I Rely on the Collapse of the Character Setting to Survive in the Hands of the Male Lead Chapter 168

Chapter 168

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Huo Luo held a knife, placing it against the neck of the patriarch.

The patriarch had a face full of hostility, looking fiercely at the two people in front of him.

“It’s you… It’s you again…”

Huo Luo didn’t waste any words and immediately knocked off the patriarch’s mask.

However, in an instant, the patriarch displayed a look of terror, “Don’t…”

A plain square-shaped face was revealed, and his expression appeared extremely nervous, and uneasy, as if he had been stripped naked and exposed in front of everyone.

Yue Chen approached directly, sneering, “Why are you so afraid? Whether you wear a mask or not, your fate won’t change. Or is it that wearing a mask gives you some other form of psychological comfort?”

The patriarch’s face turned ashen; he never expected the situation to take such a sudden turn. The noise from the recent fight was so loud that his subordinates surely could hear it, yet no one came to rescue him. It meant that there was trouble outside. In addition, his trusted confidant who was supposed to set up the diversion was nowhere to be seen. He had a faint premonition of a complete military defeat.

“Don’t worry, we won’t kill you for now. You’ve committed so many crimes and colluded with people from Tianheng Country. As the ringleader, you naturally need to be handed over to the court for judgment,” Yue Chen mocked, “Moreover, you were also a deserter from the Blood Battle at the Tongjiā Pass back then.”

The patriarch trembled instantly, immediately issuing a threat, “You can’t do this, unless… unless you want to die here with me? Members of the royal family are nearby. If you don’t release me, we can all perish together.”

“Oh?” Yue Chen raised a corner of his mouth, saying, “As a prisoner, I’m curious to know how you plan to make us perish together.”

The patriarch sneered coldly and was about to speak when he heard Yue Chen say, “If you’re referring to the Thunderous Explosion, that’s probably not possible. The fuse connecting to this location was dismantled by us not long ago, and your trusted confidant is also dead.”

Upon hearing this, the patriarch felt a sudden rush of air, almost choking himself. It was indeed as he suspected.

His face gradually turned ashen, and he had to face the harsh reality. In just one day, his skilled and valiant Second Brother had died, the Thunderous Explosion was not set up properly, his confidant had been killed, and he had no idea when the imperial court would arrive after the destruction of the Master’s side.

The once-dominant Wu Xin Fort now lay in ruins, systematically dismantled one by one. In the end, its leader found himself with no way out, unable to comprehend how things had reached this point and where he had gone wrong.

Perhaps every decision was right, but someone always took a step or two ahead, seizing control of the overall situation.

The patriarch slumped, visibly crushed by the undeniable reality of failure. He was no match for Huo Luo, and outside, Huo Luo’s allies were a formidable force. Unable to contact his subordinates and lacking any usable hostages, the patriarch had no means of escape. It was a dead end.

Yue Chen was about to say something when the patriarch suddenly threw himself onto Huo Luo’s blade, evidently seeking a swift end.

However, Huo Luo wasn’t about to give him that opportunity and promptly knocked him to the ground.

“Go ahead and kill me. Don’t hand me over to the court,” the patriarch suddenly spoke, “It’s all the same death, so just let me die here.”

“How amusing. Do you think you’re in a position to negotiate terms now?” Yue Chen sneered coldly.

The patriarch could only turn to Huo Luo, “Considering I was once a member of the Huo family army, just go ahead and kill me.”

“You, a deserter, are worthy of mentioning the Huo family army?” Huo Luo looked at the patriarch with disdain in his eyes.

The term “deserter” instantly provoked the patriarch. His face turned iron-gray, and his expression became fierce, “Even if you take me out of here, there’s no way I’ll survive to reach the capital. Your actions are futile.”

The patriarch was well aware of his fate. Once he stepped out of this mountain, he would become a prisoner at the mercy of others. Many would seek his life, and he wouldn’t even make it to a trial. Besides, he had no desire to go back. He didn’t want to face his past. He would rather die here.

“Are you suggesting that someone wants to silence you? Who?” Yue Chen squinted his eyes and asked, “People from Tianheng Country? Or from the court?”

“Hehe, indeed, the Master was indeed affiliated with Tianheng Country, but you’ve already killed them all. We were just cooperating for mutual benefit. As for people from the court…” The patriarch’s face darkened, and a deep-seated fear seemed to emanate from within him.

