Dual wielding volcanoes, killing through the west

Zhang Wusheng didn't touch the drink on the table, and seemed very shocked by what he had just said. "This is... really surprising. I thought you were like those two people, liking cold weapons like swords."

“Actually, it doesn’t really matter whether you like it or not.” Zhang Fulin shook his head with a smile. “From an efficiency standpoint, killing an enemy by throwing a punch, kicking, or swinging a sword requires less effort than killing an enemy by pulling a trigger with your finger.”

"Now that we have more efficient weapons, why cling to swords and blades?"

“…” Zhang Wusheng was silent for a moment, then sighed, “What you said makes sense.”

But I can neither wield a sword nor fire a gun; I'm utterly useless.

"However, the guns here are still too heavy for me. Wu Sheng, could you ask him if he has any lighter ones that are easier to carry?"

To be fair, his request is rather unusual. When buying a gun, most people consider range, lethality, and the destructive power of the ammunition; weight is rarely a concern. Common guns, such as revolvers, Mausers, and pistols, are all roughly the same weight. Older models, like the Volcano pistol, might be heavier, but those are long gone from the market.

However, since this request came from Zhang Fulin, the shop owner dared not neglect it out of respect for his father. After searching the shop for a while, he dug out a box from some corner, and inside were two miniature pistols.

Zhang Fulin's eyes lit up. He compared the length of the gun with his hand and found that it was only about the size of his palm.

"So small?" Zhang Wusheng raised an eyebrow. "Can it really hit the target?"

"The early prototype of this 'miniature pistol' was a pocket revolver designed by Mr. Colt, a small gun with concealment and portability as its core features. Of course, the reduction in size means a decrease in range and lethality, and it can only be used for close-range self-defense or some special missions."

"These two are M1890 'Hummingbird' pistols, manufactured by a Swiss arms company. It seems there are only about 600 of them in the world. Three years ago, Mr. Hargunda organized a cross-border training and exchange, and several of us store managers went. These guns are souvenirs we got from Switzerland at that time."

"However, to be honest, this thing doesn't really mean much to me; it's just a strange souvenir. If... if you don't mind..."

"Let it work for you!"

A souvenir that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, will only gather dust in its box forever.

If one could establish even the slightest connection with the powerful family that actually ruled the sixteen southern states of America, it would be a sure-fire way to make money!

----

“I think I’ve figured it out.” After leaving the weapons shop, Zhang Wusheng finally spoke up, “You and those two aren’t from the same school of thought, are you? The weapons you chose, the Meridian Mandarin Duck Axe and these two Phoenix Bird Miniature Pistols, are all designed for infiltration, stealth, and assassination.”

“Not entirely.” Zhang Fulin smiled. “My Wild Goose Skill is primarily a light-body skill that focuses on movement. In terms of direct combat, it can’t compare to the hard skills of Green Wine and Red Furnace. Naturally, the weapons I use are also different from theirs.”

"Compared to this..."

He looked toward the street.

As one of the birthplaces of the "car" brand, Baiju City has a much denser traffic flow than other cities. Although the roads are wide enough, there are hardly any horse riders to be seen anymore. Different models of cars drive by, making the small stones on the roadside bounce.

Zhang Wusheng had lived in this city since birth, so he didn't find it strange. But for Zhang Fulin, it was like entering another future world.

He stared intently at the passing vehicles, his eyes glazed over. Zhang Wusheng even suspected that, given the chance, he might just rush up and dismantle one of the cars into a pile of parts to study it in detail.

"Are you... interested in these things?" Zhang Wusheng also looked at the traffic and crowds. The bustling scene filled him with a sense of disgust. "Perhaps it's because you've never been here before, but this place is like this every day."

“Wu Sheng, you are mistaken.” Zhang Fulin sighed, rarely expressing his sentiments. “Being able to live each day peacefully is already a rare miracle.”

