Bright Sword: Conquer the monk at the beginning and take down Zhou Weiguo

Just as he was thinking, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps in the distance. The scouts came running over, sweating profusely, their voices trembling slightly, "Brother Qin! The pirates are coming, there are quite a few of them, and they should reach the village entrance in less than an hour!"

Qin Cang's heart sank when he heard this. He had long expected this day to come, but when it finally arrived, he was still extremely nervous. He took a deep breath and quickly pulled himself together: "Fellow villagers, the enemy is already within reach. Everyone, deploy your defenses according to the plan immediately. Remember, when the enemy approaches, do not panic. Follow my instructions!"

Although the villagers were nervous, they all took their positions under Qin Cang's encouragement. Wang Dashan and Li San led a team to set up obstacles at the village entrance, while the young and strong men hid on the roofs and in the bushes, preparing an ambush.

As the enemy's cries of killing drew closer, Qin Cang gripped his sword tightly, a cold glint in his eyes. He knew this battle would determine the village's survival. Even with a thousand thoughts swirling through his mind, he could only focus on his sword and the enemy's location. He wouldn't allow himself a moment of composure, for he knew his family and the villagers who trusted him were behind him.

"Archers, get ready!" he shouted in a low voice, and all the archers hiding in the dark held their breath, waiting for his order.

"Shoot!" Qin Cang shouted, and the bowstrings vibrated, and a rain of arrows flew like locusts towards the incoming Japanese pirates. Immediately, the villagers, wielding spears and sticks, engaged in a desperate fight with the enemy.

The battle instantly reached a fever pitch. Qin Cang slashed his sword, slashing at the enemy with every blow, using all his might. The enemy's screams and the villagers' cries mingled, transforming the entire village into a bloody battlefield. Qin Cang's body was splattered with blood, and he could no longer tell whether it was enemy blood or his own. He only knew that he could not fall, because countless eyes were watching him from behind.

At this critical moment, the faces of his wife and children suddenly flashed through his mind. That was the warm home he longed for day and night. He gritted his teeth, roared, leaped up, and with the last of his strength, cut down the enemy in front of him with a single blow.

"Brother Qin, we won!" Li San rushed over with blood on his face, but his eyes were shining with ecstasy.

Qin Cang did not answer, but nodded, but sighed silently in his heart: This victory is nothing but an endless struggle.

The night was deep, the dew heavy, and the moonlight cast a cold light on the shattered rooftops of the village. The stench of blood still lingered, a sickening odor filling the air. The villagers had just emerged from a life-or-death battle. While victory brought them a momentary sigh of relief, it was also filled with exhaustion and anxiety.

Qin Cang stood by the millstone at the village entrance, looking at the enemy corpses lying on the ground, but he felt no joy. He knew that this was only a temporary victory, that the enemy had only temporarily retreated, and the next attack might be even more fierce. He had to remain vigilant to lead these people through these difficult times.

At this time, Wang Dashan came over limping, his wounds still bleeding, but he still forced a smile: "Brother Qin, this time thanks to you, otherwise our village would be finished."

Qin Cang didn't respond, only sighing inwardly. He knew that victory was valuable, but without the ability to sustainably protect the village, these sacrifices would be meaningless. He patted Wang Dashan on the shoulder and said gravely, "Let the brothers rest for a while, then arrange for someone to clean up the battlefield. Remember, gather up any usable weapons and equipment for an emergency."

Wang Dashan nodded in agreement and turned to make arrangements. However, as he left, Qin Cang's gaze fell on a group of terrified women and children not far away. They huddled in a corner, their eyes filled with fear and despair. Qin Cang's heart tightened. He knew that if he didn't find a way to calm their emotions, morale would be difficult to maintain.

"Fellow villagers, please be patient," Qin Cang said loudly, trying to make his voice sound calm and powerful. "Today's victory was achieved through everyone's courage and unity. From now on, we will be stronger and more united. As long as we don't give up, we will definitely be able to defend this land!"

A low murmur echoed from the crowd. Some nodded, but many simply lowered their heads in silence. Qin Cang watched and secretly made up his mind: he must quickly restore the villagers' confidence. Otherwise, even the bravest warriors would not survive the attack from both inside and outside.

When he returned to the village chief's house, it was already crowded with injured villagers. Granny Li, the village's only doctor, was busy bandaging them. Qin Cang walked over and whispered, "Granny, do you have enough herbs?"

Granny Li's wrinkled face showed a worry, and she shook her head: "It's not enough, it's all used up long ago. If this continues, I'm afraid the wounded will not be able to hold on."

