Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Regardless of what awaits him later, Gao Shu has truly won this battle.

But miracles and magic should not be free.

He had already been mentally prepared.

Inside the treehouse, two distinct factions sat around the long table. One faction, led by Zhang Renfeng, consisted of outsiders who had provided the main output, weapons, and supplies in the recent High Tree War. The other faction consisted of several local leaders, led by Flying Eagle and Peregrine Falcon, who held considerable authority in High Tree.

Yinshuang hesitated for a long time, unable to decide where to sit, so she chose a seat in the middle.

The chief, on the other hand, was quite resolute and sat on Zhang Renfeng's side from the very beginning, which was consistent with his stance.

Although separated by a long table, which in theory could be considered a negotiation between forces, neither side seemed to take it seriously.

After this battle, no matter what, the relationship between the two sides was still one of unbreakable ties.

……

“Strictly speaking, your father is the one who ultimately makes the decision.” Mike rubbed his eyes, fighting off sleepiness, and spoke as the gang’s representative. “Young man, are you sure you can make the decision on this?”

"The Gaoshu tribe is not an ungrateful bunch. We know how we won this war. Without you, Gaoshu would not have been much different from those tribes wiped out by the army." Peregrine turned his head slightly, exchanged glances with the other tribal elders, and emphasized, "This is our consensus."

“War costs money. You have invested so much manpower, material resources and financial resources, so you should get a return.”

"After this battle, whether we like it or not, we're all one family now, or at least that's what the outside world will think," Zhang Renfeng stated in a gentle and calm tone. "Logically speaking, family members shouldn't speak like outsiders. But when it comes to 'interests,' it's best to clarify things from the very beginning."

"It's quite simple, we need oil."

There was no card-pushing, no game of strategy, and it didn't even qualify as negotiation. Zhang Renfeng went straight to the point and revealed their terms.

"Sure," Flying Eagle readily agreed, nodding immediately. "Anything else?"

The facial muscles of several elders from the High Tree tribe twitched visibly, clearly indicating that Flying Eagle hadn't consulted them before giving his affirmative answer. However, they only showed unusual expressions and didn't voice any objection. The Peregrine Falcon remained motionless, calmly as if it had known all along.

“…Wait a minute, young man…” Mike took a deep breath, half-covering his face, somewhat unaccustomed to it, “You’re being a little too decisive.”

“Actually… you could have set some conditions.” Zhang Renfeng was also a little surprised. “I’m a little embarrassed that you agreed so directly… that thing is quite valuable.”

“I know, I asked the hummingbird, and it is indeed very valuable in the outside world,” the eagle said calmly. “But what meaning does it have for us? Before you arrived, we didn’t even know that such a thing was buried beneath the earth where we live. With the strength of our tribe, we can’t possibly realize its value.”

"In that case, wouldn't it be better to take it as a thank-you gift?"

“You’re much smarter than you look,” Calaway whistled, teasingly. “I thought you were the kind of ‘brute’ type of leader.”

“Okay, I didn’t expect it to go so smoothly, but…” Zhang Renfeng hesitated for a moment, then carefully chose his words, “There’s something I need to make clear to you.”

“Oil extraction is not the same as cutting down trees or mining coal. There will be a lot of machines and drills digging and chiseling in the ground. The crude oil extracted cannot be used. It needs to be processed, which means that in order to save costs, it may be necessary to build factories.”

"Of course, we'll try our best to build the factory away from tall trees. After all, the grasslands are so vast, right? But..."

Having witnessed firsthand the lifestyle of the Gaoshu tribe, he found it difficult to speak about what was to come next.

“We will no longer live as a tribe,” the peregrine falcon suddenly spoke up. “Is that what you mean?”

"What?" Flying Eagle was somewhat confused; he didn't understand the connection between the two events.

“It’s inevitable, brother,” the peregrine explained. “Oil, factories… these are all things of modern civilization, and they bring a lot, including cultural shocks.”

