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

The young man gritted his teeth and nodded vigorously. The fear in his eyes seemed to have lessened a little, and more indomitable fighting spirit. At this moment, the enemy's charge horn sounded again in the front, and more and more dark shadows poured into the battlefield. Qin Cang knew that the main force of the enemy had finally arrived.

"Li San, take the men to defend the east flank. We must hold on! Zhao Yun, take care of the wounded!" Qin Cang quickly made the arrangements, his voice clear of any panic. Deep down, he knew this moment would be a life-or-death moment.

As the enemy approached, Qin Cang swung his long sword like a violent storm. Blood splattered in the dark night, splashing on his face and staining his clothes red. He had no time to care about his wounds. There was only one thought in his mind - not to let the enemy set foot in the village.

The battle raged for several hours under the cover of night. The enemy's offensive came in waves, and the villagers, in their desperate situation, burst forth with unprecedented courage. Qin Cang lost count of how many enemies he had chopped down. His hands were already sore from the excessive exertion, but he continued to swing his sword, as if the battle would not end until he fell.

"Brother Qin, we can't hold on any longer!" Li San's voice came from a distance, his body covered in blood, his eyes filled with despair. However, Qin Cang still stood straight and roared loudly: "Hold on a little longer! They're already retreating!"

As if to confirm Qin Cang's words, the enemy's offensive slowed down, as if they were weighing whether to continue. Qin Cang knew this was their last chance. He brandished his long sword and led the villagers in a counterattack—a desperate counterattack; failure would have disastrous consequences.

"For our homeland, charge!" He shouted again, his voice like thunder, arousing everyone's fighting spirit.

As the night deepened, the cries of battle filled the air. The flames at the village entrance now raged fiercely, their glow illuminating the entire sky like a sea of ​​blood. Qin Cang's figure loomed in the chaos, like a lone peak at the center of a storm. He brandished his longsword, his body drenched in sweat and the blood of his enemies, but he showed no intention of stopping. He knew that if he let his guard down even for a moment, everything would be annihilated.

The villagers' cries and the enemy's screams mingled like an eerie symphony of death. Li San led a group of young villagers to fend off the enemy's advance on the eastern flank, while Zhao Yun shuttled among the wounded, her rapid breathing and trembling fingers betraying her deepest fear. She was no natural warrior, but an ordinary village woman. Yet, at this moment, she was compelled to clench her dagger tightly, for the sake of those around her, for her home.

"Yun'er, get out of the way!" Suddenly, an enemy soldier wielded a spear, a flash of cold light, charging at her. Zhao Yun instinctively crouched down, her dagger thrust out, only to be deflected by the spear. Her heartbeat raced, and she felt as if an invisible hand were gripping her throat. In the moment of her panic, Qin Cang rushed to her side like a whirlwind, his long sword sweeping across. In a flash of cold light, the enemy's head fell to the ground.

"Didn't I tell you to stay somewhere safe?" Qin Cang shouted angrily, but a hint of concern flashed through his eyes. He had never considered involving Zhao Yun in the fight, but the situation was dire, and anyone who could bear arms couldn't stay out of it.

Zhao Yun raised her head, her eyes red, but she bit her lip stubbornly. "I can't just stand by and watch everyone fight to protect us while I do nothing." Her voice trembled slightly, but revealed a firmness. Qin Cang's heart trembled slightly. He didn't say anything else, just nodded heavily and continued to fight.

As time went on, the enemy's offensive intensified. The villagers' defenses were on the verge of collapse, and everyone was fighting with all their might. However, the enemy seemed endless, constantly pouring into the village, gradually engulfing the villagers like a tide.

"Brother Cang, we can't hold on any longer!" Li San ran over, his face covered in blood, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible. His eyes were bloodshot, and he no longer resembled the shy young man he once was. At this moment, he was like a wounded beast, his eyes filled with despair.

Qin Cang wiped the sweat from his forehead, breathing heavily. He knew full well that Li San wasn't exaggerating. Their defenses were in jeopardy. If this continued, all their efforts would be in vain.

"We can't retreat!" Qin Cang said word by word, his eyes sweeping over Li San like a knife, "If we retreat, the village will be finished, and everyone will be finished!" Although his voice was tired, every word was like a heavy hammer hitting everyone's heart.

"But—" Li San wanted to say something, but seeing Qin Cang's resolute gaze, he finally gritted his teeth and nodded vigorously. He knew that the man before him would never give up, and he couldn't give up either. Because this was their last hope.

