The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 423: Sealing Wax Secret Evidence to Break Through Danger, Hiding a Gun in the Palm to Break

Before setting off, Lei Tao had practiced hard for several days using the captured Japanese military materials and was barely able to use the Kansai dialect for daily communication.

At this moment, Liu Zishan frowned and asked worriedly: "Brother Lei, what about our guns?"

Lei Tao thought for a moment, then smiled confidently and said, "We only carry pistols for self-defense. We are disguised as businessmen from Mitsubishi Corporation, so it is reasonable for us to carry a pistol for self-defense. The Springfield sniper rifle and the Scorpion submachine gun are given to the villagers for safekeeping. I specially selected hunters who are familiar with the mountains and forests. They know the surrounding environment very well and know which caves are extremely secretive. The weapons will be scattered and hidden in these places to ensure that they are difficult for the Japanese army to find during searches. When the guerrillas arrive, they will hand them over to the guerrillas. These weapons are an important force in the anti-Japanese war and cannot be lost in the slightest."

Liu Zishan frowned slightly, then asked worriedly, "Brother Lei, although it's reasonable to carry a pistol, I'm afraid the Japanese will deliberately make things difficult for us during the inspection. Even if our identities are correct, they might find fault with us and find an excuse to detain us. If we are detained, the whole plan will be ruined."

Li Shuiniu, who was standing by, scratched his head and said in a muffled voice, "What should I do? Should I not bring it with me? But I always feel uneasy and insecure without a gun to protect myself." His anxious look revealed his concern for his own safety and mission, which made people feel both funny and distressed.

Lei Tao pondered for a moment, and suddenly a cunning flashed in his eyes, as if he had seen through everyone's doubts. He smiled slightly, took out an ancient copper coin from his arms, and deftly turned it between his fingers. The copper coin appeared and disappeared like a living thing. Everyone stared at him, and even Liu Zishan's tense expression relaxed. "Brothers," Lei Tao caught the copper coin steadily and put it into his sleeve, as if nothing had happened, "when I was traveling around in my early years, I was taught the "secret art of hand coloring" by a master. This skill can not only hide things invisibly, but also keep the objects safe. If you trust Lei, please give me the pistol for safekeeping. You only need to pretend to be an ordinary businessman along the way, so that no one will be suspicious."

Meng Xiaoyu was the first to react, with a flash of surprise in her eyes: "Brother Lei's idea is brilliant! We can just put the gun in a safe, which is both safe and worry-free." Liu Zishan was still a little hesitant, subconsciously stroking the gun handle: "Brother Lei's craftsmanship is good, but this gun..."

Lei Tao was prepared. He untied the oil-paper wrapping from his waist and gave it a gentle shake. Three pistols appeared out of thin air in his palm, their barrels gleaming coldly in the firelight. He tossed the guns with ease, and they landed precisely in Li Shuiniu's palm. "Brother Shuiniu, catch it." After the crowd's exclamations subsided, he opened his palm. The oil-paper wrapping around the guns had turned to ash, drifting away in the night wind. "Lei...Brother Lei, this method is truly miraculous!" Li Shuiniu stammered, fearing that he would blaspheme this magical skill.

Lei Tao said seriously: "Don't worry, everyone. This hand-coloring technique emphasizes controlling objects with qi. The gun is a hundred times safer with me than on my waist. Our journey is dangerous, and the more secrecy we have, the more chance we have of survival." Seeing that everyone was still hesitant, he simply unbuttoned his coat, revealing the hidden pocket on his waist: "Look, this hidden pocket may look ordinary, but it actually has a special world. Brothers, put your guns here for the time being."

Liu Zishan was the first to react. He strode forward and handed the pistol to Lei Tao: "Brother Lei, I trust you!" Meng Xiaoyu stroked his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief: "This way, a lot of trouble can be saved." Lei Tao put the guns into his hidden pockets one by one. With a flick of his fingertips, the guns were cleverly hidden, making them difficult for outsiders to detect. He fastened his coat again and clapped his hands: "Don't worry, everyone. When we return to a safe place, these guns will be returned to their original owners. For now, we are just empty-handed traders."

Everyone looked at each other, their eyes filled with relief and trust. Liu Zishan even joked, "If I had known Brother Lei had this ability, all my previous frowns would have been in vain."

