Republic of China: Ace Pilot

The convoy of escort vehicles slowly traveled along the highway on the Myanmar-Thailand border.

The route was lined with dense tropical rainforests, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the carriage.

To avoid being discovered by the Thai army and bandits from the local states along the way, the convoy remained on high alert throughout the journey. Fifty French escorts and members of the Taishan Independent Regiment's special operations team took turns on guard duty, their guns always pointed at the sides of the jungle, their expressions as alert as arrows drawn.

After three days and two nights of clandestine travel, the convoy finally arrived in Yangon.

Taishan Airlines personnel came to meet them. The convoy stopped at a checkpoint outside the port. Gong Xiuneng presented the travel documents that Fang Wen had obtained in advance from the governor. After the British soldiers at the checkpoint verified that everything was correct, they were allowed to pass without inspection. Two soldiers were also dispatched to guide the convoy into the designated port area.

This area has been temporarily sealed off, prohibiting unauthorized personnel and vessels from entering. Only special forces members of the Taishan Independent Regiment and French escort team members are on duty here to ensure the absolute safety of the gold loading process.

The convoy slowly drove into the designated area and stopped next to a large cargo ship.

This cargo ship was the Taishan International Ocean Steam Cargo Ship, specially arranged by Fang Wen. It was built in 1935 by the Glasgow Shipyard in the UK and was specifically used for ocean cargo transportation. It was also the largest cargo ship in terms of tonnage under Taishan International.

It is 112 meters long, 16 meters wide, and has a gross tonnage of 5200 tons. It uses a reciprocating steam engine, has a maximum speed of 14 knots, and a range of 8000 nautical miles, which is enough to complete a transoceanic voyage from Yangon to Los Angeles.

To prepare for unexpected situations at sea, the cargo ship was also armed.

The deck is equipped with four Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns on both sides. These Swedish-made light anti-aircraft guns have the advantage of a firing angle of -10° to +90°, which can not only fire at air targets, but also carry out military strikes against targets on the sea surface.

Of course, the power of this light machine gun is limited, and it can only deal with torpedo boats, mines, frogman units, and submarines that float to the surface.

It's useless for medium-sized warships and larger.

For this purpose, the ship is also equipped with 10 individual aircraft and a small amphibious fighter jet.

The fighter jets were for Fang Wen's use, and he was to accompany him on this important arms deal.

At this time, the captain of the "Taishan International" and his crew were already waiting on the dock.

Upon seeing the convoy arrive, they immediately contacted Gong Xiuneng and Lieutenant Colonel Lemerre. "Captain Gong, Lieutenant Colonel Lemerre, the cargo ship is ready. You can load the cargo using the crane. Do you need our help unloading?"

"No need," Gong Xiuneng refused. According to the agreement between Taishan and the French, the gold must be under the supervision of soldiers from both sides and must not be touched by any third party.

With a command given, the moving operation officially began.

French soldiers and special forces members of the Taishan Independent Regiment worked together to carefully unload the specially made wooden crates containing gold from the vehicle.

Each wooden crate weighed about 1 ton and contained 80 standard gold bars. Soldiers used crowbars to move the crates to the crane's lifting gear, and then the crew operated the crane to slowly lift the crates onto the deck. They were then trolleyed into the sealed cargo hold.

The entire moving process was orderly. For each wooden crate that was hoisted and delivered, both parties had designated personnel to check the number and count the quantity. Then, a supervisor from Crédit Agricole signed the list to confirm that there were no errors.

After more than three hours of work, 80 tons of gold, totaling 6400 standard gold bars, were all safely moved into the sealed cargo hold of the "Taishan International".

The crew immediately closed the cargo hold door and affixed a seal bearing the marks of Banque de l'Indochine, Taishan International, and the French military. The cargo hold could only be opened if all three parties were present at the same time.

Subsequently, French soldiers and special forces members of the Taishan Independent Regiment split into two groups. One group was stationed at the cargo hold door, on 24-hour duty, while the other group patrolled key locations such as the deck, bridge, and engine room, fully armed and on high alert, to ensure the gold was safe during the voyage.

Meanwhile, Fang Wen was in his temporary office at Yangon Port, holding a pre-departure meeting with senior executives of Taishan Aviation and Taishan Military Industry.

At the end of the meeting, he solemnly said: "This trip to the United States is very important, and I must go. The round trip will take at least two months. During these two months, I hope everyone can work together to maintain the Taishan family. The aviation business must be kept running, and while the military industrial base is producing, we must also be careful to prevent the infiltration and sabotage of Japanese spies. In addition, the transportation of supplies within the country cannot be stopped. I hope everyone can work together to do all of this well."

