Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Fang Wen tapped the Wellington port on the nautical chart with his fingertip, his eyes revealing determination.

This route avoids the Torres Strait, which is heavily defended by the Japanese army, and uses the meat transport routes between New Zealand and South Australia. It can rely on the existing route resources of Taishan Airlines for cover, and also use the vast South Pacific Ocean to avoid the patrols of the Japanese fleet. It can be said to be the best solution at present.

He put away the nautical charts and did not tell anyone about the plan.

He was about to finish loading the munitions onto the ship, but he still had other things to do.

Immediately afterwards, they disembarked from the Taishan International cargo ship and drove to Chase National Bank in San Francisco.

The investment in Curtiss was substantial, necessitating careful management of the funds beforehand, making banks under the Rockefeller Group the most suitable partners.

Chase National Bank's office building is located in the heart of San Francisco and boasts luxurious interior design.

Bank manager Davidson had already been informed and was sitting on a leather sofa in the reception room, waiting with a senior business specialist standing beside him.

After Fang Wen took his seat, he cut straight to the point without any pleasantries: "Mr. Davidson, I plan to invest $800 million in Curtiss Corporation soon, and at the same time promote the technology cooperation project between the two parties. In order to ensure that this fund is used for its intended purpose and is not misappropriated or used in violation of regulations, I hope that your bank can act as an intermediary to provide fund custody services for this investment."

A hint of surprise flashed in Davidson's eyes. Fund custody was not yet a new business in current industrial investment, but he could see the long-term cooperation value and risk management potential it contained.

“Mr. Fang’s idea is very visionary,” Davidson said, leaning forward slightly and speaking solemnly. “This custody model can not only protect your funds but also enhance the bank’s business scope. We are very happy to cooperate.”

After speaking with the specialist beside him, the specialist then communicated with Fang Wen: "We will set up an independent investment escrow account for you. In accordance with the escrow agreement signed by both parties, the funds will be independently kept and their use will be supervised throughout the process. Every fund transfer will be verified against the proof of purpose and contract documents provided by Curtis Company. We will submit escrow reports to you regularly to ensure that the funds are used entirely for technology research and development and capacity improvement, and will never be allowed to be misappropriated."

Fang Wen listened carefully and confirmed that the terms were completely in line with his expectations. He immediately finalized the cooperation agreement with Davidson and signed the agreement on the spot, agreeing to deposit funds into the account today and formally entrust the management of the funds after the project started.

Towards the end of the conversation, Davidson suddenly changed the subject: "Mr. Fang, there is a prayer ceremony tonight, which has invited many elites from all walks of life to pray for those who died in the war. I wonder if you would like to participate? It would be a good opportunity to make more connections, which may be helpful for your future plans in the United States."

Fang Wen initially wanted to refuse, but then he thought that what the other party said made sense. Having more connections was not a bad thing, and praying for the war was also a good thing.

He immediately agreed.

After the agreement was signed and the funds were deposited on the spot, Fang Wen did not leave the bank but waited for someone.

After a while, Lin Shuiwang arrived, carrying a briefcase and looking hurried. He had flown in from New York.

This was for the purpose of handing over the supervision of Taishan Fang, the investment company.

Fang Wen introduced Lin Shuiwang to the people at the bank.

"This is the general manager of Taishan International, and also our supervisory representative in charge of this investment project. I hope you can have a pleasant cooperation in the future."

The bank representative shook hands with Lin Shuiwang with a smile, thus establishing their acquaintance.

Afterwards, Fang Wen, bodyguard Gong Xiuneng, and Lin Shuiwang left the bank and found a quiet coffee shop.

Gong Xiuneng sat at the table next to him, keeping a watchful eye on the people around him, while Fang Wenze and Lin Shuiwang made their handover.

Fang Wen solemnly instructed, "Shui Wang, your main responsibility going forward is to follow up on the progress of the technical cooperation with Curtis, closely monitor their use of funds, and cooperate with the bank to conduct the audit. The bank is responsible for the safety of the funds, and you are responsible for supervising the implementation of the project. The two of you must work together to ensure that this investment is not wasted, and even more importantly, to prevent them from misappropriating funds or delaying the production time of the technical cooperation under the guise of cooperation."

Lin Shuiwang immediately nodded in agreement, took out his notebook and quickly jotted down the key points: "Don't worry, General Manager, I will check their work progress every day, collect relevant documents, and report to you in a timely manner. There will be absolutely no mistakes."

The two checked the details of the funds received and the cooperation milestones, and it wasn't until 4 p.m. that they finished.

