Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 445: Acquaintances at the Military Intelligence Bureau's Wuhan Station, and a Report on the Practical Application of New Weapons
Inside the grocery store, Gong Xiuneng pinned the store owner, whose arm joints had already been dislocated, to the ground.

Fang Wen entered the room and looked around the shop.

The space, though not large, was filled with bottles, jars, paper bags, and other goods, making it no different from any other general store.

"Is it him?" Fang Wen asked to confirm.

After squatting down and examining it closely, Zhu Daning said, "Yes, it's this bastard."

He was filled with hatred because of his greed, which had cost him his job. He was about to hit Gong Xiuneng, but Gong Xiuneng blocked him with one hand.

Having learned from Gong Xiuneng's methods, Zhu Daning, who was still resentful, dared not act recklessly.

Fang Wen grabbed a chair from the side and said, "Help him up."

Gong Xiuneng grabbed the shop owner by the collar, lifted him up like a chick, and placed him on the chair.

The shop owner, whose arms were paralyzed, looked at Fang Wen with a terrified expression and cried out, "Hero, spare my life! I have money in my counter, please take it and let me go."

This performance perfectly embodies that of an ordinary citizen suddenly encountering danger, and he even speaks in the Hankou dialect.

Fang Wen sneered, "Stop acting, which side did you send?"

The man was still trying to argue: "Sir, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just running my shop here honestly, no one sent me."

Such sophistry is meaningless, and Fang Wen didn't want to waste too much time on it, so he gave Gong Xiuneng a wink.

Immediately, Gong Xiuneng used a heavy hand, inserting two fingers into the shoulder socket and employing the technique of dislocating tendons and bones.

The pain of exceeding the limit appeared in the shop owner.

With a thud, he fell off the chair and onto the ground, curling up in a ball, writhing and groaning in pain.

When he could no longer bear it, he spoke in his mother tongue.

They were indeed Japanese soldiers.

Gong Xiuneng then stopped the punishment and put him back on the chair.

"Can you confess now?" Fang Wen asked.

The shop owner looked terrified; he didn't want to go through that kind of pain again. "I'll talk. My name is Oshima Aruno. When I was 15, I was ordered to infiltrate Hankou. I was recently reassigned to investigate Taishan Airlines. That's my mission, nothing else."

As expected, this was part of the Japanese plan targeting Taishan Airlines. Uncovering this guy is a small gain.

Fang Wen was considering how to deal with this Japanese spy.

Killing it directly would be a waste.

The person he was going to meet in Wuhan this time was not Quan Yuncai, but someone from the Fuxing Society. This Japanese spy could be a gift.

He then left Gong Xiuneng in the shop while he went to the former site of Taishan Airlines headquarters.

The area is still part of Taishan Airlines' property, guarded by Taishan's remaining employees, and contains several company cars.

Having a car allows him to maximize his abilities.

After disguising himself, Fang Wen walked two miles and arrived at the old headquarters site.

After identifying themselves, the gatekeepers opened the gate and let them through.

Walking in the empty courtyard, Fang Wen felt a pang of emotion, but this feeling only lasted for a moment before he swept it away.

He walked past the former headquarters building and opened the iron gate to the rear garage.

A moment later, Fang Wen drove a modified black Stypunk sedan out of the garage, leaving the old headquarters and heading towards the grocery store.

The car stopped outside the grocery store, and Gong Xiuneng immediately grabbed the spy and threw him into the back seat, then climbed in himself.

The car sped away, leaving Zhu Daning standing alone outside the grocery store, his face filled with regret and confusion.

The car drove along the streets of Hankou, turned from Zhongshan Avenue onto Nanjing Road, and arrived at the riverside.

At that time, there was no Yangtze River Bridge in the three towns of Wuhan, and you had to take a ferry to get from Hankou to Hanyang and Wuchang.

The car is temporarily unusable; we need to find a place to store it near the dock.

Therefore, Fang Wen drove his car to a place where boatmen gathered.

He got out of the car, searched through the crowd, and found the person he was looking for.

He then walked over and directly revealed his identity.

"Taishan Airlines has a favor to ask of you. Does Zheng Shanshui still remember this kindness?"

The crowd parted to make way, and a burly man wearing a short jacket with his chest exposed walked out.

“My brothers and I owe Taishan Airlines a life-saving debt. If we hadn’t been able to escape here on their plane, we wouldn’t be living the life we ​​have now. But you have no proof, how can you prove it?”

Fang Wen took out half of the seal, and the other party also took out half of the seal and put them together, so they matched.

Zheng Shanshui laughed and said, "Then we're family. Tell me, what do you want us to do?"

Fang Wen stated his request: "This car needs to be parked here, please keep an eye on it. Also, we need to go to Wuchang, but because we have some inconvenient things with us, we need to find a ferry to cross the river."

“The car is fine, just leave it here. But the ferry, it’s wartime now, the ferry service is on a limited schedule, and they check your identities. If you want to go across,” Zheng Shanshui hesitated for a moment, then said, “follow me.”