"The tribal way of life is too backward and cannot withstand such an impact. It will disappear soon. Our place will gradually become a town, no different from those towns outside, except that it will be more developed and wealthy thanks to oil."

"Perhaps decades from now, our descendants will live like white people."

“But… that’s our tradition…” Flying Eagle hesitated for the first time. “How can we just abandon it like that? The young people in the tribe probably… won’t agree to it.”

“Then convince them, make them understand: this is the price the people of Talltree, our fellow Native Americans, must pay to survive in this country.” Peregrine’s tone was resolute. “The backward can’t beat the advanced, and bows and arrows can’t beat firearms. The gap between us and the whites will only widen from now on.”

"Such a miracle will never happen again!"

Chapter 701: You Will Be a Good Father

"call……"

Xiaomei took a deep breath and opened the magazine for what seemed like the umpteenth time to check the bullets inside. After confirming that the loading was correct, she closed it again.

The cheers of the victory celebration came from not far away, lively and joyous, which made the girl's back view appear even more lonely.

Despite holding a gun, she wore a look of extreme caution, pacing back and forth several times in front of the secluded treehouse without going inside. After much hesitation, her right hand instinctively reached into her pocket and pulled out a bottle of liquor.

"Being so young and already dependent on this stuff isn't a good habit," Mike's teasing voice came from the side, startling the girl so much that she hurriedly stuffed the bottle back in.

"Don't tell Mr. Hongzhong," Xiaomei said, sounding a little guilty.

“Both Lu and I are practically in our graves, and we were too unrestrained when we were young, with all that smoking and drinking… it’s ruined our health.” Mike waved his hand. “You’re still so young, don’t follow the example of us old folks.”

……

"Besides, this isn't something that requires mental preparation," he glanced at the Colt revolver in Xiaomei's hand. "Is this a hollow-point bullet?"

“It was specially prepared for him. It’s hard to buy outside, so I asked Mr. Theon to bring it to me from Dunn’s weapons factory. I wanted him to experience the taste of ‘heads exploding’, just like my father did.”

Xiao Mei skillfully hooked her finger and rotated the gun, muttering, "Before going to Mingdeng City, I was prepared with only one bullet... But when I actually got there, a few weeks later, news came that he had been kidnapped by Gao Shu, and I haven't been able to fire it since."

During that time, Xiaomei was very disappointed, thinking that the opportunity for revenge had slipped through her fingers.

But by a twist of fate, what was meant to be hers eventually returned to her after wandering around outside.

“You’re all ready, so what’s there to hesitate about? Old Zhang agreed, didn’t he?” Mike crossed his arms. “Go in, put the gun to his chin, look him in the eyes, and tell him clearly who you are and why he died. If you want, you can stretch out the process a bit, remember this day, this moment, remember the fear, despair, and resentment in his eyes.”

"Then, you pull the trigger, 'bang!'"

"it's all over."

……

Xiaomei stared at the gun barrel gleaming with a cold metallic light and suddenly asked, "What will it feel like after you've taken your revenge?"

Mike's expression changed slightly, his pupils narrowed, and his thoughts seemed to drift to a very distant place.

Many members of the gang had a history of seeking revenge for blood relatives: Mike avenged his son, Theon avenged his brother, and Zhang Renfeng avenged all those who suffered injustice. Among them, Xiao Mei always felt that Mike's situation was closest to her own.

“I…I don’t know how to describe it.” He lit a cigarette, exhaled smoke, and then continued, “You’ve known me for so long, young lady, you know me pretty well, right? When I kill, it’s always a headshot and a heartshot. I never delay.”

"But that day, I saw him tied up tightly like a sturdy wild boar and thrown in front of me. I couldn't care about anything else. It was as if I was no longer myself."

“I dealt with him using the same methods he used on my son. The process… how should I put it? Looking back, it feels like a foreign memory to me. I can’t remember many of the details, or perhaps it’s because I don’t want to remember them.”

"But when I did it, there was no difficulty at all. It just happened naturally, and my hand was very steady."

