nycdaug Chapter 144: Dealing with Japanese Snipers
Chapter 144: Dealing with Japanese Snipers
Not to be outdone, Li Shuiyang crouched on a higher rock. He quickly rotated the drum, rapidly loading his crossbow with arrows, while keeping his eyes fixed on the Japanese soldiers advancing toward the foot of the mountain. He pulled the trigger repeatedly, and arrows whizzed out, knocking several Japanese soldiers to the ground, some struck in the shoulder, some in the waist, and even some in the thigh. Seeing their comrades fall, the other Japanese soldiers, sensing they were under attack, quickly took cover. However, the Li brothers' geographical advantage meant they could see the Japanese soldiers no matter how they hid. These crossbow arrows were pre-dipped with a nerve toxin, a powerful weapon given to them by Lei Tao. The remaining Japanese soldiers were focused on advancing toward Lei Tao and his men's position, oblivious to the deadly threat emanating from behind. As the crossbows continued to fire, they were struck one by one. Any grazed or pierced by a crossbow arrow would rapidly spread the nerve toxin. The Japanese soldiers who were struck by the arrows fell to the ground instantly, their bodies nailed to the ground by the powerful impact of the crossbows, and their faces still showed expressions of fear and disbelief. Some struggled in pain, covering their wounds and wailing, but it was only a last glimmer of life, and they died a moment later...
The Japanese troops were instantly thrown into chaos and panic. They searched for cover, but no matter where they hid, they could not escape Li Shuiyang's sight. Those Japanese soldiers who had not yet been shot, their eyes filled with fear, fired blindly around them, trying to suppress the attack from behind, but the bullets only whizzed through the air, unable to find the enemy hiding in the high ground.
Li Shuiyang didn't stop at all. He quickly turned the drum, loaded the crossbow, and aimed and shot again...
Meanwhile, the soldiers under the deputy captain of the Eighth Route Army squad, upon hearing the noise behind them, quickly reacted. He was delighted to realize reinforcements were arriving, but he didn't dare to let his guard down. Seizing the opportunity when the Japanese squad was pinned down by the Li Shuiniu and Li Shuyang, he decisively commanded his men to launch a counterattack. Rising from their cover, the soldiers bravely charged the Japanese, their weapons blazing as they engaged in a fierce, close-range firefight.
Lei Tao knew the Japanese sniper was the greatest threat; if he didn't remove this sting, his team would remain in constant danger. Crouching low, he darted from cover to cover, his eyes sharp as a hawk, trying to locate the sniper's new position. Suddenly, he noticed an unusual movement in the distant brush. With a sudden impulse, he immediately rolled in that direction, firing a few bursts of his modified Type 81 assault rifle at the suspected position, probing the target.
The Japanese sniper, sensing his position might be exposed, quickly leaped from the brush, tumbling to a large tree. Using the trunk as cover, he again set up his sniper rifle. Lei Tao spotted the enemy, but the tree blocked his path, preventing him from making a direct hit. Calmly considering his strategy, he suddenly stood up and ran toward a nearby boulder, deliberately exposing his route and drawing the Japanese sniper's attention.
The Japanese sniper fell for the trick. He aimed at Lei Tao's figure and pulled the trigger, sending the bullet whizzing out. At the moment the bullet flew, Lei Tao dodged to the side and hid behind a boulder. The bullet struck the boulder, sending up a shower of stone chips. Taking advantage of this gap, Lei Tao pulled a smoke bomb from his waist and threw it forcefully in the direction of the Japanese sniper. As the smoke bomb landed, it instantly released a large amount of thick smoke, enveloping the area.
The Japanese sniper's vision was obscured by the smoke, and he panicked. He tried to relocate and quietly evacuate through the shroud. Lei Tao, using the smoke as cover, quickly flanked the Japanese sniper. His steps were light, his breathing steady, and he tried not to make any noise. When he closed in, he could see the blurry silhouette of the Japanese sniper through a gap in the smoke.
Lei Tao didn't rush to fire, but continued to approach quietly, fully aware of the profound battle of psychology and skill. When the distance closed to just over ten meters, the Japanese sniper, as if sensing danger, spun abruptly, using his sniper rifle as a melee weapon and swiftly swept towards Lei Tao. With his gaze piercing, Lei Tao ducked, his movements agile as a cheetah, easily dodging the fierce blow. Then, taking a deep breath and mobilizing all his strength, he unleashed the Iron Mountain Lean technique, a move from the eighth-level boxing technique. Like a flash of black lightning, he lunged forward, his shoulder muscles tensing, gathering immense power, and slammed fiercely into the Japanese sniper's abdomen. The Iron Mountain Lean technique was Lei Tao's signature close-combat killer move, its force like a surging ocean wave, unstoppable. The Japanese sniper stumbled back several steps, his rifle falling from his grasp. Pain and terror instantly crossed his face, evidently bearing the crushing blow.
The Japanese sniper endured the pain, steadied himself, and pulled a dagger from his waist, stabbing Lei Tao. Lei Tao dodged to the side, simultaneously grabbing the opponent's wrist with his left hand and twisting it hard. The Japanese sniper felt the pain and dropped the dagger. But he was not to be outdone, and kicked Lei Tao in the knee. Lei Tao took a step back, creating distance between himself and the Japanese sniper, and then quickly pulled out his pistol.
The moment Lei Tao pulled the bolt to cock and released the safety, the Japanese sniper hurriedly did a tactical backflip and jumped behind a big tree, took out his self-defense pistol, and prepared to fight Lei Tao with a pistol. He leaned against the tree trunk, breathing heavily, staring vigilantly at the direction where Lei Tao might appear, trying to calm himself down. He knew very well how powerful Lei Tao was, but as an imperial soldier, he would never be willing to be defeated like this. He pricked up his ears and listened carefully to the movements of Lei Tao behind the tree, his finger lightly on the trigger. As long as Lei Tao showed a flaw, he would not hesitate to use the cover of the big tree to shoot at Lei Tao.
Lei Tao stood with his feet slightly apart, shoulder-width apart, his knees slightly bent, his center of gravity lowered, his entire body like a bow ready to be released. His eyes were fixed on the Japanese sniper behind the tree in front of him.
Lei Tao's pistol was firmly grasped, his arm hanging naturally, his muscles tense, ready to strike at any moment. When he sensed the slightest movement from the Japanese sniper, he reacted instantly. He quickly swerved, shifting his body about half a meter to the left. At the same time, he raised his right hand with incredible speed, and with a flick of his wrist, the pistol arced through the air. With a bang, the bullet whizzed out in the direction of his arm and pistol, accurately striking the Japanese sniper's thigh. The sniper's leg gave way in pain, and his body tilted slightly, exposing himself further.
Immediately afterwards, without a moment's pause, Lei Tao took a step forward with his right foot, his body turning with it. Using the force of his rotation, he quickly adjusted the angle of his right hand again, raised the muzzle slightly, and aimed at the enemy's upper body. "Bang!" Another shot was fired, this time hitting the sniper's chest, the powerful impact causing him to lean back.
But Lei Tao didn't stop. He thrust his pistol forward, firing a final shot like a meteor chasing the moon, catching the sniper directly between the eyebrows. The sniper's eyes instantly lost their luster, and his body fell like a puppet with its strings cut, hitting the ground hard, raising a cloud of dust. Still worried, Lei Tao pointed his gun at the sniper's body and fired two more shots before picking up the sniper rifle beside him and storing it in the Bagua Top space...