Meng Xiaoyu nodded gently, his expression serious and concerned. "We must also be extremely careful when handing over the Springfield sniper rifles and Scorpion submachine guns to the villagers. Although they are all reliable villagers, if the news leaks out and the Japanese army goes to the valley to search, the villagers will be in danger. They are our compatriots and the support of our mission. We must not let them fall into danger due to our negligence."

Li Shuiyang nodded in agreement. "I agree with Sister Xiaoyu. We need to find a village representative we can absolutely trust and quietly hand over the weapon in private. We must also instruct them to hide it and not to use it unless absolutely necessary. This weapon is of great importance. If it is exposed, the consequences will be disastrous."

Everyone nodded, their eyes gleaming with determination. Liu Zishan patted his chest vigorously and said in a strong voice, "Brother Lei, don't worry, we will listen to you and will definitely not let you down!"

Meng Xiaoyu seemed to suddenly remember something and said with a worried look, "Lei Tao, if we disguise ourselves as merchants from Mitsubishi, we will inevitably have to deal with all kinds of people along the way. We must pay attention to language and etiquette. If we are exposed, all our efforts will be wasted. This is not only related to our own safety, but also to the success or failure of the entire anti-Japanese movement."

Lei Tao nodded slightly and looked at Meng Xiaoyu: "Xiaoyu is right. In the next period of time, we will focus on practicing Japanese and Japanese business etiquette. Xiaoyu, you are good at Japanese, so please give us more guidance. The successful completion of this mission is inseparable from your help."

Meng Xiaoyu nodded her agreement, her eyes gleaming with seriousness and responsibility. She knew the weight of her responsibility and was determined to do her utmost to help everyone.

For the next two days, the thatched hut was filled with a tense and intense atmosphere of special training. Meng Xiaoyu started with basic Japanese greetings and common expressions. She patiently and meticulously explained every pronunciation and grammar, and everyone followed her with full concentration, practicing repeatedly. From initial stuttering and mispronunciation to gradual fluency and proficiency, those once awkward Japanese words became more and more natural and fluent in everyone's mouths. Liu Zishan struggled with the complex business etiquette. He could never get the angle of a bow or the firmness of a handshake right, and sweating profusely, he practiced while muttering, "This is too difficult! It's harder than using a broadsword!" Shuiniu, with a silly smile on his face, imitated Liu Zishan, his exaggerated movements making everyone laugh and easing the tense atmosphere. The hearty laughter echoed in the thatched hut for a long time, relieving everyone's stress and enhancing their friendship.

Late at night, Lei Tao vanished through a rift in time and space. When he reappeared, he carried a stack of documents, scented with ink. The yellowed wrinkles of the paper, the cracks from the wax seals, even the arc of the frayed edges were remarkably similar to the originals.

Then he came to the valley alone to meet with the villagers. Lei Tao carefully selected several young and strong guys who were reliable in their work. He squatted down, talked to them amiably, and told them in detail the importance and difficulty of this mission. Then, he carefully handed the Springfield sniper rifle and Scorpion submachine gun to them, his eyes firm and solemn: "Brothers, these weapons are related to our hope of resisting Japan. They are precious power exchanged for the blood of countless compatriots. They must be hidden well. Wait for the guerrillas to arrive, and then hand them over intact. Don't bring disaster to everyone because of negligence. You are responsible for protecting your homeland and compatriots, so you must be careful." The young men looked solemn, holding the weapons in their hands tightly, nodded solemnly, and said: "Brother Lei, don't worry, we will live up to your trust! Even if it costs our lives, we will protect these weapons."

After completing their preparations, Lei Tao and his group bid farewell to the villagers and set off for the county seat. Along the way, everyone remained vigilant, their nerves tense as if facing a formidable enemy. Whenever they encountered Japanese patrols, Lei Tao calmly addressed them in fluent Japanese, his tone exuding confidence and composure. He constantly monitored the Japanese's movements and deftly resolved several crises, gradually relaxing everyone's tense nerves.

Finally arriving at the county town, Japanese soldiers at the city gate, led by a sergeant, rigorously checked every passerby. The sergeant's expression was serious, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's. Lei Tao took a deep breath, calmly stepped forward, respectfully handed over his forged identity documents, and said in fluent Japanese with an Osaka accent, "Mr. Sergeant, we are from Mitsubishi Corporation of the Empire of Japan. We are passing through here on an important trip to Manchuria. We hope you will take care of us." He bowed slightly, a modest smile on his face, ready to respond to any emergency.