Qin Cang's brow furrowed. The Japanese pirates' invasion had left the village's food supplies running low, and medicinal materials were even scarcer. Without adequate medical treatment, the injured villagers would likely die from wound infections. He had to find a solution, but all roads were blocked, and escaping to seek help would be a life-or-death struggle.

However, before he could ponder this, a thin figure suddenly appeared at the door. It was Zhang Xiaowu, the usually taciturn young man, now with a look of anxiety on his face. He gasped and said, "Brother Qin, I just spotted a few figures outside the village. They look like... our reinforcements!"

"Reinforcements?" Qin Cang was delighted, but then calmed down. He knew that the Japanese pirates had repeatedly used false information to confuse the villagers, and if they went there rashly, they would likely fall into a trap. He took a deep breath and asked in a deep voice, "Are you sure? What kind of clothes are they wearing? Do they have any flags?"

Zhang Xiaowu hesitated for a moment before answering, "They weren't dressed like pirates, and they didn't carry any flags, but they seemed to have some weapons. I didn't think they had any intention of attacking the village, so I ran back to report."

"Okay." Qin Cang thought for a moment and decided to go and investigate in person. The village's defenses couldn't be easily evacuated, and he couldn't trust strangers rashly. But if they were indeed reinforcements, it would be a great help. He turned to Wang Dashan and Li San and said, "Dashan, you and Li San guard the village entrance. No one is allowed to enter without permission. I'll go and take a look."

The night wind grew colder. Qin Cang and Zhang Xiaowu quietly left the village, crossing the weed-covered fields. They moved cautiously along the way, not daring to make the slightest sound. In the distance, they could vaguely see several figures swaying in the dim moonlight.

"Brother Qin, look, it's them." Zhang Xiaowu said in a low voice, so nervous that even his breathing became lighter.

Qin Cang narrowed his eyes and observed them carefully. He found that those people did not look like pirates, but more like a group of displaced villagers. With a sudden thought, he decided to take the risk and move forward. As he approached, he lowered his voice and said, "My friends, who are you? Why are you here?"

The other party turned around at the sound. The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a stubbled face and ragged clothes. Seeing Qin Cang, his eyes flashed with a hint of vigilance, but then relaxed. "We are from a nearby village. The Japanese pirates burned our homes, and we have nowhere to go. We heard that there is a hero in your village who is leading us to fight the enemy, so we came to seek refuge with you."

Qin Cang felt a little relieved, but he still didn't dare to let his guard down: "We are also under attack by Japanese pirates here. If you are willing to stay, you must fight alongside us."

The man nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with determination. "As long as we can survive, we're willing to follow your command! There's no way back anyway!"

Qin Cang looked at the other party's determined expression and knew that these people had been forced into a desperate situation. He knew that every bit of strength brought a bit of hope. He brought them back to the village and immediately arranged for food and simple medical treatment.

In the dead of night, Qin Cang stood alone at the village entrance, observing the weary faces beneath the moonlight. He knew that while these new arrivals had a desire to survive, they lacked combat experience. To truly defend the village, he had to quickly train them into capable warriors.

Over the next few days, Qin Cang personally led the new villagers in training. During the day, they learned how to use spears and bows; at night, they conducted simulated drills in the open field. Although it was their first time holding a weapon, under Qin Cang's patient guidance, they gradually made some progress.

However, Qin Cang remained unperturbed. He knew the village's resources were gradually depleting, while the threat from the Japanese pirates remained unabated. After each training session, he would silently ponder his next strategy. He knew that if the enemy attacked again, the battle would be even more brutal.

"Brother Qin, how long can we hold on?" Wang Dashan couldn't help but ask one day. His face was exhausted and his eyes were filled with confusion.

Qin Cang patted his shoulder and said in a deep voice: "As long as we still have a breath, we must never give up. Remember, protecting our family is the only reason for us to live."

Wang Dashan gritted his teeth and said nothing more. He knew that Qin Cang understood the difficulty of the situation better than anyone else, but it was this unwavering faith that made them all willing to follow him.

The cold wind bit, and the starlight in the sky was like countless cold silver needles, spreading to every corner of the village. Although the village had regained some vitality, a heavy sense of oppression still hung over everyone's heart. Qin Cang stood in the yard, looking up at the crescent moon in the sky, and took a deep breath of the cold air. He knew that this brief peace was only the calm before the storm, and the enemy would not give up.

Intermittent shouts and cries of killing echoed from the training grounds. It was the villagers practicing their archery. Most of them were unarmed, ordinary people from farming backgrounds who had rarely hunted, let alone fought an enemy. Qin Cang sighed as he watched them clumsily draw their bows. Their archery skills, while barely established, were likely far from sufficient to truly withstand the next attack.