I chose one of four options at the start, and I chose the number one clan in Lingnan.

Six minutes after the system was reset, Lin Fu switched all three screens to the fleet's emergency channel simultaneously.

"The ship's automatic identification terminal is interrupted, the satellite phone is not responding, and the short message is not being sent back."

The final coordinates are approximately 11 degrees south latitude and 107 degrees east longitude, more than 600 nautical miles from Haiqing Port.

The staff resent the call instruction, and only the waiting mark remained on the screen.

Lin Fei rushed over from the security command center, holding an equipment testing form in his hand.

"The two satellite terminals on board use different frequency bands, and the backup generator is separate from the ship's main engine. With all three devices simultaneously ceasing to respond, the likelihood of the crew voluntarily shutting them down is very low."

Lin Ting walked to the control panel.

"Get all the route information, sea conditions, and nearby vessels for the last three hours. Notify the Wangjiacun fleet that anyone with crew members familiar with the waterway in this area should submit their names immediately."

Lin Fu pulled up the nautical chart.

"There is only one oil supply ship registered nearby, which is more than 100 nautical miles away from the Linhai No. 7."

Local maritime authorities have not received any distress signals, and Haiqing Port has no record of any vessels docking there.

Lin Fei looked at the final coordinates.

"The cargo ship lost contact after entering international waters. There is an area of ​​islands and reefs on the nautical chart, but there are no fixed navigation marks around it. If the ship is towed away from its course, a conventional search and rescue operation would take two days."

Lin Ting dialed Chen Qihai's number.

After the call was connected, Chen Qihai was in his office in Haiqing Port, where a stack of receiving documents was on his desk.

Upon hearing that Lin Hai No. 7 had lost contact, he instructed his secretary to leave the room and close the door.

"Mr. Lin, there are several private fleets near the South Island that usually transport goods for local mines and fishing grounds."

"Mitsui's South Island campus also has its own maritime observers who can obtain some route data," Chen Qihai said.

"I will have Haiqing Port suspend all cargo receiving arrangements to prevent anyone from using the disappearance of Lin's cargo ship to spread false information."

Lin Ting asked, "Are there any seaplanes that can take off directly from Haiqing Port?"

"There are three large seaplanes belonging to a maritime rescue company. They can carry up to sixty people and have a range sufficient to cover the area where contact was lost. However, that company only accepts missions from official and insurance organizations."

"Rent all three."

Chen Qihai paused for a moment.

"Mr. Lin, overseas rescue operations require local permits. Even if you send security personnel with equipment, the port authorities may not allow it."

"You will handle the permits, and the Lin family will be in charge of the personnel. There are 180 million yuan worth of cargo and 24 crew members on board. By the time the port authorities hold their meeting, the ship will already be in someone else's warehouse."

Chen Qihai did not try to persuade him further, and turned to have his secretary contact the seaplane company.

After Lin Fu reported the cost of the chartered plane, Lin Ting only said, "It will be handled as a full charter, and the rescue costs will be listed separately from the overseas business budget."

The security group deployed 200 personnel, equipped with remote communication, positioning, medical, and demolition equipment.

Lin Fei accepted the mission.

"The two hundred people were divided into four groups. The first group was responsible for positioning and communication, the second group was responsible for crew rescue, the third group was responsible for protecting the containers, and the fourth group was responsible for perimeter security. I led the team."

Lin Dabiao came in from outside, holding the filing documents in his hand.

"Zhongtang has 500 people who have completed overseas escort training. Taking 200 people out will not affect the province's defense line."

Protective suits, life-saving equipment, and signaling devices have been packed, and personnel lists and equipment serial numbers have been handed over to airport security and local reception personnel.

Lin Ting nodded: "Before we set off, divide everyone into groups, clearly specifying who is in charge of the crew, who is in charge of the cargo, and who is in charge of the evidence."

At 2 a.m., three seaplanes were parked on a designated waterway outside the East China Sea estuary.

The cabin contained a positioning terminal, shortwave equipment, demolition tools, and a medical kit.

Two hundred registered security personnel boarded the plane. Lin Fei sat in the front row of the first plane, wearing a remote communication terminal on his wrist.

After the aircraft took off, the Lin's control center received the positioning signals of the three aircraft. Lin Fu stared at the three flight paths, repeatedly comparing the final coordinates with the direction of the ocean current.

"According to the ocean currents, if the Linhai No. 7 loses power, it will drift 60 nautical miles south."

However, in the last short message, the ship's bow direction was changed, indicating that the cargo ship was actively leaving the main shipping lane.

Lin Fei asked, "Did anyone on the ship change course?"

"Unable to confirm. The last set of navigation data only retained the bow direction; the captain's voice report was not uploaded."

Lin Ting took the communicator.

"First, search according to the coordinates of the lost contact. Mark any tugboats, oil slicks, life rafts, or temporary lights you find. Do not approach alone; use surface drones first."

The seaplane flew for four hours, and a series of intermittent heat sources appeared on the sea surface.

Lin Fei turned on the thermal imaging screen. There were no registered navigation marks in that sea area, but a large cargo ship was anchored on the back of the island.

The ship was blocked by the rock wall, and people were patrolling on the deck. Old-fashioned rifles and fuel barrels were placed next to the hatches.

"We've found the Linhai No. 7," Lin Fei said. "The ship didn't sink, and the containers are still there."

Footage came from another plane.

There are six speedboats on the north side of the island, flying the blue and white flags commonly used by local private militia groups.

Several armed men patrolled the shore, and there were also temporary barbed wire fences and wooden sentry posts on the island.

Lin Fei transmitted the footage back to Tazhai.

"The ship wasn't in distress; it was towed into the island. There were between sixty and eighty armed men on the island, mainly equipped with old-fashioned rifles and short-barreled firearms."

Lin Ting's instructions came quickly: "Rescue the crew first, protect the cargo, and preserve evidence at the scene. Don't let the other side tow the ship away from the island."

Meanwhile, in the No. 2 hold on the lower deck of the cargo ship, Wang Dehai and twenty-three crew members were locked behind an iron door.

Two armed men stood outside the hatch, holding old rifles.

The pirate leader Bassong stood on the deck, looking up at the seaplane in the distance.

His subordinate ran over to report: "Three planes are approaching, and they do not have any local maritime markings on their fuselages."

Basong touched the short sword at his waist.

"Notify everyone to guard the ship and containers. The South Island only wants the cargo, not the crew. Once they hand over the money, the Linhai No. 7 will remain here."

The subordinate asked, "What if they don't want to talk?"

Basong looked out to sea: "Then push the crew onto the deck and let them see who has the cargo ship in their hands."

Three large seaplanes flew close to the sea surface, their floats cutting through the water beneath their wings.

The first plane landed on the west side of the island, the second stopped in the shallow bay on the north side, and the third hovered outside the cargo ship and released a positioning buoy.

Lin Fei opened the hatch, grabbed the communicator, and issued orders.

"First group, block the speedboats on the north side; second group, approach the cargo ship from the west; third group, go to cabin number two; fourth group, guard the aircraft and the casualty access route. Operation commence."

The seaplane landed on the unnamed island. Lin Fei looked up at the lower deck of the cargo ship and heard Wang Dehai knocking on the iron door behind the cabin.

"Captain Lin, don't come in through the main gate, they're waiting for you."