Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"She doesn't care about me at all, doesn't care about Father or Mother, she's probably forgotten them long ago!" Finney curled up in agony, clutching her hair as if trying to rip it off her scalp, muttering to herself, "Living in a big house, sleeping on a comfortable bed, whispering sweet nothings in the arms of her father's killer... Ugh! Disgusting! So disgusting!"

“Regardless, this is what your sister asked us to give you.” Zhang Renfeng took out a sealed envelope and showed it to him. “The seal is still on, we haven’t touched it. Inside is some money and a letter, which she wrote and put in together.”

"Huh?" Finney looked up as if waking from a dream, her face full of confusion.

"She knows about your intrusion into the Heisen residence today, and she also knows... that you have suffered a lot because of her. She has many things to prepare right now and is unable to come here, so she asked us to deliver this letter to you. It contains some compensation for you."

Xiaomei, standing to the side, added as tactfully as possible, "Also, these days, just focus on recovering and don't go anywhere else and cause trouble."

"Whether you hate her now or not, she accepts it. When she has some free time, she will definitely take the time to explain everything to you."

……

Finney's expression changed several times. Overwhelming emotions assaulted his face, causing his facial muscles to momentarily lose control and become contorted in a grotesque manner.

confused.

disappointment.

pain.

anger.

At such a young age, he experienced all the joys and sorrows of life, which made his face look incredibly weathered.

"Snapped!"

He slapped Zhang Renfeng's hand away, gritted his teeth, and said, word by word, "Tell her for me... I don't want it, I don't want her money, I don't want her things! This envelope smells like something out of a ghost... I don't recognize anyone who smells like this as my family!"

“I understand what she means, haha... Actually, there’s no need to beat around the bush, I understand. She just wants me to behave myself and not cause trouble for the Hysen family.”

"She was afraid. She was afraid that people would find out she had a younger brother who hated the nobility! She was afraid that people would find out that her father and mother had been drained of their last drop of blood by the persecution of their family, dying tragically like burnt-out lamp wicks! How could a girl who wanted to marry into the nobility have such an outdated family background?"

"That's not how it is," Xiaomei couldn't help but say. "If we hadn't shown up this morning, you would have been dead in that alley. With your current strength, going to provoke a nobleman would be like throwing an egg against a rock, wouldn't it? She's just afraid of losing you!"

“…She’s already lost her.” Finney rubbed her forehead, took a couple of breaths, and said coldly, “I…I’d rather starve to death, freeze to death, be beaten to death…than associate with these bastards! They killed my parents and want to chew up every bone in our bodies, I! I…”

"Cough! Cough cough cough..."

That night, my emotions went up and down, filled with anger and sorrow, which had already completely drained my already weakened body.

He coughed again, much more violently than before, and his straight back bent over, like a hunched shrimp.

"You... I can't say anything about your deal with my sister. That's your prerogative."

After catching his breath, he finally managed to catch his breath and said in an extremely weak voice, "Please, next time you go to see her, please...please help me by conveying what I just said. And please return this envelope to her as well..."

Zhang Renfeng stared at him for a long time, then shook his head.

“I’m not your brother and sister’s mouthpiece. I’m passing on messages for her because she can provide me with value; she’s my partner.”

"As for you, you are of no value to me. In just this one day, I have already given you far too much. When your injuries have healed enough for you to walk again, you can go and explain things to her yourself."

Xiaomei was somewhat surprised by his decision, but upon closer reflection, it seemed to be the most suitable approach given their current situation.

They are siblings after all, bound by blood ties that cannot be severed with just a few words. As outsiders, what good does it do to get too involved, other than waste our energy?

Finney closed his eyes, nodded, and slammed the envelope full of money onto the bedside table without even glancing at it. His message was clear: if anyone wanted it, they could just take it.

After a busy day, it was finally time to rest. The only patient had taken up a bed, so the rest of the people had to make do with makeshift beds on the floor in the room. But Zhang Renfeng had no intention of resting. He straightened his clothes, put on his hat, and headed towards the door again.

