Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

"Boom!"

I was hit hard on the back of the head.

As she felt dizzy and saw stars, a thick arm came around from behind, grabbed Alana's throat, and held her tightly.

"Ah...ah..."

She was so choked that she could hardly breathe and had to stand on her tiptoes.

A trickle of blood flowed from her scalp, dripping into her mouth and tasting like blood.

"It's a woman, Badger, what do we do?!" The man's heavy breathing sounded behind us, filled with savage animalistic rage. He chuckled, "Dean Chilton only said he wanted that little noblewoman, not anyone else, right? How about we brothers have some fun? I've never been with a short-haired girl before!"

"..." The badger stared at Alana for a while before saying, "She's probably in cahoots with that yellow-skinned barbarian. Kill her after you're done playing with her, don't leave any hidden dangers."

“I understand!” The man whistled, calling the horse over, and said with a smile, “I like horses with a strong temperament, otherwise they’re like plain water, tasteless.”

"Is...is that so?" Alana forced a slightly manic smile. "Then you must love me to death!"

With a flick of her right hand, she pulled out the short dagger hidden in the heel of her shoe and plunged it into the man's eye socket without hesitation.

"laugh--!!"

Blood splattered, instantly flying up a meter high.

"ah------!!!"

Pain is terrible, but even more terrible is the warm blood gushing out with the pain, and the gradually dimming vision. The man's smile vanished, replaced by a sharp, groundhog-like screech. He instinctively released his hands to cover his eyes, while Alana took the opportunity to break free from his grip.

She grabbed his ankle and, like a crocodile, executed a death roll. The girl's entire weight pressed down on him, finally shifting his center of gravity, causing him to lose control and plummet towards the ground!

"Pfft——!"

The knife, which had only been lodged in his eye socket, was forced deep into his brain upon hitting the ground, piercing through his entire skull. His screams immediately ceased, and a pool of blood, like a small lake, appeared on the ground. The man's body twitched twice and then remained still.

After successfully turning the tables, Alana gasped for breath, wiping her face, which was covered in bright red blood. It seemed she had taken a heavy hit, but thankfully she had retaliated by striking the man on the head, which she felt was a fair fight. She tried to rescue Evelyn, but her body swayed, as if she lacked the strength.

“Woo…Woo!!”

She heard Evelyn's scream, which came through the sack and sounded somewhat muffled.

……

"She killed Luca, the badger... what do we do now!?"

When someone dies in the street, that's a completely different matter.

Badger pondered for a moment, then waved his hand. "Never mind her. Take her back first. It's important to report to the dean. The guests are waiting, and we can't afford any delays."

Seeing the man lying on the ground in a terrible state, his head pierced by a knife, the group of people were still shaken and quickly got into their carriage and fled.

----

“Dean…Chilton…”

Alana murmured those two words repeatedly, trying not to forget them. Despite the dizziness and headache, she mounted a horse and galloped away into the distance.

Chapter 144: Wendigo's Olive Branch (Part 44)

This was Zhang Renfeng's first time meeting Wendigo Lecter in person, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. In this world, most people have a reputation, but are actually just good-for-nothings. Someone like him, whose reputation and status are perfectly matched, is truly rare.

This morning, not long after I arrived at the police station, Gordon brought me some big news: Wendigo's business negotiations had ended.

Back in town, after listening to Gordon's reports over the past few days, he requested to meet the contracted team. Since the mayor wanted to see them, all current work had to be temporarily suspended. Zhang Renfeng's original plan to go to the clock tower to see if he could find any new clues also had to be put on hold.

Upon first meeting this person, I was struck by his exceptional politeness. Even though I was of Asian descent and Xiaomei had a scar on her face, he treated me with great respect and shook hands with each of us.

When it was Mike's turn, he held his hand tightly and refused to let go, claiming that his son's death was a major blow to the White Torch Police Department and that it was a pity for such a talented young man.

It's very likely that it's just some clichés, but you can tell that they really did their homework.

In closing, he expressed his deep remorse for not being able to properly care for the family of the fallen officer and promised to increase compensation. He also stated that he would, within his authority, provide Mike's daughter-in-law and granddaughter with a better living and educational environment.

“They deserve it all,” he insisted.

……

“I happen to know the deceased, Theonado. Putting aside his mental state, he was a young man with exceptional artistic talent. His works are simply not human-made; they are astonishing and amazing.” Wendigo casually made coffee for everyone, without putting on any airs of a mayor. “His sudden departure is truly heartbreaking.”

“Including him, the Shrike of Oakland has committed fourteen crimes and killed fourteen people.” Gordon looked troubled. “And our attempts to capture him have never been successful.”