Fang Wen patted Lin Shuiwang on the shoulder, "Alright, let's stop here for today. I believe you can do a good job."

Lin Shuiwang collected the notebook: "It's getting late, how about we have dinner here?"

“No need. There’s a war blessing ceremony. Come with me. There’s food there,” Fang Wen replied.

Immediately, the three of them got up, and Fang Wen drove the car to the site of the religious ceremony that Davidson had mentioned.

There were security guards at the entrance. Fang Wen parked his car and explained his purpose: "My name is Fang Wen. I was invited by Davidson."

Upon hearing that it was Fang Wen, the security guard did not ask any further questions and opened the door directly.

The car drove into the private estate, where lights twinkled under the night sky.

Fang Wen parked the car, and he, Gong Xiuneng, and Lin Shuiwang got out and were led to the ceremony site by a waiter.

A strange fragrance filled the air, and the flickering lights were people holding candles.

Upon entering the ceremony hall, Fang Wen immediately frowned:

In the center of the hall stands a huge, standing, masked statue of a god.

Dozens of participants sat in a circle, most of them looking dazed and with unfocused eyes, clearly having taken some kind of drug. They muttered obscure prayers, and gradually fell into a state of fanatical conversion amidst eerie music and the priest's chanting.

Fang Wen sensed the energy fluctuations of the amber cross.

It was hanging on the body of a veiled figure in a long robe beneath the statue of a god.

Could this be a blessing ceremony of the Holy Light Gospel Church, and that person be Steve?
I haven't heard from Steve for a long time since we parted ways in Ethiopia.

Fang Wen was somewhat displeased. Steve's so-called mysticism was clearly going astray, actually using drugs and the power of the amber cross to control people's minds.

A sense of unease suddenly arose in his heart. The Holy Light Gospel might be doing this for more than just religious blessings; it was more like a means of binding people into certain circles.

If things continue like this, who knows what Steve, with his boundless ambition, will do?

Fang Wen secretly made up his mind: once the war is over, no matter the cost, he must retrieve the treasures that were pledged and never let them fall into the hands of outsiders.

He lingered for ten minutes, but he didn't want to stay any longer. He then said to the waiter beside him, "I'm not feeling well. Tell Steve I'm leaving."

When the waiter saw that Fang Wen was about to leave, he quickly said, "Please wait a moment, I will go and tell the leader."

He pushed his way through the crowd, approached the veiled figure in prayer, and whispered something. The ceremony paused, and the veiled figure came forward, removing his hood—it was Steve.

He said in a low voice, "It's not convenient to talk here, let's go outside."

Then, Fang Wen and Steve went out alone and walked along the quiet paths of the manor.

"Fang, after returning from Africa, I found myself getting closer and closer to the Mysterious. So, based on everything I saw in my meditation, I built a statue for the Mysterious. You saw it, didn't you? Isn't it magnificent?!"

“I don’t think God is that great,” Fang Wen replied.

After years of contact with the secret treasures, he was considered the most authoritative person. Those magical treasures were just tools created by the ancients to inspire awe and fear through religion and legend. As for gods, he was not afraid of at least the gods on Earth.

Steve wasn't surprised: "Fang, you are the closest person to mystery. If you wanted, you could become a prophet of any religion, but you won't."

“That’s right, I won’t become a prophet. You invited me here just to say this?”

"No, do you remember the Ancestral Heritage Society? They are preparing to go to XZ to find the origin of the Aryan race and verify the myth that the Germanic people originated from the Atlantean gods."

Fang Wen was stunned. The Ancestral Heritage Society was a research institution of the Nazis in Germany that specialized in mysticism and attempted to apply its research to military and Aryan bloodlines.

I dealt with them before in Ethiopia for the treasure of the underwater temple of Solomon. Backed by the Ancestral Legacy Society of Nazi Germany, they were able to mobilize the SS to do things for them. They had a lot of power. Now that Germany is running rampant throughout Europe, they are probably even more unscrupulous.

But XZ, didn't they go there once?

Fang Wen voiced his doubts.

Steve replied, "Yes, they didn't find anything then, but now they have a new lead and are preparing to assemble a new exploration team to go there. I believe the Ancestral Heritage Society wouldn't act recklessly; there must be some mysterious traces there. Would you like to work with me again?"

Fang Wen was very interested in the treasure, but he didn't have time right now. "Sorry, I have more important things to do."

"I understand, then we'll talk about it after you're done."

