After finalizing their plan, Leitao and his band of stragglers silently made their way toward Toutuo Ridge on Zijin Mountain. They crept through the jungle like ghosts in the night, each step light and measured, as if walking on clouds, yet underscored by an unshakeable resolve. Their eyes burned like torches, scanning the surroundings with sharp vigilance. They gripped their weapons tightly; the cold bite of the metal against their palms served as a constant reminder of the peril they faced.
After a day and a half of meticulous searching, they had combed through every mountain ravine and forest thicket. Everyone was exhausted; their clothes were soaked with sweat, and their legs felt heavy as lead. Yet, no one uttered a complaint. They were driven by the singular, unwavering conviction of finding the field howitzer. Halfway up the mountain, just as confidence began to waver and frustration set in, they discovered a cave near a pavilion, cleverly concealed by branches and rocks.
Leitao’s eyes lit up. He approached with stealthy, light steps and slowly cleared the debris from the entrance. A rush of stale, musty air greeted them, and the interior was pitch black. He quickly pulled a high-intensity flashlight from his pack and clicked it on, a beam of light instantly piercing the darkness. Crouching low, he moved deeper into the cave, the light dancing like a agile serpent as it probed the shadows. The men gathered at the entrance, holding their breath and watching the beam with intense anxiety. Some clenched their fists involuntarily, while others stood on tiptoe, their eyes filled with a mixture of anticipation and dread.
"Finally, a lead," one of the stragglers whispered.
"If we can just ruin the Japanese Army’s entry ceremony, it will all be worth it," another added softly.
Suddenly, Leitao’s light landed on a rusted iron door secured with a heavy padlock. The men crowded around, their eyes wide with curiosity and excitement. One scarred soldier stared at the door and asked urgently, "Brother Leitao, could the artillery we're looking for be in there?" Leitao kept his eyes fixed on the door and replied in a low voice without turning around, "Don't be impatient. Let’s take a look first." He leaned in to peer through a crack in the door, seeing nothing but wooden crates stacked inside. A rat suddenly darted out, causing the men to recoil in fright. Leitao’s hand shook, nearly dropping the flashlight, but he quickly steadied himself and resumed his observation.
At that moment, a faint sound from outside put everyone on high alert. They tightened their grip on their weapons, their bodies coiled and tense. Leitao raised a hand to signal for silence and listened intently. The sound drew closer, and their hearts hammered in their throats; beads of cold sweat stood out on some foreheads, while others' lips trembled. Leitao switched off the flashlight, and the cave fell into deathly silence. Just as the noise faded and the men began to relax, even clearer footsteps approached from multiple directions. Their faces turned deathly pale. They backed against one another, gripping their weapons so hard their knuckles turned white.
A black shadow appeared at the entrance. Leitao raised his rifle and took aim, but as the figure drew closer, it turned out to be nothing more than an old monkey. One of the stragglers let out a long sigh of relief, patting his chest. "Good lord, you scared me to death! I thought the Japanese Army had snuck up on us." Leitao said sternly, "Don't lower your guard. The danger hasn't passed." He studied the iron door again and, after a moment’s thought, whispered to the men to help him pry it open. A thin, small soldier hesitated. "Brother Leitao, will this work? Is it safe?" Leitao looked at them with determination. "We have to try. This is our chance." Though concerned, the men took action immediately—some searched for tools, others kept watch, and some crouched down to provide leverage.
After much effort, they pried a gap in the iron door. Inside, crates came into view. When they opened one, they found artillery components. The men’s faces lit up with joy; some cheered, some jumped for excitement, and others embraced. Leitao signaled for them to keep their composure and continue searching the warehouse. In a corner, they found a small, hidden storage room with the door left slightly ajar. Leitao pushed it open and shone his light inside. Rows of howitzer shells were stacked neatly, their metal casings shimmering with a cold, dull luster in the beam, as if whispering of the immense destruction they could wreak. Seeing the shells filled the men with even greater excitement, for they knew that with these, their chances of disrupting the Japanese Army’s entry ceremony had vastly improved.
Leitao quickly collected himself. He ordered the men to rest while he went out to reconnoiter the terrain. He climbed to high ground to scan the horizon, crouched to feel the incline of the earth, and wove through the forest to check for natural cover. After his search, he found an ideal artillery position on the reverse slope of Toutuo Ridge. He ran back to the cave in high spirits and gathered the men. "Brothers, I’ve found our position! It’s on the reverse slope of Toutuo Ridge—the location is concealed, and we can catch the Japanese Army completely by surprise." The men crowded around, their eyes brimming with anticipation. One asked eagerly, "Brother Leitao, how exactly will we strike?" Leitao crouched down and used a branch to draw a diagram in the dirt, explaining in detail, "We’ll set up the artillery battery here. Even though we won't have a direct line of sight, we can use an observation post to calibrate our fire and deliver a fatal blow to the Japanese Army." The men listened intently, nodding as they followed his logic.
Afterward, Leitao used his binoculars to measure the distances. He knelt on one knee, holding the binoculars steady against his eyes to carefully observe the target area, muttering to himself as he marked the paper and calculated the parameters. A soldier leaned in curiously. "Brother Leitao, how do you figure out these distances and settings?" Leitao kept calculating as he explained patiently, "This determines the trajectory and impact point of the shells. It must be precise to guarantee we hit the target."
Once everything was settled, Leitao, mindful that the men needed to regain their strength, set off alone into the forest to hunt for food. He moved softly through the woods, his eyes searching the grass and branches. Eventually, he found some wild fruit and successfully bagged a wild rabbit and a pheasant. Pleased with his haul, he quickly returned to the cave.