Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 117, Section 116: Treasures of History: The True Cross, a Joint Sino-German-American Treasure Hunt Team

He purchased Alexander Fleming's penicillin production technology for £1000.

Alexander Fleming was pleased with the price and provided a relatively simple preparation method.

And a sample of Penicillium preserved in the laboratory.

And some suggestions were offered.

His strain was probably not the best. To mass-produce penicillin, you need to select a Penicillium strain that can produce high amounts of penicillin and culture it on a suitable culture medium.

In addition, the purification of penicillin is also very important. Penicillin is extracted from the culture using appropriate solvents, and impurities are removed through steps such as filtration and extraction to improve purity.

However, these were things that even Alexander Fleming himself had not mastered, and they required a lot of experimentation to explore.

Through Alexander Fleming's words, Fang Wen also understood the difficulty of his goal to produce penicillin on a large scale.

This is the current situation.

There is a clear direction: penicillin will definitely be effective and will shine brightly in the future.

However, there is no detailed process information: the preparation of penicillin requires a large number of talented people to conduct continuous experiments and invest a lot of money in research and development in order to obtain various detailed and accurate data, so as to produce it on a large scale.

Does China currently have such a talent pool?

Fang Wen was unaware of this, so he sent a special telegram back to inquire.

Telegrams from China indicate that Tsinghua University established a Department of Biology in 26, which possessed a certain level of faculty and research equipment for conducting microbial culture research.

That wouldn't be enough. Fang Wen felt that he needed to acquire some useful medical instruments and equipment, as well as purchase a large number of medical books, so as to avoid having to go through a lot of trouble later if they were lacking.

After these supplies are purchased, they will be transported to Paris, where they will be loaded into the cabin of an F.220 aircraft and delivered to the port of Calcutta.

Although research on penicillin has not yet begun, Fang Wen is already very confident about it.

With the penicillin issue resolved, there's only one last thing left: I can go back home.

Explore the Armenian churches on the island of Lake Van in Türkiye.

At this point, Fang Wen told Lin Shuiwang about the situation.

"Come with me to Turkey."

"Why go there?" Lin Shuiwang asked, puzzled.

"I'll take you treasure hunting, so you can make a fortune too."

"I see, this is the big cake you told the Weimar Republic officers about. There really is treasure?!"

"There is treasure. But we need to prepare before we go."

Fang Wen told Lin Shuiwang about his plan.

After listening to the plan, Lin Shuiwang analyzed it and suddenly realized that the entire operation would have been impossible without Fang Wen.

No other pilot could travel more than a thousand kilometers round trip, and fly at night without getting lost.

Only in this way can the problem of transporting the treasure be easily solved.

No wonder the officers' attitudes changed so suddenly.
But now, there are three things that need to be done before the treasure hunt can begin.

1. We need a scholar who understands the Armenian civilization around Lake Van and has a better understanding of the area.

2. We need a transport aircraft capable of traversing the 1200-kilometer route from Istanbul to Lake Van, carrying 10 people and a certain amount of supplies. Furthermore, it cannot be too large, otherwise it will be unable to land on the road next to the Lake Van pier.

3. A nighttime support officer needs to be arranged in advance at Lake Van to set up torches for guidance on the ground runway.

Let's tackle these three things one by one.

Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang visited some history professors at the Department of History, University of London, and received some guidance.

A professor named Geral has a deep understanding of Armenian civilization.

Therefore, Fang Wen and Lin Shuiwang made a special visit to this professor.

There was no need for formalities with this person; Fang Wen simply took out a stack of pounds.

“Professor Gerald, here is £100. It can be used to hire you to solve some historical problems. It's about Armenian civilization.”

This kind of extra income is not much for a history professor, and Gerald readily agreed.

Fang Wen took out a map, pointed to a spot on it, and asked, "I want to know about the Armenian church on Lake Van Island."

After putting on his glasses and looking at the map, the professor confidently said, "It was built by Senekerim-Hovhannes Artsruni."

The professor wasn't using English, but rather the Armenian pronunciation, which represented a person's name.

Fang Wen said he didn't understand, so the professor translated it into English names.

"He could be called John Khovannis Atsruni. Artsruni is the royal family’s surname. The Atsruni family founded the Kingdom of Vasprakan, and John Khovannis Atsruni was the sixth king of the kingdom."

Listening to the professor's words, Fang Wen was certain that this person was indeed very knowledgeable about Armenian history, and he asked the question he most wanted to know.

"If King John has any inheritance, what do you think it might be?"

