Chapter 119
In the low tent, Rong Yuan opened his eyes.
When he was injured, perhaps some people wanted to do something, but before the relationship broke out, the vast majority of people were still Rong Yuan's followers and admirers. When being stared at by countless such eyes, no one dared to do anything in private.
But as he lay in the tent, wrapped in bandages, certain remarks quietly spread among the crowd.
A team of soldiers on night watch had just finished their patrol. They sat around the fire. Some took off their shoes and dried their sweaty socks by the fire, some ignored the stench and took out salty dry food to roast and eat, some took out the small wine flask they carried with them and took a sip. The orange light of the fire shone on everyone's silent and dark faces, and the atmosphere seemed a little weird.
After a while, someone couldn't help but say, "Hey, have you heard? That gentleman...seems to be dying."
"Don't talk nonsense!" An elderly man immediately scolded, "Mr. Rong will be fine."
"But..." another thin soldier said hesitantly, "To be able to survive that kind of attack... is the most incredible thing, right?"
"Yeah. At that time, I thought...we all thought...that everyone was finished..."
"You say... Mr. Rong... is he really a human being?" someone couldn't help but ask.
This sentence seemed to cast some kind of spell on everyone. Everyone fell silent for a moment. They didn't dare to look into the eyes of other people around them, nor did they dare to let others see the look in their eyes. They just stared at the jumping flames on the firewood, with different thoughts in their minds.
"I... I've heard a rumor..." A short and strong black-faced soldier looked around and whispered, "I heard that Mr. Rong is from outer space. Do you understand? He is from outer space, just like our ancestors. He is also a human, but there are special cultivation methods on outer space that can make ordinary people as powerful as the legendary gods. That's why Mr. Rong is so powerful."
"Really?" Another person said eagerly, "Then... if we can practice as well... can we be as powerful as Mr. Rong?"
"Don't even mention the same. Even if it's one-tenth of Mr. Rong's, I'll be satisfied."
"Ha!" Someone sneered and said coldly, "Don't dream. Mr. Rong didn't even teach Qidan and Kalunbi how to practice. Why would he teach such a precious practice method to people like us?"
Everyone was silent for a while.
The youngest and most immature soldier said with tears in his eyes, "But we are comrades! If...if we also practiced cultivation, then my father, my eldest brother, my second brother, and my younger brother might still be alive now..."
"Mr. Rong taught us so many things, but why...why didn't he pass on the things we need most?"
"Is he afraid that after we learn it, we will become as strong as him?" The black-faced soldier said sarcastically, "If everyone becomes stronger, how can he maintain his supreme position?"
"Don't talk nonsense! Mr. Rong is not that kind of person!" The older soldier said angrily, "Don't forget, if it weren't for Mr. Rong, who would you be now? You are nothing but a person who kneels at the feet of slave owners and is despised even by people who treat you like a dog!"
"Mr. Rong has done us a favor, I admit that." The black-faced soldier said calmly: "I thank him, really. But he hid the real good things and watched us fighting on the battlefield without saying a word. This is also true, right? If it were in the past, I would not have said anything. After all, it was Mr. Rong who blocked the most dangerous enemies every time. Without him, we would not have won the battles again and again. But he is seriously injured now, and he may not be able to make it! Do we have to take all those things into the coffin? Uncle, we don't deny the kindness in the past, but we have to live in the future! Mr. Rong should leave some things, then what if he... what should we do? What about our children? Do we have to go back and be slaves to those bastards?"
Similar remarks gradually spread in the camp. Soldiers could not help discussing similar topics while patrolling, eating, sleeping, and training. Although some people still argued for Rong Yuan, gradually, fewer and fewer people stood on his side, and more and more resentment and dissatisfaction were expressed.
Rong Yuan leaned against the bed, his expression was always cold and calm. He could hear those remarks even if the people talking were far away and lowered their voices, not to mention that some people deliberately complained loudly outside his tent.
He felt like he should be angry, even furious, wanting revenge, etc. But he didn't have any such emotions.
——It’s too tiring and not worth it.
