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

Qin Cang's brow furrowed, his mind racing, analyzing the potential risks and potential costs. He knew full well that this battle was no ordinary skirmish. If what Liu San said was true, then the enemy had most likely established a key stronghold in the dense forest, one that wasn't in their previous intelligence.

"Come on, take me there." He finally made up his mind. His voice was not loud, but it revealed unquestionable strength.

Crouching, the two men slowly groped their way along the forest path. The moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, with only the occasional silver ray barely illuminating the path. The shadows of the trees shimmered like ghosts, while the chirping of insects and the rustling of the wind mingled with the whispers of death in their ears. Qin Cang's breathing was steady, his steps nearly silent. He was never one for talkativeness, but every command was as precise as a knife, with no room for error.

"What do you think that place looks like?" he asked in a low voice as they walked.

Liu San recalled his reconnaissance experience over the past few days, swallowed his saliva, and said, "It looks like an abandoned bunker, but the exterior has been reinforced, and the sentries inside are extremely well-hidden, making it impossible for ordinary people to find it. I also heard a few mechanical sounds, like... an electric motor."

Qin Cang's heart trembled slightly.

Motor?

In these times of power scarcity, a place like this, with access to electricity, is no ordinary stronghold. The enemy clearly has high hopes for this place. It's a hidden heart, and once uncovered, the entire situation could be reversed.

After walking about fifty steps, Liu San suddenly stopped and raised his hand to signal "stop." He crouched behind a sturdy elm tree, his gaze fixed on a dense patch of bushes ahead.

"It's right behind there." He pointed. "Don't underestimate this bush. You can't see it from the front. You have to go around it to the side to see the real entrance."

Qin Cang nodded slowly, bowed slightly, and continued forward. His eyes were like those of a hawk, and he took long, steady breaths as he inched toward the edge of the bushes. He didn't rashly push aside the grass, but crouched down and peered through the cracks in the dirt.

Beneath the bushes, there was a very hidden entrance, barely wide enough for one person to crawl in, cleverly camouflaged with rotten wood and mud. If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, you would never have suspected that this was actually a passage.

"How many guards are there inside?" he asked without turning his head.

Liu Sandao said, "I counted at least six. The frequency of shift changes is very low, and each person's patrol route is different. I suspect this is a layered security. They attach great importance to this place."

Qin Cang pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned and looked at Liu San with a burning gaze: "Have you ever been in there?"

Liu San shook his head. "I got close once, but was swept away by a red light. I suspect they used some kind of sensor device."

"Red light?" Qin Cang frowned slightly.

"Yes, it was that glaring red line. I dodged quickly and didn't trigger it, but it was definitely something unusual."

This information was enough to alert Qin Cang. He understood that this enemy stronghold was far more than a typical wartime hiding place. It was more like some kind of scientific research center, or... a tactical command center.

At this moment, a dull sound of wheels could be heard in the distance. The two of them quickly hid. Qin Cang caught a glimpse of a dim headlight passing through the shadows of the trees, and a military truck with a special marking slowly drove into the bushes.

"Did you see it clearly?" Qin Cang asked in a low voice.

"It's... it's their special forces logo." Liu San's voice trembled slightly.

"Special forces?" Qin Cang narrowed his eyes, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart. "What are they doing in a place like this?"

The truck stopped and two men got out, escorting three blindfolded prisoners. The three men were dressed in rags, but their steps were firm, clearly not ordinary people.

"Our people!" Liu San growled, anger bursting from his throat.

Qin Cang held his shoulders and lowered his voice: "Don't be impulsive now."

He had already begun planning every step of the operation in his mind: reconnaissance, raiding, rescue, and even breaking out. But before that, he had to understand the structure of the entire stronghold.

"I have to go in." Qin Cang stared at the entrance behind the bushes, his eyes burning like fire.

Liu San looked at him in surprise: "Are you crazy? This has a sensor device!"

"I won't go in directly." He whispered, "I have a plan."

Qin Cang pulled a compact telescope from his backpack, attached it to a sharpened wooden stick, and slowly inserted it above the bushes. He adjusted the angle and slowly pointed the lens toward the entrance, searching for the internal structure.

A flash of cold light appeared in the camera lens, and red lines stretched like a spider web on both sides of the entrance, complex and dense. More importantly, Qin Cang saw an iron plate embedded in the wall, with the words "Information Room" and "Research Area" clearly written on it.

"It's indeed a secret research institute..." He muttered to himself, his heart already in turmoil.

What exactly is the enemy researching? Why would they build such a facility in this desolate place? What conspiracy is hidden behind all this?

"You stay and guard this place to prevent any abnormalities." Qin Cang stood up and looked at the ray of light in the sky that felt like a thorn in his throat.

Liu San looked at him with a complicated expression: "It's too risky for you to go in alone."

Liu San nodded, no objection. He had worked with Qin Cang for several years and knew that this seemingly taciturn captain had an almost uncanny intuition. On every mission, whenever he led the team, they always managed to avoid blind spots and strike the right rhythm. Even in tough battles, they could still carve a path through the pile of dead bodies.

The two of them advanced slowly along the edge of the woods, their footsteps as light as leaves falling in the night wind. Qin Cang's eyes never left the bunker entrance behind the bushes. Even the slightest glimpse of the metal door was enough to arouse his inner vigilance.

"Don't you find it strange?" he suddenly said in a low voice.

Liu San glanced at him and asked, "Which aspect?"

"Such a deep forest, such a well-hidden position, no visible sentries, only a few laser beams and a limited number of covert posts... too confident." He said this, his eyes still fixed on the stalled truck in the distance. "This isn't arrogance, this is... a conviction that we won't find this place."

"You mean - they don't take us seriously at all?" Liu San's voice was filled with disbelief.

"No," Qin Cang shook his head slightly, "It's because we have never threatened their true lifeline before."

At this point, he felt a jolt of emotion, as if he had grasped some crucial clue, though it hadn't yet been fully pieced together. That vague premonition, like a scrap of fabric left in a dream, was light and fluttering, yet it affected the entire situation.

The forest suddenly grew quiet; even the wind died. Qin Cang immediately crouched down, his ear to the ground, his hearing quickly picking up the slightest vibration. He raised his hand, signaling Liu San to stop.