"Well, I suspect there are two possibilities. In 1000, when Byzantine Emperor Basil II visited the Duchy of Tao, King John and his brother Gurgen paid their respects to the emperor. In return, Basil II bestowed upon them a large sum of money. In 1021, when Vaspulcán fell under Byzantine rule, King John brought the relics of the True Cross to Sebastian and established a new monastery there."

Fang Wen's heart stirred, sensing that the treasure he had detected with his special ability was likely related to the True Cross.

But what is that?
He asked, "I want to know about the True Cross."

"According to legend, the True Cross is the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified and is one of Jesus' relics. In Christian tradition, the True Cross is a symbol of Jesus' redemption of mankind, and its significance is profound. However, in historical records, the True Cross has changed hands many times, experiencing twists and turns such as discovery, looting, recapture, hiding, and the dispersal of fragments. Now the True Cross has become a legend, and the legend of King John's True Cross is the last definite news in historical records."

"Okay, thank you. It's great to learn so much interesting history from you."

Fang Wen stood up and shook hands with the professor, ending the paid Q&A session.

Having gained a great deal, he was basically certain that the True Cross was what had attracted his supernatural abilities.

When King John left, he did not take the True Cross with him.

Fang Wen even suspected that the other party built the Cross Cathedral on the island to collect genuine crosses.

After making this significant discovery, Fang Wen felt even more confident about the treasure hunt.

He discovered that the items related to his superpowers were definitely ancient and of special significance.

For example, the four-faced Buddha statue from the previous Angkor Dynasty embodies the faith of countless people.

The True Cross, which we haven't received yet but is basically certain of, carries a great deal of faith.

Perhaps it was those unseen and intangible beliefs that gave him the possibility of upgrading his superpowers.

Next, he needs to prepare the plane and arrange for a night receptionist.

He and Lin Shuiwang flew back to Paris, where they checked the preparations for loading the F.220 and put the purchased medical experimental equipment into the cabin.

At the same time, they also inquired about aircraft leasing in Paris.

There are some difficulties with aircraft. There aren't many ways to lease an aircraft across Europe, including through air forces, airlines, and aircraft manufacturers.

Of all these channels, Fang Wen had only contacted aircraft manufacturers. Therefore, he planned to first ask Falman Company, and if that didn't solve the problem, he would think of other ways.

The executives at Farman were surprised when he proposed the idea of ​​leasing the plane.

"You already have an F.220, and I heard you flew over from Asia in a P-26. Isn't that enough for you? You're such a wealthy pilot, I envy you."

“The requirements are different. I need a small to medium-sized aircraft that can fly 1200 kilometers and carry 10 people.”

"Yes, there is. It's a Ford 4-AT Trimotor, which can carry 12 people, but the range is a bit short, only 800 kilometers. You'll need to make a transfer." The executive from Farman gave Fang Wen a direct answer.

The name Ford 4-AT Trimotor is familiar to Fang Wen; it's the Ford Trimotor.

He had seen the aircraft used by the young marshal from Northeast China at Nanjing Airport.

It would be nice to be able to fly this kind of plane.

As for the range issue, it can be solved with some modifications, such as installing a temporary auxiliary fuel tank on the aircraft. It doesn't need to be mounted on the bottom; it can be installed inside the cabin, which can also solve the fuel problem for long-haul flights.

He asked, "Where can I rent a Ford 4-AT Trimotor?"

“Our company has one. We bought one to research the Ford 4-AT Trimotor, and it’s been sitting in the hangar for the past two years. If you’re willing to pay a reasonable rental fee, we’d like to lease it to you.”

Farman's executives had no worries about leasing the plane to Fang Wen, since the other party had an F.220 ready to be loaded onto a ship. As long as the other party was willing to pay a sum of money to lease it, no deposit was required.

This was a good option for both parties, and Fang Wen readily agreed.

He immediately went to the Farmand aircraft factory, where he saw the Ford 4-AT Trimotor gathering dust in the hangar.

From Fang Wen's current perspective, this aircraft is somewhat outdated, and the overall structure of the fuselage looks too rough.

It looks a bit like a big-bellied flying goose, just like its nickname, the Iron Goose.

Comparatively speaking, Fang Wen's current Shrew, Boeing 247, and F.220 are all better looking.

After admiring its appearance, Fang Wen took the keys and, after the ground staff filled up the tank, took it for a test drive.

In terms of power, it is powered by three 450-horsepower radial piston engines.

