Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 530 Fang Wen's Sniper Mantra, Operation Elimination of Traitors

The three members of the anti-traitor squad were drawn to the wall full of weapons and equipment.

They have used many military weapons, but they have never seen so many different kinds displayed together.

Moreover, they had never seen many of these weapon designs before.

"What is this? It looks like a 98k, but the barrel is shorter," asked Pan Suhuai, the captain of the anti-traitor squad.

Fang Wen took the gun down from the wall and also brought over the accessories.

"This is a modified 98k from Taishan Military Industry. The shortened barrel does not affect the range and accuracy, and it is equipped with a sniper scope, which can accurately kill enemies at long distances."

As he spoke, he mounted the 4x sniper scope and handed it to Pan Suhuai.

The moment Pan Suhuai took the gun, a subtle change occurred in her demeanor; Fang Wen even sensed an invisible killing intent emanating from her.

This is the state of combat readiness that only elite veterans on the battlefield possess.

His index finger rested naturally on the outside of the trigger guard, and the butt of the rifle was pressed against his shoulder, allowing him to feel the gun with his body.

"It's a bit lighter than the 98k, but the feel is still okay."

As he spoke, he instantly raised his gun and aimed with one eye.

Aiming with one eye is not a particular hobby of individual soldiers, but rather a physiological process.

Most people's vision is not the same in both eyes; there is a dominant eye and a secondary eye. To find out which eye is the dominant eye, it's simple: hold up one finger and close both eyes alternately to look at a landmark in front of you. Then look at it with both eyes. If the position of the landmark seen by both eyes is the same as the position seen by one eye, then that eye is the dominant eye.

Therefore, aiming with the dominant eye will be more accurate.

But this time, the aiming sights on the gun were replaced by a 4x scope, and Pan Suhuai was clearly not used to it.

Since this is indoors, a 4x scope is useless for aiming at short distances and will actually hinder shooting.

Fang Wen said, "We'll go out to test the guns later, and you can choose first. My suggestion is to bring weapons to deal with all kinds of situations. Don't think you need too many; it's better to be prepared. Ideally, bring one rifle, one submachine gun, one pistol, and some explosives as well, along with communication equipment."

After discussing it, the three of them decided that Pan Suhuai would say, "For long-range weapons, we'll use the 98k. We'll test-fire both models before making a decision. As for the others, we don't know much about them, so you can decide."

Fang Wen nodded and looked at the submachine gun hanging on the wall.

The Thompson submachine gun has a high rate of fire and can be loaded with a 100-round drum magazine, making it equivalent to a light machine gun.

However, it is heavy and bulky, making it unsuitable for concealment and carrying, and not suitable for the environment in Hong Kong.

The Czech ZK383 submachine gun was a new product from last year, and Fang Wen originally intended to equip the Independent Regiment with it.

This submachine gun features a folding stock and telescopic barrel, making it easy to carry and conceal. It will be widely adopted by the German SS and airborne troops in the future, making it more suitable for a trip to Hong Kong.

Therefore, he helped the three anti-traitor team members choose the Czech ZK383 submachine gun as their urban warfare suppression weapon.

For pistols, Browning was chosen, since with submachine guns available, pistols are only a supplement and will only be used in very rare situations.

There are also explosive weapons.

Fang Wen did not choose the individual rocket launcher, as that would not be suitable for use in Hong Kong.

Instead, they chose fragmentation grenades and Taishan remote-controlled bombs.

Fragmentation grenades are used to deal with enemies who cannot be fired in a straight line, while remote-controlled bombs are used to breach heavily fortified doors and carry out sabotage operations.

As for the final communication equipment, there was no other choice, so Fang Wen took three Taishan walkie-talkies.

Weapons, ammunition, and various equipment were packed into three bags. Fang Wen and his bodyguard Gong Xiuneng, along with three anti-traitor team members, left the office, went downstairs, and drove to the No. 2 Aircraft Manufacturing Plant.

There was a shooting range there belonging to the security department, which they used to test their guns.

At the shooting range, Pan Suhuai picked up the Taishan sniper rifle again.

He raised his gun, scanned the treetops a hundred meters away through the scope, and suddenly turned his head to ask, "Is this 4x scope adjustable?"

Fang Wen nodded, his fingertip pointing to the fine-tuning knob on the side of the scope: "It can be adjusted; this is the wind drift adjuster. During long-range sniping in the wild, different wind directions and speeds will affect the bullet's trajectory, and the longer the shooting distance, the greater the impact. Therefore, if you encounter a strong wind environment, you need to assess the wind's influence and then adjust accordingly to ensure accuracy."

The three anti-traitor team members were all veterans who had experienced many battles, and they were deeply moved by what Fang Wen said.

Zhao Ling revealed, "When I shoot, I also check the wind. Generally speaking, winds that are opposite to the direction of the shot have a significant impact on the bullet, so I make adjustments accordingly. But this is all based on feeling, and I can't really explain it. Can your adjustment make the target in the scope readjust according to the wind direction and speed?"

