Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 249-248: Japan-US Conflict, Battle of the Marshall Islands, and a Secret Japanese Spy Infiltration Plan

Upon hearing that Japanese spies were among the passengers, the two former officers of the 19th Route Army immediately agreed.

"General Manager Fang, what do you want us to do?"

Fang Wen thought for a moment and decided not to reveal the identities of the two suspects, as this would make the two officers more vigilant.

He replied, "Since it's inconvenient for you to go to the women's cabin, please keep an eye on the men's cabin and observe what the other six people are doing. If you find anything, inform the flight attendants. Remember not to alert them, so as not to disturb any other lurking individuals."

Fang Wen made an assumption that there might be more than one Japanese agent lurking on the plane, which put pressure on the two officers and made them more cautious.

After some discussion, Fang Wen and the two agreed to a temporary collaboration.

At this point, there were 30 minutes left before the 2-hour break.

The three people's conversation then veered off to other topics.

"General Manager Fang, I heard you mention the Japanese deployment in the Pacific, but something seems off about it."

"what is the problem?"

“Look,” the officer said, drawing on the table with a drink. “Over the past few decades, the Japanese have occupied Okinawa, Taiwan, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, and other places. They have essentially taken control of all the waters in East Asia. If the Americans want to come to Asia, there is only one way: through Guam to the Philippines.”

Fang Wen looked at the drawing the officer had made, and images flashed through his mind.

That's really true.

From a strategic perspective, the Americans created a breach in the Japanese maritime expansion map, making the entire strategic plan imperfect.

For Americans, having only one narrow passageway is certainly unsatisfactory.

Therefore, there is a potential conflict between the two, and they will gradually go their separate ways in the future.

The officer's analysis gave Fang Wen a better understanding of the war. Wasn't this the island chain plan to contain China in the future?

He kept this conflict between the US and Japan firmly in mind, which might come in handy in the future.

The two-hour break is over.

At this point, 16 hours had passed since departure.

According to Huaxia's departure time of 9:00 AM, it is now 1:00 AM in Guangzhou.

However, according to Guam's time difference, it is 3 a.m. now.

Under the cover of night, Fang Wen accepted the signed document from the local postmaster. After completing its transit and resupply, the Xuanming would continue its voyage.

The next transit point is the Marshall Islands.

This is the shortest route, but also the least suitable route.

That was Japan's last tentacles in the Pacific Ocean.

The Marshall Islands, like other islands in the western Pacific, were first colonized by the Spanish, then became a German colony, and later, after Germany's defeat in World War I, Japan took advantage of the situation.

There was a group of Japanese people there, but not many troops stationed there.

Even the Japanese Navy had no plans to conduct patrols there.

This gave Fang Wen an opportunity; he landed there, and the Japanese on the island might not necessarily be able to defeat him.

It was also said that an ocean-going freighter was sent there in advance, along with a group of mafia members and gang members hired on board.

Fang Wen figured that the gangsters and a group of Japanese immigrants shouldn't pose any major problems.

If things go wrong, the Xuanming has a backup plan: to make an emergency landing at sea and then replenish its fuel and water in the cabin, so it can still fly to Honolulu.

The long flight continued, from late night to daytime, and then back to night again.

Another 14 hours have passed.

The time difference changes are starting to take effect.

Time seems to have shortened, and the interval between day and night has become shorter.

The four-hour time difference caused passengers who had never experienced it before to suffer from insomnia.

We have been sailing for 31 hours. It is 4 p.m. in Guangzhou, but it is 8 p.m. in this time zone.

They were plagued by symptoms such as insomnia, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, and claustrophobia.

In just 31 hours, they began to yearn for land.

If they weren't allowed to come ashore and wait a while, the men would be fine, but the female passengers would probably break down.

The woman's wailing echoed in the middle cabin, leaving Zhao Wanping helpless.

She picked up the landline phone on the plane and reported to Fang Wen.

"General Manager, I really have no other choice. These women just keep crying. How about you agree to let me drug them? I guarantee they'll sleep all the way to San Francisco."

Fang Wen thought about it and felt that this wouldn't work. People who hadn't been trained would definitely not be able to stand being in an airplane for a long time.

If this continues, not only female passengers, but male passengers may also encounter problems.

Fang Wen used his mechanical perception ability to check the situation inside the cabin.

The final decision was: "No medication, we'll rest and recuperate in the Marshall Islands."

Another hour passed.

The plane finally arrived in the Marshall Islands.

This is an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, consisting of numerous islands and reefs, but only a few of the islands are habitable.

There is only one island that can accommodate cargo ships.

Majuro Atoll.

This is already considered one of the largest islands in the Marshall Islands.

Fang Wen controlled the plane to circle over the island, observing the situation below from high altitude.

In the darkness, several places on the island were on fire, indicating that something had happened.

