The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 450: Blood Flame Maze: Defeating Enemies with Grenade and Parachute Shock

Lei Tao fastened the buckle of Chen Feiyang's parachute bag, confirmed the shoulder strap was locked, and quickly turned around: "First, give the 'foot basin chickens' a wave of 'benefits'!" He took out four anti-infantry grenades from the Bagua gyroscope space and stuffed two of them into Chen Feiyang's hands. He bent down and half-crouched to form a triangular support. His peripheral vision swept across the landing point mark on the edge of the cliff - it was 3.2 meters away from the cliff, blocking the Japanese pursuit route.

"Ready!" Lei Tao hooked his index finger around the grenade's pull ring, his knuckles white as lime from the strain. Forty meters away, the rustle of Japanese boots crunching dead leaves mixed with the clang of metal against metal, closing in like a venomous snake. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chen Feiyang half-kneeling behind him, his rifle firmly locked around the bend—a perfect blind spot. In tacit coordination, the two men ducked and moved sideways four meters, their combat boots leaving two fleeting, shallow marks in the mud, like a hunter's quietly tightening noose.

"Pull the pin! Throw!" Lei Tao shouted, and the pull rings of both grenades fell simultaneously. He leaned back into a lunge, exerting force while Chen Feiyang lowered his shoulders and elbows to create a stable fulcrum. Their movements were as precise as a mirror reflection. The two grenades spun half a circle in his palms, drawing parallel parabolas with the synchronized force of their wrists. The sound of the shattering air ripped through the sweltering air.

Five Japanese soldiers, forming an arrowhead formation, turned the corner. Sergeant Matsumoto, his sword raised high, had barely fallen when two dark shadows pierced the midday sun. The machine gunner in the lead was blown away by the blast before he could even pull the trigger, sending his Type 99 light machine gun twisting and hurtling toward the cliff face. Shrapnel and debris rained down like a torrential downpour. One soldier's helmet was ripped off by the blast, leaving a horrific bloody hole in his skull. Another soldier's right leg was completely severed, and the broken bone and flesh from the blast splattered across his companion's face. Matsumoto was slammed against the rock wall by the blast, his medal embedded in his flesh, and a piece of his tooth spurted out of his mouth in the blood foam.

Even before the smoke cleared, Lei Tao's gaze was locked on the Japanese soldiers reloading their ammunition. "Reload time!" he growled, pulling out two more grenades. Chen Feiyang immediately adjusted his stance, forming a cross-cover formation. "Three, two, one!" The two men simultaneously pulled their pins, this time hurling the grenades diagonally, tracing an X-shaped trajectory through the air. With two muffled thuds, the Japanese soldiers who had just set up their machine guns were knocked over by the blast. Sparks from the burning ammunition crates ignited the surrounding dry grass.

As the white smoke rose, Lei Tao quickly shouldered his parachute. Chen Feiyang had already switched his AK47 to burst mode, firing at the figures moving through the smoke. Several Japanese soldiers were shot to pieces in the haze.

"Go!" Lei Tao flung a smoke bomb and dragged Chen Feiyang toward the cliff. "Jump!" Lei Tao yanked Chen Feiyang toward the edge. As they leaped over the cliff, a scorching wave of air washed over them from behind. He counted silently to three, then his rough fingers yanked the parachute cord. The parachute deployed with a bang, the immense force instantly gripping his shoulders, causing his body to suddenly freeze in mid-air.

At the same moment, Chen Feiyang's parachute deployed, its white canopy fully expanding with a clang under the glaring sunlight. The sudden cushioning force tightened his waist, and he spun half a circle in the air before regaining his balance. He ignored the dizziness and quickly grabbed the control rope. Turning to see Lei Tao also adjusting his parachute, the two nodded from a few meters apart, forming a tacitly coordinated formation in mid-air.

Suddenly, a sound of metal whirring echoed from the clifftop. Lei Tao's pupils constricted—the Japanese had set up their crooked-necked light machine guns! Tracer bullets shot through the air like red vipers, brushing past the parachute lines. "Keep descending in an S-shape!" Lei Tao shouted, pulling the steering cords as the parachute traced an irregular arc through the air. A bullet grazed his ear, the hot wind burning it painfully.

Lei Tao shouted a warning, his body swaying with the swaying parachute. He quickly retrieved an RPG-28 rocket from the Bagua gyroscope, already equipped with a high-explosive incendiary bomb. The metal barrel still had the uniquely cold feel of space. The midday sun refracted glaring spots on the rocket's tail. He braced one knee against the swaying parachute strap and steadied the launcher on his shoulder.