……

“I know someone who said almost exactly the same thing to you.” Zhang Wusheng glanced at him with some surprise, then smiled and said, “If it weren’t for the language barrier, you two would definitely get along well.”

"is it?"

"Yes." Zhang Wusheng, leaning on his cane, slowly turned around, his tone surprisingly joyful. "Next stop... you'll see him soon."

Chapter 940: Only he would treat me like half a person.

Zhang Fulin couldn't understand a single word of the foreign language on the signboard. He could only see that the store was extremely grand, like a stable palace standing on the street.

Even though it was night, lights shone from all angles, illuminating the walls and floors. The smooth marble tiles on the floor were so clean they could be used as mirrors. Behind each glass display window were elegant and neatly arranged garments, both men's and women's.

Without him having to lift a finger, the doorman helped him push open the shop door. Stepping onto the bright red carpet, Zhang Fulin's pupils widened slightly as he entered. In this foreign land, he saw things he had never seen before in his life. He finally understood what it meant to be "dazzled by the dazzling world."

Four Doric columns support the entrance hall, with laurel branch reliefs on the lintels at the top of the columns, which are both grand and exquisite.

The store has two floors, with men's and women's fitting rooms separated by partitions made of red cedar wood. There are quite a few customers, but judging from their elegant and sophisticated attire, they are all likely wealthy individuals. There is very little noise; customers browse, select, and try on clothes in complete silence. This tacit understanding makes even new customers hesitant to speak loudly.

From the classic "Heart of the Earth" style to the recently popular "Midnight Phantom" trend in the West, you can find all kinds of clothing combinations in this store.

"This is the famous Isabella, which ranks among the top in the entire New Orleans and even the South."

“…I really didn’t expect that.” Zhang Fulin looked around and couldn’t help but sigh, “Even a clothing store can be built so grandly.”

“Of course, the owner here prefers the architectural style of ancient Rome, which is full of masculinity.” Zhang Wusheng tapped the floor twice with his cane, and seemed proud to hear the praise. “The new clothes designed by the owner, whether men’s or women’s, have led the fashion trend in recent years.”

"His aesthetic sense is quite ahead of its time. He doesn't blindly pander to trends, but rather combines the grandeur of Roman style with the delicate and refined Victorian fashion. Every design he releases becomes a hit! He's highly praised among the upper class!"

"Wu Sheng, you seem to know a lot about these things."

"I……"

Zhang Wusheng paused for a moment, then sighed and said the truth helplessly, "If I don't study this, what else can I study?"

For him, hobbies related to sports were something he had never been meant to pursue since birth. Due to his physical condition, the choices he could make were always half that of the average person, and he was also incapable of engaging in research involving knowledge.

After eliminating all other possibilities, the only one left with any slight connection was this Isabella clothing store.

Because of his leg injury, his right leg felt like a heavy object when he walked, requiring him to "drag" it. This caused him to wear out his shoes very quickly, especially the shoes on his right foot. Within a few months, a layer of skin had worn off, and he had to replace them with new ones.

Coincidentally, the owner of this clothing store originally started out selling shoes, earning an excellent reputation and many repeat customers. As the business grew, he opened exclusive men's and women's clothing stores, finally achieving great success and building a reputation that led to the palatial store he owns today.

He comes to this store to exchange his shoes for new ones every time they wear out, a routine he's maintained for over ten years. Over time, he's naturally become familiar with the owner.

For Zhang Wusheng, this shop has never changed; it's one of the few places he frequents in the city, besides his own home and Yige's. He doesn't have many places to go, which gives it a special sense of familiarity.

There are several clothing stores in Baiju City, including many luxury brands, but he brought Zhang Fulin here instead.

……

"Mr. Zhang."

An unremarkable voice sounded from behind. Turning around, he saw a man in a turquoise suit with an ordinary hairstyle, who said expressionlessly, "I'm really sorry, the shop owner is currently discussing business with other customers and it will take another half hour to finish, so he cannot personally serve you."

