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

"Brother Qin, there's nothing here!" Wang Ergou ran back panting and reported, "We're still too late."

Qin Cang gritted his teeth, a flicker of unwillingness in his eyes. He knew that, while this journey was dangerous, if he didn't risk it to find more supplies, the villagers would fall into deeper trouble. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "Let's look in other directions. We can't give up until the last moment."

The group set out again, embarking on a more difficult and dangerous journey. They didn't know what was waiting for them ahead, but everyone understood that they had to do their best to give their loved ones in the village a glimmer of hope.

Qin Cang stood at the dilapidated village entrance, gazing at the desolate scene before him, a wave of sadness welled up in his heart. He had been hopeful, hoping to find supplies here, but to his surprise, his hopes were in vain. It was already late at night when he returned to the village. Zhang Xiaohu and the others were already waiting anxiously at the entrance. Seeing them return, everyone's face was filled with a mixture of relief and a hint of disappointment.

"Brother Qin, what's going on?" Zhang Xiaohu asked anxiously, his eyes showing anxiety. He had a premonition that this operation might be disastrous, but he couldn't help but hold on to hope.

Qin Cang didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked to the side and sat down on the stone steps, wearily wiping the sweat from his forehead. His long journey had nearly exhausted his body, but he dared not relax mentally. He looked at the villagers gathered around him, all of them looking at him with expectant eyes, a silent prayer that weighed heavily on his heart.

"The village has been completely looted, and we haven't found any food or supplies..." He stated as calmly as possible, his voice low and hoarse. Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the villagers' faces darkened. Some began to sob softly, while others silently lowered their heads.

Zhang Xiaohu clenched his fists, a flash of anger in his eyes: "Damn enemies! They are so heartless that they burned the village like that! Sooner or later we will settle the score with them!" He couldn't help but yelling loudly, his voice echoing in the silent night sky.

Qin Cang looked at Zhang Xiaohu in silence. He understood the young man's anger and resentment, but he also knew that at this moment, they needed to remain calm and rational. Unnecessary impulsiveness would only worsen the situation. Qin Cang slowly stood up and patted Zhang Xiaohu on the shoulder. "Xiaohu, I understand how you feel, but right now we have to find a way to overcome this difficult time. There will always be opportunities for revenge later."

This sentence was like a bucket of cold water poured over Zhang Xiaohu's head. His shoulders trembled slightly, and then he nodded helplessly. He looked at Qin Cang, his eyes filled with mixed emotions: "Brother, I know what to do. But... the children in the village haven't had enough food for three days. Can we really hold on?"

Qin Cang took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with determination. He looked at the exhausted villagers, especially the mothers holding their crying babies, their eyes filled with hope and despair. His heart ached, but he forced himself to cheer up.

"We will definitely find a way." Qin Cang's voice was sonorous and powerful, as if he was trying to convince others, as well as himself. "We can't hide here forever and starve and freeze. Tomorrow, we'll go to the valley to the west and see if we can find some food there."

"But the western valley is full of dangers. There have been several times in the past when brothers who went to explore the way never came back..." someone reminded in a low voice.

"I know," Qin Cang replied gravely, "but this is our only chance. If we don't act now, we'll starve to death here." He clenched his fists tightly, sweat forming on his palms. He knew full well that any risk he took could be their last chance, but he also knew that doing nothing would only leave everyone waiting for death in despair.

After hearing his words, the villagers, though still skeptical, no one raised any objections. With nowhere to turn, they could only rely on this young leader to lead them forward. Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohu silently walked over to Qin Cang and said, "Brother, I'll go with you. No matter how dangerous it is, I don't want to stay here and die."

"Okay." Qin Cang nodded without further ado. He knew that in this land, the living had long since disregarded life and death. He looked into the distance, as if searching for a faint light at the end of the darkness.

At dawn the next day, Qin Cang once again selected several agile young men and set out before daybreak. They quickly crossed the dense forest behind the village, heading west towards the valley as the morning light gradually rose. Along the way, they were enveloped by the moist earth and the rich scent of vegetation, and they could faintly hear the gurgling of a stream not far away.

"Brother Qin, do you think there's really food in the valley to the west?" Zhang Xiaohu asked quietly as they walked. Although he had decided to take the risk, he still felt uneasy.

"There are wild fruits and game near the valley. We'll have to try our luck." Qin Cang's response was calm, but he himself was unsure. This decision carried a huge gamble, and success or failure depended entirely on luck. He could only pin all his hopes on this unknown land.

