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

He led the team forward, his steps more steady, but his inner turmoil intensified. He knew that at the end of this road, there might not be the answers he had imagined, but perhaps only deeper darkness. But no matter what, there was no turning back.

Qin Cang stood there, staring silently ahead. His gaze seemed to penetrate layers of fog, traverse the mountain's numerous obstacles, and reach out towards the unknown path. A cool breeze blew from the valley, brushing against his face and breaking the silence. Even so, he remained motionless, as if he had lost all sense of the outside world. The heaviness and confusion in his heart seemed to consume him whole.

The team had begun to regroup, and Liu San stood beside him, her eyes following closely. Her eyes were as calm and sharp as ever, as if she saw everything, yet seemed to see nothing. She stood there, quietly waiting for Qin Cang's instructions.

Qin Cang took a deep breath, turned around suddenly, and whispered, "Liu San, take this letter and leave here."

Liu San was stunned for a moment, a flicker of surprise in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. "Are you sure?" Her voice was low and calm, as if none of this was particularly significant to her. She had already witnessed Qin Cang's decisiveness and decisiveness, but today, hearing him say this, a faint sense of unease still rose in her heart.

"I'm sure." Qin Cang's voice was low and unhesitating. His eyes didn't shy away from anything, but Liu San still couldn't see much emotion in them. Every time, he hid his inner thoughts deeply, so that even she, his closest friend, couldn't easily glimpse them.

Liu San frowned slightly, feeling something was amiss. She knew Qin Cang hadn't made this decision lightly, especially at a time like this. Behind every order, there was a carefully considered plan and thought, but this time, something was different.

"You want me to leave with the letter. Does that mean you plan to..." She didn't finish her words, but the unfinished tone revealed the doubts in her heart.

Qin Cang's gaze fell on her face, his deep eyes seemed to penetrate everything. "Leaving with the letter does not mean that I give up on you. I need you to continue moving forward, go to the designated location, and act according to the original plan." His tone was steady, but his eyes were full of determination. "And I must make some changes."

Liu San was silent for a moment, then finally nodded. She knew Qin Cang would never give in easily. Every decision he made was based on countless trade-offs and considerations. She believed that if Qin Cang let her leave, there must be a deeper meaning behind it. But she still couldn't fully understand why he wanted her to leave with the letter at such a critical moment. Did it mean that he was ready to face the enemy face to face, perhaps even a life-and-death battle?

"What are you going to do?" Liu San finally asked the question in his mind.

Qin Cang slowly turned around, gazing at the distant mountains, that familiar land. In his mind, the mystery seemed to be gradually becoming clearer, yet he still couldn't fully unravel it. All the clues his father had left him seemed to point to some unknown place, a place that might hold the answers he'd been searching for. Those answers weren't about the outside world, but about himself, his past, and the unresolved entanglement between him and his father.

"I don't want you to be implicated." He finally said, his voice low but revealing a firm determination. "I know that you are powerful, but I also know that the road ahead may be even more complicated. Only I can handle all of this."

Liu San looked at him quietly, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, as if she saw a corner deep in Qin Cang's heart, a vulnerability and anxiety she had never seen before. Her heart tightened slightly, and she felt a sense of oppression she had never experienced before.

"Have you...really decided?" she asked in a low voice.

Qin Cang didn't answer, only nodded firmly. He knew that his decision would be a huge shock to everyone in the team. Especially Liu San, she had always been one of his most trusted people. Without her support, he wouldn't have been able to move forward so smoothly in the past. But today, he had to make this choice.

Liu San was silent for a moment, her head lowered, as if lost in thought. She knew that no matter what Qin Cang decided, she would support him, but the uneasiness in her heart could not be completely dispelled. She understood Qin Cang, and the depths of his heart. Perhaps he wasn't as calm and decisive as he appeared, perhaps he was hiding more pain and struggle. But no matter what, she could not change Qin Cang's decision, nor could she alter his choice.

