The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 374: Dawn Sailing: Bravely Overcoming the Crisis of Ship Robbery by Pirates

After a bitter battle, the "Ghost" team wiped out all the Japanese agents on the scene and continued on their journey. They dared not rest for a moment, the mountain path beneath their feet was rugged and difficult to navigate, and sweat had already soaked their clothes. But the sense of urgency made them forget their fatigue. The night was as dark as ink, the stars twinkled, and the moonlight sprinkled through the mountains and forests. Finally, at midnight, they arrived at a small town.

The town was immersed in silence, its houses scattered in an orderly fashion, with the occasional barking of dogs. Tang Zhangshan walked ahead, his expression slightly relaxed. He turned to the group and said, "I've contacted the underground party liaison here, and he's already arranged a place for us to stay. Everyone, follow me."

The group followed Tang Zhangshan through the winding alleys. The moonlight stretched their shadows out, swaying across the ground. Meng Xiaoyu couldn't help but yawn and whispered, "Finally, I can rest up. This journey has been tough."

Chen Feiyang also nodded in agreement: "Yes, I hope to have a good sleep here, get enough energy, and continue on my journey."

Soon, they arrived at a seemingly ordinary courtyard. Tang Zhangshan gently knocked on the doorknob. After a moment, the door creaked open and a middle-aged man poked his head out. Seeing Tang Zhangshan, a glint of joy flashed in his eyes. "I've been waiting for you to finally come. Come in."

Everyone filed in. The courtyard wasn't large, but it was neatly organized. A few pots of green plants looked especially peaceful under the moonlight. The middle-aged man closed the gate and said, "My name is Chen Lieguo, but you can just call me Old Chen. I'm in charge of transportation and liaison for this area. Comrade Tang informed me of your situation in advance, and the rooms are ready for you. Go get some rest."

Lei Tao said gratefully, "Comrade Chen, thank you so much this time. We were attacked by Japanese spies on the way here, but luckily we wiped them all out. I wonder if there are any that slipped through the net."

Old Chen's expression changed slightly. "Japanese agents and bandits have been active in this area recently. You've arrived just in time. I'd like to share some intelligence with you. But don't worry, everyone, wash up and rest first. We'll talk tomorrow if anything else comes up."

Everyone was taken to their respective rooms. After a quick wash, they collapsed exhausted onto their beds and quickly fell asleep. Lei Tao, however, struggled to sleep. He sat on the edge of his bed, gazing out the moonlight, his mind racing. This encounter with the Japanese spies had made him realize the difficulty of the task. They seemed to always know their movements in advance; something must have gone wrong.

The next morning, just as the sky was getting light, Lao Chen knocked on everyone's door to wake them up. He brought a plate of steaming hot breakfast and placed it on the table: "Comrades, eat something quickly. I've contacted the passenger ship for you and it will be leaving soon."

Lei Tao took the breakfast, glanced at Old Chen, and nodded slightly: "Thank you for your hard work, Comrade Chen."

Old Chen smiled, but soon turned serious again: "Comrades, be careful on the road. The Japanese agents have been active recently, so you must be extra careful."

Lei Tao nodded and turned to look at the others: "Everyone, eat quickly, and then we'll set off."

After everyone hurriedly finished their breakfast, Lei Tao suddenly said, "Comrade Lao Chen, we'll leave the Thompson submachine guns and accompanying bullets we carry with us to you. You'll need weapons to protect yourself here, too."

Chen Lieguo was stunned for a moment, then shook his head: "How can this be possible? You will also need these weapons on the road."

Lei Tao smiled slightly: "We only have pistols for self-defense. These weapons may be of greater use if left with you. Besides, submachine guns are too conspicuous when we pass through enemy-occupied areas."

Chen Lieguo was silent for a moment, a trace of gratitude flashing in his eyes: "Comrade Lei, what are you doing..."

Lei Tao patted Lao Chen on the shoulder and said, "Comrade Chen, you are in charge of transportation and communication here, and you have a heavy responsibility. These weapons in your hands may help you better protect yourself and your comrades. We believe in you."

Chen Lieguo nodded, a glint of determination flashed in his eyes: "Okay, I'll take it. You must be careful, I will pray for you here."

Lei Tao handed the Thompson submachine gun and matching bullets to Lao Chen, who carefully put them away and then led them out of the yard.

The sky outside was gradually getting brighter, but the town was still quiet. Chen Lieguo took them to the dock, where a passenger ship was already docked. There were more than a dozen passengers on board waiting for the boat to depart, and the boatman was also waiting.

Old Chen exchanged a few brief words with the boatman, then turned around and waved to everyone: "Hurry up and get on board, everything is arranged." Everyone boarded the boat one after another, and Lei Tao was the last one to step onto the deck. As he boarded the boat, he looked around calmly, not missing any details.

The passenger ship slowly sailed away from the dock. Lei Tao walked to the bow, holding the railing with his hands, and vigilantly watched both banks. The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, and a thin veil of mist hung over the water. The mountains in the distance were looming in the mist. The seemingly peaceful scene made his inner uneasiness even stronger. Meng Xiaoyu walked over to him and asked softly, "Brother Lei, are you still worried about something happening?" Lei Tao nodded slightly, "This trip went too smoothly. I always feel like something is wrong."

At that moment, Chen Feiyang ran out of the cabin, looking panicked. "Brother Lei, Xiaoyu, I just heard a few passengers whispering that a group of strangers came to town last night and were asking around for information about us. They didn't look like good people." Lei Tao's eyes glared when he heard this. "It looks like we've been targeted."

