Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"Hey, you yellow-skinned bastard over there!" Someone noticed Zhang Renfeng gazing at the harbor and stepped forward to shoo him away, his tone extremely impatient. "Blue Magpie Harbor has been booked out for the time being. The port owner has important matters to attend to. No unauthorized personnel are allowed in. Go back to where you came from!"

The port, which should have been the most prosperous part of the city, was now surrounded by layers of walls. Although these people were dressed in suits and trousers, looking very formal, Zhang Renfeng saw that familiar cicada tattoo on their arms.

At this point, all the clues had come together, and he had figured everything out.

Istavo White Ulysses, E.U., the Cicada Gang.

All the information had actually been prepared months ago, but Zhang Renfeng simply refused to think about it.

Every time he vaguely tried to piece these things together, he forced himself to stop. Perhaps it was his subconscious, but he was unwilling to accept that Istavo's true nature was that of a transnational arms dealer, slave trader, and bootlegging agent.

But think about it more carefully. If he weren't a member of the Illuminati, if he were just an ordinary businessman, no matter how big his business was, would the mayor of San Quintac be so proud to invite him? Would the Italians who were powerful and influential in the city act like mice before a cat the moment they saw him?

The facts are right in front of us now, and no matter how unwilling we are to believe them, we have no choice but to accept them.

Regardless, after traveling such a long distance by train, there's no reason for us to leave empty-handed.

……

"Sir, may I ask a question?" Zhang Renfeng's gaze was already fixed on the luxury cruise ship anchored on the shore, but he still asked, "Why is the port suddenly closed? What exactly is going on?"

"I told you to get lost, so get lost now, you yellow-skinned bastard, believe me or not..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Renfeng pulled out a wad of US dollars from his pocket, and once again witnessed the authentic art of face-changing in the distant country of America.

Normally, he might have already taken a punch, but this time is different; he genuinely wants to have a proper talk with Istavo. If he starts by using punches to pave the way, then it'll be a fight his way in.

Although he already knew that Istavo's true nature might not be as good as he thought, Zhang Renfeng was unwilling to break off relations with the benefactor who had pulled him out of hell. This was probably one of the few times he truly wanted to seriously carry out the "infiltration" tactic.

As for the money, he didn't care how much he gave; it was enough to make one of his underlings talk endlessly.

"Haha... I understand. You're also a foreign businessman, and you're in a hurry to ship your goods out of this port, right? Don't worry, the curfew here will be lifted in a few days at most."

"I heard that the top boss is having a secret talk with someone. The content of their talk is very important, so to prevent the secret from being leaked, they simply surrounded this place, not even a fly could get in!"

“He brought someone over tonight, and he’s having dinner with the boss right now. Look!” He pointed to the luxury cruise ship in the distance. “He’s on that ship. After dinner tonight, or at most another day, I reckon this entourage will be gone.”

Did they invite other people as well?

This answer surprised Zhang Renfeng. He had assumed that Istavo had made such a grand gesture to welcome him. Unexpectedly, he had also invited other people in the past few days. Zhang Renfeng became curious about what other surprises his old friend had prepared for him.

"Look, I've told you everything I know, shouldn't you...?"

"Oh, of course, of course." Zhang Renfeng nodded with a smile. "Since there are rules, I'll go back."

……

It is impossible to go back.

The moment Han Chan helped his underling turn around, Zhang Renfeng's smile vanished instantly. He took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed his breathing and heartbeat to the minimum.

He crouched down, slid in, and stuck right behind his underling!

"……Eh?"

The younger brother was somewhat surprised. For no apparent reason, he felt a chill run down his spine. He immediately turned around, only to find the place completely empty.

"What's going on? Why are you walking so fast?" He scratched his head, feeling confused and puzzled.

The instant he turned around, Zhang Renfeng, crouching low, immediately stepped ahead of him, turned after him, and hid behind him again. Unlike horses, humans only have a 180-degree field of vision; they can see what's in front of them and use their peripheral vision to check the sides, but they can't see what's behind them.

Zhang Renfeng has always adhered to a reckless fighting style, but he only felt that doing so was faster and more convenient, which did not mean that he would not infiltrate.

However, even with the change in tactics, his infiltration strategy remained simple and brutal: he used people's backs as cover, crouched down, and not only that, he also adjusted his heartbeat and breathing to match the frequency of the person he was tracking, and even his movements were exactly the same.

There were quite a few members of the Cold Cicada Gang patrolling the area. Zhang Renfeng used them as mobile cover, quickly switching formations and following them for a while before moving to another cover.

The port was under the heaviest security ever, but as the journey progressed, the security personnel began to thin out. The enormous, luxurious cruise ship was getting closer and closer to him.

A sharp whooshing sound suddenly struck his temple!

Chapter 564: I Use My Hands...

"Have you heard the news from your hometown?" Istavo put down his wine glass and asked slowly.

“This…this…” Gray hesitated slightly, unsure for a moment what kind of answer his boss wanted.

