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

"Calm down... I must stay calm," Zhang Xiaohu kept reminding himself. At this moment, his mind was racing with thoughts of how to escape. Though dense, the forest couldn't completely conceal his presence, and he was running out of time. The pursuers were getting closer, beams of light flickering between the tree trunks, as if they would strike his hiding place in an instant.

At this critical moment, a sudden burst of hurried footsteps echoed from deep within the woods, followed by a low whistle. The pursuers paused, glancing at each other, as if to decide whether to continue. After a moment, one of them whispered, "Retreat! The leader says there's a more important target!"

"But what about this guy?"

"He's not worth mentioning. Let's deal with other things first and then come back to deal with him."

With a curse of discontent, the footsteps of the pursuers gradually faded away. Zhang Xiaohu finally breathed a sigh of relief, but he dared not relax even a little. He knew this was only a temporary respite; once those men had eliminated their so-called "more important targets," they would surely return to hunt him down again.

Taking advantage of the enemy's retreat, Zhang Xiaohu swiftly emerged from his hiding place, silently running in the opposite direction. His breathing was heavy and rapid, but the only thing sustaining him at this moment was his instinct for survival and his deep-seated obsession with solving the unsolved mystery. He had to survive and discover why Qin Cang had insisted on entering this dense forest in the first place, and what secrets this mysterious "stronghold" held.

The sky gradually brightened, a few rays of morning light filtering through the trees, casting a shadow on Zhang Xiaohu's sweat-drenched face. Everything in front of him became blurry, his head starting to feel dizzy from the long, intense run. Suddenly, he saw a thin stream ahead. The water was crystal clear, like a sweet shower bestowed by nature.

Unable to suppress his inner thirst any longer, he dashed to the stream, scooping up the icy water with both hands and frantically guzzling it. The cold water soothed his parched throat, temporarily making him forget the danger around him. As he drank greedily, he suddenly felt a chill on his back.

"What are you looking for?" A deep voice came from behind.

Zhang Xiaohu's body froze instantly, the dagger slipping out of his sleeve almost reflexively. He turned around, only to find a stern-faced man standing before him, holding a pitch-black pistol. The man's eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, as if he had seen through all his disguises at a glance.

"Don't move, or I'll make sure you don't get back up again." The man's voice was cold and merciless, the muzzle of the gun pointed steadily at Zhang Xiaohu's chest. Faced with the sudden threat, Zhang Xiaohu forced himself to calm down, forcing a smile and trying to buy time with conversation.

“Brother, I’m just looking for water here and don’t want to cause trouble.”

"Really?" the man sneered, clearly not believing his story. "Do you think I'd believe a deserter's lies?"

Zhang Xiaohu didn't respond, instead quietly observing the surrounding terrain. He knew the man before him was no ordinary pursuer, but perhaps a special assassin tasked with eliminating any remaining members of the group. He needed an opportunity, a chance to strike back.

"Why do you have to chase me?" Zhang Xiaohu shrugged casually, trying to distract the man. However, the man's eyes remained as cold as steel, unmoved.

"My mission is to catch you. The rest has nothing to do with you." The man approached step by step, the muzzle of the gun always firmly locked on Zhang Xiaohu's heart. Zhang Xiaohu's heartbeat was getting faster and faster. He knew he had to take a risk, otherwise he would die.

Just as the man closed within two steps, Zhang Xiaohu suddenly hurled the dagger in his hand, aiming it straight at the man's face. At the same time, he rolled into the nearby bushes, attempting to escape. The man seemed prepared, quickly dodging to the side, but the dagger still slashed his face, leaving a bloody mark.

"Damn it!" the man roared, raising his gun and firing repeatedly at Zhang Xiaohu. The bullets grazed Zhang Xiaohu's ear and hit the tree trunk with a dull thud. However, Zhang Xiaohu, with his agility, managed to dodge the fatal attack.

While the man was wiping the blood off his face, Zhang Xiaohu suddenly stood up and rushed deeper into the woods. He knew he couldn't waste any more time. The other party was clearly no ordinary pursuer. If he got entangled any longer, it would only delay his progress in finding the stronghold.

"Don't even think about running!" the man roared behind him, but Zhang Xiaohu had already vanished into the dense jungle. His chest heaved violently, the only thought in his mind was to keep moving forward. No matter what awaited him, he couldn't stop.

Qin Cang gazed at the pine forests covering the mountain. A thin mist thickened the morning light, and the air carried a hint of dampness and chill, weighing down his heart. Standing on a high point, he surveyed the village as the people frantically prepared supplies and defenses. A tense yet tacit atmosphere permeated every corner of the village. This was a battle of life and death. He must lead these villagers against the enemy's invasion and defend their homeland.

Recalling the enemy's attack on a neighboring village a few days earlier, Qin Cang vowed to himself that he would never allow the same tragedy to happen to his own village. That day, he witnessed firsthand how the villagers of the neighboring village were brutally slaughtered, leaving the elderly and children with nowhere to hide as the entire village was engulfed in flames. The feeling of powerlessness was like a needle piercing his chest. Whenever he closed his eyes, the scene would resurface like a nightmare, keeping him awake.

"Brother Qin, we've already set all the traps," Li San hurried over to report, his expression a mixture of anticipation and unease. He was the most astute of the younger generation in the village, having already been learning defensive and combat techniques from Qin Cang for some time.

"Okay." Qin Cang nodded, a hint of approval in his eyes. "This time, the traps are crucial. We can only rely on them to buy time. The enemy is strong, and we have limited manpower. If we confront them head-on, I'm afraid..." He paused, frowning slightly. "Li San, check again. There must be no mistakes."

"I understand, Brother Qin!" Li San nodded heavily, then turned and left.

Watching Li San run away, Qin Cang sighed softly. He knew that most of the villagers were unarmed. Although they worked together, they lacked real combat experience. This operation was undoubtedly a desperate gamble, but he had no choice. He had to protect these people. It was his duty as a leader and the only belief in his heart.