Chapter 249: 248, Japan-us Conflict, Battle Of The Marshall Islands, Secret Japanese Spy Infiltration Plan
Upon hearing that there were Japanese spies among the passengers, the two former 19th Route Army officers immediately agreed.
“General Manager Fang, what do you want us to do?”
Fang Wen thought about it and decided not to reveal the identities of the two suspects, as that would heighten the two officers’ vigilance even more.
He replied: “It’s inconvenient for you to go to the women’s cabin, so please pay attention to the men’s cabin and observe what the other six people are doing. If you discover anything, tell the attendant, but remember not to alert the enemy and avoid startling the other lurkers.”
Fang Wen made an assumption that there might be more than one Japanese agent lurking on the airplane, putting pressure on the two officers and making them act more cautiously.
After some discussion, Fang Wen and the two confirmed temporary cooperation.
At this point, there were 30 minutes left until the 2-hour rest period.
The three’s conversation shifted to other topics.
“General Manager Fang, from what you said about the Japanese layout in the Pacific Ocean, it feels like there’s something off?”
“What problem?”
“Look.” The officer drew on the tabletop with alcohol. “In the past few decades, the Japanese have occupied Ryukyu, Taiwan, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, and other places. They’ve essentially controlled the entire eastern Asian seas. For Americans wanting to come to Asia, there’s only one route: through Guam to the Philippines.”
Fang Wen looked at the map drawn by the officer, and scenes appeared in his mind.
It really was the case.
From a strategic perspective, the Americans had cut a gap in the Japanese oceanic expansion territory, making the entire strategic plan imperfect.
And for the Americans, having only that narrow passage was certainly unsatisfactory.
Therefore, there was potential conflict between the two, and they would gradually part ways in the future.
The officer’s analysis gave Fang Wen more understanding of this war—wasn’t this the future island chain plan to contain China?
He deeply memorized this conflict between the US and Japan; it might be useful in the future.
The two-hour rest time ended.
At this point, 16 hours had passed since departure.
According to China’s 9 a.m. departure time, it was now 1 a.m. midnight in Guangzhou.
But by Guam’s time difference, it was 3 a.m. midnight.
In the night, Fang Wen received the signed documents from the local postmaster. With the transit supplies complete, the Xuan Ming Seaplane would continue the next leg of the flight.
The next transit point was the Marshall Islands.
This was the closest route, but also the most unsuitable one.
That was Japan’s final antenna in the Pacific Ocean.
The Marshall Islands had a history similar to other western Pacific islands: first colonized by Spaniards, then becoming a German colony, and after Germany’s defeat in World War I, Japan took advantage.
There was a group of Japanese there, but not many garrison troops.
Even the Imperial Japanese Navy had no cruise plan to that area.
This gave Fang Wen an opportunity. If he landed there, the Japanese on the island might not be able to defeat him.
Not to mention the ocean cargo ship sent ahead to that location, and the group of mafia and gang members hired on the cargo ship.
Gangs and a group of Japanese immigrants—Fang Wen figured there shouldn’t be any major problems.
If it went wrong, the Xuanming had a backup plan: make an emergency landing on the sea surface, then replenish with backup fuel and water in the cabin, and it could still fly to Honolulu.
The long flight continued, from midnight to daytime, then back to night.
Another 14 hours passed.
The time difference began to take effect.
Time seemed to shorten, and the intervals between day and night also shortened.
The 4-hour time difference caused insomnia among the passengers who had never experienced it.
Now at 31 hours of flight, it was 4 p.m. the next day Guangzhou time, but 8 p.m. night in this time zone.
They suffered from insomnia, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, claustrophobia, and other symptoms.
After just 31 hours, they had become eager for land.
If they weren’t allowed to go ashore for a while, the men might manage, but the female passengers would probably break down.
Women’s wailing echoed in the middle cabin; Zhao Wanping was at a loss.
She picked up the wired telephone in the airplane and reported to Fang Wen.
“General Manager, I really have no way. These women cry endlessly. How about you let me drug them? I guarantee they’ll sleep all the way to San Francisco.”
Fang Wen thought about it and felt that wouldn’t work. Staying long in the airplane, untrained people definitely couldn’t endure it.
If this continued, not just female passengers, but male passengers would likely have problems too.
Fang Wen used his mechanical perception ability to check the cabin situation.
Finally deciding: “No drugs. We’ll stop over at the Marshall Islands.”
Another hour passed.
The airplane finally arrived at the Marshall Islands.
This was a mid-Pacific island group composed of numerous atolls, with few habitable islands.
Yet only one island could accommodate a cargo ship.
Majuro Atoll.
This was already one of the largest islands in the Marshall Islands.