(The Hanyang Wharf at that time)

Fang Wen and Zheng Shanshui headed to the dock, with Gong Xiuneng carrying the immobile Japanese spy behind them.

At the dock, many wooden boats were moored, most of which were no longer in operation, while others were destroyed by bombing and were half-floating on the riverbank.

Zheng Shanshui jumped onto a wooden boat and said to those behind him, "Follow me, the boat you need to take is just ahead."

He nimbly leaped across the wooden boats, with Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng close behind.

After passing seven or eight wooden boats, Zheng Shanhe stopped and whistled.

A small sampan came rowing from not far away.

Zheng Shanshui explained the situation: "If you get on this boat, it will take you to the ferry; you won't need to go through any checks."

Fang Wen nodded, boarded the boat first, and then caught Gong Xiuneng, who was carrying people on his back.

Afterwards, Zheng Shanhe gave some instructions to the boatman, and then the small boat rowed towards the ferry 300 meters away.

(The ferries in Hankou at that time)

The small sampan only approached after the ferry had sailed away, and the ferrymen, who were also his own people, offered their help.

Fang Wen grabbed the boatman's hand, climbed onto the boat, then turned around and pulled Gong Xiu Neng, while also lifting the immobile Japanese spy from Gong Xiu Neng's back.

And so, he blended in with the passengers crossing the river.

The ferry traveled on the Yangtze River and arrived on the other side twenty minutes later.

When disembarking, there was no need to undergo inspection. Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng followed the other passengers off the ship to the ferry terminal on the Wuchang side.

At this moment, Gong Xiuneng finally couldn't help but ask, "Where are we going?"

"Find someone you know, and you'll find out when you get there."

After Fang Wen finished speaking, he waved and summoned a rickshaw.

He told them where to go, "No. 33 Pingyue Road."

Then, the two of them each got into a rickshaw and left.

Pingyue Road is a road that connects to the riverbank. Two rickshaws were traveling east along Pingyue Road.

We arrived at the Wuhan Mint, next to which was the Wuhan Headquarters of the Military Commission of the National Government.

And across the street is No. 33 Pingyue Road.

Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng got off the rickshaw and walked over.

There, hanging at the entrance is a plaque for the Investigation and Statistics Bureau of the Military Commission of the National Government.

People in military uniforms were going in and out, loading things onto trucks, preparing to transport them away. This was the location of the newly established Military Intelligence Bureau.

The acquaintance Fang Wen was looking for was within the Military Intelligence Bureau.

He smiled and spoke to a man in military uniform who was moving things.

"Is Team Leader Qiao inside?"

The man stopped. "Team Leader Qiao has been promoted. He's now the station manager of Wuhan Station. Do you need to see him?"

Fang Wen nodded: "He and I are old friends. I came here specifically to visit him."

"What is your surname? I can inform them of your identity."

"Tell him that he is an old friend from Shanghai, surnamed Fang, and he is looking for him."

"Okay, wait here."

The man in military uniform went inside.

Gong Xiuneng was a little nervous: "Commander, will something happen?"

Fang Wei laughed and said, "It's alright. Not everyone wants to get me. I have many friends in Wuhan too."

After a while, a middle-aged man in military uniform came out and looked around.

Fang Wen walked over and said, "Qiao Kang, it's been a long time."

"Who are you?" The middle-aged man in military uniform immediately understood and said in a low voice, "Let's go in and talk."

Fang Wen pointed to Gong Xiuneng: "I have another person here, let's go in together."

"Who is he carrying on his back?" Qiao Kang asked, puzzled.

"You'll find out soon enough," Fang Wen replied.

"Let's go." The middle-aged man named Qiao Kang led Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng into the Military Intelligence Bureau compound.

It was a bit messy inside, with documents scattered on the floor.

After passing through the courtyard, Qiao Kang arrived at the back, where there was a separate office building. He went up to the second floor and came to the door of the room with the sign "Wuhan Station Master's Office".

He opened the door to let Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng in, then closed it.

Qiao Kang only relaxed after the door closed.

"General Manager Fang, you're really bold to come here."

Fang Wen removed the human skin mask and smiled, "I'm willing to believe you as a friend."

Qiao Kang unbuttoned his cuffs, revealing deep scars on his left arm. "If it weren't for you, my bones would be rotting in the sewers of the Japanese concession in Tianjin. You saved my life. I, Qiao Kang, am clear about gratitude and resentment, and I will never forget it."

He was one of the Fuxing Society members who were captured by the Japanese in Tianjin back then. Time has passed, some of those people have disappeared, some have joined the army, but he stayed in the Fuxing Society and is doing quite well now.

Fang Wen had met him privately a few times and knew that he was a man of great loyalty and affection. When he needed someone to smooth things over, he was the first person he thought of.

The two exchanged pleasantries.

"After you left, the Aviation Commission made a fuss again, but their words were useless, and the matter remained unresolved."