“…I heard that this Mr. Zhang was chosen by you because he caught a copycat of ‘Red Center’.” Wendigo pondered for a moment, quickly stirred the milk and sugar in his coffee with a spoon, and gently tapped the cup twice, making a crisp tinkling sound. “It’s incredible that even this new criminal has a copycat now.”

"A copycat?" Zhang Renfeng was thinking about something else, and when he was suddenly asked this question, his mind went blank for a moment. "Oh, right, yes, the one with the mask..."

“First it was Red Center, then it was the Australian Shrike, and both times it happened at this critical juncture. It’s truly heartbreaking.” Wendigo sighed, looking somewhat helpless. “Regardless, I’m still at ease leaving this to you.”

"Life on the battlefield is probably easier than here."

"Have you ever been to the battlefield?" Zhang Renfeng asked curiously.

“During war? Yes, I served in the army as a medical officer. It was that military experience that gave me the capital to enter politics.” Wendigo took a small sip of coffee and remarked, “That being said, without ‘that incident,’ I probably would never have had the chance to sit here and talk to you all. The same goes for Gordon; he might still be some corner of Granite State, working as a sheriff in a village.”

"Of course, being a junior police officer in a small town isn't so bad. It's just that in a big city, you can have a lot more freedom."

"Yes, if that hadn't happened..."

Gordon's feelings were somewhat complicated.

Essentially, they were both beneficiaries of the "White Torch Town massacre." Without Hong Zhong, who knows where they would be doing now.

"I've already heard Gordon talk about the three of you; you're all exceptionally capable. Would you be interested in becoming permanent employees of White Torch?"

……

"What do you mean?" Faced with the olive branch extended to him, Zhang Renfeng's first reaction was to be wary, because he knew very well that when something was too good to be true, there was usually a big pit waiting behind it. "The case itself is still nowhere to be seen."

“That being said, the analysis and clues you’ve provided are more than ever before, which is enough to demonstrate your capabilities,” Wendigo said with a smile. “White Torch Town is in a phase of rapid development, and what I need are truly capable people. As for whether that person is male or female, or what their skin color is, those are not within my consideration.”

"As far as I know, you are all bounty hunters, right? That kind of unstable income, along with the huge risks involved, is really not a good profession. Not only do you have to face enemies, but you also have threats from your peers. It's not a long-term job."

“But being a sheriff is different. It’s a respectable job that’s generally recognized. The pay may not be high, but it’s stable. You don’t have to worry about not having enough to eat tomorrow if you make a mistake once or twice. You also don’t have to face the enemy alone. The entire police station will be your strong support.”

Wendigo's smile and voice seemed to possess a certain magic, drawing people in unconsciously. Zhang Renfeng finally understood why he was said to "know how to get along with people."

Unfortunately, the more he acted this way, the more Zhang Renfeng felt that he had ulterior motives.

You've only met me once, yet you're describing me in such a flowery way; anyone would find that strange. But for the time being, he couldn't understand what Wendigo was after in this show of goodwill.

……

The commotion coming from the doorway caused his expression to change slightly.

----

"Get lost! Shh! Shh!" The guard at the gate kicked Alana away with disgust and shouted, "This isn't a place for hooligans like you to barge in!"

"Please, I...I really have something very important to do..." Alana's forehead was still bleeding profusely from the bumpy ride, making her look somewhat frightening. "Please let me in, I need to find someone, it'll be quick..."

"Didn't you hear me say get lost? This is the mayor's office. If you're going to die, don't kill yourself!"

Before the guard could swing his rifle butt down, he was seized by a tremendous force and could not pull it out no matter how hard he tried.

Looking back, Zhang Renfeng was standing behind him at some point, his right hand gripping the barrel of his gun, his eyes blazing, his face expressionless, staring intently at him.

"...Where did this yellow-haired bastard come from? When did you sneak in?!" The guard didn't believe he came out of the building at all and shouted angrily, "Let him go right now, or I won't be able to shoot you..."

"when!"

Zhang Renfeng exerted force with his five fingers, snapping the gun barrel in two. The parts clattered to the ground, and with a swift backhand swing, he lashed the man's face with the broken barrel, sending his head spinning like a top. The head slammed against the iron gate with a loud crash, his neck wedged against it, several teeth knocked out.

He struck so hard because he saw Alana come alone with bruises on her face, and he had a rough idea of ​​what had happened.

"Ah...you...you..." Seeing his companion beaten to such a terrible state, the other guard felt that his gun was no longer reliable and hesitated whether to raise it or not.

Zhang Renfeng glared at him, her eyes filled with a chilling light, instantly dispelling his idea.

----

"Where did they go?" No more wasted words, straight to the point.