"Okay, I'll take the letter and leave." Liu San's voice finally calmed down, and there was no more hesitation in her eyes. She knew that all this was no longer her decision. She glanced at Qin Cang one last time, and there was an indescribable emotion in her eyes.

"Let's go." Qin Cang whispered, his voice steady and powerful, as if he had made the decision countless times. At that moment, his eyes regained their previous calmness and determination, no longer wavering.

Liu San didn't say anything else. She nodded gently, turned around, and left the team with the letter. Her back gradually walked away, while Qin Cang remained standing, gazing at the mountains in the distance, with an inexplicable sense of oppression rising in his heart.

He knew his decision could lead to unforeseen consequences. The team's strength might be weakened, but at this moment, he still chose to face it alone. Because he understood that this was not just a battle against the enemy, but also a battle with himself, a struggle and answer deep within his heart.

"Father, where are you leading me?" Qin Cang whispered to himself, his eyes becoming deep and complicated.

He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, a complex mix of emotions swirling in his heart. Whether there were enemies ahead or a deeper trap, he had to keep going. There was no turning back, and Liu San's departure was the sign that he had made this decision.

Qin Cang's gaze lingered for a moment in the direction Liu San had disappeared, until her figure vanished completely into the dense woods. He frowned slightly, lost in thought. Although he had made his decision, and although he understood that he would have to face the dangers ahead alone, he still felt that today's events might not be as simple as he had imagined. Liu San's departing figure took away a portion of his faith, leaving behind a heavy feeling that lingered in his heart.

He turned around abruptly and gently patted a nearby rock, as if trying to dispel the depression in his heart. But no matter what he did, he could not dispel the lingering thought in his heart.

Little Tiger.

That childish boy, the comrade who had fought alongside him, was always a part of him he couldn't ignore. Although Qin Cang always appeared calm and resolute, whenever he mentioned Xiaohu, a subtle tenderness and complexity welled up within him. Xiaohu was a smart and alert child, possessing the courage and perseverance that Qin Cang lacked. Whenever he was in trouble, he would always use that almost innocent and fearless look in his eyes, which made Qin Cang feel a long-lost trust and strength.

"How is he doing now?" Qin Cang muttered to himself, his eyes slightly hazy. He knew in his heart that Xiao Hu's departure on that sudden night was not out of betrayal or a desire to escape anything, but because he could not understand or accept some of Qin Cang's decisions, especially when faced with that risky mission.

Qin Cang knew that Xiaohu's departure was undoubtedly a crushing blow to the entire team. Team morale was indeed affected at the time. Although no one dared to express it openly, everyone could feel the unspoken sense of loss. On some nights, Qin Cang even saw the team members gathered together, whispering about the departed Xiaohu, the young hero of the past, and where he was now and what he was doing.

Qin Cang, however, no longer had time to pursue these questions. Whenever he recalled the moment Xiao Hu left, his heart was overwhelmed with an indescribable sorrow. He hadn't given Xiao Hu any explanation, not even a goodbye. It seemed as if everything was destined to end that night.

"Should I... go meet him too?" Qin Cang suddenly thought, a complex emotion surging in his heart.

He had never truly let go of the boy who had left. Despite countless arguments and conflicts, despite their profound ideologies diverging, those years of fighting side by side, those hardships they had weathered together, remained the most indelible memory in his heart. That memory represented not only past glory, but more importantly, the mutual trust between him and Xiaohu. Although he had always hidden this trust deep in his heart, and although he had never truly expressed it, Qin Cang knew that he had never given up that deep hope.

"Bring him back." Qin Cang suddenly said softly, as if he had made some decision.

His gaze was firm and cold, yet the turmoil within him grew more intense. He knew he could no longer continue on this journey alone. Now, this journey was no longer just about his own fate, but about the entire team, about those who had fought alongside him. And Xiaohu might be the only person he could truly trust.

"But how can we find him?" Qin Cang had new doubts in his mind.

He knew that he needed more information, and that was exactly what he lacked at the moment.