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

Chapter 482: Worry is not unreasonable

Several figures gradually emerged from the woods ahead. They walked slowly, but with a measured pace, clearly the product of extensive training. Qin Cang narrowed his eyes. This aura was all too familiar to him—a group of ordinary villagers, almost unarmed, relying solely on physical strength to advance through the darkness.

"Villagers?" Liu San whispered, a complex mix of emotions welling up in his heart. The bloody smell of battle contrasted sharply with the villagers' peaceful, unassuming demeanor, causing him to frown slightly.

"Yes." Qin Cang's voice was a little low. Although he didn't want to cause any unnecessary hesitation among his teammates, there were still quite a few waves in his heart.

"Why are they here?" Liu San asked, clearly confused, with a hint of doubt in his eyes. "If they are bait set up by the enemy, we will be in trouble."

Qin Cang paused for a moment, forming a preliminary conclusion, but he suppressed his inner turmoil. He took a few more steps forward, stopping only when he was closer to the villagers. He observed their faces, a hint of uncertainty rising in his heart.

The villagers hadn't noticed Qin Cang and his group, and continued to walk slowly, appearing very calm. Clearly, these people weren't facing any threat, and the ease and naturalness of their steps only made Qin Cang even more puzzled.

"What do you do?" Qin Cang finally broke the silence and asked, his voice low but with a commanding and oppressive feeling.

Several villagers suddenly stopped, looking a little surprised and wary, and turned around. Qin Cang's eyes were cold and his aura was overwhelming, like a giant monster, oppressing their nerves.

The villager, who looked the oldest, slowly raised his head, his eyes steady yet hesitant. He glanced around and whispered, "We're from nearby villages. We have some elderly, infirm, and disabled people at home, so we came out to look for some herbs. We walked too far at night and couldn't find our way back."

Qin Cang's brow furrowed, clearly unconvinced by the villagers' words. He locked his gaze with the old man, trying to find a flaw. However, the villagers' eyes were clear and devoid of any evil intent, seemingly showing no signs of lying.

"This forest is no longer a place you can easily cross." Qin Cang's voice was still low, like a sharp blade, gently cutting through the air, "Why don't you avoid this area and return to the village?"

The old man's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure, his eyes unwavering. "We're just looking for some herbs, we don't mean any harm. If we've caused you any trouble, we'll leave immediately."

Qin Cang's eyes grew darker, but he remained vigilant. He could sense that the villagers weren't hostile, but in the darkness of the night, no one's movements could be ignored. His suspicions grew, and his intuition told him that the villagers before him might not be completely harmless.

"How long have you been in this area?" Qin Cang spoke again, his tone still calm, but with a pressure that could not be ignored.

The villagers' answers seemed even more hesitant than before: "It's been a few days. We just left the village last night."

A few days? Qin Cang's heart sank. This time... was a little strange.

"Have you noticed that there have been unknown enemy activities around recently?" Qin Cang continued to ask, his eyes still fixed on the villagers.

The old man's eyes flickered, and he seemed a little shaken, but he quickly regained his composure: "We are just ordinary people. How can we see any enemy activities? We just want to bring some medicine back to treat our families."

Qin Cang stared at him deeply, having already made a judgment in his heart: these villagers might be hiding some unknown secrets. Regardless of whether they were related to the enemy, at least the time and manner of their appearance in this mountain forest had a subtle connection with the purpose of his trip.

"I don't want to waste time." Qin Cang said coldly, "You'd better leave here quickly."

Qin Cang's gaze remained cold, yet a sense of unease crept up within him, like a shadow, creeping through the darkness. He knew the choice he faced now was not a simple one, fraught with danger and uncertainty. The team's mission was supposed to investigate the enemy's strength, but the appearance of this group of villagers completely disrupted his rhythm. He instinctively sensed that they were not as simple as they appeared.

However, Qin Cang subconsciously lowered his head, trying to suppress the doubts and alarm within him. These villagers might be innocent souls, perhaps having strayed into the forest and lost their way. If his hesitation put them in greater trouble, that would be a consequence he could not bear.

He took a deep breath and suddenly decided: "We can't stop."

Liu San stood behind him, a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Commander, isn't our mission to investigate the enemy's strength? Are these villagers... really worth stopping for?"

Qin Cang's brow furrowed, knowing Liu San's concerns were justified. In such a tense situation, every second of delay could cost them their advantage, or even allow the enemy to strike back. Yet, a firm conviction within him led him to his decision. His voice was low, yet resolute: "They need help. We can't stand idly by."

"But..." Liu San hesitated, looking down at the sword in his hand. He seemed to be still struggling, and obviously did not understand Qin Cang's choice. "We don't know if there is a trap behind them, nor can we be sure if these people are really just ordinary villagers. If we intervene rashly, it will only bring trouble to ourselves."

Qin Cang turned around, his eyes deep, and scanned Liu San's. "Even so, I won't let them go. We can't confirm the enemy's location, but what we can do is to fight for a glimmer of hope for the innocent."

Liu San knew Qin Cang's character well and knew that it would be difficult for him to change his mind once he made it. He didn't say anything more, and the doubts in his heart did not dissipate, but he still nodded: "I understand."

At Qin Cang's command, the team immediately changed direction, no longer heading towards the enemy ambush circle, but towards the location of the villagers. His steps remained steady, and his eyes were unwavering. Even in such a chaotic situation, he remained calm, as if all external interference could not change his inner determination.