Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 524: The underground treasure mechanism is triggered; journey to Leningrad.
The cold fog of the early morning enveloped the excavation site, while the electric searchlights illuminated Pit No. 2 as if it were daytime.

According to the agreement, Fang Wen and his group were permitted to follow the archaeological team into the pit to witness the moment when Napoleon's treasure was opened.

The mud and sand piled up at the entrance of the passage have been cleared to create a narrow passageway. Soldiers are reinforcing the soil on both sides with wooden stakes. The damp air is filled with the smell of rotting leather and metal.

Fang Wen and the others followed behind the group, walking down the wooden steps that were buried in the mud to prevent slipping, bending over as they went.

"Be careful, this section of the road hasn't been secured yet after being dug up, and it might collapse."

The soldier leading the team explained the situation in Russian.

Please proceed carefully and try not to touch the sides of the passage.

The archaeologist at the front, Yuriko, suddenly crouched down, his finger tracing a broken wooden beam on the wall of the passageway. "Look here—it's a load-bearing beam; breaking it won't be easy."

Fang Wen and Pierre understood what the archaeological expert was saying after listening to Alyosha's translation.

Upon hearing this, Pierre immediately moved closer to take a picture. The Leica camera flash illuminated the wall, and he saw something. He then used his cane to poke into the soil, picked it out, and placed it on the ground.

Pierre, an art dealer, commented: "A triple-barreled pistol is very rare; it must be a weapon custom-made for a high-ranking French officer."

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldier put the gun away in a cloth bag.

Fang Wen watched silently, thinking that in this case, it would probably be difficult to get close to the treasure and take it away.

He could sense the treasure was right in front of him, not too far away.

“Keep going!” Sergei urged.

The team moved forward again, and the tunnel ahead was even narrower due to the hasty excavation.

Everyone crouched down and squeezed through, while Fang Wen deliberately lagged behind the group, speaking softly to Gong Xiuneng in Chinese.

"When you see my hand gestures, you have to make some noise to distract them."

Gong Xiuneng nodded to indicate that he understood. He had followed Fang Wen through thick and thin and they had long since developed a tacit understanding.

The team finally crawled out of the collapsed tunnel that had been dug through.

The space in front of us suddenly opened up to be much larger.

Out of professional habit, the archaeologists immediately began to study the murals of the Tukhachevsky family in the underground buildings.

Sergei stopped them and ordered them to continue.

There was a closed wooden door in front of them, with three handcarts parked in front of it, and several skeletons sitting against the wall.

"Open the door," Sergei said urgently.

Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng quietly stepped back a few paces and watched from a distance.

Seeing this, Pierre surprisingly didn't go over.

The soldiers used axes and iron bars to break the rusted lock. After smashing the lock open, four soldiers pulled it open with all their might.

A flash of fire appeared, and white smoke billowed out from behind the door.

The soldiers quickly retreated.

The French military gunpowder from over 100 years ago was still burning, but the trigger wire did not detonate the explosives behind the door.

After the smoke cleared and it was confirmed that there would be no explosion, the soldiers went over and opened the door.

Behind the door, there was a trace of a black fuse that had burned out. Following the fuse, you could see two gunpowder barrels.

However, the fuse connecting the gunpowder barrel went out 20 centimeters away from the gunpowder barrel.

They passed through the wooden door without incident and entered the real treasure hall.

This area used to be the core of the Tukhachevsky family cemetery, where three large stone coffins are neatly arranged.

On the other side, however, were twenty-three iron boxes.

Under the strong light, the iron box gleamed with a dark metallic sheen, and the Russian inscription "ИМПЕРАТОРСКИЙДВОРЕЦ" (Royal Palace) was clearly visible on the box.

"It's a chest from the Tsar's Winter Palace!" The archaeological expert excitedly put on white gloves and went over.

Before he finished speaking, the soldier had already pried open the nearest iron box.

In an instant, golden light burst forth, and the entire chest of gold rupees reflected colorful brilliance under the light.

Hurrah!

A deafening Russian cheer erupted from the crowd, with even Sergei losing his composure and cheering loudly.

At this moment, Fang Wen used his special ability to sense the exact location of the treasure: the second one in the third column from the right among the 23 iron boxes.

How do I retrieve the hidden treasure from the box?
Fang Wen was considering how to proceed. Acting rashly was not an option; he had to take the treasure without arousing suspicion.

After all, the Soviet Union's Katyusha rocket project was also very important.

