Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 427, Section 425: Zhengzhou Stops the New Eighth Division; Eighth Route Army Students Go to Yangon

Two gunboats and 50 soldiers from the Independent Regiment were ready.

Fang Wen was waiting for Bai Yunfei.

Baiyun flew over after reporting to his superiors and receiving a reply.

Bai Yunfei, now in civilian clothes, walked up to Fang Wen and said, "After the higher-ups found out about this, they said they were determined to stop it. I will go with you and act as a liaison to get in touch with the local underground party organization."

Fang Wen nodded: "Let's go without delay."

Immediately afterwards, he and Pan Jiafeng each boarded a gunboat and took off for Zhengzhou.

The two places are only 450 kilometers apart. With Fang Wen leading the way, the flight perfectly avoided Japanese warplanes and arrived in Zhengzhou two hours later.

Fang Wen looked down.

The banks of the Yellow River are covered with fertile land. Over thousands of years, the people living along the Yellow River have adapted to the local environment and thrived for generations, relying on this mother river.

But now, the riverbank is about to be breached, and the people on the south bank will face annihilation.

Fang Wen couldn't bear to think about the scene after the dam broke, so he controlled the plane to land on Longzi Lake in the east of Zhengzhou.

After the plane landed, it docked at the pier on the west side, and a group of people disembarked.

The pedestrians on the shore were quite surprised to see the fully armed soldiers and gunboats. Some of the timid people quickly left, while the bolder ones only dared to watch from a distance.

But a few people were not afraid and walked over.

Those were Taishan Airlines staff members who were originally stationed here to recruit refugees.

One of them reported to Fang Wen: "General Manager, we were searching along the Yellow River, but we were blocked by the army and couldn't get close."

"Where?" Fang Wen asked.

"It's about 30 li northwest of here, on the banks of the Yellow River," the staff member replied.

Fang Wen took out a map and marked the location.

He looked at Bai Yunfei.

Bai Yunfei nodded. "Our people should be arriving soon."

Everyone waited by the lake for a while, and the people Bai Yunfei mentioned came over. They were all dressed as students and workers.

After talking with them, Bai Yunfei brought them over directly.

“They are all local underground party members, and I have already told them the situation.”

These people included students, workers, and post office staff. When they learned that the National Army was going to breach the dike, they were all very anxious.

They all spoke up:
"We cannot let them succeed; we must stop them."

"It's the flood season now. If the dikes break, hundreds of miles downstream will be flooded."

Fang Wen took out a map and asked, "Do you know where this is?"

The underground party member working at the post office could read maps and replied, "That place is called Huayuankou, it's a ferry crossing."

A female worker recalled: "My father used to work as a boatman there. He said that after that section of the Yellow River, the river would narrow and the current would be rapid, so the nearest ferry crossing was set up there."

Fang Wen nodded: "That's why the Kuomintang chose to breach the dike there, because the water volume there is large, and more river water will gush out."

Upon hearing Fang Wen's analysis, everyone became even more nervous. As locals, they were even more worried about the impact on their homes after the dike breached.

Immediately, he took the initiative to lead Fang Wen and his group there.

More than an hour later, Fang Wen and his group arrived at the entrance of the garden.

Before they even got close to the banks of the Yellow River, they were stopped by the army.

Fang Wen responded without hesitation, "Disarm them."

Fifty soldiers from the Independent Regiment raised their Thompson submachine guns and aimed them at the enemy.

Faced with such advanced equipment, the soldiers carrying Hanyang rifles changed their expressions drastically, and the arrogant demeanor they had shown when dealing with ordinary civilians vanished.

The leading officer quickly said, "It's a misunderstanding, don't fire, we are just following orders."

"Surrender and you will not be killed." The soldiers of the Independent Regiment said menacingly. Having experienced many battles with the Japanese army, they possessed a fierceness that instilled fear in the other soldiers.

