Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Inside the Governor-General's residence in French Indochina, the lights were on, and a grand victory celebration banquet was about to begin.

The crystal chandelier refracted a dazzling light, illuminating the elegantly dressed guests. The air was filled with the rich aroma of champagne and the fragrance of gourmet food. French nobles and wealthy compradors from Hanoi arrived at the banquet hall in their finest attire, chatting and laughing in small groups.

As one of the heroes of this victory, Fang Wen stood tall in the crowd, dressed in a custom-made suit, his medals shining brightly under the lights.

He became the focus of the banquet, with French officers, colonial officials, and wealthy merchants constantly coming up to toast him, their words full of admiration and flattery, or trying to establish contact with him and seek business cooperation.

Fang Wen, however, showed no interest in this. He maintained a faint, polite smile as he greeted each guest who came to offer a toast, but rarely moved the wine glass in his fingers.

In his view, the banquet was nothing but a frivolous farce, and the glory of victory belonged to the soldiers who fought bloody battles, not to the nobles and wealthy merchants who hid in the rear enjoying peace.

He was more concerned with postwar defense deployments and his upcoming trip to British Burma.

The equity transaction of Myanmar Oil Company is related to its future energy strategy and cannot tolerate the slightest mistake.

After barely managing for half an hour, it was time for the ballroom dancing. The band played music, and the elegantly dressed guests entered the dance floor with their partners.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Fang Wen quietly slipped away and headed towards the governor.

The governor, surrounded by a group of officials, had a smug smile on his face. When he saw Fang Wen approaching, he immediately greeted him warmly: "Fang Wen, you are the star of the show today!"

Fang Wen nodded slightly, his tone steady: "Governor, the banquet was wonderful, but I have some questions about post-war defense that I would like to discuss with you."

Upon hearing this, the governor's smile faded, and he and Fang Wen headed towards the lounge.

Upon entering the lounge, the governor's expression turned serious: "Please speak, Mr. Fang Wen, what suggestions do you have for the subsequent arrangements?"

"Currently, the main force of the Japanese army in the central route has been completely annihilated, the southern route force has been wiped out, and only 3000 men from the northern route have escaped. In the short term, they are no longer capable of launching a large-scale offensive against French Indochina," Fang Wen analyzed clearly. "But we cannot be complacent. There is still a Japanese fleet stationed outside Haiphong Port. The French army's current strength is not enough to take Haiphong Port, and the two sides will most likely enter a stalemate."

He paused, then continued, "Next, the French army only needs to do two things: first, strengthen the fortifications in and around Hanoi to prevent a counterattack by the remaining Japanese forces; second, strengthen reconnaissance and control over the port of Haiphong, closely monitor the movements of the Japanese fleet, and keep abreast of any changes in their deployment. I will discuss these specific operational arrangements in detail with Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire later to ensure that everything goes smoothly."

After listening, the governor nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of praise: "Mr. Fang Wen, you have thought things through so thoroughly! With your arrangements, I feel at ease. To be honest, if it weren't for you, we would not have been able to win this battle at all. Your military command ability is truly amazing. What's even more remarkable is that you not only understand military affairs, but also have amazing achievements in business. You are truly a rare talent."

Fang Wen smiled faintly, without much modesty, and directly stated his purpose: "Governor, I'll leave the follow-up defense matters to you and Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire. After I finish communicating with Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire, I will leave French Indochina for British Burma to attend the equity transaction conference of the Burma Oil Company."

"Oh? You bought the Burma Oil Company?!" A hint of surprise flashed in the governor's eyes, then he smiled and said, "Then I wish you a safe journey and a successful transaction. If there's anything I can help you with, just let me know."

"Thank you, Governor." Fang Wen stood up and bowed slightly. "I have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

After saying this, Fang Wen turned and left the lounge. He did not return to the banquet venue but went straight to the military airport to rest for the night. He would then set off the next day after communicating with Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire.

The morning after the banquet, Fang Wen went to the French military headquarters and had a detailed discussion with Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire, informing him of his suggestions on post-war defense and finalizing a specific deployment plan.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire had full faith in Fang Wen's advice and immediately said he would make arrangements to safeguard the hard-won victory.