"Yes. And it involves a set of calculation formulas. Our Independent Regiment's snipers are learning how to use these formulas to quickly adjust the scopes for accurate long-range shooting. In Hong Kong, if you need to shoot at a very long distance, you can also use this adjustment method to aim."

The three of them were quite interested in learning from Fang Wen.

Originally, I thought learning mathematical formulas would be complicated and troublesome, but I didn't expect that Fang Wen had already modified the operation into an operation formula suitable for ordinary soldiers.

He took out a copy of "Operation Manual for Snipers and Gunners of the Taishan Independent Regiment, Second Edition".

One chapter specifically explains how snipers adjust wind resistance, which is divided into six steps and presented in a mnemonic format for easy learning.

To help the three understand, Fang Wen explained while demonstrating.

The first step is to determine the wind speed.

Mnemonic:

Level 0: No wind, smoke rises straight up; Level 1: Light smoke drifts diagonally; Level 2: Leaves rustle; Level 3: Flags flutter; Level 4: Dust rises; Level 5: Small trees sway; Level 6: Strong wind breaks small branches; Level 7: Gale-force wind topples large trees.

Wind speed is determined by different wind levels.

The second step is wind deflection correction: calculate crosswinds fully, reduce diagonal winds by half, and determine speed based on whether the wind is forward or reverse.

Mnemonic:

Crosswind 90 degrees, deviation is calculated based on the full width; oblique wind 45 degrees, correction is reduced by half; tailwind and headwind depend on speed, long-range shots require adjustment of initial velocity difference.

This means that, in crosswind (90°): at a wind speed of 10m/s, the bullet will deviate by about 20cm at a distance of 100 meters, and should be corrected according to the "full range" setting; in diagonal wind (45°): the deviation is 50% of that in crosswind, and at a diagonal wind speed of 10m/s, the bullet will deviate by about 10cm at a distance of 100 meters; headwind/tailwind mainly affects the range (headwind increases range, headwind decreases range), and in strong winds (>10m/s), the vertical aiming point needs to be adjusted.

Third step: adjust the knob: left wind, right adjustment; right wind, left adjustment; one increment per measurement.

Mnemonic:

If the wind comes from the left, the bullet deflects to the right; turn the knob to the left to correct the point. If the wind comes from the right, the bullet flies to the left; turn the sight to the right to return it to its original position. Change the scale and record the number; the deviation is 2.9 meters per 100 meters.

This means that if the wind direction is the same as the direction of the bullet impact point (left wind blows, bullet deflects to the right), the adjustment knob needs to be rotated in the opposite direction (left wind blows to the left to adjust the aiming point and counteract the right deflection); 1 mark corresponds to a deviation of about 2.9cm at 100 meters. If the crosswind at 100 meters is 5m/s (deviation of 10cm), it is necessary to adjust 10÷2.9≈3.5 marks.

Step 4: Distance Conversion

Mnemonic:

If the 100-meter deviation is the base, it is quadrupled at 200 meters; the mil-based algorithm is simpler, with one grid of 10 centimeters per 100 meters.

Step 5: Practical Emergency Response

Mnemonic:

Don't panic if your sights malfunction. Estimate the wind direction and remember your position. In a crosswind of 100 meters with a speed of 10, aim half a shoulder away and press the gun down.

Step 6, Comprehensive Application
Mnemonic:

Observe the smoke and trees to measure wind speed; calculate the deviation based on wind direction and distance; reverse the knob to the corresponding position; pre-aim and lock before firing.

In this way, Fang Wen finished explaining to the three anti-traitor team members.

After listening to Fang Wen's explanation and combining it with their own experience, they actually mastered the skills of using the wind deflector in their own way.

It must be said that all three are very skilled at shooting.

Fang Wen couldn't help but sigh, in the military field, there has never been such a thing as genius. Only through breakthroughs under life-or-death tests can one deeply experience and learn the skills of war. The three of them did not acquire their current strength out of thin air.

He then explained the operation of other weapons and auxiliary equipment to the three of them.

After some training and live-fire exercises, they became familiar with how to use the equipment.

At six o'clock in the afternoon, the sun was setting.

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun, Fang Wen, Gong Xiuneng, and three other members of the anti-traitor team, each carrying a large bag, boarded a seaplane capable of long-distance travel.

The plane took off and flew directly across the Indochina Peninsula.

The most important thing to be careful about during this process is flying over the airspace of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Fang Wen had two unpleasant encounters with the air force of this country, and he didn't want the news to leak out at this critical juncture.

To this end, he deliberately flew the plane along the border of the Kingdom of Thailand, passing through the Golden Triangle region where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet.

After passing through the Golden Triangle, the plane entered the Lao Plateau, then flew over Vietnam and entered the Gulf of Tonkin.

When the plane reached the airspace over the Leizhou Peninsula, Fang Wen checked the fuel level.

The auxiliary fuel tank has only one-fifth of its fuel remaining.

He activated the oil circuit switching device, shut off the auxiliary oil tank circuit, and used the main oil tank circuit.

He then said, "Gong Xiuneng, the auxiliary fuel tank is empty, go refuel."

