Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

The Battle of Oaktown was fought amidst floods and fires, and these refugees from the shantytowns were all witnesses to it.

After witnessing all of this, it's hard not to be completely devoted to Zhang Renfeng.

Even though they brought their families and more than two thousand mouths to feed, Igor still believed it was a sure-fire deal.

----

"How are Dunn and the others?"

"Them? They're still the same. In fact, their arms factories are almost becoming the exclusive weapons supplier for the Lamon Raiders. Our interests are more closely intertwined than ever before."

Igor raised his hands, made a "knot" gesture, and chuckled softly, "Besides blood ties, I can't think of any relationship that could be more reliable than this."

“Back when we killed Wendigo, I remember you promised them this: ‘What Wendigo could give you, I can give you too, and even better.’”

"Look around, Lao Zhang, you did it."

“It was ‘we’ who made it,” Zhang Renfeng said sincerely. “Especially you… Without you, we would have been just an ordinary bandit gang at best, and we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

"Actually, there's nothing wrong with being a gang that robs the rich to help the poor."

"To be honest, I still miss our campsite in the mountains near Baiju Town. A few simple tents, every night when we lay down, we could hear the night wind howling outside, and when we threw firewood into the campfire, it would crackle and pop a few sparks."

"I roasted the meat until it sizzled and dripped with oil, and everyone gathered around the campfire, eating large chunks of meat, drinking heartily, and singing all sorts of nonsensical tunes..."

Recalling those days, even a wise man like Igor showed a look of melancholy.

The human brain tends to romanticize past memories, even those that were once tormented and painful, which, after being polished by time, can become radiant.

The memories that were already so beautiful, needless to say.

"But then, the Red Center Gang will just be the next Jack Gang. We'll be glorious for ten or twenty years, living freely but aimlessly. Sooner or later, the gang will disband, and our fate will be similar to other legendary gangs—living in the stories of cowboys and gunmen."

"America is becoming more and more civilized, while we are gradually becoming a savage and absurd story, disappearing from this world."

"And now, we, the Sanyuan Group, have become a part of this country—a resilient, powerful, and undeniable part."

"In the many states and counties of the South, in every house that is built, in every ray of light that shines, and in the future, in every roar of a car engine, we will be there. We are no longer bounty hunters, or the Pinkerton Detective Agency, or the federal government that can be easily provoked."

The words say so.

But Igor's expression was not one of elation; on the contrary, his thick eyebrows remained tightly furrowed.

"It's just that you've worked too hard."

Zhang Renfeng saw the dark circles under his sunken eyes and said with a pang of pity, "You have sacrificed so much for our cause."

……

After looking around the workers' residential area, the two changed direction and slowly headed towards Baiju Town.

"What do you think of Xiaomei?" Igor looked up at him and suddenly asked.

Chapter 880: Love Letter

"Why are you asking about this suddenly?"

Zhang Renfeng took this question as simply a teacher asking a student about their social evaluation. After thinking for a long time, he said in a deep voice, "I don't know your evaluation criteria, but at least from my perspective, she is already very mature."

"During this trip to Oak City, she single-handedly organized several important group operations. She handled everything perfectly, from supplies and ammunition to the evacuation and maneuvering of thousands of people. When we were talking with Pixar, she also participated in the conversation as the spokesperson for the Sanyuan Group. It felt like a miniature version of you was right next to me."

"Of course, it's still not as good as those seasoned veterans, but it's already quite outstanding!"

"She even went to school. If she could learn more and combine that knowledge with practice, she would definitely be even more amazing!"

Zhang Renfeng was generous with his praise, and when he complimented Xiaomei, his eyebrows unconsciously rose, clearly showing his heartfelt joy.

There's a sense of pride in having your own child who's incredibly successful.

Igor remained silent, merely gazing intently at his expression. After a moment, he sighed softly.

……

"what happened?"

"...Let me ask you one more question, Lao Zhang," Igor looked at him meaningfully, "Do you have any feelings for her...?"

Zhang Renfeng was puzzled again; this didn't seem like the kind of question Igor would ask him.

