Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

As luck would have it, just as she finished speaking, the wooden door was pushed open again, and a well-dressed, slender young woman stood in the doorway.

Beneath the form-fitting dress was a snow-white shirt and a belt, and her long black hair was styled into a ponytail, hanging down her back, making her look very capable.

The girl looked somewhat uneasy, especially after seeing the two people in the room, she seemed even more nervous.

"Good afternoon, Miss, though it's almost evening now." Zhang Renfeng glanced at her quickly, somewhat curious. "Are you here to choose horses for someone else? There's still a little time before closing time, let's go to the stables to talk."

“No, I… I actually came to see you…” Mesalia took a deep breath, made up her mind, and said through gritted teeth, “Mr. ‘Red Center’.”

Chapter Fourteen: Do you have any new kill orders?

Zhang Renfeng hooked a brush on the ground with his toe, kicked it out with great force, and the brush curved in the air and hit the door next to the girl with a "bang", slamming it shut and creating a gust of wind.

The girl was startled by the sudden kick, visibly shrinking her shoulders and instinctively turning around to see only a tightly closed door. She regretted revealing the other person's identity so quickly; perhaps, in their eyes, it was no different from a provocation.

However, if we are to cooperate with him, this is something that will have to be done sooner or later.

Thinking of this, she took a deep breath, calming herself down and straightening her back, trying her best to appear fearless, but her trembling legs betrayed her. Zhang Renfeng was quite interested in her reaction, and his gaze towards her became somewhat curious.

"The girl is..."

“Marston.” The girl nodded slightly to them. “Messaria Marston, people who know me call me Mei. If you don’t mind, you can call me that too. Mr. Red, and this one… this must be Mr. Mike, right?”

With just that one sentence, Mike, who had been watching the show, was instantly dragged into the fray. His expression turned into a lifeless, emotionless stare as he stared at Messaria for a long while, making her feel uneasy, before finally saying, "It's true that I'm a wanted criminal now, but I also need to make it clear that I'm not on the same side as this guy."

“But I just overheard you and him discussing hijacking the train at the door.” — Mesalia swallowed, but ultimately kept it to herself. After all, it was better to go along with two wanted criminals.

Zhang Renfeng picked up the teapot and brewed hot tea for the two people in the room. "You actually came alone to see two wanted criminals who just committed a major crime. What were you thinking?"

“I…I know…I saw it last night, Chuck, the grocer’s son, riding back from outside town!”

"His sister, Gina, was hit by Colin on horseback yesterday morning. Her head hit the steps, and she died from excessive bleeding. The murder of Colin also happened last night. If we connect the two events, it's not hard to draw a conclusion..."

"Chuck hired you to kill Colin Childell to avenge his sister's death, didn't he?"

Zhang Renfeng's expression changed slightly, and he tilted his head, looking at her with more appreciation in his eyes.

The fact that she was able to follow such a tiny clue all the way to where she was is a testament to her intelligence.

Mike was even more shocked by his expression.

During the welcome party for him, he did vaguely hear the group of hired gunmen mention "what happened this afternoon" and also the grocery store's child.

But since I was new to the area at the time, I didn't investigate further and never imagined it would turn out to be a bloody incident.

Thinking back now, it all happened on the same morning as the incident, and Colin and his cronies were still drinking and chatting as if nothing had happened. Mike frowned, feeling a wave of nausea. Perhaps the little girl they killed was about the same age as his granddaughter.

However, expecting a child who runs a grocery store to have any money is undoubtedly a pipe dream.

In other words, Zhang Renfeng's words were true—he really didn't kill Colin for money!

Mike had previously made many assumptions: it could be a business rival of the Cheddar family, or some unfortunate businessman whose business had been squeezed out of his territory, paying to kill his son as revenge. Logically speaking, only these guys could afford to hire an assassin of Red Center's caliber if they had the money.

No wonder the sheriff has not suspected the Chuck family so far.

In their view, how could a small grocery store owner, even if he had a grudge against Colin, possibly have the money to hire Red Center? There must be someone else involved.

……

“You are very clever, Miss Marston.”

"I told you, just call me Xiaomei... It's so hot! So hot!" The moment she took the teacup, Xiaomei's ladylike expression twisted instantly—locals are used to drinking cold tea, especially iced black tea. Her attention was completely focused on the two people in front of her, and she didn't even bother to see what he was handing her. She cried out in pain from the heat, and her little hand trembled, spilling all the hot tea on the ground.

She put her fingers in her mouth and looked at him helplessly.

"Just put it there." Zhang Renfeng was very easygoing, resting his head on his hands and leaning back on the bench, as if he had become one with the atmosphere of the dilapidated house.

It's hard to imagine that this seemingly ordinary stable boy killed fifteen people last night and even hung Colin's body on the church roof.

"Did you need something from us?"

"Don't just say 'we' like that, okay?" Mike glared at him with his dead fish eyes and said irritably, "I've said it before, we'll only do that train job together, and after that we'll break up."

