Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wusheng felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and exclaimed, "At the time, I only reprimanded him for his recklessness; I never even considered this aspect..."

Yes.

Upon closer examination, although the Battle of Glenburg was won, it was under the power of Zhang Lvjiu that the fortress was destroyed from within.

For a structure like the military, which relies on organizational strength to win, such a victory is not a good sign.

“Sigh… Wusheng, I’m only saying this to you behind closed doors. You don’t need to tell anyone else.”

Igor sighed, temporarily putting the manuscript aside, and said with a sigh, "Old Zhang's two sons have had it too easy growing up. They rarely have any problems with what they want to do, which is not a good sign."

"As their elder brother, you must constantly remind them not to go astray."

"..."

Zhang Wusheng's gaze dimmed slightly.

What Igor meant was that he had never gotten what he wanted since birth, and that his lack of arrogance from his two younger brothers was just what made up for their shortcomings.

It's as if they're saying that they are an indispensable piece in these two puzzles.

But I am who I am, why should I only be a piece in someone else's puzzle?!

Didn't he also want a smooth and successful life? They were clearly born of the same father, brothers, so why did fate treat them so unfairly?!

----

Are you thinking right now, why is fate so unfair to some?

“?!” Zhang Wusheng’s expression changed.

He thought he had cultivated a calm, poker face to hide his true feelings. He never imagined that Igor would so easily see through his thoughts, word for word, which sent a chill down his spine.

“I was right,” Igor said calmly.

“Mr. Igor, I… I didn’t mean that. Green Wine and Red Furnace are my brothers.” Zhang Wusheng gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, “We are born of the same father and are of the same blood. As the elder brother, I always do my best to remind them.”

……

Suddenly, like Tuku, Igor stared at him expressionlessly for a long time, and then a smile suddenly appeared on his face.

"You hate them."

"You hate your strong, skilled brother."

“…Mr. Igor, please…stop talking.” Zhang Wusheng’s breathing quickened, and he gritted his teeth, saying, “You don’t understand me!”

“Child, I am a dwarf,” Igor said calmly. “If I don’t understand you, then probably no one in this city does.”

"I understand you because I also hated my brothers... Now they're all just dust, hah..."

Igor recalled the past, so unbearable, yet he still managed a hasty laugh.

"Do you know the story of Sanma Town? That used to be my hometown, and there was a gang called 'Raging Thunder Gang' there."

"...The Thunder Angry Gang?" Zhang Wusheng asked suspiciously. "I've never heard of them. Isn't Sanma Town our grain production and storage area?"

"Yes, I've never heard of it. Because your father has wiped that gang out of existence, inside and out."

Igor sighed and continued, "I used to hate my brothers so much... They had healthy bodies, but they didn't know how to cherish them. I also hated my father for bringing me into this world. I'm not even half the height of an average person. Before I met Old Zhang, the first half of my life was spent lying ugly in the mud..."

"But what about now? New Orleans, New Elizabeth, Granite State... the whole South is in the palm of this dwarf's hand."

He spoke casually yet powerfully, leaving a deep impression on Zhang Wusheng.

“I’m not trying to criticize you. On the contrary, I understand that it’s perfectly normal for you to hate them.”

"But hatred alone is of no use."

"This world is very realistic; it won't just hand things over to people like us. So, what do you want..."

"You have to do it yourself."

……

It was rare for Igor to speak such a long speech in public. For a moment, Zhang Wusheng's expression changed slightly, and it was unclear how much he had taken in.

However, despite the similarities in their circumstances, Igor vaguely felt that the boy before him was somewhat different from himself. But upon closer examination, he couldn't pinpoint exactly what the difference was; he only felt…

His attention would occasionally wander, and he would quickly glance at the window, the bedside, or even the corner of the room.

It's as if there are people there.

Chapter 924: After you finish your studies abroad, you'll understand everything.

The ship cut through the waves and sailed on the sea. Zhang Fulin stood on the deck, looking at the line where the sea and sky met. His usually calm face finally showed some of the excitement and vitality that a fifteen-year-old boy should have.

The sea breeze, the waves, the damp smell, and the slightly dark gray clouds in the distance were all things he had never seen before in his life. This thrill of experiencing new things for the first time made the young man feel incredibly happy. Just thinking about the many more new things he would experience after setting foot on foreign soil made his lips unconsciously curl into a smile, full of pride, and his heart seemed to be throbbing with excitement.

He couldn't help but thank his mother for giving him a push at the crucial moment. If he hadn't had the courage to speak to Zhang Renfeng in the end, he would have missed such a beautiful view, which would have been a great pity.

