Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

At present, both sides' bottom lines have become very clear. What follows is the finishing touches on some minor details.

Kevin requested an additional $5000 in advance, on top of the $20000 loan fee.

The added value also alleviated the near-disruption of cash flow for some merchants.

Zhang Wusheng refused this request.

After a round of haggling and bargaining reminiscent of a market, it was finally decided that an additional $3200 would be paid in advance, bringing the total to $23200. This resulted in an outcome that was neither entirely satisfied nor entirely acceptable to either party, thus concluding the so-called negotiation.

After stepping down from the negotiating table, many negotiators visibly breathed a sigh of relief—they had been prepared for a conflict to break out, and several times it seemed like things were about to get out of control. The fact that they were able to land smoothly felt like a dream.

As for how the mayor will settle this score later, that's none of Zhang Wusheng's business.

----

"..."

Walking down the street, Yinshuang didn't look at where she was going at all. Instead, she turned her head to the side and stared straight at Zhang Wusheng.

Those cat-like eyes were brimming with curiosity.

"Um..." Zhang Wusheng felt a little uneasy under her gaze and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"

“I’m only now truly realizing this,” Silverfrost reiterated, echoing the same sentiment, “that you and your father are nothing alike at all.”

“If it were him, at least a few people would have died in that house... Based on my understanding of him, he would probably make an example of them and kill the ringleader.” Yin Shuang tilted her head, thinking about what Zhang Renfeng would do in this situation, and shook her head. “In short, he probably won’t reach any agreement with those people.”

“Yes, that’s not Dad’s style. He’s always walked with his head held high, so he would never bow down to those people in this little quagmire.”

Zhang Wusheng's smile appeared somewhat forlorn at this moment.

"Morocco, covering an area of ​​73 square kilometers."

"Our five hundred soldiers, when assembled, are very powerful, but if spread across this 73 square kilometers of land, there are practically no soldiers left. If we really become enemies with them, they certainly can't do anything to us, but what good will it do us?"

"It will only make our already isolated situation worse."

"I don't possess my father's unparalleled martial prowess, so when faced with this kind of problem, I have no choice but to make a choice."

"$7 sounds daunting, but compared to the enormous expenses of organizing a war, it's nothing. Take the Union Civil War as an example; the Union spent $68 billion on that war."

Zhang Wusheng's brow twitched slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said in as steady a tone as possible, "The war has already begun. Neither side can back down, and it will inevitably continue until the moment when victory and defeat are determined."

"Apart from the final victory, nothing else matters, or rather..."

"At this stage, things that can be solved with money are minor issues."

----

Silver Frost looked at him from the side and suddenly had a strong sense of déjà vu. She vaguely saw the shadow of Igor in the boy.

In a moment, Yinshuang suddenly felt that although it was very unfair, perhaps God had some considerations in not giving him too much power.

If he possessed both overwhelming physical strength and the meticulous logical thinking skills honed under Igor's tutelage, then...

……

"Ok?"

Yinshuang suddenly stopped and quickly turned around. With her extraordinary perception, she scanned her surroundings and frowned slightly.

"What's wrong, Miss Silverfrost?"

“It seems like…” Silverfrost’s right hand rested on the hilt of her sword again, “that we’re being followed.”

Chapter 997: I'm not sick!

"I'm really... so sorry, I misunderstood... I thought you were dissatisfied with Wu Sheng's decisions at the city hall, which is why you were following us. That's why..."

Yinshuang, who is usually carefree and seems to have no worries, blushed with embarrassment and lowered her head shyly. Her skin, as white as her hair, blushed very quickly and easily when she had any emotional fluctuations.

If we're really talking about age, she doesn't even qualify as a "teenager," but because of her special constitution, her appearance, figure, and physical condition are almost frozen at the level of a 16 or 7-year-old. At least, in the eyes of Correa and Lucas, she's just a strangely dressed girl carrying two swords, and seeing her so remorseful, they waved their hands repeatedly.

"No, no, it's mainly our fault. We didn't explain our purpose clearly before secretly following you... haha..."

Lucas flexed his wrists and chuckled dryly, "It's nothing, I didn't use too much force. I'll be fine after a couple of days of rest."

“Yin Shuang is my adjutant. Even if it was an unintentional mistake, we should bear the responsibility.” Zhang Wusheng firmly took on the responsibility. “We will pay for the compensation, medical expenses, and lost wages caused by the wrist sprain.”

"This...this is really..." Lucas scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, "I can't even tell who's inviting whom."

……

The two had just emerged from the city hall, having dealt with a group of guys trying to extort money from them. All morning, they'd been faced with almost exclusively unfriendly faces, so their nerves were still on edge. Sensing someone following them, Silverfrost decisively employed a flanking maneuver, flanked them, and apprehended them on the spot!

He grabbed Lucas's wrist and slammed him to the ground.

Silverfrost only realized she had made a blunder after discovering that the other person's age and physique did not match the stalker's, and that he was not carrying any weapons.

To be honest, it was definitely tracking.

But the two men followed behind with the intention of finding an opportunity to approach Zhang Wusheng and Yinshuang and invite them to dinner as a way of thanking them for saving their lives that day.

Logically, this meal should have been for Zhang Renfeng. But he was swift as the wind, staying in Morocco for only one day before leaving with his army that very night. The Lamon raiders were all light cavalry, and by the time Koreya learned of this news, they might already be at the next city, launching their assault.

The two had no choice but to settle for second best and shift their gratitude to his son.

Of course, psychiatrists in this era weren't exactly rolling in money. Add to that a newly promoted newspaper reporter, and they could only afford a simple meal at a city restaurant. Such meager food was unlikely to appeal to these important figures from the south. Therefore, they were prepared to be treated as oddballs and turned away upon receiving this invitation.

