Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chachai collapsed to the ground, motionless, like a lump of mud.

The two interrogations involving dislocating tendons and bones were unbearable for him.

But he kept insisting on those four assassination plans, without mentioning anything about his other accomplices.

"Commander, we can't torture him anymore," Gong Xiuneng said.

Fang Wen pondered in his heart.

He knew all too well the methods of the Japanese Special Higher Police. These agents were masters of infiltration, making them difficult to detect in normal times. Once war broke out, they would emerge one by one and send back all sorts of intelligence.

But achieving all this is not something that can be done casually; they have a well-established system and division of labor within them.

Chachai was able to perfectly forge his identity, bypass the Taishan Group's layers of recruitment review, and accurately figure out the security deployment and meeting procedures. It was simply impossible for someone with the identity of an employee of an external company to do this.

Fang Wen went out and walked to Fang Shouxin, who was waiting for the interrogation results in the corridor.

"Young Master, has Cha Cai confessed?" Fang Shouxin asked.

"No. Uncle Fang, it's impossible for Chachai to get hired smoothly, bypass the administrative department's confidentiality checks, and even accurately track my itinerary and convoy routes. Our company's recruitment process, personnel review, and security arrangements are all internal secrets. It's impossible for an outsider like him to know so much. There must be another rat that slipped through the net and has access to internal secrets."

Fang Shouxin's expression changed drastically: "Chachai's onboarding materials were all handled by my subordinates, and the review and signature were also approved by our department. Could it be... could it be that there is a mole in the administration department?"

“It’s not necessarily limited to the administration department,” Fang Wen analyzed. “Our confidentiality system is strict on the outside but loose on the inside, so internal personnel still have the opportunity to get hold of the administrative personnel verification process. Therefore, the finance department, security department, logistics department, operations department, and even the startup park are all possibilities. We definitely can’t just conduct a direct investigation now; the mole is well hidden. We have to set a trap to lure him out and make him jump out on his own.”

Immediately afterwards, Fang Wen lowered his voice and finalized the entire plan with Fang Shouxin.

Fang Shouxin was tasked with playing the "good cop," conducting an internal investigation within the administration department to create an atmosphere of panic. If the mole was indeed from the administration department, finding him would solve the problem once and for all.

Fang Wen was responsible for spreading the news that Chachai was seriously ill and transferred to another hospital, creating an opportunity for the mole to be silenced, since Chachai's identity would be exposed once he spoke.

That afternoon, the administrative department on the fourth floor of the headquarters building was completely sealed off by special forces soldiers. Armed guards were stationed at the entrances and elevators, and no one was allowed to enter or leave, pass messages, or talk privately.

Fang Shouxin summoned all the department employees and stood in the conference room with a livid face. He demanded that everyone write down all their work activities, contacts, and travel details for the past six months, including which outsiders they had spoken to or who they had handed materials to in private. He emphasized that anyone who had a potential for leaking information or noticed anything unusual about someone close to them should report it proactively for leniency. Anyone who concealed information would be treated as a traitor if discovered.

The news quickly spread throughout the headquarters building, causing widespread panic and rumors.

Everyone is talking about how the mole in Japan's Special Higher Police is hiding in the administration department. This time, the company is really going to clean house. Employees in every department walk with their heads down, afraid of being implicated, and dare not say a word in private.

Meanwhile, security personnel were scattered across various floors, observing everyone's expressions and actions, with a particular focus on those who appeared flustered and frequently tried to gather information.

A whole day passed in the blink of an eye.

The administration department's internal review went through all the materials and handwritten reports, filtering out a number of irrelevant personnel, but still couldn't find any conclusive clues about an insider.

Fang Shouxin was so anxious that blisters appeared on the corners of his mouth, and he frequently sent people to report the progress to Fang Wen.

Just then, news came from the medical room on the third floor that Chachai's injuries had deteriorated rapidly.

What was originally just a joint dislocation injury suddenly led to a high fever, coma, and weak breathing.

The medical facilities inside Mount Tai were rudimentary and incapable of providing treatment. The on-duty doctor rushed to the top floor to report to Fang Wen:
"General Manager, Chhathai's condition is too critical. If he doesn't receive treatment soon, he may not survive the night. He must be transferred immediately to the British-owned St. Mary's Hospital in Yangon. There are better medical facilities there to save his life!"

Fang Wen's expression was grave. He immediately made a decision: "Arrange for a transfer to another hospital right away. Send four special forces members to escort him there and take turns guarding him. Do not allow anyone to approach. We must save his life. We cannot let the leads he has be lost!"

The seemingly urgent transfer to another hospital was actually a trap set by Fang Wen.

Chatchai was not seriously ill at all; he had simply been given medication and was temporarily unconscious, which was used to make him appear as if he were on the verge of death.

The special forces escorting the prisoners were the elite of the elite, and a tight net had been secretly laid.
Even the hospital wards were prepared in advance. The person lying on the bed was not Chachai, but Gong Xiuneng, who had changed into a hospital gown. The team members guarding the door were outwardly relaxed but inwardly tense, just waiting for the mole to show up and be silenced.

