The wooden floorboards on the second floor of the inn creaked softly under the weight of the occupants' nervous breathing. Meng Xiaoyu straightened up from the window and turned to look at Leitao, who was pulling out an M1911 pistol and loading it with a 24-round extended magazine. "Brother Lei, why don't you all wait here at the inn? I'll go buy the train tickets," Meng Xiaoyu volunteered. Leitao shook his head, firmly refusing. "No, I can't let you take the risk. I'll go alone." He knew well that this mission was fraught with danger; the train station was likely crawling with Japanese Army scouts and sentries. One false move could lead to disaster. Even though he had the protection of the Bagua Gyro Space System, bullets had no eyes, and he would not put the woman he loved in such a precarious position.
Meng Xiaoyu wanted to argue further, but Leitao had already tucked away his pistol and was striding toward the door. "Stay at the inn, all of you. Don't go anywhere until I return," he instructed. The others understood his resolve, nodding in silence as they watched him leave. As Leitao stepped into the inn’s hallway, the floorboards groaned slightly beneath his feet. He took a deep breath, pushing down the tension in his chest, and walked steadily toward the stairs.
Emerging from the inn, he felt the afternoon sun casting a scorching heat upon him. He did not act immediately, choosing instead to walk to a roadside tea stall. He raised a hand toward an old man in a straw h…
Chapter 432