“The court wants to silence you because of what happened in the past. You know things that contradict the current narrative, and the truth you hold is not meant for the public, right?” Yue Chen straightforwardly expressed what the patriarch might be thinking.

The patriarch suddenly lifted his head, his eyes struggling as he looked at Yue Chen. He hadn’t expected that Yue Chen and the others would think this far.

A surge of emotions welled up within Yue Chen. “Tell me everything you knew back then, and I’ll let you die here. I understand that you refuse to return to the capital not out of fearlessness, but because you’re concerned about your loved ones being implicated, isn’t that right?”

The patriarch’s pupils constricted. Yue Chen had accurately pinpointed his vulnerability. Despite his cowardice, betrayal of the court, betrayal of comrades, betrayal of brothers, he still had his own principles. Faced with the certainty of his death, he was unwilling to further involve his loved ones.

Yes, they were deserters, but no one knew that there were survivors from the Blood Battle at the Tongjia Pass. Consequently, like the families of the soldiers who died in the Tongjia Pass battle, their families also received the court’s compensation. This was why the hundreds of them could remain united. They all knew that once their identities were exposed, their families would also be implicated and die. Therefore, for the sake of their respective families, they couldn’t return to the capital. They could only remain here as bandits, don masks, and erase their own existence.

However, if they couldn’t escape now, they had to die here, leaving no survivors. No one would investigate the background of a group of dead bandits. This was the only way to protect their families who were still alive.

For the patriarch, who had already lost hope in life, there were still some family members of his in the capital. He couldn’t turn a blind eye to their safety.

Recalling the events of the past, the patriarch’s emotions churned. “Do you really… want to know? If you find out, it might bring disaster upon you…”

“Heh, haven’t you always wanted revenge on us? This could be your way to get back at us before you die,” Yue Chen sneered contemptuously.

The patriarch couldn’t help but let out a sinister laugh, “Hahaha, you’re right. Fine, I’ll tell you.”

Finally, one of the key figures was willing to reveal the events of that year. Yue Chen and Huo Luo couldn’t help but straighten their bodies as if they had finally seen the exit of a maze, excited at the prospect.

They had always been suspicious about what happened that year. Trusting their observations of subtle changes in the court had convinced them that there was a long-planned conspiracy. Thus, Yue Chen was certain that something was amiss with Yuan Ran’s matter.

However, they were not privy to what exactly happened that year.

Finally, in the slow narrative of the patriarch, they glimpsed one side of the truth.

Months of warfare, under the leadership of Yuan Ran, Tianheng Country was ultimately defeated. They raised the flag of a truce, and with a large army, slowly withdrew from the border. The Great Zhou Dynasty, oppressed for years by the dominance of Tianheng Country, finally found relief. This time, they achieved resounding victories in every battle. Everyone was celebrating, and the young commanders looked at the dignified Crown Prince with almost worshipful eyes.

Some people who hadn’t been to the capital and were cut off from the news were unaware of the Crown Prince’s esteemed reputation. They assumed that, as a prince, he would only stay in the tent and issue inconsequential orders. Who could have anticipated that this lofty figure would come to the border, endure hardships with them, charge into battle, and engage in combat? Moreover, despite his young age, he surpassed even the seasoned generals in skill. Those fortunate enough to participate in the camp meetings couldn’t help but marvel at the Crown Prince’s talent and strategic acumen. Even the unruly elements in the army were all brought under control. He had a natural charm that made people submit, the aura of a strong leader that made everyone willingly charge alongside him to defend the homeland.

Not to mention others, even the two brothers who would become the head of the household were also stirred by a bit of youthful enthusiasm and admiration.

At that time, they all thought the war was over, waiting for peace talks to commence. Some commanders started to relax, but the Crown Prince remained cautious, dispatching people for vigilant patrols, showing no signs of complacency.

Soon, they discovered anomalies. Villages along the border had experienced a population disappearance since the beginning of the war. In the chaos of war on the border, people going missing wouldn’t be reported; instead, the villagers would search for their missing kin themselves.

When the military personnel patrolled through, they realized something was wrong. Out of the ten villages on the border, five were completely deserted. Calculating based on the population, hundreds of people were missing.

Yuan Ran immediately sent people to protect the remaining villages and initiated a search for the missing population. However, soon after, reports came in from those monitoring the movements of the Tianheng Country’s army: Tianheng Country had halted its retreat, and a portion of its forces remained stationed on the border.

