Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

“This guy is a problem, he can’t be kept alive, he must be eliminated!” one of the drivers said in a deep voice. “You’ve already gone into this kind of business, you wouldn’t be holding back at this crucial moment, would you?”

"Hahaha—! You're quite the talker, but when it comes to doing things, it's just too absurd." The bearskin hat burst into laughter, slamming his fist on the table with a deafening roar. "He didn't even pay you a single penny, and you're still working for him? If it were me, I'd shoot anyone who owed me money long ago!"

----

“This is an investment in the ‘future.’ He believes that I can earn more for him in the near future.”

……

At that moment, everyone in the room, including Barbara who was pretending to be asleep, felt their hearts skip a beat.

Zhang Renfeng stood up silently, a smile on his lips.

Although he didn't hold back much from the moment he kicked the goal, this illogical act made him seem even more terrifying.

Outside, the wind and snow continued to howl, occasionally pounding against the windowpanes. The flickering lamplight cast his shadow on the shipping container, making him look like a ferocious monster about to devour everyone.

"This is impossible... I saw it with my own eyes!" the female prisoner cried out in a hoarse voice. "I saw you drink it!"

"You drank it, didn't you?" Zhang Renfeng sneered, then slowly retorted, "Does drinking it necessarily mean you'll be affected?"

Chapter 77: Have you ever thought about where we go after we die?

"While drinking the coffee, I sealed my Tian Tu and Tan Zhong acupoints."

Like a patient and encouraging teacher, Zhang Renfeng raised his finger and gently pressed on the two acupoints respectively.

Tian Tu is located slightly below the throat, while Tan Zhong is located slightly to the right of the heart, also known as the "death point." This is the move he used when he killed Tu Ku.

We need to use our hands to measure other people's bodies, but we are naturally very familiar with our own bodies.

“By gently tapping these two acupoints with the right amount of force, the poison and medicinal properties can be contained and prevented from taking effect.” He subtly took a small step to the left and chuckled, “Besides, your trickery is rather clumsy and laughable. This level of deception is only enough to fool naive children, yet they’re still gloating over it?”

"...When did you figure it out?" Victor no longer wore that amiable smile of a clerk. He opened his narrow eyes and looked him up and down. "I put some thought into the layout of this shop. There shouldn't be any obvious flaws."

Zhang Renfeng burst into laughter as if he had heard a joke, "You're so funny..."

He held up the bowl of stew that was not yet finished and said with a smile, "I think I told you that I came here once a long time ago, when Mini was still very thin. It was also a bad day with a blizzard, and they served me stew."

“I know someone in my hometown who is a chef who cooks for the imperial palace. He likes to use egg whites to enhance the texture of meat. No matter what dish he makes, he will add a little egg white, which makes the dish unique. Even the celery dumplings he makes have egg whites mixed into the filling. When you bite into them, they are fresh, tender and refreshing, just like other dumplings.”

"The key point is... everyone's cooking habits are fixed. Even after ten or eight years, the dishes that come out of his hands will still taste the same."

He tapped the edge of the plate with his knife and fork, making two crisp, loud tinkling sounds that made everyone in the room tense.

“I may not have many other skills, but my palate is exceptionally sensitive. I recognized it from the very first bite… This is fucking Mini’s stew, the one she made in that iron pot. In other words, at least until this morning, Mini was still in this shop, yet you’re saying she’s been gone for a week and left the shop she cherished to you?”

Viktor's face flashed with a variety of expressions, including unexpected astonishment and resentment, but in the end, he laughed out loud.

"Ha... A small bowl of stew ruined hours of my preparation, how ironic. That fat woman is the most brainless person I've ever met. The only thing that's not bad is this stew and curry. It's such a waste to throw it away."

The bounty hunter in the bearskin hat looked grave, his hand already reaching for the hilt of his broadsword behind him. Victor, however, raised his right arm high, stopping his companion's attack, and laughed, "Since you heard everything, we have nothing to hide. How about this, you join us and get a share of the profits?"

