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

"Anywhere is better than staying up here," Qin Cang said coldly, his voice carrying a chilling determination. He wasn't a gambler, but at this moment, he was willing to bet everything, just for a chance to turn things around.

In the darkness, the two moved slowly forward. The path was even narrower, barely wide enough for them to pass sideways. Water dripped incessantly from above, and countless creatures seemed to lurk among the stone walls. The soft rustling of the sand sounded like ghostly whispers. Xiao Hu gritted his teeth, suppressing his heart palpitations, and stared intently at Qin Cang's back. In this boundless darkness, that back was like a nail driven into his heart, supporting him to keep going.

"Brother Qin...why did they kill us?" Finally, in a slightly open stone chamber, Xiao Hu couldn't help but ask the question that had been bothering him.

Qin Cang smiled faintly, but his smile revealed a hint of disdain and indifference: "Because we know something they shouldn't let others know."

"But..." Little Tiger paused, "That letter?"

"It's fake," Qin Cang said coldly. "It's a setup from beginning to end."

Xiao Hu suddenly realized what was happening, but then felt a cold sweat break out all over his body: "Then... what should we do?"

"Fight your way out." Qin Cang uttered only these two words, his eyes gleaming coldly. "Whether it's a trap they set or something they're hiding behind it, only by getting out alive will we have the right to settle scores."

At that moment, Xiao Hu suddenly felt that Qin Cang was emanating an unusual aura in the darkness, cold and sharp, like a knife with its blade hidden in its sheath, ready to drink blood at the slightest touch.

In the dim light, the two continued along the secret passage, its destination unknown. The cave gradually became damp and slippery, their feet occasionally stepping on rotten, unidentified objects, the stench of which was nauseating. Xiao Hu suppressed his nausea and followed closely behind. His mind churned with various guesses and worries, but he knew that asking more questions would be useless; survival was the only answer now.

"Stop." Qin Cang suddenly raised his hand.

Xiao Hu immediately stopped and held his breath. There was a slight but real movement ahead. They had long since honed their skills in night travel, and these subtle rustling sounds could not escape their ears.

"A person?" Little Tiger asked in a low voice.

“A beast,” Qin Cang answered very softly, “or… something worse than a beast.”

The next instant, a dark shadow pounced from the front, moving so fast it was almost impossible to react. Xiao Hu felt a stench hit his face and instinctively raised his gun, but the shadow had already been kicked to the ground by Qin Cang. It let out a low growl as it landed; it was a starving, emaciated wild dog with bloodshot eyes and gleaming teeth.

"He's gone mad." Qin Cang frowned, looking at the struggling wild dog, and decisively fired a shot, killing it.

Xiao Hu swallowed hard: "How come even the dogs in this place are acting like this?"

"That means no one has been here for a long time." Qin Cang's voice grew colder. "It also means that the road... is still long."

He glanced back at Xiaohu, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "Xiaohu, stop expecting anyone to come and save us. From now on, we'll rely on ourselves."

"Little Tiger, adjust your breathing, don't inhale too much of this filthy air from this godforsaken place." Qin Cang's voice was low and hoarse, sounding exceptionally clear in the silence.

"Understood, Brother Qin." Xiao Hu gritted his teeth and replied, casually tearing off the tattered cloth around his neck to cover his mouth and nose, but his heart was filled with increasing unease. It wasn't that he was afraid of death, but the journey had been fraught with danger and intrigue, and he began to wonder if there really was an "exit" at the end of this cave, or perhaps this was a carefully laid trap, waiting for them to walk into it step by step.

"Brother Qin... do you think that dark figure will really just let us down like that?" Xiao Hu finally couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"No." Qin Cang answered decisively without the slightest hesitation. "He'd rather we die down here, so he doesn't get his hands dirty."

Xiao Hu felt a chill run down his spine, and gritted his teeth, remaining silent. He should have realized it sooner, but he subconsciously refused to admit it.

“They won’t let this go; they’ll come after us sooner or later,” Qin Cang continued, his tone as cold and hard as the icy rocks on the cave walls. “We have to find a way to survive before they do.”

Xiao Hu nodded silently, but his heart grew increasingly bitter. He knew Qin Cang was right, and he also knew that Qin Cang never made empty promises. Since he said this battle would be difficult, it was definitely not just ordinary hardship, but a real, bloody struggle to tear a bloody path out of a desperate situation.

Suddenly, his foot slipped, and Xiao Hu nearly fell. Looking down, he realized he had stepped on a broken piece of white bone, its white surface as sharp as jade, gleaming eerily in the dim light. Qin Cang also noticed something amiss, bent down to pick up the bone, and his brows slowly furrowed.

“These aren’t the bones of a wild animal.” His voice was low, carrying a hint of inquiry and coldness. “These bone markings… are human.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Hu felt a chill run down his spine. He crouched down and examined the pile of wreckage. He saw scattered bones and clothes that were long since rotten, but he could still vaguely make out that they were some kind of standard equipment. The most conspicuous thing was half a broken badge at his waist, which had long been corroded and eaten away, but he could still make out the words that had once surrounded it.

"Brother Qin..." Xiao Hu's voice trembled slightly, "Has someone come in here before...?"

"Yes, and..." Qin Cang glanced coldly around, "those who came in didn't get out."

Xiao Hu swallowed hard, forcing himself to remain calm: "We won't end up like them, will we?"

"No." Qin Cang smiled faintly, but his eyes were colder than a knife. "Because they don't know how to live, while we... know how to kill."

At that moment, Xiao Hu suddenly felt that Qin Cang was like a real wolf, able to bite his way out even in the darkest of times.

They continued forward. The cave passage was sometimes wide and sometimes narrow, sometimes requiring them to crawl on their stomachs, navigating through gaps in the mud and boulders. Little Tiger gritted his teeth and endured the pain, daring not to utter a single complaint. He knew that the slightest lapse in concentration could mean certain death.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, a faint movement finally arose ahead. It wasn't wind, nor water, but... footsteps. Fine, hurried, carrying a suppressed restlessness and murderous intent, they slowly approached from the end of the darkness.

"They're here." Qin Cang stopped, his eyes instantly sharpening. "Pursuers."

Xiao Hu's expression changed, and he quickly pressed himself against the cave wall, holding his breath. The footsteps grew closer, mixed with the clanging of metal and soft panting; clearly, it wasn't just one person. Xiao Hu's heart pounded: How did they catch up so quickly?! How could they know this route better than he did?

As if seeing through his thoughts, Qin Cang sneered: "The shadowy figure wasn't telling the truth. This secret passage... isn't for them to hide their lives at all, it's for them to raise prey."

"Raising prey?" Little Tiger was taken aback, then immediately understood. "We are the prey."

“Yes.” Qin Cang slowly drew his dagger, its chilling edge flashing in the dim light. “They chased after us not to capture us alive, but to confirm that we were truly dead.”