Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Chapter 72: Falling into the Spider's Web (Bounty Still Expected - 13)

The weather on the mountain is unpredictable, and it's deep winter now, so things can change very easily. To their surprise, just a few minutes later, the snowstorm intensified, making it unsuitable for traveling. Perhaps due to a lack of fodder, the horses pulling the cart gradually became exhausted, and the wheels almost sank into the snow.

It took a long time, until everyone in the car was shivering from the cold and the metal of the train was frozen stiff, before they could barely make out the shadow of a building in the wind and snow.

"Damn it, finally... finally we're here. It'll be good to go inside and warm up by the fire..."

David curled up into a ball, his voice trembling even more violently than before. He couldn't sit on the cold bench for another second. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, he shoved Becky aside, jumped out, and stumbled through the snow towards Mini Traveler's House.

"He actually dared to run into the snow-capped mountains wearing such a flashy suit. He must have absolutely no common sense, or he must be incredibly stupid..." Barbara sighed, too exhausted to even complain loudly. She clutched her aching stomach, her face looking rather pale.

Despite wrapping herself up quite thickly, she still couldn't ward off the pervasive chill.

Only Becky was in relatively good spirits, feeling very excited about the outside world, like a lark just released from its cage, peeking out curiously at everything she had never seen before on the snow-capped mountain. Being so focused on the scenery, she easily overlooked her footing. The carriage's footboard was covered with a thin layer of ice; she stumbled, lost her balance, and fell forward.

"what!"

The girl's short scream had barely escaped her lips when a large hand reached out from the side and firmly grabbed her waist. It was the temperature of their skin against each other that startled her. "Your hand is so hot!"

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that Zhang Renfeng's clothes weren't particularly thick, yet he showed no signs of shivering or shaking, and his movements and speech were completely normal. He was like a mobile heat source, maintaining a normal body temperature even in such frigid conditions. When large snowflakes fell on his forehead, it was as if they had fallen into a hot furnace, melting much faster than on an average person.

"Barbara, come quick! This gentleman's temperature is so high!" She called out to her companion with great curiosity, as if she had discovered a new continent. She even took it upon herself to touch Zhang Renfeng's forehead with the back of her hand. "Amazing... how did he do that?"

"You mean this? Ah..." Zhang Renfeng was already used to this constitution, and was initially a little confused when he heard this. It wasn't until the other person mentioned the key word "body temperature" that he suddenly realized, "After practicing standing meditation in the coldest and hottest winter months and the hottest summer months, my body has become immune to temperature changes. Unless it's extremely cold or extremely hot, my body can adapt. The most difficult time is the dead of winter. When I practice, the Zhang River is frozen over. Standing on the frozen river, the cold air seeps up from the soles of my feet. But I still have to keep stomping, exerting force, circulating my energy, and throwing punches as usual."

"The human body is amazing. Given enough time, we can endure almost any kind of suffering, that's right..."

Zhang Renfeng squinted his eyes. Memories are so interesting; just a few keywords can pull you here and draw you into another long-buried memory.

"Even if it means saying goodbye to a powerful physical body, abandoning the muscles, toughness, and strength gained from decades of dedicated cultivation, and watching one's body weaken day by day. Given the time, some people can even do this."

These words were too profound for the two girls. Becky looked completely bewildered and looked at Barbara, who shrugged, indicating that she didn't understand what he meant.

On the other side, David had no time for conversation and just kept banging on the door, but it seemed to be welded to the frame and he couldn't open it no matter how hard he knocked.

Having just narrowly escaped being kidnapped by bandits, and wanting to return home, he was suddenly caught in a blizzard. Traveling by carriage was difficult, and he was freezing and hungry. These combined disadvantages drove David, accustomed to city life, to utter frustration. When planning his trip, he hadn't considered these crucial factors at all, assuming he could still have a similarly inspiring snow-capped mountain adventure as in the city.

He greatly underestimated this mountain range.

In Baiju Town, he had long been accustomed to buying everything with money.

But here, many things cannot be simply measured in money. For example, right now, his only wish is to eat some warm food and warm himself by the fire. But even such a seemingly insignificant wish is blocked by this wooden door, remaining unfulfilled.

People who usually have it too easy are prone to losing their temper when faced with setbacks. After losing their temper, they either break down or become extremely angry. David was clearly the latter. He started banging on the door harder, or rather, pounding on it, yelling and cursing in a hoarse voice.

"Open the door! Open the door right now! Do you even know who I am?! I don't care if you're Minimi or Chimi, if you don't want to die, you'd better open this damn door right now!"