"They must be the American gang I gathered," Fang Wen thought to himself.

He pressed a red switch on the left-hand instrument panel, and a signal flare made from napalm, mounted under the fuselage, fell.

The signal flare exploded in mid-air, radiating light and becoming the best guide.

Then, guiding lights also appeared in the atoll waters below.

Guided by the cargo ship, Fang Wen lowered his altitude, determined the landing area, and then swooped down to the sea.

As the Xuanming seaplane landed, the cargo ship not far away immediately turned on its lights to shine on it.

Following the directions, a small boat came along.

Standing at the bow of the boat was Zhao Jiu, dressed in a tailcoat. He waved happily when he saw Fang Wen.

Then, the small boat approached, and Zhao Wanping took the rope that was thrown over and pulled the boat closer.

Zhao Jiu jumped onto the aircraft's floatboard and was pulled into the plane by Fang Wen.

"General Manager, I'm so glad to finally see you!" Zhao Jiu said excitedly.

Fang Wen hugged him, patted his shoulder hard, then let go, and asked with a smile, "Yes, how was your year in America?"

“Very good. After the company went public, the finances became more formalized, and other aspects are changing accordingly. Now the gangsters are much more sensible. They use our Taishan rules in Las Vegas.”

Zhao Jiu proudly recounted the events of the past year.

Fang Wen's listing plan transformed the previously flawed Taishan Casino Company into a legitimate entity, with all stakeholders working together to maintain an ecosystem.

This is exactly what Fang Wen wanted. Since he couldn't completely control the situation, he created a situation that was favorable to himself.

Now, as the major shareholder, he can leverage the complex social connections associated with the Taishan Casino Company to his advantage.

Maintaining his smile, Fang Wen asked, "What's the situation on the island?"

"Our men went to the island to buy some supplies, but the local Japanese suddenly attacked. They were obviously after you, General Manager, so I had the gangsters retaliate," Zhao Jiu replied coldly. In the past year or so, he was not as simple as he made it sound. He had been involved in various gang disputes and witnessed a lot of more direct and cruel American darkness, which hardened his heart.

"Well, the passengers on the plane haven't been on land for 32 hours. They need to go ashore to rest. Can you guarantee their safety?" Fang Wen asked.

"No problem. This island is under our control now, and there aren't many people around, unless the Japanese navy sends troops over."

Zhao Jiu's cold reply caught Fang Wen's attention. Perhaps Zhao Jiu really was suited for America, but he wondered what he would become in the future.

Fang Wen then informed the passengers of the good news and allowed them to disembark by boat.

As passengers lined up to board the ship, Fang Wen paid special attention to the two suspects. Through his mechanical senses, Fang Wen witnessed a scene unknown to others from an angle they couldn't observe.

The reporters in Shanghai, however, haven't changed much.

The merchants in Beiping revealed a hint of joy when no one was watching. Although the change in expression quickly disappeared, it was noticed by Fang Wen.

Could the businessman be a Japanese spy?

Fang Wen quietly passed the information to his subordinates and secretly monitored everything.

The two boats docked, and the 16 passengers eagerly stepped onto the beach.

That feeling of being grounded excited them.

Fang Wen, who came with them, announced, "We'll rest here for the night and set off at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

It's 9 p.m. now, so Fang Wen has given the passengers a full 12 hours to rest.

Wu Yingzong couldn't help but worry, "General Manager, if we rest all night, will Pan Am overtake us?"

Fang Wen analyzed, "The Xuanming and Martin M130 are about the same speed. I've flown for nearly 30 hours. Can their pilots do that too? Don't worry, they still need to rest. We're competing in civil aviation now. Besides arriving faster, we also need passenger satisfaction."

His words left Wu Yingzong speechless. As long as the general manager has confidence, everyone else has confidence too.

Then get a good night's sleep.

Immediately, all passengers of the Xuanming were arranged to rest in the largest hotel on the island.

The room was a bit messy and empty, which felt strange, but the exhausted passengers didn't ask anything and went into their rooms to rest.

Next to this large house, in another exquisite villa, Fang Wen, Wu Yingzong, and Zhao Wanping were also taking advantage of this rare rest time to recover their energy.

Meanwhile, Zhao Jiu was secretly making arrangements with a group of gang members.

"Tonight, everyone needs to keep a close eye on him, especially the person I mentioned. If he makes any move, don't touch him yet. Wait until he makes his move before taking him down in one fell swoop."

The gangsters agreed with a laugh, but don't be fooled by their nonchalant attitude. They're no pushovers when it comes to fighting. Otherwise, the Japanese on the island wouldn't be so terrified of them.

Time passed slowly, from 12 p.m. to midnight.

The passengers gradually fell asleep.

The snoring could be heard, rising and falling, but no one woke up.

Half an hour later, the person snoring suddenly stopped.