"Hey, you're from the Shepherd's Gang!" one of the drivers said menacingly. "Our boss would never do something so absurd..."

"You guys should take your share as much as you normally would, don't be shy," Victor said calmly. "His share will come from my own pocket. That way, your 'boss' shouldn't have any objections, right?"

“Victor, you…”

His promise directly turned his companions into red-hot idiots.

The Mexicans were so anxious they tried to stand up, but Victor waved them off, signaling them not to say anything more. He continued, "I heard you were traveling with them by chance. Do you know anything about their families?"

"The banker's son, the arms dealer's daughter, and the local sheriff's daughter of White Torch—the three of them combined could easily rack up a ransom of over $20000."

"Their parents are all very wealthy. If they were to raise the price, it could easily reach thirty or forty thousand dollars, and they might even receive more. In the end, you would get at least 500 dollars... Imagine if you were a legitimate laborer, like a cowboy or a rancher, you wouldn't earn that much money even if you risked your life."

"And now, you don't have to shed a drop of blood, or even a drop of sweat, just by remaining silent. This huge sum of money goes into your pocket—a sure-fire way to make money, isn't it?"

Victor stared intently into Zhang Renfeng's eyes and continued, "You haven't done anything that we can't forgive yet. If we want to talk business, let's sit down, talk like civilized people, and then shake hands and make peace."

"So, are you willing to accept these conditions?"

----

The wind and snow howled, and the lamplight flickered.

Zhang Renfeng looked at the steaming stew in the bowl, raised his head slightly, and looked at the woman in front of him with some confusion.

"I have no money to give you."

He huddled by the fireplace, melting snow dripping down and wetting his black hair, which clung to his forehead like a drowned dog.

"It's alright, eat up, it's free, consider it my treat." Mini had a faded dark red headscarf wrapped around her forehead, making her hair look naturally curly. Her tone was warm and smiling, and the firelight reflected in her pupils, as if sharing its warmth with her.

"This shop doesn't make much money, but I can still afford to treat you to a bowl of stew, right, darling?"

She turned around and looked at the rather broad-shouldered, overweight man sitting on a cushioned stool. He wore glasses and was flipping through an old book, grunting and mumbling in response, appearing rather perfunctory.

Even so, Zhang Renfeng still had reservations—it was because he had read too much Water Margin.

In his subconscious, most establishments located in such remote and desolate places were shady businesses, and who knew if the stew contained anesthetic, which could then be used as filling for steamed buns after the intoxicated person had passed out. Even if it wasn't that explicit, the possibility of someone using anesthetic to murder and rob someone was still unpredictable.

Mini seemed to guess what he was thinking, smiled slightly, and didn't expose him. He just turned around and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hey, Robin, stop sitting there warming yourself by the fire, come over here!"

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Robin took off his signature yellow shirt and hung it on the back of the chair. He walked over quickly and said with a hint of teasing, "Zhang, don't anger Mini. The blizzard is so heavy, we still have to stay here for a few more days."

Seeing the stew in Mini's hand, he immediately understood, but he decided not to waste words and instead use actions to prove what he needed to prove.

"Ah...perfect timing, I'm starving." Robin snatched the bowl of stew, grabbed a spoon, and started eating heartily. "The pot's over there, go get yourself another bowl."

Seeing his companions enjoying their meal so much, Zhang Renfeng's guard was somewhat lowered. However, he was still a little confused about the existence of this shop.

This couple lives on a snow-capped mountain, and every time they need to buy goods, they have to drive down the mountain, earning only a meager profit. What are they trying to achieve by doing all this?

Before dinner that day, he found a quiet moment and asked his companion the question.

He still remembers that after hearing the question, Robin, the ruthless killer in yellow, showed an incredibly complex expression.

"Zhang, have you ever thought about where we go after we die?"