Fang Wen controlled the airplane to circle over the island, observing the situation below from high altitude.
In the night, several places on the island had flashes of fire, indicating something had happened.
It should be the American gangs he had summoned. Fang Wen thought to himself.
He pressed a red switch on the left dashboard, and a signal flare modified from a napalm bomb mounted under the fuselage dropped.
The signal flare exploded in mid-air, shooting light in all directions, becoming the best guide.
Then, the atoll sea area below also lit up with guiding firelight.
That was the cargo ship’s guide. Fang Wen lowered altitude, confirmed the landing area, and dived toward the sea surface.
The Xuan Ming Seaplane landed, and the nearby cargo ship immediately shone lights over.
With the guidance, a small boat came over.
Standing at the bow was Zhao Jiu, dressed in a tailcoat. Seeing Fang Wen, he happily waved.
Then, the small boat approached, and Zhao Wanping took the thrown rope to pull it closer.
Zhao Jiu jumped onto the airplane’s floatboard and was pulled into the airplane by Fang Wen.
“General Manager, finally I see you.” Zhao Jiu said excitedly.
Fang Wen hugged him, forcefully patted his shoulder, then released and smiled, asking: “Yeah, how has this year in America been?”
“Very good. After the company listed, finances became standardized, and other aspects changed accordingly. Now the gang people are much more sensible. In Las Vegas, they follow Taishan Casino’s rules.”
Zhao Jiu proudly explained the past year’s situation.
Fang Wen’s listing plan made the previously full-of-loopholes Taishan Casino Company standardized, with all participants maintaining a shared ecosystem.
This was what Fang Wen wanted. Unable to fully control the situation, he created one favorable to himself.
Now as the major shareholder, he could use the complex social relations tied to Taishan Casino Company for his own purposes.
Keeping a smile, Fang Wen asked: “What’s the situation on the island?”
“Our people went ashore to prepare purchasing some supplies, but the local Japanese suddenly attacked. Clearly they were after you, General Manager, so I had the gangs fight back.” Zhao Jiu replied coldly. In this more than a year, he wasn’t as simple as he made it sound—wandering among different gang disputes, he had seen much more direct and cruel American darkness, so his heart had hardened.
“Mm, the passengers on the airplane haven’t touched land for 32 hours; they need to go ashore to recover. Can you guarantee these people’s safety?” Fang Wen asked.
“No problem. This island is now controlled by our people, and there aren’t many around. Unless the Imperial Japanese Navy sends troops.”
Zhao Jiu’s cold reply made Fang Wen look sideways; perhaps Zhao Jiu really suited America, though who knew what he’d become in the future.
Immediately, Fang Wen informed the passengers of this good news and had them take boats ashore.
While the passengers lined up for the boats, Fang Wen paid special attention to the two suspects.
Through mechanical perception, Fang Wen saw an unobserved scene from an angle no one else could.
The Shanghai reporter showed no change.
But the Beiping businessman, when unobserved, showed a hint of joy, though the expression quickly vanished, it was caught by Fang Wen.
Could the businessman be a Japanese agent?
Fang Wen quietly passed the information to his subordinates for covert surveillance.
Two boats reached shore, and the 16 passengers eagerly stepped onto the beach.
That solid footing feeling excited them.
Fang Wen, who came with them, announced: “Rest here one night, depart at 9 a.m. tomorrow.”
It was now 9 p.m. midnight, so Fang Wen had given the passengers a full 12 hours to rest.
Wu Yingzong couldn’t help worrying: “General Manager, if we rest the whole night, won’t Pan American Airways overtake us?”
Fang Wen analyzed: “The Xuanming and Martin M130 have similar speeds. I’ve flown nearly 30 hours; can their pilot do that? Don’t worry. Rest is necessary. We’re competing in civil aviation—not just faster arrival, but also passenger satisfaction.”
His words left Wu Yingzong speechless. As long as the general manager had confidence, everyone had confidence.
Then let’s sleep well tonight.
Immediately, all passengers of the Xuanming were arranged to rest in the island’s largest inn.
The rooms were a bit messy and empty, feeling strange, but the exhausted passengers didn’t ask anything and went to their rooms to rest.
Meanwhile, next to this large house, in an exquisite villa, Fang Wen, Wu Yingzong, and Zhao Wanping also used this rare rest time to recover energy.
At the same time, Zhao Jiu quietly arranged with a group of gang members.
“Tonight, everyone watch closely, especially the person I mentioned. Once he acts, don’t move him first—wait for his action, then catch them all.”
The gangs agreed with laughs. Don’t be fooled by their casual attitude; when it came to action, they weren’t pushovers, or the Japanese on the island wouldn’t have been beaten into fear by them.
