Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Micah gave him a meaningful look.

“Of course, you have a point…” Ross shrugged knowingly and changed his tune, “Let these monsters kill each other. If they can really kill Red Center, I believe Mr. Chedell won’t owe this mere 1500 bounty.”

“1500?” Micah shook his head and said in a deep voice, “To be honest, for what he did today, his bounty is far more than $1500. I estimate that New Elizabeth and New Austin will take big action, for example, unifying the bounty for the Red Center, with $7000 as the minimum.”

“Seven thousand?!” Ross was also somewhat shocked. “It’s been a long time since Jack’s gang has had two states with bounties exceeding $5000 at the same time.”

"The era of the Jack Gang is long gone. But I have a feeling that this Red Center will become the next generation of leaders..."

……

"What is the taste?"

Halfway through his speech, Mika suddenly stopped, sniffed the air, and his expression suddenly turned serious as he looked up.

Thick smoke billowed from the Cheddar family's estate, and flames had already climbed onto the houses.

"Fire?!" Micah jumped in fright. "Quick, go up and check! The Chedell family's estate is on fire! There should be a water tower in the estate, hurry!"

"Damn Hongzhong, it must have been him again. He's trying to escape in the chaos!"

They're not stupid, but Zhang Renfeng is playing an open game. You know why I set this fire, but do you dare not come to put it out?

If Cheder knew that his hometown had been burned down and you, the dogs he paid to raise, had just stood by and watched, wouldn't he be furious and skin you alive?

"Tsk..." Mika quickly figured it out. He frowned, struggled with his thoughts for a while, and then waved his hand. "All of you, come with me, quick!"

----

On the other side of the mountain path.

Zhang Renfeng tossed aside the two bottles of gin that Chuck had given him; the empty bottles rolled into the grass and were quickly buried by the weeds.

After setting fire to the mountain and giving all the Pinkerton detectives a thorough run around, he rode his horse down the mountain leisurely, whistling.

Testimonials

Before I knew it, this book was about to be released. The author never expected it to receive such love from readers, and is truly grateful.

Before publishing the book, the author struggled with the decision for a long time. The writing style on Cat Station is typically known for its anime and gaming content; would anyone actually read this type of article?

With a try-it-and-see attitude, the author chose to aim for the top of the charts. Every step afterward exceeded the author's expectations, and the readers gave me very strong affirmation and support, which reassured me.

The surprises only continued after the bounty was opened; the enthusiastic support from everyone far exceeded my expectations. This was the first time since I started writing that someone had been willing to give me a treasure chest. The sheer joy and excitement of being recognized at that moment was enough to make it onto my own list of "Ten Most Memorable Moments in My Life."

Thank you so much!

Keke, get back to business.

I've received a lot of support, but naturally, I've also incurred a lot of debt. The bounty will close at 12 noon tomorrow, and the chapters I owe will begin to be paid off starting tomorrow.

Of course, considering the limitations of original content, the author initially didn't expect readers to be so supportive. Updating 6 or 70 chapters at once... there simply weren't enough drafts. The author also hopes to maintain high quality while ensuring a large volume of content, avoiding filler chapters.

I'll start with a 10-pull gacha pull when it goes on sale, plus the chapter that was supposed to be released tomorrow, so there will be 12 chapters updated tomorrow.

The remaining chapters will be released gradually, and the author will try to make up for them all before the National Day holiday!

Finally, I'd like to ask everyone for a first-time subscription; this data is quite important~~ Thank you so much!!!

See you tomorrow!

Chapter 63: I Will Be Back

When Chuck, carrying a kerosene lamp, hurried to the agreed location, he found Zhang Renfeng lying behind the broken carriage.

He sat with his legs crossed, eyes slightly closed, enjoying the evening breeze with great contentment. It was as if he wasn't a fugitive at all, but a wealthy farmer, relaxing in his backyard and admiring the night view.