However, in reality, they were indeed confronted by strange people on the spot and were indeed driven away, but it was not quite as expected.

After hearing their request, Zhang Wusheng was actually quite pleased and readily agreed.

At least, there are still people in this city who remember my father's kindness, and that's enough.

As his son, he has to accept the favor his father has done for him; he must give him the respect he deserves!

Furthermore, after a heated argument, having a simple meal in an ordinary restaurant in this ordinary city helps to calm the mind. Amidst the hustle and bustle, the shouts, and the sizzling of boiling oil, one can temporarily escape those disgusting and unpleasant matters.

For the first time, Zhang Wusheng thought that after the war ended, it might not be so bad to occasionally visit the taverns and restaurants in Baiju City and live such a life.

----

"Huh?!" Lucas, who was traveling with him, was quite surprised by the result. "Are you leaving?"

“…Hmm.” Koreya gave a classic “it’s not so bad after all” smile and nodded. “There’s nothing I can do. Don’t let my appearance fool you, actually… if I don’t find a way to eat soon, I’m really going to starve to death.”

The dining table is the best opportunity to build relationships, a principle that holds true regardless of country or culture.

Eating at the same table constituted the minimum requirement for "companions." As they ate, they gradually opened up and talked about their recent situations. Initially, Correa's purpose in coming here was to talk to the prisoners of war and begin psychological treatment.

By talking to soldiers traumatized by war, we might find ways to heal from the shadow of war—something no one in the field of mental science has attempted so far.

If I can make a discovery and write a systematic paper and treatment method, I might soar to the top and become the number one in academia!

However, once she arrived, the situation on the battlefield was completely different from what she had imagined.

The federal army was utterly routed in a single day. An army of ten thousand men was almost completely annihilated, their corpses littering the battlefield. The Raiders of Lamoon, true to their name, "plundered" everything of value from the bodies, then dug a large pit and burned all the soldiers' corpses.

Thick black smoke billowed and flames soared into the sky.

Since that's the case, why not switch sides and treat the prisoners of the Federation army? Correa had considered this idea before, but she miscalculated once again.

Those soldiers who survived such a hellish battlefield were more than just victims of the shadow of war. Koreya had previously applied to visit these prisoners; they were basically insane, incapable of even normal communication, let alone treatment.

For outsiders like themselves and Lucas, Zhang Renfeng was a savior who brought them boundless security.

But to the enemy, he was a moving natural disaster, a true "red scourge," and the psychiatrist felt a chill whenever he thought of this.

It's time to leave.

But before she left... there was one more thing she wanted to do.

……

“I have been thinking about how to repay Mr. Zhang for saving my life, and it wasn’t until today, or rather, until recently, that I found the answer.”

"I have no financial resources, nor can I provide any military supplies or materials. This is the only thing I can do to help."

Koreya looked at Zhang Wusheng, her expression sincere yet full of expectation, and said, "If possible..."

"Please let me help you heal it."

----

……

……

……

"Dong dong!"

Suddenly, the pitch-black view, like a rising tide, surged in from the outside world.

Zhang Wusheng's emerald pupils widened slightly due to extreme shock.

The sky was submerged by a black tide.

It poured in from the gaps between doors, windows, corners, and tables and chairs, like wriggling black mud, swallowing everyone whole.

“You mean…” Zhang Wusheng’s lips twitched as he used his fork to pick up a bean covered in black sauce. “What?”

"Self-awareness disorder syndrome," Koreya said with certainty. "That's the tentative name..."

"I am not sick."

Like a broken robot, Zhang Wusheng immediately repeated, "I'm not sick..."

He gritted his teeth, his already thin face contorted with despair, "I'm not sick!"

----

With his vertical pupils, he stood in the crowd not far away, casting a mocking smile at him.

Chapter 998: Who am I?

Exposed?

exposed!

Zhang Wusheng gasped in shock, his emerald pupils widening to their maximum size.

Over the years, Zhang Wusheng has been carefully controlling his emotions. This is not only because a certain heart rate can trigger his innate asthma, but also to avoid others noticing the existence of "another version of himself."

Currently, it seems only he can see and hear this guy; he's a persistent ghost haunting him. But his personality is extremely vile; whenever his will wavers, accompanied by asthma and blackouts, he appears out of nowhere. He likes to say hurtful things, like stabbing himself in the heart.

Zhang Wusheng dared not mention "his" existence to anyone, not even once.

A cripple.

Asthma patients.

His body had been completely ruined by these two deadly debuffs. It was precisely this frail and sickly body that made his not-so-long life so agonizing. From the time he could remember until now, he could count the good things he had encountered in his life on one hand.

What would happen if people found out... that he also has mental problems?

Absolutely not.

Absolutely not!

Over the years, as he grew older and his emotions became more abundant, his negative emotions also became more abundant, and the frequency of his appearances increased accordingly. In order to prevent more people from noticing the problem, Zhang Wusheng chose to actively distance himself from people—parents, teachers, elders… He gradually learned one thing: as long as he didn't respond to the emotions projected onto him by others, he wouldn't generate too many negative emotions.

Without expectations, there will be no disappointment.

Without happiness, there would be no pain.

But ultimately, the world wasn't his to control. Despite his best efforts to avoid it, he inevitably had to interact with all sorts of people. In this process, he carefully guarded his secret, using indifference to mask his pain. Neither his oblivious parents nor his intelligent teachers noticed that another person resided in his mind.

Until today, a stranger revealed the truth in a single sentence.

……

Do not……

That's too hasty; she wasn't the first.

Before her, it seems... there was someone else who had said something similar to me...

……

----

"Not happy?" Elinis put down his book and glanced in his direction.