Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"They produced a complete exploration report, various geological tests, and numerous testing agencies... In short, after a series of operations, they valued this non-existent Tiermine mine at $1500 million. They then sold it to British investors in the form of bonds."

"Ultimately, the funds raised from the bonds passed through East Bird Bank, were split and restructured, and transferred to the New York-based Pioneer Realty Company to purchase the Wyoming Ranch—the money completed a cycle, and the actual control of 78 acres of land was achieved. The legally traceable chain would break in the middle."

Sam took a deep breath. "Doing this once will count as an 'inheritance' in Samuel's records."

"The Birch Tree Trust and the Pioneers Realty are both Samuel's own businesses. The assets circulate all the way to his own pocket. There is no substantial output from beginning to end, yet he has made $1500 million."

"Besides these economic matters, there are some... well, how should I put it, more private matters..."

"Supreme Court Justice Morrison Waiter had a gambling debt agreement with his nephew, which stated that Samuel paid off $7.2 of his debt. In return, the Santa Clara case resulted in a ruling in favor of Atlantic Steel Manufacturing Company's legal rights."

"A record of the conduct of officials..." Zhang Renfeng couldn't help but complain.

In Samuel's eyes, a $1500 million income and a favor from a Supreme Court judge were no different; they were equally important.

"No matter what, these are earth-shattering discoveries!" Sam rubbed his face vigorously, his excitement overflowing. "With so much content, and all so explosive, just picking a few points would be enough to completely ruin his reputation!"

Sam didn't say he would put Samuel in jail; a 79-year-old man, even if locked up, wouldn't make much of a difference.

More importantly, by releasing a portion of the documents, like dropping a bomb, the organization could begin purging members of the Illuminati. Even a tiny, insignificant nobody like him could gain some fame and profit from this operation.

"I'll move all these things to the wagon first," Sam said, picking up a stack of documents and heading outside.

After all, there's so much to see that it would take three days and three nights to see it all, and it's impossible to just sit in the church and look at it all the time.

----

"It's all over." Wolf looked at Zhang Renfeng's profile and whispered, "Senior brother, are you... unhappy?"

“How could that be?” Zhang Renfeng’s brows furrowed slightly. “I just feel like things are going a little too smoothly.”

"Such a cautious person, he even sends a double when he goes to his own kingdom. Didn't he consider the current situation?"

“An outsider entered the church. The key was in the shoe, and the shoe was in the box, which was made of pure gold. It was placed in the most conspicuous position. Didn’t he consider the one in ten thousand possibility that an outsider might have broken in and naturally discovered the reliquary, the shoe, and the key? What would he do then?”

How can he stop everything he has painstakingly built from going down the drain?

He always felt something was wrong.

But it's hard to pinpoint exactly what's wrong.

……

Sam, who had reached the door, suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong, Sam?"

"..."

Sam did not answer.

That silent figure seemed particularly eerie at that moment.

"Boom!!"

His legs, as if boneless, slumped down and he crashed heavily to the ground. The manuscripts he held in his hands fluttered away like released doves.

"Sam?!"

Zhang Renfeng's brows furrowed instantly, his mouth slightly agape, utterly astonished.

He could feel that Sam's heartbeat and breathing had stopped.

In just a few steps...

A friend who was talking to me just seconds ago has died inexplicably!

……

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

……

Applause.

A crisp clapping sound came from above.

“You’ve come this far, it’s really not easy… finally…” Lu Aniu stood on the second floor, looking down at everyone, with a fanatical smile on his face.

"Boom!!!"

He leaped from the height, landing firmly like a nail near the church arch, and slowly straightened up. Throughout the entire process, his gaze remained fixed on Zhang Renfeng, his face beaming with smiles.

"Finally, we can begin!"

Chapter 805: In literature, there is no first place; in martial arts, there is no second.

At a glance.

At this level, verbal probing is utterly superfluous. A single glance is like a bucket of cold water poured down one's spine, a thunderclap right next to one's ear. Zhang Renfeng's hair stood on end. This was the second time he had felt, in front of someone, that he could feel like he was drowning, unable to breathe.

The first time I had this feeling was when I was facing my master.

"Back off—!!!"

Without hesitation, he shouted those two words, then suddenly stomped on the ground, took big strides forward, and charged towards Lu Aniu.

Time was of the essence; under such intense pressure, Zhang Renfeng didn't even have a moment to rest.

Slump your shoulders.

Drop your elbow.

Adjust the arm.

Arm replacement.

With a steady horse stance, Zhang Renfeng used the most conservative and formulaic posture to deliver a lightning-fast Bengquan (a type of punch)! In the arena, he could do whatever he wanted against his opponents, but when he encountered a true master, what was etched into his instincts was still the basic skill he had honed through years of tireless practice during his youth.

He threw this punch without holding back; the force was so great that it even tore the fabric hanging on his arm, making a crackling sound as if it were being subjected to unbearable strain.

however……

Just before the fist, now a blur, was about to strike his heart, Lu Aniu's face broke into an incredibly arrogant smile.

"top--!!"

"?!"

Compared to the familiar voice, the hardness of the fist striking his body felt like hitting a rocky mountain, leaving him completely unmoved. This unshakeable feeling astonished Zhang Renfeng even more. He had anticipated a difference, but he hadn't expected it to be presented to him in such a tangible way.

Wen has no first, Wu has no second.

That is the cruelty of martial arts.

"boom------!!!"

The force of that punch was almost entirely reflected back onto him.

