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

Chapter 533 Are you sure you didn’t see it wrong?

Qin Cang's gaze pierced Liu San's, as if to see through every secret deep within him. Liu San's eyes flickered, not daring to meet his gaze, their gazes drifting wildly in the air. Qin Cang's suspicion grew stronger—how could a veteran soldier, standing at the forefront of his own troops, constantly facing the enemy, be so flustered by such a simple accusation? His reaction clearly defied common sense.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Qin Cang's mind—if Liu San hadn't witnessed anything suspicious, then why had he wrongly accused Xiao Hu? A sense of foreboding gradually grew in his heart. What secrets did Xiao Hu have that Liu San was so determined to fabricate such an accusation? Had he, somewhere unknown, violated some taboo, or done something he shouldn't have done?

No, Qin Cang couldn't immediately comprehend all the details. His intuition told him that there must be some complex entanglement behind this matter, and this entanglement was far more complicated than it seemed. What was hidden behind Liu San's unjust accusation? To what extent did Xiaohu's silence conceal an unspeakable truth?

At this moment, Xiaohu suddenly looked up, with flames of anger burning in his eyes. He walked forward abruptly, looking directly at Qin Cang, and said in a low but firm voice: "Captain, you have to believe me, I really didn't do anything!" His eyes revealed deep helplessness and unwillingness. At that moment, it seemed as if an uncontrollable emotion burst out from the depths of his heart.

Qin Cang stood there quietly, the waves in his heart like a sudden storm. Every moment of silence felt like a handful of sand scattered into the abyss of his heart, gradually piling up into an impossible-to-ignore crisis. The air grew increasingly oppressive, and the soldiers around him lowered their heads, seemingly afraid to even breathe too hard, as if this seemingly ordinary camp had suddenly become no longer peaceful.

He knew clearly that this situation was no longer something he could handle easily. Liu San's behavior had completely exposed the problem, but Xiao Hu's expression and persistence made Qin Cang's thoughts even more complicated. There seemed to be some unspoken connection between the two. Perhaps he had missed something, a certain detail, or perhaps there was a hidden secret between Liu San and Xiao Hu.

Questions swirled in Qin Cang's mind. Why was a simple accusation so troubling? Was Liu San truly wronging Xiao Hu? Or was he hiding something? Why did Xiao Hu defend himself so fiercely, even desperately standing up to argue for himself, yet he could maintain such a calm, almost hopeless, attitude in front of Qin Cang?

He looked at Xiaohu, his eyes gleaming with a complex mix of emotions—anger, helplessness, and a faint tinge of fear. This fear wasn't an accusation against Liu San, but a scrutiny of Qin Cang. Xiaohu knew his escape depended entirely on Qin Cang's whim. No matter what he said, no matter what he did, the final decision lay in Qin Cang's hands.

Xiaohu clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. His heartbeat quickened, his head buzzed, and he replayed Liu San's every word and every subtle movement in his head, fearing that some part of him might be discovered. But no matter what, he couldn't explain why he'd been lingering behind the ammunition depot, why he'd let Liu San discover all this.

"I didn't do anything wrong." Xiaohu's inner voice grew louder and louder, a kind of inconsolable anger that threatened to overwhelm every ounce of his rationality. He felt a deep sense of grievance and unwillingness, a feeling he had never experienced before, gnawing at his soul.

"Captain, listen to me, I really didn't do it!" Xiaohu's voice rang out again, slightly trembling, but extremely firm. "I didn't take anything. Liu San really misunderstood me! You can't doubt me like this!"

Qin Cang's gaze remained calm, his inner conflict undimmed. It wasn't that he didn't trust Xiao Hu. At least judging by his immediate emotional collapse, he knew the boy wasn't as scheming as Liu San claimed. Yet, another deep confusion welled up within him—if Xiao Hu was truly wrongly accused, then why was Liu San so aggressive? Was he targeting one of his own comrades for no apparent reason?

"I've already asked you, Xiaohu." Qin Cang's tone remained calm, but there was a hint of heaviness that could not be concealed. "Can you tell me why Liu San made such an accusation?" His voice was not as sharp as before, but more patient, as if he was giving Xiaohu a chance, and also giving himself a chance.

Xiao Hu was stunned, his eyes instantly blank. He felt as if something heavy was pressing down on his chest, making it difficult to breathe. He had originally thought that as long as Qin Cang trusted him, everything would be resolved. However, Qin Cang's words were like a sharp blade, cutting a deep crack in his heart. He subconsciously wanted to defend himself, but found that his thoughts suddenly became chaotic.

"I..." Xiaohu's voice lowered, as if he was looking for a suitable word to explain the problem that had been bothering him for a long time. "I don't know why Liu San would say that. I really didn't do anything wrong."

Qin Cang frowned slightly, his eyes becoming more complicated as he looked at Xiaohu. Xiaohu obviously didn't give a direct explanation, but just kept repeating the fact that he had done nothing wrong. Qin Cang didn't rush to make a judgment, but turned to Liu San: "Liu San, are you sure you didn't see it wrong?"

Liu San's face still looked a little pale, his eyes flickering, clearly agitated. He pursed his lips, swallowed, and finally spoke, "I... I wasn't mistaken. Xiao Hu... he just walked out from over there, holding a bag in his hand. How could I be mistaken?" His tone began to become a little hurried, even with a low pleading tone, as if asking Qin Cang to believe him.

"Are you sure that's Xiaohu?" Qin Cang asked again, his eyes calm but extremely sharp, as if every word was forcing Liu San to make a choice about the truth.

"I... I'm sure," Liu San replied through gritted teeth. His tone was no longer as confident as before, but rather a hint of unease and weakness. His fingers tightly grasped the hem of his uniform, and his back stiffened slightly. Qin Cang could see clearly that Liu San was no longer as resolute as he had been at the beginning. Instead, he seemed to be making amends.

Suspicion grew in his heart, and Qin Cang finally realized that he had no other choice. He needed to make a decision immediately, but no matter which direction he chose, it seemed that there would be unfathomable consequences.