The Wind Rises in 1898: Becoming a Warlord Starting in Southeast Asia

Chapter 133 Breaking Through the Double Trap

Chen Feng watched him change into a short shirt and put on a fake braid, looking exactly like a southern street vendor, and nodded with satisfaction: "Remember to keep a low profile, listen but don't speak, and don't get into conflicts with others."

In addition, pay close attention to the movements of the Sharp Vanguard Battalion. They are Ronglu's elite direct troops, well-equipped. If they are deployed near the prison, it means that Rong Xingqiao's words were true, and the trap does indeed exist.

As the sun sets, the red brick buildings of the German concession are bathed in a golden-red hue, merchant ships on the Haihe River gradually return to port, and the hustle and bustle of the docks gradually subsides.

Just then, a figure dressed in a coarse cloth shirt and carrying a cloth bag strode towards the red brick warehouse. It was Zhang Xiuwu, who had gone out to gather information.

His face was covered in dust, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, indicating that he had traveled to many places.

"General! I'm back!"

Zhang Xiuwu lowered his voice, strode into the warehouse, and closed the door behind him.

Chen Feng immediately put down the deployment map in his hand, stood up, and asked, "How is it? What information have you gathered? What's the movement of the Sharp Edge Battalion?"

Zhang Xiuwu wiped the sweat from his brow, took out some dry rations, and chewed as he said, "The Sharp Vanguard Battalion arrived by train three days ago, a full two battalions!"

He paused, swallowed the food in his mouth, and said with a puzzled tone, "But strangely, they didn't have any garrison troops stationed at the government office."

The prison wasn't even stationed inside the city; instead, it was stationed at the Xigu military camp outside the city, a full five kilometers away from the government prison, separated by two rivers!

"The Xigu military camp outside the city?"

Chen Feng raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before his expression darkened again. He said in a low voice, "This doesn't make sense!"

"What's wrong, General?" Zhang Xiuwu pressed.

"If Ronglu wants to set an ambush, he should have the Ruifeng Battalion hide in the alleys and houses near the government office, so that they can be stationed nearby and attack us from both sides, trapping us in a cage."

Chen Feng slammed his fist on the deployment map, his tone firm. "But he left his main force five kilometers away. Even the old thugs in the teahouse know about it. With such easy information to gather, does he really think I wouldn't find out?"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly looked up: "This isn't a feint, it's a double trap!"

"A double trap?" Zhang Xiuwu was even more confused.

"That's right! The first trap was to make us mistakenly believe that the Sharp Vanguard Battalion was far outside the city, so that we would relax our vigilance and boldly break into the prison."

The second trap, the real killing blow, was that while the Sharp Vanguard Battalion was ostensibly stationed at the Xigu military camp, it would inevitably send elite troops disguised as ordinary merchants to infiltrate the alleys near the government prison!

He pointed to three key locations on the map: "Look, the prison is surrounded by narrow alleys, perfect for an ambush. After we successfully rescue them, we'll inevitably retreat along these alleys straight to the concession. These hidden elite troops will then ambush us on our only route, blocking us from both the front and the rear."

cut!"

"What about the main force of the Xigu barracks?" Zhang Xiuwu pressed.

"They're the reserves!"

Chen Feng stated confidently, "Once the street fighting begins and the ambush troops entangle us, the main force from Xigu will march in rapidly and blockade the entire city! Even if we manage to break through the ambush, we won't be able to escape the city's blockade, let alone retreat back to the concession to board a ship!"

"What a vicious scheme!"

Zhang Xiuwu spat angrily, "That old fox Ronglu, he's too cunning!"

"He was originally a confidant of Empress Dowager Cixi, and he was very shrewd and calculating. Otherwise, he would not have been able to hold the position of Governor-General of Zhili."

Chen Feng sneered and continued, "But he never anticipated that we would be so cautious. Based solely on the information we've gathered, we will not act rashly!"

"So what do we do now?" Zhang Xiuwu asked anxiously.

"Don't rush!"

Chen Feng waved his hand, his mind racing.

Although the trap is deadly, there is a way to break it. The key is to find out the hiding places, troop strength, and shift changes of the elite vanguard battalion.

He looked at Zhang Xiuwu and spoke very quickly, "Go again. Don't go near the government office. Just keep an eye on the three places: West Alley, North Alley, and Fu'an Lane."

I need to know: which houses they are hiding in, how many soldiers they have, whether they are all armed with rifles, and how long the shift changes are.

Also, have there been any unusual movements of the prison guards and the new army? Have extra sentries been added at night?

He paused, then said solemnly, "I know this is ten times more dangerous than during the day, but remember, safety first! Find out as much as you can. If you are detected, retreat immediately. No lingering or forcing your way in!"

As he spoke, he took out a small copper whistle from his pocket and handed it over: "This whistle can penetrate the night. Three short whistles followed by one long whistle is a distress signal. I'll be there to help you anytime."

Zhang Xiuwu gripped his bronze whistle and short dagger tightly. Far from fear, his eyes burned with fierce fighting spirit. "I guarantee I'll ascertain their strength. If our movements are exposed, I'll blow the whistle and retreat immediately!"