"Mr. Zhang?" Xiaomei asked curiously, "It's already past nine o'clock at night, are you still going to the bar?"

Generally speaking, when you arrive in a new town, the tavern is the best place to exchange information. There, you'll find plenty of idle people with plenty of stories to tell. Just buy them a few drinks, and you can pick a lock and get some local intelligence.

The original plan was to lie in wait in Mingdeng City for a few days, find out the details of the security company, and then try to get two sets of clothes. If possible, it would be best to also find out the security personnel arrangements for the birthday party, so that it would be easier to sneak in.

But now that they have Jenny's deal as a foundation, it seems unnecessary, which is why Xiaomei asked this question.

"No, there's something else I need to check. I probably won't be back tonight." Zhang Renfeng waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "You guys go to sleep first, don't wait for me."

He gently closed the door and stepped into the brightly lit city.

They headed towards the factory, which was far from the city center.

Chapter 615: Smash It All!

"what--!!"

A piercing scream drifted out from the factory.

"What are you doing?" The foreman noticed the commotion and rushed over quickly, his thick-soled boots pounding. He asked in a hoarse, gloomy voice, "You haven't met today's targets yet. Who told you to stop? Get back to work!"

As he rapidly approached, the onlookers showed expressions of fear and immediately dispersed.

Only the boy, slumped on the ground, remained—he was almost as thin and small as Finney, like a mouse that had crawled into the kitchen. His face and clothes were blackened with soot, making it impossible to discern his features. He bit his lip tightly to keep a sound from escaping, and large beads of sweat dotted his forehead.

The boy kept his right hand covered, where a piece of skin had been burned off, which looked quite horrifying.

Nevertheless, he seemed more afraid of the gloomy-faced overseer than his injured hand, and desperately tried to stand up.

"Mr. Smith, I'm so sorry." A worker nearby, unable to bear it any longer, spoke up to explain, "This child just burned his hand, could you perhaps let him..."

"What does this have to do with you? He got burned because he was stupid. Are you as stupid as him?" Foreman Smith glared at him, kicked him away, and then kicked the burned boy twice more like a sack of potatoes. "I'll give you fifteen minutes. After you've treated this, get back to work right now!"

"Listen up, all of you! Don't think that just because it's almost a holiday you can slack off. This has nothing to do with you. You lowly, filthy, lazy bunch, if you don't meet your quotas, none of you are leaving here!"

"Make fewer mistakes and complete more work, and you'll get paid. If you don't meet your targets, the higher-ups will blame you. If I'm in a bad mood, none of you will be in a good mood either. Do you understand?"

The harsh voice echoed through the factory, and the people, despite being scolded, did not react. They were like a flock of sheep, long accustomed to the shepherd's shouts and whips.

They simply lowered their heads and continued with their work, as if nothing had ever happened.

……

On a hillside not far away, Zhang Renfeng took in everything that had happened. His expression was grave, but he said nothing and silently put away his binoculars. After several seconds of silence, his clenched fist relaxed.

A chilling wind blew past behind me, and withered leaves swirled and danced in the air.

A pair of eyes, gleaming with an eerie light, silently opened behind him.

……

“You’ve changed a lot,” Angel Eyes said.

“You haven’t changed at all. You still walk without making a sound.” Zhang Renfeng was not surprised by his sudden appearance. He even took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to him.

The two men each took out a match, lit their tobacco, and amidst the swirling smoke, two points of light appeared and disappeared in the dead of night.

This time, Zhang Renfeng remained silent for a long time, his mind filled with chaotic thoughts that he could neither swallow nor spit out.

“In the past, you would have yelled, grabbed whatever you could find and rushed in, killing him in front of everyone,” Angel Eyes said. “Then, you would probably have gotten the whereabouts of the Heisen family and how many people were in the family from the remaining people, and then physically wiped out the entire family.”