“I know that industries have all moved overseas now, so they won’t get a penny. What’s the story behind you becoming the station manager of Wuhan Station?”

"That's right, when the Chairman went to Chongqing, the General Administration also had to move there, and this place became Wuhan Station. I was left behind to guard it."

"Being able to stand on your own is quite good."

“But this is not a good place.” Qiao Kang looked at the roof and explained, “In January, an army general named Han died upstairs. He fired ten shots.”

Fang Wen knew who it was. That man was originally in charge of military affairs in Shandong. Later, when the Japanese invaded Jinan, he led his troops to retreat. Chiang Kai-shek executed him for disobeying military orders as a warning to others.

After exchanging pleasantries, it was time to get down to business. Fang Wen explained the situation: "My current business has been moved to Myanmar. The newly built China-Myanmar Highway in Yunnan will be of great use to me. I heard it is managed by the Southwest Transportation Office under the Military Commission. I would like to ask you to help make the connection."

“No problem, I’ll take care of it.” Qiao Kang readily agreed.

Fang Wen then said, "I've brought you a gift this time. This guy is a Japanese spy. I just happened to run into him. I have no use for him, so I'm giving him to you. See if you can uncover more Japanese spies lurking in Wuhan."

Qiao Kang was overjoyed. He got up, walked over to Gong Xiuneng, grabbed the Japanese spy by the hair, lifted him up, and coldly asked, "What's your name?"

The Japanese spy looked at Gong Xiuneng with fear, afraid of suffering again, and honestly confessed his undercover identity and his identity as a Japanese spy.

Immediately, Qiao Kang opened the door, summoned his men, and had them taken the man to be imprisoned.

Things became much simpler because Qiao Kang was willing to help.

Through his connections, the director of the Southwest Transportation Management Office, who had not yet left Wuhan, agreed to meet with Fang Wen.

Fang Wen met the section chief at a restaurant.

Qiao Kang introduced him on his behalf: "This is Director Ren, the representative of Taishan Airlines. You two talk, I'll wait outside."

After saying that, he left on his own initiative, since it would be inconvenient for him to be present in such a situation.

After Qiao Kang left, Director Ren began negotiations with Fang Wen.

“If I were to help you, it would only be in secret. Therefore, your convoy cannot use any logos or brand names related to Mount Tai, nor can it be advertised to the outside world.”

“That’s for sure, I can guarantee that on behalf of Taishan Airlines,” Fang Wen replied.

"That's good. As long as I'm in office, you can use this road, but what about the cost?" Director Ren's eyes narrowed into slits.

Fang Wen took out an envelope and said it was the down payment. The other party looked at the contents of the envelope and put it into his bag with satisfaction.

He shook hands with Fang Wen: "It's been a pleasure working with you. I have to go now. My flight to Chongqing is this afternoon, by your company's seaplane."

The seaplanes he was referring to were the batch of planes seized in Chongqing that were originally leased to the Nationalist government, but are now being used again.

Fang Wen smiled and saw him off, but the smile disappeared after he left.

Having completed his tasks in Wuhan, Fang Wen bid farewell to Qiao Kang and returned to Hankou with Gong Xiuneng.

That night, he took off in his plane and left Wuhan.

After an overnight flight, the plane landed in the sea off Yangon port.

Fang Wen returned to company operations management and weapons development.

At the same time, he was very concerned about the effectiveness of the batch of military equipment and weapons he had sent back to China.

A week later, two reports were sent back from China via encrypted telegram.

One document is about individual rocket launchers.

Another report concerns the underground Communist Party in Jinan, which used new types of espionage equipment to carry out assassination operations.

Fang Wen was very much looking forward to the contents of the report.

He looked at the first one first.

[Special Weapons Operations Report in the North China Plain]

[In this operation, we received the new Taishan individual rocket launcher, which comes from the same manufacturer as the previous grenade launcher. We are pleased that our country now has its own powerful weapons manufacturing plant.]

[After being equipped with individual rocket launchers, the guerrillas' lack of offensive capabilities was compensated for in terms of firepower. The pillboxes built on the North China Plain, as well as the armored vehicles and tanks in the county towns, were no longer insurmountable targets. Therefore, we launched an assault operation.]

The target area is the Pinghan Railway line between Baoding and Shijiazhuang, with a total of three attack points, including the Xinle Railway Station which has been reinforced with bunkers, and two watchtowers in Xingtang.

During the attack, our individual rocket launcher gunners circled around to the enemy's blind spots and fired 10 rockets within a range of 150-200 meters.

Nine of the shells hit their targets, and one ricocheted, destroying four bunkers and breaching the defensive base of a pillbox.

Based on the experience gained in this combat, we believe that this weapon is highly suitable for individual combat operations, achieving excellent results while significantly reducing the combat risks for soldiers.

Fang Wen was very happy with this evaluation, as this was the purpose of his development of man-portable rocket launchers.

What could the underground Communist Party organization behind enemy lines do using new types of special agent equipment?

(End of this chapter)