Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 638 Espionage in Southern Guangxi: A Temporary Anti-Traitor Team

The fighting continues in southern Guangxi.

The Japanese army's well-planned offensive ended in a stalemate due to repeated battles for air superiority.

In the skies over southern Guangxi, air battles repeatedly unfolded – frontline air raids – counter-air raids.

The Soviet air force, the Taishan Independent Regiment, and four fighter planes from the Guangxi Army played a significant role in this air battle.

The Japanese army suddenly realized that their intelligence system was malfunctioning.

Every time Japanese warplanes launched an attack, the garrison in southern Guangxi would detect it in advance. As soon as the air raid ended, the elusive gunboat squadron, led by Fang Wen, would launch a fierce attack on the Japanese ground forces.

There must have been a reason for this. To this end, the Japanese army used spies who had infiltrated Nanning to try to bribe officers of the 31st Army with money and benefits.

Meanwhile, Fang Wen also sensed that Japanese spies were lurking in the Guinan area, and discussed with Commander Wei of the 31st Army how to secretly find those spies who were constantly passing on intelligence to the Japanese army.

Late at night on December 5, in the command cabin of the Japanese warship "Yubari" in the Beibu Gulf, Matsui Shiro, an intelligence officer of the Guinan War Zone, was staring at the battle report on the table, his brows furrowed.

The paper was filled with detailed records of air combat losses over the past week: 15 Type 96 fighters were shot down and 8 were damaged. Ground troops lost even more armored vehicles and artillery due to gunboat attacks.

Therefore, the Japanese front-line troops have begun to withdraw and reorganize, awaiting the replenishment of new mechanized equipment.

The root of all this points to a problem that keeps him up at night—the intelligence has failed.

"Why is it that the Chinese are always able to issue advance warnings every time their fighter jets launch an attack? Why are our ground deployments always so vulnerable to precise strikes from gunships and aircraft?"

Matsui Shiro slammed the battle report on the table and roared at his subordinates.

An intelligence officer answered cautiously, "The agents infiltrating Nanning haven't sent any useful intelligence for a long time. Perhaps... perhaps they've been discovered?"

"Baka!" Matsui Shiro kicked over a chair. "Immediately activate the 'sleeper agents' in Nanning! Tell them to bribe officers of the 31st Army at all costs, find out the source of the Chinese early warning system, and preferably destroy their air force!"

"Yes." The subordinate officer immediately carried out the order, sending a coded message to Nanning City using a special frequency.

at the same time.

Fang Wen was inside the airport, communicating with Yangon using the radio equipment on the Qinyuan.

As the Independent Regiment is fully engaged in this battle, the amount of ammunition consumed these days is enormous.

In particular, the ammunition brought by the Independent Regiment has run out, and a batch needs to be shipped from the base in northern Myanmar to replenish it.

The telegram was sent, and he sat in the cockpit waiting for a reply.

Gong Xiuneng climbed up the boarding ladder and asked in confusion, "Commander, didn't you say that we should fully support the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army? Why are we spending so much effort fighting in Guinan?"

"This question needs an explanation," Fang Wen replied.

“Guannan is the last link in the Japanese army’s blockade of the Chinese coastline. Once the Japanese army occupies this area, they will have complete control of the coastal areas of China. In addition, once they capture Guannan, they will cut off the connection between the southwest region and the southern Guangdong region, and our Independent Regiment will be attacked from both sides in Yangjiang.”

"I see, I understand," Gong Xiuneng replied, stepping down the boarding stairs and no longer disturbing Fang Wen.

After a while, Yangon called back, saying that the necessary supplies would be transported over by seaplane the next day.

Fang Wen communicated with Yangon by telegram and confirmed the time and place.

After the telegram communication ended, Fang Wenqu did not come out of the cockpit.

He adjusted the frequency and listened to the radio noise between different frequencies.

This is another little trick of mechanical perception, which allows one to detect possible secret electrical frequencies more keenly than the average person.

He wanted to use this method to find the Japanese spies lurking in Nanning.

The frequency was constantly adjusted, and some irregular noises were eliminated, but none have been detected yet.

Suddenly, Fang Wen noticed an “abnormal radio wave.”

It was a weak and brief radio wave, not belonging to a frequency he knew, but it was regular, and was very likely a secret message sent by some force.

