From Robinson Crusoe

Ronald brought Chen Zhou two old Colt single-action revolvers.

This gun can hold six bullets and has a short barrel of only 5cm.

At that time, American gunmen were well aware of the theory that "the shorter the barrel, the faster the gun," and therefore preferred short-barreled guns. In order to cater to the gunmen's tastes, Colt even removed the ejector rod in order to reduce the length of the barrel.

Of course, that was a long time ago. Since 1940, Colt has significantly reduced its production capacity for revolvers, and most of the Colt pistols currently on the market are antiques.

The oldest models have wooden grips, while newer models use black rubber grips.

The two guns in Chen Zhou's hands were undoubtedly made of wood, and both showed obvious signs of use.

Although the gun shop has done some renovations to it, it still can't hide its weathered appearance. Compared with the M1911 of the same period, this old guy really has no advantage.

However, the effectiveness of a weapon like a gun depends not only on its performance but also on the skill of the user.

At least in Chen Zhou's hands, its strength would increase by more than one level.

Chen Zhou's physical attributes and reaction speed allow him to perfectly control shooting accuracy, and his firing speed and timing are also much faster than that of an average person.

As long as the opponent's firearms do not have a revolutionary advantage in range and rate of fire, Chen Zhou can always hold his own against them and has a good chance of winning.

……

After loading the pistol and placing it beside him, Chen Zhou tore off the tattered cloth from his head, wrapped the shotgun in it, and threw it into the back row.

"I'll find a place to change my clothes first. You fill up the car with gas, take it to a repair shop, and then go back to the hotel to wait for me. I'll come back to meet you as soon as I've found out what's going on."

As he spoke, Chen Zhou stuffed the two guns and the box of bullets into his pocket.

"Be careful while driving, don't let the gang members see you."

Those guys I just beat up are either dead or crippled. They might not even be able to move freely in their next life. If they see you, they'll definitely get their revenge.

Be careful when repairing the car, and be careful when refueling. If all else fails, just leave the car behind. As long as I'm alive, I can get it back from whoever it ends up with.

After saying this, Chen Zhou tossed Ronald $50, then wrapped his coat tighter, grabbed his newly bought clothes, and left the car, disappearing around the corner shortly afterward.

He said this not because he cared much about Ronald, nor because he considered Ronald a friend.

Ronald was the first person he met here who could help him solve his identity problem, and he already owed him a favor.

Finding a partner like Ronald, who has connections in both the legitimate and underworld circles and is wealthy and influential, is not easy. If Ronald dies, finding another one will not be easy.

Chen Zhou has always hated trouble. It's best to solve problems once and for all, otherwise finding another collaborator will take a lot of time.

The longer the delay, the greater the risk of attracting the attention of the serial killer family.

In fact, injuring four gang members was already an outrageous act, and Chen Zhou was worried that he might alert the enemy and cause bad consequences.

……

Thinking about how to communicate with the family who made the wax figure, Chen Zhou quickly went to a hotel on the street and booked a room by the hour.

Because of his appearance, the shop owner refused to give him a high-end room with a shower, and Chen Zhou had to pay double the price to get a small room in a corner on the first floor.

But that's enough.

He closed the door tightly, took off his clothes inside, changed into a lighter shirt, put on the light armor over the shirt, and then put on his outer garment.

I also washed my face, shaved, and did some minor hair styling.

He distributed all the coins in different places on his body and tucked the pistol into his waistband.

Controlling his waist muscles to contract them inwards, trying to prevent the shape of the gun from showing on his outer clothing, Chen Zhou left the hotel after confirming that everything was in place.

……

The family that made the wax figure was the first place Chen Zhou visited after arriving in Prescott, and it left a particularly deep impression on him.

The town wasn't very big. Apart from the most bustling commercial street, the rest of the streets weren't even paved. After leaving the hotel street and walking outwards, you'd soon reach the door of the family that made wax figures after seeing the tall church.