This sudden change was a provocation. Yuan Ran, as the victorious Crown Prince, naturally had to lead the troops to deter and warn.

However, during the standoff between the two armies, a scene unfolded that was shocking beyond imagination.

The hundreds of people who had disappeared were bound and forced to kneel in front of the Tianheng Country’s army, becoming a human barrier. Since most of the adult males in the villages were serving in the military, those present were mainly elderly men, women, and children, including infants in swaddling clothes. The cries that rose to the sky stained the eyes of every border soldier red.

This despicable act forced Yuan Ran and his forces to refrain from easily engaging in battle; they could only stand in a standoff.

Talks of a truce or peace were all lies. They used the civilians of Great Zhou as a threat, compelling Yuan Ran’s forces to retreat, aiming to continue the conflict.

However, news of the ceasefire and peace talks had already reached the imperial court, awaiting a decision. They were unaware that the situation had changed.

Therefore, the Crown Prince wasn’t acting recklessly or eager for quick success. It wasn’t about personal glory or stubborn pursuit but a response to the other side kidnapping border children and women, threatening to slaughter them. They couldn’t stand idly by, nor could they allow Tianheng Country to manipulate the situation. They had to make last-minute adjustments.

After Tianheng Country made the decision to kill ten people a day without retreating, someone in the army lost control. They knelt in front of Yuan Ran, crying and begging him to save their families. In their eyes, the Crown Prince, who seemed like a god incarnate, could surely resolve everything.

Indeed, Yuan Ran took action accordingly. He had to save his people.

Yuan Ran swiftly reorganized, contacted the imperial court, and communicated with various military forces for supplies and redeployment. However, he was unaware of how many hidden dangers were concealed in the exchanged secret messages. At that time, he believed that such a heinous incident would surely rally public opinion, and everyone would work together to solve the problem and rescue their compatriots.

Yuan Ran made thorough preparations, even summoning General Qi, who had achieved many merits, to participate in the operation, indicating the seriousness with which they approached the matter.

Taking advantage of the fact that the main force of the Tianheng Country’s army had not completely converged on the border, they launched a three-pronged assault on the enemy camp. Based on the situation, Yuan Ran’s decision back then should have had no problems. As long as everything went smoothly, they could rescue the civilians and completely eliminate the remnants of the Tianheng Country’s army on the border, teaching them a bloody lesson.

As the patriarch spoke up to this point, his expression finally changed, as if he had witnessed the past scenes. His entire body couldn’t help but tremble.

Huo Luo and Yue Chen, on the other hand, held their breaths, their expressions so solemn that they were almost grim.

The patriarch and his brother held relatively low positions and were left behind. They were responsible for filling in the necessary troops at the last moment. They thought this battle would be like the previous ones, where, under the wise leadership of the Crown Prince, they wouldn’t even need to enter the fray to resolve the situation. They even jokingly complained that they hadn’t had the chance to gain merit by taking heads.

However, soon, the situation changed dramatically. Reports of the battle came in one after another, with the last person bringing the reports dying on the way.

The patriarch only knew that, despite someone always monitoring the movements of Tianheng Country, the information was incorrect. The rear of their forces was ambushed by the Tianheng Country’s army, and the reinforcements that should have arrived early were nowhere to be seen. The essential points along the three-pronged route were all ambushed by the Tianheng Country’s army, taking advantage of the natural terrain to cut them off. It was clear that the entire plan had been leaked.

The patriarch’s troops were originally meant to support the path where the Crown Prince was stationed. When they arrived, all they saw was a sky full of explosive mechanisms and a gruesome scene of massacre. Tens of thousands of bodies piled up like mountains, leaving only a few thousand still fighting fiercely amidst the bloodbath. However, it seemed like the gates of hell had already opened beneath their feet.

From a distance, the patriarch seemed to see the Crown Prince in armor and the distinctive Ten Shadow Wolves beside him. But by that time, there were no longer just ten individuals.

The situation, where resistance seemed futile, was chilling, akin to an elephant trampling ants. The patriarch knew that the situation was lost. With only a thousand men under his command, he dared not attempt to break through the tens of thousands of Tianheng Country soldiers to rescue anyone. He was still afraid of death…

So he chose to give up, helplessly watching the entire team where Yuan Ran was buried beneath the mountain of corpses. At that time, the patriarch still had a bit of cleverness left. Although he was too shocked to speak, he didn’t want to become a true deserter. They planned to find other surviving teams to converge, pretending they hadn’t had the chance to rescue the Crown Prince.

