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

Chapter 527: No Show of Expression

Xiaohu clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his lips were tightly pursed, and tears were still in his eyes. Anger and humiliation were like two flames burning and crackling in his heart.

He gritted his teeth and stared at Liu San without blinking, like a little wolf forced into a corner, with all the thorns on his body standing up.

"Platoon leader, I really didn't take it!" Xiaohu suddenly shouted loudly, his voice trembling, almost roaring to express all the grievances in his heart.

Liu San was startled by the roar, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, and then he forced himself to remain calm.

"What are you yelling about?" Liu San said stubbornly, "I've already found everything in my bag. How else are you going to argue?"

"Shut up!" Qin Cang stood up suddenly, his eyes as sharp as a knife.

Liu San immediately bit his mouth tightly and dared not say another word.

Qin Cang put his hands behind his back, his eyes slowly swept across everyone's faces, and said in a low voice: "There are rules in the team, but rules are not for people to trample on casually. If the bullet is lost, it's either a thief or a frame-up. I can forgive the thief, but I will kill the frame-up."

These words hit everyone's heart like a huge rock, and the atmosphere suddenly dropped to freezing point.

Liu San's forehead was covered in sweat, his eyes becoming increasingly panicked, but he remained stubborn, "Platoon Leader, I really didn't take it... How could I harm Xiao Hu?"

"Whether you believe it or not is your business." Qin Cang stared at him, his voice even colder, "Whether I believe it or not is my business."

As soon as he finished speaking, Liu San's face turned pale instantly.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

"Did anyone pass by Xiaohu's post when changing shifts last night?" Qin Cang's voice was not loud, but it pierced everyone's heart like a needle tip.

No one answered.

Qin Cang's gaze swept back and forth over everyone like a knife.

Suddenly, Xiaohu's mouth moved, and he gritted his teeth, and a low voice came out: "Last night... I seemed to hear the sound of someone stepping on dead branches."

Everyone's eyes were instantly turned towards him.

Qin Cang narrowed his eyes and stared at Xiao Hu: "Why didn't you say it earlier?"

Xiaohu's throat rolled, and he lowered his head, saying in a low voice, "I'm afraid... I'm afraid I'll say something wrong and get scolded."

Qin Cang's heart sank.

Xiaohu is young and honest, and has been scolded many times. He was already nervous about keeping watch last night, so when he really heard some noise, he just thought his ears were blurry.

Liu San's face became more and more ugly, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

"Which direction were you in when you heard the sound?" Qin Cang pressed.

Xiaohu thought for a moment and pointed in the direction of the woods.

Qin Cang's eyes suddenly became stern.

That direction happened to be where Liu San slept last night.

Liu San's face suddenly changed and his lips moved a few times, as if he wanted to explain something, but in the end he didn't dare to open his mouth.

Qin Cang sneered in his heart.

Sometimes, the evidence doesn't have to be obvious. A word or a look is enough to completely betray a person.

He slowly took out a cigarette case, put a cigarette in his mouth, and the flame of the lighter jumped a few times at his fingertips, igniting a faint flame.

Smoke filled the air, carrying a faint spicy smell.

The cold sweat on Liu San's forehead kept rolling down, and his whole body was trembling slightly, as if an invisible hand was strangling his neck.

Qin Cang lowered his head, staring at him through the smoke, his voice slow and steady: "I'll give you one last chance."

Liu San's lips turned pale and his whole body was as stiff as a stone.

"If you don't tell me, I'll check it myself." Qin Cang narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice even more. "But if I find out... you'll have to pay Xiaohu for your life."

Liu San's face was completely pale, his mouth was trembling, the veins on his forehead were tense, and his eyes were flashing with fear and struggle.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for the last bone in this game to break.

Xiaohu's face was pale in the morning light, his eyes still bloodshot from the previous night. His heart felt like a piece of red-hot iron, burning and heavy. He gripped the battered Type 38 rifle tightly, the iron plate polished to a shine. The sweat from his palm seeped into the wooden butt, threatening to soak the entire barrel.

Qin Cang held a half-smoked cigarette in his mouth, glanced at the woods ahead, and said in a low voice, "Follow me."

Xiaohu looked up with a hint of doubt in his eyes, but he didn't ask any more questions. He gritted his teeth and followed with his gun.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated from the forest. The smell of damp earth mixed with the stench of rotting leaves filled my nostrils, making the air so thick it was hard to breathe. The two men crouched and slowly moved forward, their footsteps making soft, crackling sounds as they stepped on the dead branches and leaves. Xiaohu's heart was beating fast, and his fingers on the trigger were so white that his knuckles turned slightly white.

Qin Cang walked ahead, half crouching, his eyes fixed on the depths of the forest like a hawk. His steps were steady and light, not even a fallen leaf making a sound. The box gun in his hand was hung at his waist, the leather of the holster had turned white and was worn with fine cracks.

After walking a few dozen steps, the shadows of the trees ahead thinned out a bit, and at the end of the forest, a mound of earth appeared, and behind it was a thicket. The wind blew in from behind the bushes, carrying a faint fishy smell.

Qin Cang raised his hand and signaled Xiaohu to stop.

Xiaohu squatted down, holding his breath. The sweat from his palms seeped into the butt of the gun. The only sound in his ears was the rustling of leaves in the wind.

There are enemies.

Qin Cang's eyes became even colder. He squinted his eyes and slowly lifted a branch, revealing half of his sight.

Behind the bushes, several figures could be vaguely seen swaying. The color of the fabric on their bodies blended with the mud, almost blending in with the surrounding environment. Xiaohu's heart suddenly sank, and his fingertips clenched tighter, his palms covered with slippery sweat.

Qin Cang didn't speak immediately. He squinted his eyes and watched quietly for half a minute before he slowly whispered, "Two people, the scouts from last night."

Xiaohu's heart was shocked and his breathing suddenly tightened.

The scouts last night... were they really the ones who did it?

Qin Cang's gaze peeled away the figures behind the bushes inch by inch, his heart feeling like a cold stone was weighing on him. The two men were swaying back and forth in the bushes, as if searching for something, occasionally lowering their heads to dig in the soil, then quickly looking around, their expressions revealing a hint of panic.

They were looking for bullets.

This thought suddenly pierced Qin Cang's heart like a thorn.

It was indeed a frame-up.

He had a vague understanding in his heart, his eyes became colder, but there was no expression on his face.

The enemy deliberately dropped bullets into Liu San's bag, exploiting the existing discord within the team to instigate internal strife. Once the team begins to doubt each other, morale will dissipate and fighting spirit will gradually be drained away.

Qin Cang's heart was suddenly filled with anger. The cigarette in his mouth was broken by his bite. Half of the ash fell into the mud and was immediately swallowed by the wet soil.

He slowly raised his hand and waved to Xiaohu.

Xiaohu held his breath and squatted down quietly, with some panic in his eyes and a hint of anger that he couldn't hide.