North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 159 Irresistible Charm

Hearing Sean so open up, Tony O'Hara's smile gradually faded.

"Sean, I must remind you, you are the elite of the elite, cultivated by our organization with countless hours, money, and effort!"

Tony said with a stern face, "You bear a great mission entrusted to you by the organization! You absolutely cannot lose your fighting spirit and original aspirations because of a false sense of belonging!"

Sean nodded emphatically: "Of course I know, Master! Of course I know...!"

"Don't worry, I won't let anything affect my ability to complete my mission and tasks!"

"Very good!" Tony finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Tell me, what have you learned during this time?"

"I have to say, although the past month has been extremely difficult, I have gained so much!"

Sean gathered his thoughts before saying, "During my time at Huamei Shipyard, I personally witnessed just how powerful the new fast steamships built there were!"

"They adopted a series of entirely new technologies, including hull design, power system, transmission system, propulsion device... all of which are revolutionary technologies that I have never seen or heard of before!"

"Even the simplest rust and corrosion prevention work that I do is different from other shipyards in every way. The rust and corrosion prevention effect on seawater is far more complete and advanced than that of other shipyards."

"In the shipyard, there are many advanced technologies that I simply cannot understand...!"

As he spoke, Sean looked up and stared at Tony, saying, "We Hidden Knights, while not omniscient and omnipotent, are certainly well-versed in most of the knowledge and technology of today's society."

"A technology I can't even understand has appeared in Huamei Shipyard. Master, do you know what this means?"

Tony replied with a stern face, "According to reliable sources, Huamei Shipyard has built a revolutionary high-speed steamship with a speed exceeding 28 knots."

"To achieve such a high speed, Huamei Shipyard must have adopted a series of advanced technologies, which is not surprising."

Tony continued, "The only thing that intrigues me is where Huamei Corporation got these cutting-edge technologies from."

"After all, advanced technology that even the British don't have should not be found at Huamei Shipyard. It's a place that has no heritage or tradition."

“Yes!” Sean nodded emphatically. “That makes me very curious! I’ve tried to get information out of many people, but no one can give me an answer.”

"It's as if these advanced technologies appeared out of thin air!"

"Appear out of thin air?" Tony sneered. "There's no such thing as advanced technology that appears out of thin air, unless it's a miracle...!"

"Hehe...!" Susan chuckled sweetly, "That Chinese guy's rise like a comet, isn't that a miracle in itself?"

Tony ignored his sister: "Sean, continue."

Sean continued, "At Huamei Shipyard, all the docks are working overtime to build those high-speed steamships for the California Coast Guard and Huamei Shipping Company."

"Currently, I estimate that there are about twenty high-speed steamships under construction at the same time! And most of them are ocean-going vessels of 1,500 tons."

"I think that in just a few months, we will witness the birth of a powerful California Coast Guard!"

"Even merchant ships built for shipping companies can be transformed into armored and armed merchant ships with just a few modifications!"

Sean's voice grew increasingly somber: "Once the Coast Guard is fully operational, that Chinese guy will have no weaknesses left!"

Tony's expression was also grim: "The organization has informed us that they are accelerating their efforts, trying every possible means to appoint one of our people as the commander of the Pacific Fleet!"

"To this end, the organization has made some huge concessions and compromises! For example, making Paparo King the commander of the home fleet!"

"It's almost a done deal that General Kim will become the commander of the home fleet."

"However, the selection of the commander of the Pacific Fleet is still a difficult struggle with the White House, and it is probably not yet agreed upon."

Sean asked curiously, "Why is this happening? Since the organization has already relinquished such a crucial position as the commander of the Home Fleet, the mere commander of the Pacific Fleet is not important to the White House. Why is there still a stalemate?"

Tony shook his head slightly: "The president and vice president in the White House now have deep prejudices and misunderstandings about our organization."

"It's not just the Home Fleet and the Pacific Fleet; all the other key positions held by generals belonging to our organization are at risk of being dismissed. Many of them have already been replaced by generals from outside the organization."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the room became somber, and the four people's expressions turned grim.

After a long silence, Tony finally said, "Sean, you can continue."

Sean continued, "Back at the shipyard, I was relieved that Huamei Corporation couldn't build large-caliber naval guns."

"But when I was selected to go to the Angel Island Armory, even that last bit of relief vanished!"

“What…?” Tony’s brow twitched. “You mean, they’re already secretly building large-caliber naval guns?”

“No!” Sean shook his head slightly. “Not now, but very soon!”

