Republic of China: Ace Pilot

The roar of the amphibious aircraft's engine broke the tranquility of the sea. Fang Wen gripped the control stick tightly, activating his superpower and scanning the boundless blue sea below like a hawk.

He pushed his mechanical perception ability to its limit, extending the range of his perception along the fuselage to cover an area of ​​15 nautical miles around the cargo ship; the radar detection device in the cabin was also running, but no suspicious target signal was detected.

"Could it be that there's something wrong with the bronze tripod?" Fang Wen frowned slightly.

Since the bronze cauldron came into his possession, every warning has been accurate and has helped him escape danger several times. But at this moment, neither his mechanical perception ability nor his advanced radar detected anything unusual.

There was not a single civilian vessel in the surrounding waters, or even further afield, let alone any Japanese warships or aircraft.

He piloted the plane, circling and searching around the "Taishan International" as the center point, lowering the flight altitude from 1500 meters to 800 meters and then rising from 800 meters to 2000 meters, constantly switching his perspective, not missing any abnormality on the sea surface.

All I could see was the vast sea and the occasional seabird flying by.

On the cargo ship deck below, the soldiers had long since finished their fighting match and were dispersing in twos and threes, completely unaware that danger was quietly approaching.

Just then, the small bronze cauldron on his chest vibrated slightly again, this time more rapidly than before.

"No, danger must be nearby!" Fang Wen's heart skipped a beat. He immediately focused his mind and connected his mechanical perception ability to the radar target acquisition device, not letting go of any weak signal fluctuations.

Meanwhile, 3 nautical miles southeast of the "Taishan International", a Japanese Navy Type 6 medium submarine was slowly submerged at a depth of 70 meters. At this depth, visibility was low, and ships and aircraft on the surface could hardly spot it.

This was one of the submarines dispatched by the 7th Submarine Squadron of the Fourth Fleet. The captain, Ichiro Yamada, was standing in the command room, staring intently at the sonar screen.

On the screen, a clear sound wave signal is moving slowly.

"Captain, target confirmed! 3 nautical miles away, heading northwest, speed 9 knots, suspected to be the 'Taishan International'!" the sonar operator reported loudly, his tone tinged with excitement.

Yamada Ichiro immediately ordered: "Survate to periscope depth! Shut down the main unit, maintain radio silence, activate the periscope, and closely observe the target!"

The submarine slowly surfaced, its massive hull churning the water and creating a ring of tiny ripples. Then, a black periscope quietly emerged from the surface, like the forked tongue of a venomous snake, locking onto the "Taishan International" in the northwest.

As the periscope continued to rotate, Yamada Ichiro could vaguely see small black dots on the sea surface through it, but they were too far away to see clearly.

Ten minutes later, he saw the American flag fluttering on the cargo ship in the distance, as well as the ship's approximate tonnage.

"Target confirmed! It's the 'Taishan International'!" Yamada Ichiro ordered. "Maintain periscope observation, record the cargo ship's course and speed, immediately report the target discovery to base, and await further interception orders! Remember, no unauthorized attack is permitted; only surveillance and interception are allowed!"

The crew immediately sprang into action, quickly recording various data about the cargo ship while carefully maneuvering the submarine, maintaining the periscope depth to prevent the hull from being exposed above the sea surface.

In the sky, Fang Wen continued his reconnaissance.

He had realized where the problem lay.

The radar detection device and special abilities can detect objects in the sky and on the sea surface, but not those below the sea surface.

Seawater has a high density, so light cannot penetrate very deep into it, and supernatural abilities naturally cannot penetrate to see below. The same principle applies to radar waves.

Therefore, the enemy this time should be Japanese submarines.

Unfortunately, Taishan Military Industry has not yet successfully developed its sonar equipment; otherwise, it could be used to search for underwater targets.

As the plane circled, he maintained a high level of concentration, observing the situation in the waters surrounding the cargo ship.

Suddenly, a strange eddy phenomenon occurred in a certain area of ​​the sea.

Although it's not large, there's definitely a large object moving beneath the surface of the sea there.

"Found it!" Fang Wen was overjoyed. He immediately adjusted his course and flew towards the eddy area. At the same time, he activated his X-ray vision ability, his gaze piercing through the azure seawater and looking down into the water.

As the perspective continued to penetrate the seawater, a huge gray outline gradually appeared in his field of vision.

It was a medium-sized Japanese submarine with clear Japanese naval markings on its hull. The submarine was 10 meters underwater, with a periscope tube protruding from the top of the submarine, its lens pointed at the "Taishan International".

This is the source of the danger warned by the bronze tripod.

Fang Wen withdrew his X-ray vision, flew the plane overhead, and used his supernatural ability to observe.