After the communication was completed, Fang Wen did not linger. He piloted the Taishan first-generation aircraft and took off from the military airfield southwest of Hanoi, heading towards Yangon.

Just as the plane approached Yangon, the small bronze cauldron in Fang Wen's inner pocket suddenly began to vibrate again.

This tremor was much larger than the slight tremors in Hanoi, but gentler than the previous tremors that foreshadowed deadly danger. It was intermittent and did not stop.

Fang Wen's expression immediately turned serious.

He knew all too well the power of this bronze cauldron. Since he obtained it, every tremor had foreshadowed impending danger, and there had never been a mishap.

This time, however, the vibrations were intermittent, neither a mild warning nor a fatal one, and for a moment he couldn't determine what they meant.

"We can't be careless," Fang Wen thought to himself, immediately becoming more vigilant. He then maneuvered the aircraft, circling in the air, while simultaneously sending instructions to the Yangon branch of the Taishan Air Force via the onboard telegraph:

[Immediately dispatch security personnel to conduct a comprehensive security check of the area surrounding the airport, focusing on suspicious individuals, vehicles, and items; leave no detail overlooked!]

After sending the telegram, Fang Wen immediately activated his mechanical perception ability, extending its range to the seaplane airport and surrounding area, carefully examining every corner.

His superpower was like an invisible net, covering the airport's runway, tarmac, lounge, and surrounding roads and buildings. He carefully searched for anything unusual, but after searching around, he found nothing suspicious.

There were no ambushing enemies, no suspicious personnel, and the runway was fine.
"Strange, how could there be no problem?" Fang Wen frowned, his doubts deepening.

The vibrations of the bronze cauldron continued, indicating that danger was indeed present, but neither his ability to detect it nor the security personnel's investigation could uncover any problems.

After a moment's thought, Fang Wen did not linger in the air any longer, and maneuvered the plane to land on the airport runway.

After the plane landed smoothly, he did not get off immediately. Instead, he sat in the cockpit and reviewed all the possible dangerous aspects, but he still had no clue.

A moment later, Fang Wen pushed open the cabin door and stepped off the plane.

At the airport, the security personnel from Taishan Airlines were already in place, protecting the aircraft. Upon seeing Fang Wen disembark, they immediately saluted: "General Manager!"

Fang Wen nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "How's the investigation going? Have you found anything suspicious?"

"Reporting to the General Manager, we have conducted a comprehensive search of the area surrounding and inside the airport, and found no suspicious persons, vehicles, or items. Everything is normal," replied Zhao Shanhu, the head of the security department. Upon hearing this, Fang Wen's doubts deepened.

He waved to signal the security personnel to continue their investigation, while he remained on the airport tarmac, standing there with a furrowed brow, pondering repeatedly what the warning from the bronze cauldron meant.

When he was in Hanoi, he thought the danger would come from the air battle, but that was not the case; now that he has arrived in Yangon, he has checked the airport and found nothing unusual. So where is the danger hiding?

It would be difficult to find the answer by thinking about it alone.

Fang Wen asked Zhao Shanhu to notify Manager Liu and Fang Shouxin to come over.

Less than half an hour later, Manager Liu and Fang Shouxin rushed to the seaplane airport. Seeing Fang Wen standing gravely on the tarmac, they immediately realized something was amiss and quickly approached him: "General Manager, what happened?"

Without wasting words, Fang Wen said directly, "I had a premonition of danger on the plane just now, but I don't know exactly where the danger is."

Upon hearing the phrase "sense of danger," both Manager Liu and Fang Shouxin's expressions instantly turned serious.

They had a deep understanding of Fang Wen's ability to sense danger: when the refugees were being transferred from Nanjing, Fang Wen avoided an assassination attempt by Japanese spies by relying on the warning from the bronze tripod; in the canteen of the research institute at the northern Burma base, Fang Wen avoided an assassination attempt by a female spy; and there were several other crises that, although they did not witness firsthand, were still thrilling to hear about afterward.

Fang Shouxin first analyzed, "General Manager, you basically don't go anywhere else in Yangon except for the headquarters building, the business park, and the airport. It's impossible for someone to dare to make a move on our own turf, right?"

