Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 531 The Covert Battle on Hong Kong Island, HSBC Building
At 4 a.m., Fang Wen and his party arrived in Yau Tsim Mong.

Hong Kong Island is right across the water, but there's no bridge; you have to take a ferry to get there.

There are two piers here: Jordan Road Pier and Wharf Pier.

Jordan Road is for passenger transport, while Wharf Holdings is for freight transport.

Fang Wen and his group were going to take a boat to Central, via Jordan Road Pier.

At the dock, several workers met them. After speaking with them, Pan Zhengxin explained the situation to Fang Wen.

"Recently, the British have suddenly increased their vigilance. Patrol boats patrol outside the docks at night, and they have strictly prohibited private boats from crossing the sea. I suggest you take a passenger ship across the sea, but you will have to wait for 2 hours and take the first ship at 6 o'clock. Another option is to take a fishing boat and row across now, but if you are spotted by the patrol boat, it will be very troublesome."

Pan Suhuai looked at Fang Wen, seeking his opinion: "What do you think is the best course of action?"

Fang Wen looked at the double-decker ferries docked at the pier and pondered.

The first priority of this operation is secrecy; only if the enemy remains unaware can the operation to eliminate traitors be carried out.

That's why I landed in Yuen Long and took a long detour – it was all for this purpose.

The same is true now.

He said in a low voice, "Going there today is just to stop and scout the area. What we need to consider is crossing the sea safely without being discovered. Taking a fishing boat is too risky."

Pan Suhuai nodded and talked with Pan Zhengxin, confirming that they would be traveling by passenger ship.

During the two-hour wait, Fang Wen and Pan Zhengxin discussed the details of crossing the sea.

Nowadays, because a large number of refugees enter Hong Kong via Yuen Long and gather in the Kowloon area, only a small number of wealthy and well-connected people can go to Hong Kong Island.

To prevent illegal crossings, ferry passengers must undergo identity checks by port police and sailors before boarding and disembarking.

Pan Zhengxin had naturally taken this into account, and made fake identity documents for Fang Wen and his group of five.

Employees of Haixing Trading.

Two hours passed, and it gradually got light.

The first group of passengers appeared at the pier and gathered there to wait.

Yawning police officers and sailors blocked the passageway.

"Line up and show your documents and tickets for inspection."

The passengers quickly lined up in two rows, waiting to have their tickets checked and board the ship.

On the other side of the dock, Pan Zhengxin whispered, "We can go now."

Immediately afterwards, Fang Wen, Gong Xiuneng, and Pan Suhuai, Zhao Linglu, and Yang Linxiao from the anti-traitor team went over.

Five people, dressed in black suits and each carrying a tote bag, walked toward the queue.

Pan Zhengxin pretended not to know them and walked over first.

He exchanged glances with his companion among the passengers, who immediately went over to the police officer and spoke to him in Jiaoliao Mandarin.

"Hey buddy, get back on duty soon!"

"Damn it, all he knows how to do is order us out-of-towners around. He's not even as good as you cooks at this job."

"What kind of talk is that? You're an official, and I'm just an ordinary citizen. Who would choose to go barefoot if they could wear shoes?"

After lighting a cigarette, the police officer from Shandong chatted warmly with his fellow townsman, and when checking his documents, he just went through the motions.

Fang Wen and his group of five lined up, walked over, and handed over their tickets and identification documents.

After passing the inspection safely, the five people boarded the ship.

The ship's horn sounded, and the passenger ship slowly sailed away from the port, heading towards the Central Pier.

Fang Wen and his four companions waited in a corner on the second floor.

He placed his palm on the cold iron railing and looked towards Hong Kong Island in the distance.

It was not yet fully light, and the tall buildings in the distance seemed to be shrouded in a veil of mist.

Halfway through the journey, a British patrol boat passed by on the sea, and the passenger ship deliberately slowed down to let it pass.

After that, there were no further problems, and the passenger ship arrived at the pier smoothly, where passengers lined up to disembark.

Pan Zhengxin came over and whispered, "There will be another inspection after disembarking. Don't worry, there are our people inside."

Five minutes later, it was Fang Wen and his group's turn. The young police officer took their identification, glanced at it, nodded meaningfully, and then returned the identification, allowing them to pass.

After leaving the dock, Fang Wen and his group met up with Pan Zhengxin, who then led them to their lodgings.

Shops along the streets have opened for business, and the number of pedestrians on the streets is gradually increasing.

Fang Wen even saw several rich young men speeding by in convertible sports cars, probably having spent the night partying and now preparing to go home.

This place is home to wealthy people from the south, and even during wartime, some of them continued to live a life of extravagance and debauchery.

After walking through several streets, they arrived at a secret contact point.

The contact point was a dilapidated teahouse. When the teahouse owner saw Pan Zhengxin, he nodded slightly, indicating that they should go upstairs.

Upstairs, the place wasn't open yet, and several people were waiting for them.

Pan Zhengxin introduced: "These comrades, because their identities need to be kept secret, can only use code names instead of their real names. He is White Dove, he is Eagle, she is Magpie, and this is Shrike."

