Anti-Japanese War: Starting from Yaobai

Chapter 2981: Li Xiaolian's Deep Resentment!

When Li Xiaolian heard Duanwu's question, a ripple of emotion inevitably stirred within her.

However, her years as a secret agent had honed her ability to remain calm even in the face of imminent danger. On the surface, her expression remained as calm as still water, but beneath that calm lay her deep thoughts:

This mission is a godsend! I've only been infiltrating the anti-Japanese brigade for a few days, yet I have such a golden opportunity to get close to core secrets. If I successfully obtain the crucial intelligence and transmit it back to the Special Higher Police, I might become a legendary figure among the Imperial agents.

But then Li Xiaolian thought again, could this be a trap set by that cunning Qi Dabing? Their anti-Japanese brigade has always been full of tricks, and it's impossible for them to let a newcomer like me touch their core intelligence so easily.

Her fingers tapped unconsciously under the table, a habit she had developed over many years while thinking.

She lowered her eyes slightly, quickly scanning the expressions of everyone in the conference room. Duanwu sat in the main seat, his expression unchanged, making it impossible to discern his true intentions.

Jiang Li frowned, her eyes filled with vigilance, perhaps related to her work. She worked in intelligence, and perhaps in her heart, there was no one she could truly trust.

Dr. Han, on the other hand, looked concerned and expectant, seemingly genuinely hoping to take on this task and share the burden with the team.

At this moment, various thoughts were clashing fiercely within Li Xiaolian's mind.

On the one hand, she longed to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to use her professional skills and wisdom to acquire intelligence, complete missions, and make outstanding contributions to the empire.

On the other hand, she was also well aware that there might be huge risks hidden behind this. Once she stepped into the enemy's trap, her infiltration and previous efforts would be destroyed, and her life might even be in danger.

But years of special agent training quickly calmed her down. She knew that she could not hesitate or back down at this moment, otherwise it would arouse the enemy's suspicion.

She slightly raised her head, a perfectly balanced smile of shyness and sincerity blooming on her face:

“Captain, I… I’m willing to give it a try. Although I’ve only been in the brigade for a short time and am not yet familiar with many tasks, I attended a girls’ high school, so I know a lot of characters and have a strong learning ability. Moreover, I am well aware of the importance of this job and will always keep the principle of secrecy in mind, protecting the brigade’s secrets with my life. I will absolutely not let the captain down.”

As she spoke, Li Xiaolian’s eyes gleamed with confidence, as if she were demonstrating her determination and ability to everyone.

Upon hearing Li Xiaolian's reply, Duanwu's eyes flashed with admiration, and a warm smile appeared on his lips as he said, "Comrade Li Xiaolian, it is truly rare for you to have such determination and awareness. I, Qi Dabing, have always been very good at judging people. Ever since you joined our anti-Japanese brigade, I have felt that you are a promising talent. Now that you have volunteered, it makes me even more convinced that my judgment was correct."

At this point, Duanwu leaned forward slightly, placed his hands on the conference table, and then stood up to continue, "However, this job of reading documents for Captain Pan is no ordinary job. Captain Pan is in charge of the top secrets of our entire Anti-Japanese Brigade. These secrets are related to the life and death of our Anti-Japanese Brigade and the success or failure of our resistance against the invaders. Therefore, you must always keep the secrecy regulations in mind and never relax your vigilance."

As he spoke, Duanwu's expression grew increasingly serious, and his tone became even more forceful: "From the moment you accepted this mission, you became the first line of defense for the core secrets of our Anti-Japanese Brigade. No matter what you see or hear from Captain Pan, not even a single word, you must not divulge it to anyone. Even if your closest relatives ask, you must keep your mouth shut. This is discipline, and even more so, it is your responsibility and mission as an anti-Japanese fighter."

Li Xiaolian nodded slightly, her eyes revealing determination and obedience. She also stood up and said, "Captain, rest assured, since I, Li Xiaolian, have accepted this mission, I will strictly abide by the confidentiality regulations. Even if a knife is held to my throat, I will never utter a single word."

Duanwu nodded in satisfaction and encouraged him, "Good! I believe in you. In the coming days, you should follow Captain Pan closely and get familiar with the work as soon as possible. If you encounter any difficulties, come to me anytime. Our Anti-Japanese Brigade is a big family, and everyone will support you."