Upon receiving the order, Gong Xiuneng ran to the rear cabin, inserted the oil pipe into the oil drum, and used a manual pump to pressurize the oil in the drum into the auxiliary oil tank.

After he finished refueling, Fang Wen switched back to the auxiliary fuel tank.

All of this was done while the aircraft was flying at a constant speed, without affecting the flight at all.

By this time, nearly 6 hours had passed, and it was midnight.

The remaining 500 kilometers of flight to Hong Kong is expected to take 2 hours.

As they were about to enter Japanese naval-controlled territory, Fang Wen activated the radar detection system.

Radar feedback indicated that no Japanese naval fleet was present in the waters off Yangjiang.

At greater distances, radar cannot detect them for the time being.

An hour later, the plane flew over the sea area near Yangjiang and was about to arrive over Macau.

The radar detection device detected the situation.

To the northeast of Hong Kong, in the Daya Bay area where the Japanese army landed, three warships were anchored in the nearshore waters.

As for other areas, nothing was discovered so late at night.

It's safe to say that flying to Hong Kong now is safe.

Fang Wen said, "Gong Xiuneng, use that specific frequency to send a message and tell them that the plane will arrive in Yuen Long in half an hour."

Fang Wen chose to land in Yuen Long instead of Yau Ma Tei Pier mainly because of the issue of concealment after the plane landed. He planned to work with the anti-traitor team this time and then take them back after completing the operation.

Gong Xiuneng immediately sent a telegram, and shortly after, he received a reply.

After translating the telegram into a coded telegram, he reported to Fang Wen: "Commander, they replied: they are ready to provide assistance, and the person in charge is Pan Zhengxin."

Pan Zhengxin was the person who met Fang Wen when he landed in Yuen Long, Hong Kong last time. It's good that he's here to meet him this time, so there's no need to go through the trouble of verifying his identity.

Fang Wen then slightly veered the aircraft, flew over the outlying islands, and arrived in the waters near Lau Fau Shan in Yuen Long.

After arriving above the target area, Fang Wen used mechanical sensing to observe the situation below.

Several torches were lit on the western coastline below, serving as landing guides.

The area they were in was a natural bay, and Fang Wen knew that the bay was called Renwan.

There is another village near Renwan called Renwan Village.

In the future, the bay was filled in and the village was destroyed because a new airport was planned to be built here.

But now it's a good place for planes to land and take cover.

Fang Wen instructed Gong Xiu to fire flares.

Upon receiving the order, Gong Xiuneng fired five flares downwards. The white light streaking across the sky illuminated the area below, and the seaplane adjusted its position accordingly and landed in Renwan Bay.

After a smooth landing, Fang Wen turned the car around and headed towards the shore.

As the seaplane docked, Gong Xiu was able to observe the situation outside through the observation slit.

There were seven or eight people outside, carrying torches.

Upon seeing the face at the front, he exclaimed, "Commander, it's Pan Zhengxin."

"Go open the door," Fang Wen instructed, getting up as well. He had already sensed the situation outside through his mechanical senses.

The hatch opened, and Gong Xiuneng came out first. He stepped on the buoy, set up the footboard, and quickly ran ashore. He found a tree and tied the cable to it.

Afterwards, Fang Wen and three members of the anti-traitor team carried large bags ashore.

Pan Zhengxin came over and said, "Mr. Fang, do you remember me?"

Fang Wen extended his hand and smiled, "Of course I remember, thank you for helping us last time."

Pan Zhengxin shook hands and said, "This time, the higher-ups assigned me to provide support. I was wondering if it would be you, and sure enough, it was."

After exchanging pleasantries, Fang Wen asked, "Is it okay to hide the plane here?"

“Sure, we’ve got some bamboo poles and fishing nets. We’ll cover it with a cloth, and then no one will be able to tell it’s an airplane,” Pan Zhengxin replied.

"Okay, when you're camouflaging, be careful of the propeller and don't get the fishing net tangled in it."

"Okay, I'll have them raise the scaffolding higher."

Immediately afterwards, several villagers from the Yuen Long area began to set up bamboo sheds on site to conceal the aircraft.

Fang Wen and his four companions then followed Pan Zhengxin to a nearby village.

After a brief stop in the village, the group continued their journey under the cover of night, passing through a mountainous area and arriving in Tsuen Wan.

At that time, Tsuen Wan was still very remote, with few buildings and a vast, empty space.

Another contact was waiting there to explain the situation.

"According to our comrades' investigation, the notorious traitor Wang is on Hong Kong Island. Our people are secretly keeping watch, but because the other side is very well protected, they cannot get close at all."

Fang Wen remained silent. He was not in command of this operation; the one in command was Pan Suhuai, the captain of the anti-traitor squad.

Pan Suhuai asked, "How long will it take us to get there?"

"If you continue from here, you'll reach Sham Shui Po, and beyond Sham Shui Po is Yau Tsim Mong. From there, you can take a ferry to Hong Kong Island. It's a 10-kilometer walk, but the ferry ride only takes about ten minutes."

The distance wasn't far, so the group immediately set off to catch a fishing boat across the sea before dawn.

(End of this chapter)