Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

She remarked once again that children raised in different environments are truly different.

After all, most of the hardships Zhang Renfeng encountered in his life stemmed from his failure to act as decisively as Zhang Fulin in a crucial competition. If it were Zhang Fulin, given the opportunity to become the martial arts champion, he probably wouldn't need anyone to remind him; he would naturally know what to do.

She couldn't say whether being naive or being frank was right.

However, since Zhang Fulin insisted on this, she, as an elder, had no reason to deliberately expose him. She could simply smile and agree.

……

"So, you're starting to build a relationship with your brothers?"

Zhang Renfeng's voice came from the side. Regardless, he was still very pleased to see Zhang Fulin so quickly becoming one with the brothers.

"Father," Zhang Fulin said, bowing.

"...Father." With so many people gathered together, Zhang Wusheng inevitably felt a little awkward. He always felt that with so many people around, many eyes would subtly sweep over his right leg. His voice was very soft, perhaps only he himself could hear it.

To his surprise, Zhang Renfeng turned around and met his gaze with such a soft greeting, then smiled and nodded.

“Father.” As for the two brothers, Zhang Lüjiu and Zhang Honglu, they bowed slightly to him.

"Fulin, you've met your brothers by now, haven't you?" Zhang Renfeng's gaze swept over his four sons one by one, a rare smile of happiness on his face. "Let them take you around Baiju City for a while. Once we're all done with these things, our family will have a proper get-together."

“That Honglu guy, he doesn’t know his own strength when he gets going.” Zhang Lvjiu glared at his younger brother and said in a deep voice, “He’s made his brother’s clothes all dirty, and he’s not even apologizing.”

“It’s alright, a contest is all about using real strength,” Zhang Fulin said with a smile, trying to defend his brother. “If you’re all weak and clumsy, what’s the point of a fight?”

"Yes, yes."

Zhang Honglu, however, was not happy with his gain. He wiped the mud off his nose, put his hands on his hips, and was quite pleased with his "victory". He said, "What's the big deal about dirty clothes? I think the material of Fulin's clothes is too rough."

“Perfect timing. Out with the old, in with the new. When we get to White Torch City, we’ll go to the store together and get him a complete new outfit from head to toe.”

Xiaomei chuckled and asked, "When you two fought, who won in the end?"

……

Seeing her gentle smile, Zhang Honglu, who was usually eloquent and talkative in front of girls her age, seemed to have her tongue tied. She subconsciously turned her gaze away and lowered her voice, "Of course... I won. Otherwise, would I be so happy?"

Chapter 935: Make the fireworks bigger, let me hear the sound.

"The poison of the Blackwater? The poison of the Blackwater..."

Mike lay half-reclined on the bench, his eyes half-closed, muttering the name over and over again. A cold glint appeared in his already somewhat cloudy eyes. "Old Zhang, this is bad. I have a feeling this is fucking coming for us?"

"Indeed, you think so too?"

Under the lights, Zhang Renfeng's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly. After all, he was an old partner who had been with him for many years. Even though he had retired, Mike's sense of danger had not diminished. This was a keen sense honed through many trials and tribulations, allowing him to detect malice from just a name.

The Thunder Gang, the Wolf Gang, the Australian Shrike, the Italian Gang, the Poker Gang, the Illuminati, the Blue Shirts, the Howling Wolves, the Pinkerton Detective Agency, and the intricate network of sheriffs, state police, mounted police, and even the military under the American government.

Along their journey, they encountered countless enemies, large and small, all of whom were wiped out by the rising Sanyuan Group. The vast majority of their names were unremarkable, already erased from history by Zhang Renfeng. In a decade or two at most, they would completely disappear, ceasing to exist, so naturally there was nothing to remember.

However, the name "Poison of Black Water" itself sounds like a highly targeted claim—"Black Water" corresponds to "White Torch." It's as if they want to completely extinguish the torch they've worked so hard to build with a dark water source from who-knows-where.

