Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Draw your gun!

Another modified revolver was pulled from the belt, this time faster than the other side.

but……

The other person looked at him with a half-smile, raised his hand, and made a "shoot" gesture with his thumb and forefinger.

Theon wasn't fooled by the feint; he noticed that the real force was applied by his ring finger when he made the movement.

A hidden dart shot out from the wrist first, piercing Theon's left wrist.

Chapter 67: The Man Who Chases Death (Bounty Still Expected - 8)

"boom--!!"

Theon was shot in the wrist, not the finger, and he could still fire, though his accuracy was greatly reduced. The flames spewing from the muzzle were clearly different from ordinary bullets; with just one shot, the wooden planks behind him shattered into pieces.

However, the recoil of this shot was much greater than that of a regular revolver. Theon's left wrist was injured, and blood immediately gushed out from the impact, causing him to lose his grip on the gun.

The gentleman drew a dagger from his belt and lunged at his neck, but Theon stopped him with his elbow. The two men, like two bulls locked in a stalemate, wrestled on this desolate ground. But they both knew that this stalemate couldn't last long for someone with an injured right hand and left wrist.

"It seems you're like me, the type who prefers to act alone. When you're out and about alone, you need to have a skill to rely on. Your specialty must be modifying weapons, right? The power of those bullets just now far exceeded what a revolver should be, even stronger than hollow-point bullets and shotgun shells. It was quite impressive."

"Unfortunately, I don't like working with others, and I especially dislike having my prey stolen. Somehow, those rabble learned of the Pinkerton detectives' call to arms and wanted to take a slice of my pie. And they didn't show the slightest bit of professionalism they should have, which is intolerable to me, sir."

"I hate rude people, but I hate stupid people even more."

“Oh, right, I’m ‘Angel Eyes,’ that’s what they all call me.” His tone was very calm, but the strength in his hand was increasing. Despite his seemingly tall and slender build, his explosive power was in no way inferior. The tip of the knife slowly approached Theon’s neck. “If there really is a hell, don’t worry, I will definitely come down to join you.”

"Then we'll compete again."

……

"Whoosh!"

An arrow whizzed past the gap between their foreheads.

Angel Eyes' pupils contracted sharply. He had barely turned his head when a second arrow struck, knocking off his top hat. The arrow, hat and all, embedded itself in the ground, more than half a foot deep. His opponent was using masterful archery to warn him: stop now, or the next arrow will pierce your head!

"Are there any masters?"

Angel Eyes smiled slightly, seemingly pleased even with an arrow aimed at his head from the shadows. He took a half-step back, turned his blade, and threw the dagger on the ground, indicating that he had heeded the advice of this "peacemaker."

In contrast, Theon was in a much worse state, almost falling to the ground. Then, with a trembling right hand, he pulled a third short-barreled revolver from his boot. Because the barrel was extremely short, it could be easily hidden in the boot, but its power was by no means small.

“I don’t care if you have angel eyes or demon eyes…” Theon pressed the hammer on his pocket revolver, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, gritting his teeth as he said, “Go to hell, you bastard!”

……

"Enough—!!"

A majestic voice suddenly echoed from the darkness, clearly not directed at Angel Eyes alone. Considering that the other had saved him, Theon obediently lowered the miniature revolver.

But then a white horse slowly emerged from the darkness. The tall Indian man on horseback was drawing his bow and nocking an arrow. Seeing that both men had laid down their weapons and had no intention of continuing the fight, he temporarily released his bowstring.

"Enough people have died on this ominous land; there's no need for one more."

The peregrine falcon spoke in a very strange tone. It was just ordinary English, but he made it sound like he was chanting something. "Only decay, death and plague reside here. Whatever you two are looking for, please leave."

"I..." After catching his breath, Theon immediately defended himself, "I'm not a bounty hunter, and I would never steal your business! I came to this mountain to find my brother."

Angel Eyes looked at him with a half-smile, as if to say, "That's not a very good excuse."

