Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

He suddenly strode forward, grabbed the wooden box containing the money, and with a forceful pull, poured all the money out. The banknotes fell like raindrops, but he paid no heed, his eyes fixed on the bottom of the box… until it was completely empty.

"Ah! What are you doing?!"

The girl couldn't help but scream. She turned around and saw Zhang Honglu's suddenly icy expression, which startled her.

Is this really the same gentle, tender boy who just pulled her into his arms?

Do not……

She thought of the mutilated corpses outside the cave, which looked like a scene from hell, and gradually realized that perhaps, this was closer to his true character.

Is this the only one?

“I…I only saw this one…” Angelona couldn’t help but ask, “There’s a lot of scribbles on it, and drawings, it looks like someone’s house. I just glanced at it quickly, and I think I actually saw a name…”

"Igor Linacio, is he someone you know?"

……

Zhang Honglu did not answer the question. He stuffed the blueprint into the girl's hand, turned and left the cave. Not long after, he brought in another person—Simon, who had just lost an arm and was on the verge of death. Out of a kind of cruelty similar to a cat catching a mouse, Zhang Honglu did not kill him immediately, but instead threw him into the muddy ground in the heavy rain to wait for death.

He knew very well that the intense pain of having an arm severed was enough to break a person's will, making escape impossible. Letting him feel life slipping away, dying bit by bit, was the best punishment.

Now, Zhang Honglu was somewhat relieved that he hadn't just trampled him to death, but had spared his life for the time being, so at least there was still someone alive to ask questions.

"Boom!"

He slammed the half-dead Simon onto the cave floor. Angelona was picking up the banknotes that had fallen to the ground. When she saw Simon's bloodless face, she was a little scared, but when she saw his expression of being on the verge of hell... the little fear she had left vanished.

"Boom! Boom!"

Zhang Honglu sealed his acupoints, temporarily slowing the bleeding from his severed arm. Then, he pressed another finger on his lower abdomen, forcibly reviving his consciousness from the brink of death. But when he saw Zhang Honglu's face again, he couldn't tell if he was already in hell. His face was contorted with terror.

"Eat, eat it."

Without wasting any more words with him, Zhang Honglu took out a small enamel bottle from his pocket, poured out a pill, pried open his mouth, and forced it down his throat without saying a word.

"Waaaaah... Waaaah!!!!"

Simon had no idea what he had been forced down his throat. His face was filled with terror, and he used all his remaining strength to struggle frantically.

Of course, his struggle seemed ridiculous and meaningless to Zhang Honglu.

"Snapped!"

Zhang Honglu stepped on his chest, looking down at him with the same disdainful gaze one would give a piece of trash.

Chapter 920: It seems no one cares

"He just slashed your face with a knife, didn't he?"

“Um… to be precise, it was the side of a dagger that was scraping my face, but without breaking the skin…” Angelona added, glaring angrily at Simon on the ground.

"it is good."

Zhang Honglu nodded, kicked out, and the giant axe, as tall as a man, was immediately sent flying, then firmly grasped in his hand. The enormous axe blade pierced through the air, creating a muffled gust of wind, and finally, it hovered over Simon's cheek, suspended but not pressing down, just close to half of his face and the bridge of his nose.

However, the sense of oppression brought by a dagger and an axe, both pressed against the face, is completely different. Simon could feel that this axe was probably heavier than a millstone; if Zhang Honglu let go, it would fall and smash his head flat!

Skulls shattered, brains splattered... Just imagining such a desperate way to die sends shivers down your spine! To be pulled back to earth after having one foot in hell, only to experience an even more terrifying way to die, is hell in itself.

“I want you to know that the only reason you’re still breathing is because you’re useful to me,” Zhang Honglu said coldly. “I’ve never had any empathy for things that are worthless. Useless people should be discarded as soon as possible.”

“I’ll only ask you once. If in the following questions you make me feel that you’re being perfunctory, deceiving, or beating around the bush, I won’t give you a second chance… I’ll just let go, and the axe will smash into your head. By the way, my Pear Blossom Mountain-Splitting Axe weighs 500 jin. So, how you answer is up to you.”

"Mmm... mmm mmm!"

Simon wanted to nod, but half of his face was pressed down by the weight, and he couldn't make a sound. This was the only way he could express his submission.

“I found these blueprints in the box where you keep your money.” Zhang Honglu glanced at Angelona, ​​and the girl, as if on cue, half-squatted down and showed the blueprints to Simon. “Take a good look. Do you know what they are?”

After asking the question, he moved the axe up slightly so that the man could breathe and speak more easily.