Before setting off, Chen Zhou made a special effort to find out about the family. He learned that the head of the household was named Brian, and there were three people in the family. His eldest son did not go to university and lived with his parents after graduating from high school.

Suspecting the family of being serial killers, or members of a serial killer family, Chen Zhou tensed his muscles even before knocking, ready to draw his gun and fire at any moment.

He straightened his collar and, with seemingly easy but actually heavy steps, stood steadily at the front door of Brian's house.

According to Ronald, the family had just experienced an accident that morning, but now they seemed to be at peace as if nothing had happened.

Brian, the head of the household, was sitting under the awning that extended outwards from the house, drinking tea, with a fat, ugly bully lying at his feet.

Mrs. Brian was in the house. Chen Zhou could hear the clinking of porcelain as she washed the dishes from afar, so he guessed she was doing housework.

Meanwhile, Brian's eldest son was diligently tending the lawn.

The spot he was tending was exactly where Ronald had walked that morning, where the once smooth grass was now covered with many indented footprints.

Besides these people, Chen Zhou also paid some attention to the tool shed that Ronald had mentioned.

The sound of the lawnmower interfered with his hearing, but he could still hear sounds of biological activity inside the tool shed, indicating that the Brian family was indeed not as simple as it seemed.

Having already made his judgment, Chen Zhou forced a polite but stiff smile and waved to Brian in the distance.

Brian was enjoying his afternoon tea and didn't immediately notice the arrival of a guest.

The bully dog ​​resting at his feet was very perceptive; it immediately opened its eyes when Chen Zhou stood at its door.

As soon as Chen Zhou beckoned, it could no longer control its desire to guard the house. It stood up, ran down the steps, and barked wildly at Chen Zhou as it ran towards the door.

However, when Chen Zhou's gaze fell on the dog, it unusually shut its mouth and took the initiative to back away.

It wasn't until it retreated to its owner's side that it regained its courage and continued barking, but this time its barking was noticeably weaker and much softer.

Hearing the dog bark, Brian slowly stood up, picked up his teacup, and walked towards the door.

Seeing Chen Zhou still wearing a coat in the sweltering summer heat, and noticing his tall stature, he was somewhat surprised, and then greeted Chen Zhou with a puzzled look.

"Hello sir, how can I help you?"

Chen Zhou glanced at the well-maintained, shrewd-looking man, paying particular attention to his fair and slender hands and the lingering waxy smell emanating from him.

"Hello, you must be Mr. Brian."

My employer in New York has heard that your wax figure making skills are superb, so they specifically sent me to have one commissioned from you. Do you have time to discuss this with me?

"Oh, that's such a shame."

Upon hearing Chen Zhou's words, Brian feigned regret. "Unfortunately, I'm currently preparing to build a private wax museum, so I've turned down all custom wax figure jobs."

I'm sorry, I can't help your employer with this.

However, perhaps once my wax museum is completed, you can bring your owner to visit, and I will give them a warm welcome.

Brian politely declined Chen Zhou's request, and didn't even open the door, but spoke to Chen Zhou through the fence.

Despite his polite language, Chen Zhou could still sense the underlying contempt in him.

In this era, discrimination against people of color is everywhere, and it is remarkable that Brian, as a member of the so-called "high society," can maintain this attitude.

Although he was rejected, Chen Zhou was not willing to give up before even entering the door.

Before Brian could turn around and walk back, Chen Zhou spoke again.

“Mr. Brian, don’t you want to hear my employer’s offer?”

I believe you will find this very interesting, as it would be a great help in building your wax museum and hosting exhibitions.

Perhaps some people don't love money, but that person is definitely not Brian.

Brian was already planning to continue enjoying his afternoon tea when he heard these words. He couldn't help but wonder how much the other person's employer had paid him to make him so confident.

Brian stopped himself from turning around and gave another polite smile.

He really didn't want to ask about the price directly, as that would make him seem too materialistic, but not asking made him itchy to ask.

After a moment's hesitation, Brian opened the door, maintaining the composure befitting an "artist," and instead of asking questions immediately, invited Chen Zhou inside.

