The Dauntless Youths Episode 29 Recap
> The Dauntless Youths Recap
The city's people, after days of siege, had run out of food. The Princes went their separate ways to reassure the populace, organizing young men to fortify defenses and sending others to search for edible roots and bark in the ruins. Suddenly, a thunderous crash erupted from a section of the city wall, as several hulking undead creatures burst through a breach, instantly filling the air with a putrid stench.
The leading Prince quickly ordered the pre-prepared fire oil to be ignited, and flames spread along the wall, temporarily halting the creatures' advance. However, more creatures gathered from all directions, and the guards on the wall grew weary. As the defense line teetered on the brink of collapse, the Princes exchanged resolute glances. Chong Yibiao slowly raised his bow, steadily aiming a sharp arrow at Jiang Wenhuan.
Yet, his mind was flooded with memories of his time with Jiang Wenhuan, conversations echoing in his mind: "We've shared drinks, punishments, and life and death. If you need help, can't we trust and assist you?" He then thought of Jiang Wenhuan promising, "Whatever trouble Zhongli is in, we'll face it together. What's there to fear?" These recollections overwhelmed him. With a gritted jaw, he abruptly shifted his aim towards Gongsun Wuyu instead.
The arrow struck, severely wounding Gongsun Wuyu, who was forced to make a hasty and ragged retreat with her soldiers. " Lord Gongsun! Quick! Medic, stop the bleeding. Everyone, fall back! My Lord, go!" her soldiers urged as they fled. Jiang Wenhuan, in anguish, rushed to Kunwu, trying desperately to lift him. " Kunwu, get up! Don't talk, save your strength! We'll talk about it later, okay? We're home, get up!" he pleaded.
But Kunwu, knowing his end was near, weakly opened his eyes. " I can't go back," he whispered, then added, "Jiang, this. . ." trying to offer something. Jiang Wenhuan gently returned Kunwu's bronze plaque, saying, "Here you go." Kunwu's gaze drifted upwards as snow began to fall, fulfilling a long-held wish. " See? I told you. The snow in Zhongli is so beautiful. Don't cry. I've wandered for so long, and now I'm finally home. I. . .
have no regrets," Kunwu said, a sense of peace washing over him before he slowly closed his eyes, bidding farewell to the world. Jiang Wenhuan was heartbroken. " Kunwu, I saw Zhongli's snow. It's beautiful. Let's go home," he choked out, before carrying Kunwu's body back into the city. Along the way, their shared past replayed in his mind: a promise, "Slave, wait for me here.
I'll take you home tomorrow," and the solemn oath of brotherhood they took: "I am Jiang Wenhuan, from the Jiang family of Donglu. I am Kunwu, from the Zhongli family. We are sworn brothers. We trust each other with our lives, help each other in times of need, and share both fortune and misfortune. Heaven and earth are our witnesses, and the mountains and rivers are our oaths. We will uphold this bond for life and never break it."
He recalled Kunwu's simple desire: "I want to live." With a heavy heart, Jiang Wenhuan arrived at Kunwu's old house, where Kunwu's presence still seemed to linger. He slowly knelt and picked up a worn toy, a relic of Kunwu's childhood. Jiang Wenhuan lamented Kunwu's tragic fate, having finally returned home after a lifetime of wandering, only to meet such an end.
He closed his eyes, imagining the life Kunwu should have had: a loving family, a glorious career, and a true love with children. All these dreams, however, had dissolved into nothingness with Kunwu's death. Meanwhile, Gongsun Wuyu, though severely wounded, dragged herself to her son, Anashi. Clasping his hand tightly, her eyes burned with fierce determination. " They think they've defeated me, Tushan, and Kuifang.
But they don't know that you, my son, are Kuifang's strongest King of the Ten Realms. Anashi, as long as you're here, I'll never be defeated," she declared, drawing strength from his presence. Elsewhere, Chong Yibiao solemnly presented Jiang Wenhuan with Anashi's bracelet, which he had found where Yi Yao died and where he had met Anashi. He revealed his disturbing discovery: the medicine Anashi consumed was identical to the one used to treat Jiang Wenhuan's own corpse poison.
