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

The night air gradually grew thick, and as a cold wind blew through the valley, the atmosphere within the team grew increasingly oppressive. Qin Cang sat on the rock, rubbing his cold face with his hands, trying to clear his mind of the swirling thoughts. Liu San's injuries showed no signs of improvement, and the surroundings remained unchanged. The enemy still lurked around, like a predatory beast waiting for its opportunity. Every member of the team felt the aura of death in this oppressive atmosphere.

He suddenly felt too lazy to think about Liu San. After all, the most important thing at the moment was how to keep everyone alive and how to find a glimmer of hope. At that moment, his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by an unexpected incident.

"Brother Cang, it's strange, why haven't you come back yet?" Li Feng said in a low voice, frowning, obviously realizing that something was wrong.

"Who?" Qin Cang came back to his senses and looked around, trying to find the disappeared figure.

"It's Xiaohu and Liu San. They've been out for a while." Li Feng's tone was filled with uneasiness. "I didn't see them come back."

Qin Cang's heart suddenly sank, as if something were pulling at it. His brows furrowed unconsciously, and his gaze quickly shifted to the other end of the group, a slightly open area. There was no sign of Liu San and Xiao Hu. The air, thick with the scent of vegetation, was no longer refreshing, but instead had a suffocating, dull quality.

"What are they going out for?" Qin Cang's voice was calm, but full of threats that could not be ignored.

Li Feng shook his head. "I don't know... They didn't say hello to us, they just left quietly. They disappeared a long time ago."

Qin Cang's heart sank. He turned around and stood up quickly, his expression darkening. "Pay attention to your surroundings. Report any movement immediately!"

With that, Qin Cang quickly led several team members into the darkness. There was no time to waste. Every moment the team left would make their situation more dangerous. Liu San was so seriously injured, how could he act alone? As for Xiaohu, although she had always been a smart child, she was only in her teens. Taking her out alone would be a completely suicidal act.

As they passed through the low brush, Qin Cang's heart grew heavier. The dense trees and rocks seemed to conceal some invisible threat, causing him to feel an uncontrollable anxiety. He knew that if he were to be even slightly careless in this environment, his team could face catastrophic disaster.

"Brother Cang, what on earth are they going to do?" Li Feng asked, with some suppressed anxiety in his tone.

"I don't know," Qin Cang replied in a low voice, his eyes firm and without any hesitation. Although he was filled with countless speculations and anxieties, he couldn't stop at this moment. Liu San's solo action should not have happened under any circumstances. And if Liu San really decided to leave, how could they explain their failure to stop him in time?

Suddenly, he stopped, and everything in front of him became blurry. Moonlight pierced the thick clouds, casting a cold glow, but it failed to dispel the surrounding darkness. A faint sound seemed to reach the air. It was a slight rustling sound, as if some creature were moving through.

"Follow me." Qin Cang ordered in a low voice.

Several team members quickly followed, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense, as if even the air around them was beginning to freeze. The sound of their heartbeats grew clearer in everyone's ears, like the toll of a countdown clock, each second weighing heavier on their hearts.

The team passed through a dark bush and entered an even more desolate area. There seemed to be no life here, and the dampness and rotten smell in the air made people feel nauseous. Just as Qin Cang felt that the atmosphere around him was becoming more and more strange, a low breathing sound suddenly came from behind a large rock in front of him, as if someone was quietly waiting.

"Is it them?" Li Feng asked softly, with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

Qin Cang waved his hand gently, signaling everyone to keep quiet, and he tiptoed forward. As the distance shortened, he finally saw the situation in front of him clearly.

Liu San and Xiao Hu were indeed there, their figures slightly bent, as if they were secretly exploring something. Qin Cang saw the expression on Liu San's face clearly. It was an extremely unpleasant expression, mixed with pain and anxiety. Xiao Hu squatted beside him, speaking to him in a low voice, as if trying to comfort him.

"Liu San!" Qin Cang finally couldn't help but speak.

Liu San suddenly raised his head, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He then quickly turned around and saw Qin Cang. He forced a smile, but it was filled with fatigue and pain that could not be concealed. "Brother Cang... why are you here?" His tone was flat, but Qin Cang could clearly hear the weakness in his words.

"Tell me, why did you go out alone?" Qin Cang asked coldly, his tone devoid of any warmth. Liu San's behavior had clearly exceeded Qin Cang's expectations, and it had also caused an inexplicable surge of anger in his heart.

"I..." Liu San's eyes were evasive for a moment, and he spoke with difficulty, "I can't drag you down any longer."

"A burden?" Qin Cang sneered. "Do you think we can live better if you leave alone?" He paused, his voice low. "You left without permission with Xiaohu. Don't you know that this is bringing greater danger to the team?"

Liu San didn't respond, but just lowered his head, seeming a little guilty. He obviously knew the consequences of his actions, but he still chose to act.

Xiaohu stood aside, her eyes complex, looking at Liu San, then at Qin Cang. She obviously knew that Liu San's decision was not very rational, but she kept silent. She had never been good at expressing herself, and at this moment, she didn't say much, just standing there silently, as if waiting for the outcome of the matter.

"You should have told me," Qin Cang said in a deep voice. "If you really feel you can't do it, I can help you, but isn't it selfish for you to leave quietly like this?" His voice gradually rose, but he remained irrational. Qin Cang knew that his anger at the moment was not because of Liu San's behavior, but because he had made an irrational decision in this critical moment, which put even greater pressure on the entire team.

Liu San gritted his teeth and looked at Qin Cang deeply, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't say it. Xiao Hu patted his shoulder gently and said softly, "Don't say it, Brother Cang is only doing this for your own good."