Zhang Renfeng was not very familiar with the mythological system of this country, so he did not speak rashly, but listened quietly.

"Regardless of good or evil, when people are in danger, they will pray that someone will lend them a hand. It doesn't take much, just a meal, a glass of wine, a warm fire... Everyone who passes through here is blessed by this couple. Once you enter this door, no matter what your status is outside, you can get a bowl of hot stew from her. This is the meaning of the existence of Mini Traveler's Shop."

……

Zhang Renfeng couldn't quite grasp the significance of it yet, but that night, he and Robin slept in the traveler's inn. Chairs were pushed together to make a makeshift bed, and Robin fell fast asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, while Zhang Renfeng couldn't sleep for a while.

He looked out the window at the howling wind and snow. The thin layer of glass kept out the cold and danger, giving him a long-lost sense of security.

He fell into a deep sleep in that feeling.

Chapter 78: You have done things I cannot forgive.

"You killed them, didn't you?"

Let's return to the present, to this small wooden cabin surrounded by wind and snow.

Zhang Renfeng put down the stew in his hand and muttered, "Let me guess... On the snow mountain, the ground is frozen solid like stone, so you couldn't have dug a pit to dispose of the body. So either it was burned, or it was just dumped nearby, right?"

Victor's expression changed, and his face darkened.

"Why should we care about them? They're just two insignificant little guys who opened their shop in a place like this. They might not die today, or the day after, but they could die at anyone's hands the day after that. We're talking about at least $500!"

"By any state's standards, this is no small amount of money. All you need to do is stay silent, turn around and walk away. It's that simple, and $500 is in your pocket!"

At this point, Victor's tone carried a hint of warning, "Are we really going to throw away such a good deal for two nobody who wouldn't care even if they died?"

The howling of the wind and snow gradually subsided, and darkness fell. The wooden house resembled a small boat sailing on the sea, its floorboards creaking as if it could be smashed to pieces by a giant wave at any moment.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the final outcome.

“I see, $500... Indeed, that’s no small sum.” Zhang Renfeng held the knife and fork next to the stew bowl in his hand and laughed, “You Shepherd Gang people look shabby, but you’re quite generous.”

“I value stability more than making money. I’m willing to invest some money to ensure that all aspects are implemented safely.” Victor spread his arms and smiled confidently. “Once we’ve taken the money, we’re in the same boat. If there are any easy and lucrative jobs in the future that we can do together, we might have the opportunity to cooperate again.”

"Look at reality. You have no weapons at all. There are six of us here. Even if we exclude the one who's handcuffed, there are still five of us. Five against one, I don't see the slightest chance of winning."

Victor spoke persuasively, describing a future that would benefit everyone: "I'll say it again, so far you haven't done anything unforgivable. Just a nod from you and it's a win-win situation for everyone."

……

There was a long silence.

In reality, only about five seconds may have passed, but to Barbara, those few seconds felt like they would never end, keeping her heart pounding. For a moment, she even felt that it wouldn't matter if Zhang Renfeng nodded in agreement, as long as he gave her a quick result to extinguish her hope.

People are undoubtedly most tormented when they can only see a tiny glimmer of hope.

Holding my breath and waiting anxiously for a long time, all I got was a cold laugh.

"What you said makes some sense, but unfortunately..."

Zhang Renfeng casually tossed the fork out, and in a fleeting flash of silver, it pierced a coachman's Adam's apple with a "whoosh." It's said that great strength makes bricks fly; with enough power, even a blunt weapon can penetrate skin and reach a vital point!

"You have done things that I cannot forgive."

Turn around, kick out, and strike!

"Thump—!!"

Zhang Renfeng kicked the edge of the wooden table, and the solid wooden table used for eating was moved several meters across the road, charging forward like a red-glowing bull.