He took out his radio wave detection equipment and, through his special ability to sense, determined that the radio waves were coming from the south.

Could it be that the Japanese army was sending telegrams to spies in Nanning?

Fang Wen's heart tightened.

Given that the Japanese army had always been able to accurately locate his own airfields and predict ground attack routes, he became increasingly certain that there were Japanese spies lurking in the Guinan region.

Now that we've discovered something amiss, how can we let it go?

He then left the airport and drove the military vehicle assigned to him by the 31st Army into the city.

The car drove into Nanning city, to the headquarters of the 31st Army.

The guards at the command post, upon seeing that it was Fang Wen, did not stop him and let him pass directly.

Fang Wen parked the car and told Gong Xiu to wait inside while he went into the church alone.

Inside the church, Commander Wei and his staff were discussing the next steps in their military operation.

Upon seeing Fang Wen arrive, he immediately beamed with a smile.

"Commander Fang, come here, I'm preparing to launch a counterattack once our allies arrive. Can you give me some advice?"

Fang Wen did not follow Commander Wei's words, but directly explained the situation.

"Commander, as I mentioned before, we suspected that there were Japanese spies lurking in the city. Just now, I detected an unidentified radio wave that seemed to be sending a message into the city. It's possible that it was sent to those spies."

After listening, Commander Wei's expression turned serious: "We must find out about the spies as soon as possible. The logistics department reported the day before yesterday that a shipment of ammunition was attacked by Japanese air raids, resulting in heavy losses. It's impossible for the Japanese planes to be involved in such a coincidence; it's likely that an insider passed on the intelligence to them!"

He paused for a moment, then made a decision.

"Alright, let's take advantage of the Japanese army's retreat to find their spies. I'm entrusting you with full responsibility for this. Staff Officer Liu, you'll be Commander Fang's deputy, and the men will be chosen from the military police."

"Our independent regiment can also send two people skilled in radio wave reconnaissance to join us," Fang Wen added.

"Alright, you can make the arrangements yourself. Staff Officer Liu will be with you from now on. If you need anything, just tell him."

Immediately, a major stepped forward from the staff and saluted Fang Wen: "Commander Fang, my name is Liu Zhihe."

Fang Wen nodded and began to discuss it with Liu Zhihe.

"The matter is urgent and needs to be handled immediately. Are there any places in the city where we can work?"

"Many houses in the city are empty now. By the way, No. 22 Xingning Road is available. It's my uncle's house."

“Then let’s set it at No. 22 Xingning Road. We’ll each go separately to gather our men, and then we’ll meet up there in plainclothes.”

"Ok."

After discussing the matter, Fang Wen and Staff Officer Liu went their separate ways.

He drove Gong Xiuneng to the air defense position on the south bank of the Yong River.

Two soldiers who had received radio monitoring training were transferred from there, and then the radio monitoring equipment was retrieved from the airport.

An hour later, Fang Wen, Gong Xiuneng, and two soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes, arrived at Xingning Road carrying boxes containing radio monitoring equipment.

This street isn't long, but it's located in the city center and is lined with shops.

But now, because of the war, many shops have closed and there are few pedestrians on the streets.

Fang Wen walked along, looking at the house numbers, and stopped at number 22.

A man in a long gown jogged down from upstairs; it was Staff Officer Liu.

Fang Wen exchanged a glance with him and followed him upstairs in tacit understanding.

There were fifteen people standing in the room on the second floor.

Staff Officer Liu explained, "They are all top-notch personnel selected from the military police. Commander Fang, rest assured, they will absolutely obey your orders now."

Fang Wen nodded and looked around at the 15 people.

Then he said, "The situation is urgent, so I won't stand on ceremony and will get straight to the point. From what I know, the spies in the city are receiving instructions from the Japanese army through the telegraph machine. To ensure that the spies receive the telegrams, the Japanese army will likely send more. Now, you will stay here and wait for my next instructions."

After saying that, Fang Wen, Gong Xiuneng, and two soldiers from the Taishan Independent Regiment got busy.

The new model of Taishan Telegraph monitoring equipment was quickly assembled.

Then, Fang Wen put on his headphones and began listening in person.

The process of eavesdropping is extremely tedious.

At first, the team members watched with great interest.

But as time went on and there was still no movement, they lost patience and waited in another room.

