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

Qin Cang said nothing more, flicking the switch on his communicator until the voice faded from his ears. He tucked the communicator back into his backpack and glanced back at his teammates. Though he said nothing, he knew their eyes were filled with anticipation and doubt. He could sense their emotional turmoil. Everyone was waiting, awaiting the captain's decision, the next move.

Xiaohu approached Qin Cang and whispered, "Captain, do we really want to retreat?"

Qin Cang looked into the distance through the gaps between the leaves, his brows slightly furrowed. "Yes, we can't take any more risks."

Xiaohu was silent for a moment, his eyes a little complicated, and finally he nodded: "I understand."

But his eyes held a hint of loss and anxiety. Qin Cang knew Xiao Hu, too, harbored many unspoken questions. They had both made immense efforts, only one step away from success, yet had to choose to give up. Everyone felt a sense of resentment, but they also understood that retreat was the only way to prepare for the next move. Continuing the risk would only mean becoming prey to the enemy, ultimately leading to annihilation.

Qin Cang's heart was equally heavy. He didn't like this decision either. But he knew that any successful commander must be calm and decisive, and must make choices that might be difficult for others to understand. This was his responsibility.

"Everyone, get ready and retreat as planned." Qin Cang whispered again, his voice filled with unwavering determination. Without any resistance, the team members began to pack up their equipment and prepare to leave, following Qin Cang's instructions.

They quietly began to move toward their retreat route, yet they all knew that the raid wasn't over yet. Retreating didn't mean the mission had failed, but rather it was a way to preserve their strength and seek the next opportunity for a counterattack. Not a single member wavered at this moment. Despite their resentment and anxiety, they all knew Qin Cang's judgment was correct.

"Hurry up," Qin Cang ordered softly, following closely behind, his eyes never leaving his surroundings. He knew the enemy wouldn't give up easily. Once they noticed their retreat, their counterattack would be even more ferocious. Therefore, they had to speed up to gain distance as quickly as possible and avoid being surrounded by the enemy.

He led his team swiftly through the dense woods, but he never relaxed for a moment. Behind every swift step was an invisible pressure. The enemy's pursuit could happen at any moment. He had to remain vigilant and ready to respond to sudden dangers at any time.

Suddenly, there was a faint sound of footsteps ahead. Qin Cang's heart skipped a beat. He turned quickly, his eyes wide open, scanning every inch of darkness. "The enemy is coming," he whispered, his tone cold. "Prepare to fight back. Stay calm and don't be frightened."

Xiaohu had already drawn his weapon and was nervously observing the surroundings. The team quickly dispersed, finding a hidden spot and preparing to face the incoming enemy. Qin Cang's heart was in turmoil, but his eyes remained as calm as ice.

Qin Cang crouched behind a rock, his gaze fixed on the distant shadows of trees. All around him was silence, only the faint sound of wind rustling through the gaps in the forest. His breathing was steady, yet he couldn't calm the turmoil within him. The decision to retreat still resonated in his mind, like an unresolvable knot. He felt a deep sense of remorse, and the invisible pressure within him grew stronger.

If I hold on a little longer, can I lead the team to complete the mission?

At that moment, the thought flashed through Qin Cang's mind, so intense that it almost took his breath away. Liu San and the others were still at the front line. It would only take a short while to break through the enemy's defenses, but he had decided to retreat.

Wrong, wrong, completely wrong.

Qin Cang clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, his nails digging deep into his palms. The pain was palpable, but it couldn't dispel the endless regret. His tactical choice wasn't perfect, he knew—if he pushed forward, he might be able to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop, but the risks also existed. The lives of his teammates, and even his own, could be lost.

But even so, this feeling of oppression was still unbearable for him, and the taut string in his heart was almost breaking.

"Xiao Hu." He called out in a low voice.

Xiaohu quickly crawled to his side, his eyes cautious but with a hint of concern, "Captain, what's wrong?"

Qin Cang couldn't help but take a deep breath, still unable to suppress the surge of emotions, "Did I make the wrong decision?"

Xiaohu looked at Qin Cang, a hint of confusion and doubt flashing in his eyes, but he immediately figured something out and his eyes softened. "Captain, you know, the enemy's counterattack was far more powerful than we expected. You're right. No one can hit the target every time. The most important thing now is to retreat safely. Our mission was only a temporary failure, and it cannot be completely negated."

But Qin Cang's mood didn't ease. Xiaohu's comfort didn't truly dispel his guilt. Qin Cang knew that as captain, he had to shoulder the responsibility of commanding everything. When the situation developed to this point, he should have been more decisive and accurately assessed the risks. However, in Xiaohu's eyes, he saw a mistake he hadn't anticipated.

"If you give me a little more time, if it goes faster..."

He couldn't help but murmur under his breath, as if to comfort himself, but he realized that such thoughts were meaningless. "But if I persist any longer, everything might be over." He knew that although retreat was a temporary failure, the battle was not over yet.

Xiao Hu frowned slightly as he heard Qin Cang's low voice of self-blame. As Qin Cang's deputy, he had no objection to this decision and even thought it was a wise one. But seeing Qin Cang's persistent reflection, he couldn't help but feel a little shaken.

He patted Qin Cang's shoulder and whispered, "Captain, it's not your fault. On the battlefield, decisions often rely on experience and intuition, and even then, we can't be perfect every step of the way. No one can predict that the enemy will suddenly increase their strength. We chose to retreat in order to survive and preserve our strength. This is our only way out."

Qin Cang's eyes were still flashing with complex emotions. He stared fixedly at the chaotic woods in front of him, as if looking for something in it, but saw nothing.

"I should have discovered the enemy's ambush in advance." Qin Cang muttered to himself, "Their movements were too light and they were too confident. I should have realized earlier that they were deliberately luring us deeper."