knife

Chapter 453 Will
Human life can be extremely fragile at times.

Just a few days ago, Ren Duozhong was an old man with great martial arts skills, abundant inner energy, and vigorous spirit. In his own words, he could eat three liters of food in one meal and sleep with several women in one night.

But in just a few days, he completely collapsed.

Not only psychologically, but also physically.

Witnessing being betrayed by the Eagle Bandits on the battlefield and suffering a crushing defeat, Ren Duozhong vomited several liters of blood and fell into a coma. His subordinates rescued him and rushed out of the battlefield. He fled all the way, and although he woke up a few times, he fell into a coma again after a very short time.

Perhaps he was unwilling to come to his senses and face such a bleak situation.

It wasn't until Rendobo led a portion of his remaining forces that they finally found him.

The two sides combined numbered no more than three thousand, each one looking miserable and wretched, their armor and weapons discarded, covered in wounds.

Although Rindobo has never been well-liked by Rindochu, at this moment, Rindobo is still the eldest son of the Rindo clan, and his arrival has given these defeated soldiers a backbone.

Rendobo is completely confused and doesn't know what to do next.

"The chieftain has woken up!" From afar came the soldiers' shouts of surprise and joy.

The generals, led by Rendobo, were overjoyed.

For them, at this time, Ren Duozhong was still the pillar of strength.

Renduozhong woke up and looked to be in good spirits, with a ruddy complexion.

However, his eyes were extremely dark.

Every person who has mastered martial arts has a clear and thorough understanding of their own body.

Ren Duozhong knew his time was running out.

The reason why I suddenly feel better, clear-headed, and energetic is just a final burst of energy before death. The true energy I have cultivated for many years is gradually dispersing into my body, but unlike before, it is not circulating continuously. Instead, it disappears without a trace, like a clay ox sinking into the sea.

Ren Duozhong knew that it was the true energy he had cultivated his whole life that was supporting his body, giving him a little time to arrange his affairs after his death.

In just this short time, the speed at which the true energy dissipated increased slightly.

"Father, what should we do next? Everyone is waiting for your guidance!" Renduobao knelt beside his father, his face full of joy and eagerness.

Renduozhong sighed. His son was indeed incompetent, but right now, the Renduo clan couldn't find anyone capable of managing the situation. If Puguen were here...

Renduozhong looked around but did not see Pugu En.

Even if Puguen were here, I would kill him.

Ren Duozhong thought.

Because if the Rendo tribe were entrusted to Pugu En, it is likely that the tribe that would survive in the future would not be the Rendo tribe, but the Pugu tribe.

“Return to Changgan Mountain!” Renduozhong said to Renduobao. “Ah?” Renduobao was somewhat surprised: “Father, the enemy is launching a large-scale attack. Although Changgan Mountain is the sacred mountain of our clan, there are not many troops there. If we go back there now, we will die without a burial place once the enemy catches up. It would be better to retreat all the way back to Yandu. There are strong city walls there, as well as His Majesty the Emperor’s personal army. We still have the power to fight back!”

Renduozhong looked at his son, feeling both angry and anxious: "Fool, if you go to Yandu now, the Renduo clan will really be finished."

Rendo Bao looked puzzled.

Ren Duozhong had no choice but to explain, "We've suffered heavy losses and are weak. If we go to Yandu, we'll inevitably become someone else's weapons. When Akdun orders you to go out of the city to meet the enemy, will you go? When he orders you to defend the city, will you go? At that time, wherever there is danger, that's where you'll be sent! No matter who wins in the end, what does it matter if the Ren Duo clan is involved?"

"If we go back to Changgan Mountain, will the enemy stop coming?"

"What are Tiele and Jebe doing at Changgan Mountain? They want to defeat Akdun, recapture Yandu, and restore the Yuan Dynasty to its former glory!" Renduozhong gasped for breath, his internal energy dissipating faster and faster. In just a short while, sixty to seventy percent of his energy had vanished without a trace, and his complexion, once ruddy, began to turn pale. "Therefore, they will concentrate all their forces and strike Yandu as quickly as possible."

"Over at Beidaying?"

"Anxuan is facing us, so where do you think Jebe went?" Renduozhong said with a wry smile, "Since Jebe has allied with the Tiele, where did Yeli's Eastern Camp go? I'm afraid the Xifeng family will suffer an even worse defeat than ours!"

Ren Duobao was stunned, like a wooden chicken.

"Tiele and Jebe want to defeat Akdun as quickly as possible, otherwise if the Northern Court realizes what's happening, they will definitely send troops to intervene, and then things will go back to normal. So your return to Changgan Mountain is the best way to preserve my Renduo family!" Renduo Zhong reached out and tightly grasped Renduo Bao's hand.

Rendobao nodded vigorously.

“Remember, as long as the war continues, do not leave the mountain!” Ren Duozhong said, “Gather all the troops you can. Changgan Mountain is the sacred mountain of our Ren Duo family. The terrain there is dangerous and the fortress is strong. In the ancestral mausoleum, there are stored grain, weapons, gold and silver. We should conserve our strength, endure hardship and bide our time, and wait until this war is over.”

"What will happen after this is over? If the Tiele people win, I'm afraid we won't have a good time either!"

"Foolish!" Renduozhong glared at his son. "Do you think Tiele is as foolish as you? By then, I will be dead. You can push all the blame onto me, and Tiele will naturally forgive you. Then you can go down the mountain, and the people you gathered during the war will become the hope for the resurgence of our Renduo family. Do you understand?"

Rendobao suddenly realized, "Father, I understand, I will definitely do as you say."

"Be careful of Pugu En!" Renduozhong whispered.

"Why? Father, haven't you always trusted him? He's your adopted son, his martial arts skills are higher than mine, and he's better at leading troops!" As he spoke, Ren Duobao's voice gradually lowered, and he lowered his head in shame under Ren Duozhong's mocking gaze.

With Renduozhong alive, Puguen would be a loyal henchman of the Renduo clan. With Renduozhong gone, what can Renduobao use to keep Puguen in check?
“Your son knows what to do! Your son will definitely protect the Rendo clan.”

"Let's go, let's go back to Changgan Mountain!" Renduozhong waved his hand.

More than three thousand people were terrified and marched towards Changgan Mountain day and night, fearing that if they stopped, the barbarian soldiers would catch up with them.

But just as Ren Duozhong had guessed, they could initially see some enemy scouts behind them, but as they got further and further away from Yandu, those scouts disappeared from sight.

However, no one was happy because Ren Duozhong was getting worse and worse.

Finally, when everyone saw the towering peaks of Changgan Mountain, Renduo Zhong asked Renduo Bao to help him up. He leaned against Renduo Bao's chest and watched with wide eyes as the bright red sun slowly set behind the other side of the mountain.

As the last rays of sunlight disappeared, Rentachu breathed his last.

(End of this chapter)