অধ্যায় একশ দশ: অভিযান সফল (সমর্থন ও মাসিক ভোটের জন্য অনুরোধ)
চো’স the woman throw the baby-wrapped bundle toward Chu Yunfei.
Wang Xikui, the sniper squad leader who had been monitoring the battlefield all along, fired his gun instantly.
Li Baoquan fired almost simultaneously.
Bang! Bang...
Two successive shots hit the bundle.
The bundle paused in mid-air, then dropped straight to the ground and detonated violently.
Boom!
Accompanied by a massive explosion, the woman was blown directly into pieces.
Even Chu Yunfei, who was on horseback, was blasted flying away.
He crashed onto the ground, feeling a sudden dizzy spell as if the sky and earth were spinning, and all the scenery before his eyes kept revolving.
Landing on the ground, he felt something heavy smash down onto his head. Accompanied by a severe headache, Chu Yunfei lost consciousness.
Sun Ming was not having an easy time either!
Although it was only a matter of few seconds, for him, it felt as long as a century.
He struggled to stand up, but the slightest movement sent a sharp pain shooting straight to his brain.
He felt his ears ringing, and something was flowing down his forehead.
He reached out and touched it, his hand stained entirely with blood.
Yet at this moment, no one could spare a thought for the blood.
Enduring the pain, Sun Ming forced himself to stand.
Seeing the regiment commander lying on the ground, he shouted loudly, "Commander!"
After shouting twice and seeing the regiment commander still lying there, Sun Ming cried out in panic, "Quickly carry the commander into the courtyard!"
Two guards from the security platoon hoisted the commander up and rushed him into the residence.
Everyone else stood in front of the commander, acting as human shields.
Sun Ming shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hold your ground! You must hold your ground! Reinforcements are coming!"
In fact, ever since the gunfire rang out, the soldiers of the first battalion responsible for Dagujie had already reacted, rushing rapidly toward this direction.
The peddlers Wang Hai and Chen Shan—
No, they should be called by their names: the spies Makimoto Kento and Sodegawa Yuki. Hearing the hurried footsteps and shouts approaching from all directions, they knew this was their last chance if they wanted to complete the mission.
They exchanged glances.
Makimoto Kento pulled two grenades from his basket, banged them together, and hurled them toward Sun Ming's direction.
Seeing the grenades flying through the air, Sun Ming yelled, "It's a bomb! Get down!"
The guards carried Chu Yunfei into the courtyard, immediately pushing him behind a wall and shielding him with their own bodies.
Other guards leaped forward, diving sideways.
Amidst the dust raised by the explosion of the two grenades, taking advantage of the momentary gap left by the dodging guards, Makimoto Kento rushed out from the corner with a Mauser pistol, running desperately toward the courtyard where Chu Yunfei was hiding.
The moment he emerged from his cover, Lin Yong spotted him.
"Ten o'clock direction!"
Wang Xikui immediately shifted his muzzle and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The bullet struck him straight in the chest, tumbling within his torso.
Makimoto Kento fell backward, crashing to the ground.
Struggling to turn over, Makimoto Kento yanked fiercely at the grenades wrapped around his waist and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
He tried hard to stand up, wanting to run toward Chu Yunfei's courtyard once more.
This time, his head was hit by three bullets simultaneously.
Having just managed to stand, he immediately collapsed again.
As he fell, the circle of grenades wrapped around his waist detonated violently.
Boom! Boom! Boom...
The immense blast wave rattled the surrounding doors and windows with loud clatters.
Countless dust clouds were kicked up, filling the entire street.
A figure rushed rapidly into the dust. Shielded by the fog and taking advantage of his companion's death, Sodegawa Yuki smoothly ran to the courtyard entrance.
His eyes were filled with fanaticism.
The target was right before his eyes.
As long as I eliminate him, I will be a hero of the Yamato race!
His Majesty the Emperor will also know my name!
My glorious name will be remembered forever by everyone!
My soul will be able to go to heaven to serve His Majesty Emperor Meiji!
Chu Yunfei!
Surrender your life!
Seeing himself rush into the residence, confident he could blow the target away with a single shot—
Yet when Sodegawa Yuki dashed into the courtyard, he scanned his surroundings.