Indeed, some managed to escape the massacre, being pursued by Tianheng Country soldiers. The patriarch saw this and was preparing to join them in their escape when they noticed reinforcements arriving in the distance.

It was a team led by Zhao Cheng. Just as the patriarch felt they were finally safe, he saw Zhao Cheng shoot an arrow, killing their own people who were calling for help.

Then a massacre began. The team led by Zhao Cheng not only killed the remnants who had escaped but also slaughtered the pursuing Tianheng Country soldiers, leaving no one alive.

The patriarch, witnessing this scene, finally realized that something was terribly wrong. A chill ran down his spine, and he immediately led his people to hide.

He understood now; it was all a conspiracy. They, who knew the truth, would undoubtedly be silenced by the imperial court. So, they had no choice but to become masked bandits.

Finally, not long after, they learned that the 200,000-strong army that participated in the Battle of Tongjia Pass had been completely annihilated, not a single survivor. They also heard that Tianheng Country had invaded, causing the Great Zhou to lose three cities, staining the mountains and rivers with blood.

Even if they managed to escape to a city that had not experienced the ravages of war, life was still filled with fear and chaos. It seemed like the entire country was in turmoil until the Huo family emerged, drove away the enemy, and a new emperor ascended the throne, restoring order to the land.

Rumors outside shifted all the blame onto the Crown Prince. It was said that he, at a time when victory was within reach, chose to actively pursue the enemy, leading 200,000 troops to their deaths and causing the loss of the border defenses, leading to the suffering of millions. The weight of such blood debts was placed solely on the Crown Prince’s shoulders, and everyone harbored deep hatred towards him.

What the Crown Prince was initially striving for, nobody knew, but everyone speculated.

For what? The royal family’s prestige? The heir’s glory? Was he inherently cruel and warlike? Was he overly ambitious?

Regardless, it was certain that it was for his own sake.

At that time, it seemed like you could hear a single sentence echoing in every corner of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

“If it weren’t for that treacherous scoundrel Yuan Ran, how could we be living in such times!”

Until later, mentioning his name brought an ominous feeling. It was as if he were a demon from hell, and just talking about him would bring misfortune. Since then, Crown Prince Yuan Ran became a taboo topic.

The patriarch spoke based on what he personally knew and witnessed. Among all the deserters, he knew the most, but even with his knowledge, there were still many things he didn’t know. Recounting these memories left him mentally and physically exhausted. He was just an ordinary soldier who witnessed a brutal truth. The scenes haunted him in his nightmares, and he was unwilling to face them or return to the capital.

While others assumed that they wore masks to avoid being recognized, there was another underlying reason.

They were afraid… of facing themselves.

“You bastard!” Huo Luo rushed forward, delivering a powerful punch that knocked down the patriarch. His eyes, now intense and furious, released the pent-up emotions ready to erupt like a volcano. “Why did you run away?! Why didn’t you save him?! You were a soldier, how could you run away! Why keep the truth a secret, why let the whole world misunderstand him, blame him unjustly!”

With each sentence from Huo Luo came another punch, the hoarse voice filling the entire cave with a profound sense of helplessness.

After enduring several punches, the patriarch couldn’t take it any longer and shouted, “It was a hopeless situation! I’m just a small, insignificant person. I’m not as capable as you guys. All I wanted was for my brother and me to survive! What’s wrong with that?! Do I have to go up there and die?!”

“You!” Huo Luo, furious, unable to contain his murderous intent, turned to look at Yue Chen, as if hoping for him to say something that would make the patriarch feel remorseful.

And at this moment, Yue Chen was almost like him, trembling all over, tears swirling in his eyes. He looked at Huo Luo with red eyes, gritting his teeth, opening his mouth, but not knowing what to say. Because the truth was far more cruel than he had imagined.

How did His Highness escape? How did he end up like this? What did he experience after learning about his situation? Yue Chen suddenly didn’t know how to face Chu Lishu after going out.

Just then, the stone door opened.

Outside the door stood three people. Lu Shi seemed to recall some painful memories, frozen in place and supported by Lu Yi, who remained pale but maintained a forced composure.

Only Chu Lishu stood outside, with a stern expression, seemingly showing no reaction.

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