Is the question "Yes or no" so difficult to answer?

After a moment's thought, Gray used a rather vague statement, "I've only received some rumors that... the higher-ups can't tolerate the behavior of a certain gang. That gang seems to have originated in the south, and in the last few months, it has grown increasingly powerful, showing signs of challenging its home base. Mr. Istavo, we discussed this matter at our last meeting. We can't let them continue to grow unchecked; we should act decisively..."

“The higher-ups want me to make Red Center disappear,” Istavo said calmly. “Once it’s done, Roanok’s position will be mine.”

"Have you ever thought about who should take over my position if I were to succeed Roanoke?"

Often, saying things out loud makes them seem less interesting.

On the contrary, if you give a slight hint and let the other person understand the meaning on their own, they will believe it without a doubt.

At this moment, Gray finally realized Istavo's subtext. His expression changed several times, from astonishment to ecstatic joy, and then he forcibly suppressed it. He now believed that Istavo had gone to great lengths to summon him here for something.

“Gray, I remember…you’re in the logging business, right?”

“That’s right, that’s right! Logging, processing, transportation, and trading—we’ve got it all!” Gray hurriedly introduced, “[Abi Timber Company] has been in business for over a decade and has already made a name for itself in the south!”

“I have branch factories in New Orleans, New Elizabeth, Bluegrass, Sunshine, and the Southern Commonwealth. My next plan is to open a factory in the ‘Last Frontier.’ I’ll probably be the first person in history to expand the timber business there, hahaha…”

Seeing that Istavo didn't respond to his words, Gray was taken aback at first, then quickly replied, "Of course, no matter how big the business gets, in the Illuminati, I will always be your subordinate. I will do whatever you want me to do."

“Thank you for your statement, Gray.” Istavo nodded, a slight smile finally appearing on his lips. “There’s no one else here. You saw it when we arrived. I’ve arranged guards for miles around. Not a single word of our conversation will be leaked.”

"Give me the inside scoop: how many people does your Abi Timber Company have, and what are its capabilities? What are your business plans for the next five years...?"

"I want to know if you have the ability to take over my business in the southern states."

----

"boom----!!"

A heavy punch came crashing down, but Zhang Renfeng instantly pulled back, dodging the force of the blow. The loud noise startled his underlings who had been secretly following him. These were probably the last few of his men. Further ahead was the huge cruise ship docked at the pier. He could easily leap over the ship, grab onto its hull, and climb aboard bit by bit.

The journey of a hundred miles is only half complete at ninety, and it is precisely in these last ten meters or so that a sudden change occurs!

Amidst the smoke and dust, a familiar figure stood on one leg, striking a pose distinctly different from Zhang Renfeng's understanding. His upper body was completely naked, while his lower body wore athletic shorts, and his right leg, firmly supporting his weight, was muscular and hardened, almost like iron. From the broad, well-developed muscles of that back, Zhang Renfeng recognized the man, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

As the smoke cleared, the red ribbon tied around his eyes startled Zhang Renfeng.

"Tian?! What happened to your eyes?"

"..."

The man who had carried him all the way out of hell still stood there like a stubborn piece of iron, his entire attire costing less than five copper coins. The complex and chaotic material world could easily corrode everything, but it could not leave any trace on him.

The only difference was that a red cloth was tied around his eyes, fluttering in the wind.

"It doesn't matter."

Ah Tian shook his head. Two years had passed, and he could speak some English now.

Although the pronunciation of some words is still quite strange, it can still express my meaning: "I only lost my eyes, but I gained more. With my eyes closed, the world is simpler for me."

“I can see… your ‘qi’ is shifting!”

Without warning, Ah Tian launched an attack. Just by listening to the sound of air being cut, one could tell how heavy and fierce the high kick was!

But Zhang Renfeng remained unchanged, adopting a defensive stance, planting his hands in a horse stance. Generally, when facing a worthy opponent, he wouldn't dodge the first attack; he wanted to test the strength of the opponent's initial assault.

"Thump—!!!"

"Good weight!"

The moment he took the hit, a look of surprise flashed through Zhang Renfeng's mind; he hadn't experienced such a heavy attack in a long time.

The leg transformed into a whip, the tip of which struck the back of the hand heavily.

His stance wasn't broken, but his body was knocked back more than ten meters, his feet leaving two tracks in the ground.

"Eight Extremes?"

"No... its fierce and domineering power surpasses even the Eight Extremes, it's simply..."

"The Seven Injury Fist?!"

Zhang Renfeng had a keen eye. While Bajiquan was indeed powerful and fierce, it was not all about relentless advance; it also involved skillful techniques, such as grounding and routines. The key was the interplay of opening and closing.

Ah Tian's current boxing style leaves him no room for retreat, channeling all his weight and strength into offense, emphasizing ruthlessness. It's as if he's saying, "If you don't kill me today, I'll kill you."