Mike yawned, squeezing out a few tears to clear his already blurry eyes. "Strategist... what did he say?"

"Like us, he also felt that the Blue Shirts and the arms case were just appearances. The people in the north wanted to cause trouble, but they only provided the funds. Between them and these 'knives,' there should be a black glove, namely 'Black Water Poison.' Judging from the name, this organization may have some grudge against us."

"If that's the case, I think it's normal. The establishment of Baiju City and the expansion of Sanyuan Group over the years have offended countless people, both openly and secretly."

Zhang Renfeng, as if he were at home, got up, picked up the glass wine jug on the table, poured out a glass of blood-red wine, drank it down in one gulp, and wiped his mouth. However, the alcohol did not ignite his usual heroic spirit; instead, it made his eyes grow even more somber.

“I still remember… 14 years ago in Brightlight City, the Heisen family, who controlled an entire kerosene lamp empire and were once incredibly powerful and influential, were squeezed out of the card table by us overnight and lost everything. Except for Henry, a whole string of his family members are now dead.”

"Over the years, the Sanyuan Group has grown stronger and stronger, and there are countless people like them. They must hate us to the core."

"Sigh..." Mike sighed heavily and shook his head. "This is not a good situation, Lao Zhang."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that we now have an army, weapons, and people in the governments of various states and cities in the South. In fact, we are weaker than we were 14 years ago."

……

The wine glass, about to touch the lips, remained suspended in mid-air.

What truly matters to a person is their innermost thoughts, and Zhang Renfeng was no exception. When his innermost thoughts were revealed, especially by his longtime partner, he was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. Even the finest wine seemed to lose its flavor.

Old Mike is Old Mike after all. Although he can't lift weights like Igor, his age gives him a sharp eye for things.

During their time with the Red Central Gang, the members faced numerous adversaries, including powerful, wealthy, and influential families such as Osborne, Cheddar, and Zola El, yet they were always victorious. Besides Zhang Renfeng's extraordinary martial prowess, a significant factor was their "mobility."

The Red Gang is a criminal organization that can camp in the wild and rest in remote mountains. With only nine members scattered throughout the city, they are like nine drops of water merging into rivers, lakes, and seas. In any city with even a moderate population, they are virtually undetectable.

Within the gang, there are those who sneak in and pick locks, those who can hide and track, and even masters like Angel Eye who appear and disappear unpredictably.

Before he knew it, he had gathered most of the enemy's intelligence. He found out where they lived, how many people were in their families, and who their backers were. Then, Zhang Renfeng only needed to follow the list and kill them without restraint, and his mission would be accomplished.

But now, the situation has reversed. Looking across the entire south, there are no larger corporations in front of them anymore.

They themselves became that behemoth that couldn't grow legs and run away.

Their enemies, on the other hand, can remain hidden in the shadows, with ample time to observe every detail of their actions, bit by bit.

Until the moment they thought was foolproof arrived as scheduled.

"I'm too old to be of any help," Mike joked. "So, what are you guys planning to do next?"

"What else can we do but increase patrols and be more vigilant?"

"Gordon is still in charge of the White Torch Police Station, and most of his men are still trustworthy. We have deployed a group of experienced veteran sheriffs near Igor's room to patrol and inspect, and we have also transferred some people from nearby cities to strengthen the city's security."

"Perfect timing. The competition is about to start, and we'll also have some exhibitions and performances in Baiju City. With so many large-scale events happening at once, the existing security forces are already somewhat insufficient. Sending more people over to keep an eye on things will help prevent any accidents."

Zhang Renfeng's tone was somewhat helpless. As the old saying goes, "There's no such thing as a thousand days of imitating a thief."

But now, Sanyuan Group is too big to fail, and can only guard against thieves, not become a thief itself.

"Oh... racing...that's it." Mike tried hard to remember, but couldn't recall the name, his face darkening. "Was it sponsored by some jeweler?"