Time passed slowly, from noon to afternoon, and I still didn't notice anything.

Staff Officer Liu took some men out and came back with dinner.

"Commander Fang, have something to eat."

Fang Wen nodded and pointed at Gong Xiuneng.

Gong Xiuneng quickly took an empty bowl and filled it with rice and vegetables for him.

This way, you can listen in and eat at the same time without interruption.

Two hours later, after finishing our meal, it was 7 p.m.

Finally, a discovery has been made.

Fang Wen suddenly raised his right hand.

"The telegraph detection personnel are going west, taking walkie-talkies with them. The action team is going with them."

Two soldiers from the Independent Regiment quickly carried their equipment, and 15 military policemen also rallied their spirits and followed.

A dozen or so plainclothes officers emerged from No. 22 and dispersed.

At the center were two soldiers from the Independent Regiment, who turned on their walkie-talkies to maintain constant contact with Fang Wen.

"Commander, we're heading west, but we haven't found any signals yet."

"Don't rush. The Japanese spies are masters of concealment; they won't be easy to find. Keep heading west."

The two detectives walked out of Xingning Road, through an alley, and onto another street.

The signal they were looking for had appeared.

It's located in a cluster of arcade buildings. Arcade buildings are characterized by their storefronts including sidewalks, allowing pedestrians to walk along the corridors in front of the doors. They are a distinctive architectural feature of modern Guangdong and Guangxi.

With so many arcade buildings here, which one is the specific target?

Two detectives located the signal following the operating procedures they had learned.

While they were operating, 15 team members stood in front of them to prevent them from being discovered.

After a short meeting, the monitoring personnel reported to Fang Wen.

"Found it, the target is right ahead, house number 7."

No. 22 Xingning Road.

Staff Officer Liu was immediately excited upon hearing that the spy's location had been discovered.

"Commander Fang, let's go arrest them."

Fang Wen shook his head: "No, the Japanese sent a telegram, which must be an order to them. We should not move for now, but keep an eye on the target and see what they do. Staff Officer Liu, go and arrange the assignments of the surveillance personnel. Also, investigate the situation of the residents inside."

"Yes, sir." Staff Officer Liu went out excitedly.

After a while, he brought back new information.

"We found out. The target is an ordinary businessman who has been doing business there for many years."

"Is that so?" Fang Wen sneered. "Then we'll wait for him to slip up. Let's go over there."

Fang Wen got up, took Gong Xiuneng, and went out with Staff Officer Liu.

Time passed slowly, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

There were no pedestrians on the streets, and the sentries were all hiding in the shadows, observing.

Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng also stayed in one of the shadowy spots, observing the other side.

10 points.

The target left the residence.

He walked through the arcade corridor, using the darkness of the corridor to conceal his figure.

Little did he know that his movements had been secretly watched.

The goal is to exit the arcade and enter another alleyway.

The trackers followed discreetly, but kept their distance to avoid being detected.

"Should we go too?" Gong Xiuneng asked eagerly.

A map of Nanning City appeared in Fang Wen's mind, outlining the areas his target might go to.

"Let's go around it."

Then, he led Gong Xiuneng in the opposite direction.

Fifteen minutes later, Fang Wen arrived at an intersection.

The portable walkie-talkie emitted a communication electronic prompt tone.

He turned on the walkie-talkie.

A frustrated voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Commander, we've lost him. He was turning in and out of the alleys, and then suddenly disappeared."

"Don't worry, he can't get away."

After Fang Wen finished speaking, he turned off the walkie-talkie and pulled Gong Xiuneng to a dark corner.

Not long after, the target rushed over from the front, completely unaware that Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng were standing in the shadows beside him.

After walking several dozen meters, Fang Wen came out and led Gong Xiuneng to follow.

He doesn't need to get too close; his perception, far exceeding that of ordinary people, allows him to observe from a greater distance.

And so, in the darkness of night, Fang Wen followed his target to a relatively secluded neighborhood.

The target stopped, looked back, and then walked to a door and knocked on the door knocker.

After three long and three short knocks, the door opened, the target immediately slipped inside, and then the door closed immediately.

In the distance, Fang Wen and Gong Xiuneng emerged from the shadows.

"Commander, he's gone in. What should we do next?"

