Chapter Forty-Nine: When None of the Styles Fit, Then That’s the Right Style!-Global Survival in the Fog(Riding a little white goose backward)

"You shall decide the fate of the defeated!"

An invisible whisper sounded in his ear, and a sense of control over Li Chou surged within Colin’s heart. If he so wished, a mere thought could cause the other’s instant death. Moreover, Li Chou could not defy him, nor could he, of his own accord, do anything to harm him. At this moment, save for his thoughts, Li Chou’s status was little better than that of a servant bound to the system—perhaps even worse.

Recalling the words spoken just moments before, Colin realized something.

“Mr. Colin, are you hurt?” As soon as Shana appeared, she immediately cast a spell of holy light to heal him.

“Protect the lord!” The servants quickly surrounded Colin, forming an impenetrable shield. The battle they had just witnessed was unclear; all they saw was a collision between the two, and then it ended abruptly.

“Phew, the fight was perilous, but I’m all right—just a bit shaken...” Colin exhaled in relief, seeing their worried faces. Then, holding up two fingers, he gestured modestly. “Though, it seems I was just a little bit stronger.”

Hearing this, Shana and the others let out a sigh of relief. Apart from No. 2, none had ever seen Colin fight before; they had no idea how strong he truly was. But judging by his appearance, he seemed perfectly fine. That was enough.

Meanwhile, the other survivors glanced at Li Chou, who lay ten meters away at Li Hang’s feet, blood streaming from his mouth, and their own faces twitched involuntarily. Then they looked at Colin, completely unscathed.

His subordinates certainly had double standards! This was a completely one-sided fight! Especially seeing the opponent’s breastplate smashed to pieces—could an ordinary man have done that? Was that really just “a little bit stronger”?

Now, they realized with clarity: not only was Shana a monster, but this survivor was a monster himself!

Looking at Li Chou’s miserable state, they couldn’t help mourning him silently in their hearts, their eyes filled with sympathy. Fortunately, they had chosen their allegiance early.

At the same time, Colin walked over to the prone Li Chou. Li Hang, who stood beside him, grew flustered, knowing that this unexpected event was largely due to his own mishandling.

Who could have guessed someone would hide something important outside their pack instead of inside it? Or that such mysterious items even existed in this world?

But Colin simply offered a few words of comfort, telling him not to worry, and patted his shoulder without further reproach.

“This is quite a fine thing. It’s mine now.” Looking at the triangular shield on the ground, named the “Shield of the Just Knight,” Colin smiled. He knew full well how formidable this item could be in skilled hands.

He stepped forward, bent down, and picked it up for examination. It was obvious this was no ordinary object. Though it appeared crusted with rust, even when Colin tried to damage it with force, he couldn’t leave the slightest mark.

No sooner had he touched the shield for three seconds than a whisper echoed in his ear, repeating endlessly:

“I yearn for a battle that is fair and just...”

Suddenly, Colin had the urge to challenge someone to a duel, and his eyes fell on the unconscious, blood-spitting Li Chou on the ground. The most “suitable” candidate for a duel...

The instinct for battle seemed to prefer choosing weaker opponents.

Fortunately, the urge had only just arisen and could be easily suppressed. But as time passed, it would grow ever stronger.

“So he didn’t always carry this thing with him,” Colin muttered, checking its details.

[“Shield of the Just Knight”: You may use it to make a declaration, compelling any enemy within thirty meters who meets your gaze to duel you. The victor will decide the fate of the loser.]

[Basic Rules: Escape is impossible; no outside help is allowed. The duel lasts a maximum of one hour.]

[Active Rules: The shield bearer gains home-field advantage and may set three rules deemed fair by common consensus, which both sides must obey.]

[Note: This item has negative effects. Please discover them for yourself.]

Fair by common consensus, huh... Colin thought with a wry smile, then focused and triggered a hint.

[A shield the size of a palm, its two corners curved, covered in verdigris. The lines upon its surface faintly outline the image of a scale, symbolizing justice.]

[You suspect it is a manifestation of some powerful being’s essence. You ponder, and feel that being ought to be called the “King of Knights.” This mysterious object embodies the knightly virtue of “Justice,” one of the Eight Great Virtues.]

[Note: Do not hold it for more than one hour per day, lest you become a dueling madman.]

“‘King of Knights’, tsk. If the virtue of ‘Justice’ is already this shameless, who knows how twisted the other ‘Virtues’ must be,” Colin muttered inwardly.

At that moment, he noticed Shana watching the shield in his hand with a peculiar expression.

“You recognize it?” he asked, curious.

Since her arrival, Shana had shown utter unfamiliarity with this world, be it the Church of Suffering or the abominations—none of it seemed known to her. From what she’d said about her own past, Colin had only ever felt... as if she came from another world. Perhaps she truly did.

“I feel like I’ve seen it before... May I take a look?” she asked.

“Of course.”

Colin handed her the shield without hesitation. Shana took it, glancing instinctively at the wounded, still-healing Li Chou. Quickly, though, she suppressed the absurd thought rising within her.

“It should be a mysterious item representing the ‘Justice’ branch among the Eight Virtues Knights. Its negative effects aren’t particularly strong, so there’s no need for sealing. I recall our church also studied some of their techniques...” Shana frowned slightly, struggling to recall, and handed the shield back to Colin.

“They come from your world?” Colin asked.

“More or less...” Shana hesitated, then nodded.

For some reason, thinking of Shana’s peculiar personal traits, Colin suddenly found it all made sense. If the style itself is wrong, then perhaps that’s the right style.

“Do you know what the other ‘Virtues’ can do?” Colin asked, curious just how strange these things might get.

Shana tried to remember, as if something had come to mind, but as she opened her mouth to speak, she faltered, then simply shook her head. “I don’t know. I... I feel like I remember, but the moment I try to say it, I forget completely...”

So the memories of these special character cards must be sealed in some way... Colin guessed to himself.

He didn’t dwell on it. Collecting the flood of stray thoughts that had arisen, Colin tossed the verdigris-stained triangular shield in his hand, turned to the other survivors, and let a sly smile curl his lips.

“Care for a friendly one-on-one match?”