Perhaps his sincerity finally worked, or perhaps, in the midst of the howling blizzard, only such a volume could be heard clearly, and there was a response from within.

"The door is nailed shut; you'll have to kick it open—!!!"

“…What?” David deflated instantly. He pretended to kick the door twice, but it didn’t budge. He was already hungry and cold, and all his energy had been spent shouting and banging on the door. Now that he had stopped abruptly, he felt blood rushing to his head and he felt a little dizzy.

"David, are you alright?" Becky asked with concern.

"I, I'm perfectly fine... Haha, if I said I'm perfectly fine, would you believe me?"

He gave a bitter laugh, then slumped down in a dejected manner, muttering, "If I had known, I shouldn't have come here. What a load of rubbish snow mountain, it's all just snow and more snow. I don't know what's so beautiful about it."

"And that white Arabian horse, I actually wasted so much of my money and time on something like that... When we get back, I'll just have my father buy a few Arabian horses, hire someone to breed them, and get a white one..."

He was delirious and talking nonsense; that's pretty much what he was like.

"Step aside."

After uttering those two brief words, Zhang Renfeng, without waiting to see if he heard, turned sideways, hooked his leg, and launched a powerful kick. He hadn't used his kicking skills in a long time; even though it was just a door, Zhang Renfeng instinctively used his technique, spiraling his leg to deliver a powerful kick to the door!

"boom!"

As if struck by a hail of bullets, the two door panels were smashed open, slammed against the wall, and bounced back, startling everyone inside. Even the snow on the roof was shaken off by the force, landing on the people outside the door.

"Wow, that's amazing! You're so strong!" Becky exclaimed in astonishment, "Can people in your country all do something like that?"

David brushed the snow off his shoulder. If before, his gaze towards Zhang Renfeng was merely one of disdain, now it held an undisguised loathing.

"Tsk... No wonder you're called a barbarian, barbarians are barbarians." He shoved Zhang Renfeng's shoulder aside and barged in first. "Don't block the doorway, get out of the way!"

----

Mini Traveler's Shop is run by the Mini couple and is specifically for travelers. It's located on a route that all travelers inevitably take; unless you're on a particularly secluded path, you'll pass by it whenever you're crossing Sparrow Mountain.

The shop wasn't large, and it didn't sell many items. Mini only went down the mountain to restock every two weeks. But when the wind and snow made it difficult to see and move, and food and water were running out, such a shop was a lifeline for travelers.

For example, right now, David rushed straight to the fire, eagerly enjoying the warmth and comfort it brought him...

But he didn't pay any attention to the unfamiliar stares coming from around him.

Chapter 73: The Feast at Hongmen (Bounty Still Expected, Part 14)

Zhang Renfeng didn't really care about the push. The moment he stepped into the store, he quickly scanned the situation inside—there were five people in total.

A tall, burly man with a thick beard sat on a bench, wearing a bearskin hat. Besides his weapon, he also had a strikingly designed large knife at his waist, making him look like a lone bounty hunter. He held a chain in his hand, binding a disheveled woman who was huddled on the bench, her hands handcuffed, her eyes fixed on the doorway with a sinister smile.

A man in a sharp suit and round-framed glasses sat not far away, sipping wine by the fire, looking relaxed and content, not at all like someone seeking refuge from a blizzard. Physically speaking, he was the closest to David.

There was another man, wearing a classic Mexican sombrero, sitting at the farthest table, writing something furiously.

The last person... sat in the only relatively luxurious chair in the store, covered with a thick, warm-looking brown blanket. The man sitting there was wearing a suit and a red tie, and sported a signature slicked-back hairstyle due to his rather worrying hairline.

The moment he saw Zhang Renfeng, his eyelids twitched violently, and he instinctively tried to get up.

But, for some reason, he held back, and after a flash of thought, he was the first to speak, “Sir, the blizzard is too fierce, the door can’t be closed at all. The hammer is in the cabinet next to you, you’ll have to nail the door shut!”

Seemingly surprised that he would be the first to speak, the man sipping red wine turned around and gave him a slightly warning look.

However, it doesn't matter; the message has already been sent. Just a single form of address was enough for Zhang Renfeng to sense something was amiss.

Actually, from the moment he stepped in, I vaguely sensed something was wrong. Unfortunately, I didn't have Xiaomei's quick-thinking mind. As she said, I was "observant enough, but not thoughtful enough." I may have noticed some subtle details, but my brain just hadn't quite grasped them yet.

but……

"gentlemen"?

