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

Qin Cang watched him leave, a complex mix of emotions welling up within him. These brothers, who had followed him for years, had bravely sacrificed their lives on the battlefield. He knew that if this battle continued, no one would be spared. Yet, he couldn't reveal his inner hesitation and fear. He had to remain calm and be everyone's support. He knew that if he fell, the entire village's defenses would collapse instantly.

"Brother Qin, are we going to collapse?" Zhao Yun's voice trembled behind him. Her face was pale, her eyes filled with exhaustion and panic. She was just an ordinary village woman, unaccustomed to such bloody scenes, yet now she was forced to overcome her inner fear and fight alongside everyone else.

Qin Cang turned around, staring into Zhao Yun's slightly trembling eyes, and a sudden pang of pain pierced his heart. He knew Zhao Yun's fear, but at this moment, he could only offer words of encouragement: "Yun'er, don't be afraid. As long as we work together, they won't be able to defeat us." His words were firm and powerful, but even he knew how long this faith could hold. He had no answer.

Zhao Yun forced a smile, as if to give herself some courage. She took a deep breath and continued running to treat the wounded. She knew there wasn't much she could do at the moment, but every villager rescued was a glimmer of hope in this desperate battle. She gritted her teeth, holding back the tears. She couldn't cry, nor could she be weak, because that would only make others more desperate.

The flames of war still raged, the pervasive smell of blood almost nauseating. Qin Cang's thoughts briefly drifted back to the past, to those peaceful days. Back then, he was just an ordinary villager, farming, hunting, and playing and joking with his fellow villagers in the fields. Now, those days seemed centuries away. Once-familiar faces fell before him, one after another, and his heart ached like a knife.

"Brother Cang, we can't keep wasting time like this!" Old Chen, who had been holding the eastern flank, came running over breathlessly, his voice filled with anxiety and helplessness, "There are too many of them, we can't hold on any longer!"

Qin Cang didn't answer immediately. His gaze traversed the battlefield, seeing the enemy soldiers surging in from afar, like an endless black tide. The villagers were exhausted, their faces filled with weariness and despair. But he knew that if they gave up, there would be no chance to start over.

He was silent for a moment, and finally took a deep breath, "Lao Chen, take a team to go around behind them. We must disrupt their formation. Otherwise, if we delay any longer, the village will really be lost." His voice was low and powerful, and every word was like a nail nailed into everyone's heart.

Old Chen was stunned for a moment, then a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, "But that's too dangerous, our people may not be able to come back at all."

"I know." Qin Cang's eyes were icy. "But we have no choice. If we don't take the initiative, we'll just have to wait for them to pick us off one by one." His words were resolute, without a trace of hesitation. Old Chen was silent for a moment, then nodded emphatically and turned to run towards the villagers.

At that moment, an enemy soldier quietly approached Qin Cang from behind, pointing a gleaming dagger at his back. Just as the soldier was about to succeed, Zhao Yun suddenly lunged forward, forcing the soldier back with all her might. The dagger lacerated her arm, leaving a deep wound and blood gushing out.

"Yun'er!" Qin Cang turned suddenly, his eyes filled with fear. He swiftly slashed the enemy soldier with his sword, then supported Zhao Yun, who was almost unsteady on her feet. Her face was pale, her lips trembling slightly, and her forehead was covered with cold sweat.

"I... I'm fine..." Zhao Yun forced a smile, but her voice was so weak that it was almost inaudible. Qin Cang gritted his teeth and bandaged her wound tightly, his heart filled with self-blame and pain. If he had been more alert, Zhao Yun would not have been injured. He hated himself, hated that he had not been able to protect her, that he had not been able to protect everyone.

"Brother Cang, I... I'm fine..." Zhao Yun's voice was weak, but she used up her last bit of strength to tightly grasp Qin Cang's arm. "You must... live..." Her eyes were filled with reluctance, but more of a silent prayer. She didn't want to see the man she loved so deeply consumed by despair.