He did not give Gong Xiuneng any instructions to act, but instead observed the situation and waited for an opportunity.

After the cheers subsided, Sergei ordered the soldiers to open all the iron crates on the spot. The contents of each crate had to be counted and registered before they could be moved out of the underground.

This can prevent the treasure from being secretly hidden by the transport personnel during the moving process.

The soldiers opened the boxes one by one and counted them, while the archaeological experts acted as the inventory and registration personnel, recording the contents of the boxes in detail.

During this process, Fang Wen and his group were forbidden from approaching, and two soldiers even stood guard nearby with guns.

Is it really impossible to make a move underground?
As the boxes were counted and moved away one by one, Gong Xiuneng became anxious.

He whispered, "Commander, if we don't act now, we'll miss our chance."

"Don't panic, wait a moment," Fang Wen said calmly.

If you can't take action here, then try to find a way outside; there will always be an opportunity.

Time passed slowly, and of the 23 iron boxes, 8 had already been counted and carried away.

Fang Wen and his companions, however, were never allowed to approach the treasure.

At this moment, Fang Wen felt the small bronze cauldron in his pocket vibrate.

Why would a warning appear here?
He instinctively thought the passage was about to collapse.

He then turned to look behind him.

And this time.

The soldiers walked toward the ninth box.

As before, they broke the lock, opened the box, and inventoried its contents.

After registration was completed, the soldiers worked together to lift the iron box.

As they lifted the box, a protrusion rose automatically due to the loss of pressure.

Almost simultaneously, Fang Wen felt an even more intense vibration from the bronze cauldron.

He turned around abruptly and saw the soldiers lifting the box and the movement underneath it.

what is this?
With physical abilities far exceeding those of ordinary people, he keenly noticed plumes of dust falling from the sky.

He looked up, and his pupils instantly contracted.

Without hesitation, he shouted, "Get down!"

While shouting, they also pressed down on Gong Xiuneng's shoulder, and Gong Xiuneng immediately prostrated himself on the ground.

The moment the two of them lay down.

A large cloud of dust suddenly fell.

One after another, meteor hammers suspended by iron chains fell from above.

Cries of pain continued to be heard.

In just over ten seconds, the underground space was filled with dust. Fang Wen covered his mouth and nose with his clothes and squinted to observe the situation.

In the dim light, shadowy figures could be seen, and groans could be heard continuously.

This was a situation that Fang Wen had not anticipated.

The French army hid their treasure here, and even used underground mechanisms.

These primitive and brutal mechanisms, purely mechanical pressure-triggered structures, have withstood the test of time better than gunpowder barrels.

Because of the pervasive dust, visibility was almost zero, so Fang Wen could only rely on the sounds he heard to make his judgment.

He shouted, “Can anyone hear me? I can’t see clearly right now. If you need help, just tell me with your voice and I’ll find you.”

The first voice that came through was Pierre's.

He said in a panic, "Fang, I'm here, but I'm fine."

"Is Alyosha with you?" Fang Wen asked.

"He's right next to me, and he's perfectly fine."

"Don't move, I'm coming to find you."

Fang Wen patted Gong Xiu Neng on the shoulder, and the two stood up.

Following the sound, Fang Wen walked to the right and found Pierre and Alyosha.

He spoke to Alyosha: "There are probably many injured people now. You translate for me, and we'll go rescue them."

Alyosha agreed, and the four of them walked hand in hand into the dimly lit underground space.

Fang Wen was in front, followed by the other three.

He walked slowly because there were still swaying meteor hammers in the air, and it was easy to get hurt if you weren't careful.

Judging by the sound, he bypassed the area where the meteor hammer was swinging and arrived at the treasure chest area.

There were groans coming from there; the situation seemed serious.

Fang Wen called out loudly, "Sergei, are you alright? I'm coming to help you."

Alyosha translated into Russian.

A voice came from nearby: "I am Sergei. I'm alright. Damn Frenchmen, they even have these kinds of mechanisms. Many of my men are injured and need first aid. Can you help them?"

"no problem."

Fang Wen walked over.

There were at least thirty people lying on the ground, some motionless, others groaning in pain.

Fang Wen crouched down and quickly placed his fingers on the carotid artery of the nearest soldier. He felt a faint pulse at his fingertips, but the indentation in the soldier's chest and the blood foam spilling from the corner of his mouth indicated that the ribs had pierced his lung.

"Gong Xiuneng, I remember there's a first-aid kit at the campsite down the mountain. Go get it and tell the people outside that something's happened here."