He looked at him several times to confirm that the person in front of him was indeed the lawyer he was looking for, Jimmy McGill, who had announced his joining in Scar Village.

"...I understand." All thoughts raced through his mind, but Zhang Renfeng calmly replied, turning around and pulling a hammer and nails from the cabinet. He was very strong; with just one hammer blow, he could drive the nail completely into the wooden door, making it exceptionally sturdy.

After finishing, he put the hammer back in the cabinet, and taking advantage of the topic Jimmy brought up, he walked over to him, rubbed his hands together, and said in a casual tone, "You bet the weather is really weird. It was fine just now, and suddenly it started snowing heavily... Are you here to wait for someone?"

“Yes, we’re waiting for someone. That guy hasn’t shown up yet; he’s probably stuck somewhere in the snow.” The lawyer picked up the conversation naturally, and immediately reached out his hand. “Saul, you could call yourself a lawyer, and your practice is mainly in New Elizabeth, New Austin, and Granite State. My firm is located in White Torch. If you have any legal questions in the future, feel free to consult me ​​anytime.”

The fact that the name given was Saul, not Jimmy, says a lot.

"Hello, Thor."

……

"Lawyer or whatever, it doesn't matter, just get me something to eat, I'm starving," David complained. "This shabby shop doesn't even have anything to eat?"

“There’s also a stew and a curry on the table, both of which I cooked myself.” The bearskin hat turned its head and winked at David. “You’ll absolutely love it.”

David, who was used to being waited on, did not get up to get some food after learning that there was food. Instead, he sat down by the fire as if his bottom was rooted to the ground.

There was only one seat left closest to the fire, and he was probably worried that if he moved, someone else would take it when he came back. In the end, it was the man who had been sitting opposite him, leisurely sipping his wine, who got up and served them several bowls of stew.

Hunger is the best seasoning, and that's certainly true. Normally, he wouldn't even give this kind of coarse food a second glance, but now he was so hungry that his eyes were practically glowing green, and this stew became a delicacy.

Zhang Renfeng inadvertently exchanged a glance with Thor, and seeing the other nod very slightly at him, he felt relieved and ate the stew.

Only when people are neither hungry nor cold can they truly be considered human. Otherwise, when people are hungry and cold, very few would be willing to speak properly.

Watching the newcomers wolf down their food, the man who offered to serve them rice smiled, his gaze sweeping over each of them before finally settling on Zhang Renfeng. He noticed that Zhang Renfeng was also looking at him, but unlike the man and two women, his attention was highly focused, as if he wanted to dissect every inch of Zhang Renfeng to examine him closely.

"Three young men from the city, appearing together on Sparrow Mountain amidst a heavy snowfall. If you're here for tourism, you've certainly picked a good place." He turned to David, who was wolfing down his food, and asked with a smile, "Is this foreigner your bodyguard?"

"Him? No way, he's just a fellow traveler. I wouldn't hire a yellow-skinned foreigner as a bodyguard unless I'd lost my mind." After practically finishing a bowl of stew in a minute, David regained his haughty demeanor, took out a handkerchief, slowly wiped his mouth, and glanced out the window.

The wind and snow were raging, buzzing and pounding against the windows. Even David knew he wouldn't be able to leave anytime soon, and he couldn't help but show a look of frustration.

“If I could turn back time, I would definitely give up this foolish idea,” David said bitterly. “Why suffer like this for a white Arabian horse?”

"Ah, I see! You're here to find the Arabian white horse on Lake Annabelle too?" The man snapped his fingers and said with a smile, "Whether it exists or not, it certainly won't come out in this weather. Perhaps you could stay for a few days and then go to the lake to look for it on a sunny day?"

"Screw it, I quit." David waved his hand irritably. "On the way here, I was robbed by the Shepherd Gang and almost lost my life..."

After surviving a near-death experience, people often become talkative. David recounted incessantly how he and his group had narrowly escaped death and how perilous the situation was, hoping to gain people's sympathy. At times like these, there is no better confidant than a stranger.

The bounty hunter wearing a bearskin and the Mexican man writing in the corner both seemed interested in the story. They turned around to listen intently, afraid of missing a single detail.

When they heard that it was this foreigner who had removed a button, causing the entire Shepherd Wolf Gang to retreat, they looked at Zhang Renfeng with some strange expressions.

----

"So," Zhang Renfeng said abruptly, picking at the stew in his bowl, scooping up a spoonful, sniffing it twice, and then asking abruptly, "Where did Mr. and Mrs. Mini go?"