"Can you climb over the wall?" Fang Wen asked.

As a Taoist priest who knew martial arts, Gong Xiu was able to reply, "Of course, Commander, do you mean I can sneak in and eavesdrop?"

“It’s not just you, I’m going too.”

Then, the two walked to the outer wall of that house.

Gong Xiu was able to squat down in the corner.

"Commander, let me lend you a hand. You can step on my shoulders to get up."

Fang Wen shook his head, stepped back a few meters, suddenly started running, pushed off the wall with both feet, and climbed onto the wall with just two pushes.

He reached down and pulled Gong Xiuneng up.

After coming up, Gong Xiuneng couldn't help but sigh, "Commander, I can't keep up this bodyguard job any longer."

Fang Wen quickly covered his mouth and whispered in his ear, "Shh, don't talk, there's something down there."

Below, a guard dog is lying down.

If they climbed down from the wall, it would definitely attract the dog's attention, and as soon as the dog barked, Fang Wen and his companion's whereabouts would be exposed.

Fortunately, Fang Wen's perception was far beyond that of ordinary people, and he noticed something was wrong as soon as he got on the wall.

So now, how do we deal with the dogs below?
Before Fang Wen could come up with any solutions, Gong Xiuneng made his move.

He took out a thin thread, hung a ball of medicine cake on the thread, and it fell down.

The dog below twitched its nose, looked up at the medicine ball that had been placed down, and swallowed it in one gulp.

After taking the medicine pill, the dog immediately fell fast asleep.

That way, Fang Wen and the others won't have to worry anymore when they go down.

The two of them jumped and landed on the ground.

Fang Wen was about to move forward when Gong Xiuneng stopped him.

"Commander, this way won't work. There are footprints. Follow the corner of the wall."

Fang Wen nodded and walked along the corner of the wall to the windowsill of the bungalow.

This is an old-fashioned wooden house. Fang Wen's exceptional hearing allows him to hear what's being said inside, even through the wooden planks.

"Fujino-kun, we have orders to activate all undercover agents. Investigate why the Guinan military is able to predict our movements in advance every time."

"Are we even going to use 'snakes'?"

"Although the snake is our top secret in Nanning, it is necessary to use it in order to ensure the smooth progress of the battle in Guinan."

"Yes. I'll inform Snake tomorrow and tell him to take action."

"That's all for today, I'm going back now."

Upon hearing this, Fang Wen quickly pulled Gong Xiuneng to hide behind the house.

Just as the two reached the back of the house, the people inside came out, and the two didn't even notice Fang Wen and his companion.

He walked straight to the gate and saw the target off.

After securing the door, the man prepared to leave, but then stopped in front of the dog.

"Useless dog, sleeping again, humph."

After he finished speaking, he went into the bungalow.

At that moment, from the shadows behind the house, Gong Xiuneng asked in a low voice, "Commander, should we arrest the two of them?"

Fang Wen shook his head: "It's not the right time yet. Let's follow this person and find out about that snake first, then it won't be too late to take action."

After saying that, he and Gong Xiuneng walked out from behind the house and followed the corner of the wall to the spot where they had come down. Fang Wen went up the wall first and then pulled Gong Xiuneng up with him.

After the two left the area, Fang Wen took out a walkie-talkie.

"Attention, the target is about to return. Tell everyone to return to their original positions and take cover. Don't let the target run into you."

The walkie-talkie crackled with delight from Staff Officer Liu: "We haven't lost track of the target! That's great!"

"When I get back, I'll have new tasks to assign."

Fang Wen ended the call and returned home in the night.

The night passed.

The operatives, having received their new assignment, began tracking the new target.

The target wasn't very aware of counter-surveillance; after leaving the house, he went directly to several places and placed the notes in the shadows.

This is clearly intended for use in making contact with other undercover agents.

Whoever took it must be a Japanese spy.

The team members reported the situation and were ordered to wait for the arrest.

The mission to deliver the message to that target was not yet over.

He actually went to the teahouse outside the 31st Army Logistics Department to wait.

Then, a junior officer from the logistics department came out and also came to the teahouse to drink tea.

The two sat in different seats, but they tacitly leaned their chairs back to each other.

The target quietly passed the note under the chair. Just as the other person reached out to take it, several team members rushed over and subdued the two men.

(End of this chapter)