The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 12 Late Night Melody and Crisis (Edit 1)

Night fell, shrouding the earth in darkness. The pre-positioned artillery positions were faintly visible in the dim moonlight. All around was silence, broken only by the occasional chirping of insects. Lei Tao lay on a large bluestone, humming the tune of "My Motherland and I." The melody drifted softly through the silent night sky.

A female medic was sorting medical supplies nearby when she heard the faint humming and was drawn in. She tiptoed closer and saw Lei Tao lying on the stone, a look of surprise and curiosity in her eyes.

Lei Tao noticed someone approaching, stopped humming, and turned to look at the female medic. "What? My singing attracted you?" Lei Tao quipped. The female medic scoffed slightly, "Your humming isn't very good, and you've attracted people here." Despite saying this, a faint smile played on her face.

Lei Tao sat up and patted the seat next to him: "Come, sit for a while. It's rare to have a moment of peace during this battle." The female medical soldier walked over and sat down, her eyes falling on Lei Tao: "How come you still have the mind to hum a song?" Lei Tao looked at the night sky and said slowly: "Humming a song reminds me of the past, and I will be more powerful to face the current difficulties." The female medical soldier nodded thoughtfully: "Indeed, life now is very different from before."

At this moment, the weather suddenly changed. The moonlight was completely obscured by dark clouds, and the wind blew with a biting chill. Lei Tao sat up, took out some dry food from his backpack, and handed a piece to the female medic: "Eat some, replenish your energy." The female medic shook her head: "I'm not hungry, you eat it, you may have more difficult tasks later." Lei Tao shrugged: "Maybe this is the last meal before the war, you should eat something." The female medic rolled her eyes at him: "Pah, pah, pah, don't talk nonsense." But she still took the dry food and took a small bite.

Lei Tao stopped forcing himself and ate without hesitation. When he finished, he stood up, his expression serious. "We have an important mission. First, we must level the artillery positions. Then, we'll go to the caves and carry the spare parts for the three 120mm howitzers. We'll assemble them and hide them. This is a 'surprise' for the Japanese."

Some remnants took shovels and other tools and began to level the ground of the position. One remnant shouted, "It's a bit high here, we have to level it!" Another remnant responded and started working hard. The other remnants headed towards the cave. In the cave, howitzer parts were laid out, and the metal parts shone coldly in the dim light. The burly remnant soldier held the large gun wheel with both hands, gathered all his strength and lifted it up, with bulging veins on his face, as he moved out of the cave step by step with difficulty. Another remnant soldier carefully picked up the gun barrel, staring intently, not daring to be careless, and slowly moved out of the cave. There were also remnants of two people lifting other heavy parts. Their steps were heavy but steady, with beads of sweat on their foreheads, knowing that these parts were related to the outcome of the battle.

The remaining soldiers carried the parts back to the battlefield, and Lei Tao directed the assembly. Everyone was busy when the observation post quickly came running with a report: "A Japanese field battalion, coordinated by traitors, is searching from outside Nanjing. About half a squadron of Japanese soldiers and a dozen traitors are heading our way. At their speed, they should be there in about two hours."

When everyone heard this, they panicked. One of the remaining soldiers said anxiously, "This is bad! If they are discovered, our plan will be ruined." Another soldier shouted angrily, "Let's fight them!"

Lei Tao frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "We can't fight head-on. That would only lead to our death. I'll go alone to distract them. It's easier for me to hide alone, and I'm a strong fighter. I'm sure they won't get suspicious. This is my only chance of survival."

The remaining soldiers were horrified and tried to dissuade him. One soldier rushed forward eagerly: "Brother Lei, this is too dangerous, absolutely not!" Another soldier also said anxiously: "Brother Lei, let's think of a solution together, there must be another way out."

Lei Tao shook his head firmly: "There is no time, they will be here soon. Only when I lead them away can you continue the mission."

The female medical soldier bit her lip, tears in her eyes, and walked forward to hold Lei Tao's arm: "Lei Tao, you must be careful. You can't abandon us, you must come back alive." Lei Tao looked at her with a hint of tenderness in his eyes: "Don't worry, I have a strong life. I still want to see victory in the war and see everyone live a good life." The female medical soldier said in a crying voice: "You always say this, but this trip is too dangerous." Lei Tao gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes: "I will come back. When I come back, I will hum that song for you again."

Lei Tao checked his weapons and equipment, took a deep breath, turned around resolutely, and walked steadily towards the direction of the Japanese troops and traitors against the biting cold wind. His figure gradually merged into the darkness, leaving only the sound of his firm footsteps echoing in the night sky.

The remaining soldiers of the Huaxia National Security Army looked at his receding back, their hearts filled with admiration and worry, but they also secretly vowed to assemble the howitzers as soon as possible to have a greater chance of success in the shelling operation to disrupt the Japanese army's entry ceremony.