At the same time, Lao Chen hurried over, his face pale and his voice trembling. "Comrade Lei, I just asked the boatman, and he said there have been a lot of unidentified boats appearing in the river ahead lately. They're probably spies for the enemy forces." Lei Tao's heart sank, realizing the situation was even more serious than he had imagined. He quickly thought of a solution and said to everyone, "Don't panic, everyone. Go back to the cabin and prepare your weapons, just in case."

Everyone returned to the cabin and checked their weapons. Lei Tao pulled out his M1911 pistol, loaded it, switched on the safety, and slipped it back into its holster. The ferry continued its journey, and as the river narrowed, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Suddenly, several pirates in a motorboat rushed towards the ferry at lightning speed, their speed sending streaks of white spray across the water. In the blink of an eye, the motorboat barged in front of the ferry, forcing it to brake suddenly and rocking violently, sending many passengers stumbling to the ground.

The pirates leaped onto the passenger boat, shouting menacingly, their swords flashing coldly and their rifles wielded. The leader was a burly man with a bare chest and a tattoo of a ferocious dragon on his chest. He brandished his sword and roared fiercely, "Behave! Hand over all your valuables, or I'll be rude!"

The passengers on the boat were terrified, crying and screaming one after another. Some people cried and cried, while others trembled and hid in the corner. Lao Chen's face was as pale as paper, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He leaned over to Lei Tao and said in a trembling voice: "Comrade Lei, what should we do? These pirates are very difficult to deal with."

Lei Tao's expression was stern, his eyes etched with a fierce, unyielding intensity. He whispered to Li Shuiniu and Li Shuyang beside him, "Prepare for action, and a swift and decisive battle." As he spoke, he quietly retrieved two throwing knives from the Bagua spinning top and grasped them in his hands. Li Shuiniu and Li Shuyang exchanged a glance and similarly calmly grasped the knives, their hands steady as the twisted roots of an old pine tree, their eyes determined.

Meng Xiaoyu stood behind Lei Tao, gripping his pistol tightly. Despite his fear, he feigned composure. Chen Feiyang, Liu Zishan, and Yi Guang were also ready. Their eyes were filled with vigilance and fighting spirit, ready to engage in battle at any moment.

The pirate leader, seeing that no one immediately handed over their property, grew increasingly enraged. He kicked over a nearby wooden box and roared, "Damn it, are you all deaf? If you don't hand it over, I'll kill you!"

Lei Tao knew that they could not wait any longer, so he gave a wink to the Li brothers. The three of them attacked instantly, and the flying knives broke through the wind with a sharp momentum. With a few "puffs", several bandits who were holding earthen guns and were about to do evil were stabbed in the throat. They fell straight down before they could even scream, and the earthen guns were scattered all over the ground with a "crackling" sound.

The pirates were thrown into chaos, looking around in panic, trying to find the source of the attack. Liu Zishan, Chen Feiyang, and Yi Guang seized the opportunity and rushed into the pirate group.

Liu Zishan quickly approached a bandit who was about to strike with his knife, dodging the blow by leaning sideways. At the same time, he quickly extended his right hand and slashed the bandit's wrist with his dagger. The bandit felt pain and his long knife fell to the ground with a clang. Then, he took advantage of the situation and turned around, slashing with his short knife, forcing back another bandit who was about to attack.

Chen Feiyang charged head-on at a burly bandit, brandishing a broadsword, slashing at him with a whirring sound. Chen Feiyang didn't dodge, clenching his right fist, pushing off the ground with force, twisting his waist, and concentrating all his strength on his right fist, slamming it hard into the bandit's nose. With a muffled "puff," blood streamed from the bandit's nose, and he stumbled back uncontrollably, bumping into his companions. Before the bandit could regain his balance, Chen Feiyang lunged forward and delivered a vicious left hook to the bandit's abdomen. The bandit doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach with both hands, and collapsed to the ground.

Yi Guang crouched down and quickly approached a pirate. While the pirate's attention was distracted by others, he suddenly exerted force, squatted down, and slammed his right shoulder against the back of the pirate's thigh. The pirate lost his balance and fell backward with a "thump". Without pausing, Yi Guang quickly stood up and swept his leg towards the ankle of the pirate next to him. The pirate was caught off guard and tripped to the ground. The two rolled and struggled on the ground. Yi Guang took the opportunity to ride on one of the pirates and punched the pirate in the face with his right fist. After a few punches, the pirate's face was covered in blood and he had no strength to resist.

After a close-quarters fight, the bandits were no match for them and were soon beaten to a pulp. The remaining bandits collapsed in fear and were mercilessly thrown into the river one by one by the three men, splashing water everywhere.

Seeing that the situation was not good, the bandit leader turned around and wanted to escape. At the moment when the bandit leader jumped off the boat, Lei Tao threw a flying knife again, and the flying knife hit his butt. He screamed "Ah..." and fell into the river.

Lei Tao looked at the scene in front of him and breathed a sigh of relief. Then he turned and walked to the passengers, comforting them, "Everyone is fine, don't be afraid." The passengers gathered around him, their eyes full of gratitude, and kept thanking him.

Old Chen also came over and gave a thumbs up: "Comrade Lei, you guys are really amazing! If it weren't for you, we would be in trouble today."

Lei Tao smiled faintly: "I'm glad everyone is okay. However, this encounter with the pirates has also reminded us that danger is everywhere along the way. We must leave here quickly to avoid any more trouble."

Just as everyone was about to continue their journey, Lei Tao suddenly noticed that several more ships had appeared on the water in the distance, heading towards them quickly. His expression instantly became solemn...