"Uh... Mr. Red?" Chuck looked around nervously, and after finding him, quickly extinguished the kerosene lamp. "Just lying there like that? What if a bounty hunter passing by sees us? We'll be caught completely off guard."

"Kid, have you ever been on the battlefield?" Zhang Renfeng suddenly asked out of the blue.

"I, I didn't..."

"You'll understand once you've been on the battlefield. Gun tips, stray arrows, stones... all sorts of things are coming at you every second, but you can't be afraid. The more afraid you are, the more those things seem to have eyes and will chase after you. Conversely, the less afraid you are, the less these things will touch you."

Zhang Renfeng flipped over and jumped up, shaking his head, muttering like an old man, "Belief, kid, you must have belief, it's the most important thing a person can have."

Whether he believed it or not, Chuck got the gist of it, but the supplies he brought were all tangible and real.

"Seriously, Mr. Hongzhong, what are you planning to do next?" Chuck had brought two oat biscuits for feeding horses. He skillfully sucked on them twice, called over the horse that Zhang Renfeng had temporarily brought over, fed it one, and said, "You also set fire to the Chedell family's manor. Now look what's happened. A large group of people dressed in black have come to the town, and wanted posters for you are plastered everywhere!"

Despite this, there was a hint of glee in the boy's tone, which was also the reason that supported him to take the risk—he and the man surnamed Chedel were sworn enemies.

"What about my name?" Zhang Renfeng asked slowly. "Has it been exposed too?"

"Hmm... no, not really. Everyone knows it's you, but nobody knows your name. They probably just haven't noticed."

There couldn't be a funnier joke than this, and Zhang Renfeng couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Shh...shh! There might be someone nearby!

Chuck remained very nervous. "Even if you haven't been exposed, Miss Messaria and that old man named Mike have already been listed as your accomplices. Their wanted posters have been posted, with Mike's bounty increased to $1200 and Miss Messaria's to $800."

"As for your bounty, it seems we need to discuss it with the higher-ups before we can set a price."

"Don't worry, don't worry." Zhang Renfeng waved his hand and said confidently, "Anyone who's really after money can't kill me."

"Seriously, Mr. Hongzhong, what are you planning to do next?" Chuck unloaded the packed bag from his saddle, moved it to Zhang Renfeng's saddle, and tied it with a rope. "You definitely won't be back in Windblown Sand Town anytime soon. The Pinkerton Detective Agency has you surrounded. They're tracking you in all directions, oh yes, and lots of hounds too!"

"Hunting dogs?" Zhang Renfeng asked curiously. "Where did these hunting dogs come from? I've never heard of anyone in town keeping one."

"I don't know either. It seems like a really high-level bounty hunter team joined in. Those dogs are baring their teeth, they're fed raw meat, and if you make eye contact with one of them, they start barking uncontrollably. It's fucking terrifying..."

Under the starry sky, the young man helped him pack all his belongings, patted the horse's back, and said, "I think it's about time, Mr. Hongzhong."

"And you?" Zhang Renfeng mounted his horse and asked, "Going straight back?"

“That won’t do. Going back empty-handed will definitely arouse suspicion. I’ll spend the night in Blueberry Town and buy some things while I’m at it. I’ll also keep an eye out for tents or anything,” Chuck said with a smile. “Recently, the Thunder Gang hasn’t shown up. It’s like they’ve all vanished into thin air. The roads have become much safer.”

"……Yeah?"

Zhang Renfeng's lips curled slightly. He didn't use this topic to elaborate on his own achievements, as it seemed unnecessary.

It is enough to know that what you do makes the world a better place in some way.

“Take care of yourself, kid. Thanks for your friendship.” He took off his hat, made a “goodbye” gesture to Chuck, and smiled. “Don’t worry about me.”

"We will be back."

He tightened the reins, his heart heavy with the hope of survival, and stepped into the dim darkness.