Someone voluntarily lowered their gun and raised their hands. The officer, seeing that things were not going well, tried to turn around and run away, but was knocked to the ground by a rifle butt.

Gong Xiuneng walked over, grabbed the officer by the collar and pulled him up, asking, "Tell me the truth about the breach in the dike. If even a little leak occurs, you'll lose your life."

The officer, his mouth covered in blood, shuddered and hurriedly said, "It started by breaching the dike at Zhaokou in Zhongmu the night before last, about 80 li downstream from here. The dike was breached yesterday morning. But because the breach was too narrow, after flowing for two hours, the breach was blocked by mud and sand again. They tried to blast it with explosives and landmines, but they still couldn't open the collapsed and blocked breach. Today, the order to breach the dike was given to our Eighth Division, and the order is to open the dike by tomorrow."

Fang Wen snorted coldly, ordered the Independent Regiment soldiers to disarm all the men, tie their hands behind their backs with leather straps, and hand them over to the staff of Taishan Airlines and the underground party members for safekeeping.

He and the soldiers of the Independent Regiment walked briskly forward.

The journey continued without hindrance, and they soon arrived at the riverbank.

There, a large group of people were busy on the riverbank, constantly digging the soil from the embankment with their tools.

There were not only migrant workers, but also soldiers.

(The scene at the time)
Fang Wen drew his pistol and fired into the air.

"Stop right there, all of you."

The soldiers on the riverbank panicked, while a group of heavily armed troops rushed out from below the riverbank.

These people outnumbered Fang Wen several times over.

The leader shouted, "Which unit are you from? We are acting on the orders of the Chairman and are not to harass us."

Fang Wen stepped forward, coldly looking at the other party: "Commander Jiang, do you think you can get away with this so-called order from the Chairman? Do you know what the consequences will be if the dike is breached?"

Division Commander Jiang's expression changed, but he replied, "This has nothing to do with you. If you cause any more trouble, you will be dealt with according to military law."

As he spoke, Fang Wen looked at the soldiers.

With his physical abilities, he could clearly see the expressions on the soldiers' faces as they listened to him speak.

These soldiers came from Guizhou, where the local geography made them completely unaware of the impact of a breach in the dike.

Fang Wen raised his voice: "Soldiers, do you know what you are doing? Once the dike is breached, the Yellow River will flood the low-lying areas on the south bank, submerging countless farmlands and houses, and displacing millions of people. Do you want to see this happen?"

He used his supernatural ability, and his loud voice echoed across the riverbank, causing the soldiers to show expressions of surprise.

Some people didn't believe it: "Commander, is what he said true?"

Commander Jiang felt extremely uncomfortable under the gazes of his numerous subordinates.

He forced himself to remain calm and said, "Nonsense, we're just following orders. Everything has been arranged by our superiors."

Fang Wen watched coldly and summoned the underground party members.

“These are all locals from Zhengzhou. You can ask them if they know anything about the dike breach.”

Without the soldiers even asking, the students and workers angrily declared:
"No one notified us. Once the dike breaks, the people won't know and won't be able to evacuate. Many people will die."

"You're here to fight the Japanese devils, not to harm us ordinary people."

The soldiers were moved.

Seeing this, Fang Wen quickly stepped up his efforts.

He raised his voice and said, "Think about it, if the dam were to burst, millions of people would be displaced, and hundreds of thousands would drown in the flood. Can you bear such a monstrous crime?"

The words struck like lightning, splitting the soldiers' hearts.

Someone angrily threw down their shovel: "Killing our own people is even more ruthless than fighting the Japanese. I'm not doing this anymore."

A series of curses echoed from the riverbank as they threw their tools into the Yellow River.

The soldiers with guns laid down their weapons and all looked at their division commander.

At that moment, Commander Jiang realized that there was nothing he could do, and could only say, "Fine, I won't dig the dike anymore. Whoever wants to do it can do it. But you have to tell me who you are, don't leave me to take the blame alone."