A faint black shadow can be seen in the sea below.

His expression darkened, and without further hesitation, he immediately reached for the microphone in the cabin and issued instructions to the "Taishan International":
"Calling Taishan International, this is Fang Wen, please answer."

"Received, General Manager, what's wrong?" The captain's voice came through the radio.

"Immediately broadcast an emergency alert! A Japanese medium submarine has been spotted 3 nautical miles southeast of the cargo ship! Activate combat readiness immediately! All soldiers return to their combat positions. Adjust the Bofors anti-aircraft guns to their downward firing angle and aim at the sea surface to the southeast. Double the guards on the cargo hold to prevent any accidents!"

The captain was taken aback and immediately turned on the ship's intercom, "Emergency notification, emergency notification, Japanese submarine spotted in the southeast direction, activate combat readiness."

He called out again and again.

The relaxed atmosphere on the "Taishan International" was instantly replaced by tension.

Upon hearing the broadcast, the soldiers who were resting on the deck immediately got up, grabbed their weapons, and rushed to their respective combat posts.

Special forces soldiers and French soldiers quickly assembled and split into two groups. One group rushed towards the Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns on both sides of the deck, quickly adjusted the muzzle angle, and aimed the guns at the sea in the southeast direction. The gunners gripped the gun handles tightly and searched for targets with vigilant eyes. The other group strengthened the guard of the cargo hold, guarded the hatch tightly, and special forces soldiers checked the man-portable aircraft and other defensive weapons, ready for battle at any time.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire immediately went up to the captain's cabin, picked up his binoculars, and looked solemnly at the sea to the southeast.

He saw nothing, so he could only shout to the French troops below: "Stay alert, keep a close watch on the sea, and report immediately if a submarine surfaces!"

Fang Wen's voice came through the radio again.

"The Japanese submarine is approaching our side. Immediately turn southeast and speed away."

Upon receiving the order, the captain immediately directed the crew to take action.
He quickly turned the rudder to adjust the cargo ship's course, and the crew in the engine room turned the engines to full power, increasing the speed to 12 knots, and sailed southeast.

Underwater, Yamada Ichiro saw through the periscope that the "Taishan International" suddenly changed course and increased speed, and immediately realized that the cargo ship had discovered their presence.

"Captain, the cargo ship seems to have spotted us, and they are adjusting their course!" the first officer reported at the same time.

Yamada Ichiro stared at the "Taishan International" in the periscope, which suddenly accelerated and turned southeast.

The maximum underwater speed of 8.2 knots is nowhere near the speed of the cargo ship at 12 knots. If this continues, they will only watch helplessly as the target disappears completely.

"Damn it! How did they find us so quickly! Surface! Prepare for surface navigation! Start the engine, maximum speed for pursuit!"

As the order was given, the ballast tanks were quickly emptied, and the massive hull broke through the water.

With the diesel engine running at full power and roaring continuously, the Haida 6 submarine instantly reached a top speed of 23 knots on the surface, leaving a striking white wave in its wake as it rapidly approached the "Taishan International".

But just then...

A dark shadow swooped down from the sky. Fang Wen immediately piloted the amphibious aircraft into dive-bombing mode.

At an altitude of 300 meters, directly above the submarine, he pressed the bomb release button without hesitation, and two 50-kilogram aerial bombs crashed straight down onto the submarine's top deck!

"Boom—! Boom—!"

Two loud explosions almost overlapped, with the bombs hitting the submarine's conning tower and forward deck squarely. The sheet metal was instantly torn apart, the periscope was distorted and deformed, and fragments of sheet metal and flames shot into the sky.

Yamada Ichiro was slammed against the bulkhead by the shockwave, blood gushing from his mouth and nose. Terrified, he roared orders wildly.

"Dive! Emergency dive! Full speed down to 70 meters!"

Like a startled water snake, the submarine frantically burrowed into the deep sea, sinking to a depth of 70 meters in a short time. The seawater blocked out all sound and light, and in the eyes of the Japanese crew, it was impossible for the planes in the air to find them again.

But they were wrong.

Fang Wen's X-ray vision easily penetrated the layers of seawater, and the gray outline of the boat was as clear as if it were right in front of him.

No matter how the submarine maneuvers or moves stealthily, it cannot escape his lock.

Fang Wen's lips curled into a cold smile.

It seems the news about the gold has leaked, otherwise the Japanese wouldn't have sent a submarine here to intercept it.

I'm afraid that when they return from the United States, Japanese submarines and fleets will intercept them in this area.

This is the danger of arms trading without fleet escort.

This is also the basis for Fang Wen's confidence in proposing a 7% transportation fee and a 10% intermediary fee.