----

Xiaomei stared blankly at the embers of the campfire, lost in thought. A faint, dark red warmth seemed to linger in the burnt firewood. Ever since Mike rescued her from the police station, her mental state had been precarious. She hadn't uttered a word, only staring blankly at something. It was as if she was using this method to alleviate the pressure of reality.

Within a single day, she learned the shocking truth, and her previously peaceful and stable life shattered in an instant. She needs time to process this series of sudden changes.

Alana sat to the side, looking sullen.

As darkness fell and it was time to set up camp, the three realized a problem: they hadn't agreed on a location with Zhang Renfeng.

In the vast sea of ​​grass, where will this small team, forced out of civilized lands, reunite?!

……

At times like these, the importance of the elderly becomes apparent. "Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure." In critical moments, the words of an older person can calm things down and stabilize morale.

"Don't blame yourself. It happened so suddenly. Being able to complete the basic tasks is already an excellent performance," Mike comforted him. "He didn't tell you anything, and you didn't ask, so it's not your responsibility."

“The Ketinglan Grassland is so vast! And there are no markers along the way, how is he going to find us?” Alana looked around anxiously, the dark grassland rising and falling like a real ocean. “How about… we start a fire? Not a big campfire, just a regular bonfire, to mark our location…”

“Absolutely not.” Mike refused outright. “To help us escape, Red Center will definitely make a lot of noise in the sandstorm, which means we are now fugitives. A group of fugitives revealing their location at night, I can’t think of any idea more unreliable than that.”

"Even if there's only a one percent chance of attracting bounty hunters, we must take strict precautions!"

Deep down, Alana knew he was right; a person with a bounty on their head wouldn't survive more than a few days if they weren't careful.

"But what if he can't find us..."

“We can’t stay on the grassland for long. It’s too open, there’s no cover or supplies, and it’s hard to hide our identities. Since Hongzhong is heading towards the Tinglan Grassland, we can only hope that he has some way to catch up.”

Mike's tone was very calm, "So, tomorrow morning, whether he comes or not, we must set off for the nearest town. Before the wanted poster catches up, we need to procure the most basic food and ammunition, rest briefly, and then immediately set off..."

……

"Whoosh—!!"

The chestnut-colored Turkmen warhorse suddenly perked up and neighed.

When the three were completely unprepared, it suddenly shook its head, ripped off the reins, and ran off in a certain direction like a playful puppy.

Chapter 64: Next Stop, Snowfall Mountains!

"The whistle?" Mike asked curiously, looking at Zhang Renfeng, who had returned safely on horseback. "May I take a look?"

“Of course.” Zhang Renfeng took the bone whistle off his neck and explained, “Horses have very developed hearing, and it’s nighttime now, so it’s quiet all around, so the whistle can travel a long way. When training a horse, you have to repeat this process constantly so that it reacts to the sound of the whistle… It’s actually the same principle as a person whistling. I estimated the distance you’ve run, and when I saw that you were almost there, I started blowing this whistle to call the horse over.”

"Just follow the direction it came from, and you'll easily find you."

His arrival immediately improved the atmosphere considerably. It seemed that everyone tacitly agreed that as long as he was there, they could find a way to get through even the worst situation.

“Mr. Hongzhong…” Xiaomei seemed to have finally regained some of her senses, opened her eyes, and her voice trembled slightly.

"he died."

Zhang Renfeng succinctly revealed Mark's fate and then recounted his own experience in the Wind and Sand. His tone was calm, but what he said astonished Alana, who was listening in. Back in Scarface Village, she often heard the men of the Thunder Gang boasting about how ruthless they were; after all, in that place, you couldn't stand firm if you weren't ruthless.

Killing someone who dared to resist today, cutting out the tongue of a talkative brat tomorrow... these are all commonplace occurrences.

However, the sheriffs were an exception. After reaching a full cooperation agreement with Cheder, the Thunder Fury Gang and the sheriffs' group maintained a distant, ambiguous relationship. When they encountered each other, it was just a formality, with the aim of minimizing casualties. In short, the sheriffs' group in Windblown Sand Town hadn't had a real fight in a long time.

