Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"I was the martial arts champion personally selected by the Emperor in the first year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign. But that was all in the past, and now... it doesn't matter anymore." Strangely enough, even though they were fighting fiercely just now, Zhang Renfeng didn't kill Mike. Instead, he kicked aside the table and chairs and walked towards Colin, chatting with him as he went, "Old man, can you still move your legs?"

"Not dead yet."

"Let me give you a piece of advice: if you're not dead, move a couple of steps and don't stay here," Zhang Renfeng said calmly. "If they can't catch me, they'll just find a scapegoat to cover their tracks."

“I just arrived in Fengchuisha tonight,” Mike said, squinting.

“It doesn’t matter, as long as he’s breathing, that’s fine. So many people have died, there has to be an explanation.” Zhang Renfeng’s tone was very confident, as if he could see the future. “The Chaidel family is very powerful in this area, the police have to give them an explanation… If you don’t leave now, you’ll be the one who gets the ‘explanation’.”

Mike fell silent.

He initially wanted to refute this, saying that all fifteen people here were killed by "Red Center." But upon reflection, who would believe it unless they saw it with their own eyes?

Just like the tragedy in White Torch Town, if I hadn't witnessed it myself and had only heard about it from other gunmen, I would have dismissed it as mere gossip and nonsense.

"Tsk, damn it..."

He clutched his bruised nose, giving his unfortunate employer one last look—realizing no one could save him, Colin was terrified, his face drained of color, trembling like a leaf, a far cry from his arrogant demeanor that afternoon. But Zhang Renfeng wouldn't tolerate it. He grabbed a rag, crumpled it into a ball, and forced it into Colin's mouth, leaving him only able to whimper.

“Killing him won’t let the Cheddar family get away with it, although… I guess you don’t care.” Mike stood up, the sawdust on his wrist making him wince, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. “If I had known this would happen, I should have asked them for an advance on my wages.”

“Get well soon. Money will come in plenty of other opportunities.” Zhang Renfeng deftly bound his hands and feet, then with a quick twist of his arm, he lifted the grown man up as easily as carrying a sack of flour, hoisting him onto his shoulder. “There’s a train that comes from San Quintak, along the Murphy Plains, passing through a long stretch of uninhabited land. It’s loaded with tobacco, US dollars, and bonds. If you still have the strength…”

"No thanks." Mike refused him decisively, dragging his injured body step by step over, and kicked open the back door of the Red Bird Restaurant. "Never again."

Zhang Renfeng's smile didn't fade. Ten minutes later, police whistles finally sounded in the town. The police were awakened from their sleep and rushed over, shouting in the street.

"Whoa—!!"

A piercing whistle rang out, and his warhorse was already waiting outside the door, neighing loudly.

"Let's go, young master." Zhang Renfeng shrugged and smiled at Colin on his shoulder, "We still have another show to catch up on!"

----

On the grassland, beside a dilapidated carriage, Chuck held a kerosene lamp, anxiously waiting.

The flowing moonlight shone on him, but it did nothing to soothe him. A jumble of thoughts filled his mind: What if he failed? What if they found out from that guy that he was the one who paid for it...?

The desire for revenge is like oil on a raging fire; it can only burn for a short time. After the fire is extinguished, weakness and hesitation begin to take over Chuck's mind under the cold, dark night sky.

The chaotic sound of horses' hooves interrupted him.

Chuck breathed a sigh of relief and waved in the direction of the sound of hooves, "Hey—! I'm here! How's it going on your end? Did you succeed..."

He was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly realized that the chaotic sound of hooves meant it couldn't be just one horse.

A chill ran up from the soles of my feet and straight to the top of my head.

By the light of the kerosene lamp, Chuck could see that the tall horses those people were riding all had indigo sashes tied to their legs.

Chapter Six: A Misunderstanding?

He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave; through his chest, his heart was almost shattered by the sound of the horse's hooves pounding the ground.

He turned to run, but his body froze in place, unable to take a step, as if he were welded to the ground.

This is also a warning from his body. If he really turns around and runs, in his condition, can he outrun a four-legged horse?

A blue cloth tied to the horse's leg is the symbol of the "Thunderbolt Gang," a notorious outlaw gang that commits arson, murder, robbery, and all sorts of evil deeds, their infamy resounding throughout New Elizabeth. Even Chuck, a small-town grocery store clerk, has heard plenty of their stories.

On the Murphy Grassland and Tinglan Grassland surrounding Windblown Sand Town, one can often see mangled corpses. They were all tied up with ropes and dragged to death on horseback by members of the Angry Thunder Gang.

They liked to use this method to execute enemies, thereby intimidating the people and preventing them from having any thoughts of resistance. When Chuck went to the neighboring Blueberry Town with his father to buy goods, he glimpsed such a corpse by the roadside—it had been there for several days, unattended, like a shriveled eggplant after dehydration, and could only be identified as human from its outline.