Chen Feng patted him on the shoulder, then turned to the other soldiers, his voice suddenly rising: "Everyone, rest where you are, check your weapons and equipment, and be ready to be deployed at any time!"

"yes!"

The soldiers responded in unison.

After Zhang Xiuwu changed into his night clothes and disappeared into the night like a ghost, Chen Feng returned to the defense map and stood alone for a long time.

The flickering light from the oil lamp cast interplay of light and shadow on his face, reflecting the weighing of his thoughts.

He picked up a pen and paper and quickly drafted two plans:

The plan to rescue the master is to infiltrate during the shift change at the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) if the number of hidden troops is small, quickly rescue the master, and break through along the main street on the south side to head straight for the German Concession.

Option to abandon the retreat: If there are too many hidden troops or too many traps, immediately order a retreat and board the Lufthansa overnight to return to Luzon.

Every word and phrase carries immense weight.

He both hoped that his judgment was wrong and that the crisis was just a false alarm, but he was also very clear about Ronglu's methods.

This game allows no room for luck.

Time slipped away in agony, each second burning like a branding iron on my heart.

Chen Feng frequently walked to the warehouse door, looking in the direction Zhang Xiuwu had left, hoping that the intelligence would be sent back soon, but also worried that something might have happened to him.

Finally, just after midnight, a dark figure darted back into the warehouse like an arrow!

"We've figured it out! The elite Sharp Edge Battalion has about fifty men lying in ambush, all highly skilled, equipped with Mauser rifles and grenades. We didn't see any machine guns!"

Zhang Xiuwu was breathing heavily, but could not hide his excitement as he looked at the locations of West Alley, North Alley, and Fu'an Lane on the defense map.

"The elite Sharp Edge Battalion only has fifty men lying in ambush, all of them are elite, equipped with Mauser rifles and grenades, but no machine guns! They have scattered and occupied these three houses, with fifteen or sixteen men in each, guarding our original retreat route, just waiting for us to rescue the people and then attack us from behind!"

Fifty people?

No heavy firepower yet?

A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Feng's eyes, followed by a burst of intense joy.

Ronglu, that old fox, must have thought I would travel light and sneak in with only a few men to break into the prison, which is why he dared to send only fifty elite soldiers.

He never expected that I would dare to lead a hundred elite soldiers across the sea!

"Great! That's wonderful!"

Chen Feng slammed his hand on the table, making the oil lamp flame flicker, and immediately ordered, "Everyone, move out immediately! Divide into groups as planned and assemble outside the warehouse in five minutes!"

The warehouse instantly sprang into action, yet everything remained orderly and without the slightest sign of panic.

The vanguard team of twenty men, led by Zhang Xiuwu, carried lock picking tools, pistols, and grenades. With their faces smeared with soot, they nimbly darted out of the warehouse.

The 30-man scouting team, led by Chu Xiongxing, carrying rifles and explosives, crept towards the alley opposite the main gate of the government prison to distract the guards.

The reserve force of fifty men was divided into two teams: Chen Feng personally led one team to guard the entrance of the retreat route, ready to provide support and clear out any hidden ambush troops; Zhang Erhe led the other team to guard the edge of the German concession to ensure a smooth retreat route.

Five minutes later, all one hundred Chinese Free Army fighters assembled, like a hundred black phantoms, silently blending into the night of Tianjin.

Chen Feng led his reserve team, lurking in the shadows at the entrance of West Alley, a grenade in hand, his eyes fixed on the dark houses inside the alley.

Those seemingly empty houses are hiding menacing soldiers, waiting for them to walk right into their trap.

"General, the vanguard has reached the west wall of the prison," the communications soldier reported in a low voice.

Chen Feng nodded and looked up at the pocket watch.

The hour of Chou (1-3 AM) has arrived, which is the time between shift changes in the prison and the moment when the guards are most lax!

He made a gesture to the communications soldier, and a red signal flare instantly rose into the air, piercing the night sky with a "whoosh" and exploding into a brilliant burst of light in the darkness.

The instant the signal flare soared into the sky, a burst of gunfire suddenly erupted in the alleyway opposite the main gate of the government prison!

"Bang bang bang!"

The detachment's bullets rained down on the main gate sentry post, followed by the detonation of two explosive charges!

"Boom! Boom!"

Flames shot into the sky, debris flew everywhere, and the area around the main gate was instantly turned into a mess. The police officers screamed and fled in all directions in chaos.

"Oh no! Enemy attack!"

"Close the gate now!"

The Beiyang Army soldiers and police officers inside the prison were instantly alarmed, grabbing their weapons and rushing towards the main gate, their attention drawn to the detachment.

Unbeknownst to them, twenty shadowy figures were using the cover of the explosions to rapidly approach the wall from beneath the western high wall, like geckos.

Zhang Xiuwu's vanguard team moved with extreme efficiency, opening the west door with a few clicks of their lock-picking tools and silently sneaking in, heading straight for cell number one.

The guards they encountered along the way were about to get up to support the main gate when the soldiers covered their mouths from behind, slit their throats, and dragged their bodies to a dark corner without making a sound.