Zhang Renfeng's stance was very solid, but his body shot backward almost straight, crashing through two rows of seats before finally slamming his back against a brick wall with a deafening roar. The long-neglected plaster, as if made of foam, instantly scattered and flew away!

The church is built on a cliff, with the sea right below its walls.

Zhang Renfeng was sent flying out uncontrollably.

"Zhang!" Ren reacted the fastest of all. He instantly took off the grappling hook from his waist, threw it out, and shouted, "Catch!"

With a snap, the grappling hook, which had been winding its way out, finally completed its docking with the target in mid-air, and Zhang Renfeng tightly grasped this lifeline.

"Drink it—!!"

Ren gripped the grappling hook with both hands and pulled hard, finally managing to drag him back from the edge of the cliff. Zhang Renfeng did a funny somersault in the air, dissipating most of his strength, and landed with a thud on the second floor of the church, returning to the battlefield once again.

During this process, Lu Aniu did not launch an attack on Chao Ren. He just stood there, watching them with great interest.

……

Zhang Renfeng looked at his hands, and his ten fingers and palms began to tremble slightly.

Excitement? Fear? Or both?

He gradually lost his sense of direction.

However, through that attack just now, he already knew very well what level of opponent he was.

“Simply mastering Qigong wouldn’t produce this effect…” Zhang Renfeng wiped his nose, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down as much as possible. “Is it the Golden Bell Shield?”

"Hahahaha—you really know your stuff." Lu Aniu opened his arms, revealing a smile of enjoyment, intoxication, and immersion. He reached behind his head and untied his braid, his silver hair dancing wildly in the cold wind that had rushed in. "I was thinking about whether I should introduce myself before we start, but it seems unnecessary."

"I've long admired your name, Zhang Renfeng. It's great to finally have the opportunity to meet you."

Lu Aniu clasped his hands in a fist salute, surprisingly adopting the manner of a martial arts practitioner, and said with a smile, "Just call me Aniu."

Arena.

Faced with this long-unheard fist-and-palm salute, Zhang Renfeng had mixed feelings. After hesitating for a moment, he returned the fist-and-palm salute from the same angle.

"I've long admired your name, Father." Zhang Renfeng squinted. "Ever since Lan Che in Sanma Town, your name has been lingering in my ears, impossible to forget."

"Ha, ha, ha... How interesting." Lu Aniu chuckled with amusement. "I'd heard about you much earlier. The things you've done are truly one after another. I went to the places you've 'run wild' in and saw the traces you left behind, and then I quickly understood..."

"You and I will meet again like this sooner or later."

"..."

In the silence, Zhang Renfeng recalled the painting, and the monster in the center with a bull's head, but also many other heads.

Yes, sooner or later.

He has reached the end.

----

"That last strike..." Lu Aniu dusted off his clothes and asked in a very casual tone, "Was that your full strength?"

"What?" Zhang Renfeng frowned.

"If so, your strength should be at the level of the eleventh to twelfth level of the Prajna Skill. To be honest, at your age, reaching the eleventh or twelfth level is beyond what can be described as 'genius'. I always thought you were practicing the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill."

"But that punch just now... it didn't feel like that at all. It felt more like Qigong. It was supposed to be a defensive skill, but because of your brute force, it became an offensive weapon. You turned your punches and kicks into weapons that are impervious to blades and spears."

Lu Aniu touched the tip of his nose, looking thoughtful. "Were you born with this much strength?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Zhang Renfeng said through gritted teeth.

"Don't go easy on me," Lu Aniu said with an incredibly hearty laugh. "You're not qualified yet."

Zhang Renfeng stopped talking, then suddenly made a zero-frame attack, crashing towards the clock tower on the second floor.

"Boom--!"

A shoulder bump broke through the brick wall, and the dust that rose up indicated that the second floor had definitely been deserted for years.

But then Zhang Renfeng grabbed the thick hemp rope used to strike the bell with both hands, and with a sudden tug, pulled the large metal bell down completely. He wrapped his arms around the surface of the bell, roared angrily, and with a swift downward kick of his right leg, crushed the wooden planks connecting the first and second layers of the bell.

"ah-----!!!"

With a roar, Zhang Renfeng descended from the sky, wielding a large bell, and smashed the huge, dust-covered metal object down on him.

Chapter 806: Kung Fu is a Battle of Minutes

"boom--------!!!"

It was as if a cannonball had hit the church.

The brick wall on the west side shattered completely, sending countless fragments and dust flying out. Zhang Renfeng and the large bell flew out together, tracing an elegant parabola in the air. Then, with a deafening crash, they slammed heavily onto the ground, splashing mud and stones like water droplets.

The soil here is relatively loose, and the bell is quite heavy. When it hit the ground for the first time, it was firmly embedded in the ground and did not roll in any other direction. In a sense, this can be considered a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

But Zhang Renfeng was thrown back and forth several times on this very ground. Even though he had the skill to absorb force, the power of this blow far exceeded his expectations and the scope of what force absorption could possibly achieve. He didn't even have time to stretch his body and dissipate the force before he was about to collide with the ground again.

If one effort is not enough, then it has to be divided into multiple efforts. The cost is that Zhang Renfeng is like a stone that has been thrown out and skipped across the water, falling further and further away.

Finally, it stopped several dozen meters away.

"Oh...ah..."

Just before Zhang Renfeng smashed the bell on his head, Lu Aniu suddenly spun around and threw a punch at his chest in return.

In that split second, Zhang Renfeng saw his arm clearly—the muscles weren't as thick as he'd imagined; on the contrary, they were just a thin layer, like melted sugar threads, clinging together beneath the skin.