The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 323: Dark Night Confrontation, Document Clues Emerge

The night was as thick as ink, so thick that it could not be dissolved, tightly enveloping the entire town. Zhu Erba and his men, like a group of night cats hiding in the darkness, crouched and tiptoed towards the mayor's house.

Kazuya Uesuga followed silently, ghostlike. His form blended seamlessly into the darkness, making him almost invisible. His eyes were filled with disdain and suspicion. He had no confidence in the capabilities of Zhu Erba and his band of bandits. But he was trapped, like a beast, with no better option but to pin his hopes on this ragtag group. Meanwhile, his mind raced, calculating how he could escape unscathed should the situation spiral out of control. He replayed every possible escape route and contingency plan, meticulously considering every detail.

Elsewhere, Yi Guang hurried back to the "Ghost" team's temporary base. Inside, the team members had been anxiously awaiting news, and upon seeing Yi Guang's return, they all cast concerned glances at him. Yi Guang's expression was solemn, and he took a deep breath. He slowly said, "Military Control Commission support won't arrive until tomorrow." The team members' faces instantly darkened. They all knew that in this long and dangerous night, they could only rely on their own strength to face the cunning Japanese spies and the brutal bandits.

Lei Tao had always felt that something was fishy about this matter, that the mayor was hiding something important. So, he sent for the mayor again. Not long after, the mayor hurried over, looking uneasy and apprehensive, his eyes flickering, and he didn't dare meet Lei Tao's gaze.

"Mayor, please take a seat." Lei Tao's tone was calm, yet he exuded an irresistible majesty. "There are some things I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to explain in more detail."

The mayor forced a smile, which was uglier than crying. He sat down on the chair and rubbed his hands unconsciously. This subtle movement showed his extreme inner tension.

Lei Tao stared at the mayor, as if he could see right through his thoughts. "Mr. Mayor, the bandits kidnapping your daughter is probably more complicated than that. Now that the Japanese spies are involved, I'm sure you have something they're extremely interested in, or perhaps some intelligence they desperately need."

The mayor gritted his teeth, knowing he could no longer conceal the truth. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Okay, I'll tell you the truth. The night I took office, I found a document in my study that was left behind by the previous mayor after he was murdered. It was stamped with the seal of the Ministry of National Defense."

Lei Tao's heart sank when he heard this. He knew full well that this document, bearing the seal of the Ministry of National Defense, must be the key to the entire incident. He narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at the mayor like he was scrutinizing prey, trying to gather more useful information from his every expression and every subtle movement. "Mayor, where is this document now? What does it say? Have you read it?"

The mayor's face turned pale. He swallowed hard and said in a trembling voice, "I've kept the document hidden in a secret compartment in my study and never shown it to anyone. As for the contents, I haven't opened them either. The surface of the brown paper only says 'The Torch Plan' and 'Operation Sword Forging', but I don't know the specific details."

Lei Tao's brows knitted into a frown. "The Torch Plan," "Operation Forge the Sword"? Judging from the names, it was likely related to the transfer of important personnel or specialized strategic equipment. Either of these matters was crucial to the safety of the nation; if they fell into the hands of Japanese spies, the consequences would be disastrous. "Mayor, you're confused! Why didn't you hand over such an important document to your superiors sooner?"

The mayor's face was bitter, and he sighed helplessly, "I wanted to find someone I could trust, but the world is so chaotic and people's hearts are so unpredictable. I really don't know who to trust. Moreover, I'm worried that if the news leaks out, not only will the documents be lost, but my family's lives and mine will also be in danger."

Lei Tao took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. At this point, blaming the mayor was pointless. The most urgent task was to find the document and ensure its safety. "Mayor, we have come to this point. We must act immediately. Are you sure the document is still in the secret compartment in the study?"

The mayor nodded quickly, looking panicked: "Sure, I checked a few days ago, and it was well hidden."

Lei Tao turned to look at Yi Guang, his eyes filled with determination and trust. "Yi Guang, take a few team members and immediately follow the mayor to retrieve the documents. Be careful and cautious. The Japanese spies and bandits may have already set their sights on the mayor's home. If you are not careful, you will be in danger. I will take the others to support us. If anything happens, send a signal immediately."

After receiving the order, Yi Guang quickly selected several agile and experienced team members and rushed to the mayor's house with the mayor. Along the way, everyone was highly alert and did not miss any suspicious signs.

When they arrived at the mayor's house, they found it tightly shut and a deathly silence reigned, a quiet so eerie it felt almost eerie. Yi Guang gestured, and the team members, understanding his intention, quickly dispersed, fanning out and slowly approaching the door. Just as Yi Guang reached out to push the door open, he suddenly heard a faint noise from inside, as if someone was whispering. Startled, realizing the situation was dire, he quickly whispered a warning, "There's an ambush! Be careful!"

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a loud bang, and the door was flung open. A group of ferocious bandits instantly rushed out. Each of them was armed with a homemade Mauser pistol, the barrel of the gun crude, but it exuded a fierceness and murderous intent. These bandits' eyes were red, and their faces were full of anger. As soon as they rushed out, they opened fire without any method. Bullets flew towards Yi Guang and others with a crackling sound, splashing dust on the ground and filling the air with the pungent smell of gunpowder.

"Hide!" Yi Guang yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice resounding amidst the hail of bullets. The moment he finished shouting, he unleashed his strength with his legs, leaping forward like a nimble cheetah, slashing through the air. Then, with a neat tactical somersault, he dove securely into the alley.

However, not everyone was so lucky. Several militiamen were slow to react and couldn't dodge. One young soldier, turning to seek cover, was struck directly by a bullet in the shoulder. He screamed, his body falling backward like a kite with its string cut. He clutched his hands tightly at the wound, blood gushing from between his fingers. Another, older soldier, had no time to react before a bullet pierced his chest. His eyes widened, and he slowly collapsed with a hint of resignation, blood rapidly spreading beneath him, staining the ground red.

Yi Guang hid in the alley and quickly pulled out an M1911 pistol from his waist. The gun, with its cold metallic sheen, gleamed in the darkness. He gripped the handle tightly with both hands, took a deep breath, leaned forward, and aimed precisely at the bandits. His finger steadily pulled the trigger. "Bang!" a few shots rang out, and bullets whizzed towards the bandits. Several of the bandits were hit and fell to the ground, clutching their wounds and groaning in pain.