Having finished their conversation, Fang Wen had no intention of staying any longer. He then bid farewell to Steve and drove away with Gong Xiuneng and Lin Shuiwang.

Over two days, Fang Wen took Lin Shuiwang back and forth between the bank and Curtis Company, completely handing over the matter to Lin Shuiwang.

Of course, the entire project requires Taishan Military Industry to send its aero-engine technicians and data to the United States before it can be officially launched.

Fang Wen then returned to Los Angeles and immediately threw himself into the final preparations for the fleet's departure.

He knew very well that the nearly $9000 million arms fleet had long been a target of various forces. The departure of the fleet could not be concealed, and the Japanese military's spies must be all over the port area. Once the fleet set sail, the Japanese military would soon receive the intelligence and send troops to intercept it.

But more dangerous than the Japanese interception was the presence of Japanese spies within the fleet.

If spies send telegrams during the voyage, revealing the fleet's route, the fleet will be doomed.

To thoroughly eliminate potential hazards, Fang Wen convened the core personnel of the fleet and members of the special operations brigade overnight, issuing the following orders: "Equip each ship with a radio detection device, assign dedicated personnel to monitor it 24 hours a day, and closely monitor all abnormal radio signals on board. Whether transmitting or receiving external signals, they must be reported immediately without exception. At the same time, conduct another comprehensive screening of all crew members, instructors, and logistics personnel, verify their identity information, and pay special attention to recently added crew members to check for any individuals with suspicious identities or whereabouts."

After the order was given, everyone immediately sprang into action. Radio detection equipment was quickly deployed to the communications rooms of every ship, and the crew screening work was carried out in a tense but orderly manner.

Fang Wen personally went to inspect each ship, carefully inquired about the monitoring details of the personnel on duty, and repeatedly urged them to be vigilant, not to take even the slightest abnormal radio wave lightly.

At the same time, he activated his supernatural abilities to inspect the interior of the ship, trying to find anything suspicious.

However, the interior space of the five ships was too large, and even when he used his mechanical senses to probe, he did not find any problems.

We can only take action when the enemy makes a mistake.

Two days later, the loading of the munitions onto the ship was completed. All supplies and personnel had been successfully boarded, and the radio detection equipment had been fully tested and ready.

At dawn, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, a long whistle sounded at the docks of the Port of Los Angeles. The cargo ship Taishan led the way, with the other ships following closely behind, slowly sailing away from the docks and heading into the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

The fleet initially sailed smoothly, heading towards Honolulu Port according to the planned route.

The sea was calm along the way, and there were even two US warships escorting the ship under the guise of patrol. No unusual vessels were found, and the radio detection equipment on each ship remained silent, without detecting any abnormal radio waves.

A few days later, the fleet arrived safely at Honolulu Port for a short resupply and rest.

During this time, Fang Wen checked the security of all the ships and the radio monitoring records again, but still found nothing unusual.

After resting, the fleet continued its journey.

Just as the convoy was passing through the waters of the Hawaiian Islands, a radio detection device on an oil tanker suddenly sounded an alarm.

The personnel on duty immediately tensed up and quickly investigated the source of the signal, discovering that a radio wave was being transmitted outward from the lower deck of the oil tanker; the signal was weak but continuous.

The staff on duty did not dare to delay and immediately reported the situation to Fang Wen through the internal communication equipment.

Fang Wen was in the captain's cabin of the cargo ship Hetu, checking the nautical charts to see the progress of the route. After receiving the report, his expression immediately became serious.

"Closely monitor the direction of the radio waves, pinpoint the source of the signal, and at the same time, have reliable personnel on the tanker immediately go to the lower decks to investigate. Be careful to remain concealed and avoid alerting the enemy," he ordered in a deep voice.

The two crew members went down to the bottom of the cabin, circled around, and then came back up.

The situation has been basically confirmed: it was a ship's worker in charge of the oil tanker's pipeline maintenance who was working down below at the time, and the telegram was sent when he disappeared.

He must have been secretly sending telegrams to the Japanese from somewhere in the lower deck.

However, such a telegraph machine would certainly not be large in size or power, and it would be unable to transmit to the Japanese mainland across the ocean, especially in places like the lower deck where there is signal shielding, making the transmission range even smaller.

It's possible that Japanese spy ships are receiving radio signals in the nearby waters.

Fang Wen then went up to the semi-carrier deck of the Hetu, preparing to pilot a P-40 aircraft to take off from the semi-carrier deck and reconnoiter the nearby sea area. (End of this chapter)