“I don’t know. Henry is the one negotiating with the sponsors for the competition. There’s definitely more than one. The jeweler you mentioned might be one of them.” Zhang Renfeng glanced at the exquisite and luxurious inner room and quickly guessed, “Holly likes it?”

"Yeah, she kept telling me that some jeweler, some kind of Xi, also sponsored this competition, oh..."

Mike opened his eyes slightly and sighed, "I just remembered, it happened last year."

"Yes, it turns out... a year has already passed..."

He turned over, trying to sit up straight, but slumped back in the chair, saying with a wry smile, "I must have remembered it wrong."

……

“...It’s alright if you’re wrong.” Seeing him like this, Zhang Renfeng felt a pang of sympathy and quickly helped him up, saying, “We hold racing competitions every year, and this year is no exception. It’ll start in a few days, so you and your granddaughter can come and watch it together then.”

"Haha, Lao Zhang, thank you..."

Mike closed his eyes wearily and smiled, "But I'm old and can't walk anymore."

"Let the young people enjoy all this fun; I won't spoil the mood, that's all..."

"Make the fireworks bigger, so I can hear the sound."

Chapter 936: Time

"Don't make that face." Compared to Zhang Renfeng's sadness at this moment, Mike seemed very calm about the matter, waving his hand with a smile, "To be honest, after following Jack... I never thought I would live this long."

“I’m seventy-three years old. As a gangster gunman, I have a house to shelter me from the wind and rain, more money than I can spend, and I can live with my family. Every night, we can sit by the fire and have a few drinks. My life is better than most people who have gone down this path.”

"Even if I die tomorrow, what is there to be dissatisfied about?"

After saying that, he took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it with a trembling hand, and began to puff out smoke, revealing an extremely satisfied look in his eyes.

Zhang Renfeng initially wanted to advise him to take care of his health and stop smoking, but then he remembered his master's story. Perhaps Mike was like the old man in the story who loved to eat fermented tofu; he'd eaten it his whole life, and now that he had some time left, it was best not to change anything. Forcing him to quit smoking and drinking now might not be a good thing or a bad thing.

"Mike, there's something else I haven't told you yet..."

Before he could finish speaking, Mike waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to say anything more. He raised his right hand and rummaged in his jacket pocket for a long time. Fourteen years ago, Jack shot him in the right hand, returning all his shooting skills to him. To save that hand, a great deal of effort was made at the time, with many professional doctors being called in.

As for the final result... the hand was barely saved, but the postoperative recovery was not very promising.

Mike was too old, and his body's self-healing ability had declined along with his physical functions. Zhang Renfeng tried to directly infuse his body with Rama's inner energy to counteract the effects of aging, and finally managed to repair what could be repaired. This allowed his right hand to handle daily life.

Now, fourteen years later, Mike's body has aged further, and the side effects have begun to appear. His right hand is not very dexterous, and some simple movements often take him a long time to complete. Zhang Renfeng saw this and felt sad, but he could not show it on his face and make others sad, nor could he help Mike. He just stood by and waited quietly.

The campfire inside crackled, providing some warmth.

“…You’re really useless now.” Finally pulling out the folded paper, Mike gave a wry smile and handed it to Zhang Renfeng. “Everything you wanted is here.”

……

Even if he can't fire a gun, Mike is still Mike. He's spent most of his life dealing with guns, and the experience he's accumulated is something those young upstarts can't compare to. In recent years, he has dedicated himself to passing on this valuable experience to the next generation of young people.

After recovering for almost a year following the surgery, he began teaching.

From 1881 to 1891, for a full ten years, he dedicated himself to the front lines of teaching. He was involved in both legal and illegal activities; after the Jack Gang disbanded, Michael drifted to Granite State and served as a mounted policeman for a time. Gordon was one of the outstanding students he taught during that period, and now, he could be considered to have returned to his old profession.