This led Chong Yibiao to conclude that Anashi was also infected and perhaps "never lived," merely a controlled creature. " Gongsun Wuyu lured me to rebel with Yi Yao's revival. She told me the method of making immortal elixir, saying that she could make Yi Yao an undead "Bashi"," Chong Yibiao confessed, explaining his own motivations. As Gongsun Wuyu's behavior grew increasingly erratic, her own soldiers began to question her actions. "
How do you plan to explain to the king?" some asked, pointing out the unprecedented casualties in the Taotie Army and asserting, "The Taotie Army is not your personal soldiers. We will take charge of the war afterwards. You should rest and recover." Unperturbed, Gongsun Wuyu scoffed, "The real war has just begun." She then revealed the human-skin drum hidden behind her and struck it fiercely. The demonic sound resonated, seizing control of the soldiers, rendering them helpless.
Then, Anashi, with vacant eyes, miraculously walked among them, biting soldiers and causing blood to spray in a horrifying spectacle. Gongsun Wuyu then used Anashi's blood to form a dark array. To the horror of all, the corpses of the fallen soldiers below began to stir and rise, their eyes blank, moving like the living dead. Gongsun Wuyu had successfully forged her own immortal army, signaling an even greater catastrophe. " Yuan Yang, do you see it?
The elixir of immortality you've sought for years, do you see how powerful it is?" she taunted, addressing a ghost of the past. Jiang Wenhuan and the others, grim-faced, convened to reorganize their battle plan. They surmised that Anashi had likely been transformed into a monster by Gongsun Wuyu, meaning they faced an even more intense and brutal war. " The Donglu Army will reach Zhongli City at dawn.
Tonight, if we hold the Taotie Army, it is victory," a soldier stated. Jiang Wenhuan, however, cautioned against complacency: "The Taotie Army left suddenly. It was too easy. I know Gongsun Wuyu. She will be fully prepared. I'm worried." He confirmed that Anashi, long dead, was now intrinsically linked to an immortal elixir and the powerful Divine Drum of Su Village. " The drumbeat can control those who have become "Boguai".
If the Taotie Army are "Boguai", we will definitely lose," he warned. Despite the bleak outlook, Jiang Wenhuan declared, "Even if we lose, we must fight to the end." He entrusted A Si and the old troops of Li with holding the last line of defense within Zhongli Palace, protecting the innocent civilians. " The people in the palace, the palace gate, I will protect it for you no matter what," he promised.
The Princes, in turn, vowed to fight Gongsun Wuyu outside the city gates. " Tonight, we will fight with our backs to the water. We may die and be buried in a foreign land. But a man must be upright and have a clear conscience. No matter what, we must keep our promise and protect the people we need to protect.
Only then will our life be worthwhile," one Prince declared, rallying his comrades, who roared in unison, "Protect the people! Never retreat!" A Si watched Jiang Wenhuan leave, whispering, "Jiang Wenhuan, you must come back." Gongsun Wuyu, with a triumphant smirk, summoned hundreds of undead warriors using her human-skin drum. These ghostly figures poured out of the darkness, obeying her every drumbeat.
As the battle began, the Princes quickly identified the enemy as ""Boguai"" and realized Gongsun Wuyu's intent to create an immortal army of dead warriors. Jiang Wenhuan reminded them, "Blood crystal is fed with blood. It can kill the "Boguai". With the crystal as a blade, we can kill the "Boguai"." He instructed them to wear earplugs to counter the drum's influence, concluding, "In this battle, we will fight the immortal with an immortal heart. . . Brothers are united.
We won't let each other down! Kill!" The Princes, with blood crystal coated on their weapons, charged into battle. The blood crystal temporarily repelled the terrifying undead creatures, but Gongsun Wuyu merely scoffed, "Do you really think you're invincible with blood crystal?" More creatures surged forward, overwhelming the defenders. One Prince, Wang Yuanji, falling in battle, looked to Chong Yibiao and gasped, "Chong, I didn't let you down this time, did I?"
As more Princes fell, their blood staining the ground, Chong Yibiao, filled with rage and sorrow, once again wielded his blade, fighting fiercely. Inside the city, the ordinary people, refusing to remain passive, ignited with defiance. " Zhongli City is our home. Protecting our home is what we should do," they declared to A Si.
Ignoring her warnings that they were "just ordinary people" who would "die for nothing," they joined her in charging out of the city, unafraid of facing "mountains of swords and seas of fire," ready to protect their home. Jiang Wenhuan, seeing the tide turning, shouted, "To turn the tide, we must destroy the drum first. Anashi is protecting the drum. Once we get close to him, the "Boguai" will attack. This is the only way.
To break the drum array, we must kill Anashi first." As Gongsun Wuyu intervened to protect her son, "You want to kill my son? It's not that easy," Jiang Wenhuan decisively told his comrades, "Anashi is for me. You go destroy the drum."