“If you see a horse with a blue cloth tied to its leg, it’s a member of the Thunder Fury Gang. No matter what they ask you for or what they demand, don’t hesitate.” The father sighed and said earnestly, “Losing anything is better than losing your life.”

They rode around Chuck on tall horses, their faces contorted and terrifying in the kerosene lamplight. The horses were so large, like moving walls, layer upon layer, trapping Chuck in the center. He was terrified, his face pale and his legs trembling. Instinctively, he stepped back, accidentally bumping into the wreckage of a broken carriage, stumbling and falling to the ground.

"Ha ha ha ha--!!"

Thunderous laughter echoed across the grassland.

"Look at this kid, he's scared to death!"

“He’s not in town in the middle of the night, there’s definitely something fishy going on. Maybe he’s waiting for someone to bring him money.”

"No...no, no..." Chuck was panicking. He had given all his money to Zhang Renfeng and had no money left in his pocket. He hurriedly waved his hands and explained, "I'm waiting for someone. I arranged for him to come in about twenty minutes. I really...really don't have any money on me..."

“Anyway, we’re just killing time. Giselle, let me give him some entertainment.” One of the burly bandits with a scarred face drew his dagger, twirled it, and looked at Chuck as if he were cattle in a pen. “I guarantee I’ll make him tell the truth.”

The man he called Giselle was a tall man dressed in black, with a strange, smoky mark at the corner of his right eye. These people were all riding Morgan horses, a type of packhorse, which are relatively large, making the riders appear small. Giselle, however, was remarkably proportionate to the size of her horse.

"name?"

"...Huh?" Chuck was so scared he almost lost his ability to speak. His mind went blank, and after thinking for a while, he finally gave his name, "Chuck."

“Very well, Chuck. You only have one chance now. Think it over before you speak.” Giselle took a pocket watch from her black trench coat pocket, glanced at the time, and said in a deep voice, “Why are you here at this time?”

Chuck's heart was about to stop beating.

He knew very well that in the eyes of the Thunder Fury Gang, ordinary people weren't even human; they were merely toys for their amusement. If he failed to give the answer the gang wanted, perhaps tomorrow, there would be another mangled, unrecognizable corpse on the grass.

but……

Once word gets out that he hired someone to kill Colin Chedell, and more people find out, it will eventually reach the Chedell family.

At that point, it wouldn't be enough to just give up my life. My father and mother would be implicated, and in fact, given the power of the Chaidel family in Fengchuisha, no one connected to me would escape.

Murder, revenge, family, life... a multitude of factors swirled in Chuck's mind. In those few seconds, Chuck lost what, in the eyes of the outlaws, was his last "safe period." He had taken too long to think, and whatever he said afterward sounded like a lie.

"Okay." These two simple words determined a person's fate.

The henchman with a scar on his face grinned maliciously, dismounted, and first punched him solidly, blood spraying everywhere. Then he hoisted him up like an animal and laughed, "Save your energy, kid. We have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves. Mr. Mayhew over there, he just likes to 'break in'."

While sitting on his horse, Mayhew suddenly bared his rotten teeth and gave him a breathtaking smile.

"After we're done..."

A sharp whistle pierced the air, interrupting Scarface's threat and making the Thunder Gang members tense, glancing around nervously. Everyone's hands were on their guns, but Giselle gestured for them to calm down.

----

At the end of the small slope, a chestnut-colored Turkmen warhorse slowly galloped towards them.

Besides the rider, a man was also tied horizontally across the horse's back, his hands and feet bound, and his mouth gagged, only able to make muffled noises. The unfortunate fellow seemed to realize there were people in front of him, and struggled and twisted on the horse's back, making increasingly urgent noises, trying to get help from the large group of people surrounding him—whoever they were.

This person didn't even need to introduce themselves.

They're all from the underworld; just by looking at this scene, you can tell this guy is definitely not a good person.

"And who the hell are you?"

Relying on his superior numbers, Scarface stepped forward and waved his hand impatiently, "Didn't you see the straps on the horse's legs? We've taken over this road. If you don't want to get shot, get lost."

……

“I was with him.” Zhang Renfeng pointed at Chuck, smiling warmly, as if he had just finished a main meal and was immediately served dessert.

"Oh...so, you're the daddy he's been waiting for?" Scarface picked up the kerosene lamp, examined Zhang Renfeng's face closely, and laughed loudly, "A foreign bastard! Hahahaha!"

Laughter spread through the Thunder Angry Gang. Everyone seemed to think it was a funny joke, and they burst into laughter, the sound echoing across the deserted wilderness.

The cold starry sky and the rippling sea of ​​grass witnessed it all.

“Let him go,” Zhang Renfeng said calmly. “He just happened to be passing by and knows nothing.”