The moment the question was uttered, it was as if wind and snow were blowing in through the walls, instantly changing the atmosphere in the room.

"Do you know the Mini couple?" The man didn't answer directly, but instead answered Zhang Renfeng's question with another question.

“I’ve met them once before,” Zhang Renfeng answered flawlessly. “But it was a few years ago. I came to the snow mountain on some business, and just like today, the wind and snow were very heavy, so I had to stay here for the night. The couple were very kind; they treated me to a meal and didn’t even accept my money.”

"I remember she must have been very thin back then."

"Really?" The man smiled. "Then her current appearance will definitely surprise you."

Chapter 74: Snow Mountain, Eight Villains (Bounty Still Available - 15)

“I’ve known the Minis for a long time. They went on a trip a week ago, and I’m temporarily in charge of the store during this period. I’ll take over all the work they used to do, such as purchasing and running the store.”

The man took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and began to introduce himself, "Elomon Newgate, my day job is a clerk in White Torch. I'm probably the only one they know who can do the books."

"In this heavy wind and snow, it's quite a coincidence that we're all in the same house. This shop is opened for times like this, isn't it? That couple is truly great; with such a place to rest, they've saved countless lives."

The clerk's tone was very sincere, as if he were genuinely grateful for the kindness of the Mini couple. "Domingo arrived an hour ago. He's a biographer. Coincidentally, he also heard about the legendary white horse by Lake Annabelle, which is why he traveled all this way to find out. Like you, he's stuck in the mountains because of the heavy snow."

"..." The biographer named Domingo raised his head slightly to greet them.

"As for these two, you can tell from their appearance that they were on their way to escort prisoners when they encountered a blizzard and had to stop," the clerk explained. "The one wearing the bearskin hat should be a bounty hunter, but unfortunately, he has been unwilling to tell me his name."

"When you're out in the world, you're just meeting people by chance. What's the point of asking for names? Hahahaha!" The man in the bearskin hat had a voice as rugged as his appearance, and when he laughed, it was like muffled thunder. "Kid, do you think you're the only one in a hurry to go home? This chain on my wrist is the famous 'Black Widow'! Take her to White Torch Town, and that stupid mustachioed sheriff will have to pay $800 to get her!"

“That silly mustache…” Barbara murmured repeatedly.

David turned his head away disdainfully. From his perspective, $800 was a paltry sum, hardly worth a second. To suffer in the snowy mountains for such a small amount of money showed that this so-called bounty hunter was no real talent.

"Why is she called Black Widow?" Only Becky remained curious as always. "Isn't that the name of a spider?"

“Hehehe, redhead, do you know why this slut was arrested?” Bearskin Hat said meaningfully. “She committed bigamy, marrying five different men at the same time in Utah, Granite State, and New Elizabeth, and then killing them all. If you ask me, hanging would be too lenient for such scum.”

"Hehehe... There's nothing I can do... They're all so useless, all show and no substance, they can't satisfy me at all." The disheveled woman with filthy hair chuckled, giving Becky a strange look. "I can only eat like fast food, finishing one and moving on to the next. Finishing one and moving on to the next..."

"Be honest!"

Seeing her seemingly restless movements, the bearskin hat suddenly tugged at the chain, causing her to stumble and almost fall to the ground.

The bounty hunter glared at him and snapped, "I advise you to save your energy for dealing with the sheriff and guards in prison. You'll see what happens then, you idiot!"

The clerk smiled, seemingly used to this scene, and continued, "And this lawyer sitting here, Saul, he introduced himself when he came in. I must warn you, his public speaking skills are exceptional; I have a feeling he's wasted on being a lawyer..."

"If you're not careful, you can easily be fooled by the stories he makes up."

Everyone laughed in unison, as if they had already witnessed how eloquent Saul was.

Saul laughed too, but his laughter sounded dry and hoarse because his vocal cords were too tight.

……

"So, after saying all that..."

Zhang Renfeng wandered around the shop, occasionally picking up bottles and jars to examine them, and sometimes squatting down to gently rub certain marks on the floor. He barely paid attention to what the clerk had just said.

"Are you trying to tell me that you're actually three groups of people who don't know each other?"

----

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became somewhat strange, with flickering lamplight and crackling firelight.

Silence spread silently, leaving only the sound of the raging wind and blizzard pounding against the windows.

The silence was broken by another voice coming from the doorway.

"Boom boom boom!"

"Boom boom boom!"