The table legs groaned as they scraped against the wooden floor, then slammed heavily onto another coachman—who was staring in disbelief at his companion's sudden death, drawing his gun halfway when the solid wooden table struck him, breaking his back.

The man and the table slammed violently against the wall, causing the liquor on the shelf to splatter and splash. The solid wooden table, weighing about 4 or 50 kilograms, was completely on top of him; an ordinary person couldn't possibly push it away. Moreover, the sudden impact on his lumbar spine had already caused a slight fracture, and he passed out from the pain within moments.

"Cough...cough..."

The coachman, his throat pierced by a fork, lay on the ground, struggling like a dying beast. Blood spurted onto the floor with each cough. His pupils were dilated, and he clutched his bleeding neck, crawling with immense difficulty toward the door.

In the blink of an eye, he took the initiative and scored two consecutive kills, turning the game from five against one to three against one.

"You're insane! You're a complete madman!" Victor snapped, pulling out his gun while yelling at him, "You'd rather break ties with the Shepherd Gang for those two nobodys than take this free $500?!"

"Are you out of your mind!" Zhang Renfeng grinned maliciously, striking a near 180-degree split with his heels raised high, his right and left legs almost forming a straight line. "After I've dealt with you, I'll use the money to ransom these three brats. Isn't all the money mine?!"

"boom!"

His heel slammed down like a battle axe, smashing a piece of wooden floorboard into the air, blocking the incoming bullet, and splintering wood chips everywhere.

But Zhang Renfeng's focus wasn't on that. He bent down and peered into the darkness. His eyes, like those of a wild beast, gleamed with a bloodthirsty light, terrifying the hider beneath the floor so much that he went blank and even forgot to draw his gun.

"Dude, if you're going to hide, then hide properly..." He smirked, a terrifying grin spreading across his face. "Could you breathe any louder?"

"boom--!!"

Two dragons go out to sea!

Zhang Renfeng transformed his fist into a claw, directly chiseling through the wooden floor. His ten fingers were as hard as iron. He grabbed the collarbone with his left hand and the ribs with his right, pulling him out from under the floor like a radish! Sharp wood chips, like thorns, pierced his body, causing the unfortunate infiltrator to scream in agony.

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhang Renfeng yanked him through the air, using him as a shield, and unleashed a barrage of bullets, spraying blood everywhere. He barely had time to scream before his comrades riddled him with bullets, leaving only his eyes still darting around.

"Oh no! Doston—!!" The handcuffed female prisoner suddenly screamed, jumping around like a madwoman, "Stop, stop—!"

……

"Hiding under the floor, trying to shoot me to death? Hahaha..." After using him as a human shield to block several shots, Zhang Renfeng laughed loudly, stretched out his right hand, pulled out another revolver from the Dorston holster, and shouted angrily, "I'm the only one who shoots others, never the other way around!!"

With his thumb pressed down on the firing pin, Zhang Renfeng raised his revolver while the enemy was unleashing a hail of bullets on his comrade, forcing him to reload.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Six gunshots rang out, and the magazine was emptied.

Zhang Renfeng was used to the feel of the Volcano pistol, and before he could even switch to a revolver, his accuracy was rather poor. He had originally intended to shoot the Mexican in the head cleanly and efficiently, but four shots hit the Mexican's torso, shattering him and the liquor shelf behind him into pieces.

The remaining two shots, one missed, and the other hit Victor's arm, causing him to groan and stagger backward.

"Tsk..."

Out of bullets, Zhang Renfeng was very dissatisfied with his accuracy, so he simply gripped the gun handle in reverse and threw the revolver as if it were a hidden weapon.

"Boom!"

The metal gun barrel smashed into his nose, blinding him instantly and causing him to collapse to the ground, lifeless.

"Hey, that's right." Zhang Renfeng clapped his hands and laughed with a hint of self-deprecation, "It's still more convenient to use it this way."

Chapter 79: How dare you slander my innocence out of thin air?

"ah---!!"