Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

In a typical cowboy duel, being able to take on three or four opponents is already pretty much the limit. For him to kill seven by himself, including one hiding in the cellar, without even breaking a sweat, is just too exaggerated.

Barbara could only manage a wry smile at this, because in her book she wrote, "Hearing the floorboards creak, she deduced there was someone inside, shot through the floorboards, and killed them." But the reality was even more unbelievable: the floorboards didn't creak; Hongzhong heard the hider's breathing through the floorboards, then stepped through the wooden planks and pulled the person out.

Novels must be logical, while reality only needs to conform to mechanics. Therefore, Barbara believed that her own novels were more reasonable.

Even after going out, her pen never stopped. The story was basically in the framework, but Barbara hesitated over the title of this chapter, revising it again and again.

"Still not finished writing?" Sitting on the train, Becky yawned listlessly and leaned closer to Barbara. "When we went out together, you were always writing in your notebook. You almost took your notebook and pen with you when you went to the hot springs."

"let me see……"

She had already read the content, of course. What Becky really wanted to see was the reason Barbara had been struggling with this for so long, which was the title she had revised several times.

The Eight Evils.

The Seven Evils.

This girl has always been a stickler for reason; she wouldn't be ambiguous about even a difference of just one word and would insist on getting to the bottom of things.

The result is that the more you dwell on it, the more brain cells die.

……

Barbara and Becky kept quiet about what happened on the snowy mountain that day, not saying a word to anyone.

David fell into a deep sleep after drinking the coffee and didn't wake up until he was back in the hotel, assuming the driver had brought them back. He was furious, having made a wasted trip to the snow-capped mountains without even seeing the white Arabian horse's droppings, and vowed never to go to any snow-capped mountains again.

Shortly after returning, she received an invitation from Becky to go back to her hometown in Granite State, Springeye, to soak in the hot springs and have some fun.

Both sets of parents assumed that the two girls couldn't stand the extreme cold of the snow-capped mountains and wanted to find another place to play, so they agreed. Only Barbara knew that Becky, like herself, carried the same terrifying secret from that day. No matter how resourceful her best friend was, she must be feeling terrible and needed to vent her suppressed emotions with someone who had the same experience.

And now, we are on our way back.

……

"Those two coachmen, the four people in Mini Traveler's Shop, the one hiding in the cellar... that's only seven villains in total, right?" Becky leaned on Barbara's shoulder and counted on her fingers. "Could it be that you included the lawyer in your count?"

“How could that be? He was just dragged into this; he didn’t mean to harm us.” Barbara sighed, lightly gliding her pen across the paper. “The eighth villain I’m talking about is Hong Zhong.”

Becky's expression froze slightly.

Returning to my hometown of Quanyan Town was largely an attempt to forget this matter and this person. Who would have thought that a casual remark from someone would bring everything back to mind?

Do you think Hong Zhong... is a 'bad guy'?

----

Becky fell into deep thought for a moment.

Whether Hong Zhong is a bad person is a question worth pondering. On the one hand, he's certainly not bad; he's committed murder and robbery. Even those two girls hiding in Springstown heard that he hijacked Chedel's train again, and the news even crossed state lines to Granite State.

In fact, he did save the lives of all three of them.

Not only that, even though he knew they were both conscious, he didn't kill them all and eventually let them go home.

Later, Becky and Barbara secretly inquired and learned that from White Torch Town to Windblown Sands, no one who had seen Red Center's true face had survived; they had all died at his hands. This record made them even more hesitant to speak of it, adding another heavy burden to their hearts.

“There’s never a standard answer to this kind of question; only God probably knows.” Becky sighed slightly. “Actually, in the eyes of ordinary people, he might not be a bad person. Especially in White Torch Town, there seem to be quite a few young people who admire him.”

Barbara was initially startled, but upon closer reflection, it seemed reasonable.

Talking about law and justice with ordinary people seems too distant, especially since these concepts were a joke when the Nordlin family was in power. This enormous family oppressed everyone, draining their resources and causing them endless suffering. Yet, everyone depended on them for money, so no one dared to complain, silently enduring this powerful family's bullying and monopolistic practices.

