As the imaginary gunshot rang out in both their minds, Chen Luo and Helber charged toward each other at once!
Neither spoke. Neither hesitated. In that instant, the only thing reflected in their eyes was the figure of the opponent before them.
This was the decisive strike!
One slash would decide the winner; one clash would determine who truly had the right to stand until the end. For Helber, this was not merely a contest. It was his final chance to prove that his experience and ability were still enough to challenge the person he had been unwilling to acknowledge.
Chen Luo, meanwhile, calmly watched every movement his opponent made, adjusting his stance and choosing the most suitable moment to strike.
The distance between them rapidly closed.
Both blades rose at once, tearing through the still air!
CLANG!!!
The piercing sound of metal colliding rang out.
Everything seemed to freeze in that instant.
...
When reality returned, there had been no dramatic gunfight at all. The two had already passed one another and now stood with their backs turned, frozen in the postures of their final strikes.
Neither said a word.
Only the faint sound of fragments falling to the ground echoed through the tense atmosphere.
Clink... clink...
Helber's hands began to tremble violently. He lowered his head to look at them, his eyes wide with terror and disbelief.
The two military knives he had always carried—the weapons that had accompanied him through countless battles—had shattered after a single clash!
All that remained in his hands were the rubber-wrapped handles and broken fragments of metal. The blades he had trusted absolutely, once so sharp, had failed to withstand that impact.
-"No... impossible..."
Helber murmured hoarsely, as if he himself could not believe what was happening before his eyes.
He slowly turned his head.
On the opposite side, Chen Luo had also turned around and was looking at him calmly.
The dagger in Chen Luo's hand remained intact, without even a significant chip. However, the recoil from the clash had also left his gripping hand numb. His fingers curled slightly, but he held firmly onto the handle and did not let the weapon slip away.
Chen Luo clenched his hand gently, adjusted the sensation in his fingers, and then relaxed.
The strike had not come without a cost.
Still, compared with Helber's condition, the difference between them was unmistakable.
Helber looked at his own hands, then at Chen Luo's. He understood that his opponent had also suffered recoil, but Chen Luo still had an intact weapon and could continue fighting, whereas he had lost both of his knives.
The gap between them in knife technique was not insurmountable. In fact, if one considered practical combat experience alone, Helber still held certain advantages. He had survived countless life-and-death battles and faced opponents far more dangerous than a young man like Chen Luo.
But experience was not everything.
In that decisive instant, Chen Luo had displayed terrifyingly precise judgment, chosen an almost perfect angle of attack, and fully exploited his advantages in physical ability and weapon quality.
A single clash had been enough to determine the winner.
Helber finally understood.
The person standing before him was no longer a novice who could only overwhelm opponents with high attributes. Chen Luo's martial arts foundation was indeed still rough in many areas, but his judgment, ability to adapt, and actual combat strength were far beyond anything Helber had imagined.
He might not possess the polished technique of a soldier who had undergone systematic training, but he could make the right decision at the most crucial moment.
That was the true reason Helber had lost.
It was not that he was inferior in every respect, but that he had underestimated an opponent he had never truly understood.
Moreover, the difference in equipment quality could not be denied. His two knives had seen many victories, but they simply could not withstand that final clash.
Helber lowered his head and looked at the fragments scattered around his feet.
The last of his pride finally began to fade.
-"STOP!!!!!!"
A commanding shout suddenly came from outside, breaking the heavy atmosphere that had settled over the courtyard.
The person who had shouted was none other than Natasha.
She hurried over, with Galahad and the others close behind. Everyone's faces showed clear concern, mixed with anger at the scene before them.
In fact, Natasha had noticed Helber behaving strangely for some time. He had grown quieter, often separated himself from the group, and occasionally looked at Chen Luo with open hostility.
Given Helber's personality, those signs were as good as a warning.
So before Helber left the group, Natasha had already urged the others to keep an eye on him. When she noticed him slipping away with an unusual attitude, she quietly followed him. The others soon realized that something was wrong and hurried after her one by one.
Unfortunately, by the time they arrived, the duel was nearly over.
Had they been even a little later, no one could say what might have happened.
-"What is going on, Helber?!"
Galahad strode forward, his expression so stern that no one nearby dared speak casually.
-"What foolishness are you up to?!"
He looked at the broken knives on the ground, then turned his gaze toward Chen Luo. A brief glance at the scene was enough for him to understand roughly what had happened.
