The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 298: Fierce Battle Before Dawn: Encirclement and Annihilation of Japanese Spies and Air Raid

Li Ming desperately fled in the darkness, each step a matter of life and death. Behind him, the cries of Japanese Marines and the barking of military dogs mingled, closing in on him. Sweat and blood soaked his clothes, dripping down the hems. His legs were numb, but with his tenacious will and familiarity with the terrain, he darted left and right through the forest. Branches scraped his cheeks, thorns pierced his flesh, yet he was oblivious.

Finally, at the end of the darkness, he saw the open-top jeep of the Military Control Commission, like a beacon in the darkness. Li Ming used up his last bit of strength and waved his hand, his voice hoarse with fatigue: "This way! Quick!"

Once aboard, he collapsed into his seat, gasping for air, his chest heaving violently, his throat parched with thirst. Recovering briefly, he forced himself to tell the agents on board the train everything about the Japanese forces. Upon hearing of Wang Qiang's heroic sacrifice, anger and grief surged in their hearts, their eyes burning with the fire of revenge.

At this moment, the Japanese pursuers were closing in, and the situation was extremely critical. "Let's collect some blood debt interest from the devils!" an agent roared. Everyone quickly took out their Sten MKI submachine guns, expertly loaded magazines, and cocked the bolts.

The car instantly started, swerving sharply, its engine roaring as it hurtled towards the Japanese pursuers. The wheels spun rapidly on the muddy mountain road, sending up a shower of mud and water. As soon as they came within range, the KMT agents in the car's eyes flashed with murderous intent, their fingers firmly on the triggers, their submachine guns firing simultaneously. The crackle of gunfire shattered the stillness of the forest, flames erupted from the muzzles, and bullets rained down upon the Japanese troops.

The Japanese soldiers were caught off guard by this sudden counterattack. Several soldiers in the front row were unable to dodge and were instantly riddled with submachine gun bullets. Their bodies fell one after another like puppets with their strings cut, and blood quickly spread on the muddy ground. The remaining Japanese soldiers were terrified and scrambled to hide behind the sturdy trees on both sides. In the panic, some fell and quickly got up, looking terrified.

Even the well-trained military dogs were no match for the intense hail of bullets. After a few shrill cries, they were shot and twitched, falling to the ground, motionless. Two Japanese soldiers ventured out to observe. As soon as they emerged, several bullets streaked like deadly meteors, striking them with pinpoint accuracy. Their bodies jolted violently, their faces etched with terror as they collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from their wounds.

Unwilling to be suppressed, several other soldiers attempted to fight back. As soon as they raised their guns, they were pinned down by the continuous stream of flames from the KMT agents' submachine guns, leaving them unable to raise their heads. Heavy bullets pelted the tree trunk, sending wood chips flying. They could only cling tightly to the tree, daring not to breathe, their hearts filled with despair and fear.

In the nick of time, Li Ming quickly grabbed an M1 grenade from his vehicle, repeatedly removed the safety pin, and hurled it precisely at the tree where the Japanese soldiers were hiding. The grenade arced through the air and exploded on the Japanese position. With a series of loud booms, flames shot up into the sky, and the blast carried sand, shrapnel, and broken branches everywhere. The Japanese soldiers hiding behind the tree were blasted to pieces. Some were struck by shrapnel, screaming in pain; others were simply blown away by the blast, falling heavily to the ground, their lives unknown.

Under intense fire, the jeep, like a ferocious beast, smashed through the Japanese formation. After advancing for a distance, the driver swerved, the vehicle did a beautiful U-turn, and charged back with all its might. The agents on board seized the opportunity to quickly reload their magazines, each movement a seamless one. As the vehicle approached the Japanese again, their submachine guns unleashed a torrential downpour of bullets.

Under another round of fierce attacks, 70% to 80% of the Japanese pursuers were wiped out. The few remaining were terrified and lay on the ground, unable to move. Seeing that their goal had been achieved, the Military Intelligence Bureau agents no longer lingered in the battle. The driver stepped on the accelerator and the jeep sped away, leaving behind only a devastated battlefield and the bodies of the Japanese Marines.

Inside Chongqing, Xu Keming and other Military Intelligence Bureau agents, along with Lei Tao's "Ghost" team, had just concluded a tense operational meeting. They had formulated a meticulous plan to capture a Japanese spy hidden within the Guangren Match Factory. Immediately after the meeting, the team members sprang into action, moving silently and stealthily towards their target like well-trained cheetahs.

As the dawn light shone across the city streets, they had already completed their covert encirclement of the Guangren Match Factory. Hiding in the shadows, the team members watched the factory's every move with vigilant eyes, weapons tightly gripped, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment.

Just as dawn was breaking, a sharp air raid sirens suddenly blared. The sound pierced the morning silence, echoing across the city with a palpable sense of urgency. Xu Keming's face darkened instantly. He knew the alarm signaled a looming crisis. Japanese bombers might be approaching, and the entire city faced a life-or-death test.

Lei Tao frowned, staring at the gate of the match factory, and decisively suggested: "Start the action in advance! The Japanese air raid is imminent, and the city must be in chaos. If the spy escapes in the chaos, it will be difficult to catch him. We must rush in and capture him before they react!" His voice was low but firm, and it was particularly clear in the gaps between the alarms.

Xu Keming quickly weighed the pros and cons. Time was running out, and every second was crucial. He glanced at the team members around him, who were all on high alert, and nodded, "Okay, follow Captain Lei's instructions and move ahead!" He began to give orders: "Attention, all teams, stay in touch, and make sure to act quickly! Move!"

The Military Intelligence Bureau agents immediately went into combat mode, approaching the match factory like ghosts. Using surrounding buildings and debris as cover, they silently breached the factory's perimeter. The agents responsible for shutting off the power quickly acted, and in the blink of an eye, the factory was plunged into darkness. Meanwhile, the main assault team quickly scaled the wall and entered the factory, one of whom went to open the factory gate.

In the darkness, the agents crouched in battle formation, advancing deeper into the factory. Their steps were slow and steady, their soles scraping against the ground with barely a sound. Their weapons were pointed vigilantly in all directions, their gazes sharp as eagles, watching for any suspicious signs.

Suddenly, an agent at the front of the line tensed, his entire body tensing, his keen sense of movement ahead. The sound was incredibly subtle, like the scrape of clothing against a wall, or the faint sound of footsteps, but in the silent darkness, he captured it with pinpoint accuracy. He quickly raised his hand to signal his teammates to stop, pressing his fingers together, palms facing downwards, gently pressing them down – the signal for "Keep quiet." Then, he extended three fingers, first pointing at himself, then at the other two teammates, before spreading them to the sides, forming an outflanking gesture.

The few of them understood what he meant in an instant, and dispersed tacitly, using the surrounding machines and debris as cover, and quietly surrounded them from different directions.

As they approached, they saw a dark figure cautiously poking its head out of a room. It was a Japanese spy who had heard the unusual noise and had come out to investigate. The spy looked panicked, a pistol tightly gripped in his hand, and he looked around warily. However, his vigilance was too weak in front of the well-trained Military Intelligence Bureau agent.

Before he could react, an agent flashed behind him like a ghost, raised the butt of his rifle high, and struck him hard on the side of the neck with full force. With a muffled "bang," the sound was particularly abrupt in the silent factory, and the spy's body instantly went limp, fainting. The agents quickly surrounded him. One stepped forward to pick up the spy's dropped pistol, while another expertly took out a rope and tied his hands behind his back. He then used a rag to gag the spy, muttering under his breath, "You little devil, you're unlucky to fall into my hands!"