"I'll have to ask you to wait over there for a while."

"Oh, okay, no problem." Zhang Wusheng, who had been wearing a gloomy face the whole way, showed a gentle side here. "We're not in a hurry either."

Ironically, the owner of the previous weapons shop didn't recognize Zhang Wusheng and was extremely apprehensive about his arrival. His behavior directly affected the staff, turning the entire shop into chaos, almost to the point of kicking out all the other customers.

The shop owner, though acquainted with Zhang Wusheng, offered him no special treatment. Knowing he was there, the owner still insisted on finishing his business, which Zhang Wusheng accepted. Leaning on his cane, he slowly made his way to the guest lounge. This time, he seemed very relaxed, even setting his cane aside, leaning back against the sofa, letting out a long sigh, and closing his eyes slightly.

The warm, pleasant aroma of black tea wafts towards you.

The waiter, dressed in a green suit and of medium build, picked up a sugar cube with tongs, gently placed it in a teacup, added a spoonful of milk, stirred it well, and then, holding it with the outside of his fingers, slowly pushed it towards Zhang Wusheng.

"And what kind of flavor does this gentleman prefer?"

“…Eh?” Zhang Fulin couldn’t understand the language, so he subconsciously looked at Zhang Wusheng sitting next to him.

"He asked you how many pieces of sugar and how much milk you wanted?" Zhang Wusheng crossed his legs.

"Just like you."

……

After repeating the process, the waiter said in a deep voice, "Please wait a moment, I'll go bake some cookies for you two."

“Ado, you don’t need to bother anymore.” Zhang Wusheng called out to him, “It’s only been half an hour, we can just sit here, you go and do your thing.”

"It's alright, Mr. Zhang, work is work."

After saying that, Ado left on his own.

Zhang Wusheng smiled and shook his head, but he seemed quite pleased and slumped onto the sofa.

With such obvious body language, Zhang Fulin could naturally tell how relaxed and comfortable he was in this environment.

He relaxed and looked around, noticing several booths—interestingly, these places, which should have been displaying jewelry and ornaments, were instead filled with shoes.

The soft-soled dancing shoes worn by Venetian gondoliers.

Prussian officer's riding boots.

The maid's delicate brown leather shoes on Sunday.

……

All sorts of shoes were displayed there like exhibits. When the lights shone down, the surfaces of the shoes reflected a faint glow, making them look like true works of art.

"It's clear that the owner here really loves shoes."

“Ha…” Zhang Wusheng let out a long breath and murmured, “Yes.”

"He is one of the few people who are willing to be my 'friend'."

Chapter 941: You're already here, right?

"when!"

"when!"

"when!"

……

The sound of a hard object striking a marble floor tile.

Zhang Fulin finally understood why Wu Sheng had such a high regard for the shop owner. In a sense, only by sharing the same plight could he believe that the other person could understand his bitterness to some extent.

Walking slowly toward this area was an elderly man, well-dressed and over seventy years old, whose right leg was not very convenient.

His movements were no longer as agile as those of a young man, yet he was one of the few individuals among the elderly who retained his dignity. He leaned on a heavy black metal cane in his right hand, the handle of which was exquisitely carved with a raven about to take flight.

He wore a pure white dress tie, a black mascot waistcoat, and a finely woven dark Tolanca coat. His lower body was clad in jet-black cabaret trousers, ironed so straight not a single loose thread could be found. His dress shoes, seemingly ordinary, were so black they practically shone. The outer layer of the shoes, in particular, looked as if they were made of two layers of black ice.

He wore glasses on the bridge of his nose, and through the two thin panes of glass, one could not see into his eyes.

Its brilliance lies within, like still waters running deep.

“I’ve kept you waiting, Mr. Wu. And this gentleman, I presume he is also Mr. Zhang’s son?” After he stopped, he raised his trembling right arm, clenched it into a fist, and gently tapped his chest. “My name is Elinis. It is my honor to serve you.”

