The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 382: Desperate Valley, the Japanese Army's Final Escape

Chen Feiyang and Liu Zishan, along with Chen Erhu and Liu Sanbao, quickly rushed to a narrow mountain road that the Japanese had to pass through. On one side was a steep hillside, and on the other side was a bottomless valley, making it an ideal ambush location.

"Brothers, let's hold here and teach the Japs a lesson!" Chen Feiyang and Liu Zishan held up their Thompson submachine guns and looked at the crowd. The bandits tightened their grip on their weapons, some holding bows and arrows, some with box guns, and even several modified Type 38 hand cannons.

Although the bandits' weapons were of varying quality, there was a fierceness in each of their eyes. Having lived in the mountains for many years, they were not afraid of the upcoming battle.

"Listen carefully, wait for the Japs to get close, and give them a round of heavy bullets first!" Liu Zishan shouted at the top of his voice, while skillfully checking the magazine of the Thompson submachine gun in his hand to ensure that the gun was in good condition.

Chen Feiyang walked back and forth in the team, whispering to encourage everyone: "Don't panic, we have the advantage of terrain. As long as we keep calm, the Japanese will not get away with it." His words were like a tranquilizer, gradually calming the bandits who were originally a little nervous.

Not long after, the sound of orderly and dull footsteps came from afar, and the vanguard of the Japanese army appeared. They were dressed in dark uniforms, holding Type 38 rifles with bayonets, and advanced cautiously.

"Get ready!" Chen Feiyang lowered his voice, and everyone immediately tensed up and gripped their weapons tightly. When the Japanese soldiers approached, Chen Feiyang stood up suddenly, and the Thompson submachine gun in his hand was the first to roar: "Fire!"

For a moment, the sounds of gunfire and arrows mingled. Chen Erhu's modified Type 38 hand cannon wasn't particularly accurate, but it was quite effective against the Japanese troops over fifty meters away. Each shot was accompanied by screams. Liu Sanbao, wielding his box cannon, held it with both hands, firing left and right, his firepower fierce. The archers, not to be outdone, unleashed sharp arrows with a whirring sound, sending many of them falling to the ground. The Japanese were caught off guard, their faces etched with terror. Some frantically sought cover, only to be pelted by the hail of bullets; others fled, their heads in their hands, their earlier arrogance completely gone.

Thrown into disarray by the sudden attack, the Japanese quickly sought cover, set up their machine guns, and began to fire back. The dense barrage of bullets sent wood chips flying and branches and leaves rustling down from the surrounding trees.

"Find cover, don't fight it!" Liu Zishan shouted, and at the same time rolled over and hid behind a huge rock, using the rock as cover to continue shooting at the devils. The bandits followed suit, each finding cover and engaging in a fierce exchange of fire with the devils.

The battle entered a fierce stage, and the two sides were deadlocked. At this time, three bandits were unfortunately hit by the Japanese machine gun and fell in a pool of blood. Seeing this, Chen Feiyang's eyes instantly turned red. He ignored the danger, leaned forward, and poured all his bullets into the Japanese machine gunner, successfully killing him.

"Brothers, fight hard! Avenge our fallen brothers!" Chen Feiyang roared, his voice echoing through the valley. The bandits' morale was boosted, and they increased their firepower, launching an even more fierce attack on the devils. After repelling two Japanese assaults, the Japanese soldiers pressed forward again.

In the fierce battle, the seconds ticked by, and half an hour flew by in a flash. Chen Feiyang checked his watch and shouted, "Brothers, time's up! Retreat! Lead the Japanese to 'Eagle's Beak'!" Hearing this, Chen Feiyang rolled out of cover and shouted to the bandits around him, "Brothers, follow my command! Take turns covering the retreat!" He fired wildly at the Japanese with his Thompson submachine gun, suppressing their firepower. Liu Zishan, taking advantage of the situation, led Chen Erhu, Liu Sanbao, and the others to quickly flee to the rear. Once Liu Zishan and the others had reached a distance, Chen Feiyang swung his submachine gun, pulled two grenades from his waistband, pulled the rings, and threw them in one go. With two loud booms, the grenades exploded among the Japanese troops, sending up a cloud of dust and smoke. The Japanese soldiers howled in terror, their formation thrown into disarray.

Taking advantage of this gap, Chen Feiyang turned and ran, his figure swiftly shuttling through the mountains and forests, as agile as a cheetah. Liu Zishan and the bandits provided cover for him in front. Several modified Type 38 hand cannons fired from time to time, preventing the Japanese soldiers from pursuing too close.

"Quick, retreat towards the minefield!" Liu Zishan shouted back as he ran, making sure everyone followed. They twisted and turned through the forest, and the bandits, familiar with the terrain, led them through hidden paths.

At this moment, the Japanese commander Mu Yi Tengtian reacted, waving his command knife and roaring loudly, ordering the soldiers to pursue. The Japanese soldiers, holding their guns, chased Chen Feiyang and others in a fan-shaped formation.

Chen Feiyang ran while looking back and shooting, deliberately slowing down to lure the Japs into speeding up. "Little Japs, catch up if you dare!" he yelled, a sly smile on his face.

As they drew closer to the minefield, Chen Feiyang mentally calculated the distance. Suddenly, he noticed a slower-running bandit hit in the leg by a Japanese bullet and fell to the ground. "Not good!" Chen Feiyang turned without hesitation and ran towards the bandit.

