jdhmnovel Chapter 268 Approaching the Bandit's Nest
Chapter 268 Approaching the Bandit's Nest
Passing through the second Japanese-occupied area, they encountered an even more challenging situation. The Japanese had set up numerous checkpoints and conducted extremely strict inspections. Every pedestrian and vehicle passing through was carefully inspected, and anyone suspected of any suspicious activity would be detained and interrogated.
Lei Tao frowned at the Japanese troops at the checkpoint, their brow furrowed as they faced a formidable enemy. After a moment's contemplation, he decisively ordered, "Everyone, disguise yourself as plainclothes Japanese soldiers! Hurry!" The team members sprang into action, pulling out pre-prepared Japanese plainclothes clothing from their bags and expertly donning them. They cleverly concealed their weapons in their clothing and specially designed concealed pockets, and after finishing their attire, they truly resembled the Japanese plainclothes troops.
Lei Tao walked at the front of the team, his face radiating confidence and arrogance, as if he were a high-ranking Japanese officer. As they approached the checkpoint, he deliberately shouted in Japanese at the team members behind him, creating a tense and serious atmosphere. "Everyone, get ready! Don't embarrass the Imperial Army!" His Japanese was fluent, his accent pure, and there was no flaw in his voice.
The Japanese soldiers at the checkpoint immediately stood at attention and saluted. Lei Tao nodded slightly, then strode towards the checkpoint, casually tossed a forged document on the table, and said coldly in Japanese, "We have an urgent mission and need to pass through immediately. Can you afford to delay something important?"
The Japanese squad leader quickly examined the document, which bore a bright red seal and appeared to be in compliance with all necessary procedures. A flicker of hesitation crossed the squad leader's eyes. He glanced at Lei Tao and the team members behind him, then back at the document, seemingly weighing his options. Just then, Chen Feiyang stepped forward, his face filled with fury as he shouted, "What? Still doubting us? You've delayed the Empire's secret mission, and you're all worth chopping off!" His tone was fierce, his acting convincing, and the Japanese squad leader's fear grew even more pronounced.
After much hesitation, the Japanese squad leader saluted and said, "Plainclothes officer, please allow me to pass." Lei Tao snorted coldly and strode through the checkpoint with his team. Everyone appeared calm on the surface, but inside they were sweating with anxiety. Only after they had walked a long way and were sure that the Japanese army had not caught up did they secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
"That was a close call!" Liu Zishan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said in a low voice.
Lei Tao looked back in the direction of the checkpoint and said solemnly: "Don't let your guard down, there will be more difficult ones coming up. Everyone keep moving forward, and we must get to the place where Dr. Meng had the accident as soon as possible." The team members regained their spirits, quickened their pace, and headed towards their destination.
Finally, after more than a month of traveling day and night, and narrowly navigating several Japanese-occupied areas, they finally arrived near the area where Dr. Meng and his companions had been attacked. Before them lay a dense forest, its silence eerie. Lei Tao reined in the reins and said gravely, "Everyone, be careful. That's the area where Dr. Meng and his companions were attacked. There might be an ambush. Shuiniu and Shuyang, you two brothers, dismount and go forward to scout and see what's going on." Li Shuiniu and Li Shuyang replied, "Understood!" "Yes!"
Li Shuiniu and Li Shuyang quickly dismounted and slipped silently into the eerily silent forest. After they advanced a distance, Li Shuiniu, with his keen hearing, picked up the faint neighing of a horse. His heart skipped a beat, his expression instantly grave. He was certain there was something fishy behind the neighing. He glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention. Then, he nudged Li Shuyang beside him with his elbow. Their eyes met, and the two brothers understood. The two men crouched down, walked very lightly, and advanced forward stealthily. Through the gaps between the branches of the jungle, they found a few people hiding at an intersection with swords and rifles on guard. Li Shuiniu hid behind the tree in an instant and made a hidden gesture to Li Shuiyang. After Li Shuiyang hid behind the tree, he heard the bandits on guard chatting from time to time: "You say the boss is really something, kidnapping a few young women and not allowing us to have some fun." "That's right, what do you think the boss is thinking?" "Who knows!" "But it is said that one of them is a doctor. Maybe the boss wants that female doctor to be his wife?" After hearing the bandits' teasing chat, the Li brothers confirmed that Dr. Meng should have been kidnapped by the bandits in the mountain stronghold, and quietly returned to Lei Tao and others.
Li Shuiniu leaned forward slightly, leaning close to Lei Tao's ear, and lowered his voice very low: "Captain Lei, we found a few bandits standing guard at the intersection ahead. From what we heard from them, we know that Dr. Meng was most likely kidnapped by them, and several women were also kidnapped. Judging from their posture, there are quite a few bandits in the village, and they are armed with rifles and machetes."
After hearing this, Lei Tao's brows were twisted into the shape of a "川" character. After a little thought, he decisively ordered: "Everyone get off the horse, tie up the war horses, and move gently so as not to scare the horses and make any noise." The team members acted quickly, gently led the horses to a hidden place, tied them to a thick tree trunk with ropes, and did not forget to pat the horses' backs soothingly.
"Brothers, this mission is difficult, but Dr. Meng and those innocent people are still waiting for us to rescue them. We must not retreat!" Lei Tao said in a low but powerful voice, "Shui Niu, Shui Yang, you lead the way. We will sneak over and get rid of those sentries first. Try not to make too much noise to avoid alerting the others in the bandit's lair."
The team nodded, their eyes revealing a determination to face death. They checked their weapons, tucked their daggers at their waists, and loaded their rifles, their movements practiced and silent. Led by Li Shui Niu and Li Shui Yang, the group crouched low, moving like ghosts through the mountains and forests. Each step felt like stepping on cotton, without a sound.
When they were only a dozen meters away from the bandits on sentry duty, Lei Tao made a gesture, and the team members instantly stopped and fanned out, subtly surrounding the bandits. Lei Tao observed the bandits' positions and movements, searching for the perfect moment to strike. Suddenly, a bird flew overhead, chirping, and one of the bandits instinctively looked up. At that moment, Lei Tao waved his hand fiercely, and the team members rushed out like arrows from a bow.
Li Shuiniu and Li Shuyang led the charge, aiming for the two closest bandits. Li Shuiniu, nimble as a cheetah, leaped high upon approaching the bandits, stabbing their throats with his dagger. Before they could even utter a single scream, they collapsed. Li Shuyang then darted forward, gripping another bandit's neck with his arm. With a powerful twist, the bandit's neck snapped with a snap.
The other team members were also busy. They quickly eliminated the remaining few sentinels. The whole process was clean and neat, without making any unnecessary noise. After eliminating the sentinels, Lei Tao and others sneaked towards the bandit's lair.
As they cautiously approached the bandit's den, a loud commotion was faintly heard. Lei Tao's nerves tensed instantly. He quickly raised his hand and gestured for them to stop and spread out. Everyone stopped in their tracks and dodged, silently hiding behind the dense vegetation, their eyes fixed on the direction of the sound.
Lei Tao slowly stuck his head out and found a stone gate on the mountainside through the dense branches and leaves. On the gate hung a plaque with the words "Afulong Village". Inside the village also hung a flag with the words "Enforce justice on behalf of heaven, rob the rich and help the poor".