The Mysterious Soldier of the Anti-Japanese War

Chapter 422: Heartbeat on the Eve of Disguise: Subtle Emotions Before Entering Deep into Enemy Terri

The two of them walked slowly back along the winding mountain road. As night fell, the path became increasingly difficult to navigate. Meng Xiaoyu's steps gradually became heavier, and each step felt like dragging a thousand-pound weight. Her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, and her breathing became rapid.

"Lei Tao, I... I can't walk anymore." Meng Xiaoyu bit her lip and said embarrassedly.

Upon hearing this, Lei Tao immediately stopped, turned around, and looked at Meng Xiaoyu with concern: "Are you too tired? This mountain road is too difficult to walk on. If we go on like this, we won't be able to get back to the thatched hut. Come, I'll carry you." As he said that, he squatted down without saying a word and motioned Meng Xiaoyu to get on.

Meng Xiaoyu hesitated for a moment, but finally leaned gently on Lei Tao's back. Lei Tao held her knees firmly with both hands, slowly stood up, and continued to move forward.

Carrying Meng Xiaoyu on his back, Lei Tao's heartbeat intensified. He wasn't sure if it was from the exhaustion of the journey, or the sweetness and nervousness of the girl on his back. Moonlight shone through the mottled shadows of the trees, and Lei Tao could clearly feel Meng Xiaoyu's gentle breath brushing against his neck, tickling him and causing him to blush unconsciously. Although he couldn't see Meng Xiaoyu's expression, he could imagine her shyness at the moment. Meng Xiaoyu also lay quietly on Lei Tao's back, her hands gently wrapped around his neck. Occasionally, their arms touched, and it felt like an electric current passing through, making them both tremble slightly with nervousness.

The mountain path was rugged, and Lei Tao's pace was brisk and quick. Even though sweat drenched his back, he didn't complain. Finally, when they reached their temporary thatched hut in the mountains, Lei Tao gently set Meng Xiaoyu down. Meng Xiaoyu lowered her head slightly, her soft hair cascading down her cheeks, perfectly framing her flushed face. Lei Tao took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart. He concentrated and activated the Bagua spinning space. He carefully pulled out two large bags of clothes and held them firmly in his hands.

Meng Xiaoyu also hurriedly sorted out her emotions, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze: "Let's go, everyone must be waiting anxiously." Lei Tao nodded slightly, and the two walked towards the thatched hut side by side.

Before they reached the thatched hut, they heard Liu Zishan's hearty laughter and the buffalo's adorable response. Pushing open the door, the dim kerosene lantern swayed gently in the breeze. Liu Zishan was excitedly telling a joke, but when he saw Lei Tao and Meng Xiaoyu enter, he stopped immediately, a sly smile flashing across his face.

"Oh, I finally got you two back. I thought you were abducted by the fox fairy in the mountains!" Liu Zishan joked.

Hearing Liu Zishan's words, Lei Tao's face flushed, and he glared at him in feigned anger. "You're the only one who talks nonsense. If you keep on talking nonsense, I'll throw you into the mountains to feed the wolves." Even so, he couldn't help but curl his lips slightly, and his eyes unconsciously drifted to Meng Xiaoyu. Meng Xiaoyu blushed even more with shame, and scolded, "Zishan, can't you be more serious? You're so shameless." As she spoke, she subconsciously smoothed the hair by her ear, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Shuiniu was grinning from ear to ear, with a row of white teeth showing on his dark face. He said in a muffled voice, "Okay, okay, stop teasing them. Brother Lei, Xiaoyu, come and sit down. You've been gone for most of the day and we've been worried about you." As he said that, he warmly invited the two to sit down by the campfire.

Lei Tao and Meng Xiaoyu sat down next to each other. Meng Xiaoyu picked up the water bottle beside her and took a sip of water, which calmed her heartbeat a little. Lei Tao cleared his throat and said, "This trip to the county town wasn't easy. There were quite a few Japanese soldiers patrolling around the Japanese store, but fortunately we still managed to get these clothes." As he spoke, he took out two large bags of clothes from the Bagua Top space and placed them on the ground.

Shuiyang came over and curiously opened the bag to inspect it. "Brother Lei, what's in here? Let's take a look." Everyone gathered around and hurriedly took out the clothes one by one. There were neat Japanese suits, exquisite Western dresses, and matching hats, scarves, and other accessories.

Liu Zishan picked up a suit jacket and tried it on, pretending to be a gentleman. This caused everyone to laugh again. "Look at me, do I look like a big Japanese businessman?"

Lei Tao smiled and patted his shoulder: "With your behavior, don't scare people away. You have to take good care of this clothes, our next plan depends on it."

Meng Xiaoyu also stood up and picked up a Western dress, examining it carefully. "These clothes are of good quality and style. They should look very real when worn. However, in addition to our appearance, we also need to pay attention to our words and actions. Every move must be proper."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and then began to discuss the details of the upcoming plan. Inside the thatched hut, the dim light stretched their figures out. They were sometimes discussing enthusiastically, sometimes bowing their heads in deep thought, nervously and busily preparing for the upcoming adventure.

Lying in his thatched hut at night, Lei Tao's mind replayed that unexpected kiss like a projector. His lips curled up uncontrollably, and he silently chided himself for letting his thoughts wander during such a tense moment, but the smile remained. He quickly suppressed it, thinking to himself, "It's so late, and I'm still thinking about these romantic affairs." But Meng Xiaoyu's flustered, shy look, like a spell, lodged itself firmly in his mind, unable to be shaken off, replaying vividly in his memory over and over again, leaving him restless for a long time.

Elsewhere, Meng Xiaoyu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She covered her face tightly with the cotton coat Lei Tao had given her, trying to hide the sudden throbbing, as if that could escape the emotions quietly growing deep within her. She murmured softly, "Oh my god, how could this happen..." The sound was as gentle as the gentle fall of a feather, but even so, deep within her heart, a strange sweetness spread uncontrollably like a vine growing wildly in spring, tightly wrapping around her heart, leaving her with both anticipation and a sense of bewilderment.

The next morning, Lei Tao donned an American-style suit. The straight lines of the suit accentuated his tall, handsome figure. He donned a top hat and gold-rimmed glasses. In an instant, his demeanor transformed. His every move revealed the shrewdness and foresight of a seasoned businessman, as if he had truly transformed into a seasoned business expert.

Lei Tao turned to face the crowd, his expression serious and solemn: "Image is the first step. We must make others believe in our identity at first sight. This is related to the success or failure of our entire plan, and we cannot afford to be careless."

Meng Xiaoyu quickly changed into a Western dress, her long, lustrous black hair elegantly tied up, pinned with a small, delicate pearl hairpin. She looked like a graceful lady straight out of a painting. She carefully applied light makeup, her eyes revealing the decisiveness of a secretary yet the gentle tenderness of a woman. She bowed slightly and chuckled softly, "Is this look okay?" Her smile, like the gentlest spring breeze, gently caressed everyone's heart, bringing a sense of comfort.

Liu Zishan, Li Shuiniu, and Li Shuyang were initially unaccustomed to the slightly restrictive suits, walking with a stiff posture, as if bound by invisible ropes. But under Lei Tao's patient and meticulous instruction, they gradually mastered the proper gait and demeanor. Liu Zishan, striving to straighten his back, imitated Lei Tao's gait closely, muttering to himself, "This Japanese gait is really awkward. It makes me feel uncomfortable all over." Despite the difficult learning process, he was determined to be fully prepared for the mission.