……

"Fulin, stop staring at the sea. It reflects sunlight." Zhang Renfeng's voice came from behind him, surprising him. "It's bad for your eyes."

“Father.” Zhang Fulin’s voice was very clear and cheerful. He turned around with a smile on his face, finally not as reserved as he was at home.

Seeing that he had regained the vitality of a young man, Zhang Renfeng was quite pleased. Senior Brother Zhu was good in every way, except that he was too old-fashioned.

For Zhang Fulin, his identity was both that of a godfather and a mentor. Although he wasn't particularly strict with Fulin, Fulin naturally learned many of his personality traits through constant exposure.

In terms of interpersonal skills, Zhang Fulin was impeccably polite, never lacking in manners. However, being with him always felt like talking to a man in his thirties or forties, completely devoid of youthful spirit. Now, Zhang Renfeng was almost certain that beneath this seemingly mature exterior lay a dashing fifteen-year-old boy, even possessing a curiosity far beyond his years.

"Dad, do you travel by boat often?"

"It's not often. There are people specifically in charge of foreign trade. These are all merchant ships, and Father only takes a ride on them when he comes here."

Zhang Renfeng gazed into the distance where the sea met the sky. A sea breeze caressed his face, causing him to close his eyes slightly and relax his shoulders and neck for a rare moment. "Fulin..."

“Actually, this world is much bigger than you imagine. Even your father has only seen a very small part of it.” Zhang Renfeng said with emotion, “If I have time to get out in the next few years, I really want to take a boat and travel around the sea before I die, so that I won’t have wasted my life.”

"Then, Father, this ship... is it made of iron?"

Zhang Fulin, however, had no interest in traveling the world. He stomped on the deck twice, making a dull thud, and said, "How can something made of iron float on seawater?"

"This? This is because... buoyancy and stuff like that, was discovered by a clever man named Archimedes." Zhang Renfeng, relying on the little knowledge he had learned from Tao, said, "Although iron ships are heavy, as long as enough water is displaced, the buoyancy will be greater, and the ship can float on the water."

“Buoyancy…” Zhang Fulin pondered these two words, then turned to ask, “Father, then how can this boat move forward when there are no sails and no one is rowing?”

“This is a ship, it burns coal. See those big chimneys?” Zhang Renfeng pointed to the chimneys on the hull that were belching thick smoke. “The energy generated by burning fuel is much more efficient than rowing, enough to propel this big iron thing.”

"Coal?" Zhang Fulin found it hard to believe. "You mean... something used for heating in winter?"

"That's charcoal... it's not quite the same. Actually, it's not just coal; heavy oil and wood can also be used. In short, burning these things is to release their energy to drive the steam turbine. Once the machine is running, the ship can move. That's roughly the idea."

"Wow, that's amazing!" Zhang Fulin was greatly shocked, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for knowledge. "Dad, isn't that machine just like the car 'engine' you mentioned before, like the human heart?"

"..."

Zhang Renfeng squinted and looked his son over again, then smiled with some surprise, "Fulin, I didn't know you were so interested in these things."

"This……"

Zhang Fulin's expression changed instantly, his smile vanished, and he said respectfully, "These... exquisite things, I dare not study too deeply in my daily life, for fear of being distracted by trivial matters, and also for fear of delaying my training."

"Hey~~ What's the big deal? Times have changed. Whether you practice martial arts or not isn't that important. Young people should know how to have fun." Zhang Renfeng waved his hand and said with a smile, "The track racing competition is about to start again this year, and it will be held in Baiju City. After we go back, we'll take you brothers to watch it together."

"Racing?" Zhang Fulin frowned slightly, but his ability to learn and make connections was strong, and he immediately guessed the meaning of this new term. "Is it... like horse racing, a competition to see whose car is the fastest?"

"That's how it's clever. The race cars that the contestants receive should be exactly the same in terms of configuration. Compared to ordinary cars, race cars have undergone safety and technical modifications to achieve higher speeds. Such competitions are all about pure driving skills, and many people come to watch them every year."

"Dad went to see it once too. The race car 'whooshed' past right in front of me, faster than your dad could run on two legs. It's unbelievable!"

"Father, this... how can such a big lump of iron..." Zhang Fulin asked, unable to hide his curiosity, "run so fast?"

“If you’re willing, I’ll send you to study abroad, but you’ll have to learn a foreign language first.” Zhang Renfeng patted his shoulder and smiled. “After you finish your studies, you’ll understand everything.”

----

……

"Do you still feel like throwing up?"

Inside the cabin, Zhang Renfeng looked at the little wolf sitting blankly on the bed and said with concern, "Let me get you some more pills."