Qin Cang's throat seemed to be blocked. He couldn't say anything and could only nod vigorously. He had to live, for Zhao Yun, for all the people behind him who believed in him. At this moment, he could no longer hesitate, could no longer retreat.

"Everyone, follow me!" He roared, raised his long sword, and led the remaining villagers in a final charge towards the enemy position. He had only one goal in mind, and that was to lead everyone to fight their way out.

In the night sky, the flames illuminated Qin Cang's resolute face. He had no retreat, no choice. Only by fighting, only by risking his life, could he gain even a glimmer of hope. And in this endless darkness, his faith was like an eternal light, illuminating the unknown road ahead.

As the night deepened, the wind grew harsher, carrying a mournful whine. Qin Cang's gaze gradually hardened to a rock, and the inextinguishable fighting spirit within him grew stronger. He knew that everyone's lives depended on his decision, and he couldn't waver in the slightest, or the entire village would be destroyed.

The fire at the village entrance illuminated the enemy's armor and weapons. Those eerie lights, like the grim will-o'-the-wisp fires of hell, weighed heavily on Qin Cang's heart. Yet, he didn't retreat. Countless times, he recalled the villagers' longing smiles, the carefree laughter of children, and the tranquil scene of smoke rising from every household in the warm evening. That was the home they had fought to protect, the land he would never allow to be trampled upon.

"Everyone, obey my orders!" he shouted, his voice resounding and echoing in the darkness. The villagers' exhausted eyes brightened slightly at his call. Although they were exhausted, a faint glimmer of hope still flickered in each of their eyes. They knew that as long as Qin Cang was still there, they still had a glimmer of hope.

Li Hu hurried over, his face covered in sweat and blood, but his eyes remained firm. "Brother Cang, our eastern defense is about to collapse! Without reinforcements, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold on!" His voice was filled with anxiety and worry, but more importantly, trust in Qin Cang.

Qin Cang was silent for a moment, his grip on the long sword trembling slightly. If the eastern defense line fell, the enemy would advance straight into the village, completely surrounding it. However, the villagers' fighting power was dwindling, and every one of them was fighting for their lives. He gritted his teeth, mentally calculating his next strategy.

"Huzi, take your men to support the east flank and make sure they hold the line!" Qin Cang ordered decisively, his eyes sharp. He knew Li Hu's abilities; this brother who had shared life and death with him would definitely be able to hold up the defense there.

Li Hu nodded, without hesitation, and quickly turned to call a few villagers who still had some strength left, rushing towards the east. Qin Cang watched their backs, praying silently in his heart. This battle had reached its most critical moment, and every step was related to life and death.

At that moment, Zhao Yun came over, dragging her bloodied body. Her arms were wrapped in rough cloth, soaked with blood. Her eyes remained resolute, but her voice was weak. "Brother Cang, I can still hold on. Send me to the front lines again."

Qin Cang's heart tightened at the sight of her stubborn defiance. He knew Zhao Yun was someone who refused to admit defeat, but she was only a woman, an ordinary village woman who had never experienced the battlefield. Seeing her so wounded, he felt a surge of nameless rage and an indescribable pain.

"No, you need to rest now." Qin Cang's voice was unusually gentle, but his eyes held an undeniable determination. "If you continue like this, you will die, Zhao Yun."

Zhao Yun bit her lip stubbornly, tears welling up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She didn't want to be seen as weak, nor did she want to be considered a burden at this critical moment. Her voice cracked, "But... if I don't do something, I'll go crazy! I don't want to watch everyone fall one by one, and I can't do anything."

Qin Cang sighed deeply. He knew Zhao Yun's stubbornness, and understood the anger and helplessness she felt. So, he nodded, "Okay, but don't rush to the front. Your life is more important than anyone else's."