Due to insufficient engine power, the cruising speed can only reach 150 kilometers per hour.

Service ceiling: 5000 meters

Flight range: 800 kilometers.

This type of aircraft will be phased out along with biplanes in two years.

No wonder Ford later focused on developing its automotive business.

Fang Wen couldn't help but think that even if the Farman Company sold this thing to him at a low price, he wouldn't be interested in it.

Unbeknownst to him, his aviation assets had already become among the top in the country.

He didn't even look at the air vehicle of the once incredibly wealthy young marshal.

After the test flight, the plane landed and Fang Wen disembarked, asking the Farman executives, "I may need to make some modifications to this aircraft to make it suitable for long-haul flights."

"What changes?" asked the executive at Farman.

"The auxiliary fuel tank design, installed inside the aircraft cabin or at the bottom, can increase the range of long-haul flights. In case of emergencies, it can also be jettisoned in the air to reduce weight and improve the aircraft's maneuverability."

The executive at Farman's eyes lit up: "This design is brilliant."

“Yes, especially in long-range air combat, military aircraft can adapt flexibly and increase their range.” Fang Wen said meaningfully. He had a good working relationship with Farman, and some useful guidance would help Farman’s development and also build friendship.

To demonstrate the benefits of this design, Fang Wen also shared his own personal experience with the other party.

His conclusion was: "External fuel tanks are the most advantageous supplement for fighter jets with compact airframes, enabling them to perform long-range combat missions that would otherwise be impossible."

For this reason, Farman's senior management specifically invited Fang Wen for a detailed discussion.

This suggestion gave Farman, who had been focusing on large aircraft, the idea of ​​re-entering the fighter jet field.

To express their gratitude to Fang Wen, they waived the rental fee and experimentally modified the Ford three-engine engine, giving it a 1.5 times larger auxiliary fuel tank.

With the auxiliary fuel tank and the mechanical sensing capabilities, Fang Wen judged that the Ford three-engine aircraft's current performance was sufficient to complete the journey to Lake Van at a normal speed of 150 kilometers per hour.

The secret to the treasure has been discovered, and the airplane is now available.

Fang Wen sent telegrams to two different locations.

One was Berlin, where the notebooks of the officers who saw him off contained the frequency of telegram communication they had agreed upon.

The other is Indiana, located in the Pahlavi dynasty. When they left, Indiana said that the original communication frequency would remain unchanged and could still be used.

Both sides sent the telegrams in plain text. This was probably the safest time in Europe before the outbreak of World War II, as there were no professional radio interception organizations and no need to worry about the telegrams being overheard.

The telegram sent to Berlin was brief: "[Treasure hunt is about to begin. The plane will depart from Paris and arrive tonight. Please inform us of the landing location.]"

Shortly after the telegram was sent, the other party called back, informing them of the landing location.

The location is on the highway outside the woodland where the weapons were originally tested.

After communicating with them, no departure time was set yet, so Fang Wen changed the frequency and sent the message to Indiana at another agreed time.

There's a business opportunity I think you'd like.

It took a long time to get a reply this time.

[Fang, what are you saying? My telegraph operator keeps asking me what business we did together, and why I didn't include him in the deal.]

He's probably misunderstood. This is our first collaboration proposal, and the rewards are very generous. I wouldn't mind if your telegraph operator joined us too.

Radio waves drifted through the air as Fang Wen and Indiana discussed an interesting business deal.

Tell me what you want to say first; I can't guarantee I'll agree.

I know of a treasure trove that might contain very valuable items. I already have some partners, but I need some people skilled in ground support to join me.

I need to know more details before I can agree to your suggestion.

Fang Wen thought for a moment.

[A treasure left behind by a king a thousand years ago—I'm certain it has never been discovered.]

Tehran.

Indiana took a deep breath.

He looked at his telegraph operator.

Both of their hearts were racing.

The king's treasure a thousand years ago.

It's just like something out of a fairy tale.

But this isn't a fairy tale; the fact that the other party said it so solemnly means it's very likely true.

"Boss, I want to get rich." The telegraph operator bluntly stated his desire.

Indiana nodded: "If it doesn't involve work, we can actually do some personal business."

Immediately, the telegraph operator sent a reply telegram as instructed by Indiana.

If it doesn't involve my work, I can consider this collaboration. The question is, where are you going?

After receiving a reply, Indiana readily took leave along with the telegraph operator.

He knew that place; there was also a contact person from the Office of Strategic Services there.

But this time, Indiana felt it was more reliable to go in person.

(End of this chapter)