At the same time, the elite troops lying in ambush in the west alley were also alerted by the gunfire. The squad leader whispered the order: "Prepare for battle! Open fire immediately when they retreat!"

But what awaited them was not the prison breakers fleeing in panic, but Chen Feng's troops descending like divine soldiers!

"Let's do it!"

Chen Feng gave a low shout and charged out first, repeatedly pulling the trigger of his Mauser pistol.

"Bang bang bang!"

Before the Sharp Edge Battalion soldiers who had just rushed out of the houses could react, three of them fell to the ground.

Immediately afterwards, the Colt machine gun roared, and its firepower instantly pushed the remaining ambush troops back into the houses.

"Throw the grenade!"

Two grenades were pulled and smashed into the house.

"Boom! Boom!"

The doors and windows were blown open, splinters of wood and rubble flew everywhere, and screams echoed from inside the house.

The remaining ambush soldiers were terrified and tried to escape, but they were shot dead one by one by the soldiers guarding the alley entrance.

In less than ten minutes, all the soldiers ambushed in West Alley were wiped out, with not a single one surviving!

"Leave five men to clean up the battlefield, the rest of you come with me to North Alley and Fu'an Lane to support the brothers!" Chen Feng gave the order and led his team straight to the next battlefield.

At this moment, the cell door in cell number one of the "Heavenly Class" had been pried open.

The dark and damp cell was filled with the smells of mold and blood. Wang Wu was dressed in prison clothes, his hair was messy, but he still stood up straight.

Upon seeing the sudden intrusion of the dark figure, a hint of wariness flashed in his eyes, which then transformed into intense excitement upon hearing Zhang Xiuwu's whisper.

"Mr. Wang, we were sent by General Chen Feng to rescue you! Come with us quickly!"

A hint of surprise flashed in Wang Wu's eyes, which quickly turned into intense excitement. Without asking any further questions, he immediately followed Zhang Xiuwu out of the cell.

The guards inside the prison had already reacted and rushed towards the No. 1 cell, but they were suppressed by the vanguard's firepower and could not make an inch.

"Retreat immediately!"

Zhang Xiuwu protected Wang Wu and rushed towards the small door on the west side.

Just then, two dark figures suddenly darted out from the shadows of the water prison.

A man held a long spear, its cold light gleaming.

One person is bare-handed, with his hands forming claws.

These were the henchmen of the martial arts world recruited by Ronglu!

"Trying to take someone away? Leave your life behind!" The hawk-hound wielding a long spear shouted fiercely, the tip of the spear gleaming coldly, thrusting towards Zhang Xiuwu's back with lightning speed.

"Be careful!"

Wang Wu let out a low shout, raised his hand and slapped Zhang Xiuwu away with a palm strike, then turned to the side to avoid the spear tip, while simultaneously throwing a punch at the opponent's face.

His reputation as the "Big Knife King Wu" is well-deserved!

Another hawk-hound charged toward the other soldiers, his hands forming claws, his moves ruthless, clearly a master of Iron Shirt Kung Fu!

"court death!"

Upon seeing this, a soldier immediately pulled out a grenade, pulled the pin, and threw it at the Iron Shirt Hound.

"boom!"

The grenade exploded at the feet of the hawk-dog, the huge impact sending him flying. He crashed heavily into the wall, spitting out blood. Shrapnel tore a large hole in his stomach, and his martial arts skills could no longer protect him. He struggled for a few moments before losing his breath.

Meanwhile, Wang Wu was locked in a fierce battle with the spear-wielding hound. The spear tip gleamed coldly, and the palm strikes were sharp and powerful. For a time, it was difficult to determine the victor.

"Mr. Wang, let me help you!" Zhang Xiuwu raised his hand and fired a shot at the leg of the hidden weapon, Eagle Hound.

The hound was so engrossed in the fight that it was caught off guard by the sneak attack from behind. It let out a miserable cry and fell to the ground, its spear flying out of its hand.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Wang Wu stepped forward and struck him on the neck with a palm strike, killing him instantly.

"Hurry up!" Zhang Xiuwu didn't delay any longer and protected Wang Wu as they rushed out through the west side gate.

At this time, the ambush troops of the Ruifeng Battalion in Beixiang and Fu'anli had also been wiped out by the reserve force led by Chen Feng. All fifty ambush troops were annihilated, and none escaped.

"Clang, clang, clang! The alarm bells of Tianjin suddenly pierced the night sky, echoing wildly through the streets and alleys like a death knell."

The mansion was brightly lit, and the gilded candlesticks reflected the glittering jewels throughout the room, yet it was deathly silent and suffocating.

Ronglu, dressed in a dark purple official robe, had his once meticulously combed beard trembling slightly with extreme rage, and he smashed the white jade teacup in his hand to the ground.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

The roar was like a thunderclap, shaking the dust off the roof beams.

The commander of the elite vanguard battalion in charge of the ambush fell to his knees with a thud, his forehead pressed tightly against the cold gold brick, his whole body trembling like a leaf, not daring to even breathe, his official robes on the back already soaked with cold sweat.