The fact that Hong Zhong had wiped out everyone had relieved everyone of a huge burden.

After racking her brains for a long time, Barbara was somewhat troubled. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a girl with unusually short hair who looked to be about the same age as her. While everyone else was either looking out the window or resting with their eyes closed, the girl, like herself, was hunched over the table, engrossed in writing something.

"Ha~~~ Look, there's another bookworm like you." Becky nudged her with her elbow and teased, "Go chat with someone. If you're always burying your head in your writing, you won't be able to figure things out even if you could. Maybe talking to someone will clear your mind?"

"Um……"

Barbara has never liked socializing, but on this trip, she has been focusing most of her attention on writing and really wanted to take a break.

"Can it be done?"

“Look at that girl, she’s just like you. You’re on the same train, writing the same things. You don’t even need to find a topic. Just show her your novel and ask her if it’s good or not, and you’re done.” Becky laughed, never one to miss a chance to stir things up. “Go ahead, go ahead. Let me tell you, the friends you make on the road are the most wonderful. You know you’ll never see each other again, so you can be extra relaxed when you’re having fun.”

----

Provoked by her words, Barbara also felt a playful urge. She cleared her throat and slowly walked towards the girl not far away. Seeing that the seat opposite her was empty, Barbara sat down, the words swirling in her throat, but she didn't know how to begin.

The girl looked up and was startled—her face and figure were very beautiful, but there were several wolf claw marks on her face.

Chapter 117: Looking Back, a Century Has Passed (Remaining Bounty - 30)

"Hello."

Since getting on the bus, Xiaomei had seen plenty of astonished looks like this. These days, you couldn't find a girl with a scar on her face even in broad daylight, not even with a lantern. As she walked down the street, she attracted almost 100% of people's attention.

She was used to it, and seeing that the other person was about the same age as her, and that there was no malice in their surprise, she silently closed her book and said softly with a smile, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Well, actually I... I'm writing a novel. How should I put it? Although it's a novel, it's practically an adaptation of a true story, so it should be called a biography. But the characters in it..."

When Barbara actually opened her mouth, she realized that her communication skills with strangers were practically nonexistent. Aside from Becky, she had almost no other friends. Her father was always busy with work, often staying out all night, and when he was home, she could only communicate with her mother. Perhaps due to a lack of opportunities to practice, her eloquence naturally lagged behind others.

The more he talked, the more confused he became, so he simply handed her the novel and pleaded, "Could you please take a look at it for me? After you've finished reading it, could you tell me whether you think the protagonist is a good guy or a bad guy? I see you're also writing something, so if you don't mind... um... we could exchange them?"

Xiaomei was in a bit of a predicament. What she was writing was not a novel or biography; it was absolutely not something that could be shown to anyone.

"Well, my writing isn't very good, so let's just forget about it." She shook her head and chuckled softly, "However, I'd love to read your masterpiece."

"Really?!" Barbara was overjoyed, her voice becoming excited as she grasped Mei's hands tightly. "Thank you, you're such a kind person!"

"..."

Xiao Mei paused for a moment, recalling that she seemed to have taken quite a few lives along the way, and those two words were somewhat unbearable to bear.

With a forced smile, she pulled her hand away and began reading the ghostwriter's biography she was writing. After reading only a few lines, the relaxed expression on her face disappeared. She had been leaning lazily in her seat, but now she straightened her back and read each line very carefully.

Seeing how serious the other person was, Barbara thought it was because her writing was too captivating, and she felt both excited and nervous.

"This girl has strange scars on her face, but she's a really good person!"—that's what she thought from the bottom of her heart.

……

"Putting aside whether the protagonist is good or bad, is this story entirely your own imagination?" After a long while, Xiaomei closed the notebook and asked quite seriously, "Some of the details in it are so realistic that they're almost exaggerated."

"Huh? Ah... this..." Barbara didn't expect anyone to ask that question. Her eyes darted around as she tried to come up with a plausible explanation.