From the leader to his underlings, even the sheriff of Fengchuisha Town was practically wiped out by Zhang Renfeng—a feat that would be considered incredibly impressive in any gang! When a person's strength exceeds its limits, rules and laws become meaningless. He even set fire to Chaidel's hometown!

Hearing this, Alana couldn't help but chuckle, probably imagining the Pinkerton detective being led around and eventually having to go to the manor to put out a fire.

However, when Mike heard the same thing, he couldn't laugh. Instead, he frowned and looked deep in thought.

He was prepared for Red Center to make a scene, but he didn't expect it to escalate to this extent. This guy seems to have never known the meaning of fear.

“I got the information from Mark that Cheder is currently in New Austin. Knowing that guy's personality, making money is more important than anything else. Even if he knew about the sandstorm, he wouldn't come back. He wouldn't be able to tell me any more details. With a knife to his throat, he wouldn't lie to me.”

"In the end, in your father's case... that guy was just a nobody, an insignificant pawn. Cheddar was the one playing the game. In his eyes, as long as he gave up a portion of the profits, the police, judges, and gangs were just a corner of his chessboard. Through shady dealings, money kept flowing into his pocket, and he became a sure-fire winner."

“Your father discovered all of this. He was very courageous and wanted to break out of the chessboard that others had set up, but unfortunately, he did not succeed in the end.”

"..." Xiaomei's eyes softened slightly, but she remained silent, not uttering a word. She simply raised her head, changing from a slightly closed-off posture to listening attentively.

Looking at her expression, Zhang Renfeng felt a complex mix of emotions, mostly heartache for her.

Just like her face, her life was torn apart, and even if it heals, it will leave scars, and she can never go back to the way things were before.

When a goal that you've been pursuing so desperately suddenly becomes meaningless, you feel very empty.

After the emptiness, dark thoughts come one after another, crashing in like waves.

Especially for an exceptionally intelligent child like Xiaomei, the thoughts run even deeper. If she were allowed to immerse herself in these thoughts, Zhang Renfeng was genuinely afraid that one day she might get stuck in a rut and end up shooting herself.

The most urgent task is to add something new to her empty heart so that she can get through this most difficult period and not have to think about all sorts of things.

Even hatred doesn't matter.

“Listen, Mei, the person who truly deserves to die in this matter is Ryan Childer, who is hiding behind a pawn and silently manipulating everything.”

……

"I understand." After a moment of silence, Xiaomei nodded, her eyes flashing with renewed fire. Her voice, no longer clear, had become somewhat hoarse, but it carried an unyielding determination. "Mr. Hongzhong, please leave him to me. I want to do it myself!"

----

Whether it's good or bad, at least there's something to look forward to in life.

"Don't rush to think about revenge. There's something even more deadly waiting for us."

Seeing that Xiaomei's mental state had improved, Mike joined in, analyzing the situation the group was facing. "Conservatively speaking, after this incident, your bounty will definitely be over 5000. Plus, you burned down Chedel's manor, which is equivalent to a high-profile declaration of war. That guy will definitely be willing to pay more money for you."

“Generally speaking, a bounty of over 3000 is enough to mobilize most of America’s bounty hunters. They are numerous and powerful, working day and night. Some bounty hunter teams are well-equipped and not much inferior to regular troops. Not to mention the Pinkerton detectives, sheriffs and state troopers’ pursuit. Staying in this area is too risky. We need to go out and lay low for a while.”

Mike pointed in the direction they came from. In the darkness, there seemed to be a few faint sparks, as if someone was traveling on the main road.

Perhaps they were just ordinary passersby. Since the Thunder Gang was wiped out, it has become much safer to travel at night, and there are quite a few people who travel at night.

But after Mike said that, the strangers' firelight became dangerous.