While Pan Zhengxin was making his introduction, Fang Wen was also observing these people.

His gaze first fell on the slender figure by the window. The man wore gold-rimmed glasses, his pale fingers folding a newspaper into a neat square with an elegant movement, as if handling a work of art. He wore a dark gray suit with a small silver brooch on his lapel, engraved with a white dove about to take flight—coincidentally matching the code name "White Dove" that Pan Zhengxin had introduced. His eyes, hidden behind the lenses, seemed gentle, yet they possessed a keen insight, as if they could see through everyone's thoughts.

The "eagle" in the corner was a completely different story. This burly man leaned against a mottled brick wall, his work pants patched at the knees, his exposed forearms covered with scars of varying depths. He wore a worn-out baseball cap, the brim pulled low, almost obscuring half his face, revealing only a pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes that vigilantly scanned his surroundings. His hands were rough and calloused, gripping an enamel mug tightly, his knuckles slightly white from the force, giving off a menacing aura of readiness for battle.

"Magpie" stood beside the octagonal table, dressed in a plain cheongsam, her hair styled in a bun with a simple jade hairpin. Beneath her gentle appearance lay a capable air. A perfectly timed smile always graced her lips, making her seem like a friendly older sister next door. However, her bright eyes subtly observed everyone's expressions and movements as she greeted them, concealing the caution of an intelligence agent beneath her gentle facade.

The last woman, nicknamed "Shrike," received special attention from Fang Wen because she shared the same name as his plane.

She leaned against the stairwell, her long leather boots peeking out from beneath her black trench coat. Her chestnut-colored curly hair was casually tied in a ponytail, and a carefree smile graced her face. The way she held a cigarette in her mouth gave her a touch of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry). But when she narrowed her eyes and flicked the ash, that fleeting, icy glint revealed her ruthless and decisive style, as swift and merciless as a shrike hunting its prey.

They both seem to have some skills.

At this moment, Pan Zhengxin also gave a brief introduction to Fang Wen and the others.

Similarly, the code name was simply a number, 1-5, and Fang Wen had no intention of revealing his identity.

Next, the group held a meeting to discuss the operation to eliminate the traitors.

The magpie at the beginning explains the situation.

"At the beginning of the month, Chen Gongbo and Zhou Feihai flew to Hong Kong with Wang's 'Yan Telegram' in response to the Japanese Prime Minister's statement. The telegram was published in full in the South China Daily. The 'Yan Telegram' claimed that it responded to the three principles put forward by the Japanese Prime Minister and openly revealed his traitorous and defecting stance. This aroused the anger of our patriotic people on Hong Kong Island, and they almost destroyed the South China Daily building located at 49 Hollywood Road. We did not expect that he would dare to come here."

"Can you confirm that he's in Hong Kong? Do you have a specific address?" Fang Wen asked.

“After receiving the order, I searched several suspicious locations and did find one that appeared to be occupied by important personnel, but I couldn’t see who was living there,” Eagle replied.

After he finished speaking, he looked at Bai Ge. These people did not know each other before, and they had gathered together entirely because of the anti-traitor operation.

“I’ll report the next piece of information,” White Dove said gravely. “The residence is heavily guarded, with guards every three steps and sentries every five steps, and many plainclothes agents patrolling nearby. I’ve used my connections to inquire, and the person living there claims to be a wealthy businessman from Guangzhou, but as far as I know, he doesn’t speak Cantonese. In order to find out the man’s true identity, I asked Shrike Bird to take action.”

Although the shrike is female, it is more like a man in personality and behavior.

She put down her cigarette, took a piece of paper from the inside pocket of her coat, and unfolded it: "The security there was indeed very tight, but my men still got in and obtained the physical characteristics of the important person in the room. This drawing is what he looks like."

Fang Wen quickly looked over.

Having mastered the art of disguise, he possesses a strong ability to identify facial features.

The person in this picture doesn't seem to be the notorious traitor Wang Jingwei. Could the intelligence be wrong?

Fang Wen's mind raced.

He spoke up, "The intelligence about Wang's secret talks with the Japanese in Hong Kong came from Shanghai, through the Military Intelligence Bureau's channels. If the intelligence is true, the Kuomintang will also take action. Have you contacted any Kuomintang agents?"

Several people shook their heads.

The shrike replied, "I know the Military Intelligence Bureau has an intelligence station there. It seems like some important people have come there recently, but I don't know what they're doing there. Could they also be here to deal with Wang?"

"Could you give me the addresses of the Military Intelligence Station and the targets?" Fang Wen asked.

The shrike looked at its companion and replied, "Okay."

She took out her notebook, wrote something down, tore off a page, and handed it to Fang Wen.

"How can we contact you in the future?" Fang Wen asked again.

Pan Zhengxin said, "I will follow your lead and be specifically responsible for liaising with all parties."

"Okay, let's go to our accommodation now."

The conversation ended there, and the four creatures—the dove, the eagle, the magpie, and the shrike—went downstairs and parted ways.