Where are they?
Where has that target, Chu Yunfei, run off to?
Just as sweat beaded on Sodegawa Yuki's forehead and he desperately tried to search out Chu Yunfei—
Bang! Bang!
Two consecutive gunshots rang out.
Sodegawa Yuki's arm and leg were broken straight through.
He dropped to the ground with a thump.
The pain in his body could not compare to the agony in his heart.
It's a trap!
From start to finish, this was all a cunning scam devised by the cunning Zhina people!
We've fallen into a trap!
Damn it!
To think we failed to see through the enemy's scheme!
"Long live His Majesty the Emperor!"
Sodegawa Yuki pulled the pin on his grenade.
Amidst the explosion, his body was blown to smithereens.
Seeing the assassin dead, Chu Yunfei, who had been lying prone on the roof all along, cursed bitterly, "Damn it, we failed to capture the assassin alive to interrogate him about his handler!"
Zhao Gang was also full of regret, but being able to save Chu Yunfei's life meant the mission was essentially accomplished.
He said, "Brother Yunfei, the matter with the assassin has been resolved. I'll head back first! Take care!"
"Indeed. Brother Zhao, take care as well!"
After seeing Zhao Gang off and returning to the regiment headquarters—
Taiyuan!
Okazu Ryosuke, the leader of the Special Service Agency's Special Action Group, tossed his cigarette onto the ground and crushed it out with his foot.
This Chu Yunfei had constantly opposed the Imperial Army, defeating them repeatedly and causing the Imperial Army to lose all face.
The superiors had already issued an order: no matter the method, Chu Yunfei must be made to die!
For this assassination operation against Chu Yunfei, Okazu Ryosuke had personally made arrangements and formulated the plan.
Just as he waited anxiously for the operation's outcome, a sharp knock sounded at the door.
"Come in!"
A young captain officer brought in a file, saluted crisply, and handed the document to Okazu Ryosuke.
"Mr. Lieutenant Colonel, a telegram from Dagujie!"
Hearing this, he hurriedly opened the document.
The telegram had been sent from Ping'an County.
It contained only a few brief words.
Operation Fox Hunt successful!
Seeing this line, Okazu Ryosuke breathed a sigh of relief.
At least it was not in vain, having spent two precious chess pieces.
One must know that these two pieces had been stationed in Shanxi since 1905. Normally, they carried two baskets, disguised as peddlers, scaling mountains and crossing ridges, walking through streets and alleys in northwest Shanxi to sell scissors, needles, threads, and oil lamps.
Along the way, they observed the mountain terrain of western Shanxi, secretly drawing topographic maps, and compiled them for the superiors to serve as future military maps!
At the same time, any movement in northwest Shanxi could not escape their notice.
They were crucial intelligence personnel for the Japanese intelligence agency in northwest Shanxi.
Training such spy agents was no easy feat. Not to mention the funds spent in between, simply cultivating agents who could endure hardship and hold their patience was difficult.
Dozens failed before these two were successfully trained.
As for that woman, she was the wife of one of them, also a pro-Japanese element cultivated through years of brainwashing by intelligence personnel.
Having sacrificed these two pieces, this operation had to guarantee success.
Although the action group reported that the operation succeeded, until Chu Yunfei's death was confirmed beyond doubt, one could never rest easy!
Okazu Ryosuke relighted a cigarette and took a deep drag.
He stated, "Have someone verify Chu Yunfei's death. Even if he's dead, find a way to see the body!"
Hearing this, the Special Service Agency captain replied, "Hai!"
At the Dagujie regiment headquarters, Chu Yunfei looked at Sun Ming and the others. "You've worked hard! Are you alright?"
Sun Ming had a few scars on his body, but they were all minor wounds.
To men like them, these were not worth mentioning at all!
"I'm fine! We were prepared for this, just some minor injuries!"
Hearing this, Chu Yunfei finally set his mind at ease. With a gloomy expression, he said, "There is an old Chinese saying: courtesy demands reciprocity! Since the Japanese like to play such underhanded tricks, don't blame me, Chu Yunfei, for being ruthless, and even more ruthless in return! Sun Ming, send someone to find a way to call Yamamoto Ichiki back!"