The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 412: The Smoky Battlefield: A Deadly Battle Behind the Mysterious Bunker

Amidst the deafening roar of gunfire, the battlefield situation shifted rapidly. Upon receiving orders from Matsui Ichirō, the Japanese cavalry squadron immediately made a circuitous advance towards the south wall of the canyon. The clatter of horses' hooves pounded the valley, creating a rapid, chaotic sound, and the yellow dust they kicked up lingered for a long time.

Lei Tao, observing the battlefield intently from his commanding heights, keenly detected the movements of the Japanese cavalry. He quickly signaled, and the team members understood, adjusting their positions and preparing to respond. Meng Xiaoyu gripped the gun tightly, his eyes fixed firmly on the south wall, his finger unconsciously tightening on the trigger, ready to fire at any moment. At this moment, the yellow dust raised by the hooves of the Japanese cavalry squadron on the south wall of the canyon had not yet dissipated, and Lei Tao's telescope had already captured the flaw in the enemy's detour route. "Third group, lower the firing angle and prioritize covering the rocky beach area!" he shouted anxiously, but his voice was instantly drowned out by the sound of exploding mortar shells. Fortunately, Liu Zishan, Chen Feiyang and others lurking in the bushes had quickly adjusted the muzzle of their guns and lowered the bullet to the 4th scale on the sight.

Soon, Japanese cavalry came into view of Lei Tao and his companions. They galloped along the path along the canyon's southern wall, kicking up a cloud of dust that resembled a long, yellow dragon. Lei Tao's eyes instantly sharpened like an eagle, and without hesitation, he gave the command: "Target Japanese cavalry, open fire!" As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Zishan pulled the trigger first. With a bang, the bullet whistled out, sending a Japanese cavalryman crashing down from his mount, his steed neighing and raising its hooves. Immediately afterwards, Chen Feiyang quickly followed suit, accurately striking another cavalryman in the chest. He fell heavily from his mount, mercilessly trampled under the galloping hooves.

For a moment, gunfire echoed through the brush. Each shot was followed by the fall of a Japanese cavalryman. The Japanese cavalry had clearly not anticipated such intense sniping fire, and their formation was thrown into disarray. Some cavalrymen tried to rein in their horses and turn, only to be rammed by the horses behind them; others frantically whipped their whips, attempting to escape, only to become even more obvious targets. Under the rapid fire of Lei Tao and his men, the Japanese cavalry lost nearly twenty men in a single encounter. The bodies of Japanese cavalrymen lay scattered across the battlefield, their blood staining the ground red, while wounded horses wailed in agony.

But the Japanese didn't retreat. They quickly adjusted their tactics. Some cavalrymen dismounted, sought cover, and, using their horses as a barrier, began firing back in the direction of Lei Tao and his men. Others continued their circuitous route, attempting to launch a flanking attack. Facing the Japanese counterattack, Lei Tao calmly instructed his men, "Take cover, alternate fire, and don't let them break through!" An even more intense battle unfolded on the south wall of the canyon.

On the north slope, Wang Huming's reconnaissance company engaged in a fierce exchange of fire with a Japanese heavy machine gun crew. Bullets rained down like rain, sending dirt flying from the bunkers and filling the trenches with a strong smell of burning. Shunzi's helmet tilted to his side, his blood-stained leggings oozing dark red at a rate of 80 drops per minute. Suddenly, a Japanese shell exploded not far away, sending three soldiers flying in the shockwave.

Wang Huming's heart sank upon seeing this. He ignored the flying shrapnel and rushed towards the three soldiers. "Shunzi, Daniu, Aqiang!" He shouted his comrades' names, his voice filled with anxiety and worry.

As they approached, they saw Wu Shunzi's face covered in blood, already unconscious. Li Daniu's legs were a bloody mess, but he was still trying to sit up, clinging to consciousness. Chen Qiang was hit in the abdomen by a piece of shrapnel, bleeding profusely, his face as pale as paper. Wang Huming's eyes flushed red as he tore off a corner of his clothes and quickly bandaged Chen Qiang's wound, shouting to the people around him, "Medic! Call a medic!"