Zhang Fulin hesitated for a moment, then, following Western etiquette, rose and shook hands with him. Taking advantage of the handshake, he gently touched Elinis's pulse, attempting to sense his inner energy. The result was a weak pulse, a long, drawn-out heartbeat, and no trace of internal strength—truly the reaction expected of someone entering old age.

Perhaps this extraordinary demeanor was only cultivated through decades of ups and downs in the business world.

“Mr. Elinnis, this is my elder brother, Zhang Fulin. He is a year older than me and should be the eldest of all my father’s children,” Zhang Wusheng explained. “He came from across the sea and had just disembarked when he had a martial arts match with Honglu. They fought in the mud and got their clothes and pants all dirty.”

"I'd like to get a new outfit here so I can attend the family dinner tonight. I'll put the money on your tab."

“Understood.” Elinis pushed up his glasses.

He didn't say anything like "You're charging extra for this place," but simply tapped the ground twice with his cane and pointed to the men's clothing booth not far away. "Anything in the men's clothing section that catches your eye, just take it. Jacket, shirt, vest, trousers, shoes—make a set, and I'll see if it fits."

----

Despite being treated as an honored guest, Zhang Fulin maintained his usual caution, strolling slowly through the palatial shop. Coincidentally, Zhang Wusheng and the shop owner seemed to have much to talk about, their conversation bordering on a friendly budding one.

He and Zhang Wusheng had only known each other for less than 24 hours, but he already had a general idea of ​​Zhang's personality: just as his mother had said, he was an extremely sensitive and extremely insecure person.

This is inseparable from his growth environment and his own special circumstances.

This kind of personality means she's unlikely to confide in her parents or teachers. Her relationship with her two younger brothers, who are the same age but not born of the same mother, is rather lukewarm. Finding a close friend across generations with whom she can speak freely is a good thing; let them chat as they please for now.

anyway……

"This place is really big."

Zhang Fulin didn't want to show his surprise, but looking around, he saw that no one paid any attention to him, and he couldn't help but laugh at his own behavior.

Besides the goods for sale, the building also contains many stone sculptures. Masculine and muscular men and slender and voluptuous women are almost all naked.

The cultural differences finally took Zhang Fulin by surprise. In his hometown, artworks typically didn't depict the beauty of the male and female bodies so directly. But seeing that everyone around him walked past the sculpture with nonchalance, not even bothering to look up, he could only force himself to remain calm, his face flushed, and quickly walked away.

The single layer was already quite large. He strolled around, looking and thinking, occasionally reaching out to touch the fabric of the clothes. He found the weaving technique to be quite excellent and the fabric felt very comfortable to the touch.

“I’ve heard my mother say before that noble people always pay attention to the details of their clothes. They might change their clothes eight times a day depending on the time of day, but no one can tell. But the Westerners’ attention to detail is different from ours.”

“A set is a set, and a piece is a piece. There aren’t many variations in the patterns on their clothes. The differences lie in the style, cut, pockets, and other such things.”

"Will Dad wear clothes like this? Will he look strange in them?"

As Zhang Fulin pondered this, he didn't forget to pick out clothes for himself. He ultimately refrained from directly grabbing them, as that would resemble a bandit raiding a village, somewhat unseemly. He simply noted down whichever piece caught his eye, intending to ask a shop assistant to retrieve it later.

……

"Just now... it seems like we came in from that bend..."

Zhang Fulin couldn't remember exactly how many turns he had made. The marble tiles under his feet were so bright, like mirrors, that they made him even more dizzy.

Calling for help wasn't out of the question, but it felt a bit embarrassing—besides, he didn't understand English, and randomly shouting for help would be awkward. Now, he wasn't just himself; he was the eldest son of "Zhang Renfeng," who had come from across the ocean. He wasn't going to let himself lose face unless absolutely necessary.