Time passed bit by bit, from 9 p.m. to midnight.
The passengers gradually fell asleep.
Snoring sounds rose and fell, but no one woke because of it.
Another half hour passed, and the snorer suddenly stopped.
He quietly sat up, looked around, then tiptoed out of bed, put on shoes and outerwear, and pushed the door to leave.
After he got up, two others coincidentally sat up.
These two also quietly went out, tailing behind the first one.
Thus, in the night, the three walked on the island—one ahead, two behind—not knowing their movements were clearly observed by gang members farther away.
“How come there are two more? What are these two doing?” Zhao Jiu wondered.
To avoid alerting the enemy, he didn’t have anyone act.
Time passed bit by bit, from midnight to 1 a.m.
The first man finally found the place.
He stopped outside a Japanese-style bungalow, drawn by the tile mark at the door.
Clearly that was the contact signal.
Then, the man quietly climbed into the courtyard and knocked on the door rhythmically.
From these actions, it was clear he was absolutely a Japanese spy.
Zhao Jiu still didn’t have anyone act; he wanted to know what this Japanese spy planned to do tonight.
Half an hour later, two people came out of the room.
One carried a box toward the beach, the other ran around the island knocking on doors to inform.
Clearly, they were acting separately; something big was definitely happening tonight.
Zhao Jiu immediately knocked on Fang Wen’s bedroom door.
Knock knock knock.
The door knocking woke Fang Wen. With superhuman ability, his energy recovery was far faster than normal; these 3 hours of rest had fully recharged him.
Fang Wen sat up, put on clothes, and opened the door.
“What is it?”
“General Manager, the person you wanted me to watch has acted.”
Zhao Jiu explained the situation, and Fang Wen immediately put on shoes and went out with him.
Outside the house, the gangs immediately reported the situation.
“The Japanese on the island are gathering again; looks like they want to cause trouble.”
“What about that person?” Zhao Jiu asked urgently.
“He was subdued by the two who kept following him. Per your orders, we didn’t act. Those two are bringing him over with people.”
As he spoke, the two 19th Route Army officers escorted the Beiping businessman over.
Fang Wen walked over, Zhao Jiu guarding beside him.
“Boss Huang, aren’t you from a good family in the 49th City? How could you work for the Japanese?”
The Beiping businessman Boss Huang looked up, stared straight at Fang Wen, but didn’t answer.
Zhao Jiu got angry and kicked him to the ground, then beat him brutally.
This was an action he’d never done in Las Vegas—savage and ruthless. Soon Boss Huang was screaming in pain.
“Pah. Still pretending? Get up.” Zhao Jiu said harshly.
After this beating, Boss Huang painfully crawled up and replied: “I’m wronged.”
“Wronged?” A 19th Army officer opened the brought box, pointing inside: “Scuba gear, pistol, and this is probably a bomb. Still claiming wronged?”
Faced with this evidence, Boss Huang fell silent again. Zhao Jiu beat him again, but no response.
Watching this, Fang Wen pondered and had Zhao Jiu stop.
“You remind me of someone. Her name is Kawashima Yoshiko, who claimed to be a former Qing Dynasty prince’s daughter. Sent to Japan for training as a child, she returned as an adult to work for the Japanese. I think there are more than just her; you’re probably one of them.”
While speaking, Fang Wen watched the other’s expression, which changed slightly.
Fang Wen changed tack: “I also know of a situation where Japanese indoctrinate their children young with bushido and militarism, then swap them with our children, hiding as Chinese people among us in China. That way, no one can tell if you’re Chinese or Japanese, right?”
Sweat unknowingly beaded on Boss Huang’s forehead. No matter how composed he acted, he couldn’t hide his inner shock.
Fang Wen was right.
But it was useless. Boss Huang suddenly struggled fiercely, trying to grab the bomb from the box.
Of course impossible. With several gunshots, he was shot dead on the spot.
Seeing this corpse, Zhao Jiu felt cold.
“General Manager, is what you said true? They train their own children from young, then mix them among us?”
Fang Wen said coldly: “I’m not sure, but his actions prove it might be true.”
At this time, gunfire came from the northeast of the island.
A gang member ran over to report: “The Japanese hid their forces; they’re coming in an armored car.”
Hearing this, Zhao Jiu paled and explained to Fang Wen: “Our weapons can’t penetrate the armored car. If they advance under its cover, we probably can’t hold them off.”
“There’s a way.” Fang Wen turned: “Wu Yingzong, get the remote-controlled bomb from the airplane. We’ll make a landmine array.”
Zhao Jiu was stunned; the general manager was so well-prepared.
But what was a remote-controlled bomb?
Could such landmines deal with an armored car?