But Xiaomei's observational skills were no joke. In that brief moment of Barbara's hesitation, she guessed what had happened. The content described in the book was almost identical to the scene Zhang Renfeng described in the camp.

In other words, this seemingly bookish girl must be one of the people involved in the carriage incident—Barbara Jansen, the daughter of the White Torch Sheriff. After the carriage, he unexpectedly encountered her again on the same train; it seemed almost unbelievable that it wasn't fate.

After a moment, Barbara thought of a common excuse and blushed as she explained, "It's...it's a friend of mine..."

That explanation was too clumsy for Xiaomei to listen to. She simply waved her hand and laughed, "Alright, I know. I shouldn't have asked. As long as the story is interesting to write and you feel like you're there, that's enough."

“Perfect timing. I have a friend who’s on the same train as me, in the carriage right behind us.” Xiaomei took her manuscript and gave her a meaningful look. “Baiju Town is still a long way off. Can you show him your story too?”

For Barbara, who was in high spirits, this was the time to eagerly await feedback from readers, so she nodded repeatedly and agreed.

This girl is so kind and polite; her friend must also be a reasonable and kind person!

----

……

"What does this word mean?" Zhang Renfeng pointed to one of the words in a line and asked, squinting like an old man with failing eyesight.

“Corpse means corpse,” Xiaomei said earnestly, standing beside him as his English translator.

"No wonder, I thought it was butter. That explains it."

……

The two girls sat to one side, looking at each other with stiff expressions, unsure of what to say.

Reading and writing habits are formed from childhood and are not easily changed. Zhang Renfeng had been familiar with written languages ​​since childhood, so when he was asked to read something written in a foreign language, he couldn't tell whether it was good or bad. With Xiaomei's help, he managed to read it from beginning to end and handed the book back to Barbara.

"I haven't told anyone about what happened that day," she quickly assured them. "Not even my father knows!"

"It's nothing~~ When you make a lot of money from this book in the future, just remember to share some of the royalties with me." Zhang Renfeng smiled nonchalantly, seemingly not taking it seriously at all.

"Are you sure it's okay? Red...uh...Bruce...Mr. Bruce?" Xiao Mei was about to call out the name subconsciously, but quickly swallowed it and forced herself to use the pseudonym that Zhang Renfeng was using. "If this kind of writing gets out, it might be noticed by someone with ulterior motives."

"It's just a fabrication. There are countless novels and biographies in the world, why would they connect it to me? It'll be fine."

Xiaomei was still a little worried. Her personality was somewhat similar to Mike's; she preferred to play it safe rather than gamble on even the smallest possibility. But since he had already said so, she didn't say anything more. So she sat down quietly, took out her pocket watch, and continued writing.

“This… lady?” Becky’s gaze grew increasingly curious as she looked at her, her eyes darting around furtively before she asked in a low voice, “Is she also a member of a gang? This is the first time I’ve ever seen such a young lady involved in a gang.”

“I am a Windblown Sandman, and my father was killed by Cheder.” Xiao Mei didn’t shy away from the truth. While writing something quickly, she said, “Rather than saying that I ‘joined’ a gang, it would be more accurate to say that Mr. Hongzhong took me in when I had nowhere else to go.”

"I won't go anywhere until I've successfully avenged myself."

----

So heavy!

Becky and Barbara exchanged a glance. Even Becky, who was usually good at livening up the atmosphere, was at a loss for what to do.

What you experience at Mini Traveler's Shop is just the tip of the iceberg of this world; truly dark and terrifying things happen anytime, anywhere.

"Um, if you don't mind..." Barbara swallowed, "Could you tell me what happened?"

Xiaomei looked up and saw a look of surprise in her eyes. Not only her, but Becky also took a deep breath and felt a chill for her.

This kind of heart-wrenching pain is something that strangers shouldn't casually ask about.

“Even if I can’t be of much help, but… but I can write it all down, write it on paper! Even if everyone forgets it in the end, this story will remain on paper.” Barbara tried her best to explain, her ears turning slightly red. “Then, maybe one day, perhaps decades later, someone will pick up this forgotten book from a dusty corner…”

"You will then read about your father's story."

