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

Qin Cang walked at a leisurely pace, but mentally he was already analyzing the situation. The dog's unusual behavior had already alerted him, and now, his interest in this mountain intensified. Whenever he encountered such inexplicable phenomena, his inner reason would always remind him: the more seemingly irrelevant details, the more likely they are to hold the key to solving the mystery.

Liu San followed closely behind, his pace unconsciously slowing down a bit. Although he had long been accustomed to following Qin Cang's pace, at this moment, the feeling of unease in his heart still spread wantonly. Especially the silence in the mountains, such silence was unbearable, as if the air around him had solidified, and even the sound of his heartbeat was suppressed.

After walking for about five minutes, the two of them reached the edge of the forest. Qin Cang gently raised his hand, signaling Liu San to stop. Liu San immediately followed and stood beside Qin Cang. At this point, the two of them no longer dared to make any sound, and every movement was cautious, fearing to disrupt the seemingly peaceful atmosphere.

"Where did the dog go?" Liu San asked in a low voice.

Qin Cang glanced around and formed a preliminary conclusion. He looked in the direction the dog had disappeared, and a glint flashed in his eyes. "It must have run into the mountains, in that direction."

"Why did they run into the mountains?" Liu San couldn't help but ask in confusion, "If there were enemies here, shouldn't the dogs run towards the village?"

"Yes, the dog should have chosen to go to the village, but it didn't. It knew that the mountains might be safer than the village." Qin Cang whispered, his voice calm and deep.

Liu San nodded silently, his mind replaying everything he had just witnessed. The dog's unusual reaction, the old man's warning, and the silence in the village—all of these things seemed to be tightly intertwined, forming an intricate mystery.

Qin Cang lowered his head slightly, pondered for a moment, and suddenly made a decision: "Let's go in."

Liu San's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He had just wanted to continue walking back, but Qin Cang's words instantly made him alert. "Go in? Do you mean go directly into the mountains?"

"That's right." Qin Cang said calmly, "Now is not the time to turn back."

"But..." Liu San hesitated, "What if there is really any danger?"

Qin Cang turned and glanced at him, his eyes sharp. "We have no choice. Since the dogs are running over there, it means there is something there. We can't give up any chance."

Although Liu San felt somewhat unwilling, he knew that after following Qin Cang for so long, Qin Cang's intuition was often correct. His hesitation was simply due to his fear of the unknown. Reason told him that taking a risk was necessary.

"Okay." Liu San took a deep breath and finally nodded in agreement, "Let's go."

Without another word, the two continued walking deeper into the forest. As they walked further, the light around them grew dimmer. The trees in the forest were so dense that they almost blocked out the moonlight, and everything around them seemed unfathomable. Occasionally, a breeze rustled the leaves, whispering and hiding countless secrets.

Qin Cang maintained a high level of alertness with every step. Every inch of his skin could sense the changes in his surroundings, and he could detect the flutter of every leaf. Liu San walked behind him, feeling his heartbeat grow stronger and his steps become heavier. At this moment, everything in the mountains seemed unfamiliar and dangerous to him. He instinctively wanted to turn back, but he knew that if he missed this opportunity, he might never uncover the truth again.

"There's movement ahead." Qin Cang's voice suddenly became low, like an arrow piercing the night.

Liu San subconsciously stopped and looked around nervously. "What's going on?"

"Be quiet." Qin Cang said softly, his eyes fixed on the front.

Liu San forced himself to calm down and listen intently. The stillness in the air made it almost impossible for him to distinguish any sound, only his own breathing and heartbeat echoing in his ears. However, in that silence, he seemed to hear a subtle sound in the distance, like footsteps, or something moving quietly.

Qin Cang frowned, turned abruptly, and quickly hid in a secluded place. Liu San followed closely behind him, his heart extremely nervous. He knew that danger could come at any time.

"What is that?" Liu San asked in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the darkness ahead.

"Aren't we going to keep going?" Liu San couldn't help but speak, his voice low and cautious.

Qin Cang's pace didn't stop, still steady and rhythmic. "Let's go back first." He said it very simply, without the slightest hesitation. "The situation tonight is too strange, and we don't have enough information right now."

Liu San was puzzled. As he stopped, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes. "We clearly discovered something unusual, why are we going back? Are we just giving up like this?"

Qin Cang stopped and turned to look at Liu San. There was no panic in his eyes, only calmness and deep thought. "Give up? We're not giving up. It's just that tonight isn't the right time to go any deeper. We don't have a full understanding of the situation yet, and going any further would only increase the danger."

Liu San was slightly startled. Although he felt a little unwilling, he still understood Qin Cang's intention. Indeed, the current situation was full of uncertainty, and rash action might get them into greater trouble. However, he still felt a little uneasy: "But what if there is really danger? How long do we have to wait before we can find out?"

"Nothing is more important than your own safety." Qin Cang's tone remained calm, even with a hint of thoughtful composure. "We will return to the base, organize the information we have obtained, and wait for a more appropriate time."

Liu San was silent for a moment, then finally nodded, knowing full well that Qin Cang's calmness often led them out of trouble. His intuition told him that they were indeed in a dangerous situation, and without sufficient intelligence and preparation, rash action would only lead them deeper into the quagmire.

The two of them said nothing more and began to slowly retreat along the edge of the forest. As they gradually left the depths of the forest, the inexplicable sense of oppression gradually dissipated, and the air around them seemed to become lighter. Although many questions still existed in his heart, Qin Cang remained calm. Liu San was also infected by his calmness and gradually regained some rationality.

When they returned to the village entrance, the night sky was still pitch black, and the surroundings were so quiet that one could almost hear their own breathing. The two of them walked silently back to the dilapidated cottage. The door was gently pushed open, and Qin Cang walked in first, then turned back to look at Liu San. Liu San nodded and followed him in.