Fang Wen sneered: "Fang Wen of the Taishan Independent Regiment, go back and report that I organized this." Division Commander Jiang clasped his hands and waved his hand, saying: "Brothers, let's retreat."

Fang Wen stopped him, saying, "One of your subordinates said some extreme things just now. I'm afraid he won't have a good outcome if he goes back with you. Why don't I take him with me?"

Commander Jiang's veins bulged as he turned to look at his soldiers. The unfamiliar gazes chilled him to the bone, leaving him no choice but to agree.

"Take him away and see what's best for you."

After saying this, he left with hundreds of soldiers and the group that had been tied up.

All that remained on the levee were the bewildered migrant workers and a military officer.

Bai Yunfei and the underground party members went up to the river embankment to inspect its condition and reassure the laborers.

Fang Wen then spoke with the officer: "What's your name? Where are you from?"

The officer replied, "My name is Yan Huaixun. I am from Guiyang. I graduated from the Guizhou Military Academy and am the battalion commander of the artillery battalion of the New Eighth Division."

Fang Wen exclaimed in surprise, "I heard that the Guizhou Military Academy only had two sessions, but it was established earlier than the Whampoa Military Academy."

Yan Huaixun replied, "Yes, I entered school in 1920, majoring in artillery. I am not good at management. I have been in the military for more than 20 years, but I am only a minor battalion deputy."

From his words and actions, Fang Wen could tell that he was a straightforward person, which is why he took the lead in arguing with his superiors on the riverbank.

Then, Fang Wen asked, "I owe you a favor. I'll give you two choices. First, I'll give you some money so you can go back to your hometown, buy some land and houses, and live a life of leisure. Second, you can work for me. I happen to be short of an artillery commander, which is also a battalion-level officer. But let me make this clear: the artillery battalion of the Taishan Independent Regiment can only be considered my private army."

Yan Huaixun thought for a moment and replied, "I came out to fight the Japanese, so of course I'll join the Taishan Independent Regiment."

Fang Wen smiled and extended his hand: "Welcome, Battalion Commander Yan."

The incident was resolved without major incident.

After finishing his trip to Zhengzhou, he flew back to Fuping and sent the soldiers he had brought with him and Bai Yunfei back to Fuping.

I stayed in Fuping for an extra day.

The purpose was to bring 30 gunboat cadets from the Eighth Route Army to Yangon for training.

A day later, Bai Yunfei arrived at Fuping Water Airport with his men.

Bai Yunfei, dressed in the uniform of the Eighth Route Army, led 30 men and marched in formation in front of Fang Wen.

He announced loudly, "The Eighth Route Army's artillery and aircraft trainees are 30 in number and 30 in number. Report for duty."

Fang Wen nodded: "You will be coming with me to Yangon, 3000 kilometers away, for a three-month training course. I hope you will return after completing your studies and fight the Japanese in gunboats. I know you are very determined, but learning is not just about rote memorization; it's also about integrating knowledge. I hope you will practice more and understand more during the next three months. Okay, that's all for now. We'll have plenty of time to talk later. Now, let's begin registration."

After he finished speaking, Gong Xiuneng and Yan Huaixun brought over a table and a kilogram scale. Zhao Junping picked up a notebook and began to register the names, heights, weights, and other information of each of the Eighth Route Army trainees.

After registering, 30 Eighth Route Army cadets followed Fang Wen onto the No. 4 gunboat.

Including Fang Wen, Gong Xiuneng, Yan Huaixun, and Zhao Junping, there were a total of 34 people on one gunboat, which was a bit crowded.

Fang Wen instructed, "Sit on the rows of seats on both sides and secure your safety ropes. This flight will cover 3000 kilometers with only four stops in between, and will last 12 hours. Most of you may not have experienced flying before and may feel a little uncomfortable. If any problems arise, tell Gong Xiuneng; he knows how to handle them."