Chapter 118: You're Red Center, then who am I? (Bounty 31)

For Xiaomei, the process of narrating was also a form of self-healing.

After fighting her way out of the sandstorm, Xiaomei never mentioned her father in any way, but quietly cut her hair. After that, she spoke and acted as usual, without any problems, and even became more agile.

After escaping to Sparrow Hills and settling down, she began to actively seek instruction from Mike on shooting posture, accuracy, and basic techniques for using various firearms. Mike had sincerely remarked that this girl truly had the talent for this line of work, but unfortunately, she wasn't a man, so she would naturally be a little lacking in physical strength and endurance. However, as long as the shot was accurate, one bullet was enough to send someone to their death. After that, whether it was the firefight with the Wolf Pack or the long-range sniping during the train hijacking, she performed exceptionally well, her composure belying that of a complete novice.

The more this was the case, the more uneasy Zhang Renfeng felt. While it was certainly a good thing that the gang had gained a powerful fighter, he had a vague premonition that Xiao Mei was keeping him on edge. It was a kind of "never give up until revenge is achieved" mentality, but objectively speaking, the Red Center Gang did not yet have the conditions for revenge. If things continued to deteriorate like this, it would easily lead to problems.

He had also talked to Mike about it, since Mike had lived several decades longer and had more life experience. But Mike made it clear that no one should try to persuade him about this; the more they tried, the worse things would get.

“Let time heal the wound. There is no more powerful healer than time.” When he said this, Mike’s eyes were somewhat vacant, perhaps thinking about something of his own. “One day, maybe on a clear and refreshing morning, she will wake up, put on her shoes, wash up, and eat breakfast as usual. Then she will realize that she hasn’t thought about this for a long time.”

"Everyone eventually makes peace with themselves; there's no need to worry about her."

That being said, Xiaomei didn't show any unusual behavior for the time being, but Zhang Renfeng still felt that something was not quite right.

Right now, having such an opportunity to let her vent her feelings is not necessarily a bad thing.

----

The girls didn't hold anything back, and Zhang Renfeng sat aside listening, seemingly agreeing that he could reveal some facts related to the two girls.

So Xiaomei began her story from the beginning—from when she entered the stable; to crossing the Tinglan Grassland and arriving at Scar Village; to Jinzi's lies; to the fierce battle with the Angry Thunder Gang; and then to the Windblown Sands tragedy. The complexity of the causes and consequences, and the undercurrents involved, left Barbara speechless.

Becky's eyes darted around; she was a member of the Hargunda family. She had often heard about the dark side of the civilized world, and had heard familiar stories and shadows. Before the Nordrin family was wiped out, the ecology of White Torch was not much different from that of Windblown Sand.

As for what she would think after hearing all this, Zhang Renfeng had no way of knowing.

……

"Wow... even the sheriff was a mole, that's terrifying..." Barbara listened to the whole thing and couldn't believe it. "If it were my dad, he would never betray his colleagues!"

Through his daughter's lens, Gordon had never done anything wrong and was an impeccably good cop.

“Not necessarily, Barbara.” Becky shook her head, her long ginger-red hair cascading over her shoulders, shimmering. “If it were your father, he probably wouldn’t even have a chance to rise to the top. In that kind of place, the important positions would definitely be filled by the Cheddar family.”

"The clinics, the courts, the police stations—it's all the same. The whole town is his backyard, where he can take whatever he wants."

"Sigh..." Xiaomei sighed, everything was understood without words.

While the law is indeed impartial and selfless, law enforcers are ultimately mortal beings who can be threatened and bribed.

In her situation, she had already killed Cheder's enemies; within his sphere of influence, it was impossible to find justice through normal means.

The only justice lies within the range of a bullet!

"Sheriff Gordon, wasn't he promoted by Mayor Wendigo? You could say that before him, there wasn't a single honest police officer in this town. It was only after the Nordlin family was... was..."

The real culprit is right in front of us, so Becky rephrased it differently: "After the whole town was wiped out, Mayor Wendigo took office and cleaned up the environment in White Torch, and things slowly started to get better."