"Brother Feiyang, leave me alone, let's go!" the injured bandit cried out while struggling. "Stop talking nonsense, I won't abandon any of my brothers!" Chen Feiyang ran to the bandit, helped him up, and carried him forward.

Liu Zishan's heart tightened, silently cursing his own negligence. At the same time, he admired Chen Feiyang's bravery and loyalty. He gritted his teeth, his mind fixed on buying Chen Feiyang enough time. He and several bandits stopped and fired fiercely at the pursuing devils, buying Chen Feiyang time. "Hurry up, faster!" Liu Zishan shouted as he fired.

Finally, Chen Feiyang rushed into the minefield with the injured bandits. Guided by Lei Tao's flag signals, he placed the bandits in a safe area outside the minefield's blast radius, then quickly hid with Liu Zishan and the others. At this point, the Japanese also caught up, unaware of the approaching danger, and continued to charge forward with unwavering momentum.

The Japanese soldiers were completely unaware of the looming threat of death and continued to pursue the enemy fiercely. They held their guns and shouted in incomprehensible Japanese. Although their formation was somewhat disorganized, their pursuit was full of vigor.

Lei Tao, from his commanding position above the valley, stared intently at the Japanese troops gradually entering the trap. He gripped the detonator tightly, his knuckles white from the strain, and beads of sweat covered his forehead. Beside him, Scarface Li was equally nervous, staring down without blinking, muttering, "Little devils, your time of death has come."

As the last Japanese soldier entered his designated position, Lei Tao took a deep breath and, without hesitation, pressed the detonator. "Boom! Boom!" A series of deafening explosions erupted, shaking the entire valley violently. The rocks and soil on the mountainside seemed to be toppled by an invisible hand, cascading downward like a surging tide.

The Japanese soldiers who had been pursuing were stunned by this sudden turn of events. They looked up in horror at the overwhelming mudslide, their faces filled with despair. Some soldiers who were more reflexive tried to turn and flee, but the mudslide was too fast and engulfed them in an instant.

The mudslide surged down with devastating force, instantly plunging the valley into a state of despair. Trees as thick as a man's embrace were easily uprooted, swept up in the debris flow and slammed into everything around them. Huge rocks tumbled from great heights, crashing to the ground with a resounding, dull thud.

A huge boulder, carried by the momentum of the mudslide, smashed fiercely into a landmine. "Boom!" The mine instantly detonated, sending flames, accompanied by dirt and rocks, shooting skyward. This was just the beginning. The surrounding hidden mines were triggered in a chain reaction, with explosions echoing through the valley and flames rising and falling in the smoke and dust.

The Japanese soldiers were completely overwhelmed by this sudden disaster. Some were instantly swallowed by mudslides, leaving them struggling in vain; others were struck by huge rocks, their bones shattered and their bodies twisted; still others were struck by landmine shrapnel, their wounds bleeding and screaming in despair in excruciating pain.

The valley was filled with smoke, dust, and the stench of blood, making it difficult to breathe. However, Mu Yitenda and a few guards escaped because they were at the back.

Mu Yitenda's face turned pale as he watched the tragic scene unfold before him, his heart filled with fear and anger. He had never imagined that this seemingly ordinary resistance force would actually set such a deadly trap for him. He brandished his command knife and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Retreat! Retreat!"

The few remaining guards, already terrified, turned and ran upon hearing the order. They were so panicked in the forest that they had no idea where to go, and even when branches scratched their faces and clothes, they paid no attention to the pain.

Lei Tao and Scarface Li were dismayed to see more Japanese soldiers escaping. Lei Tao said, "We can't let them get away like this. Let's go after them!" Scarface Li nodded in agreement.

So, Lei Tao, Scarface Li, and a group of bandits, without hesitation, chased in the direction Mu Yitengtian and his men had fled. The forest was thick with thorns, and everyone crouched down, their steps hurried yet steady, using the trees for cover to quickly move through.

Lei Tao observed the terrain while running, and suddenly pointed to a hidden path and said to Scarface Li, "You continue to chase along this main road. Mu Yitengtian and the others must be in a panic and will probably take this road again. I will take a shortcut and encircle them from the flank, and try to block them in the valley ahead." Scarface Li nodded, raised his hand to call for the other bandits to follow, holding the gun tightly in his hand, always alert to the front.

Lei Tao turned quickly and ran along the shortcut. The path was rough and difficult, littered with large and small rocks and dead branches, but Lei Tao walked with great agility, dodging left and right. His eyes were fixed on the front, his ears alert to the movement around him, not missing a single movement.

Meanwhile, Scarface Li and his bandits quickened their pace along the main road. They crouched low, using every tree for cover as they advanced. Sweat streamed down their cheeks, soaking their clothes, but no one stopped. Scarface Li would occasionally look back to ensure the group remained tight and orderly, and would occasionally glance into the distance for any sign of the enemy.

Lei Tao spotted some fresh footprints on the circuitous route, concluding that Mu Yitengtian and his men had recently passed through. He quickened his pace, silently calculating the time and location for his rendezvous with Scarface Li and his men. As he neared the valley, he found a high slope, hid behind a clump of bushes, and observed the situation within.

Soon, Scarface Li and his bandits arrived at the valley entrance and quickly took cover. After exchanging simple hand gestures, the two prepared to launch a final attack on Mu Yitengtian and his men. Meanwhile, Mu Yitengtian's furious curses could be heard faintly from the valley. Unbeknownst to them, the circle of death was quietly closing in on them.