Over the past decade, many outstanding sheriffs, mounted police officers, state troopers, and even federal police officers throughout New Orleans and the South have been his protégés. It's fair to say that even at his advanced age, Mike has made a significant contribution to the talent pool of the entire South.

This was exactly the kind of list he gave Zhang Renfeng.

"I can't guarantee that everyone listed here will be 100% usable. People... after all, can change, they can become better or worse. If you're not in a hurry, it would be best to take it to the strategist and have him confirm it."

"Even if nothing has changed, in this world, everything revolves around money. Those guys in the north have plenty of money, and once they launch a financial offensive, things could get complicated. After all..."

Mike smiled knowingly. "A guy like me, didn't I initially join the Red Center Gang for the $3?"

Zhang Renfeng took the list and glanced at it. He was surprised to find that there were hundreds of people on it, and he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Even if we need to transfer people, they have to be reliable. And in the police system, no one knows better than Mike, the legendary mentor, who is the most reliable. The people on this list have all been personally selected by Mike, like Gordon, people he can rely on in critical moments.

“Once you’ve decided on your candidates, why don’t you have them come over to see me?” Mike said with a smile. “These days, I’m getting on in years, and I want to seize the opportunity to meet everyone I can…”

The sound of a key turning in the lock came from the front door.

Mike reacted swiftly, grabbing Zhang Renfeng's wine glass and pouring the rest of the red wine into his mouth, swallowing it in one gulp to dilute the tobacco smell somewhat. At the same time, he shoved the half-smoked cigarette into Zhang Renfeng's hand.

"I'm back, Grandpa... Ugh, the smell of smoke!"

Holly kicked off her shoes and ran over barefoot. Seeing the scene before her, she put her hands on her hips, frowned slightly, and said coquettishly, "Really, Mr. Zhang, don't smoke next to Grandpa. He promised me he wouldn't smoke anymore. Aren't you just making him crave it again?"

"This... haha, sorry, sorry." Zhang Renfeng scratched his head and had no choice but to take the blame. "I couldn't help myself..."

“Even if you’re healthy, you still need to be careful. Don’t smoke and drink so much. Scientists have said that tobacco contains something called nicotine, which is bad for your health.” Holly didn’t stand on ceremony at all, directly snatching the cigarette butt from Zhang Renfeng’s hand and deliberately waving it in front of his eyes. “This is poison, poison! It’s addictive poison!”

"Please don't smoke anymore, it's bad for your health."

The little girl took the cigarette to the kitchen to throw it away, while Zhang Renfeng and Mike exchanged a knowing glance, both seeing a hint of amusement in each other's eyes.

In a sense, being able to be looked after by one's granddaughter in one's old age is a kind of happiness.

"Grandpa, why didn't you drink the tomato soup today?"

"Ah? Ah..."

Hearing his granddaughter's voice, Mike looked enlightened, then disappointed. "Yes, that's right... Grandpa... forgot..."

Forgetting things easily is also a sign of getting older.

In the past two years, Mike has aged remarkably and is no longer able to continue teaching. He finally resigned to enjoy a peaceful retirement at home. However, despite his active lifestyle, he has felt increasingly lethargic in recent months and hasn't even gone fishing, his favorite pastime, much less.

He sighed in frustration.

Holly brought the bowl of cold tomato soup out of the kitchen, saying, "This won't do, Grandpa, it's bad for your eyes."

……

"Okay." Hearing his granddaughter's voice, Mike's face lit up with a relieved smile again. "Grandpa will drink."

Chapter 937: You use an axe, your brother uses a stick?

"when!"

"when!"

"when!"

……

This time, it was the sound of real metal being struck.

Zhang Fulin thought he had misheard. In such a developed city, the clanging sound of molds on an anvil seemed out of place and even strange. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a blacksmith shop not far away, with knives, swords, spears, and even a set of armor hanging on the armor rack, resembling a luxurious medieval weapons shop.

"This is……"