Zhao Yun did not argue anymore, but nodded firmly and turned to walk towards the medical department, where manpower was still needed to treat the injured villagers.

At that moment, a loud bang suddenly erupted from the east, and the entire ground shook slightly. Qin Cang's heart tightened. This sound was clearly the signal that the enemy had breached the defense line! Without time to think, he drew his long sword and rushed eastward. Only one thought remained in his mind: he could not let the village fall, and he could not let those innocent villagers die at the hands of the enemy!

When he arrived on the east side, the scene before him made his heart sink. The villagers had been completely cornered, each one fighting desperately. The eastern defense line was nearly torn apart. Li Hu and his men were desperately trying to plug the gap, but the enemy continued to pour in, overwhelming them like a tide.

"Everyone, follow me!" Qin Cang roared, charging at the enemy like a tiger descending from a mountain. His blade was like the Grim Reaper's scythe, each strike precise and deadly, instantly slicing down several enemy soldiers. However, he knew this desperate strategy couldn't last. The enemy was too numerous, and their numbers were too few.

"Huzi, hold on!" Qin Cang shouted, swinging his sword to force back an enemy soldier. His voice was filled with determination, but more so with a desperate persistence. They had no way out. The only thing they could do was fight to the death, until the last drop of blood was shed.

Li Hu's body was covered in knife wounds, dripping with blood and sweat, but he didn't retreat a single step. He gritted his teeth, wielding his spear with all his remaining strength, striking down the enemies one by one. The faces of his fallen brothers kept replaying in his mind. Each one of them had sacrificed their lives to protect the village, and he would never let their sacrifice be in vain.

The battle reached a stalemate. The enemy seemed endless, while the villagers fell one after another. Just as Qin Cang was about to lose his strength, he suddenly heard a roar from behind him. He looked back and saw Lao Chen leading a group of villagers to charge out from behind the enemy, like a sharp dagger piercing the enemy line!

"Old Chen, you're here!" A glimmer of hope flashed in Qin Cang's eyes, and the despair in his heart was instantly dispelled. He knew that this moment might be a turning point in the battle.

"Brother Cang, we're here!" Old Chen's face was covered in sweat and blood, but his eyes were full of determination. Their arrival was like a fresh blood, injecting new vitality into the defense line that was close to collapse.

Qin Cang didn't say anything more. He simply nodded vigorously, the determination to fight to the death burning brightly in his heart once again. They might not all survive, but he would never let the enemy easily set foot on the land he had fought so hard to protect.

The battle intensified once again, blood spilling across the village entrance. Shouts, screams, and the clash of swords mingled like a never-ending nightmare. However, in this seemingly hopeless battle, the villagers, with their unyielding faith and determination to die, forcibly held off the enemy's attack.

Qin Cang's arms were numb, and his vision was blurred by exhaustion, but he didn't stop. He knew that as long as he could still stand, as long as he could still wield the long sword in his hand, there was still hope for everyone on this land.

The night was as dark as ink. The flames of war at the village entrance were still raging, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder. Qin Cang's body was nearing its limit, but his gaze remained firm, as if he wanted to tear apart all the enemies before him.

At this moment, he felt neither fear nor retreat as he had imagined, only a calm resolve. The weight of the long sword in his hand gradually grew heavier, as if each blow severed a portion of his strength from his bones. His legs began to weaken from the long hours of running and fighting, and the ground beneath his feet seemed to be shaky. Yet, he remained unmoved, knowing that no matter how difficult the situation, he could not fall.

Li Hu fought with all his might. His face was pale, his lips were split, and blood dripped onto the ground. But even so, he continued to repel the enemies one after another. Every time the blade pierced flesh, he couldn't help but look up and around, a deep sense of self-blame rising in his heart: "Can I protect everyone? If we lose today, everyone will be buried on this land."

Every moment of the battle was filled with struggle and pain in Li Hu's heart. He wanted to protect this land, his family, and the villagers he loved so much.