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

Finally, amidst the rustling of footsteps, Qin Cang abruptly stopped, his gaze sharp, and he quickly lowered himself, pressing his body against the tree trunk. Through the gaps between the branches, he saw a group of enemies approaching, no more than a dozen steps away. Qin Cang held his breath, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of his chest, he could almost hear every beat.

These enemies were less than ten steps away from them. Qin Cang's eyes flashed with determination. He knew that his time was running out.

Qin Cang, tucked away in the darkness, felt his every breath grow heavier. The air seemed to freeze, the surrounding trees and shadows seemingly waiting for a decisive battle. The enemy was already close, his gaze fixed on their movements, his heart pounding like thunder in his chest. Every second of delay could spell disaster. However, his attention wasn't entirely focused on the enemy before him; a part of him had already quietly turned to Xiao Hu.

Although Xiaohu was young and full of strength and drive, Qin Cang knew that he could sometimes be too impulsive and easily take risky actions due to the excitement of the moment. In such an extremely dangerous moment, any irrationality could lead to unbearable consequences.

"Xiao Hu..." Qin Cang reminded himself secretly in his heart, almost whispering it out loud. He vaguely felt the uneasiness from the other party.

On the other side of the forest, Xiaohu followed Liu San through the brush. Although he couldn't see clearly behind him, he kept an eye on Qin Cang's movements, feeling a surge of anxiety. Liu San's injuries were getting worse, and his movements were becoming increasingly slow. This made Xiaohu even more anxious, even a little irritable. He understood that Qin Cang had his own plans, but he was still young, and faced with Liu San's injuries, he couldn't control his emotions.

"Is the commander okay?" Xiao Hu couldn't help but whisper, his tone filled with concern and anxiety. He could feel Qin Cang's silent oppression and knew that he needed to remain calm at the moment, but the fluctuations of his emotions still swept over his reason like a tide.

"It's okay, keep going." Qin Cang's answer was still brief and firm, but his tone was filled with an undeniable calmness. He glanced around again, quickly assessing the enemy's trajectory.

However, at this moment, Xiaohu finally couldn't suppress his anxiety. He turned his head to look at Liu San, and saw that he was already dragging his heavy steps, with a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. His heart tightened, and he couldn't help but whisper through gritted teeth, "Liu San, can you hold on? If this goes on, the enemy will catch up!"

Liu San struggled to raise his head, his face drenched in sweat. Though his eyes remained calm, it was clear he had reached his physical limit. "Xiao Hu... I can hold on..." he gritted his teeth. The words were difficult, but his eyes held a resoluteness that could not be underestimated. Each step seemed to exhaust his last bit of strength, but he persisted, determined not to drag the team down.

Xiaohu looked into Liu San's eyes, a complex wave of emotions welling up within him. Although he knew Liu San was seriously injured, facing this tough guy's persistence, he suddenly felt powerless. Liu San chose not to stop. Even with such a serious injury, he continued to fight for the team, but how long could he hold on?

"Sir..." Xiao Hu turned to Qin Cang again, the uneasiness in his tone no longer concealed, "If this continues, Liu San will really...he...we..."

Qin Cang's voice was unquestionable, low and firm: "Xiao Hu, don't panic, Liu San can hold on, grit your teeth and persevere. Keep moving forward."

"But..." Xiaohu's voice was filled with anxiety, and he was growing increasingly uneasy. If they continued to delay, Liu San might be too injured to walk. Then they would be truly trapped, perhaps even doomed. Xiaohu couldn't accept such an outcome, especially facing his comrades and friends over the years.

However, Qin Cang didn't change his mind. His gaze remained calm and resolute, as if the overwhelming danger and predicament couldn't shake his will. "Keep going, stay calm, and don't make any unnecessary decisions."

He knew Xiaohu could be impulsive at times, but such impulsiveness could be fatal on the battlefield. Qin Cang knew that if Xiaohu couldn't control his inner impulses, he would act irrationally, which would be the most dangerous situation. In war, any impulsiveness or carelessness could lead to unforeseen consequences.

Qin Cang took a deep breath and quickly refocused his thoughts on the mission. He stared ahead, trying to gauge the enemy's reaction. He knew the enemy patrols were getting closer, and the best strategy was to circumvent them and use the terrain to remain hidden. As for Xiaohu, they needed to give him some time to calm down before continuing their advance.

"Slow down, walk lightly," Qin Cang instructed in a low voice, trying to keep all noise down. He wanted to use the surrounding trees and bushes to avoid the enemy's sight and minimize the risk of being discovered.

Although Xiaohu was still anxious, he had begun to try to calm down. Looking at Qin Cang's calm back, the anxiety in his heart seemed to be slightly relieved. He knew that he couldn't make the wrong decision out of a momentary rush, as this would only push everyone into a deeper crisis.

He took a deep breath, silently adjusted his emotions, and continued to follow Qin Cang's instructions. Every step Liu San took seemed to remind him of the burden of the team, as if the rapid breathing was also pushing him to move forward.

"Liu San, stay strong, we'll be there soon." Xiaohu lowered his voice and gently encouraged Liu San, but his eyes were filled with unspeakable emotions.

Liu San didn't say anything else, but the determination in his eyes became more and more obvious. He knew that he couldn't slow down any further. Even though his body was almost collapsing, he could only grit his teeth and persevere, not letting himself become a burden.

As time went on, Qin Cang could feel the tense atmosphere around him more and more. The enemy patrols gradually increased, and the footsteps became clearer and clearer. He knew that the enemy had noticed something was wrong, not only the abnormal sounds, but also the change in the atmosphere. Perhaps they had realized that an enemy had infiltrated.

Every moment, Qin Cang could feel the pressure from the enemy camp, and the tension made it almost difficult for him to breathe. However, he did not choose to stop, but continued to adjust his pace calmly and rhythmically.

In this forest, every step they took brought them closer to danger. Every rock and tree seemed like the last barrier to their lives. The enemy approached, and the sound of footsteps became increasingly clear. Qin Cang knew in his heart that he had no way out and could not hesitate any longer.