The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

After Lei Tao and the remaining soldiers agreed on a plan, they divided into groups and quietly headed towards Toudao Ridge on Purple Mountain. They moved cautiously through the jungle, like ghosts in the night. Each step was light and graceful, as if treading on clouds, yet exuded an undeniable resolve. Their eyes, sharp as torches, scanned their surroundings with vigilance, their hands tightly gripping their weapons. The coolness of the metal spread throughout their bodies, a constant reminder of the danger they faced.

After a day and a half of meticulous searching, scouring the mountains, forests, and ravines, their faces were exhausted, their clothes soaked with sweat, and their legs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds. But none of them complained, their hearts filled with the unwavering determination to find the field howitzer. Halfway up the mountain, just as their confidence began to waver and frustration crept in, they discovered a cave near a pavilion, cleverly concealed by branches and rocks.

Lei Tao's eyes lit up, and he tiptoed closer, slowly clearing away the debris at the cave entrance. A stale air filled his face, and the interior was pitch black. He quickly pulled a high-powered flashlight from his backpack and flipped it on. A beam of intense light instantly pierced the darkness. Crouching low, he slowly advanced deeper, the light glimmering like a nimble snake, exploring the darkness. Everyone gathered at the cave entrance, daring not to breathe, staring nervously at the beam. Some of the remaining soldiers unconsciously clenched their fists, while others slightly raised their toes, their eyes filled with anticipation and unease.

"Finally, we have some clues." A remnant soldier sighed softly.

"It would be great if we could ruin the enemy's entry ceremony." Another person echoed softly.

At that moment, Lei Tao's flashlight illuminated a rusty iron door with a large padlock on it. The remaining soldiers gathered around, their eyes filled with curiosity and excitement. A scarred soldier's eyes widened and he eagerly asked, "Brother Lei, could that be the cannon we're looking for?" Lei Tao stared intently at the iron door, and without turning back, he whispered, "Don't worry, let's take a look first." He approached the door and peered through the crack. Inside was a pile of wooden boxes. Suddenly, a rat darted out, startling everyone and causing Lei Tao's hand to tremble, nearly dropping his flashlight. He quickly steadied himself and continued observing.

Just then, a faint sound was heard outside, and everyone was instantly alert, gripping their weapons tightly and tensing their bodies. Lei Tao raised his hand to signal silence, and listened carefully. The sound approached, and everyone's heart was in their throat. Some foreheads broke out in cold sweat, and some lips trembled slightly. Lei Tao turned off the flashlight, and the cave was deadly silent. When the sound faded, everyone just breathed a sigh of relief when the sound of footsteps became clearer from multiple directions. Everyone's face was pale, and they huddled together back to back, gripping their weapons even tighter, their knuckles turning white.

A dark figure appeared at the cave entrance. Lei Tao raised his rifle and took aim. As the figure drew closer, he realized it was an old monkey. A remnant soldier breathed a sigh of relief, patting his chest and saying, "Oh my God! I was so scared! I thought it was the Japanese approaching." Lei Tao said sternly, "Don't relax! The danger isn't over yet." He studied the iron door again, pondered for a moment, and whispered to the others about prying it open. A thin remnant soldier hesitated, "Brother Lei, is this feasible? Is there any danger?" Lei Tao looked at the others firmly and said, "We can only try now. This is our chance." Despite their concerns, the others acted swiftly, some gathering tools, some observing their surroundings, and others squatting down to help.

After some effort, the iron door was pried open a crack. Opening the door, wooden boxes came into view. Opening one box revealed howitzer parts, and everyone's faces lit up with joy. Some cheered, some jumped for joy, and some hugged each other excitedly. Lei Tao signaled everyone to calm down and continue searching the warehouse carefully. In a corner of the warehouse, they found a hidden small compartment with a half-open door. Lei Tao slowly pushed open the door and shone a flashlight, revealing rows of neatly stacked howitzer shells. The metal shells of the shells gleamed with a cold luster under the light, as if telling of their powerful destructive power. Seeing the shells, everyone was even more excited, because they knew that with these shells, they would have a better chance of disrupting the Japanese army's entry ceremony.

Lei Tao quickly calmed down and arranged for everyone to rest while he left the cave to survey the terrain. He would sometimes quickly climb to a higher point to survey the area; sometimes he would squat and feel the ground for undulations; and sometimes he would weave through the trees to check for obstructions. After some exploration, he found a suitable artillery position on the reverse slope of Toudao Ridge. Excitedly, he ran back to the cave, rallied the group, and declared, "Brothers, we've found the position! It's on the reverse slope of Toudao Ridge, well-hidden. We can catch the Japanese off guard." Everyone gathered around, their eyes filled with anticipation. One of the remaining soldiers eagerly asked, "Brother Lei, how do we actually attack?" Lei Tao squatted down, gestured on the ground with a branch, and began to explain in detail: "We'll set up our artillery position here. Although we can't aim directly, by using observation posts for calibration, we can definitely deliver a fatal blow to the Japanese." Everyone listened attentively, nodding frequently.

Afterwards, Lei Tao took out a telescope to measure the distance. He knelt on one knee, held the telescope steady, and kept his eyes glued to the lens barrel, carefully observing the target area while muttering to himself, quickly marking and calculating parameters on a piece of paper. A remnant soldier came over curiously and asked, "Brother Lei, how do you calculate these distances and parameters?" Lei Tao patiently explained as he calculated, "This is related to the trajectory and landing point of the artillery shell. It must be calculated accurately to ensure it hits the target."

After finishing his work, Lei Tao, mindful of the group's need for refreshment, went into the forest alone to search for food. He walked slowly through the forest, scanning the grass and branches. Eventually, he found some wild fruit and even managed to hunt a rabbit and a pheasant. He happily gathered his catch and hurried back to the cave.