Multiple Personalities

"What should we do now?" Li Baiyu asked, gazing towards the distant, dark forest.

Renault pondered for a moment, then said, "It's late now. We shouldn't continue on the road. Let's rest here for the night and plan tomorrow."

Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu both nodded in agreement. So, under Renault's guidance, they found a relatively safe place and began setting up a temporary camp.

The night fell, stars dotted the sky. The three sat around the campfire, roasting wild fruits picked from the forest. The firelight illuminated their faces, making them appear particularly warm and peaceful.

"Mr. Renault, do you know who sent those black-clad people?" Shen Jingqi asked, filled with doubt.

Renault shook his head, looking into the distance. "I don't know. But I can be sure they must be after the gemstones and harvest you have," he said, touching his chin.

"What should we do then?" Li Baiyu asked worriedly, fingers unconsciously gripping the backpack strap tightly.

Renault smiled slightly, his eyes glinting with wisdom. "Tomorrow morning, we'll head to a nearby town and inquire for news. Perhaps someone there knows the origin of these black-clad people," he said, patting Shen Jingqi's shoulder.

Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu nodded in agreement. After discussing the plan for tomorrow, they each returned to their tents to rest.

However, just after they fell asleep, the urgent sound of footsteps shattered the night's calm. Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu were startled awake by the sudden noise, swiftly peeking out from their tents to look for the source of the sound.

Several black-clad individuals came running towards the camp, waving sharp weapons. Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu felt tense, knowing these attackers were clearly coming for them.

"Quick! Hide fast!" Shen Jingqi shouted loudly, reaching to pull Li Baiyu's arm into the tent. However, it was already too late. The black-clad people spotted them and rushed towards them.

Seeing this, Renault quickly dashed out of the tent. He stood in front of Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu, fists clenched, ready to confront the attackers.

"You go! I'll handle this!" he shouted.

Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu felt warmth in their hearts. They knew they couldn't abandon Renault to face danger alone. So, they each took out weapons from the tent and stood by Renault's side.

The leader among the black-clad men sneered at the three, "Hmph, you have some loyalty. But today, you will meet your end here!" he said, waving a hand to signal his men to charge.

Seeing this, Renault and the others prepared to fight. They knew this battle was inevitable. So, they wielded their weapons and engaged fiercely with the attackers.

In the night, the clash of blades echoed sharply. Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu fought with all their might, trying to fend off the black-clad attackers. Yet these were clearly trained assassins, swift and powerful, causing Shen Jingqi and Li Baiyu to struggle against them.

Renault, however, appeared to move easily. With his rich combat experience and strength, he fought fiercely among the attackers. But even he couldn't fend off all the attacks forever.

Gradually, Renault's stamina started to wane. His movements slowed, and his wounds increased. Shen Jingqi looked at the scene before him, filled with despair. He knew if they continued like this, they would eventually be killed.

Just then, a clear whistle sounded in the distance, echoing sharply through the night. The leader of the black-clad men turned pale, looking back towards the source, fear flashing in his eyes.

"Retreat!" he shouted, signaling his men to withdraw.

Upon hearing this, the attackers dropped their weapons and fled. Seeing this, Renault and the others breathed a sigh of relief. They knew this escape was thanks to that whistle.

"Who helped us?" Shen Jingqi asked, gazing towards the dark forest.

Renault shook his head, indicating he didn't know. "But we can be sure this person is a friend," he said, patting Shen Jingqi's shoulder.

The night deepened, mysterious bird calls occasionally resounded from the forest.

Shen Jingqi, Li Baiyu, and Renault stood where they were, gazing towards the direction the attackers fled, filled with gratitude and confusion.

Shen Jingqi turned to Li Baiyu, noticing he was inspecting his wound. During the fierce battle, his left arm was cut, staining his sleeve with blood. "How are you?" Jingqi asked with concern.

Li Baiyu looked up, forcing a smile, "It's just a minor injury."

Renault took out a first aid kit from his backpack and quickly bandaged Li Baiyu's wound. His actions were skilled and swift, clearly not his first time performing first aid in the wild.

"There's a small hill over there, it might have a tree hollow or rock cave for shelter," Shen Jingqi said, pointing to a nearby small hill looking at the damaged tents.

Renault nodded in agreement. They quickly packed their equipment and climbed the hill along a rugged path.

Along the way, they carefully avoided dry branches and leaves, making minimal noise. In the night, their figures flickered among the trees, like Ghost.

Finally, they reached the top of the hill. Sure enough, there was a rock cave, its entrance covered with vines, hard to spot unless looked at closely.

"Looks like we're lucky," Renault said softly, leading the way into the cave, using a flashlight to illuminate the inside.

The cave wasn't big but enough for the three of them. The walls were covered with moss, a damp smell filled the air. Nonetheless, for them now, it was a rare shelter.

They entered the cave one by one, found a relatively dry place to sit. Shen Jingqi took out a canteen from his backpack, handed it to Li Baiyu and Renault. They knew maintaining strength was crucial until morning.

Suddenly, they heard a faint sound within the cave. The sound came from the depths, as if something approached quietly.

"What sound?" Shen Jingqi asked nervously, glancing around the cave.

Renault and Li Baiyu also heard it, their faces growing alert. They knew aside from them, nothing else should be in the cave.

The noise grew closer, accompanied by a slight rustling sound. Shen Jingqi, Renault, and Li Baiyu tightened their grip on their weapons.

Suddenly, a faint light appeared in the depths of the cave.

They followed the light, finding a small stone chamber within the cave. In the chamber, a lamp flickered with warmth.

In the center of the chamber sat an elderly figure.