"No...no need, I've gotten used to it pretty much." Wolf let out a sigh, threw the blanket he was wrapped in aside, and laughed self-deprecatingly, "Senior brother, the good and bad of my life are all in this body, I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse."

Her master had also vouched for the wolf's constitution; her five senses were far more acute than those of a normal person. Compared to her, ordinary people were like being wrapped in a thick, heavy shroud, receiving only about half the amount of information she did, which was the origin of her hysteria.

But now, being on a boat, her overly acute senses are causing her a lot of suffering. The jolting sensations are amplified, making her dizzy, nauseous, and needing to stay on the boat for a day or two to allow her body to adjust before she feels any better.

"Since you get seasick, there's no need to come all this way." Zhang Renfeng opened the cabin window a crack to let in some fresh air, and said with concern, "You can just wait for me at home."

"I...I also want to...see Senior Brother Zhu again," Wolf said weakly. "Senior Brother Zhu has aged a lot, and the days ahead seem increasingly distant...If I don't see him soon, when will I ever get the chance?"

"..."

Zhang Renfeng looked slightly somber and remained silent.

"Senior brother."

After a moment of hesitation, the wolf finally bit its lip and made up its mind, "About Wu Sheng..."

"I have something I want to tell you."

Chapter 925: A Family

During their time together, she repeated everything she had told Qiu Yun to Zhang Renfeng in detail, adding her own reflections from the past few days.

It's a bit pitiful, because of family changes, the wolf has been homeless since childhood and can't really distinguish between the three identities of mother, wife, and lover.

After Qiu Yun's guidance, this was actually the first time she truly discussed matters concerning the child with Zhang Renfeng, the "father," in the capacity of a "mother."

These words surprised him greatly, not only because of the little wolf's transformation, but also because of what she said.

"But... Wu Sheng..."

Zhang Renfeng listened with a suspicious look and couldn't help but say, "I think he... he... is quite normal. I often chat with him. He learns things from the teachers and always has insightful views. This child is just a bit deep-thinking and precocious. He's been like this since he was little."

“But Little Wolf, let’s look at it from another angle. He was born with an illness, so it’s not quite normal for him to be as playful and cheerful as other children.”

What he was thinking was actually what the wolf had always believed.

Congenital asthma and the hidden ailment in his right leg are both problems he was born with.

Growing up with these two deadly debuffs, they can't practice martial arts, can't run, can't jump, and can't even have overly exciting emotions.

His two younger brothers, Zhang Lüjiu and Zhang Honglu, who were the same age, had already started practicing horse stance. Zhang Wusheng, however, couldn't even walk properly and could only crawl on the ground like a fish... It was almost hellish to expect such a child to be as innocent and cheerful as a child.

At first, the parents were naturally heartbroken for a long time over Wusheng's fate. But life doesn't stop there; it goes on day by day. With the passage of time, they gradually accepted the fact and their son's imperfection.

Like all parents in the world, I do my best to plan his future.

……

On the table to the side were bowls and plates containing some oatmeal cookies—Last night, Little Wolf was seasick and couldn't eat anything, so Zhang Renfeng brought these cookies to feed her.

The wolf picked up a piece, but instead of putting it in its mouth, it held it in its hand.

"Senior brother, at first I thought so too, but think about it..."

“Even if you are a hero who changes the world, you can’t go without sleep, right? There are only 24 hours in a day. To get enough rest, senior brother, you need to sleep at least 8 hours. That’s a third of the time.”

"Crack!"

With a deft touch of her two fingers, she skillfully broke off exactly one-third of the cookie.

"You still have a career to attend to, meetings to hold, so many important decisions to make, so many subordinates to take care of, and so many enemies, both overt and covert, baring their fangs at us. From time to time, you also have to go to the towns below to conduct research and investigate those unscrupulous scoundrels... These things are quite mentally taxing. Consider them part of your work, and they take up half of your time."

"Click!"

A once plump oat cookie has had a third of its contents removed, leaving only a pointed corner.

“Me, Sister Qiuyun, and Evelyn, you have three ‘families,’ which will consume half of your time.”

She removed half of them, leaving only a pitifully small amount of cookies.

Zhang Renfeng watched quietly, his expression somber.

“Fulin, Wusheng, Lüjiu, Honglu, you have four sons. Fulin is being cared for by Senior Brother Zhu, and you taught Lüjiu and Honglu martial arts from a young age. In this way, what will be left for Wusheng…”

"There's only this little bit left."

In the end, even the wolf's exquisite control could not prevent it from dividing the remaining fragment into four equal parts again.