“If your brother is a gang member, he’s probably dead already. Given his personality, there’s no way he’d leave any survivors. If he’s just an innocent person who was kidnapped to the mountain, there might still be a chance for him to survive. After the gang was wiped out, everyone else in the village was dispersed. You can go down the mountain to look for him.”

Humans are such simple creatures; even the slightest glimmer of hope can ignite a flame.

“My brother could never join a gang! He’s never killed anyone, not even a chicken. I taught him how to shoot, and he can’t hit anything more than ten meters away. He’s just a gold prospector who heard some stories about getting rich overnight and came out to pan for gold like a fool. He’s dressed in rags, has light blond hair like me, and rides a Tennessee horse…”

Peregrine's expression gradually changed. He had an excellent memory and could recall the details of every buried body. The more detailed Theon's description became, the more it matched a certain image in his mind: a thin figure, blond hair, a Tennessee horse, a gold prospector... As the clues gradually aligned, a trace of pity appeared in his eyes.

----

At the foot of the Grey Wolf Mountains, in a secluded deep forest.

Looking at the rows of mounds of earth, there were no tombstones, no obituaries, no biographies, no familiar crosses. Like the other animals in this mountain, after death, they were tightly intertwined with the soil, never to be separated again.

"Wow, this is really..." Angel Eyes' heterochromatic eyes widened slightly, revealing a hint of surprise. "Spectacular. Are the corpses of those Thunder Fury Gang members all here too?"

“I couldn’t have carried so many corpses down the mountain by myself. Besides, they committed so many evil deeds in life that they didn’t deserve to be buried in peace surrounded by the sound of wind rustling through the leaves and birdsong.” The peregrine falcon shook its head and said in a deep voice, “I burned them.”

"Why would you do something like this?" Angel Eyes asked curiously. "Unless you're commissioned, even if you dispose of a hundred or a thousand corpses, you won't get a single cent, right?"

"..." The Peregrine Falcon did not answer the question, but only glanced at him before turning its gaze to Theon, who was standing blankly in front of a mound of earth, looking dazed.

“This is the last body I will bury with my own hands on this mountain. With the destruction of the Thunder Fury Gang, my journey on this mountain is also coming to an end.” His voice was very calm, with a transcendent and egalitarian compassion. “If the burial time exceeds seven days, the body will decompose and swell to varying degrees, becoming unrecognizable.”

"If you feel you are mentally prepared, you can dig it out and confirm it."

……

Theon's expression was surprisingly calm. Looking back, he realized that he had probably already glimpsed this scene when he saw the hunter leading his horse and knocking on his door.

It's just a voice inside me hysterically escaping reality, nothing more.

"No need. It was all his own fault. He has no one to blame but himself. Thank you for burying him. At least... the scenery here is quite nice. He loved the outside world and nature, so let him rest here forever."

He let out a long sigh, his expression suddenly hardening, and asked, "You just said that a group of people have avenged my brother... Could you tell me who did it? Is it the same person who wiped out the Thunder Fury Gang and sent Tuku Zolael to hell?"

After a moment of silence, perhaps sensing Theon's burning gaze, the usually taciturn Peregrine finally relented.

"I don't know his name, but the people who were with him called him by a very strange name."

"The Red One".

----

“Heh, just as I thought…” Angel Eyes opened his half-closed eyes slightly, revealing a meaningful smile. “Now, things are finally getting interesting.”

Volume 1: Sparrow Hills

Chapter 68: On Sparrow Mountain (Still a Bounty - 9)

----

As I write this, the carriage is traveling on thick snow, and I can't hear a sound. It's so quiet around us, as if a monster that devours sound is lurking around us.

The snow-covered mountains were even more beautiful than I had imagined, but staring at the snowfield for too long made my eyes a little sore.

This is the third day since we set off from White Torch. Besides Becky, David Mesvid is also traveling with me on this journey. To be honest, I would have preferred a talking donkey to Mesvid, who is probably the only source of noise on this snowy mountain.

Besides the three of us, there were two hired gunmen responsible for our safety after we entered the mountains. David supposedly hired them for a "heavy price," but I suspect the commission didn't even exceed $30. His verbal skills always far outweighed his physical prowess.

