The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 339: Countdown to the Cliff Bandit Suppression, Race Against Time to Stop the Enemy

Lei Tao said, "I've already discovered the location of Zhu Erba's bandit den. It's in a cave halfway up a cliff, more than 30 kilometers west of the town. The bandits can only enter and exit the cave entrance by climbing up and down rope ladders. The terrain is steep and easy to defend, but difficult to attack."

Xu Keming's eyes flashed with excitement when he heard this. He clenched his prosthetic hand into a fist and waved it up and down, saying, "Great, this is a key clue! As long as we understand their patrol patterns and defense arrangements, we can formulate a comprehensive encirclement and suppression plan."

Lei Tao said: "Let's go and gather the backbones of our two families to hold a meeting."

Lei Tao and Xu Keming sprang into action. Lei Tao instructed Meng Xiaoyu to gather several members of the "Netherworld" action team, while Xu Keming instructed Zheng Cheng to notify the Military Control Commission's action team. Suddenly, hurried footsteps filled the camp as members gathered from all corners, having heard they were about to discuss the bandit suppression.

Soon, the spacious tent was packed with people, the atmosphere both heated and tense. Lei Tao spread out a wrinkled but meticulously marked map in front of everyone. On the map, the cliff where Zhu Erba's bandit lair was located was circled heavily in red.

"Look everyone," Lei Tao said, pointing to the map, "this cave halfway up the cliff is the bandit's lair. They only get in and out by rope ladder." He turned to look at Chen Feiyang and said, "Feiyang, come here and tell me the information you got from interrogating the bandits earlier."

Chen Feiyang, who was sitting at the back of the group, responded, "Okay." He stepped forward and said, "According to the bandits, the terrain around the cave entrance is dangerous, covered with thorns and rocks. Every evening, they would put up the rope ladder and lower it again at four in the morning. The spy Mu Tengcunshu planned to transfer the hostages and reunite with other Japanese spies in the near future. However, more than ten days have passed since they raided this militia camp, and it's unknown if there have been any other changes to their plans."

The air in the tent seemed to freeze instantly, and everyone was shocked by this sudden news. Once the hostages were transferred, these Japanese agents would disappear and lie dormant, making it difficult to find their traces.

Xu Keming's face was so gloomy it looked like water could drip out of it. His prosthetic limbs unconsciously clenched, making a dull metallic sound. "We must not let Muto Muraki and his gang of Japanese agents escape as they wish! After more than ten days, we must quickly ascertain their latest movements."

"But time is running out. Where should we start?" Zhang Feng from the Military Control Commission's action team asked anxiously.

At this time, Liu Zishan of the "Netherworld" Operation Team stood up and gave a clear analysis. "Since we're unsure whether their plans have changed, let's start with what we know. First, the clifftop terrain is fixed. We can send more people to scout the surrounding area and find more viable attack routes. Secondly, regarding their patrol patterns, while collecting the rope ladders every evening and releasing them at 4 a.m. was the norm before, perhaps after the raid, they will increase their nighttime patrols. This requires special attention."

Lei Tao nodded slightly, agreeing with Liu Zishan's analysis: "Liu Zishan is right. We will split into two groups. One group will be responsible for reconnaissance around the cliff, and the other group will try to collect intelligence on Mu Tengcunshu and the bandits' recent activities."

"I'll take a few people to scout the cliffs," Li Shuiniu said. "My brothers and I are hunters, so let Shuianyang and I scout around the cliffs."

Xu Keming looked at Zheng Cheng and said, "Zheng Cheng, take a few brothers from the Military Control Commission and go to the surrounding villages to gather information. Pay special attention to any suspicious individuals or signs of large-scale personnel transfers."

"Yes!" Zheng Cheng took the order and left.

Meng Xiaoyu added, "We also have to prepare equipment for various situations. Climbing cliffs requires ropes and grappling hooks; assaulting requires guns, ammunition, and protective gear; and to prevent the enemy from becoming desperate and harming the hostages, we also need smoke bombs and tranquilizer guns."

Everyone nodded and began to detail the tasks. As the discussion deepened, a preliminary battle plan gradually took shape: first, through reconnaissance, determine the enemy's latest defenses and the hostages' location. If the bandits had not yet transferred the hostages, launch a surprise attack at 4:00 AM, when the rope ladder was lowered and the enemy's defenses were relatively weak. The feint attack team would draw fire from the front, while the climbing team would scale the cliff from the side or back, infiltrate the cave, rescue the hostages, and eliminate the bandits.

After the meeting, the team members sprang into action. Li Shuiniu and Li Shui, equipped with sophisticated equipment, headed towards the cliffs. Zheng Cheng and the Military Control Commission members, disguised, dispersed to surrounding villages. Meng Xiaoyu busied herself with inventorying and preparing various equipment and supplies.

Xu Keming looked at the busy crowd and turned to Lei Tao and said, "This mission is arduous, but for the safety of the hostages and to eradicate this evil force, we must succeed and not fail."

Lei Tao looked determined and patted Xu Keming on the shoulder: "Don't worry, Brother Xu, we can do it!"

A day later, Li Shuiniu and Li Shui returned first. Their faces dusty and their clothes tattered by thorns, their eyes gleaming with excitement. "Brother Lei, Captain Xu!" Li Shuiniu shouted upon entering the camp. "We've found a hidden path just behind the cliff. It's steep, but with ropes and grappling hooks, our men can climb up. However, there are two sentries there, so we need to find a way to deal with them."

Almost at the same time, Zheng Cheng also hurried back with the news. His expression was solemn, and before he could even sit down, he spoke eagerly, "We've heard from the surrounding villages that Mu Tengcunshu is indeed planning to transfer the hostages within the next two days! Furthermore, the bandits have increased their vigilance, setting up additional firing points near the rope ladder and deploying mobile sentries."

Lei Tao and Xu Keming exchanged a glance, both realizing the situation was even more dire than they'd anticipated. "It seems we need to act now," Lei Tao said after a moment's contemplation. "We can't wait for the enemy to transfer the hostages."

Xu Keming nodded in agreement. He looked at everyone and said, "In that case, let's start tonight! Everyone, hurry up and prepare. Familiarize yourself with the terrain and battle plan in advance."

Night fell slowly, like inky black. The operatives quietly assembled outside the camp. Lei Tao reconfirmed the battle plan: the feint attack team, led by Zheng Cheng of the Military Control Commission's action team, would approach the rope ladder from the front, carrying heavy firepower and attracting the bandits' attention. The climbing team, led by Lei Tao, was led by Li Shuiniu, who, with his extensive mountaineering experience, would explore the path ahead, ascending the cliffside path. After eliminating the sentry, they would rappel down from the mountaintop and infiltrate the cave. Xu Keming, with the remaining men, would be ready to provide support.