"I saw with my own eyes that a large, separate area inside the Angel Island arsenal was being built with everyone working overtime."

"According to the information I've gathered, that area under construction is a factory for building large-caliber naval guns."

"Based on the timeline, the naval gun factory should be completed by March at the latest!"

Upon hearing this, Tony could no longer sit still. He got up agitated and paced back and forth in the room.

"That damn Chinese guy now has enough ships, and soon he'll be able to build naval guns. He's even established a coast guard school... It won't be long before he builds a real navy!"

"What a load of bull! The Coast Guard is nothing but a fig leaf for him to cover up his true intentions! Just like his National Guard, which is no different from the Army!"

"Fuck...!" Tony rarely swore. "Damn it! Openly building a navy, what is he trying to do?"

Tony continued, "On this side of the St. Francis Strait, opposite the naval fortress, I found that the Coast Guard has also marked out a very large area."

"Based on my own observation, that guy is definitely planning to build a massive fortress. When needed, he could blockade the entire bay area with just that fortress!"

"Once the fortifications are completed, even if we control the Pacific Fleet, we will not be able to enter the bay area, let alone threaten the foundation of the Huamei Company and that Chinese guy."

Tony rubbed his hands together, sighing deeply in anguish, "That damned Chinese guy, he's a powerful and meticulous strategist who's utterly despairing!"

"All his arrangements were absolutely flawless!!!"

After a moment of silence, Sean continued, "At the arsenal on Angel Island, I also saw brand-new, incredibly powerful hand grenades, and the HM49 rifle, which is completely different from the HM50 rifle and much more advanced and powerful...!"

"HM49 rifle?"

Tony was slightly taken aback: "Isn't Huamei selling HM50 rifles to the military? How come there's an HM49 rifle?"

"Heh...!" Sean chuckled with a hint of sarcasm. "The HM50 rifle is just the most outdated weapon produced by China! While they themselves are equipped with the far more advanced and powerful HM49 rifle!"

"HM50 rifle...an outdated weapon?"

Tony's mind was a little confused. He knew the HM50 rifle very well. It was not only highly praised by the U.S. Army, but it was also an extremely advanced and powerful firearm in the world.

How did this advanced rifle, which has only recently been introduced, become an outdated weapon?
Sean's sarcasm deepened: "If I weren't afraid of jeopardizing the mission, I would have secretly smuggled out a few actual HM49 rifles. Once you truly witness the power of that rifle, you'll realize just how rubbish the so-called HM50 rifle really is!"

"And those grenades are more than a hundred times more powerful than any hand grenades we've ever seen!"

"The California National Guard is fully equipped with these HM49 rifles, powerful grenades, and those unknown automatic weapons... I simply cannot imagine who could defeat such an army."

Faced with Sean's question, Tony and the others could only remain silent.

Without waiting for their reply, Sean continued, "Then, I was selected to study full-time at Huamei High School."

"It is said that at Huamei High School, you can occasionally run into that damned Chinese guy who comes to teach the students himself."

Upon hearing Sean say this, Tony and Susan's eyes suddenly lit up.

However, Sean shook his head slightly: "Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky! I didn't see that person during my week at school. Otherwise…!"

"Don't rush!" Tony quickly reassured him, "That guy will show up sooner or later, Sean. When that time comes, you must seize the opportunity."

Sean nodded calmly: "Don't worry! I definitely won't miss such an opportunity!"

Sean added, "I also noticed a lot of differences at Huamei High School." "It's just a school, what differences could there be?" Susan chuckled.

"The textbooks are different, the content is different, the teaching methods are completely different!"

Sean continued, "All the students and teachers at Huamei High School are working incredibly hard! They study for more than twelve hours a day, and even so, quite a few students still secretly study on their own."

"My impression of them is that they are afraid they won't see the sun tomorrow if they don't study."

“As you all know, it takes at least several years to complete a full secondary school curriculum.”

"But at Huamei High School, they shortened this time to a year, or even just eight months!"

"But their exam scores were unimaginably outstanding in my school days!"

"It can be said that every student who graduates from Huamei High School would be absolutely qualified to enter the top American universities for further study and training anywhere else."

"What shocked me the most was the motto of Hua Mei High School...!"

"What's the school motto?" Tony pressed.

"Study for the rise of China!!!"

The few words that Sean uttered plunged the four people in the room into shock and silence once again.

“Study for the rise of China!”

Tony chewed on those words over and over.

After a long while, Tony finally let out a slow breath: "I think I finally understand what that damn Chinese guy is up to!"