But he shook his head.

Igor wasn't too surprised; instead, he nodded with an expression that said, "I knew it all along."

"And what about Evelyn Dietersdorf?" Igor continued. "You must have feelings for her, right?"

"What's wrong?" Zhang Renfeng asked half-jokingly. "When did you start caring so much about my marriage?"

Igor gave him a meaningful look.

"At a certain stage, your 'life's most important event' no longer belongs to just you alone."

Zhang Renfeng realized something, and his expression changed slightly.

The two had already entered the territory of White Torch Town, where the lively sounds of the streets and alleys filled their ears. Stimulated by the economy, the city was developing at a remarkably fast pace, and even in broad daylight, the streets were bustling and crowded.

But Ego's whispers, like chisels, pierced his heart again and again.

“I originally wanted to wait until after tonight’s auto show before telling you about this. But I just can’t make up my mind… Ultimately, this isn’t entirely a business matter; it involves your own wishes, and I can’t make the decision for you.”

"Just a week ago, news came from the north, it was a mixed bag."

"The Atlantic Federation Industrial Group has begun to proactively contact the Krenzikov Industrial Group and conduct pilot-scale open cooperation in certain areas. The cooperation is being promoted with great effort; it's not just a casual effort. It seems that the higher-ups on the Atlantic Federation side are actively pushing this forward."

"Furthermore, judging from current indications, their cooperation will continue to permeate multiple fields and become the norm."

"In this collaboration, the Krenchikov Industrial Group holds a dominant position. And the person who is truly controlling the project's progress is Zeta Meryl Krenchikov."

……

"What's going on?" Zhang Renfeng frowned, stunned by this earth-shattering reversal, and didn't recover for a long time. "They...aren't they mortal enemies?"

"For those people, enemies can become friends because of conflicting interests, and they can turn enemies into friends because of changes in those interests."

Igor said in a low voice, "Think about it carefully, Old Zhang."

"The Illuminati's armed support has been destroyed, and 'Samuel' is being publicly tried here. These are very strong signals."

"The old vested interests will crumble in the blink of an eye!"

……

Zhang Renfeng wasn't stupid; it's just that most of the time, he was too lazy to think and just went ahead recklessly.

This world, with its people and events, is constantly changing. Hoping that past relationships will remain unchanged is like "marking the boat to find the sword."

The Atlantic Federal Industrial Group, once staunch supporters of Samuel Graves, used the Illuminati as a springboard to share power and interests. Despite being the leader of the Gilded Party, Samuel would never have held his position without a sufficiently powerful interest group standing behind him.

Now, Samuel's power base has largely collapsed, and rebuilding it seems a long way off. Lu Aniu's death also signifies that Samuel no longer possesses the power to overturn the table; he can no longer bind everyone to his cause as he once did.

This person who had been acting as a mouthpiece for decades naturally lost his usefulness.

He was discarded, like a gecko's tail.

Faced with sudden defeat, the Atlantic Federation Group made its own decision—to side with the Krenchikov Industrial Group. This was the optimal solution they reached after observation and analysis at the top level.

The Krenchikov Industrial Group, like an ambitious young man, has the East Glory Bird Bank standing behind them. Together, they've won such a great victory and are determined to reap some spoils.

Rather than waiting to be liquidated and dismantled later, it's better to sell yourself now while you're still at your highest price and gain some control.

As for what happens next, we'll just have to take it one step at a time.

From then on, the two highest-level industrial groups representing the many northern states and counties of the United States of America began to gradually merge.

A new behemoth is quietly being born.

……

"Zeta..."

Zhang Renfeng felt uneasy once again and muttered, "Perhaps I should kill him."

"Yes, perhaps."

Igor smiled helplessly and casually agreed.

Both of them knew that this was just talk.

This is precisely the most shrewd aspect of Zeta, or rather, the Krenchikov family behind him—they are not Zhang Renfeng's enemies; on the contrary, they are "friends." At least, they are partners who can exploit each other.