"..."

Simon's pupils trembled violently. He dared not be negligent for a moment, looking at the drawing again and again, desperately trying to extract some details from it that could save his life. But the more he looked, the more desperate his expression became.

Time passed second by second, and the atmosphere in the cave became extremely oppressive.

"I...I don't know..."

"Hmm," Zhang Honglu asked calmly, "Is that the whole answer?"

"No, no, no, no, no!" His survival instinct overwhelmed everything, and Simon shook his head repeatedly, pleading, "I... I really didn't know. I didn't mean to lie to you. I didn't want to make something up to deceive you, but..."

"This money is just a deposit. The rule of the Howling Wolf Gang is that no one can touch this money before the deal is done! Touching it will easily lead to wild thoughts, and if there are too many distracting thoughts, the deal will be ruined. So, before today, this box has never been opened! How could I have known that there was something like this hidden inside this box of money?!"

“Alright, then let me ask another question,” Zhang Honglu asked. “Who gave you this box of money, when, and where?”

"This this……"

Simon swallowed hard, his expression hesitant. He knew very well that the answer he was about to give would not satisfy the other party.

Every extra second I can live is a second more.

"To be honest, about this, I...I also..."

"Here's the thing, we'll go to the post office and claim a letter addressed to 'Uncle Martin.' That letter will contain a detailed location, along with a map, nearby landmarks, and some sketches to make sure we don't get it wrong... We just need to go to that designated location, dig down, and we'll find this box."

“Heh, Uncle Martin…” Zhang Honglu sneered, “Is it a fake identity?”

"No, that's right. From beginning to end, we used fake identities. The other side is an organization that values ​​secrecy very much. They have... they have connections everywhere. They almost never leave any trace that can be left on paper. People like us are just their pawns. The real secrets will never be..."

"That's enough, you don't need to tell me all this," Zhang Honglu said calmly.

Just when Simon thought there was a sliver of hope, he suddenly said, "Go talk to my axe."

"??!"

Simon's pupils widened instantly, and he coughed up two mouthfuls of blood, hurriedly saying, "Wait! Wait a minute! I've told you everything I know!!"

“Perhaps,” Zhang Honglu said calmly, “but doesn’t that mean you’re useless to me now? Besides, I asked around, and although you seemed to answer honestly, you didn’t provide me with a single piece of valuable information. You cunning scoundrel…”

"What reason do I have to let you live?"

His fingers loosened slightly.

The immense weight pressed down on his face, and in that instant, Simon realized that this guy was serious. Before his skull was crushed, he finally screamed.

"The Poison of Blackwater ————!!!"

……

"Black... Black Water Poison..."

Feeling that his skull hadn't been crushed, his body went completely limp, and he lost all strength.

----

"Are you leaving already...?"

For the girl, everything that happened last night was like a dream, so absurd as to seem unreal.

After the torrential rain, the ground was washed clean, and the town remained as fresh as ever, as if nothing had changed.

The Howling Wolf Gang's camp has been wiped out by the Wind and Sand Sheriffs.

The stolen weapons and US dollars have been taken into custody and are being carefully disposed of. Angelona, ​​as a participant in the incident, decided to stay and cooperate with their investigation, while Zhang Honglu, who had truly contributed, did not intend to stay even a day longer. After a quick pack, he set off immediately.

Upon learning this, the girl felt a sense of loss, as if something was missing.

"This matter is of great importance. I suppose... he needs to rush home to discuss countermeasures with his family."

Mayor Chuck stood beside her, looking at the spirited young man riding a red horse, and sighed as if he were seeing an old friend.

Riding this chestnut-colored Turkmen warhorse, Zhang Honglu, though not very tall, already commanded a completely imposing presence.

They sped along, then stopped in front of the two men, tightened the reins, and with a solemn expression, nodded to Chuck, "I'm leaving things here in your care."

"Give my regards to your father," Chuck said with a smile.

"Definitely." After agreeing, Zhang Honglu turned to the girl with a gentle smile, "I'm sorry I left in such a hurry this time and didn't even have a proper goodbye..."

"If you'd like, come find me in White Torch City after you've finished your mission. We can go shopping, have fun, and eat delicious food together!"

“…Mmm.” The girl was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. She had been proud of her age, but now she felt shy and simply nodded.

Zhang Honglu smiled at her, said nothing more, reined in his horse, and sped off towards the train station, raising clouds of dust along the way.

……

"Speaking of which, he also has a gift he asked me to give to you..."

Chuck turned around, gave him a look, and the people below understood immediately, carefully carrying out a wooden box.