“I can still do that now.” Zhang Renfeng exhaled a puff of smoke, squinting at the foreman in the factory. “I can rush in and punch him into the wall, or pour a bucket of molten iron over his head…”

"But what's the point?"

Angel Eyes did not answer.

“Kill one foreman, and another will appear; wipe out this family, and another, and another… If we look further ahead, even if I destroy the Haisen family, destroy all their factories, and make this family disappear from the world, so what?”

“People still needed kerosene lamps, and where there was demand, others would come and do the business. So in other states and counties, new Haysen families opened factories that specialized in making kerosene lamps.”

As Zhang Renfeng spoke, his tone became incredibly pained. "Actually, it's not just kerosene lamps; most trades are like this. Look at that factory; it barely has any windows, and you're practically working in toxic fumes. With all that repetitive work, if you lose focus for too long, you could end up like what just happened."

“In this place, they are not treated as human beings at all, but just tools. If they are broken or no longer useful, they are thrown away and replaced with new ones.”

Angel Eyes commented, "In this day and age, finding a place where people are treated as human beings is a luxury."

Zhang Renfeng shook his head slightly. "But they have been dedicated to spreading the message that the North is a world of civilized people, and that the plantations in the South are so barbaric and inhumane! But are these children working in factories in the North really living much better lives than the slaves in the plantations in the South? I don't think so."

"As long as the rules remain the same, everything I saw tonight will be played out elsewhere, exactly the same. No matter how good I am at fighting or killing, I'm still just one person. There are so many injustices in the world; if you think about it carefully, how could I possibly eliminate them all?"

A cold wind howled, Zhang Renfeng's brows were furrowed, and his expression was very downcast. After stating his conclusion, he couldn't help but sigh.

"Congratulations," Angel Eyes said calmly.

"Where does happiness come from?"

“You’re beginning to truly explore the truth of the world, instead of just violently venting your anger as you used to. The mere willingness to think is progress.” Angel Eyes’ tone was calm and still, like a block of pure black ice. “So, what do you plan to do next?”

"If you need, I can make this family disappear."

He gave a thumbs-up and lightly rubbed it against his neck, his eyes instantly turning cold. "I mean, completely disappear. It will be clean, as if they never existed. They will collectively 'disappear,' disappearing without a trace, leaving no evidence at the scene—no fighting, no blood, no bullet holes..."

There were also no witnesses.

……

"No, no, I don't want it to be this way."

After careful consideration, Zhang Renfeng shook his head and looked at the factories clustered together in the darkness like anthills. "This time, I will not compete with them for temporary wins or losses. I will smash their chessboard, along with the rules they have set!"

"Don't stay here for the next few days. Go back to White Torch Town and see Jimmy. I'll have Xiaomei write a letter for me. Come pick it up tomorrow morning and make sure to deliver it to Jimmy in person. He'll definitely understand after reading it."

He patted Angel Eyes on the shoulder. "Come back after you've finished this. I have other things in this city that I need your help with."

Chapter 616: The Paper Knight

"drink!"

The knight's broadsword fell diagonally, cleaving a mannequin filled with hay in two. The blade struck the marble floor, scattering sparks.

The one wielding the broadsword was a young man with broad shoulders and a sturdy build.

He wore a fine metal arm armor on both arms, had a slightly long face, a pointed chin, and light golden hair tied back. He squatted down to carefully examine the marks on the floor—the sword strike had even cracked a small hole in the stone floor.

“Wow, that’s fantastic, absolutely perfect, Imond!” Another man, dressed casually in a suspender shirt, was overjoyed. He clapped his hands repeatedly, circled Imond a few times, and said excitedly, “Look at this plate armor, these arm guards, and this knight’s greatsword! I deliberately added a little weight to it, making it a full 2.8 kilograms.”

"To others, it might seem like a hindrance, but it's just right for you. There's probably no one else in the world who can wield such a heavy weapon!"

Imond looked at his brother, a shadow crossing his eyes, but he quickly smiled. "It's all thanks to you, Henry."

