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

Every time, Liu San would guide him to the right path at the most critical moment. However, as time went on, he began to realize that this path was not simple. Every clue seemed not to really lead him to the truth, but to make him go deeper and further until he was completely lost.

He sighed softly, pulling his thoughts back to reality. He dared not dwell on the past any longer; such doubt and anxiety would only make him more lost. He knew that the mechanical device before him was his breakthrough, perhaps helping him uncover the secrets behind it.

He took a deep breath and placed his fingers back on the surface of the machine, carefully observing every inch of detail. The lines and symbols on the drawings became more complex, and the patterns that had once seemed random now became more orderly, as if some clue was waiting for him to decipher.

Suddenly, his fingertips touched a slightly raised metal part, and then a low humming sound came from within the machine. Qin Cang's heart trembled, and his body involuntarily leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on the metal. Then, he twisted the raised part with force, and the metal part suddenly made a "click", revealing the gap of a secret door.

Qin Cang took a deep breath, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. He knew that this secret door might be the key to the next route, and he had finally found a breakthrough to the truth.

He didn't immediately push open the secret door, but subconsciously turned back again and looked into the depths of the warehouse. The man's warning still echoed in his ears, "You can unlock the blueprint, but you'll reach a dead end." Qin Cang's heart once again rose with uneasiness, but despite this, he still couldn't stop.

"I'm determined to take this path." He whispered, as if he was talking to himself, or as if he was swearing an oath to that mysterious existence.

The secret door finally opened completely, and Qin Cang walked gently in. The passage was much narrower than he had expected. The walls were covered with thick moss, and the air was filled with the smell of decay and dampness. He took every step with extreme caution. Although the road ahead seemed calm, he knew that this passage would not allow him to pass easily.

"I never have the choice to retreat." Qin Cang said to himself again, with a hint of determination in his tone, as if there was no turning back on this road.

At the end of the passageway lay a large circular room, its walls covered in obsolete electronic equipment and complex wiring. In the center of the room sat a heavy instrument, its floor littered with discarded mechanical parts, revealing it had been abandoned for years.

Qin Cang walked over to the instrument, carefully examining every detail. It was somewhat similar to the mechanical device outside, but more sophisticated. Every wire and pipe was intertwined through complex connections, like an intricate network, hiding some great secret.

He reached out and touched a part of the instrument. Suddenly, the screen lit up, emitting a faint blue light. Qin Cang narrowed his eyes, staring at the numbers and symbols flashing on the screen. These numbers didn't resemble any code he had ever seen. They exuded an ancient and mysterious aura, like some ancient language, waiting to be deciphered.

Qin Cang's heartbeat quickened as his fingers gently touched the characters on the screen. At that moment, his mind seemed to be pulled into an unknown void. Everything around him became blurry, and only the symbols before him kept changing.

He began to realize that this was more than just a matter of deciphering the blueprint. This instrument might be the key to unlocking all of Liu San's secrets, and the truth behind it might be far beyond his imagination.

Suddenly, Qin Cang felt a strong sense of oppression, a feeling of being watched from all sides. His body instinctively felt a chill, and he turned back abruptly, his eyes becoming increasingly alert. That feeling of unease returned, as if some force was quietly approaching from the shadows.

"Liu San...how far do you intend to take me?" Qin Cang asked secretly in his heart, his eyes firm and deep.

Qin Cang was straightforward and impulsive, always offering advice or helping him at crucial moments. However, Xiao Hu's mood had recently become increasingly unsettled. Every time they met, a sense of inexplicable loss flickered in Xiao Hu's eyes, as if he were hiding something. Qin Cang was clearly aware that Xiao Hu was suffering from some deep distress, yet he seemed to have never truly understood the hidden pain.

"What happened to him?" Qin Cang pursed his lips, his fingertips still touching the symbols on the instrument, but his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.

Qin Cang knew that Xiaohu's mood swings these days weren't without reason. Xiaohu had always believed he was the one who could help Qin Cang when he needed it most, but he knew that Xiaohu's time with him was decreasing, and perhaps at times, he had even neglected the young man's feelings. This neglect was the root cause of Xiaohu's current sadness.

A few months ago, Xiao Hu had a conflict with someone over a collaboration, and was burdened with considerable pressure. At the time, Qin Cang didn't interfere too much, simply standing by and watching silently. However, as time went on, he gradually realized that his concern for Xiao Hu seemed to be becoming increasingly insignificant.

He was always preoccupied with his own affairs, constantly driven by Liu San's assigned tasks, neglecting the feelings of those around him. Xiaohu, in particular, the young man who had always looked up to him as a role model, even his only support, was gradually drifting away from Qin Cang's sight, becoming increasingly depressed and less trusting of him. Qin Cang could sense Xiaohu's distance, could see the uneasiness and confusion in his eyes, yet he never delved deeper.

"What is he thinking about?" Qin Cang murmured again. The question in his mind was like a nail, sinking deeper and deeper, unable to extricate himself.

Xiaohu's change wasn't noticeable, but Qin Cang wasn't insensitive. Xiaohu had sought him out late at night several times, the frustration and repression in his words hard for Qin Cang to ignore. Every time Xiaohu tried to share his innermost thoughts, Qin Cang brushed them off lightly, believing that as long as he could successfully complete the task at hand, he didn't need to dwell on trivial personal emotions. But now, standing here, facing a series of intricate puzzles, he realized that those "insignificant" things were the very foundation that supported everything.