Afterwards, Fang Wen and the others followed Pan Zhengxin out of the restaurant and headed to their residence two miles away.

Although it was a residential area, it was only two streets away from the target's residence, and it was specifically chosen for the operation.

Fang Wen did not follow, but instead talked with Pan Suhuai.

“I think we need to split up to do this, otherwise we won’t get it right. Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll go one way, you go the other way, the three of you and Pan Zhengxin will stay here to keep watch, and I’ll go to the Military Intelligence Station to try to establish contact with them and talk about what’s going on with the Military Intelligence Station.”

Pan Suhuai came from Yan'an. Before coming, he had learned about Fang Wen and knew that Fang Wen was very capable and had connections everywhere. He was also instructed by his superiors to cooperate with Fang Wen as much as possible to ensure the success of the operation.

Therefore, he agreed to Fang Wen's request.

Immediately afterwards, Fang Wen took Gong Xiuneng away.

After walking down a street, Gong Xiuneng couldn't help but ask, "Commander, what are we going to do now? Are we going to the Military Intelligence Bureau?"

Fang Wen smiled and shook his head: "No, let's find a place to stay first."

"Weren't there places to stay just now?" Gong Xiuneng asked, puzzled.

"That location isn't good. I need to find a high vantage point that can both allow me to observe from the shadows and serve as a sniping position."

Gong Xiuneng looked around and pointed to a tall building: "Would that work?"

Fang Wen was stunned. That was the HSBC building. If they could get inside, it would indeed be a good location.

(HSBC building, the white one in the middle)

How do I get in?
On Hong Kong Island, there were underground Communist Party members, Kuomintang secret agents, Japanese spies, and British people, but none of these could help Fang Wen.

His support came from a group of wealthy Guangzhou businessmen who came from Yangjiang.

It's time to put this network to good use.

He then found a public telephone exchange and made a call to one of the operators.

Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Island.

Behind this area is the Peak District, where the most powerful people on the island reside, and in front is the commercial district (Central).

This location offers both mountain views and sea breezes, and boasts convenient transportation, making it a popular residential area for the middle class and wealthy.

Many wealthy businessmen from Guangzhou live here.

One of them was reading a newspaper and drinking tea in his villa.

The phone rang, and he got up, walked over, and picked up the receiver.

"Hello, who is it?"

Upon hearing the voice on the phone, he couldn't help but exclaim excitedly, "Mr. Fang, you've come to Hong Kong! Great, I'll be right there!"

After hanging up the phone, he put on his coat, rushed out the door, and went to the villa next door to find his friend who had also fled from Yangjiang.

“Mr. Fang called me; he wants to ask us for a favor.”

"The one who's piloting the plane?"

"right."

"Of course I'll help, as long as it's within my power."

"You really can do it,"

“Isn’t your son a security manager at the bank? He can help.”

"How can I help? You need to explain yourself clearly."

“I don’t know either. How about this, I’ll take you there to talk to Mr. Fang in person. If I can help, you must help.”

"I know, let's go."

The two went out and got into a car to the meeting place that Fang Wen had indicated.

After making the phone call, Fang Wen returned to the restaurant, which was now open for business and bustling with activity.

The shopkeeper recognized them as two of the five people who had just arrived and quickly came over to greet them.

"Hello, would you like to sit in a private booth upstairs or in a regular booth downstairs?"

Fang Wen smiled and said, "Let's have a private room. If anyone comes looking for Mr. Fang later, just bring them here."

The two acted as if they had never met before and completed the greeting and contact.

Afterwards, Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng went upstairs, ordered breakfast for two in a private room, and ate breakfast with Gong Xiuneng.

After breakfast, the people we were waiting for arrived.

The two merchants looked around as soon as they entered the restaurant. After talking with the manager, they were led upstairs.

The two entered the private room, and as soon as they saw Fang Wen, they quickly went over and bowed with their hands clasped.

“Mr. Fang, it’s been a long time. As soon as we heard you were here, we rushed over to see you.”

"Please have a seat, both of you. I do have something to discuss with you. It would be great if you could help."

"Is it about HSBC? My son does work there as a security manager. Excuse me, but could you please tell me what it is about?"

"I can't tell you about this, but I promise it won't involve your son. As for what we'll do, it's just that we'll be given two cleaning jobs, okay?"

The two wealthy businessmen were stunned, feeling bewildered. The general manager of Taishan Airlines actually wanted to work as a janitor at HSBC.

This is too weird.

There must be a reason for this, but they won't ask. Once they do, they'll get caught up in it.

After a while, the wealthy businessman, whose son worked as a security manager at HSBC, asked, "Really, this won't affect my son?"

"No, consider it a favor I owe your family. If he doesn't want to work at HSBC anymore, he can come to me, and I'll arrange a position for him at Taishan Airlines."

Today, Taishan Airlines holds a position in China no less prestigious than HSBC, and even offers better benefits.

With Fang Wen's promise, the wealthy businessman was immediately relieved and hurriedly went to call his son over.

(End of this chapter)