Chapter Thirty-Nine: What Have I Done Wrong to Make You Treat Me with Such Disrespect?

Clang!

The sound of a metal sword hitting the ground suddenly rang out.

"I surrender."

The man clad in metal armor on his upper body decisively threw down his sword, raised both hands high, and faced Colin.

The difference in strength between the two sides was not minor—it was overwhelming. At first glance, it seemed as though their side held the advantage, outnumbering the enemy and poised to crush them. Yet in just a few minutes of fighting, half their number had been wiped out.

The so-called "mage" had his head blown apart on the spot, dying so thoroughly that there was no hope of return.

They had suffered such a devastating loss, while the other side—at most—had only a few servants with minor injuries...

There was no way to win this battle.

With his surrender, the others quickly followed suit, dropping their weapons one after another, as if afraid that holding on for one more second would mark them as Colin's next target.

Moreover, after witnessing Shana's display, they abandoned any thought of fleeing.

There was simply no escape.

"I thought you all would put up more of a fight," Colin chuckled. After Shana had charged out, the "battle" on their side slowed to a crawl. Shana's combat style was so violent and eye-catching that, among the current group of survivors, almost no one could stand against her.

To challenge her, one would need someone summoned with a "Special Talent Recruitment Card"—and they simply didn't have such a person.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Colin's gaze grew colder. He lifted his lantern and strode forward, his voice deep and commanding: "Secure them."

"Yes, my lord!"

Number Two responded instantly, leading his men to subdue the four remaining lords who were still on their feet.

Following Colin's instructions, regardless of gender, each captive had their hands bound behind them and knees pressed hard into their backs and necks.

With their lungs compressed and their air intake sharply reduced, they were left utterly powerless to resist.

Colin had picked up this restraining technique from the Lighthouse Nation, and it proved perfectly suited to his current needs.

Of course, unlike the "freer" methods employed elsewhere, Colin still allowed them to breathe.

"Hurry up. Hand over your servants to me, and open your backpacks. I want to see what's inside."

Colin approached slowly, his tone utterly unyielding.

"Isn’t this a bit excessive? We've already surrendered. I can offer you compensation. After all, we haven't harmed you in any way—not even touched your ore. And I never supported their actions..."

One of the women quickly raised her head, desperately trying to absolve herself of responsibility.

In her mind, she hadn’t done anything. She hadn’t spoken the words, she hadn’t started the trouble, and she’d already surrendered without a fight. Compensation should suffice—at most, some time in captivity...

But Colin’s words made it clear he intended to take everything from her—even one of the most precious items a lord could possess: the sheepskin scroll!

This was unacceptable!

Colin narrowed his eyes, saying nothing as a wave of uncontrollable rage welled up in his mind.

These people had come to him, seeking a share in the saltpeter mine's profits—fine. But to go so far as to try to kill him and seize his spoils...

If not for his overwhelming strength, this very outcome would have come to pass!

Without a word, Colin raised his axe and struck her with the flat of the blade, leaving her dizzy and bleeding profusely.

"Do you think you're the wronged party here?"

Colin crouched down, grabbing a fistful of her hair and forcing her to meet his gaze. Her face was half stained with blood, his tone cold and devoid of emotion.

"I understand—you took part in this, but you didn't do much, so you think you're not really responsible...

"But in my eyes, by failing to stop them, you can't call yourself innocent. What's more, you were directly involved, not just a bystander. If Miss Shana had been the slightest bit weaker, if we hadn't blocked your assault, I wouldn't even have the chance to kneel and surrender now. You’d be standing over my corpse, dividing my spoils and laughing at my foolishness.

"Unfortunately for you, you lost. And now you tell me: 'My friend, though I just tried to kill your family, steal your property, and take everything you have, I actually meant you no harm...'

"Madam, what have I done to deserve such disrespect from you?"

The woman opened her mouth, but seeing the icy glint in Colin’s eyes, she finally said nothing. She relinquished all her access rights.

Her instincts screamed that this extraordinary man would not give her a second chance to bargain.

Compared to the items in her backpack, her life was far more valuable!

Before long, Colin had stripped them of everything—including the fifteen servants under the command of the five captives.

His force instantly swelled to twenty-nine people!

Most importantly, he obtained four lanterns, a synthesis table, and the sheepskin scrolls from the others!

With these resources, Colin could soon organize a whole company.

Now, this was a true windfall!

As for the four lords, Colin neither killed nor released them for a simple reason: every survivor was, in a sense, a walking, breathing warehouse.

He would give them a chance to atone—a chance to continue contributing to humanity’s revival...

For example, by sending them to mine.

Humanity, transported to this place where order had collapsed—Colin was determined to play his part in restoring its former glory.

In this light, requisitioning a few "special talents" was hardly excessive.

"How kind I am today," Colin mused inwardly. He glanced at the sheepskin scrolls in his backpack and suddenly remembered the headless corpse in the dense forest.

Where had her scroll and synthesis table gone?

Without dwelling on it, Colin walked toward a man sprawled on the ground—the unluckiest of the lot, whose leg had been blown off by a powder keg.

"Please, don’t kill me! Brother, it was my own foolishness that offended you—please forgive me! Take everything I have—my life is yours. I am willing to serve you!"

Seeing Colin approach, and the crowd behind him, the man was terrified. His followers had been casually dispatched by Shana moments earlier and were now of no help.

Even if they hadn’t been taken out, they wouldn’t have made a difference.

"How sensible," Colin said with a smile. "If everyone were as reasonable as you, I wouldn't have lost my temper just now."

"Yes, yes! Those fools had no idea who they were provoking... Sir, you—"

He suddenly realized that after Colin had taken all his possessions and had his servants dragged away, it seemed he had no intention of taking the man himself...

"Sir, what are you doing?"

Colin, seeing the man’s eager flattery, returned a gentle smile and replied,

"Let’s see if you can survive in the gray mist."