He quietly sat up, looked around, then tiptoed out of bed, put on his shoes and coat, and went out the door.

After he got up, two other people sat up at the same time.

The two of them also quietly went out and followed behind the first person.

And so, in the darkness of night, the three walked on the island, one in front and two behind, unaware that their movements were being observed clearly by gang members further away.

"Why are there two more? What are these two for?" Zhao Jiu wondered.

In order not to alert the enemy, he did not order anyone to take action.

Time passed slowly, from midnight to 1 a.m.

The first man finally found the place.

He stopped outside a Japanese-style bungalow, drawn to the tiled sign on the doorway.

That was clearly a coded communication signal.

Then, the man quietly climbed over the wall into the yard and knocked rhythmically on the door.

These actions clearly show that he was definitely a Japanese spy.

Zhao Jiu still didn't order anyone to make a move; he wanted to know what this Japanese spy was planning to do tonight.

Half an hour later, two people came out of the room.

One carried a suitcase toward the beach, while the other ran around the island knocking on doors and spreading the word.

Clearly, they're working separately, and something big is definitely going to happen tonight.

Zhao Jiu immediately knocked on Fang Wen's bedroom door.

dong dong dong.

The knocking on the door woke Fang Wen up. With the help of his superpowers, his energy recovery speed was far beyond that of ordinary people. The three hours of rest had already given him plenty of energy.

Fang Wen sat up, put on his clothes, and opened the door.

"what's up?"

"General Manager, the person you asked me to keep an eye on has made a move."

Zhao Jiu explained the situation, and Fang Wen immediately changed his shoes and went out with him.

Once outside the house, the gang members immediately reported the situation.

"The Japanese on the island are starting to gather again, probably planning to cause trouble again."

"Where is that person?" Zhao Jiu asked anxiously.

"He was subdued by the two men who had been following him. We followed your orders and did not make a move, but those two men have already brought their men over."

As they were talking, two officers from the 19th Route Army brought the Beiping merchant over.

Fang Wen walked over, with Zhao Jiu standing guard beside him.

"Boss Huang, aren't you from a kind-hearted family originally from Beijing? How come you're working for the Japanese?"

The Beijing businessman, Mr. Huang, looked up at Fang Wen but did not answer.

Zhao Jiu was furious and kicked him to the ground, then proceeded to beat him severely.

This was something he had never done in Las Vegas before; his actions were brutal and ruthless, and he soon beat Boss Huang until he cried out in pain.

"Pah! Still pretending? Get up!" Zhao Jiu said fiercely.

After being subjected to a beating, Boss Huang painfully got up and replied, "I'm innocent!"

"Innocent?" The officer of the 19th Army opened the box he had brought with him and pointed to the contents, saying, "Scuba gear, pistol, and this is probably a bomb. You still want to say you're innocent?"

Faced with these accusations, Boss Huang remained silent, and Zhao Jiu continued to beat him mercilessly without responding.

Looking at these, Fang Wen seemed to be deep in thought and told Zhao Jiu to stop.

"You remind me of someone named Yoshiko Kawashima. She claimed to be the daughter of a former Qing dynasty prince, sent to Japan for training from a young age, and then returning to work for the Japanese. I think there must be more than just her; you are probably one of them."

As he spoke, Fang Wen observed a slight change in the other person's expression.

Fang Wen changed the subject: "I also know of another situation. The Japanese instill Bushido and militaristic ideas in their children from a very young age, and then exchange them with our children. From then on, they hide in various parts of China as Chinese people. That way, no one can tell whether you are Chinese or Japanese, right?"

Sweat beaded on Mr. Huang's forehead without his realizing it. Despite his attempts to appear calm, he couldn't hide the shock in his heart.

Fang Wen was right.

But it was no use. Mr. Huang suddenly struggled violently, trying to take the bomb out of the box.

That was impossible. Several gunshots rang out, and he was shot dead on the ground.

Looking at the corpse, Zhao Jiu felt a chill.

"General Manager, are you telling the truth? They train their own children from a young age and then infiltrate our ranks?"

Fang Wen said coldly, "I don't know either, but his actions have shown that it might be true."

At that moment, gunshots rang out from the northeast of the island.

A gang member ran over to report: "The Japanese have concealed their military force; they're coming in armored vehicles."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiu's expression changed immediately. He explained to Fang Wen, "The weapons we brought can't penetrate armored vehicles. If they attack under the cover of armored vehicles, we probably won't be able to stop them."

“I have a way.” Fang Wen turned around and said, “Wu Yingzong, go to the plane and get the remote-controlled bomb. We’ll make a minefield.”

Zhao Jiu was stunned; the general manager had actually prepared so thoroughly.

But what is a remote-controlled bomb?

Can this type of landmine be used against armored vehicles?

(End of this chapter)