"No, no, not at all." Henry was still extremely excited. His expression was like that of a fanatical fan of military strategy who finally had the chance to show off his knowledge in real life. He immediately started talking non-stop, "I'm still considering whether to add a cool cloak to your armor."

Imond removed his half-coverage metal visor. "With this, am I guaranteed to win?"

"That's not necessarily true. Knight duels, like cowboy duels, are full of endless possibilities."

Henry had already closed his eyes, beginning to imagine the scene. A smile played on his lips, his tone filled with rapture. "At a single command, the knights on both sides charged. This wasn't just a duel of bravery, but also a battle of skill. Even the most well-prepared expert could be knocked off his horse due to a single oversight, failing to defend against an opponent's move..."

"Henry."

Imond removed his arm armor and gently set it aside. With a cold and stern tone, he interrupted his brother, "Have you ever considered why Father always makes such a grand celebration for his birthday, involving the entire city?"

Henry's smile froze instantly. He scratched his head. "Uh... I..."

“Bread and the circus.” Imond raised his broadsword with one hand, pressing his fingers lightly against the tip, as if to feel the chilling sharpness that converged at a single point. “Like a machine in a factory, if the pressure is too great, it must be released through a valve. Otherwise, the internal pressure will crush the pipes from the inside out.”

“Look around you, Henry.”

Henry wasn't very bright, but his only redeeming quality was his obedience. He looked around, still confused, and asked, "Isn't this our house?"

"Yes, besides the exquisite wooden carvings on the ceiling, the velvet fabric on the walls, and the marble wainscoting and flooring, there's also that antique tableware set over there at the dining table... Where do you think all these things came from?"

“Every penny that is taken from the circus creates pressure. The pressure on an individual is nothing, but when it accumulates, something terrible can happen. The annual ‘Bread and Circus’ is their pressure relief valve.”

"If I were to put it more clearly..."

Imond leaned on his broadsword, the tip dragging across the ground with a rough scraping sound and sparks flying everywhere.

He walked slowly up to Henry, staring at him for a long time. The light shone on his profile, casting a skeletal shadow over his sunken eye sockets.

He raised his hand, gently touched Henry's shoulder, and said with a smile, "This isn't your knightly game, brother. This is a demonstration by our family. Because this match was prepared by you, it's a knightly duel full of 'honor and courage,' and it's the only game our family will ever participate in."

“Now that we’re on the field, there’s no ‘possibility.’ We must win, without fail, with no room for negotiation. We want to send this message to everyone watching: the Hysen family remains the same and will continue to be this powerful. Do you understand what I mean?”

“…But…but…” Henry’s tone was conflicted. “Emond, you’ve been learning knighthood, horsemanship, and swordsmanship since you were little. I’ve also had the best armor, the best broadsword, and the best horse made for you. Isn’t that enough of a difference in equipment?”

"You know, many of the people who signed up for the competition don't even have decent armor. And you want me to cheat? That's... that's just too unfair..."

“That’s their problem,” Imond said coldly. “What do you think Father relied on to build his kerosene lamp empire in the southern counties? Was it fair?”

“We set the rules, or rather, you set them… as long as they look fair. The purpose of this competition, as I just explained to you, is not for fairness or victory, just like the Roman emperors opened the gladiatorial arena, simply to demonstrate their omnipotent power.”

“This is not only my wish, but also Father’s.” Imond sheathed his broadsword, giving him a somewhat cold look. “As the eldest son, you won’t let him down, will you?”

"...What about the prize money?" Henry bit his lip. "I've set an $800 prize for first place. Are you planning to pocket that money?"

“I don’t need the 800 yuan. I will announce in the name of my family that I will use the 800 yuan to hire a famous team of chefs to prepare a free lunch for all the audience members present.”

"Lobster, steak, pork loin, black truffles... Just pick some leftovers from the kitchen, do a little processing, and these people will fight tooth and nail over them. If there's a bit of blood involved, it'll be even more of a carnival."

"Grab it while supplies last, first come, first served. Look, buddy, this way you can have both bread and the circus."