“The train ticket will take another two months, old man. In the meantime, you have to stay alive. Why don’t you take on some other work?” Zhang Renfeng half-closed his eyes, gently rocked the bench, the legs creaking and swaying on the ground. He picked up a cup of hot tea, took a sip, and looked quite content. “Anyway, we’re just idling around. We can team up and do something else.”

"Forget it, I can see that you're not doing this for the money at all." Mike rolled his eyes at him. "If I teamed up with you, I'd probably starve to death before we even finished the job."

"How could that be? I've already said I keep money and people separate. People's business is people's business, and money's business is money's business. I'm planning to pull off a heist at the Cheddar family's manor. There's a wine cellar in the basement of their manor, and on the lowest level of the cellar is a secret room where their private stash of gold is kept."

Zhang Renfeng shrugged, still leaning back on the bench, and spoke slowly.

He described this dangerous act of snatching food from a tiger's mouth as if he were taking a walk in his own backyard.

"So, the moment they issued a town-wide warrant for your arrest, you're already rushing to their house to steal something. Impressive, truly impressive, incredibly creative." Mike gave him a thumbs up, the sarcasm obvious. "Are you planning to fight your way through the heavily guarded Cheddar Manor with these two old-fashioned weapons?"

……

"I have money!"

----

Seeing that both of their gazes were focused on her, Xiaomei immediately felt guilty. She bit her lip and forced herself to say, "Not...not now. After the commission is completed, I will pay each of you $100. That's the compensation they gave me after my father died, plus the savings my mother has accumulated over the years, and..."

She hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure whether she should raise the price further.

This is actually a major taboo in business negotiations, letting the other party know that this price is not your bottom line and that you can raise it further. Fortunately, Zhang Renfeng and Mike were both quite reasonable and didn't have that intention; they simply waited silently for her to finish her internal struggle and make a decision.

"And there's a treasure map of Jack's gang!"

……

Mike's dead fish eyes widened instantly, and for a moment, he even forgot about his family.

"Jack's Gang?" he murmured repeatedly. "Is it that Jack's Gang? How did the treasure map end up in your hands?!"

“My father, Barry Marston…”

“‘Barry the Fast-Legs’?” Mike suddenly asked.

"You know my father?!" Xiaomei was clearly shocked that he could call her father by his nickname. A smile appeared on her usually wary face. In this world where people were almost forgetting their fathers, it was a rare blessing to suddenly have someone who knew him.

“This… I didn’t expect this… Anyway, this is a trophy my father seized from a gang member. It has Jack A. Elfelt’s autograph on it, and he compared it with other items he left in the evidence archive, so it should be genuine.”

Chapter Fifteen: Justice is not something that is waited for.

"Seven months ago, my father was brutally murdered by Giselle, a member of the Thunder Gang... A bullet pierced his skull, and half of his head was shattered! Since then, I have been keeping an eye on the rumors about Giselle. People often see him around Windblown Sands. Based on these clues, it should be enough to arrest him."

"But for some reason, the town's sheriff has been slow to issue any arrest warrants. There's no reward, no portrait, and not even a perfunctory warrant like the one for Mr. Hongzhong, which only contains words!"

"My mother, like me, was holding her breath, hoping the local police station could give my father a fair explanation and that she could see that bastard hanged with her own eyes. She waited and waited, and in the long and desperate wait, her health deteriorated, and finally one day she completely collapsed and went to heaven with my father."

At this point, Xiaomei revealed a similar look in her eyes to Chuck's, except that the hatred in her eyes was no longer new, but something deeply ingrained.

She had also been hoping that justice would fall from the sky, but after waiting for seven months, she finally realized the truth—this kind of thing can't be obtained by just waiting; you have to take the initiative.

Zhang Renfeng and Mike listened while smoking.

Winter dusks always seem to pass by quickly; before you know it, the sun has already set.

The flame of the cigarette butt flickered, like stars in the night sky.

"To sum it up, you want us to track down Giselle, kill him, and avenge your father." Zhang Renfeng flicked the ash from his cigarette onto his knees. "Is that what you mean?"

“No, I must kill him myself.” Xiaomei was unexpectedly resolute and took the initiative to propose, “Moreover, before killing him, I want to look into his eyes and tell him in person that he died to pay for my father’s life! A life for a life, the debt he owes must be repaid by him.”

……

“Listen, little girl, I’m not trying to discourage you.”

Mike tried to soften his tone, but he had to pour cold water on the young man's enthusiasm. "Have you considered that things might not go as smoothly as you expect? Of course, we all hope that justice will come soon, but... what you're asking for is almost a pipe dream."

“How is that a pipe dream?” Zhang Renfeng patted the two Volcano Pistols in his belt and laughed. “Two bullets, shatter his kneecaps, then let Xiaomei do it herself. Knife, axe, rope, or whatever else, just pick one and you’re done.”

“I really admire your optimism.” Mike shook his head, like a stubborn old man explaining his beliefs to a young man. “Do you understand what the Thunder Gang does?”

"robbery?"

"Yes, but they don't rob ordinary people. Instead, they occupy the main transportation routes near Fengchuisha. They specialize in robbing trains carrying valuable goods, mostly high-end cigarettes and alcohol. After robbing them, they sell them at a fair price and make a fortune."