The heads of each department expressed their commitment to doing a good job.

Fang Wen can rest assured about this. Everyone is united not only for the sake of the company, but also for the dream of revitalizing China.

The meeting is now adjourned.

Fang Wen stood up, picked up his suitcase from under the table, and said to everyone, "Alright, I've said what I needed to say. I have to go now."

"We'll take you," Fang Shouxin said.

A group of Taishan executives arrived at the port by car and saw Fang Wen off at the dock.

Upon seeing Fang Wen approach, Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire immediately stepped forward: "Mr. Fang, everything is ready. May we depart?"

Fang Wen nodded, bid farewell to the Taishan executives, and boarded the cargo ship.

After boarding the cargo ship, Fang Wen's first task was to inspect the gold.

He entered the cargo hold passageway accompanied by Le Maire, Gong Xiuneng, and Charles, the supervisor of Banque de l'Indochine.

Soldiers guarded the entire route, making it appear heavily guarded.

Upon reaching the cargo hold door, Le Maire, Gong Xiuneng, and Charles together removed the seal, each taking out a key to unlock the iron lock before they could enter.

Fang Wen stepped into the cargo hold.

He activated his mechanical perception ability.

He felt completely at one with the cargo ship, and everything inside was laid out before him.

However, mechanical perception alone is not enough to see through the box and check the condition of the gold inside.

Fang Wen swept his left hand across his chest, and the instant his fingers touched the vertical gemstone, he activated his X-ray vision.

Mechanical vision penetrated the wooden box and saw the gold inside.

From this perspective, there seems to be no problem.

Fang Wen then instructed the three men to close the hatch and re-seal it.

After leaving the cargo hold, he headed to the captain's cabin.

The captain asked, "Are we ready to set sail?"

Fang Wen nodded. "Let's go."

Immediately, the captain ordered the crew to begin the departure process.

The turbines roared, the propellers churned, and the steam whistle sounded.

A few minutes later, the cargo ship sailed out of Yangon Port.

The cargo ship Taishan International departed from Yangon Port, sailed south through the Andaman Sea, and entered the open sea via the Gret Strait.

Subsequently, the cargo ship sailed along the sea off the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) toward northern Australia.

Eleven days later, the cargo ship arrived at its first transit port, Darwin in Northern Australia.

The ship docked in port for half a day to replenish its fuel, vegetables, fruits, and meat products before continuing its journey.

So far, everything is normal, and no accidents have occurred.

When the Taishan International departed from Darwin.

The prison on the outskirts of Hanoi in French Indochina was shrouded in darkness.

Only the searchlights of the guard tower swept across the darkness, leaving behind a few cold beams of light.

This prison held French people who supported the Vichy government, and was heavily guarded to prevent them from being broken out by their associates.

But tonight, several dark figures moved like ghosts in the night, silently eliminating the French sentries in the watchtower.

Subsequently, the prison gates were opened, and the troops lying in ambush outside launched an attack.

The prison guards fought their way back, eventually retreating to the eastern dormitory area. The two sides continued exchanging fire, and simultaneously, the prison's iron gates were blown open, freeing a group of prisoners.

In the chaos, a prisoner named Paul Hayes was helped to run by his companions. He had been a low-ranking clerk in the French Indochina Governor's Office and was imprisoned for secretly passing on intelligence about the movements of the Japanese army.

During their escape, Paul Hayes, panting heavily, grabbed the leader of the men in black: "I know a secret... The Governor of French Indochina recently made a huge deal with a Chinese man, exchanging 5 million Piastres for gold to be shipped to the United States to buy weapons to resist the Japanese army... The gold has already been transported!"

A look of shock flashed in the man's eyes. He grabbed the man's collar and unleashed a string of curses.

The escaped prisoners then split into two groups, and he left alone with Paul Hayes.

Half a day later, the intelligence was transmitted via telegram.

The atmosphere was heavy inside the headquarters of the Japanese Combined Fleet.

Such a significant event was beyond their control, and they could only report it to the local authorities.

On the mainland, it was judged that the purchase of arms by French Indochina to resist the Japanese army would undoubtedly hinder the Japanese army's southward advance, and this 80 tons of gold was enough to support French Indochina in building a strong defensive force.

"Immediately activate all undercover spies in South Asia and verify the authenticity of the intelligence!" the Special Higher Police military commander ordered. "We must find out the whereabouts of the gold and absolutely cannot let this arms deal go through!"

In just two days, Japanese spies infiltrated in Rangoon, Hanoi, and Manila sprang into action and uncovered crucial information: although no trace of gold was found, a cargo ship connected to Mount Tai had departed from Rangoon.

