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

Chapter 525 He is the only one keeping watch

As time passed and night fell, everything in the forest seemed to fall silent. The moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, and only the occasional sound of wind and the faint movement in the distance broke the silence.

Qin Cang stood by the fence, gazing at the dark woods ahead. Liu San's anxiety and the enemy's movements remained unknown. He had to remain calm and wait for an opportunity to change the situation.

Qin Cang stood by the simple fence, as if the entire world was swallowed by silence and darkness. His eyes sometimes gazed at the shadows of the distant trees, sometimes lowered, as if he was lost in thought. Xiaohu busied himself nearby, occasionally glancing at Qin Cang, clearly still feeling uneasy. Their tacit understanding seemed undiminished by their predicament, but their relationship was even more complicated than before.

Qin Cang knew he couldn't delay any longer. His heart was filled with conflict and entanglement. On the one hand, he had to learn of Liu San's movements as soon as possible, just in case. On the other hand, the enemy's threats forced him to take action. However, what troubled him most was Liu San's hidden thoughts. That unspoken anxiety and impatience seemed to take root in his heart, making Qin Cang wonder how many secrets Liu San was hiding.

He slowly sat down, leaning against a tree, closing his eyes and trying to relax for a moment. Physical fatigue began to wash over him, but more importantly, the thoughts swirling in his mind. The night breeze blew over him with a hint of chill, and he felt a slight chill. Despite this, Qin Cang still didn't stop thinking.

He knew that if he didn't have a clear judgment now, or if he couldn't make a clear decision in his mind, every step forward would likely become even more difficult. Everyone around him seemed no longer just a comrade. Liu San's impatience, Xiao Hu's anxiety, and even his own inner turmoil only made the situation increasingly complicated. At this moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of isolation and helplessness.

"Xiao Hu." Qin Cang finally broke the silence, his voice calm, yet with a hint of heaviness. "Are you ready? We have to leave later."

Xiaohu paused and turned to look at Qin Cang, his brows furrowed slightly, clearly puzzled by Qin Cang's sudden decision. "Boss, it's okay to take a break. The enemy isn't in a hurry. We should..."

"No." Qin Cang interrupted Xiao Hu. His eyes remained calm, yet filled with unquestionable determination. "The current situation cannot be delayed. If we wait any longer, I'm afraid we will miss this opportunity."

Xiao Hu did not refute, but remained silent for a while before finally nodding slightly. It was obvious that although he had doubts about Qin Cang's decision, he still chose to trust him.

Qin Cang stood up, slowly straightened his clothes, and took a deep breath. Although exhausted, he knew there was no time to rest. This decision could not be hesitated. In the darkness, he could hear the rustling of leaves around him, as if the trees were silently watching his every move.

He quietly observed the surroundings for a moment, ensuring that no unexpected situations had occurred, before speaking again: "Let's prepare for action."

Xiaohu nodded, silently stood up, and began to organize his equipment. Qin Cang slowly walked to the fence and inspected the simple defenses he had previously built. He knew that while these lines of defense wouldn't be enough to completely stop the enemy's attack, they could at least buy them some time. If the enemy did launch an attack, these lines of defense would provide them with some initial protection.

He lowered his head, his eyes scanning the intertwined branches, silently calculating. Regardless, these seemingly fragile lines of defense would ultimately provide them with a moment of respite. And he had to be prepared before the enemy arrived.

Xiao Hu was ready. He walked over to Qin Cang and said nervously, "Boss, are we really going to follow Liu San's plan? I'm still a little worried about him."

Qin Cang looked at him deeply, his eyes revealing an indescribable calmness. "Don't worry, I know what Liu San is thinking. We won't follow his arrangements completely, but we must keep up with him. The most important thing now is not to let him lead us astray."

Xiaohu looked at Qin Cang and seemed to understand the meaning of his words. He didn't say anything else, but nodded silently, ready to follow Qin Cang's footsteps.

Qin Cang's eyes turned to the distance. The night sky was still dim, with only the occasional rustling of branches in the wind. At this moment, they seemed to have become lone wolves in the darkness, lonely and determined, staring at the unpredictable future ahead.

"Let's go." Qin Cang whispered, his tone carrying a determination that was hard to ignore. He knew that now was the time. Delaying would only make the situation more complicated. The sooner he took action, the more he would be able to control the situation.

Not far away, the troops had just dispersed, and the soldiers sat in groups of three or four on the grass, some smoking, some cleaning their rifles. Xiaohu squatted beside a rock, holding his old Type 38 rifle in his arms, head lowered and silent, like a child who had made a mistake. Qin Cang glanced at him, his eyes deep, as if he could see through him.

"What are you thinking about?" Qin Cang's voice was low and a little hoarse.

Xiaohu shuddered, raised his head, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, then lowered it again, mumbling: "Nothing... nothing."

Qin Cang sneered, exhaled a puff of smoke, and his eyes fell on the mud and torn corners of Xiaohu's clothes. He said lightly: "Nothing? What happened on the sentry last night has not been explained clearly yet?"

Xiaohu's fingers were clenched tightly, and his lips were trembling slightly. He seemed to want to say something, but he held it back. Liu San, who was standing next to him, walked over with his arms folded, his eyes gloomy and a sneer on his lips.

"Platoon leader, I think he is feeling guilty. A bag of bullets was missing last night, but he was the only one on guard. He must have hidden it for himself." Liu San spoke in a sarcastic tone, with a hint of gloating in his eyes.

Xiaohu raised his head suddenly, anger burning in his eyes: "I didn't take it!"

"You didn't take it?" Liu San sneered and spat on the ground. "With your character, when you're so hungry, you'll even chew on tree bark. Let alone a bag of bullets, I'm afraid you've stuffed those two steamed buns from yesterday, right?"

Qin Cang said nothing, the cigarette burning to a small streak between his fingers. He squinted his eyes and stared at Xiao Hu, but in his heart, it felt like a scale was slowly weighing something.

Who in the team doesn’t know that Liu San dislikes Xiaohu?