The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 143: Resolving the Machine Gunner's Position

Lei Tao led his men in a fierce battle with a small Japanese squad in a valley. Amidst the thick smoke, he rolled to avoid Japanese bullets, then raised his modified Type 81 assault rifle and fired a precise burst at the approaching Japanese soldiers, killing two. He then ducked into cover to avoid the bullets the Japanese machine gunner turned on him.

"Cover me, I'll take care of the machine gunner!" Lei Tao shouted. The soldiers around him reacted quickly, firing several rifles simultaneously. Bullets poured down onto the Japanese positions like water, suppressing some of their firepower. Lei Tao took a deep breath, and taking advantage of the brief lull in the fire, he ducked and rushed out from behind cover. With his agile physique, he dodged left and right, rapidly closing in on the Japanese machine gunner's position amidst a hail of bullets.

The Japanese machine gunner sensed Lei Tao's intention and frantically unleashed a barrage of bullets in his direction. Bullets whizzed past Lei Tao, sending up clouds of dust. Lei Tao dove forward and rolled into a crater, temporarily avoiding the fierce fire. He poked his head out slightly, observing the machine gunner's position and the surrounding terrain. He saw the Japanese machine gunner hiding behind a Type 92 heavy machine gun, with two soldiers nearby assisting in loading ammunition. Their position, perched atop a small slope, offered a wide field of view, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Lei Tao pondered for a moment in the crater before deciding to use a stun grenade to break the impasse. He pulled a stun grenade from his waistband and carefully grasped it, calculating the distance and angle of the throw. Then, with a sudden force, he hurled the stun grenade toward the side and rear of the Japanese machine gun position. The stun grenade arced through the air and landed precisely at the intended location.

"Boom!" With a resounding bang, the stun grenade instantly erupted with intense light and tremendous sound. The Japanese machine gunner and the soldiers around him were instantly blinded, their ears ringing, their brains momentarily blank and confused, and their movements involuntarily stopped.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Lei Tao leaped from the crater and, like a cheetah, charged towards the Japanese machine gun position. As he ran, he fired bursts of his modified Type 81 assault rifle at the Japanese soldiers who appeared, each pull of the trigger bringing another down. He moved through the hail of bullets, moving effortlessly through the raging fire. Suddenly, Lei Tao saw a Japanese soldier strike his helmet with a grenade before hurling it at him. The grenade arced dangerously through the air, hurtling towards him at high speed. A look of fear seized Lei Tao, and without hesitation, he executed a tactical roll onto the nearby rocky slope. Just as he had ducked beneath the slope, the grenade exploded. The powerful impact sent rubble cascading down the slope, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.

Lei Tao ducked low and quickly moved to the other side. His eyes revealed determination and resolve. He raised his modified Type 81 assault rifle and, through the smoke, accurately locked onto the grenade-throwing Japanese soldier. With a crisp "bang," the bullet fired like an arrow, striking the soldier squarely in the head, instantly blasting him to the point of sending red and white spray all around.

But just then, the Japanese machine gunner regained consciousness. His eyes blazing with murderous intent, he quickly swung his Type 92 heavy machine gun and began to fire wildly at Lei Tao. A barrage of bullets rained down like a torrential rain, sending the ground around him swirling with dust. Lei Tao dodged, ducking behind a large boulder as bullets ricocheted, sending sparks flying. He poked his head out slightly, observing the machine gunner's firing rhythm, searching for an opening to counterattack. Seizing a brief pause while the machine gunner reloaded his ammunition belt, Lei Tao slipped out from behind the boulder, half-knelt, and raised his modified Type 81 assault rifle, unleashing a three-round burst at the machine gunner. But the Japanese machine gunner, cunning as he was, aimed his rifle back at Lei Tao the instant he finished reloading, sending another barrage of bullets whizzing down. Lei Tao retreated back to cover, knowing he had to find a way to permanently neutralize this machine gun fire point.

Just as Lei Tao was racking his brains for a countermeasure, a Japanese sniper hidden in the valley locked onto him. A cold glint flashed in the sniper's eyes, and he decisively pulled the trigger. Lei Tao instantly sensed danger, his body reacting instinctively. He dodged to the side like a phantom, and the sniper rifle bullet grazed the corner of his clothes and struck a small tree behind him, instantly leaving a deep hole in the trunk.

Lei Tao's heart sank, knowing that if he didn't quickly address these two threats, he would be trapped. His eyes fixed, and he quickly pulled a high-explosive incendiary grenade from his waist, pulling the safety pin and setting a three-second delay. In that brief moment, he took a deep breath, centered himself, then stood up and threw it with all his might towards the Japanese machine gun position. The grenade traced a deadly arc through the air, hurtling towards the Japanese machine gun position. The Japanese machine gunner stared at the incoming grenade in horror, attempting to dodge, but it was too late. "Boom!" With a resounding bang, the grenade exploded above the Japanese machine gun position, its powerful force and raging flames instantly engulfing the machine gunner and the surrounding area. The two soldiers helping to reload the ammunition were also blown away by the blast, falling heavily to the ground, flaming and struggling in agony.

At that moment, Li Shui Niu and Li Shui Yang, armed with semi-automatic drum-type crossbows, swiftly rushed to a nearby commanding height. This high point, a platform extending from a steep mountainside, surrounded by jagged rocks and dense bushes, provided excellent concealment and a panoramic view of the Japanese squad's movements in the valley below. The two brothers exchanged glances, nodded slightly, and began their movement.

Li Shuiniu calmly raised his repeating crossbow, knelt on one knee, and, using a nearby boulder for support, positioned the crossbow steadily. He narrowed his left eye, then, through the crossbow's scope, locked onto a moving Japanese soldier. The soldier, crouching low, was scurrying from behind a boulder to another bunker, oblivious to his impending doom. Li Shuiniu took a deep breath and gently pulled the trigger. The crossbow bolt unleashed with lightning speed. With a whoosh, it pierced the soldier's back with pinpoint accuracy. The soldier screamed, his body falling forward, a cloud of dust rising.