"Oh...?" Susan blinked her beautiful eyes. "My dear brother, what do you think that Chinese guy is up to?"

Tony walked to the window and looked down at the vast city of San Francisco through the blurry white curtains.

"That Chinaman wants to build a completely new China on this land!!!"

“What…!”

"Oh my God...!"

Susan, Sean, and Klaus, who were in the room, all gasped in astonishment at the same time.

"This...how is this possible?"

The short, stocky Klaus was the first to retort: ​​"This is our American land, this is our white land, it's so far away from China...!"

"hehe!"

Tony replied sarcastically, "American land? We only took it from the Mexicans a little over two years ago!"

"White people's land? The Native Americans who originally lived on this land have been settled here for thousands of years, while we white people have only been here for a few years?"

"So far away from China...!"

Tony turned around and sneered, "Is this a problem for that Chinese guy who controls a huge fleet and high-speed steamships?"

"As far as I know, there are a total of 400 million Chinese people! That's one-third of the world's total population!"

"He only needs one percent... no, one-thousandth of the Chinese to be shipped to California, and this place will absolutely become a completely new China!"

At this point, Tony exclaimed in an almost chanting tone, "Although he is my rival and enemy, I have to admit, that guy is absolutely a mad genius!!!"

"He not only thought it, but he also did it!"

"Moreover, it seems that he is very, very close to his goal!"

"What he lacks now is only population—enough, enough Chinese people!!!"

"Hahaha!" Tony laughed maniacally, "If I hadn't come here myself, I would never have imagined that such a mad genius existed in this world! That such a powerful figure could exist!!!"

"Hahaha……!"

Tony's laughter gradually subsided: "Too bad! He ran into me, and I saw through all his schemes!"

"Having met me, all his schemes will ultimately fail!"

"No matter how powerful or unstoppable he is now, as long as we eliminate him, all our schemes will come to naught!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Tony's gaze fell on Sean again: "At all costs, if that damn Chinaman shows up, we must kill him!"

Sean stood up and nodded emphatically: "Don't worry, Master! As long as he appears at Huamei High School, he will definitely not escape my assassination."

After Tony nodded in agreement, he turned to look out the window and said, "Sean, if you fail, we will continue to complete the mission for you. Remember your mission and do not reveal a single word."

"This has been my unwavering conviction since the moment I joined Solomon's Temple."

"very good!"

Tony continued, "I'll give you a month. If you still haven't gotten the chance, then find a way to go back to the Huamei Armory and get all the information and physical evidence of those rifles, grenades, and the unknown repeating firearms."

After a brief silence, Tony continued, "If possible, completely destroy their naval gun factory under construction to delay their commissioning."

“No problem!” Sean agreed solemnly.

Tony turned to Susan and said, "Now that we've figured out what that Chinese guy is up to, our mission this time is even more important and urgent."

"Susan, it's time for you to make your move!"

"Giggle...!"

Susan stood up and gently took Tony's arm: "My dear brother, what do you want me to do?"

Tony replied, "The Chinese New Year is very close now."

"According to Chinese tradition, a grand banquet is held during the New Year. Among the guests are suppliers like us who work closely with Huamei Company."

"However, we have not been working with Huamei Company for very long, so we may not be qualified to attend such a New Year's banquet."

“So…!” Tony said in a deep voice, “Susan, you need to get an invitation to the Huamei Company’s New Year’s banquet and appear at the banquet in your most beautiful form to attract that Chinese guy’s attention.”

"No normal man has ever been able to resist your charm, Susan!"

Tony said, "I don't need to teach you what to do next, right?"

"Giggle...!"

Susan's smile became even more alluring and captivating: "My dear brother, you don't need to worry about these things."

"You'd better think carefully about how you're going to get me out of San Francisco safely after I complete my mission!"

Tony patted Susan's smooth hand: "Don't worry, my dear sister! From the very first day we set foot on San Francisco soil, I began preparing an absolutely safe escape route for all of us."

Susan gently rested her high-piled head on her good brother's shoulder.

"My dear brother, I hope you won't let me down!"

Susan smiled sweetly and whispered seductively in Tony's ear, "If I don't get out of here safely, I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"

Tony patted his sister's hand again, but said nothing; everything was understood without words.

On this cold winter night, snowflakes began to fall from the sky!
In the darkness of that night, the flickering light in the study on the second floor of the "Ohara Cotton Trading Company" remained almost constantly burning.

(End of this chapter)