nycdaug Chapter 348: The Agent Escapes, Dual Pursuit on the Lakeshore and in the Mountains
Chapter 348: The Agent Escapes, Dual Pursuit on the Lakeshore and in the Mountains
Liu Zishan looked at the top of the mountain where Shangshan Heye disappeared. The gun in his hand hung limply, his chest heaving violently. He stomped his feet hard with unwillingness in his heart, turned around and quickly returned to the cave. At this moment, he had only one thought: to inform Lei Tao and others of the news as soon as possible.
Back in the cave, Liu Zishan spotted Lei Tao and Xu Keming preparing to enter the water. He hurried over, panting and shouting, "Oh no! Shang Shanhe escaped through another exit and killed several Juntong soldiers. I couldn't stop him!"
Lei Tao and Xu Keming's faces darkened when they heard this. Lei Tao clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, saying, "This bastard is so cunning! He actually pulled a trick right under our noses."
Xu Keming took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He looked at Liu Zishan and asked, "Which direction did he run to?"
Liu Zishan raised his hand and pointed in the direction of the mountain top, saying, "He climbed to the top and went into the jungle."
Xu Keming pondered for a moment, then turned to Lei Tao and said, "Brother Lei, Zheng Cheng is still searching in the lake. We need to split up. I'll take my men into the water to meet up with Zheng Cheng and see if we can find any trace of the two agents. You and your men will go overland to the mountains to chase them."
Lei Tao nodded without hesitation and said, "Okay, Brother Xu, let's do it. Be careful in the water. Although these two agents are not as difficult to deal with as Shang Shan He Ye, we can't be careless." After that, he quickly turned around and gave orders to Chen Feiyang and others behind him: "Brothers, pack up your equipment, we will chase them by land, we must not let Shang Shan He Ye get away!" The team members immediately took action and checked the guns and ammunition.
Xu Keming also quickly led his men into the water. The icy cold water instantly enveloped them, but no one flinched. Xu Keming held his breath and swam swiftly through the water, his eyes keenly scanning the surroundings, not missing any corner where an agent might be hiding.
Lei Tao led his team members quickly along the mountain path. The path was rugged and covered with thorns, and their clothes were torn and their skin was scratched, but no one stopped. As they walked, Lei Tao observed the tracks on the ground, trying to find clues left by Kazuya Uesugami. Suddenly, he squatted down and pointed to a patch of trampled grass on the ground. He said, "Look, there are traces of trampled grass on this grass. It must be Kazuya Uesugami. He must have gone in this direction." The team members immediately gathered around, carefully examined the tracks, and continued to follow the same direction.
Meanwhile, Xu Keming spotted a suspicious floating object in the lake. Swimming closer, he saw it was a secret agent's uniform. He was delighted, knowing he had found the right direction. Suddenly, from the reeds on the shore came the sound of an MP35 submachine gun, and a barrage of bullets pelted Xu Keming and his companions in the lake.
Xu Keming's heart raced, realizing the situation was dire. He immediately warned his team, "Be careful! There's an ambush!" He dove quickly, nimbly rolling in the water to avoid the rain of bullets. The lake water was stirred up in a series of murky splashes, and bullets whizzed past his body. The slightest mistake would have hit him.
The team members behind Xu Keming also reacted quickly, each seeking cover. Some used dead logs floating in the water as cover, while others quickly dived to the bottom of the lake, trying to avoid this round of fierce attack.
Xu Keming held his breath, observing the movements of the reeds on the shore from underwater. Through the ripples, he could vaguely make out several figures swaying in the moonlit reeds, their MP35 submachine guns spitting flames. He cursed silently, having never imagined these two agents could be so cunning and even set an ambush.
He thought quickly underwater, knowing he couldn't stay trapped in the water and passively take the beating. So he gestured to his teammates, telling them to form groups of two and approach the shore from different directions to disperse the enemy's firepower.
The team members understood the message and quickly formed into pairs, swimming towards the shore. Xu Keming took the lead, pushing his feet hard against the lake bottom and sprinting towards the surface like an arrow.
