New Gods of North America

The custom of "dueling" has been around for a long time in America.

Influenced by the customs of the upper class in the Old World, formal public duels are actually quite troublesome, and there are even publicly published "duel manuals" specifically used to regulate various details of duels.

For example, it is necessary to issue a public statement in advance, wait for the other party to accept the challenge, agree on a location and multiple witnesses, sign a contract, and arrange for assistants and even medical personnel to be present.

You can't ambush someone in private, and you can't say it's a fair duel until you've pointed a gun at someone's head. Of course, it's even more forbidden to shoot someone after a victory.

From its original source, "dueling" is a "dispute of dignity or honor" between civilized people above a certain class, not a "fight to the death" between lower-class people.

At the beginning, at least a "knight" had to be qualified to initiate or accept a challenge.

Ordinary people in the Old World, at least for most of the time since the Middle Ages, were not qualified to "duel."

In history, "ordinary people's duels" were usually given other names, such as "murder," "intentional injury," or "fighting."

However, contrary to many people's impressions,

Even in the American South, "dueling" was actually banned very early on.

The period when dueling was most prevalent in America was probably in the years shortly after the Federation's independence. In those days, it was considered a symbol of sharing "aristocratic privileges" with "all free people."

Even figures like the "Founding Father" of America had records of publicly engaging in duels.

But before it lasted long, some people felt that this couldn't go on.

Free people were a valuable resource in the New World, and well-educated free people were even rarer. Why should they fight to the death over a dispute of emotions? Why not go fight the natives if they had the time?

So, due to the accumulation of casualties and various subsequent negative effects, although the folk custom of dueling still existed at this time, and was especially prevalent in the South,

Some states—including some Southern states—actually introduced laws within twenty or thirty years after the Federation's independence, and gradually equated "public dueling" with murder.

Public duels were not allowed. It was not allowed to publish in newspapers and publicize it, and it was even more forbidden to publicly insult the other party on the grounds of "refusing to accept the challenge."

Private duels could not be controlled, but the victor was still considered "murder" or "intentional injury" and had no immunity.

However, the law of the American Federation is like this—

Matters that the federal government does not legislate on or the constitution does not cover need to be prohibited by the laws of each state separately, otherwise they are legal within the state.

So, coincidentally,

According to Wayne's confirmation, Virginia has not yet legislated to ban public dueling.

...

To be honest, Wayne didn't have too much direct hatred for that guy named Malcolm Baker.

After all, when facing an "organization" like Cohen Pharmaceuticals, it is actually difficult for outsiders to distinguish who is doing evil and who is innocent.

So, the focus of Wayne's duel is not on "the duel itself," but on "the reason for the duel."

Wayne's reason was to make it up like this:

Due to the experience of his relatives and friends taking "Serenity"—the trade name of that green pill—Wayne "suspected" that the drugs produced by Cohen Pharmaceuticals were harmful and addictive to the human body. He tried to publicize these things and called on the public and academia to strengthen in-depth research on related drugs.

During this process, Cohen Pharmaceuticals' local institution blackened and suppressed Wayne and the detective agency, and even arranged for people to attack them.

The reason why Wayne approached Malcolm Baker was simply because he was Cohen Pharmaceuticals' fully authorized agent in Virginia, the mastermind behind the suppression of the detective agency and the promoter of "evil goods."

Wayne not only had a personal grudge against that "Malcolm Baker," but also had a personal grudge against "all local staff" of Cohen Pharmaceuticals.

So, starting with this guy, anyone who continues to work for Cohen Pharmaceuticals in Virginia will be found by Wayne one by one, and he will fight them one by one until he dies in a duel.

Those parts that said bad things about Cohen Pharmaceuticals could not be directly published in the newspaper according to Wayne's attempts,

But the letter of challenge for a public duel could.

Given the enthusiasm of Southerners for dueling, on-site witnesses may not come in person, but it is estimated that they will definitely not miss "listening to the story."

As long as it can arouse the public's "enthusiasm for gossip" and curiosity, the remaining inside information can be spread privately or by detectives. Some people will even take the initiative to inquire about the reasons for the duel everywhere.

Then, the news about Cohen Pharmaceuticals can also be spread, and maybe it will become more and more outrageous.

Wayne wouldn't even publicly say bad things about "the entire Cohen Pharmaceuticals," he would only say that he was suppressed by "Cohen Pharmaceuticals' local institution."

You ask Wayne for evidence?

Please, it's because there is no evidence and he can't get over it that he publicly challenges. If there was evidence, wouldn't Wayne directly sue? At least everyone can see the reports in the newspaper.

Otherwise, let Cohen Pharmaceuticals prove their innocence.

If he neither accepts the challenge nor proves his innocence, then according to the values of Southerners, it is almost equivalent to saying "Wayne is right."

There are only two key points,

First, Cohen Pharmaceuticals' products do have problems, so they are trying to cover up the news; second, working for Cohen Pharmaceuticals locally will bring "oneself" enemies.

One is aimed at the other party's "potential market," and the other is aimed at the other party's "living forces."

By the way, he secretly tried to "whitewash" the detective agency.

The accounts of fighting and killing can be settled separately,

But if you ruin my business, then I will definitely ruin your business. It's reasonable, right?

Since the other party has money to buy traffic in the newspaper and can hire people to attack, then try to make the other party "penniless and without people" first.

Wayne also wrote several seemingly professional medical popularizations.

There are too many kinds of pseudo-science popularizations in modern society, so Wayne casually made up some tragic cases, emphasizing that the pills are not only useless, but also have side effects, and also used some strange words, such as "pain addiction" and "analgesic dependence."

Honestly,

According to Doug's statement and Liam's personal practice, that green pill is indeed "effective." Liam has gradually reduced the dosage and has not seen any serious side effects for the time being,

But when Liam stopped taking the medicine before, he howled like a ghost. Who wouldn't feel a "thump" in their heart after seeing it with their own eyes?

The other party can continuously publish negative reports about the detective agency in the newspaper. Why can't Wayne make some strange urban rumors and leaflets? Anyway, they are not signed.

The other party can continue to call people to attack in secret.

Now that the main force is back, the detective agency is not as difficult to take care of as before.

Now I'm worried about where to collect extraordinary materials. I can only say welcome, and see how much blood Cohen Pharmaceuticals can release first.

Wayne pondered for a while,

Um...

Just in case, before officially releasing the news, should I ask someone to steal some of the other party's hair or something, so as not to let the other party run away in the end?