Li Xiaolian quickly saluted respectfully and said, "Thank you for your trust and encouragement, Captain. I will definitely work hard and live up to everyone's expectations."

At this moment, everyone else in the conference room also cast approving glances, as if they were all cheering for Li Xiaolian.

Li Xiaolian sneered inwardly: It seems I was overthinking it. The anti-Japanese brigade doesn't seem to be as cunning as I thought.

But on the surface, Li Xiaolian pretended to be moved, repeatedly bowing and thanking everyone in the conference room. Duanwu then said, "Then Comrade Li Xiaolian, from this moment on, you will stay by Captain Pan's side. In addition to reading for Captain Pan, you will also take care of his daily life. Taking good care of his health is also one of your tasks."

Li Xiaolian nodded heavily and said, "Understood, I will definitely take good care of Captain Pan!"

Duanwu nodded and said, "Then let's adjourn the meeting!"

Everyone stood up and saluted at the same time, and then went about their own business.

Li Xiaolian followed Ma Ping'an back to his residence.

Ma Ping'an's room was simply furnished but neat and orderly. A desk was placed by the window, with some documents and an open newspaper piled on it.

Ma Pingan walked to the desk and sat down. He pointed to the newspaper and said, looking slightly tired, "Comrade Li Xiaolian, reading the newspaper is also part of the job. You can start with this. Read the important parts of the newspaper to me so that I can understand the situation outside."

Li Xiaolian nodded quickly and said, "Yes, Captain Pan."

She walked to the desk, gently picked up the newspaper, and quickly scanned its contents.

This is a copy of the Xinhua Daily from fifteen days ago, which published a report on the Japanese army's attack on Wuhan.

Li Xiaolian cleared her throat and began reading the newspaper: "Recently, the Japanese army has amassed a large force and launched a full-scale attack on Wuhan under the cover of bombardment by aircraft and artillery. They are attempting to use Wuhan as a strategic hub to further compress the living space of our anti-Japanese forces and realize their ambition of a quick victory and the destruction of China."

She paused, noticing Ma Ping'an sit up slightly, his expression turning serious, and continued reading: "Our Chinese army engaged in a fierce battle with the Japanese army in the areas surrounding Wuhan. Each unit, utilizing favorable terrain, constructed solid defensive lines, using their flesh and blood to withstand the fierce Japanese offensive. In the Battle of Fujinshan, our defenders fought a brutal struggle with the Japanese, the position changing hands several times. The soldiers did not retreat, engaging the enemy in close combat with bayonets; every inch of land was soaked in their blood..."

Upon reading this, Li Xiaolian's voice unconsciously carried a hint of grief and indignation: "In the Wanjialing area, our army laid an ambush and surrounded most of the Japanese 113th Division. After several days of fierce fighting, we dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese army, annihilating thousands of enemy soldiers and capturing a large amount of weapons and equipment, which greatly boosted the morale of our army and people. This battle demonstrated the indomitable fighting will and outstanding military command ability of our Chinese army."

Upon hearing this, Ma Ping'an's eyes flashed with excitement, and he nodded slightly, saying, "Good! Our Chinese army should have this kind of fighting spirit. Continue reading."

Li Xiaolian continued reading: "However, relying on its superior equipment and frenzied offensive, the Japanese army continued to advance towards Wuhan. While our army resisted tenaciously, it also faced enormous pressure and sacrifices. But the people and soldiers of the whole country were united in their hatred of the enemy, and the people in the rear donated money and supplies to support the front-line battle. People from all walks of life also showed their support for the Battle of Wuhan in various ways, demonstrating the great spirit of the Chinese nation to unite as one and resist foreign aggression."

As Ma Ping'an listened intently to this, he closed his eyes slightly, as if he were pondering something.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes and said, "The Battle of Wuhan is of paramount importance. After reading this, I want to see the outcome of this battle!"

But at this moment, Li Xiaolian spread her hands and said, "Leader Pan, that's all. The rest is other content."

Ma Pingan shook his head with some regret, then said, "Let's continue!"

"Yes!"

Li Xiaolian accepted the order and continued reading the rest of the newspaper.

At this moment, Li Xiaolian was very serious, but in her heart she was complaining, "This newspaper is so big and has so much content, how long am I going to read it? You're having a good time, but I'm going to suffer. My throat is going to be on fire in just a little while!"