"Chilton... Dean..." Alana finally managed to utter those two words before her eyes rolled back and she fainted.

Chapter 145: I'm Not Sick! (Part 45)

"What happened?"

Gordon rushed out and nearly fainted from the sight before him—a guard's head was wedged in the gap of the iron gate's bars, a red mark on his face, and his gun, broken in two, lay on the ground. Another guard was so terrified that his speech became slurred.

Xiaomei was busy wiping the blood off Alana's wounds and didn't have time to pay attention to him.

"It seems Evelyn got into trouble; she was kidnapped on the street. By the time we came out, she was gone." Mike looked at the growing crowd, his tone somewhat unfriendly. "Gordon, did you know about this?"

"Me?! How could I... I..." Gordon was speechless, forcing a bitter smile. "Captain, you know me, I..."

"No need to say anything, I believe you, but that guy's temper... is a bit unpredictable, and I'm not sure what he might do." Mike sighed. "Whoever did it, let him have his own good luck."

“But didn’t we leave all our weapons here when we came? He did the same, right?” Gordon was still trying to think positively. “He left in such a hurry that he didn’t even take his weapons with him. When he gets there, he’ll definitely calm down when he touches his belt.”

To everyone's surprise, as soon as he said that, not only Mike and May, but even Wendigo who had followed him out looked at him with a strange expression.

“Sheriff, how come you didn’t notice? For Mr. Zhang, the most powerful weapon is no longer firearms.”

He picked up the broken rifle barrel from the ground and said in a deep voice, "Ms. Ditasdorf has been attacked in White Torch Town. I can't ignore this. Find out who did it and where she is right now!"

----

“Wow——!!”

The mask was abruptly lifted, and the changing light irritated the girl's delicate eyes, making it difficult for her to see clearly.

A man with thinning hair and a white coat draped over his shoulders rubbed his hands together, looking at her excitedly. That excited and eager gaze, like the sticky grease scraped from a toad, made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

Evelyn found herself strapped to a strange chair. The chair's frame, made of sturdy wood and metal, had a glossy black surface that gave it a cold and oppressive feel. The armrests and backrest were designed to be extremely thick, and several leather straps were fastened to her slender wrists and waist, securing her hands and feet firmly to the chair.

She couldn't see clearly what was in front of her. There was a very heavy metal object upside down on her head, but she could feel that intense gaze, just as always.

I was once again thrust onto the "stage".

This time, however, she was no longer a performer, but a prop participating in a bizarre performance.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I am Dr. Bell, whom you all know!" The man's stammering voice came from directly in front. "Today, we will witness... witness... a brand new medical miracle! As we all know, the great scientific pioneers brought 'electricity'... that will be the indispensable energy of the future, the new blood flowing through the city!"

"We also have a patient, poor Miss Dietersdorf... Her family suffers from a hereditary mental illness; her parents and brother all died of hysteria. We cannot bear to see her suffer like this... I, I, will represent modern science and use electricity to drive away her madness."

"Without hysteria, she will become a perfect person...like a jewel in a crown, perfect, sparkling, and flawless!"

The breathing below began to quicken.

Evelyn sensed that they were anticipating seeing her scream after being electrocuted.

"I'm not sick, I'm not crazy!" Her voice was hoarse, echoing on the empty stage, which frightened her.

For most people in this era, electricity is something that has not yet been fully understood.

The unknown is always the most terrifying.

……

"My God, she was yelling like a shrew... not at all like a lady, she's so perfect on stage..."

"She's pitiful too. It's a hereditary form of hysteria; she's sometimes lucid and sometimes delirious. This person is definitely not lucid."

Can electrotherapy really cure hysteria?

"Didn't you see how much more docile those who were threatening suicide became after being treated? It's definitely possible, maybe even for three to five years. Then, hehe..."

"Don't even think about it. Such high-end items are definitely reserved for important people. We're lucky if we can even get a turn once."

……

“Don’t be afraid, Ms. Dietersdorf, this is all normal. Sick people who sit in this chair all say they’re not sick, just like drunk people who say they’re not drunk.” Bell’s laughter carried a strange, sticky quality. “In a few minutes, you’ll be back in a much better state!”

Press the knob gently.

----

“Wu…Wu…”

The intense stinging pain even overshadowed the physical pain. At first, the girl only twitched slightly, but she was quickly overwhelmed by the agony. Time seemed to stretch on indefinitely, and she felt like a loaf of bread being smeared with a jam called "pain" over and over again, tirelessly.

In the sea of ​​pain, every second felt incredibly long. Her pupils constricted with agony, her body hunched over uncontrollably, trembling uncontrollably.

At this moment, the sight of the suffering noblewoman struggling on stage became one of the performances that greatly excited the audience.