As night deepened, downtown Yangon gradually quieted down.

There are still some patients coming and going at the St. Mary's Hospital in the city center.

At 10 p.m., a figure arrived at the hospital, dressed in worn-out work clothes, looking around frequently, extremely vigilant.

He wandered around the hospital several times before finally finding the surgical ward where "Chachai" was being held. When he saw the special forces soldiers guarding the door, his eyes darkened, and he quietly retreated.

Not long after, a commotion suddenly broke out at the ward entrance, and three men rushed in with a person covered in blood.

The surgeon rushed out to check on the patient, but the three men shouted in Burmese and argued fiercely with the doctor on duty.

The argument quickly escalated into pushing and shoving, creating a chaotic scene.

The nurses screamed in terror, and one of them ran over, begging the special forces soldiers for help.

Although the special forces soldiers at the door couldn't understand what the nurse was saying, they understood what had happened.

They hesitated for a moment, then walked over.

In that brief moment, a "doctor" wearing a white coat, mask, and glasses walked quickly to the ward door and pushed it open.

Without speaking to Chachai on the bed, he took out a syringe filled with an unknown liquid from his white coat pocket and reached for the IV drip next to the bed, intending to inject the medicine.

But before his hand could even touch the IV drip, Chachai, who had been lying on the bed "unconscious with bandages wrapped around his head," suddenly opened his eyes, rolled over and leaped up like a tiger pouncing on its prey, grabbing his wrist and twisting it hard behind his back.

"Don't move!" Gong Xiuneng hissed, his strength astonishing, pressing the person to the ground and tearing off their mask and glasses, revealing an unfamiliar face.

At the same time, the chaos outside the door stopped instantly. Special forces soldiers took action, pinning the four burly men who had caused the chaos to the ground and completely bringing the situation under control.

These individuals were immediately escorted back to the Taishan headquarters overnight for interrogation.

Only a small amount of torture was used, and one of the four men couldn't withstand it.

He confessed that they were the killers of the second truck that had managed to escape during the daytime roadblock attack. They came to the hospital to create chaos on orders from their superiors to create chaos in the surgical ward of St. Mary's Hospital.

However, Chachai has already been captured, and the one who could command these remaining assassins is definitely not Chachai himself!

Gong Xiuneng immediately turned and used the "Dislocating Tendons and Bones Technique" on the fake doctor. The man, whose fangs had already been removed, endured the pain for a while, but was now drenched in cold sweat, writhing in agony, and finally broke down, confessing the truth:

He was a shop assistant at a store opposite the Taishan headquarters. His true identity was a special higher police agent. During the day, he received a coded letter ordering him to infiltrate the hospital and kill Chatchai. The letter also mentioned how to recruit manpower.

The trail abruptly ended there.

The secret letter was delivered anonymously, without leaving any handwriting or clues, so the spies had no idea who had given the order.

Upon hearing the news, Fang Wen frowned deeply, his anxiety growing stronger.

These events indicate that the mole does exist and is hiding within the Taishan Group, but its location cannot be found.

He immediately got up and strode towards the administration department on the fourth floor, where the internal review should have yielded results.

Fang Wen arrived at the administration department.

By this time, Fang Shouxin and his men had finished organizing all the materials.

Upon seeing Fang Wen approach, he immediately handed over a thin list, his tone tinged with excitement:
"General Manager, we've found it! There's only one person with a problem, and all the clues point to him. We didn't pay attention before, but now that we've checked, there are flaws everywhere!"

Fang Wen took the list, his gaze fell on that name, and his eyes instantly turned cold.

The person on the list was not the head of the administration department, nor a core executive, but an ordinary clerk in the administration department responsible for filing personnel files. His name was Sun Awang. He had been with the company for a year and a half. He was usually quiet and hardworking, and seemed honest and unassuming. He was the easiest person to overlook.

“All the suspicious points match up.” Fang Shouxin pointed to the materials and explained one by one, “The person who finally handled and filed Chachai’s employment file was Awang; the archivist also had access to the company’s recruitment review process details, and we even found relevant documents at his workstation; moreover, when we sealed off the administrative department for review yesterday, Awang looked the most flustered, frequently making excuses to go to the toilet, and we even found him trying to break the iron bar on the toilet window to escape once.”

"Sun Awang?"

Fang Wen tossed the documents onto the table and pondered.

The person who issued the order to assassinate Chatchai was definitely not Sun Awang, as he was in the administration department at the time and unable to contact the outside world.

It seems I need to meet this Sun Awang to find out what's going on.

Sun Awang brought them over.

This usually quiet and hardworking clerk was now clutching the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands, her head bowed low, not even having the courage to look up at Fang Wen.

He possessed no spy-like qualities whatsoever; instead, he was filled with panic and cowardice, a stark contrast to the previously captured Chhay and the assassins.