As they went deeper, the woods grew denser, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate. The air around them gradually grew damp and chilly. Qin Cang swung his long sword, cutting through the thorns blocking his path. The several young men in the team followed closely, not daring to relax even a little.

Suddenly, there was a faint noise ahead, as if something was wriggling in the bushes. Qin Cang stopped immediately and gestured for silence. Everyone held their breath. A moment later, several hares darted out of the bushes in panic and disappeared into the forest. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but their anxiety remained undimmed.

"Looks like there's a water source up ahead," Zhang Xiaohu whispered, a hint of joy in his eyes. "Maybe we can even catch some prey!"

"But there might be wild beasts out there," Qin Cang warned calmly. He knew that in such an environment, a single mistake could lead to a fatality. The group continued cautiously forward, and soon, they heard the sound of rushing water.

It was a small stream hidden deep in the dense forest, crystal clear, with the occasional small fish swimming in the water. Everyone cheered, hurriedly taking off their shoes, and walked to the stream to scoop up the water and drink heartily. The hunger and thirst of the past few days had already exhausted them, and now being able to drink this sweet spring water was a godsend.

"We can set up some traps here to catch some prey," Zhang Xiaohu suggested excitedly. "That way we'll have more food!"

Qin Cang nodded in agreement, but his eyes kept scanning the surroundings warily, fearing that some danger might lurk within. He knew that while this valley was rich, it was also fraught with unknown risks. They had just set up the trap by the stream when a strange noise suddenly came from not far away.

"Something's happening!" Qin Cang instantly drew his long sword and signaled everyone to take cover. Several dark shadows flashed by, and several uninvited guests quietly approached. Qin Cang's heart trembled, and he twisted the blade in his hand, ready to fight at any time.

As the shadows drew closer, the air seemed to freeze, and an eerie silence descended upon the surroundings. Qin Cang gripped his long sword tightly, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. He knew in his heart that this battle was inevitable. The enemy was clearly no ordinary wild beast, but a human. And in this environment, surrounded by enemies on all sides, any stranger could be an enemy.

"Everyone, be careful. Try not to make any noise," he whispered, his tone brimming with undeniable authority. Zhang Xiaohu and the others behind him nodded, crouching in the bushes to conceal themselves even more. Sweat streamed down their foreheads as they held their breath, as if afraid the enemy would hear even their heartbeats.

Suddenly, a flash of cold light pierced the air, striking directly at Qin Cang! Qin Cang's eyes and hands were quick, and he dodged sideways. The sharp dagger barely grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody mark. Without time to think, he instantly swung his dagger in retaliation, the blade slashing towards the shadow like a hurricane.

"It's an ambush!" Zhang Xiaohu shouted suddenly, and several ambushing enemies were instantly exposed and rushed towards them. The narrow forest suddenly turned into a chaotic battlefield, with swords flashing and blood flying everywhere.

Qin Cang swung his sword with all his might to block the incoming attack, but his mind remained eerily calm. His mind rapidly analyzed the enemy's numbers and movements. They were clearly well-trained, their movements quick and decisive; they were definitely not ordinary bandits. They were currently outnumbered, and if they continued to fight like this, they would only be defeated one by one.

"Retreat!" he ordered decisively, "Retreat deeper into the valley!" Zhang Xiaohu immediately led the retreat, and several of his men quickly followed. However, the enemy clearly had no intention of letting them go, and continued to press forward.

The forest was thick with thorns and the muddy ground made escape extremely difficult. Zhang Xiaohu gritted his teeth, enduring the pain of a scratched thigh as he followed Qin Cang. His mind was in a turmoil, his only thought being that he must not die here. He still had unfulfilled wishes and unfulfilled promises.

Qin Cang glanced back at his pursuers, cold sweat already soaking his back. He gritted his teeth, his mind racing to figure out how to escape these enemies. Suddenly, he caught sight of a precipitous cliff not far ahead—the only terrain he could exploit!

"Hurry, follow me!" he growled, quickly leading everyone towards the cliff. Although Zhang Xiaohu didn't understand what he was planning to do, he followed without hesitation. As they approached the cliff, the sound of the wind grew increasingly harsh, as if blowing from the abyss.

"Brother Qin, are we at our wit's end?" Zhang Xiaohu panted, a flicker of fear in his eyes. The cliffs before them towered into the clouds, as if the sky and earth reached their limit. There was nowhere for them to escape.