The moment Zhang Renfeng took over, he sensed that A-Tian's body was far tougher than that of an ordinary person! If it weren't for his own internal strength technique, he would probably have been knocked to the ground by that kick.

"In my original country, the lower class had no tomorrow."

Ah Tian stomped his foot on the ground, leaving tiny cracks. "Health, future... these things can all be given up. Apart from joining the army and fighting, making military achievements, there is almost no other way for a person to live with dignity."

“Ishtar took me in, and I’ve been very happy every day here.”

"Zhang, even you... can't destroy it!"

----

Ah Tian doesn't have the habit of using his toes to generate power. His starting motion involves pressing his entire foot heavily onto the ground to "launch" his body out.

He swiftly crouched on the ground, seemingly accustomed to moving in complete darkness. Without sight, his movements became even more agile, heading straight for Zhang Renfeng's face. He twisted his upper body, using his elbow as a blade, poised to deliver a powerful horizontal elbow strike!

Zhang Renfeng raised his hand to intercept.

"Boom————!!!"

In an instant, Ah Tian swung his body backward and twisted, his right leg shifting into a swan-like stance, delivering a perfect scorpion kick that struck Zhang Renfeng right between the eyebrows!

Chapter 565: Only the survivor has the right to talk about martial virtue

External martial arts styles originated from military combat techniques, at least in the Central Plains culture.

Each martial arts school first developed its own unique weapon, and then derived a set of martial arts techniques specifically for fist and foot techniques from the weapon's combat skills. For example, Xingyiquan (形意拳) takes Yue Fei as its founder, and it evolved from the spear into fist techniques. In essence, all fist and foot training is for better mastering spear techniques.

However, the Muay Thai that Ah Tian uses is fundamentally different. Its philosophy is the opposite, believing that the human body is the strongest weapon.

The usual training methods are all aimed at training the hard parts of the body, such as fists, elbows, and knees, to be no different from knives and guns.

There were no stone weights, no wooden stakes, no sandbags. Their training method for kicking involved repeatedly kicking a banana tree standing upright with their shins. Leg bones would break, but they had corresponding methods; with careful tending, the broken bones would heal quickly and become even stronger than before. In this way, the hardness of their limbs was improved, bringing them one step closer to becoming "weapons."

Kick again, break again, heal again, and repeat this cycle until you can kick a banana tree in half with a single kick. This training process is, of course, incredibly painful, requiring you to endure the bones breaking and healing again and again.

But there's no way around it; that's just how things are. If you don't want to be a slave, the only way out is to make a name for yourself on the battlefield. If you don't have that kind of skill, one sweeping kick from an enemy can break your ribs.

In a sense, this is the Thai people's native form of "qi-hardening" (a martial art that improves physical fitness), but it leaves countless hidden injuries within the body. Even before middle age, once past 30, bodily functions begin to decline, which is why Muay Thai is so powerful and aggressive.

From the very beginning, they had no way out.

----

Elbow. Knee. Fist.

Even his relatively vulnerable calves had been trained into deadly weapons. His attacks rained down, and not a single one missed. He was like a machine that could continuously unleash deadly moves. His punches were powerful and forceful, and each strike was enough to knock Zhang Renfeng back half a step or so. He was no longer the opponent who had been like a wooden stake.

……

"boom---!!"

Zhang Renfeng's right leg whipped up a gust of wind in the air, unleashing a semi-circular kick, which A Tian dodged by tilting his head back. His heel lightly grazed the ribbons around A Tian's eyes without touching his face at all.

This is not the first time.

During the fight, Ah Tian had dodged his kicks and punches several times in a row. Ah Tian's attacks, however, always managed to hit him accurately. If it weren't for his internal energy cultivation, he would probably have collapsed long ago after being hit so many times.

"It seems you're telling the truth... You've become more perceptive than before after losing your sight."

"Boom!"

Ah Tian shifted his stance, planting his legs firmly on the ground like wooden stakes, and assumed the standard starting position once more. His elbows and knees protruded, acting as blades to protect his entire body, while the ribbon covering his eyes fluttered in the wind, adding to his imposing aura.

“The best way for you is to destroy my hearing,” Ah Tian said in a deep voice. “You’ve been fighting me in close combat, but it’s really unnecessary. If you puncture my eardrums and I lose two of my five senses, my mobility will be greatly limited, and you can win without a fight.”

“Ha, indeed, there are many ways, but if I used that method on you…” Zhang Renfeng laughed as he countered, “Then, would I still be considered a human being?”

"You people always like to mix too many impure things into victory and defeat—friendship, honor, and love. It's like sprinkling honey all over a steak; it seems sweet, but in reality, it's a mess!" Ah Tian's tone was heavy as he said sternly, "In my country, this is a tool for killing. Victory is victory, and defeat is defeat!"

"Zhang, if you don't kill me, I'll have to kill you..."

"That's just how the world is; it's wild and untamed!"

Once an arrow leaves the bowstring, can it turn back?

"Thump—!!"