At that moment, a violent explosion echoed, and the entire ground seemed to shake. Qin Cang whipped his head around to find that the western defenses had been breached. Dozens of enemy soldiers rushed into the village like hungry wolves, slaughtering them wantonly. The villagers were thrown into chaos, fleeing in all directions, their cries and screams instantly filling the night sky.

"Everyone, follow me!" Qin Cang roared, leading a group of villagers in a swift charge westward. His eyes glowed slightly red with anger, and his long sword arced through the air, slashing down enemies one by one. His movements were like the wind, swift and fierce, as if he knew no fatigue.

"Yun'er, take the wounded and retreat!" He turned and shouted to Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun's face was now covered with tears, but she held back her sobs and quickly obeyed. She knew she couldn't hold everyone back any longer.

However, as she turned to help a seriously injured villager, she discovered an enemy soldier quietly approaching from behind. A fierce gleam flashed in the soldier's eyes, his sword already raised high. Zhao Yun felt a sudden chill on her back, and her mind went blank.

"Yun'er! Be careful!" Li San spotted the danger in time and lunged forward, pushing Zhao Yun away. However, the enemy's sword had already fallen, piercing Li San's shoulder. He groaned and stumbled to the ground, but he still held Zhao Yun tightly.

"Li San!" Zhao Yun's voice was hoarse with fear. She could hardly believe what she saw. Li San gasped and gritted his teeth, saying, "Go away... Don't worry about me..." The light in his eyes gradually dimmed, but he still felt unwilling and reluctant.

Qin Cang's heart tightened upon seeing this. He roared, swung his sword, and cut down the enemy soldier, then quickly rushed to Li San's side. However, when he saw the shocking wound on Li San's shoulder, his heart seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand.

"Li San, hold on! I won't let you die here!" Qin Cang's voice was deep, yet filled with undeniable strength. He pressed hard on Li San's wound, trying to stop the continuous flow of blood. However, Li San's face became paler and paler, and his breathing became weaker and weaker.

"Brother Qin Cang... I don't... regret it..." Li San forced a smile, a flicker of relief in his eyes. He slowly closed his eyes, the last breath of his life dissipating in the night wind.

Qin Cang stood there in a daze, unable to accept the reality before him. This young man who had fought alongside him, this villager who had once held such hope for the future, had died right before his eyes. The rage within him at that moment transformed into overwhelming grief, nearly suffocating him.

"Damn you beast!" Qin Cang suddenly stood up, the murderous intent in his eyes almost tangible. He could no longer suppress his anger and rushed into the enemy camp with his sword, like an enraged lion. He no longer paid attention to his surroundings, only knowing that the enemy before him was the outlet for his anger.

Overwhelmed by Qin Cang's aura, the villagers rallied, gritting their teeth and continuing to fight. Zhao Yun wiped away her tears, swallowing her grief as she joined the ranks of those treating the wounded. She knew she couldn't give up at this moment, and couldn't let down the opportunity Li San had risked his life to gain.

The battle raged in the endless darkness, each second a agonizing agony. The village fires gradually dimmed, but the villagers' fighting spirit remained undimmed. Qin Cang wielded his long sword with reckless abandon, almost oblivious to the pain and exhaustion. His mind held a single thought: to protect everything here and never let anyone else be harmed.

The wind whistled like a knife, the night deepened, and only the cold crescent moon hung quietly in the sky, illuminating the battlefield filled with gunpowder. Qin Cang's hands were tightly gripped on the long sword, his knuckles white from excessive force, but he showed no sign of letting up. Blood continued to drip from the blade, his breathing was heavy, and his chest felt as if it was about to be torn apart. Every time he swung the sword, his shoulders and arms stabbed with pain, but he had long been accustomed to this pain, even numb. He knew that now was not the time to stop, and he dared not even ask for a second to breathe.

"They haven't retreated yet!" Li Hu rushed over from the side, panting and reporting, his voice almost torn by his hoarse throat. His face was covered in dust and blood, but his eyes burned with the same tenacity as Qin Cang.

Qin Cang raised his head and looked toward the village entrance. The fire there was still bright, and the enemy's strength showed no sign of weakening. The enemy seemed determined to force them into a desperate situation, and he knew in his heart that there was no retreat in this battle. They could only fight to the death, and they must not retreat, even if it meant fighting to the last man.

"Hu Zi, take a few people to the west to provide support!" Qin Cang said in a low and firm voice. Although his voice was not loud, it exploded in Li Hu's ears like thunder. Li Hu nodded and turned around without saying a word and rushed to the west.