On the battlefield, medical officer Zhang Feiyu heard the cries and, crouching low, rushed over amidst the hail of gunfire, her first aid kit strapped to her back. As she arrived, Wang Huming pulled her to Chen Qiang's side, "Hurry, save him!" Zhang Feiyu quickly opened the first aid kit and, with her vast experience and deft technique, carefully examined Chen Qiang's injuries. Then, methodically, she began to stop the bleeding and bandage the wound. Chen Qiang spat out blood, his knuckles trembling violently, his breath weak. "Tell... my wife to raise this child..." Wang Huming's eyes welled up, and with a heavy heart, he pried open Chen Qiang's fist. In his palm lay a dented abacus bead. It was unclear what special meaning this bead held for Chen Qiang, perhaps a symbol of his deep attachment to his family and ordinary life.

At this moment, the Japanese Type 96 light machine guns were firing crazily, their ammunition belts pouring out at a rate of 500 rounds per second. Wang Huming put Chen Qiang aside, picked up his Type 38 rifle, crouched down, and moved quickly in the trench, counting the fan-shaped areas formed by the bullet impact points. As the last barrage of bullets passed the edge of the trench, he suddenly put down his captured Type 38 rifle and shouted, "Throw grenades! Delay for three seconds!"

Soldiers picked up grenades from the battlefield, unscrewed the caps, and held the pull rings with their thumbs, waiting for Wang Huming's order. Wang Huming stared at the Japanese machine gun position, calculating the time. One second, two seconds passed, and at the third second, Wang Huming suddenly waved his hand and shouted, "Throw!"

The soldiers threw grenades at the Japanese machine gun positions. The grenades exploded on the ground, and the smoke blocked the Japanese machine gunners' vision.

Wang Huming ran to a machine gunner, snatched the Type 96 light machine gun, and, regardless of the danger, stood up, holding the light machine gun and firing wildly at the Japanese heavy machine gun crew. His figure was particularly conspicuous in the battle, and the bullets rushed towards the Japanese like angry fire snakes. The Japanese heavy machine gunners were caught off guard by this sudden counterattack, and two of them were hit, and the heavy machine gun firepower was instantly weakened.

But a Japanese sharpshooter had his sights on Wang Huming. Hidden behind the wreckage of a burned-out truck, he coldly locked onto Wang Huming through his scope. His eyes were icy, his finger resting lightly on the trigger as he adjusted his breathing, each rise and fall steady and subtle.

Wang Huming was completely unaware of the approaching danger and still stood on the trench, firing wildly with his machine gun. His roar drowned out the roar of gunfire: "Japs, charge up if you have the guts!" His face was splashed with smoke and dirt, but it did not conceal the hatred emanating from his eyes at all.

The Japanese sharpshooter narrowed his eyes slightly, and Wang Huming's silhouette became clearer in the scope. He slowly tightened his grip, about to pull the trigger. Just then, a sharp-eyed soldier from the reconnaissance company, Wu Yang, spotted the Japanese sharpshooter. "Captain, be careful! Sniper!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, throwing Wang Huming to the ground.

The bullet grazed Wu Yang's waist, tearing the fabric and leaving a streak of blood on his skin. Wu Yang groaned, a flicker of pain across his face. But he didn't bother to check his own injuries. He held Wang Huming tightly, shouting, "Company Commander, are you all right?" Wu Yang's Type 97 rifle suddenly jammed. As he lowered his head to check, the blue light from the muzzle made him instinctively lean sideways. The impact of the Type 97 sniper rifle sent sparks flying through the cracks in the stone. Just as Wang Huming suddenly lunged, Wu Yang could clearly hear the bullet tear through the air.

Wang Huming came back to his senses and looked at Wu Yang, who was standing close to him with an anxious look on his face. His heart warmed: "I'm fine, Wu Yang, thanks to you!" He pushed Wu Yang away with force, crouched down and quickly checked the situation on the battlefield. He saw that the Japanese heavy machine gun group took advantage of the gaps when they were hiding and their firepower became more and more fierce, suppressing the soldiers of the reconnaissance company so that they could only hide in the trenches and could not fight back.