Although the exact location of the Taishan International is unknown, its general destination can be determined.

Today, the Atlantic and Mediterranean are dominated by German submarines, which attack any non-ally cargo ship, even those flying the American flag.

It is highly unlikely that the Taishan International will take the Atlantic route to the United States.

Then we'll have to take the Pacific route.

The Japanese high command immediately decided: "Immediately issue a secret order to the 7th Submarine Squadron of the 4th Fleet in Palau! Dispatch all medium-sized submarines to conduct long-range patrols in the southern waters, focusing on searching the waters from the southern Solomon Islands to the eastern coast of Australia, to find the 5200-ton cargo ship flying the American flag. If the cargo ship is found, intercept it immediately and force it to stop, but do not sink it."

At this time, the crew members of the 7th Submarine Squadron of the 4th Fleet at the Japanese base in Palau were on routine alert.

Upon receiving the secret order, the diving team immediately sprang into action.

Four Haida-6 type medium submarines successively departed from the submarine base and headed at full speed towards the southern waters.

This medium-sized submarine has a surface displacement of 1400 tons, a surface speed of 18 knots, and an underwater speed of 8 knots. It is equipped with four 533 mm torpedo tubes and carries eight torpedoes. It can perform reconnaissance missions and also has a strong attack capability, making it an excellent tool for tracking and intercepting cargo ships.

They didn't know the cargo ship's exact location and could only conduct searches in the Arafura Sea, the Coral Sea, the Solomon Sea, and other areas.

Day fourteen of the voyage at sea.

The cargo ship "Taishan International" is currently sailing in the southern waters of the Solomon Islands.

The sea was calm and the sunlight shone on its surface, creating a sparkling effect.

After more than ten days at sea, the soldiers on board are playing combat games to maintain their combat readiness.

Five soldiers from the Taishan Independent Regiment's Special Operations Brigade and five French soldiers fought one-on-one, with the side that won three rounds ultimately emerging victorious.

This testosterone-fueled game attracted not only the soldiers but also the sailors on the ship.

As the highest-ranking commander on the ship, Fang Wen couldn't get close to watch, so he could only use his supernatural abilities to observe this interesting soldiers' fight from the captain's cabin.

He is watching the third match now. The special forces team won the first two matches, and the French were very dissatisfied, so they sent out their strongest team.

That man knew a French boxing style called Savat.

Game start.

The French soldier swayed his body, moving forward and backward with great agility.

The soldiers on the special operations team's side were not tall, but they were very strong. They stood with their hands in a fighting stance, but did not attack.

Both sides played very steadily, looking for each other's weaknesses.

Suddenly, the French took action.

The French soldier charged forward, struck his opponent on the head with his palm, and after the opponent dodged, kicked him high.

(French high kick: Savat (Marseille style))
That kicking style looks beautiful.

The French soldiers cheered.

The special operations soldiers, however, wore expressions of anticipation, as if they were watching a good show.

Fang Wen also knew martial arts, and immediately smiled.

As expected, when the French soldier used the high kick again, the Chinese soldier rushed forward and directly blocked the opponent's leg and pushed him forward.

The French soldier immediately lost his balance and fell backward to the ground.

Cheers erupted from the deck; the special forces had won. Not only were they celebrating, but the French soldiers joined in, leaving the special forces soldiers somewhat bewildered. Why were these foreign soldiers so happy even though they had lost?

Fang Wen withdrew his supernatural powers and prepared to go down and celebrate with the soldiers. After all, in the monotonous life at sea, any interesting activity is worth participating in.

Just as he was about to leave the captain's cabin, he suddenly felt a vibration in his inner pocket.

That was a warning from the bronze tripod.

There haven't been any danger warnings for a long time, but this time it happened on the vast ocean.

Where will the danger come from?

Fang Wen immediately activated his mechanical perception ability again.

He first scanned the inside of the ship.

No problems were found.

The danger comes from outside the cargo ship.

The viewpoint is to look around.

The vast sea was completely still.

No other ships were spotted on the distant horizon where the sea and sky met.

It seems the danger lies in a more distant area.

Fang Wen strode out of the captain's cabin and ran toward the amphibious aircraft on the other side of the deck.

At the same time, he shouted, "Gong Xiuneng, immediately activate the extended runway!"

Upon hearing this, Gong Xiuneng, who was with the soldiers, immediately led several soldiers to rush towards the mechanical device on the deck.

Together they turned the wheel, and a 3-meter-wide and 50-meter-long steel plate extended out from the rear of the cargo ship, reaching the outside of the hull.

Fang Wen started the amphibious aircraft's engine and accelerated on the steel runway.

The plane veered off the runway and soared into the sky. (End of Chapter)