Fang Wen waved his hand, signaling Gong Xiuneng to step aside temporarily and not to use torture.

"I remember you. In 38, I went to Luoyang to recruit refugees, and that's where you were recruited. Your family is from Hebei, because the Japanese fled across the Yellow River. Right?"

Sun Awang's body trembled violently: "Yes... General Manager, you still remember me." He was quite surprised that Fang Wen would remember such an insignificant clerk as himself.

"The Japanese occupied Hebei, burning, killing, and looting. Don't you hate the Japanese?" Fang Wen asked.

“Hate! How could I not hate!” Sun Awang suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, his voice filled with genuine hatred. “The Japanese burned down our house back home, my parents didn’t have time to escape and died in the gunfire. I fled all the way to the south of the Yellow River and almost starved to death. It was Taishan who took me in, gave me food, and gave me work to do…”

"Then why did you work for the Japanese, pass them intelligence, and risk my life?" Fang Wen's tone suddenly turned cold, his gaze sharp as a knife as he looked directly at Sun Awang.

These words struck Sun Awang like a thunderbolt, making him tremble all over. He waved his hands frantically, his voice trembling with tears as he tried to explain:

"No! I didn't help the Japanese! General Manager, I'm innocent! That man told me I was working for the Kuomintang's Military Intelligence Bureau, that's why I agreed. I really didn't know he was a Japanese lackey!"

"Who is that person?" Fang Wen immediately pressed.

Fang Shouxin stepped forward, staring at Sun Awang, his tone serious: "Awang, now that things have come to this, do you still want to hide it? You've been deceived. The other party isn't the Military Intelligence Bureau at all; they're agents of the Japanese Special Higher Police. You must confess honestly now, and you might get a lighter sentence!"

Fang Shouxin was known for his authority in the administration department and was usually very considerate of his subordinates. Coupled with Fang Wen's earlier words, Sun Awang completely abandoned his last remaining principles and spoke through choked sobs:
"It was...it was Qian Renliang from the Logistics Department. He was the supplies manager in the Logistics Department. He joined the company six months earlier than me and always took extra care of me. He often brought me food and asked about my hometown. Three months ago, he secretly approached me and said that he was a liaison officer for the Military Intelligence Bureau stationed in Yangon. He said that there were pro-Japanese elements within the Taishan Group and asked me to help him keep an eye on personnel files, recruitment processes, and gather intelligence. He also said that he would give me money every month and that he would arrange a formal military position for me after the victory of the War of Resistance. I was confused for a moment and believed him..."

Fang Wen and Fang Shouxin exchanged a glance, and all the clues instantly connected.

Qian Renliang works in the logistics department, in charge of the company's material allocation and access to the factory area. Although his position is not high, he can freely move between various departments of the headquarters and easily contact external personnel, which perfectly fits the identity of an undercover agent. He recruited Sun Awang as his subordinate because he saw that Sun Awang was a refugee, simple and easy to deceive, and had the convenience of having personnel files. Through Sun Awang, he helped Chachai forge his identity, avoid the review, and was placed in the inland waterway transportation company.

The person who previously issued the order to silence the witnesses and directed the remaining assassins was none other than Qian Renliang, who was hiding in the logistics department!

When the administration blocked the investigation, he was probably worried about being exposed, so he ordered his men to eliminate Chachai, who knew his identity.

“Gong Xiuneng!” Fang Wen said in a deep voice.

"Here!" Gong Xiuneng stepped forward immediately.

"Take ten special operations team members and immediately raid the logistics department's dormitory and office area to capture Qian Renliang. Make sure he is alive. I want to uncover the entire network of the Special Higher Police in Myanmar!" Fang Wen ordered.

"Yes!" Gong Xiuneng didn't dare to delay and immediately led his men out of the administration department.

But less than ten minutes later, Gong Xiuneng's anxious voice came through the walkie-talkie: "The logistics department has come up empty-handed! Qian Renliang is neither in his office nor in his dormitory, and his personal belongings are missing. He must have heard the news and fled in advance!"

Fang Wen frowned slightly, but he wasn't surprised.

Qian Renliang must have been meticulous to become the head of the Japanese infiltrator network. The administrative department's high-profile investigation and the hospital's arrest of the assassin he arranged must have made him realize that things had been exposed.

But since things were progressing so rapidly on his end, he couldn't have known about it much in advance, so he must have just run away.

As long as the person doesn't leave the area near the Taishan headquarters, Fang Wen will have a way to find him.

Immediately, Fang Wen took the elevator to the top floor of the headquarters building.

The rooftop has been renovated to include a small helipad.

In an era before helicopters, this helipad was built to land and launch Taishan individual soldier flying vehicles, and there just happened to be one on the roof.

Fang Wen sat inside the single-soldier flying vehicle, started the engine, and began a run-up to accelerate the rotor's rotation. He then took off using the rotor's buoyancy. (End of Chapter)