"However, such opportunities are rare. On ordinary days, the Thunder Gang prefers to rob bank carriages full of cash or bonds. In short, anyone who wants to do business in Elizabeth should be given a share."

"The last time I heard that the Thunder Fury had grown into a large gang of over 170 people, comparable to a small army. Such a huge gang organization is rare in the entire state of New Elizabeth. Sheriffs from various towns joined forces to carry out a large-scale operation against them, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, but they were unable to completely eradicate them."

"Even Chaider is no exception; he has to obediently pay the toll to the Thunder Gang. Now you understand the scale of the Thunder Gang you're facing, right?"

He suddenly laughed out loud, "Who knows, you might run into them halfway on the train you're going to rob."

Xiao Mei looked somewhat downcast. Previously, she knew nothing about gang affairs, only vague rumors about the Thunder Angry Gang. They would drag prisoners of war by ropes, ride on horseback, and drag them to their deaths, leaving the bodies mangled and unrecognizable.

Faced with such a menacing behemoth, how long will it take for a 15-year-old girl like her to taste the sweetness of revenge?

……

Zhang Renfeng saw the tears welling up in Xiaomei's eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then slammed the two Volcano pistols onto the table with a "bang".

"I'll take this job."

"Let me tidy up and look presentable." Zhang Renfeng slowly stood up and promised her in an extremely serious tone, "Give me a general direction, and I'll set off at seven o'clock tomorrow morning."

----

For a moment, Mike felt a jolt deep within him, as if a thunderbolt had struck the earth.

Justice is not something that can be waited for.

This man from a foreign land is demonstrating primal justice through his actions. This powerful force has stirred his long-dormant passion, making his heart race once more!

……

"...Save your breath. This little girl's understanding of the Thunder Fury Gang is limited to those unfounded rumors."

Mike put on his black Panama hat, adjusted it to make it look proper, and began leisurely, "Let me tell you, the closest outpost of the Thunder Fury Gang to Windblown Sands is in the 'Grey Wolf Mountains' to the north. They've taken over a town there and turned it into their crime paradise. The roads there are very winding; without an experienced guide, you might not even be able to get up the mountain."

"An old hand?" Zhang Renfeng looked at him with a half-smile.

“Mr. Mike…” Xiaomei’s tone was filled with surprise and joy. She covered her mouth halfway and her voice trembled with sobs, as if she had just won the grand prize.

Actually, a girl as smart as her couldn't possibly not know.

With just $200 and a dubious treasure map, the idea of ​​going out and hiring someone to complete such a suicidal mission is simply a pipe dream. Those police officers and sheriffs sitting high and mighty in their stations would certainly scoff at it.

Only them.

In this vast land, only these two people on the wanted posters are willing to help me get justice!

“If we set off tomorrow morning, we’ll be very busy tonight. It’s about a two-week journey from here to the Gray Wolf Mountains, and feeding the people and horses will be quite an expense. If this girl comes with us, it will cost even more.”

Mike rarely showed a helpless expression. "I hope you don't mind, but I only have $30 on me right now."

After the initial excitement, we still need to return to real-world issues.

Food, water, medicine, and basic ammunition supplies are essential. This trip to the Gray Wolf Mountains may involve direct firefights with the Angry Wolf Gang, so these logistical supplies cannot be ignored.

“…I’ll think of a way.” Zhang Renfeng finished the now-cold tea in one gulp, slammed it on the table, and stood up solemnly.

----

No words could describe Chuck's feelings at that moment; his eyes were wide open, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He stood behind the counter, his upper body slightly stiff, unsure of what to say. He clearly remembered that when they parted, Zhang Renfeng had instructed him not to have any communication with Zhang, even if they met again in Fengchuishan Town, to avoid arousing suspicion.

“Mr. Hongzhong…”

"I didn't expect to be visiting so soon." Zhang Renfeng scratched his head sheepishly and said with a wry smile, "To make a long story short, Chuck, I need a little help. There's a girl with a similar experience to yours who came to me this afternoon. I might have to go on a long trip soon."

He made no attempt to conceal his intentions, and in a sense, he considered Chuck one of his own.

Would you be willing to do me this favor?

Chapter Sixteen: I am a god in a suit, and lightning can be released from my fingertips!

Justice and revenge—these two words combined always easily ignite the passions of young people, especially those like Xiaomei who have waited so long only to find nothing.

Before leaving, she even sent a letter to her aunt's family. Although she didn't have much affection or dislike for this family, they had taken her in for a while after all, and it didn't seem right for her to just disappear quietly like that.

After hesitating for a long time, Xiaomei finally lied to them in the letter, saying that sheriffs from other parts of New Elizabeth had contacted her. They had discovered new clues about her father's death and wanted her to come and confirm them. In the rush, she left without having time to discuss it.

My aunt's family are all honest people and couldn't accept the shock of the real truth.

However, after spending just a few nights in the wilderness, that initial enthusiasm and drive would be cooled somewhat by the starry sky. Xiaomei finally realized how narrow her life had been; the world she knew was limited to just one or two towns, and at most a few railway tracks.

After leaving the land of civilization, the vastness of the grasslands and the starry night was beyond her imagination.