“Old Zhang was standing right next to me. I’m very grateful to him. At that moment, he didn’t look at me with surprise. Instead, he calmly asked me if I needed any help, and offered to lend a hand or hand me some tools.” Mike let out a long sigh as he said this.

“And then…” he shrugged and continued, “it was over. He was nailed to the antlers, and I let out a sigh of relief, sat down, and smoked one cigarette after another like a chimney.”

"It's over?" Xiaomei asked in disbelief. "You won't think about your son anymore?"

“My son is long dead, and so is your father. No matter what we do, we can’t bring them back to life. In the end, revenge is just about making peace with yourself.”

Speaking with the air of someone who's been there, he said, "After taking revenge, will I feel empty? Yes, I will. I'm telling you, I definitely will."

“But if someone makes you give up on this idea because of this, then you’d better shove a gun up their nose. Tell them it’s none of your business.” Mike patted her on the shoulder and said earnestly, “Whether you feel empty or not, it’s your own choice. You deserve it.”

“Look at me now, aren’t I doing great? I’ve saved up a considerable amount of money for my granddaughter, and there’s nothing weighing on my mind anymore. I can fish and shoot targets without any burden, and I can help you whenever you need me, no matter what the situation.”

"I can also give him the few years I have left."

“But you are different from us. You still have a long life ahead of you to enjoy... like this party right now. Everyone is having a good time, but you are carrying hatred on your shoulders and are burdened with worries, so you can’t participate. What a pity.”

"Go and do what you need to do, and give yourself a good rest."

At this moment, Mike's image in the girl's heart has finally been upgraded from the old gunslinger and strategist to a wise man with incredibly rich life experience.

After a moment's thought, she nodded, picked up the revolver, and finally pushed open the door.

----

……

“You could say those things to her too,” Mike said, stubbing out his cigarette without turning around. “She prefers you to talk to her. An old man like me has no charm anymore.”

“My experience is really not very convincing.” Zhang Renfeng scratched his head embarrassedly. “These kinds of life lessons are more convincing when spoken by older people.”

"Don't worry, this girl is very clever and so young, she'll be fine. She might be negative for a while... Perfect, haven't you always wanted them to go to school? Take this time, let them go to school for a while, just to relax."

“No.” Unexpectedly, Zhang Renfeng shook his head. “I would rather take her on a trip to relax and clear her mind. Once she has adjusted her mindset, I will find a way to send her back to school. Education is a major event in life, and it cannot be dealt with so carelessly.”

“I didn’t realize you valued this so much.” With Xiaomei not around, Mike took out a bottle of liquor without any hesitation and started slurring, “...In this country...there aren’t many people who have the opportunity to study, and there are even fewer girls.”

Zhang Renfeng's gaze passed through the wooden door as he murmured, "I'm a rough man with little education, and I often suffer in this regard."

"To be honest, I haven't seen you suffer any losses..." Mike complained.

"At least in this respect, I will do my best in everything I can."

"Ha!" Mike raised a glass in a toast to him. "Trust me, you'll be a good father."

Chapter 702: I Can't Kill Them All

"Click—"

The sound of the wooden door being pushed open felt heavy in the empty room. The light from outside, like a sword, pierced the heart of the father and son who had started the war.

"Heh... See that, kid? They've come to take us in." Ryan narrowed his eyes, and after seeing the revolver in Xiaomei's hand, he sneered, "What, does your master not even have the guts to pull the trigger himself, and instead send a little girl to do it for him?"

"Father! Please stop!" Jaworth cried out in despair.

His hands were bound behind his back, but otherwise unrestricted; he could still move. However, he had lost all will to resist. With a thud, he knelt on the ground, pleading desperately, "Please...please, we surrender! We...we're no threat! Let us go back! We'll discuss anything..."

"Shut up, you idiot!!" Ryan suddenly widened his eyes, shouting angrily, spitting everywhere. "My whole life of glory, how did it end up with a coward like you?! What are you fantasizing about? Can't you see that it all ended the moment you lost the war?!"