Upon opening, the "Seven Layers of Dreamy Veil Series - Midnight Phantom" uniform that haunts the dreams of young girls is displayed quietly inside, like a beautiful piece of jewelry on a shelf for people to admire.

"This...this is not..."

Angelona gasped, completely stunned. She couldn't believe her eyes and stood there dumbfounded, unsure how to react.

"It was our fault that you were kidnapped by bandits in our own town. I was thinking of making it up to you, and Honglu suggested that I give you this outfit." Chuck said calmly, "Whether you keep it as a souvenir or try it on, just accept it without any guilt."

"This...this is just too..."

Such a powerful and dramatic attack completely shattered the girl's defenses. She gently stroked the dress, feeling its delicate and exquisite workmanship, and couldn't believe that such a happy thing would suddenly happen to her.

Looking further ahead, Zhang Honglu's figure on his steed had not yet gone far, appearing so handsome and exceptionally dashing.

only……

Perhaps because he had something on his mind, he rode his horse too fast and too fast, almost hitting a little girl who was passing by. But he managed to just barely pass by her, pushing the little girl aside and causing her to fall to the ground.

This was just a harmless little incident, and it seems... nobody cared.

Chuck watched this scene from afar, lost in thought.

Chapter 921: Lemon-Flavored Memories

The sheer volume of documents piled up in the mailbox was so great that it nearly burst the thin sheet metal, which truly surprised Zhang Wusheng.

"I've only been gone a few days and I've already accumulated so much..."

He set aside his cane, carved with cicadas, and tried to retrieve the documents from the mailbox. Logically, while his legs were weak, his hands should be fine; however, his lower limb weakness made his body unusually uncoordinated. Actions that a normal person could easily perform required considerable deliberation from him.

After carrying the manuscripts for a while, his hands were accumulating more and more. He subconsciously tried to move to the side to adjust his center of gravity. But his heavy right leg wouldn't obey him, and he tripped on the stone steps, falling hard with a thud. The manuscripts he had been holding scattered all over the ground.

"..."

He didn't get up, nor did he cry out when he fell, as if he were used to such things and had long since become numb to them. Looking at the manuscripts scattered all over the ground, Zhang Wusheng sighed inwardly, filled with inexplicable emotions. He had given it his all, yet even something that ordinary people could do easily was fraught with difficulties; it was truly pathetic and laughable.

"If... I hadn't been born into this family with such great fortune, never having to worry about food or clothing. If I had been born into an ordinary family, I would be a cripple who can't do anything..."

"Will I really be alive today?"

Zhang Wusheng's pupils seemed to freeze as he listened to the silent wind blowing in the courtyard, as if he had fallen into a loop of time.

Until a slender, pale hand picked up a manuscript that had fallen to the ground.

"Honestly, how many times have I told you? I can handle these things."

The girl's voice was crisp and clear, like the gentle sweetness of a flowing spring. Just hearing that voice made Zhang Wusheng's stagnant pupils regain some vitality. He turned his head, subconsciously rubbed his right knee, and forced a smile.

“Things sent here are all important and cannot be neglected,” Zhang Wusheng said. “It would be best to let Mr. Igor take a look as soon as possible…”

“What’s so important? This place is crammed with letters all year round. Every single one of them is important. Father has been through so much already. Let him rest for a while. The sky isn’t going to fall down.”

The girl interrupted him, muttering somewhat discontentedly. However, despite her words, she still took the initiative to squat down and patiently picked up the envelopes and manuscripts scattered on the ground one by one.

That vibrant ponytail bounced up and down with her movements, brimming with the unique energy of a young girl.

Unlike her father, Alison Zolael is a girl who develops quite normally, with a pair of slender, beautiful legs that make her father, Ego, very proud.

She wore a deep black velvet cloak, with perfectly placed raindrop lace trim, fringed edges, and asymmetrical design, all of which made her look particularly fashionable. A pure white satin scarf was tied around her chest, and underneath was a smooth, form-fitting dark purple long dress, the hem of which just covered the girl's legs from the sides and back, yet also revealed her youthful and graceful curves.

……

Igor's marriage did not attract much attention.

Zhang Renfeng slaughtered all of Zola El's family members, leaving him the only survivor. Apart from his old buddies in the Red Center Gang, he didn't invite any outsiders to the wedding and quietly married an ordinary cook at a restaurant.

According to Igor himself, he tasted the cook's "slow-roasted pork chops" during an outing, and after eating them once, he could never forget the taste.

"I want to marry her so I can eat this delicious food every day." — That was Igor's reason.