"Hold on to the parachute cord! Protect your head!" Lei Tao roared at Chen Feiyang, who was staggering from side to side in the blast, and pulled the trigger. The rocket, trailing an orange-red flame, pierced the air with a sharp whistling sound. The Japanese machine gunner on the clifftop had just swung his gun when the high-explosive incendiary warhead accurately hit the machine gun position. With a resounding explosion, shrapnel and incendiary agents flew everywhere, instantly engulfing the three Japanese soldiers in flames. The Type 99 light machine gun was twisted into scrap metal.

Chen Feiyang adjusted his parachute mid-air. Despite having just endured a life-or-death battle, he felt a strange sense of tranquility. He looked up at the sky. A few white clouds drifted across the azure sky, and sunlight filtered through them, casting a golden glow over the entire world. He could even hear birdsong in the distance. A few sparrows had flown nearby, seemingly drawn to the sudden movement and circling curiously around the two of them.

"Hey, Brother Lei, look, Sparrow has come to join in the fun too." Chen Feiyang couldn't help but grin, with a hint of relief in his voice.

Lei Tao tilted his head slightly and saw the little sparrows flying in the air. A smile unconsciously appeared on the corner of his mouth: "These little guys don't know how to be afraid." He then became serious again, "Don't be distracted, pay attention to your surroundings, there may be enemies."

"Prepare to land!" Lei Tao shouted, tightening the parachute's control rope to slow his descent. His eyes were fixed on the trees ahead, his feet slightly bent, ready to land.

With a muffled thud, Lei Tao landed steadily on the grass at the edge of the woods, crouching slightly to cushion the impact. He quickly stood up, unhooked the parachute straps, grasped his weapon, and glanced around vigilantly.

However, just as Lei Tao landed safely, Chen Feiyang encountered an unexpected situation. As his parachute neared the woods, a sudden crosswind caused it to deviate from its intended landing point. Chen Feiyang struggled to adjust the control lines, but it was too late to change direction. His body slammed into the thick branches of a large tree, and the parachute cord got caught on the branch, leaving him suspended in mid-air, a full five or six meters above the ground.

"Brother Lei!" Chen Feiyang shouted, trying to attract Lei Tao's attention. He kicked his feet in the air and held on to the parachute straps tightly to prevent himself from sliding off.

Lei Tao heard Chen Feiyang's cry and immediately looked in the direction of the sound. He saw Chen Feiyang hanging from a large tree in the woods, more than fifty meters away from him. His heart tightened, and he quickly ran towards Chen Feiyang, shouting as he ran, "Don't move! I'll be right there!"

Chen Feiyang clutched the parachute straps tightly, trying to stay calm. He looked up at the branches overhead. The parachute cord was tangled tightly in them, making it difficult to free himself quickly. He tried to push against the trunk, trying to find a place to gain leverage, but the branches were too slippery.

"Don't move, I'm here to help you!" Lei Tao quickly crossed the woods and came to the bottom of Chen Feiyang. He looked up at Chen Feiyang's situation, quickly pulled out a dagger from his waist, and prepared to climb up the tree to rescue him.

"Brother Lei, I'm fine! Be careful!" Chen Feiyang felt grateful and worried when he saw Lei Tao's actions.

Lei Tao nodded, gripping the trunk with both hands. With a powerful push of his toes, he scrambled upward. His movements were swift and deft, and he soon reached Chen Feiyang's side. He carefully used his dagger to sever the parachute cord entangled in the branch. Chen Feiyang spun as he fell, the wind whistling in his ears. He adjusted his stance like a hawk with a broken wing, knees slightly bent as he touched the ground, using the momentum to tumble forward, rustling the dirt and dead leaves. By the time he rolled to his knees, the AK47 was already firmly against his chest, the muzzle scanning the surroundings with vigilance.

"Good job!" Lei Tao roared, the dagger clenched in his jaws, a cold gleam. He slammed himself against the tree trunk, using the momentum to perform a backflip in the air. He landed on one knee, his movements as smooth as a cheetah poised for action. Lei Tao sheathed the dagger with lightning speed, then grasped the MP443 submachine gun with his right hand. The safety catch clicked softly, and the sound of a bullet being loaded was particularly clear in the silent forest.

In the distance, the crisp snap of dead branches echoed, and the rustling of footsteps drew closer. The two men quickly dispersed, hiding behind a large tree, their breathing mingling in a heavy rhythm. Lei Tao lowered his voice and said, "Prepare for battle! The enemy is coming." Chen Feiyang nodded slightly, his finger firmly on the trigger, and the muzzle of the gun slowly moved in the direction of the sound. A fierce battle was about to begin.