Galahad knew perfectly well that Helber had never easily accepted a young man becoming his leader. Given his stubborn nature and overwhelming pride, his resentment had been predictable.
But Galahad had never imagined Helber would go this far!
This was no longer merely a dispute over leadership. If Chen Luo had been unable to defend himself, the consequences of the duel could have been far beyond anyone's imagination.
Fortunately, neither of them had been seriously injured.
If anyone had been hurt, Galahad would not have known how to explain it to the others, much less how to face Chen Luo.
-"It's all right, Galahad."
Just then, Chen Luo spoke up, stopping Galahad before he could continue scolding Helber.
He put away his dagger and looked at the man standing opposite him with his head lowered.
-"Well, Helber? Do you still want to continue?"
Chen Luo's tone remained calm, with no trace of mockery or ridicule. He simply asked the question, as though the duel had been nothing more than an ordinary sparring match between teammates.
That only made Helber feel more awkward.
He remained silent, his gaze drifting unconsciously toward the road in the distance, where old buildings stretched into the darkness.
The world outside was full of dangers. Monsters still roamed everywhere, safe areas were not always easy to find, and a lone person without the support of teammates would struggle to survive for long.
Helber knew he could not continue fighting.
He had lost.
And this time, he had no excuse left with which to deceive himself.
What worried him most, however, was not the defeat itself, but what might happen afterward.
Even if Chen Luo, Galahad, or Zhang Zewei were willing to let the matter go, could the others still trust him?
Could someone who had been willing to draw a knife against a teammate simply because he resented the leader still deserve to stand alongside everyone else?
Helber clenched his fists as a cold feeling slowly spread through his heart.
Perhaps... he truly had no place here anymore.
-"I know what you're thinking, Helber. But you don't need to take it that far."
Chen Luo's voice brought him back to reality.
At some point, Chen Luo had stepped closer and was now standing in front of him, calm as ever.
Galahad also came forward. His expression remained stern, but his tone had softened somewhat.
-"Honestly! If there's something you're unhappy about, just tell everyone directly. Why did you have to take it this far?"
He sighed and gently patted Helber on the shoulder.
-"Do you know how worried everyone has been? If you just leave now, where do you plan to go? Outside, to become monster food?"
The words sounded harsh, but Helber recognized the concern hidden beneath them.
Galahad was still the same.
No matter how much trouble Helber caused or how angry he made him, this man was always the first to step forward and stop him from doing something foolish.
Natasha stepped beside him as well, looking at Helber with a mixture of worry and helplessness.
-"Exactly, Helber! Don't do something so reckless! If there's something you disagree with, why not tell everyone? You keep it bottled up in silence and then suddenly do something like this. Do you know how worried we've been?"
She folded her arms and tried to maintain a stern expression, but the concern in her voice could not be concealed.
Natasha understood that Helber was not a bad person. He was simply hot-tempered, impulsive, and sometimes far too stubborn about his own views.
Back in the barracks, Helber had repeatedly gotten into fights with his teammates over trivial disagreements. Whenever something displeased him, he usually chose to throw punches rather than sit down and talk it through.
Galahad had spent a tremendous amount of effort gradually correcting his behavior, helping Helber learn self-control and fit in with the group.
However, habits formed over many years were not easy to erase. Whenever his pride was wounded, Helber was quick to return to his old ways.
Today was no different.
Natasha did not know exactly what had happened between him and Chen Luo, but she knew that if everyone had not arrived in time, Helber might have pushed himself into an irreparable situation.
Helber looked at Natasha, then at Galahad and Chen Luo.
He did not understand.
Why was everyone still standing here?
Why had no one truly turned against him?
He had just drawn a knife against the leader of the entire group. He had allowed personal resentment to overwhelm his judgment and had even made his teammates worry enough to chase after him.
Yet now, what he received was not abandonment, but scolding mixed with concern.
An indescribable feeling suddenly welled up inside Helber.
It was as though a knot that had been tightly wound for many years had finally come undone.
He suddenly realized how childish he had been.
He had once believed that experience, skill, and sufficient strength meant he never needed to bow to anyone. He had thought that accepting a young man's leadership was an insult to himself.
In the end, that very belief had almost cost him the people who mattered most.
Helber bowed his head deeply, his lips trembling.
-"Thank you... and I'm sorry, everyone..."
His voice was so quiet that only those standing nearby could almost hear it.
But for Galahad, that was already enough.
He did not answer immediately, only gazed silently at the young man before him.
At that moment, memories from many years ago suddenly became clear in Helber's mind.