The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 247: Desperate Retreat, Bloody Breakout

The air was thick with smoke, its pungent smell thickening. After dispatching a wave of Japanese soldiers, Lei Tao turned and saw Hu Hansi still suppressing the enemy with bursts of machine gun fire. He quickly reached into his backpack, pulled out several smoke bombs, and with a firm pull of the safety pin, launched them at the Japanese. With a few muffled thuds, the gray-white smoke quickly spread, obscuring the Japanese's vision in the blink of an eye.

"Hu Hansi, retreat quickly! Go and meet up with the Eighth Route Army Task Force. The smoke won't last long!" Lei Tao shouted at the top of his lungs, running towards Hu Hansi while raising a cloud of dust under his feet.

Hu Hansi heard the shout and immediately stopped firing. He grabbed the ammunition bag beside him and slung it over his shoulder. He raised his machine gun and crouched down, moving quickly under the cover of the smoke. The two men met at the edge of the smoke, looked at each other, and tacitly ran towards the predetermined route.

The shouts of the Japanese soldiers behind them grew clearer, evidently having recovered from their chaos. Lei Tao and Hu Hansi quickened their pace, weaving through the woods. Branches like sharp claws ripped their clothes and streaked their faces with blood, but they cared little for these things. Their only thought was to escape the enemy. As they ran, Lei Tao slipped and nearly fell. Hu Hansi, quick-witted, reached out and caught him. Without a word, the two continued their furious run.

After crossing two mountains, they finally reunited with the Eighth Route Army task force. Xu Guangrong was directing the troops to clean up the battlefield, ensuring they took no valuable supplies. Li Shuiniu and several other soldiers stood guard nearby, their eyes warily scanning the surroundings.

Lei Tao, anxious, reached out to push aside the fallen branches and leaves blocking his path and quickly ran to Xu Guangrong. His forehead was sweating profusely, his brow furrowed tightly into the shape of a "川" (a character for "川"), and he said hastily, "Captain Xu, the most urgent task is to evacuate the soldiers, their horses, and the progressive young students. Throw away all the unnecessary belongings and travel light. Once it's safe, I can get you whatever you need. We've been entangled with the Japanese for too long, and their reinforcements will be arriving soon!"

Xu Guangrong's expression was solemn. Without hesitation, he turned around and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Comrades, stop what you are doing and evacuate immediately! Leave only your weapons, ammunition, and rations behind. Throw away everything else!"

The soldiers sprang into action. Hu Hansi walked over to a tall, sturdy warhorse, steadied a wounded soldier with both hands, and shoved him aloft. Chen Feiyang, beside the weapons pile, quickly sorted through the collected ammunition, selecting useful pistols and bullets, discarding spare parts and damaged weapons, and occasionally looking back to check on his comrades' preparations.

Just as everyone was about to set off, Li Shuiniu hurried over and reported breathlessly: "Captain, Japanese reinforcements have been spotted in the northeast direction, with approximately one infantry company's strength."

Xu Guangrong and Lei Tao exchanged a stern glance. Lei Tao immediately said, "Captain Xu, we can't wait any longer. I and our 'Netherworld Squad'—Hu Hansi, Chen Feiyang, Lu Ming, Huang Hu, and Liu Zishan—will remain behind to cover our retreat. You, along with the Li brothers and the task force, will protect the progressive young students and retreat according to the planned retreat plan..."

Xu Guangrong was about to refuse when Lei Tao added eagerly, "There's no time to argue. This is the only way to ensure everyone's safety. We're confident we can hold them off for a while!"

Xu Guangrong gritted his teeth and nodded heavily: "Okay, Lei Tao, you must come back alive! Comrades, let's go!"

Following the order, the Eighth Route Army task force, along with the progressive young students, quickly evacuated northwestward on horseback, their hooves clattering and raising clouds of dust.

Lei Tao and the others quickly pulled out grenades from their waistbands and backpacks. Hu Hansi said as he did so, "These grenades can be very useful at a critical moment!" Chen Feiyang quickly unscrewed the grenade safety caps and, following Lei Tao's instructions, placed the grenades at intervals along the path the Japanese troops would inevitably pass. He moved swiftly, his eyes constantly alertly watching the surroundings.

Lu Ming and Huang Hu were in charge of stringing together the grenades with branches, creating a simple trip mine. Lu Ming whispered, "When the Japanese step on them, they'll be in trouble!" Liu Zishan assisted, carefully observing the terrain and helping to secure the grenades.

Soon, the simple minefield was laid. Lei Tao and his team quickly dispersed, each finding a hidden position, holding their weapons, and quietly waiting for the Japanese army to arrive.

After a while, the Japanese army appeared, they were in battle formation, approaching cautiously. Lei Tao stared at the Japanese army and whispered to the team members: "Listen to my orders, wait until they approach the minefield, detonate the grenade first, and then shoot."

The Japanese troops were getting closer and closer, 200 meters, 100 meters, 50 meters... Lei Tao saw the right moment and shouted, "Detonate!" The team members quickly pulled the ropes connected to the grenades. In an instant, there were several loud bangs, and the grenades exploded one after another. Flames shot into the sky, and the Japanese were blown to pieces, and a large number of them fell.

Immediately afterwards, Lei Tao shouted, "Shoot!" Everyone opened fire. Hu Hansi's machine gun fire was fierce, constantly blasting the Japanese, suppressing their attack. Chen Feiyang's marksmanship was accurate, and with every shot, a Japanese soldier felled. Lu Ming, Huang Hu, and Liu Zishan were not far behind, each taking aim and pulling the trigger. But the enemy was too numerous, and their situation became increasingly dangerous.

The battle intensified, and some of the team members were injured. Liu Zishan was shot, his arm bleeding profusely, but he simply bandaged it and continued fighting. Suddenly, Lei Tao noticed that the Japanese were encircling them, putting them in even greater danger. He shouted, "Prepare to retreat!" The team members took turns covering each other, fighting and retreating. Hu Hansi, holding his machine gun, fired while retreating, buying time for his teammates, while Chen Feiyang stood guard in the rear, guarding against a surprise attack by the Japanese.

After escaping the Japanese army's pursuit, Lei Tao and others ran wildly towards the valley.