……

Finally able to enter this mysterious courtyard, Chen Zhou followed closely behind Brian, fully unleashing his senses.

The chirping of insects in the grass, the panting of dogs at the door, the sound of running water inside the room, the roar of the lawnmower, the sound of footsteps...

His hearing was like a large net in a river, covering the entire house and catching valuable fish.

Soon, Chen Zhou noticed something unusual—

About three meters below Brian's house and tool shed, there were irregular noises, like footsteps, or someone knocking on the walls or using tools.

His sense of smell also told him that in addition to the strong smell of grass, wax, and dye, there was also a faint smell of blood.

If the Brians were truly honest and hardworking craftsmen, how could their home smell like that?

Quietly placing his hand close to his clothes, ready to draw his gun at any moment, Chen Zhou followed Brian into the house.

……

Just as he had heard, Mrs. Brian was cleaning.

When Mrs. Brian saw the door open and her husband lead in a tall, Asian man, her face immediately showed displeasure.

She put down the dishes and bowls she was washing, wiped her hands, threw the rag in the kitchen, and went upstairs without looking back.

Hearing the heavy footsteps on the stairs, Brian felt a little embarrassed. He politely invited Chen Zhou to sit on the sofa, then took out two very old-looking teacups from the bottom of the cabinet and poured Chen Zhou a cup of tea.

"Excuse me, sir, what exactly did your employer offer?"

Let me tell you in advance that the wax figures I make are not cheap; they usually cost over $4000.

Custom-made wax figures, such as those of Hollywood stars and presidents, can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

After all, as you know, wax figure artists like me are quite rare.

“Fifty thousand, my employer is willing to offer fifty thousand for each wax figure to support your art career.”

Chen Zhou didn't even glance at the cup of tea in front of him, but instead gave a confident smile.

Anyway, no matter how much he says, it's all empty promises. He's only here to gather information, so he can ask for as much as he wants. The reason he said 50,000 is because he's afraid of scaring the old man. Otherwise, he would have dared to say even 1 million US dollars for a wax figure.

Of course, at that price point, even Brian probably wouldn't believe it.

Although Brian was mentally prepared, he still felt a little dizzy when Chen Zhou made the offer.

At that time in the United States, $50,000 could buy five middle-class homes in Los Angeles. Even a millionaire at that time would find it difficult to earn $10,000 a year. Yet, he could earn this astronomical sum of money simply by completing a wax figure.

Shaking his head, Brian plopped down on the sofa, completely abandoning his so-called "artist's reserve," his face full of longing for money.

"Sir, are you sure you're not joking and that you're serious?"

Excuse me, may I ask who your employer is?
I hope you can understand that it's not that I don't trust you, but $50,000 is indeed not a small amount. I believe your employer doesn't want an ordinary wax figure; he needs a true work of art, a timeless collectible.

I need to know who he is, his preferences, and his understanding and definition of art before I can begin making anything.

“Mr. Brian, I cannot reveal too much about my employer, except that his last name is Rockefeller.”

Of course, this gentleman didn't ask me to find an artist to create the wax figure without any conditions.

To be honest, you're neither the top nor the bottom artist on my list; I have many options.

Just like the question you raised, I also need to safeguard my employer's interests.

"Mr. Brian, may I tour your studio and see your masterpieces?"

Seeing that Brian was already tempted by the money, Chen Zhou immediately probed and made his request.

If Brian's family were truly dishonest, engaging in activities such as creating wax figures from human organs or using human face molds, they certainly wouldn't dare let him tour their workshop if he suddenly visited.

Without prior warning, the studio could be incredibly bloody, perhaps littered with dismembered human remains.

Staring intently into Brian's eyes, Chen Zhou saw no unease, only a thirst for a large sum of money.

"no problem.

I mean, of course you can, it's a reasonable request.

Brian's face was flushed with excitement as he looked at the tall Chen Zhou and rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"I can't wait to show you my masterpiece."

You will be very satisfied, because it is a true work of art, a breathtaking masterpiece! (End of Chapter)