After Fang Wen finished speaking, he looked at Gong Xiuneng, Yan Huaixun, and Zhao Junping: "It's up to you three."

He then got into the driver's seat.

The three then began to instruct the students on how to sit down.

Once everything was ready, Gong Xiuneng closed the cabin door: "Commander, everything is ready, we can take off."

Fang Wen then started the engine, accelerated on the water, and flew into the sky.

After the flight began, Fang Wen piloted the aircraft while using his mechanical senses to observe the Eighth Route Army gunboat trainees inside the cabin.

This group of people, like Qi Baoqian, Du Jiahuai, and Shao Deqing who were recruited from the Red Army, were all elite soldiers.

Perseverance, knowledge, physical fitness, and reaction time are all top-notch qualities.

Don't let their young age of only twenty-something fool you; they are all seasoned veterans and kings among soldiers.

After all, they were people who had experienced the Kuomintang's encirclement and suppression campaigns and the Long March.

Seeing how they sat upright, Fang Wen couldn't help but nod.

Forty minutes later, the plane arrived over the Yellow River.

Fang Wen subconsciously looked down.

The sight below made his blood boil.

The Yellow River channel was still breached.

The low-lying area on the south bank is now a vast expanse of water; the farmland is gone, and the water level has reached above the rooftops.

"Damn it!" Fang Wen slammed his fist into the casing of the radio device on his right hand, denting it.

Zhao Junping, who was sitting next to the radio equipment, was startled and didn't dare to utter a sound.

Gong Xiuneng from the rear cabin ran over.

"Captain, what's wrong?"

"The Yellow River has breached its banks!" Fang Wen said coldly.

Gong Xiuneng immediately leaned over the observation hole to look down, exclaiming in surprise.

The others also got up and looked outside.

Yan Huaixun continued to hurl insults, which further enraged the Eighth Route Army students.

At this moment, Fang Wen felt a deep sense of helplessness.

I can stop the New Eighth Division, but there are other units that can do it.

As long as the Chairman's orders remain in effect, others will carry them out.

He was utterly disgusted by that ugliness of disregarding life and just wanted to end it all as soon as possible so that a new era could arrive quickly.

The 12-hour flight has passed.

Gunships landed at the Yangon harbor seaplane base.

The plane docked, and Gong Xiuneng opened the cabin door, grabbed the rope, and jumped onto the pier first.

Afterwards, Fang Wen led the students off the plane.

The group took a shuttle bus from the dock to the nearby Taishan Industrial Park.

Fang Wen then took them to the seaplane training center of Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant and handed them over to the management personnel of the training center.

After completing these tasks, Fang Wen arranged for Yan Huaixun to go to the bomb and shell factory in northern Myanmar to temporarily take charge of the management of the factory's test firing of bombs and shells.

Finally, I have time to get back to work on military-related matters.

In early May of 38, Fang Wen, who had returned to Yangon, began to devote himself to the development of the military industry.

There are many things to do, and they need to be done simultaneously.

The modification of gunboat aircraft is the most important task.

The first batch of 10 modified seaplanes have been brought ashore and transported into the aircraft manufacturing hangar.

There, the factory's engineers and technicians expertly converted the Suiyun-1 civilian amphibious aircraft into a gunboat.

The armor plates were thickened, gun mounts were added, the internal structure was adjusted, the engine was replaced, and the corresponding propellers and pipelines were adjusted accordingly.
Because they were all made by their own hands, the modification process went very smoothly.

It is estimated that 10 gunships can be modified each month, and a total of 30 gunships will be modified in 3 months.

Besides gunboats, Fang Wen has his own new projects.

As the war progressed to this point, facing the mechanized forces of the Japanese army, Fang Wen felt it necessary to first develop a batch of anti-tank and anti-armor weapons for individual soldiers.

This is his first attempt to fully enter the military industry, starting with something relatively simple.

(End of this chapter)