At this moment, Lei Tao, who was standing beside a huge rock far away on the commanding heights, also discovered the position of the Japanese sharpshooter through the scope of the Springfield sniper rifle, but there was no shooting angle. He muttered to himself: "You think I can't kill you just because you are hiding in the bunker, right?" Lei Tao put down the Springfield sniper rifle, took out the RPG rocket launcher and armor-piercing high-explosive rocket in the Bagua gyroscope space, quickly installed them, and stood up suddenly.

Lei Tao held his RPG steady, his gaze like a hawk's, fixed on the sharpshooter's hiding place. He quickly calculated the angle and distance, his breathing steady and even, the surrounding gunfire seemingly shutting out. Smoke billowed across the battlefield, flames shot skyward, and the cries of killing were deafening, but Lei Tao's world was filled with only the threatening target before him.

He took a deep breath and decisively pulled the trigger. With a whoosh, the armor-piercing, high-explosive rocket, like a streak of black lightning, trailed a long flame and whizzed towards the sharpshooter's bunker with the force of the wind. The rocket's trajectory left a faint trail of smoke in the air, attracting the attention of many on the battlefield. As the flames from Lei Tao's RPG pierced the air, the echo off the north wall of the canyon interfered with the Japanese sniper's scope. As the explosion sent the incinerated remains of the truck skyward, he saw the bunker shattered and the sharpshooter was thrown out, his life or death unknown.

The resounding explosion echoed across the battlefield, briefly shocking the Japanese troops. Even before the aftermath of the blast dissipated, clouds of dust billowed across the battlefield. Lei Tao quickly ducked behind a boulder, his hands dancing swiftly as he steadily retracted the RPG into the Bagua spinning top. His movements were deft and swift. Then, he picked up his Springfield sniper rifle again. The barrel was cold, yet it seemed to fit perfectly in his hand. He leaned slightly over, calmly surveying the battlefield through the scope. His sharp gaze, like a cheetah scouting for prey, missed no detail, searching for the next target that posed a greater threat.

Seeing the sharpshooter successfully eliminated, Lei Tao felt a sense of relief. However, the situation on the battlefield was changing rapidly, and he knew he had to continue to pay close attention. At the same time, Wang Huming saw the Japanese army panic and immediately seized the opportunity. He straightened his back, raised his arms, and shouted loudly: "Brothers, charge! Kill the devils!" The soldiers of the reconnaissance company leaned out of the trenches and fired at the Japanese with their guns. In an instant, the gunfire rang out again, and the bullets rushed towards the Japanese army like a whistling wind, beating them to pieces.

However, the well-trained Japanese quickly launched a counterattack. Three Japanese grenade throwers quickly crouched behind a hillside. With expert, coordinated movements, they began firing grenades at the reconnaissance company's position on the hillside. With a sharp whistling sound, the grenades, like streaks of black lightning, pierced the air and hurtled towards the reconnaissance company's position. For a moment, the reconnaissance company's position was filled with smoke and flying dirt. Several soldiers were blown away, and the others were forced to take shelter.

At this moment, Meng Xiaoyu was fully aware of the threat these three grenade throwers posed to the reconnaissance company. Her eyes revealed a resolute determination. Without hesitation, she raised her VSS silenced sniper rifle, her body as steady as a rock. She adjusted her breathing, and locked the crosshairs firmly on the target. Her finger gently squeezed the trigger. "Bang, bang, bang!" Three crisp gunshots rang out in a row, her movements seamless, without the slightest delay or hesitation. Almost at the same moment, three clouds of blood mist suddenly exploded in the distance at the apex of the grenade thrower's parabola, like three eerie blooming blood flowers. Before the three Japanese grenade throwers could react, before they could even think of firing another grenade, they collapsed straight into a pool of blood, their bodies twisted and their lives instantly extinguished.

The grenade launchers beside them also fell to the ground. As one of the launchers fell to the ground, the firing pin accidentally triggered, and a grenade "whoosh" launched into the nearby woods. The grenade traced a black arc in the air and disappeared into the trees in an instant. Then, a dull roar came from deep in the woods, startling a flock of birds. Branches and dust flew into the air, and it took a long time for it to slowly fall.