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

Xiao Hu gritted his teeth: "Then let them know what it means for the prey to turn on them."

As the footsteps drew closer, the figures in the shadows gradually emerged. It was that group of assassins, their faces expressionless, but their eyes blazing with naked killing intent. They seemed accustomed to fighting in the dark, moving silently like night owls stalking their prey, their murderous intent mingling with the chilling dampness of the air.

"Little Tiger, to the left!" Qin Cang suddenly shouted, his figure flashing out like a ghost as he lunged at the nearest man. The dagger pierced flesh, blood gushing out, and before he could even cry out, the man collapsed. The other man reacted swiftly, raising his gun and firing. The cave echoed with a deafening roar, but Little Tiger had already flipped to his feet, retaliating with a shot that shattered the attacker's head.

"Don't linger in the fight, disrupt the formation!" Qin Cang shouted, having already taken two lives in quick succession. His figure was like a ghost, each step swift as the wind.

Xiao Hu followed closely behind, firing both guns simultaneously, forcing the enemy formation back amidst a hail of bullets. But these suicide soldiers were no ordinary group; those who fell were replaced, their teeth clenched, like vicious dogs chasing a deer, fearless and undaunted by death.

Gunshots, roars, blood, close combat, and murderous intent surged within the dark, rocky belly, transforming into a murky and ferocious symphony of death.

Qin Cang's movements were swift and ruthless, each strike carrying the force of a deadly blow. He had already been shot in the shoulder, but he forcefully suppressed the pain, not even flinching as blood soaked his back. His eyes grew increasingly cold and hard, his entire body radiating a chilling aura, as if he were absorbing all the deathly energy in the cave and using it to devour his enemies.

The gun in Xiao Hu's hand gradually warmed up, and he changed magazines rapidly, but his heartbeat remained steady. He knew that only by following Brother Qin and fighting to the very last moment could they survive.

"Brother Qin!" Xiao Hu called out between breaths, "There really isn't an exit behind this, is there?"

As Qin Cang slashed down the enemies, he sneered, "No exit, but there's always a way out. Let's see how they can block us when we've killed the last one!"

Xiao Hu was startled, but then he understood. They weren't looking for an exit; they were fighting their way out!

The sounds of battle rose again, blood shadows crisscrossed, and the depths of the cave grew increasingly dark. Qin Cang's figure, however, became more ferocious and sharp, like a blade stained with blood, breaking through the stalemate invisibly.

A chill ran through Qin Cang as his gaze swept quickly over Xiao Hu beside him. Xiao Hu's face was pale, and blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth, yet his hand remained steady as he gritted his teeth and fired. When the bullet pierced the enemy's skull, the recoil caused half of his arm to tremble slightly, but he seemed completely oblivious.

"Little Tiger," Qin Cang said in a low voice, his gaze sharp as a blade, "can you still hold on?"

"Yes." Xiao Hu's breath was tinged with the smell of blood, but his voice revealed an almost stubborn ruthlessness. "As long as you're still holding the line, I won't die."

These words sent a jolt through Qin Cang's heart. He suddenly realized that Xiao Hu had quietly grown up amidst blood and fire, transforming from a boy who always loved to laugh, complain of hunger, and get lost into a fierce warrior who would dare to jump into mountains of knives and seas of fire with him at any moment. And it was precisely because of this that he was even more worried.

I worry that this child will turn him into someone like I once was. I worry that one day, he will still be alive, while Xiao Hu will fall on this bloody road of no return.

Qin Cang's brow furrowed, the vague irritation in his heart finally transforming into a real sense of oppression. He began to realize that there was a deeper intention behind this battle, something far more complex than simply killing them all.

"Little Tiger, watch out for the side wall, retreat behind me." He commanded as he steadily advanced, coldly watching another enemy pounce, his blade flashing and blood splattering everywhere.

"I can handle it!" Xiao Hu stubbornly refused to back down, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes. "Brother Qin, you don't trust me anymore?"

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's that your life is more important." Qin Cang's voice suddenly turned cold and hard, carrying an undeniable authority. "I'm telling you to back down, so back down! This isn't about saving face, it's about life!"

Xiao Hu was stunned; his youthful spirit was shattered in an instant by that sharp shout. He stared blankly at Qin Cang, suddenly feeling a lump in his throat and a soreness in his nose. Yes, how could he have forgotten? Brother Qin wasn't afraid of whether he lived or died; he just didn't want to lose another brother.

"Understood." Little Tiger finally stepped back and said through gritted teeth, "I'll cover you!"

Qin Cang was finally satisfied. His steps suddenly deepened, his figure moving like a wolf among sheep, blades slicing through the air, gunshots deafening. In just a few breaths, three more people were dead. His steps remained steady, but his mind grew increasingly tense. In that brief exchange, he had clearly sensed a barely perceptible crack in the rock wall behind him. And what emanated from that crack was not the deathly aura one would expect from a normal cave wall, but rather a... foul wind mixed with blood and iron.

"As expected." Qin Cang sneered inwardly, then turned his blade and aimed directly at the side wall.

"Little Tiger, stay close to me." He roared and suddenly leaped up, smashing through a crack in the rock wall. Instantly, a narrow, cramped secret passage filled with the strong smell of blood appeared.

Xiao Hu followed closely behind, his eyes filled with both shock and admiration: "Brother Qin, your nose is even sharper than a wolf's."

"It's not the nose, it's the heart." Qin Cang said coldly, "This place has been a trap from beginning to end, but the person who set it up didn't expect... that I would break the trap."

Before the words were finished, a strange movement suddenly came from the end of the secret passage. It wasn't footsteps, nor was it panting, but an extremely low and eerie "clicking" sound, like chains being pulled or a mechanism turning.

Xiao Hu tensed up and pointed his gun forward: "Brother Qin, what is this thing again?"

“A way out, or a dead end.” Qin Cang narrowed his eyes and slowly walked forward. “However… I’d like to see how much more they’re hiding.”

As they ventured deeper into the secret passage, the air grew thinner and the stench of blood intensified. Both were extremely vigilant, proceeding with extreme caution. Suddenly, a dark red light seeped from a crack in the rock ahead, making the rock wall appear as if dripping blood.

"Little Tiger, get ready." Qin Cang's eyes turned completely cold. He lightly tapped the gun handle with his fingertips, and his aura suddenly became like a sword being drawn from its sheath, revealing its sharpness. "Ahead... I'm afraid there will be a real challenge."

Xiao Hu nodded, took a deep breath, and suppressed the last vestiges of fear in his heart. He knew that from the day he joined Brother Qin, there was no turning back. Since that was the case, there was only one path left to walk to the end, and no matter what lay ahead—fire or knives, blood or bones—he would step over them.

In the firelight, shadowy figures gradually emerged. They were dressed strangely, their faces obscured by iron tools, and they held cold weapons, yet each of them moved with the steadyness of an old dog, their killing intent pressing down like a tidal wave.

“These people… are not the same group as before,” Xiao Hu whispered. “They are even more… strange.”

"Hmm." Qin Cang stared at the group of figures and said coldly, "These are the real gatekeepers."

The group slowly surrounded them, without uttering a word, but their murderous intent was firmly locked onto the two of them.

"Little Tiger." Qin Cang suddenly laughed, but the laugh revealed a chilling killing intent. "In this battle... we're going to go all out."

(End of book)