It is said that besides that snow-white wild Arabian horse, Sparrow Mountain holds many rare and unexplored places. The Snowfall Mountains have witnessed countless legends, and Sparrow Mountain is the most prominent among them. Some even say that the leader of the Jack Gang once led his gang to temporarily reside somewhere on the mountain.

To evade capture, they left a portion of their treasure in a corner of the mountains.

Trains and railways have already connected the land, and perhaps before long, the roar of machinery will even be heard on this snow-capped mountain. I sincerely pray that day will come slowly, leaving us with a little more mystery and awe for nature…

----

"Boom!!"

The carriage wheel hit a stone, and Barbara's body was thrown to the left. Her head slammed against the window sill with a "thud." The pen in her hand veered off course, tearing a gash in the paper she was writing on.

"Barbara, are you alright?" Sitting next to her, a girl with long ginger-red hair and a sweet voice looked at her with concern in her bright green eyes. "Did you bump your head?"

"You bumped your head, and your first reaction was to look at the stuff you wrote. Ha... Miss Yang Sen, you really are a complete bookworm."

David's tone was slightly contemptuous, not because he was targeting Barbara personally, but because he treated everyone this way.

However, he paid for most of the trip, so Barbara couldn't really complain and just pretended not to hear, wanting some peace and quiet.

But David clearly wasn't going to let her off so easily. He raised his head, leaned back in the soft seat of the carriage, and said with undisguised smugness, "My father told me that this mountain range has great development value. Once the Mesvid Bank is officially established, a special fund will be allocated for development expenses. A road will definitely be built up the mountain, and then it won't be as difficult to travel as it is now."

"Wow, that's amazing!"

Becky looked up at him with slightly upturned eyes, and this "heartfelt" admiration was undoubtedly the most pleasing thing for David at that moment.

Barbara is also very grateful to have such a good friend by her side, who can help her share a lot of the social pressure.

"By the way, Miss Yang Sen, I heard that there's been quite a bit of trouble at the police station lately." David patted his chest confidently and said with a smile, "The case of the Australian Shrike remains unsolved. I imagine your father is under a lot of pressure, right?"

"In my opinion, it's a bit beyond his capabilities to handle this kind of case."

He waved his hand, getting more and more excited as he spoke, his eyebrows dancing with enthusiasm, "It's alright. If you lack funds or equipment, don't hesitate to have your father write to me directly. The money I'll save by hosting fewer parties should be more than enough to upgrade the White Torch Town Police Station's equipment."

……

"Is it 'Mesvid-Chieder Bank'?" Barbara closed her notebook and asked in a composed manner.

"...What did you say?" David looked displeased.

"It should be 'Mesvid-Chieder Bank', right?"

Despite her barely suppressed anger, Barbara's retort remained perfectly ladylike. With her hands clasped together and an impeccable smile on her face, she said, "As far as I know, your firm was not founded solely by Mr. Mesvid. Mr. Ryan Childer, a highly respected figure in the business world, is also your father's partner and has invested a significant amount of capital in its operations."

"If the bank is successfully established, it should be called 'Mesvid-Chieder Bank', that would be more appropriate."

“Hmph, Chedel…don’t mention that stupid Southerner to me.” David’s face was full of resentment. “His son was killed, and he even set fire to his hometown, but he couldn’t even catch the perpetrator. He just escaped from his own territory. It’s his behavior that makes those idle cowboys think we’re all easy to bully.”

“You can’t say that, after all, it’s Red Center.” Becky’s eyes trembled slightly as if she were recalling something. “The Nordlin family’s banquet…”

"The world is like a giant jungle, Becky! Weaklings are destined to be eliminated. The Nordlin family is far too lenient." David's tone was extremely decisive. "If that Red Center is blind enough to provoke Mesvid, I'll teach him the consequences of offending a major family. And it won't just be a matter of paying with his life..."

"Bang!"

The carriage braked suddenly again. This time, Barbara was lucky enough to grab the handle, but David, who had just been making grand pronouncements, lost his balance and was thrown up, hitting his head hard.

Embarrassed by the women, he leaned out the window and yelled, "Are you blind? How can you drive like that?!"