Manager Liu frowned and shook his head: "We can't be careless. Didn't the base in northern Myanmar have two spy incidents? Both times, it was our own people who had problems. No one can guarantee that there aren't enemy spies or sabotage in the headquarters and affiliated institutions in Yangon. I think we should immediately conduct a comprehensive investigation of the Yangon headquarters, the business park, the airport, and all affiliated institutions."

Fang Wen nodded, agreeing with their idea: "Alright, the investigation will be handled by the two of you. Be thorough and don't overlook any suspicious points. Also, there's another matter we need to discuss: the acquisition of shares in Myanmar Oil Company. It's a major issue, and we must let the whole of Myanmar know about it to solidify our future energy strategy."

He paused, then continued, "My plan is to hold a large-scale press conference for the equity acquisition, inviting reporters from major newspapers in Myanmar to cover the event, as well as leaders from other industries in Myanmar to witness the ceremony and showcase our strength. In addition, the Governor-General of British Burma will also attend the equity transfer ceremony to ensure the legality and authority of this transaction."

Upon hearing this, Manager Liu and Fang Shouxin nodded in agreement and began discussing the specific details of the press conference and equity transfer ceremony—the selection of the venue, the invitation of guests, the deployment of security, and the arrangement of the process. They carefully considered every aspect, fearing that something might go wrong.

But just as the three were discussing security arrangements and how to ensure the safety of the press conference and handover ceremony, they all stopped at the same time, and their expressions instantly became serious.

Fang Shouxin spoke first, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity: "General Manager, Lao Liu, have you considered that... the greatest danger may not be at headquarters, the business park, or the airport, but at this press conference and equity transfer ceremony!"

Manager Liu took a deep breath, nodded, and said in a heavy tone, "That's right, we've all overlooked the most crucial point. This equity transaction has affected the interests of too many people—Myanmar's local oil merchants, forces from other countries, and even possibly Japanese spies—all of whom could take advantage of the situation. Moreover, the press conference and handover ceremony involve a diverse group of people and numerous guests, making security extremely difficult. It's the perfect opportunity to strike!"

Fang Wen's eyes sharpened instantly. He finally understood that the intermittent warnings did not indicate danger at a fixed location, but rather a conspiracy against him and against this equity transaction. This conspiracy was most likely to erupt at the press conference and equity handover ceremony.

"It seems we need to readjust our plans," Fang Wen said slowly, a hint of coldness in his voice. "The equity transaction must proceed, but security must be our top priority. Manager Liu, immediately revise the security plan for the press conference and handover ceremony, increase security personnel, verify the identities of all attendees, and prevent any suspicious individuals from entering. Fang Shouxin, you take your men to immediately strengthen the screening of the headquarters, the business park, and the airport, while closely monitoring the movements of the senior management of the Myanmar Oil Company. Report any abnormalities immediately."

"Yes, General Manager!" Manager Liu and Fang Shouxin responded in unison, immediately turning around and getting busy.

After the two left, Fang Wen also prepared for the danger that was about to occur.

He entered the garage where his private car was parked at the airport and said to Gong Xiuneng, "Stand guard outside. No one is allowed to come in without my order."

"Yes." Gong Xiu went out and closed the door behind him.

Fang Wen took out all the secret treasures he had on him.

Necklace: Vertical gemstones, mosaic gemstones.

Odin Rune Ring.

A small bronze tripod.

Vertical gemstones provide perspective.

Mosaic gems can control insects.

The Odin Rune Ring can unleash an electric current that can paralyze people.

The small bronze tripod could foresee danger.

If danger comes, I will use these abilities to deal with it.

No, Fang Wen realized that he had another, greatest ability.

That is mechanical perception.

Over the years, I have done a lot of design work to ensure that mechanical sensing can function at any time.

If one wears a personal device capable of activating mechanical sensing during a press conference, there will be better ways to deal with potential dangers.

With that thought in mind, he put away all the treasures, opened the door, and went out.

Gong Xiuneng, standing outside the door, asked, "Commander, where are you going?"

"I need to go to the base in northern Myanmar to pick up a piece of specialized equipment from the research institute," Fang Wen replied. (End of Chapter)