The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 184: Crossbows Appear, Shadows Shocked: "Ghost Assassin" Reappears

Murakami Yamato, a captain and agent of the intelligence department of the Japanese General Staff, was ordered to go to the attacked stronghold for investigation. The stronghold was in a mess, the smoke had not yet dissipated, and the air was filled with a pungent smell. Murakami Yamato's face was solemn, and his eyes were vigilantly searching for clues in the stronghold. His eyes fell on several Japanese corpses. He squatted down to examine them carefully, and suddenly found that there was something unusual about the crossbow arrows on these corpses. The skin around the wounds of those imperial warriors who were shot and killed was a strange pink-blue color, which made Murakami Yamato's heart tighten, and an ominous premonition came to his mind. He quickly took out the gloves from the tool kit he carried with him, put them on carefully, and then carefully pulled out a crossbow arrow from the corpse, wrapped it with a clean cloth, and put it in a special evidence bag.

At that moment, Agent Yamashita Teng, who was in charge of searching the surrounding area, rushed over, holding several bullet casings. He shouted, "Murakami-kun, I've found some unusual shell casings. They look like they were left behind by the enemy using a submachine gun." Murakami Yamato's eyes lit up. He took the shell casings and examined them carefully. "This is indeed an important clue. Let's take them back to the Intelligence Department immediately."

After they returned to the Japanese intelligence department, the agent in charge of crossbow inspection, Ichiro Yamamoto, had a tired look on his face but also a hint of concentration. He frowned, with beads of sweat on his forehead. Wearing white gloves, he carefully placed the crossbows brought back from the battlefield on a special tray.

Yamamoto Ichiro picked up a magnifying glass, his eyes glued to it, meticulously examining every detail of the crossbow's shaft, arrowhead, and tail feathers. He first noticed the unique texture on the shaft, which closely resembled the texture of the crossbow used by the "Netherworld Assassin." His heart skipped a beat, and his once steady breathing quickened.

He then shifted his attention to the arrowhead. The meticulously polished shape and unique metallic sheen felt increasingly familiar. He quickly retrieved the information on the "Nether Assassin" and the archived image of the crossbow from the filing cabinet. Bringing it to the table, he eagerly opened the file and compared the description of the "Nether Assassin" crossbow arrowhead with the hand-drawn sketch. He repeated the comparison several times, his heart racing with each comparison.

He then examined the binding method and materials used for the crossbow's tail feathers. Seeing the familiar black silk thread and the unique knotting technique, Yamamoto Ichiro's face instantly turned pale. He abruptly stood up, gripping the crossbow tightly in both hands. His voice trembling with nervousness and excitement, he shouted, "Everyone, come and see! This crossbow is identical to the one used by the 'Netherworld Assassin' we reported earlier. From the texture of the shaft, the style of the arrowhead, to the binding of the tail feathers, there's no difference. It's definitely made by the same person!"

The other agents were stunned at first, then quickly set down their papers and tools, their chairs scraping against the floor with a harsh sound. They quickly gathered around, their eyes filled with surprise and solemnity, some gasping. Everyone was whispering and discussing, their expressions grave.

"How is this possible? Didn't the 'Ghost Assassin' disappear completely?"

"Is he back again? We have to be careful this time."

"Go report to the intelligence chief! This is a major discovery!" a clever agent shouted, and then Yamamoto Ichiro hurriedly ran towards the section chief's office.

Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead. His expression was flustered yet also filled with a hint of eagerness to achieve merit. He trotted into the office of the Chief of Intelligence. He saluted with a snap and said hurriedly, "Colonel, a major discovery! The crossbows brought back from the attacked stronghold have been confirmed to be identical to those used by the 'Netherworld Assassin'!"

Upon hearing the news, officers from the Japanese divisional staff's intelligence department rushed over and gathered in a dim and depressing conference room. The intelligence chief, a colonel with a sullen expression, spoke first: "Gentlemen, this discovery may be the key to our catching the 'Ghost Assassin.' Mr. Matsumoto, please tell me about the crossbow."

Second Lieutenant Matsumoto, who was in charge of inspecting the crossbows, quickly stood up, his voice trembling slightly. "Colonel, judging by the material of the crossbows, it's made of an extremely tough and lightweight wood, not commonly found here. The craftsmanship is also quite unique. The arrowhead is forged with exquisite skill, and I suspect the craftsman must have been highly skilled. Furthermore, there's a fine powder remaining on the arrow. Its composition is currently unknown, but it's likely related to the assassin's hiding place."

"Baka!" the colonel slammed his hand on the table. "Where's the intelligence we gathered about the 'Netherworld Assassin'? Why haven't we pinpointed his identity and location yet?"

Lieutenant Sato, standing nearby, replied timidly, "Colonel, our previous intelligence was very limited. We only knew that this assassin was elusive and adept at concealing his presence, disappearing without a trace after each attack. But based on the clues found in this crossbow, we can expand our search area, focusing on nearby craftsmen with specialized skills and potential sources of this rare wood."

The colonel slowly stood up, his hands resting on the worn table covered with maps and intelligence documents. His brows were furrowed tightly into a "川" shape, and the veins on his forehead throbbed faintly. His eyes swept across the faces of everyone in the room, filled with sinister determination. After a moment's silence, he suddenly straightened up, gnashed his teeth, and the muscles in his cheeks bulged with the effort. Then he roared at the top of his lungs:

"From now on, everyone, be on high alert! All hands on deck! Mobilize all available resources and dig deep to uncover any clues regarding the 'Netherworld Assassin'! This damned fellow has repeatedly challenged the dignity of the Great Japanese Empire and murdered our brave warriors. We must not allow him to remain at large!"

He paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "Inform the commander of the Takeshita Brigade immediately. Inform him of the current situation in detail. Tell him to be extremely vigilant and not underestimate the enemy. Especially, be wary of a possible surprise attack from the 'Netherworld Assassin.' The army of the Empire of Japan must not capsize in this ditch. Do you understand?"

Everyone in the room responded in unison: "Hi!" The sound made the windows buzz...