The two gunmen he had hired also served as the coachmen for this magnificent carriage. One of them turned around and looked at him innocently. "Mr. Mesvid, it's not that we need to brake, it's that the road ahead is blocked. There's someone blocking the middle of the road, and the carriage can't get through."

"Then get that guy out of here right now!"

……

Barbara curiously peeked out and saw a man squatting on the snow, stroking the neck of a large brown horse and muttering to himself, ignoring the coachman's scolding. She had heard of many people receiving end-of-life care, but this was the first time she had seen it done for a horse.

"Sir, do you need help?"

"Um... I'm sorry, my horse can't go on, it's reached its limit. It was a racehorse to begin with, and I wouldn't have let it run on the snowy mountain unless the situation was critical. Sigh..." The man accompanied the horse for its final journey, then slowly stood up and said to the girl in the carriage, "I still need to go to the nearby 'Mini Traveler' to pick someone up, but I'm out of horses..."

"Oh, I see." Barbara pondered for a moment, then gave him a bright smile. "Perfect timing, we're also going to Mini Traveler's Inn, and there's an empty seat in the car, so why don't we..."

"Absolutely not!" David shouted angrily before she could finish. "Let some country bumpkin who came out of nowhere ride in my carriage with his filthy ass?! Dream on, not a chance!"

“Don’t be like that, David. We’re just taking him to Mini Traveller’s Shop.” At times like this, Becky’s slightly soft voice can be very effective. “‘Love one another always, for love covers over a multitude of sins’—isn’t that right?”

Even with the Bible brought out, David could only grit his teeth, nod, and accept the situation.

Chapter 69: A mere Red Center? Watch me handle it with ease! (Bounty 10)

"Heh, and he's a foreigner."

Upon seeing the newcomer's appearance, David frowned deeply, his eyes filled with undisguised disgust, as if the newcomer carried a biological virus. "I don't want to sit with Huang Fan. Whoever suggested it, you can go and stick close to him."

There were only four seats in the carriage, so Becky got up and sat next to David, giving up her seat for the man.

"Hey!" Before he could even settle in, there was a loud knock on the carriage door, and one of the drivers reached in, seemingly very impatient that someone had been called out halfway through the journey. "Weapons."

"..." The man paused for a moment, as if recalling something unpleasant. His brow twitched, but he still smiled and said, "Is that necessary? It's normal to carry some weapons for self-defense when you're out and about, isn't it?"

"Enough with the nonsense." The driver frowned and urged in a harsh tone, "These are the rules. Either hand it over, or get out of here."

Having no other choice, he took off his belt, along with the two guns and a short knife, and handed them to the coachman. Even after doing so, the coachman didn't give him a friendly look. He snorted coldly, pulled him away forcefully, and muttered something under his breath, which was definitely not a pleasant word.

The carriage turned slowly. Because there was a stranger here, and a "rude" foreigner at that, David was unwilling to speak. He turned his head away, refusing to even look at him, and instead began to admire the snow scene.

Becky, on the other hand, rested her chin on her hands and stared at him with great interest for a long time before suddenly asking, "Is it the Volcano Pistol?"

"……what?"

"Your weapon is quite rare, with that kind of grip shape. The barrel is also slightly longer than a revolver. If it were a short-barreled shotgun, the holster would be a bit larger, so I'm guessing it's a lever-action Volcano pistol?"

“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself.” She first raised her hand, making a gesture of tossing her hair. Her long, smooth, ginger-red hair cascaded down to her ears, and her slightly alluring pale-colored eyes blinked, momentarily blurring her age. “I’m Becky, Becky Halganda, this is Barbara Jansen, and this gentleman across from me…”

“There’s no need for him to know. It’s your business if you’re willing to deal with these peasants. Don’t drag me into it.” David said coldly without turning his head. “This is the only chance you’ll ever have to ride in the same car as us.”

“My surname is Zhang, and my given name is Renfeng. Well… let’s just call it an adventure story.” Zhang Renfeng rubbed his nose, which was stiff from the cold, and smiled. “Your observation skills are excellent.”