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

Liu San nodded and asked in a low voice: "What's next?"

Qin Cang did not answer immediately. Instead, he reached out and touched the soil on the ground, feeling its moisture and looseness. Then he slowly said, "Let's wait and see if the enemy makes any further movements."

Xiaohu frowned and said, "What if the enemy doesn't move? Will we have waited in vain?"

Qin Cang's eyes were deep, and he said in a deep voice: "They will definitely move."

Xiao Hu heard the certainty in his tone and couldn't help asking, "Why are you so sure?"

Qin Cang slowly raised his head and took a look at the surrounding terrain. He spoke in a low and steady voice, "The enemy has been lying in ambush here for some time, but they won't remain idle forever. They will definitely make a move tonight."

Liu San nodded thoughtfully, a calm glint in his eyes: "You mean... they might launch an attack tonight?"

Qin Cang nodded slightly: "It's very likely. Moreover, their purpose of ambushing here is definitely not just a simple patrol."

His words made the atmosphere even more tense, and even Xiaohu held his breath. He clenched his hands slightly, feeling a hint of nervousness, but more of excitement. He loved the tension before a battle, the tense atmosphere that could erupt at any moment, but at the same time, he knew that this time, the enemy might be more cunning than they imagined.

In silence, Qin Cang raised his head slightly, his gaze sweeping across the distant darkness. His eyes were sharp, as if searching through the night for some clue. Then, he whispered, "Xiao Hu, listen—if we encounter the enemy next, you must not act without authorization."

Xiaohu was stunned for a moment, then frowned and asked unconvincedly, "Why?"

Qin Cang's eyes were calm and firm: "Because you have been exposed once."

Xiao Hu's heart sank suddenly, and his mouth opened slightly, wanting to refute, but no words came out. He suddenly remembered that when he almost rushed out to investigate the enemy situation, Qin Cang stopped him on the spot. And now, Qin Cang's meaning was very clear - he might have been targeted by the enemy.

Qin Cang looked at Xiao Hu, his tone low and serious: "If the enemy has a sniper, the easiest target is the person who is exposed for the first time. If you move again, you may really not be able to escape."

Xiao Hu gritted his teeth and tightened his fists slightly. He felt a little unwilling, but more of a sense of helplessness, convinced by Qin Cang's calmness. He knew that Qin Cang would never speak without a purpose, and that he must have thought deeply about what he said.

Liu San snorted coldly and whispered, "Listen to Qin Cang, this is not a joke."

Xiaohu finally lowered his head and said sullenly, "...I know."

Qin Cang nodded slightly, his eyes showing a hint of recognition, but more of a calmness. He looked up at the darkness in the distance and whispered, "Continue to lie in wait and prepare for battle."

The night deepened, and a gentle breeze through the forest brushed against Qin Cang's face, as if carrying some unknown omen. His gaze swept through the darkness, keenly capturing every subtle movement around him. Occasionally, fallen leaves on the ground were picked up by the wind, making a slight rustling sound. Yet, within this silence, a sense of uneasy oppression lay hidden.

Qin Cang narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Xiao Hu, go around to find Liu San and ask him to bring people over."

Xiao Hu was startled when he heard this, then frowned and said in a low voice: "You stay here alone? It's too dangerous!"

Qin Cang's eyes were as calm as water, and he said in a firm tone, "I can handle it. Go call Liu San, and act quickly."

Xiao Hu hesitated, his gaze lingering on Qin Cang for a moment. He knew that Qin Cang never made decisions lightly, and every action was carefully considered. But even so, he was still a little worried. After all, the current situation was unclear. If Qin Cang stayed alone, if the enemy really took action, the consequences would be disastrous.

"But..." Xiaohu wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Qin Cang as soon as he opened his mouth.

"No buts." Qin Cang's voice was low, but it carried an unquestionable majesty. "We need someone to keep an eye on this place. If we all withdraw, and the enemy takes the opportunity to move on, then our actions tonight will be in vain."

Xiao Hu gritted his teeth, feeling somewhat unwilling, but he knew Qin Cang was right. The most important thing right now was to notify Liu San as soon as possible and bring people to support him, rather than arguing here about whether or not to stay.

He took a deep breath, stared at Qin Cang, and whispered, "You must be careful."

Qin Cang nodded slightly, his voice still calm: "Don't worry, I know my limits."

Xiaohu didn't say anything else. He knew he had to act immediately. He took a deep breath, quickly adjusted his breathing, and tried to relax his body to move stealthily in the darkness. Then, he gently stepped back a few steps, crouching, and using the terrain as cover, he quietly circled to the rear.

His footsteps were so light that they made almost no sound, each step carefully calculated to avoid stepping on dead branches or loose leaves. Under the night, his figure gradually disappeared into the forest, while Qin Cang remained standing quietly, his eyes calmly scanning his surroundings, his ears carefully catching any subtle sounds.

The forest was eerily quiet, as if even the wind had stopped blowing. Qin Cang's hand slowly rested on the weapon at his waist, his fingers gently stroking the cold metal, his mind rapidly deducing various possible scenarios.

If the enemy really set up an ambush here, then they would most likely have noticed their movements, but just hadn't taken action yet. And if the enemy really had discovered him... Qin Cang's eyes darkened slightly, his fingers unconsciously tightened a little, and he began to think about a response strategy.

Time ticked by, Qin Cang held his breath, remaining alert. He knew it would take Xiao Hu at least five minutes to reach Liu San's location, and ten more to return with his men. During those ten minutes, he had to hold on alone, ensuring the enemy wouldn't notice their movements.

Suddenly, a very subtle sound came from the distance, like the sound of a leaf being accidentally stepped on. Qin Cang's eyes suddenly became sharp. He raised his head and stared at the direction of the sound, his heartbeat instantly speeding up.

Was it an enemy? Or did Xiaohu accidentally step on something while evacuating?

Qin Cang narrowed his eyes, quickly analyzing the various possibilities in his mind. If it was Xiaohu, he wouldn't have made such a low-level mistake. He was always cautious and wouldn't easily make any noise. But if it wasn't Xiaohu... then the only possibility was that the enemy had already noticed the movement here and was slowly approaching!