Xu Keming jumped ashore and quickly hid in the rustling thick grass. His cold and wet clothes stuck to his body, but he ignored it and kept his eyes on the enemy's movements in the reed marsh.
He quickly crouched, gripping the Thompson submachine gun with both hands, and swung the muzzle downward, causing the accumulated water to pour out of the barrel. Then, with deft and swift movements, he removed the magazine, shook it dry, and tapped it on the ground several times to ensure that the accumulated water was completely drained. Then, his fingers deftly pulled the bolt repeatedly, and with each pull, the remaining water was expelled, and the bolt made a crisp "click", which was particularly clear on the silent shore.
After completing this, Xu Keming quickly loaded the magazine and cocked the rifle. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling violently, as he calmed his nervous and excited emotions. At this moment, his eyes revealed determination and resolve. He took aim at the blurry figures in the reed marsh and decisively pulled the trigger.
"Da da da!" The Thompson submachine gun spewed flames, and bullets rained down on the two Japanese agents. The reeds were knocked to pieces, debris flying everywhere. The two men were caught off guard by the sudden counterattack and frantically sought cover. Xu Keming fired while keeping low and moving quickly through the grass, constantly changing his position to exploit the terrain and making it difficult for the enemy to locate him. His figure loomed in the grass like a ghost, successfully attracting the attention of the Japanese agents and buying precious time for the Military Intelligence Bureau agents in the lake to reach shore.
Seeing Xu Keming's cover, the Military Intelligence Bureau agents in the lake gathered their strength and swam towards the shore. Some used floating debris to cover their bodies, while others swam quickly underwater.
Lei Tao led the "Netherworld" team and trudged up the steep slope. The jungle on the top of the mountain became increasingly dense, with branches and leaves intertwined.
Chen Feiyang was not paying attention and was tripped by a tree root hidden in the dark. He fell forward. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and supported himself on the ground with his hands in time, so he did not fall too badly.
"What a horrible place!" Chen Feiyang cursed softly, his voice filled with frustration and irritation. "That guy Kazuya Uesugi must have chosen this route on purpose to torment us to death."
Liu Zishan's face was solemn, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead and across his dusty cheeks. He was panting heavily, his tone unquestionable: "Stop complaining. No matter how hard it is to go, we must chase him. We can't let him get away. This bastard has the blood of so many of our brothers on his hands. We must take him down today!"
At this moment, Lei Tao, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped and raised his hand to make a gesture to stop moving forward.
He gestured for silence again, then stood there, his eyes scanning the surroundings repeatedly, not missing any movement. The forest was eerily quiet, with only the occasional cry of a night owl sending chills down one's spine.
Suddenly, Lei Tao squatted down and got close to the ground. He found that there was a thin line connecting the big trees on both sides one meter away and less than ten centimeters from the ground. Lei Tao made a gesture to the people behind him to disperse and be alert.
Liu Zishan crouched down and quietly moved to Lei Tao's side. He squatted down and followed Lei Tao's gaze to look at the thin wire. His brows were furrowed and he asked in a low voice, "Brother Lei, what's wrong?"
Lei Tao shook his head slightly, his eyes still fixed on the thin line, and whispered, "There's a trap two steps ahead. It's likely an early warning mine set by Shangshan Kazuya. He's a very thoughtful guy, knowing we'd definitely follow his trail, so he set this thing up on purpose. If we accidentally trigger it, not only will our position be exposed, but it could also cause casualties."
Upon hearing this, Liu Zishan's expression instantly darkened, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He swallowed and cautiously scanned his surroundings, trying to identify any more hidden dangers. "So what do we do now?" he asked anxiously, his voice lowered, his eyes filled with anxiety.
Lei Tao didn't answer immediately. Instead, he remained in a half-crouched position, slowly shifting his body, trying to find a way to break the trap by observing the thin wire and the surrounding environment from different angles. After a moment, he raised his head and whispered to Liu Zishan, "Don't rush forward. First, determine the trap's triggering method and range of influence."