“But…but you can’t blame me. It’s the same no matter who hits me…” Javos twisted his neck, nearly collapsing, his voice trembling. “I just want to live, Father! I haven’t lived enough. I don’t want to die!”

Ryan was speechless. He closed his eyes, exhaled deeply, and asked numbly, his voice softening, "To survive, you wouldn't mind crawling on the ground like a dog and licking the soles of these red barbarians' shoes?"

Jaworth was silent for a while, then suddenly said, "Father, now... we should call them 'natives'."

……

"what……"

"Hahahaha!!" Ryan suddenly burst into laughter, laughing so hard he almost choked. "You...you see, this piece of trash is actually my offspring...He lost, so what? He couldn't even escape properly, and ended up like this. I have nothing to say."

"If you're kind enough, kill him after you kill me. Keeping such a thing alive is a disgrace to my reputation!"

After saying that, he tilted his head to the side, adopting an air of being ready to die at any moment.

However, Xiaomei's gaze was unexpectedly calm, and the surging hatred she had felt earlier seemed to have subsided.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Ha, how would I know? Whoever you want is whoever you want," Ryan said nonchalantly.

“I am Messaria Marston, and my father, Barry Marston, was once a sheriff in Windblown Sands.” Little Messaria stared into his eyes, speaking slowly and deliberately, as if she wanted to pour out all the emotions she had been suppressing in her heart in the form of words. “Because he refused to help you cover up the scandal and collude with those corrupt cops, he eventually died at the hands of Mark Dooling.”

The name finally brought Ryan to his senses. The muscles in his face twitched, and he forced a smile, "So... you're going to kill me?"

"I don't care what a lowly sheriff is thinking. Your father is an idiot, an incurable idiot. And you really are his daughter. You're no different from him, both idiots!"

Perhaps realizing his time was running out, Ryan became unrestrained and began to hurl insults wildly, "As long as you obediently accept this money, accept my good intentions, nothing will happen. Who the hell am I? I make hundreds of dollars a minute. Why would I take nothing and make things difficult for a mere sheriff?"

"If I accept the money, I'll be happy, you'll be happy, and everyone will be happy. What's wrong with that?"

“I know… I know all too well what you idiots are thinking. Hey! Red Center! You listen up outside!” Ryan yelled at the top of his lungs, almost maniacally, “Fairness, justice! Is this what you want, hahahahahahaha—!! You can’t be more stupid, how could such a thing exist in the world, you idiots? You are doomed to fail!”

"Because those things don't even exist, understand? They're two abstract concepts: justice for judges, justice for politicians, and justice for beggars—three completely different things. There are as many kinds of justice as there are people in the world. I've never believed in that stuff. Only people who are too stupid to think would believe that kind of rhetoric!"

"Only money, only profit, that can be exchanged for material gain, is truly real. Most people love this. Your father was an enemy of most people, ha... his death was inevitable! His stupidity killed him!"

Ryan gritted his teeth and continued, "Now that your biological father is dead, you've recognized this yellow-skinned madman as your father... Haha... It's no different. You can win once, twice, but can you keep winning?"

"..." Xiaomei looked at him without saying a word, her expression unchanged despite his long-winded talk.

“Whatever.” Ryan exhaled deeply and sneered, “If you want, just shoot me and avenge your stupid father.”

“If I die, my market in New Elizabeth will be taken over by others. After a series of slaughters, there will be another me, and the one after that… I can’t kill them all!”

……

"Do not."

“To die like this…” After a long silence, Xiaomei suddenly changed her attitude, put the prepared gun back into its holster, and said, “It’s too wasteful.”

----

"So fast?" Mike teased as he saw Mei come out of the door. "You're quick on your feet. I didn't even hear a gunshot."

"Was she strangled with a rope?" Zhang Renfeng noticed there was no blood on the girl and immediately ruled out the dagger. He was somewhat worried. "Are you alright?"