“Whatever he knows, or whatever he doesn’t know, I’ll pry it out of him.” Scarface made the dagger dance in his palm, pressing it against Chuck’s cheek, and grinned maliciously. “How about this, I’ll take all his teeth out for you, so he won’t bite you when he sucks your dick. Yellow Barbarian, shouldn’t you thank me for that?”

"Eehahahahahahahahaha!!"

……

They laughed.

Zhang Renfeng laughed as well.

Everyone was laughing and having a great time, like they were on a spring outing.

“Wait!”

Giselle, the only one who didn't laugh, suddenly looked as if facing a formidable enemy, raised her right hand to signal the other party to calm down, and said in a deep voice, "This is a misunderstanding..."

His gaze lingered on the two Volcano Pistols, one black and one white, at Zhang Renfeng's waist, and he swallowed hard.

Actually, he wasn't 100% sure he recognized who the person in front of him was, but what if he was?

What if? !

Scarface turned around, looking at Giselle with disbelief. Seeing that Giselle wasn't joking, he suddenly realized what was happening and his face showed fear. As if burned, he quickly threw Chuck off.

The laughter and joy just now seemed like a dream, as if it had never existed.

……

"Is it a misunderstanding?" Under the cold moonlight, only Zhang Renfeng was still smiling, and asked softly.

“It’s a misunderstanding.” Giselle took a deep breath. “We’ve got some business to do nearby, so… you go your way, I’ll go mine, let’s just pretend we never met.”

Chapter Seven: Don't put it in your pocket, this is your lucky coin.

Zhang Renfeng nodded and said nothing more.

Throughout the entire ordeal, he displayed no aggression whatsoever. Both pistols remained neatly tucked into his belt; he simply sat on horseback, eyes narrowed, a slight smile playing on his lips. But for some reason, the members of the Thunder Gang present all seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Scarface, in particular, looked as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, sheathing his dagger and turning to leave.

"……stop."

The icy night wind, along with those two words, seeped into my bones.

When I looked back, Zhang Renfeng was already standing firmly on the ground, still maintaining an unusually calm smile.

It's as if a keyframe was removed; no one saw how he dismounted, and no one heard the sound of him dismounting. It might be related to the high level of tension.

But the person who was sitting perfectly fine on the horse just a second ago can suddenly be standing on the ground in the blink of an eye. This kind of scene would be terrifying enough in a horror movie, let alone on this deserted path in the dark of night, with a chilling wind blowing.

He walked towards Scarface step by step, still smiling calmly. But the more he smiled, the stronger the invisible pressure became.

Giselle swallowed hard, her face grave, her eyes wide open, staring intently at him. It was as if she feared that a moment's distraction would cost her her head. He was undoubtedly the leader of this small group, and seeing his nervousness, his underlings were even more on high alert, tightening their reins and keeping their distance.

"..." Scarface's lips trembled uncontrollably.

Humans, in the end, are creatures led by the nose by the atmosphere.

In fact, nothing has changed. Whether it's the grassland, the path, or Zhang Renfeng in front of you, everything is exactly the same as it was a minute ago.

Just a minute ago, he was still waving his knife around, taunting and joking without restraint. But in that one minute, the atmosphere changed drastically. He was led by the atmosphere and felt fear.

Seeing the other person reach into his pocket, Scarface instinctively reached for his gun.

However, what the other person took out of their pocket was a 25-cent coin.

"Ding----"

Zhang Renfeng flicked the coin into the air with his fingernail and then covered it with his palm.

What's the biggest loss you've ever made while guessing a coin?

“I…” Scarface didn’t understand the meaning of the question for a moment. For a few seconds, he felt like he had become Chuck from before. He forced himself to answer, “10 dollars.”

"Guess, guess one side."

After a brief silence, he noticed the thick calluses on Zhang Renfeng's hands and swallowed hard. "Why do we have to guess with a coin?"

"There's no reason why, just guess."

"I...I want to know, what will I get if I guess right?"

"Everything." Zhang Renfeng smiled warmly. "If you guess correctly, you can win everything."

The meaning of these words is self-evident.

Scarface took a rare deep breath and did the longest coin toss of his life.

"...heads."

When the hand was removed, the head was indeed facing upwards.

His pupils widened instantly, his shoulders visibly relaxed, and fine beads of sweat covered his forehead; he looked as if his bones had been removed. Not only him, but all the Thunder Gang members present also breathed a sigh of relief.

There were no sword fights or gunfire, just a small gamble under the moonlight on the grassy field, yet it felt like a brush with death, leaving her with a sense of relief at surviving. Giselle pressed her pounding heart; without realizing it, sweat had already soaked through her shirt and vest.

“You won. Keep it safe; it’s your lucky coin.” Zhang Renfeng tossed the 25-cent coin to Scarface, then suddenly raised his voice, “Don’t put it in your pocket!”

Scarface stammered, "Then...where...should I put it?"