He was the only one who could help the French complete this arms deal.

To prove all this, Fang Wen decided to sink the Japanese submarine.

However, the Japanese submarine has now submerged, and the weapons it carries are not capable of attacking the submarine underwater. The only option is to lure it to the surface before a second attack can be launched.

Thinking of this, he immediately contacted the "Taishan International" by radio: "Reduce speed, reduce the speed to 9 knots, and proceed normally."

The captain followed orders, and the cargo ship reduced its speed and continued its journey.

Underwater, Yamada Ichiro confirmed through sonar that the cargo ship had slowed down, but he did not give up the pursuit. After reporting the situation to the fleet, he continued to follow it underwater.

As night fell over the South Pacific, only the faint starlight illuminated the dark sea.

Yamada Ichiro could no longer contain himself and shouted, "Surface! Approach at full speed! Prepare to deploy the frogman troops, board the cargo ship and take control! We must seize the gold!"

The submarine broke the surface again, speeding at 20 knots, and rapidly approached in the darkness, quickly reaching a position only 1500 meters away from the "Taishan International".

Just as Yamada Ichiro was about to order the release of the frogmen, suddenly, a beam of light shone from the cargo ship's deck.

The crew shone their searchlights, which landed right on the submarine that had surfaced.

"Fire!" Le Maire shouted in French.

French soldiers operated Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns, firing at a downward angle, and a barrage of shells rained down on the Japanese submarine.

The 40mm high-explosive shells exploded in bursts of fire on the upper deck of the submarine, instantly leaving the outer hull and bulkheads cratered and damaged.

At the same time, Fang Wen piloted his fighter jet and swooped down from the night sky, and aerial bombs fell again!
Before the Japanese soldiers could even leave the boat, they were bombarded by artillery fire and aerial bombs, screaming as they fell into the sea, and their plan to board the ship was thwarted on the spot.

The submarine's upper airtight layer was damaged, and seawater seeped in wildly through the crack. The hull began to tilt slightly, and it could no longer submerge to avoid the danger. It was exposed on the surface of the sea and became a sitting duck.

"Launch torpedoes! Sink this cargo ship!"

Yamada Ichiro went completely mad. Knowing that all was lost, he still wanted to drag the "Taishan International" down with him. The bow began to adjust its direction in preparation for launch.

All of this was under Fang Wen's watchful eye.

Just as the torpedo tubes were being filled with water, he dropped the last three 50-kilogram aerial bombs on the aircraft.

The three aerial bombs were precisely targeted by mechanical sensors at the hatches and engine room in the middle of the submarine, which were the submarine's most vulnerable points.

Seconds later, three bombs hit the middle of the submarine with pinpoint accuracy!
A deafening explosion rocked the sea, the massive shockwave whipping up waves several meters high. A huge gash was blasted through the middle of the submarine, and icy seawater rushed in.

The submarine's hull was sinking, and as the water pressure and the breach tore it apart, the hull folded in half and fell to the seabed.

Inside the submarine, the compartments were quickly filled with seawater, and the Japanese submariners were pushed forward by the impact of the seawater.

They were drowned out before they could even scream.

The entire Japanese medium-sized submarine quickly sank into the dark depths of the South Pacific Ocean and disappeared completely.

Fang Wen piloted his fighter jet and circled in the night sky to confirm that the submarine had completely sunk before he felt relieved.

He picked up the microphone, his voice steady and powerful:

"Taishan International, danger cleared."

On deck, all the soldiers erupted in deafening cheers, celebrating this extraordinary battle. One of their own cargo ships had actually taken down a submarine, known as the cargo ship killer—it was too unbelievable.

The dark sea returned to calm, leaving only ripples that gradually faded away, bearing witness to this thrilling sea hunt.

Overnight, the cargo ship Taishan International sailed away from the Coral Sea.

The captain reported the route to Fang Wen: "Ahead are the Fiji Islands; we will be passing through the northern waters."

Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire interjected: "Further east, we will pass through Wallis and Futuna, which are our French colonies in the Pacific."

"How big is it?" Fang Wen asked.

“There are only a few thousand men, spread across the three main islands. They probably don’t even know that the mainland has been defeated and surrendered,” Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire replied somberly. As a French soldier, his reason for joining Free France was his idealism towards the France of the past.

Fang Wen glanced at him, offered no words of comfort, and continued discussing the route with the captain.

The next course will be northward, as entering the central Pacific region will virtually eliminate any potential Japanese interception.

The next stop for resupply is Majuro, the capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, before continuing to Honolulu, Hawaii, and finally arriving in Los Angeles. (End of Chapter)