captain was an old friend of his, so he naturally knew that too. He used loyalty as bait to lure him into the trap! When he gets there, what awaits him won’t be fine food and drinks, but guns and bullets!”

"..." Theon couldn't deny it either, and remained silent. He didn't refute it because there were just too many such cases.

"But I want to make it clear to you, Red Center, that people's hearts are the most fickle thing in the world."

“I know you don’t care about anything deep down. You don’t care about money, power, or status… You just want to do the right thing, the good thing, but most people aren’t like that! People change, and they change much faster than you think!”

"He's served the Illuminati for so many years, and now that he has this opportunity, he'll use your head to secure his bright future!"

As he spoke, Mike became unusually agitated, his eyes widening. "Twenty years ago, the Jack Gang died because of betrayal. I don't want the Red Center Gang to repeat the same mistake!"

……

Unwittingly, he dropped another bombshell, but there was already enough going on. Apart from Calaway's shocked expression, no one else had the energy to ask for the details of the story.

……

From the very beginning, Igor has not uttered a single word.

It wasn't out of indifference, but rather because he had exceptionally clear insight and knew that this matter couldn't be resolved through rational discussion. It was simply a matter of going or not going, but behind these two choices lay too many entanglements of personal emotions.

"No matter how hard we argue, it's useless. In the end, whether you go or not depends on yourself."

Igor raised his head and said in a firm and powerful voice, "Many things, if you don't say them and I don't say them, no one will care anyway."

“But right now, these things are already affecting your decision, and that decision will undoubtedly affect the future development of the gang. Based on the information we have, I can’t make a reasonable judgment... You have to tell us what happened in the past.”

"What happened between you and him before, and..."

Why did you cross the ocean to meet us?

----

Those who had risked their lives with him were seriously considering his future, but Zhang Renfeng's spirit was not with them.

He was already immersed in the past.

That glorious past.

That past stained with blood.

That past he desperately wanted to escape, yet it was etched into his very bones like a malignant tumor.

But when he briefly snapped out of his reverie and saw so many concerned eyes, he finally felt a sliver of comfort.

"This story begins in the second year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign. Bandits roamed freely, Nanjing fell, and the people suffered. The court selected me as the leader of the Mountain Battalion to lead the troops. The army set off for the front lines, and a fortified city stood before us all."

Chapter 551: Last Night's Water Dragon Chant

"Ha—! Ah—!!"

The man in front of him shouted loudly, his voice full of energy, and unleashed a flurry of skillful punches at him.

Zhang Renfeng knew perfectly well that such punches would likely leave him completely motionless, but this match wasn't about determining a winner. So, he began to simulate the reaction of an ordinary martial artist to this barrage of blows, constantly retreating and creating distance.

The man in front of him only saw him retreating and thought he had a chance of winning, so he became even more aggressive, shouting loudly and throwing punch after punch!

Wrist touch.

Adjust the arm.

Arm replacement.

Through a series of subtle physical contacts, Zhang Renfeng gradually neutralized the man's strength. Finally, at the moment when the man's strength was exhausted, Zhang Renfeng pressed his own weight onto his shoulders and elbows and suddenly pushed him out!

"Boom!"

The man was pushed to the ground by the blow. After a moment of shock, a smile of pleasure and joy appeared on his face. He sprang up with a somersault and exclaimed, "This must be the legendary 'internal force' of 'attacking while neutralizing, neutralizing while attacking, and attacking while neutralizing'! No wonder you are the martial arts champion. I admire you, I admire you!"

“Commander Xu, stop reciting the mantras. The most important thing is to practice the basics first.” Zhang Renfeng said in a serious tone, “You have a problem with distance control. When you can hit me, you pull back, and when you can’t touch me, you insist on moving forward. I’ve been retreating just now to confirm this.”

"This is a matter of basic skills, which requires accumulated practice over time to improve. Don't practice against still or inanimate objects; these things don't move. If you practice with them, you'll eventually stop moving yourself."