The East Bird Bank, which had close ties with the Krenchikov family, provided considerable assistance to the fledgling Sanyuan Group.

Funding, connections, resources, equipment, manpower, materials... as partners, their assistance was like a gentle spring breeze, meticulous and thorough. During Zhang Renfeng's campaigns, Igor was able to manage the rear area in an orderly manner, and their contribution was indispensable.

"Money" is the lubricant of society.

With Donghao Bird Bank around, lubricant is being distributed almost indefinitely. While the front lines are fighting, production activities at the rear haven't been neglected at all.

And now, this charming and shrewd friend has given them an unexpected gift.

"have a look."

Igor took out a beautifully wrapped letter and handed it to Zhang Renfeng.

A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted over.

"What?" Zhang Renfeng asked curiously.

"love letter."

Igor said calmly, "It's for you."

Chapter 881: The world's martial arts are complex and diverse, but they are defeated by a single move: marriage alliance.

"what?!"

Zhang Renfeng rarely spoke in such a "Are you fucking kidding me?" tone, but this time, he was genuinely frightened by what Igor said. He pointed to himself, his face full of disbelief, "You...are you sure you're not mistaken? Me?"

Igor nodded silently.

He carefully opened the envelope, took out the letter, and gently rubbed it with his fingertip. The entire sheet of paper was quite soft, and its material was subtly different from the paper they usually used for writing; it was clearly a high-end, custom-made piece.

The neat and tidy handwriting gives people a natural sense of pleasure.

Zhang Renfeng patiently read the letter through. His literacy skills were still limited, and the letter was written in a very formal and literary style. There were some words he didn't recognize, so Igor helped him translate. Overall, the content was relatively subtle. Perhaps the letter had already been intended not to be delivered directly to Zhang Renfeng when it was written.

Regardless of who wrote the letter, they expressed their admiration for Zhang Renfeng in a rather tactful way and invited him to visit and tour the Bacchus Manor.

The letter was sealed with sealing wax and stamped with a design of a flying pheasant with outstretched wings.

The letter was signed "Emilia del Uranus".

“Uranus…” Zhang Renfeng murmured.

“That’s right.” Igor nodded, his face revealing a hint of masculinity. “I also sent people to investigate, but… that family is just too mysterious. After Donghao Bird Bank grew big, they retreated behind the scenes, secretly influencing economic flows both inside and outside America.”

“But unlike the Illuminati, they rarely get involved in politics and are generally limited to financial means.”

"From what I understand, this 'Emilia' is a member of the legitimate branch of the Uranus family. It is said that she has a very eccentric personality and is not like a noble lady. She usually keeps to herself and can be seen occasionally in some horror literature and linguistics salons in the north, as well as a Sudoku club."

"At a time like this, sending you something like this is less of a love letter and more of an olive branch he's extending to you once again."

……

Zhang Renfeng looked at the delicate handwriting on the letter and fell silent. After a moment of silence, he let out a sigh.

All martial arts in the world are chaotic and complex, but they all fall apart with a single move: marriage alliance. This has been true throughout history and across the world.

Nowadays, the capital behemoths in northern America are showing signs of merging into one entity.

The vast majority of Sanyuan Group's business is located in the south. Once they become one family, there will be no distinction between the south and the north. The Krenchikov and Uranus families will swallow up the biggest prize in this huge gamble!

Their appetites were even greater and more secretive than those of the Illuminati.

“No wonder… they were so generous during the talks in Oak City, even saying they'd give us Ukraine as well.” Zhang Renfeng frowned, gritting his teeth, “So that’s what they were after!”

Once you become a live-in son-in-law, there's no such thing as "yours" or "mine" anymore; aren't we all part of our big family?

“Accepting this love letter means you’re about to become the son-in-law of one of the wealthiest families in the country,” Igor teased, half-jokingly. “Does that sound exciting?”

“…” Zhang Renfeng rolled her eyes at him in annoyance.

Before showing the letter to Zhang Renfeng, Igor had already anticipated his answer. His teasing at this moment was more like finding joy in hardship.

No way.