Moreover, the injury he received this time was too severe, and even if he had the ability to heal, he would not be able to recover in a short time. Therefore, most of the time, he was in no mood to pay attention to what people outside were saying, and only cared about enduring the endless pain all over his body.
But this time, he listened to every word of the man in front of him. Even Rong Yuan couldn't help but feel surprised.
"What did you say?" Rong Yuan asked with his eyes lowered, looking at the man half-kneeling in front of him.
"Those guys must be the ones who instigated these remarks. Only they can spread such large-scale rumors silently. They themselves don't dare to confront you, so they instigate others to force you."
All the disappointment and pain were hidden deep in his heart, and what was reflected on his angular face was only the usual determination.
"I will stop them." Qi Yang said, "Please give them another chance!"
"Stupid!" Rong Yuan said coldly, "They are no longer the children who follow you step by step. The ambition and greed of those young people are beyond your imagination. Since they can develop things to this point in just a few days, it means that they have had these ideas for a long time. What can you do to stop them? How many people in the army are willing to obey your orders now?"
"With my life."
Qi Yang said calmly:
"Use my life to stop it."
Rong Yuan was stunned for a moment and looked at him deeply.
The man's expression was calm, but serious. He really thought so and would do so.
——Risk your life to stop those people from having all kinds of evil intentions against Rong Yuan at this moment.
Rong Yuan lowered his eyes again and said calmly, "Stupid."
"Go away." He said with a hint of sarcasm, "These tricks can't do anything to me."
"I know."
Qi Yang said without surprise. Although he was not the person closest to Rong Yuan, he was probably the person who knew Rong Yuan best on this planet. Maybe it was intuition or something else, Qi Yang knew that even though Rong Yuan looked so badly injured that he seemed to be dying, if a conflict really happened, he still had the terrifying power to easily control everyone's life and death.
"I know... they are not your opponents." Qi Yang said, "So I am going here not to protect you, but to protect them."
"Those are the kids I watched grow up. So... I know it's presumptuous, but I'd like to ask you... to give them another chance."
Rong Yuan remained silent and didn't say anything.
Qi Yang sighed.
"Mr. Rong, I know that after those kids did such a thing, they are no longer worthy of your teaching. But I just can't figure it out!"
"I can't understand... those children, each one is smarter than me, each one grew up in a much better environment than before, they have learned so much knowledge, mastered so many skills, each one... can become the pillars and sages of our human future, why... have they become so stupid now? Don't covet things that are not yours, people should be content and grateful - why don't they even understand such simple truths?"
"Those children have been blinded by greed and can no longer tell what is right and what is wrong, what they should do, and what is the bottom line that must not be crossed... I want to risk my life to stop them. Most importantly, I want to wake them up. I want them to know that we humans can suffer, be poor, endure humiliation for thousands of years, and fight and sacrifice on the battlefield, but we must never... We must never lose our bottom line as human beings and become a hateful existence like the Moon Wolf Clan in the past."
This conversation was very brief. Perhaps out of guilt or perhaps out of grief, Qi Yang did not say much. He just sat for a while and then left.
With a desperate heart, I want to awaken those children who have gone astray.
He came to Rong Yuan, perhaps to plead for those young people, or perhaps, just to find someone who could understand his thoughts and concerns.
But Qi Yang still underestimated the character and determination of those young people. Or perhaps, it was because he still regarded those young people as the children who once followed him with admiration on their faces, but they no longer regarded him as a trusted elder, but as stupid and stubborn obstacles.
According to what Rong Yuan learned later, Qi Yang didn't even have much chance to speak, as the other party did not allow him to persuade those who were not very determined to begin with. The scene fell into chaos from the very beginning due to the instigation of some people with ulterior motives. In the dark night, the crowd pushed, quarreled, insulted and even beat each other. Qi Yang was stabbed more than a dozen times in the chaos, but until the end no one knew who had done it.
At that time, because he understood Qi Yang's thoughts and his determination, Rong Yuan watched him leave without stopping him.
But later, he often thought that might have been a wrong choice.
If Qi Yang was still alive at that time... if with his support, Qi Yang became the leader of mankind, then Zhongwu Star... would it not have become what it was later?
Beneath the prosperity, there are sores and maggots everywhere.