"Yes, Commander." Gong Xiuneng was about to turn and leave when Fang Wen grabbed him.

"Climb over there. Those spiky balls that swing back and forth are a meter off the ground. You won't touch them once you climb out."

"Ok."

Gong Xiuneng crawled on the ground toward the exit.

Fang Wen then led Pierre and Alyosha onward.

That was where Sergei was; he had crouched under the box and thus escaped unharmed.

Fang Wen spoke to him: "Those of you who are not injured, come with me and gather the wounded together."

Sergei shouted, "Those who are alright, please speak. I need you all to help treat the wounded."

In the dim light, echoes came from different directions.

Fang Wen told them to crawl to avoid the traps above their heads.

Immediately, under his guidance, the soldiers began searching for the wounded, and those with minor injuries who could move were sent to Fang Wen's side first.

This is also the best opportunity for Fang Wen to obtain the secret treasure.

He quietly approached the treasure chest containing the secret treasure in the dimly lit underground space.

Instead of violently breaking the lock, they took out a thin iron wire.

This was a lock-picking technique he learned from Wu Yingzong, which he had never used before, but he finally put it to use this time.

After inserting the thin wire, Fang Wen determined that it was a lever lock based on the feel of the wire.

This type of lock has three levers inside, each with a notch at a different height. After the key is inserted, all levers must be lifted simultaneously to align the notch with the bolt in order to unlock it.

Thin wires cannot open this type of lock; thicker wires, shaped like locking teeth, are needed to pry open all the levers.

He took out another wire, bent it into a locking tooth according to his sense of touch, and then inserted it into the keyhole.

With a soft click, the lock opened.

Fang Wen immediately pushed the box open, followed his senses, rummaged inside, took a piece of jewelry, then closed the box and locked it with an iron lock.

In this way, it's as if the box had never been opened.

Having obtained the treasure, he carefully stored it away and then began organizing the treatment of the wounded.

Half an hour later, Gong Xiuneng returned, panting heavily.

Meanwhile, the dust that filled the underground space gradually dissipated.

The iron chain and ball swinging in the air are slowing down.

He also saw Fang Wen, who was examining the injured person. He then carefully walked around the iron ball to Fang Wen's side.

"Commander, the first aid kit has been brought. I'm faster on foot, so I'll go first. There are other people coming to help."

Fang Wen took the first aid kit and bandaged the injured person.

Another ten minutes or so later, the rescue team that had rushed from the camp arrived.

They carefully carried the injured person out of the underground space on a stretcher, preparing to wait for medical personnel from Smolensk to arrive and provide treatment.

At this point, Xie Ergai announced that the underground treasure was temporarily sealed off, and everyone except the guards had to leave.

Gong Xiuneng asked in a low voice in Chinese, "Commander, is it done?"

Fang Wen did not answer, but his silent action made Gong Xiu understand that he no longer needed to cause trouble for him.

The Napoleon treasure was accidentally triggered, resulting in injuries to more than 30 people, and the operation to open the treasure had to be temporarily postponed.

Fang Wen's actions in treating the injured in the underground space earned Sergei's respect.

After he came out, he spoke specifically with Fang Wen: "Because of the accident, the remaining treasure will not be retrieved for the time being, but now that the existence of Napoleon's treasure has been proven, our military trade contract can take effect. I suggest you go to Leningrad, since the data stipulated in the contract is not detailed enough. You can go there and discuss with the researchers at the gas dynamics laboratory how to improve it."

Fang Wen nodded. As a customized rocket, he needed to go there to communicate better with the researchers in order to ensure that the rockets produced would be useful to the Taishan military.

He then replied, "I do need to go to the 'Gas Dynamics Laboratory' in Leningrad, but I don't have a flight permit there."

Leningrad is a no-fly zone, and Fang Wen did not have permission to fly there. When he explained the situation, Sergei readily applied for permission for him.

This time, the process was very efficient. With Sergei's proactive help, Fang Wen obtained permission to fly to Leningrad in just 2 hours.

Before taking off for Leningrad, Fang Wen spoke with Pierre: "I have some personal business to attend to, so it's inconvenient to take you with me. How about you wait for me here? Also, I need to borrow Alyosha to be my Russian translator."

Pierre readily agreed: "Sure, I'll wait for you here. It's been a wonderful experience to go on an adventure and treasure hunt with you, and I hope we'll have the chance again in the future."

So Fang Wen took Alyosha with him, and the plane took off again, heading towards Leningrad.

(End of this chapter)