Having one's secrets exposed so bluntly would make anyone uncomfortable, and Xu Lingjun was no exception. However, he still politely cupped his hands in a respectful greeting and asked, "Then, may I ask, Commander Zhang, without driving wooden stakes or splitting rocks, how does one begin to practice these basic skills?"

"The arena," Zhang Renfeng murmured.

"The arena?"

“Well, before becoming the martial arts champion, I fought in the arena for five years in my hometown. I fought against hundreds of people from all walks of life.” Zhang Renfeng’s tone was very relaxed. “Commander Xu’s lower body is very stable, and his Pi Gua Palm technique is already very proficient and powerful. If he can train as I say, he can open his own school in the capital in two years with this martial art.”

In theory, if someone is capable of leading a group, what reason would they have to open their own school on the street and make a living by teaching martial arts? Wouldn't that be a pure curse upon them?

But Xu Lingjun didn't mind. He knew Zhang Renfeng was just like that. He laughed it off and the topic was over.

"Zhang Lingjun is quick-witted and outspoken, pointing out the shortcomings. I am extremely grateful."

"In the end, this is just a game of fists and feet. It's not what you rely on on the battlefield." Zhang Renfeng wiped his hands and said in a deep voice, "Swords, spears, halberds, muskets, and cannons—each of them can kill. When weapons are out of your hands and swords are dulled, trying to break through with fists and feet will probably be a dead end."

"Speaking of which, the higher-ups have mobilized three whole battalions of troops, but they are only facing Yu City. Why haven't they launched a general offensive yet? It's puzzling."

"..." Commander Xu looked at him with some surprise, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Commander Zhang, did you bring your advisor with you on this long journey?"

"The advisor?" Zhang Renfeng found it strange. "Why bring them along?"

"Military affairs are complex, and military and political orders always need someone to help advise on them."

“What’s there to advise on?” Zhang Renfeng shook his head and laughed. “I’m not without a mouth. I’ll say what I want to say myself. Why would I need a few more tongues?”

"..."

Xu Lingjun hesitated, his gaze becoming somewhat complicated, before sighing meaningfully, "If you're looking for a clerk, it's best to find one from Shaoxing."

----

"Two adults."

As the two were talking, a soldier lifted the tent flap and walked in. According to military etiquette, he merely knelt down on one knee and gave a very rough salute. In the context of the "army," this behavior was undoubtedly very offensive. Commander Xu's expression immediately changed, and he stood up abruptly.

Conversely, Zhang Renfeng didn't feel that anything was wrong.

He is sorely lacking in sensitivity in this regard, which is why Xu Lingjun subtly suggested that he hire a private advisor to give him some lessons.

Unfortunately, it was too late; the test questions were already delivered to my face.

"...They're from the Kui Battalion." Seeing his luxurious armor, Commander Xu swallowed his anger. "What business do you have, Commander?"

"Someone from above has arrived," the soldier said simply. "Commander He sent me to inform the two lords to go to his tent for a meeting immediately."

"I understand." Xu Lingjun waved his hand impatiently, dismissing him.

"The higher-ups have finally arrived. Now we can really fight them without restraint, right?" Zhang Renfeng breathed a sigh of relief. "That's great... Once we drive the bandits away, the people of Yucheng can be freed from their suffering sooner."

Xu Lingjun glanced at him sideways, sighed inwardly, and simply instructed, "When you meet the important people later, you'd better keep your mouth shut. Let them discuss their business, we'll just listen."

Do you think they spent so much time, weathered so many conspiracies and intrigues, to climb to this position, just so they could listen to the advice of a mere leader when it comes to making crucial decisions? — This was a thought Xu Lingjun kept to himself, never uttering it aloud.

He felt that even a novice like Zhang Renfeng, being in the officialdom, needed someone else to enlighten him on such a simple principle. Wouldn't that be treating him like a fool?

The two tidied themselves up and left the military tent.