Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 253, Part 252: Exploring the Pacific Rim, Ghost Ships, and Mysterious Atolls

After a night of fun, it was time to get down to business. Fang Wen had no intention of staying in San Francisco for long.

In addition, ghost ships can move on the sea surface, so if you arrive late, the search area will expand accordingly.

For this exploration, Fang Wen provided the Xuanming search aircraft.

He originally wanted to allocate three Taishan Airlines cargo ships as transit supplies.

However, the other two partners in the treasure hunt didn't want Fang Wen to spend all the money alone.

To this end, the two families actually prepared a fleet of ships to be responsible for anchoring at sea, replenishing fuel, and taking temporary rest.

In addition, professional diving and treasure hunting teams, as well as armed personnel to protect their safety, were arranged.

Very lively.

On November 10, the well-prepared exploration fleet set off first.

Seven ships of varying sizes set off on their planned route.

Four days later, Fang Wen, Lin Shuiwang, John Harvey, Wu Yingzong, Zhao Wanping, and their four treasure-hunting partners boarded a small boat and took off from the Xuanming in San Francisco Harbor.

The plane, which could only carry nine people, became very spacious. Lin Shuiwang, John Harvey, and four tycoon scions, who had never been on a seaplane before, toured the plane with great curiosity.

Especially Elizabeth Catherine Rockefeller.

She actually brought professional photography equipment and began documenting the entire treasure hunt.

She herself uses the Primarflex film camera from the German company Zeiss, one of the earliest 120 film SLR cameras, which can shoot medium format photos and is currently a professional shooting tool.

As for the other cinematic shooting equipment, a team was needed, so they were all arranged in the accompanying fleet.

The Xuanming seaplane flew nearly 3000 kilometers, taking 15 hours, before encountering the exploration fleet.

Looking down at the seven ships, Fang Wen used the in-flight telephone to announce: "Fleet sighted, about to land for resupply. Everyone, sit down in your berths and hold on to the handrails."

After giving the notification, he controlled the plane to land on the sea.

The plane landed on the calm sea. After the engine shut off, Wu Yingzong lowered the anchor in the mooring bay and anchored the plane in this area.

Fang Wen climbed down from the cockpit and ordered, "Notify the fuel tanker to come and refuel. We'll rest for two hours before taking off. Also, have Professor Suarez come to the plane."

Wu Yingzong and Zhao Wanping immediately took action, and Lin Shuiwang also came to help.

Lin Shuiwang, a veteran sailor for many years, used flag signals to contact the fleet not far away, waiting for the fuel tankers to arrive.

Fang Wenze spoke with his four treasure-hunting partners: "In two hours, I will conduct a flight exploration. You can choose to rest on the ship or come with me."

The four of them had a strong desire to complete the adventure, and they would continue even if they felt tired.

Fang Wen didn't say anything more. He waited for the oil tanker to arrive, refueled, added water, ate something, and then took a nap in the sleeper berth in the engine room.

Two hours later, he woke up on time and took off again.

The flight exploration begins.

Fang Wen took out a nautical chart for comparison.

The location he is currently in is the latitude and longitude coordinate area he recorded at the time.

But now, that ghost ship is no longer here.

Fang Wen picked up the landline receiver. "Professor Suarez, what are the ocean currents like in this area? Which direction will the ghost ship go with the currents?"

Professor Suarez, who was already prepared, presented his analysis.

"This area is where the North Pacific Current and the California Current meet. When the warm and cold ocean currents come into contact, they will deflect, and the ghost ship is likely to drift southeast with the North Pacific Current."

Fang Wen chose to trust Professor Suarez's judgment and flew the plane southeast.

The plane flew for several hours but still couldn't find any trace of the ghost ship.

Fang Wen picked up the landline phone: "Professor Suarez, is the ocean current straight?"

“No, it will circulate in an arc towards the South Pacific,” Professor Suarez replied.

It seems there was a communication error; flying in a straight line southeast, we may have already missed it.

Fang Wen adjusted his course and flew northwest.

Shortly after turning, Fang Wen saw a series of underwater shadows.

It appears to be an underwater mountain range, with continuous mountain ranges submerged on the seabed, and only a few parts exposed above the water, forming reefs.

Fang Wen couldn't help but have an idea.

These reefs not only block ocean currents but also obstruct the path of ghost ships.

He then piloted the plane along the rocky area.

They actually found it.

It was an atoll, and the area above the water was covered with lush vegetation, while a natural waterway ran through the middle of the atoll.

The ghost ship somehow made its way into the interior of the atoll through this waterway and anchored there.

Fang Wen immediately picked up the in-flight landline to notify everyone.

"Found it, it's down there."

Upon hearing this, everyone rushed to the window to look down.

“Really? The ghost ship is right down there.” John Irwin Rockefeller’s breathing became deep with excitement.

Elizabeth Katherine Rockefeller picked up a professional camera and started taking pictures, but then complained that the shooting angle was wrong and ran to the front cabin.

Connor Alexander Whitney and Alison Grace Whitney also took out their cameras to take pictures.

Professor Suarez, however, raised a question in bewilderment.

"It shouldn't be controlled by anyone, so how did it get here?"

Yes, everyone is wondering how the ghost ship managed to get into the atoll through the waterway.

The fear stemming from mysticism prevents them from taking any real risks.

But this time, preparations were thorough, and the following fleet included professional explorers to handle the task.

The plane then landed on the sea next to the atoll.

Since the ghost ship has been found, there is no need to fly for the time being. In order to prevent underwater currents or storms from carrying the seaplane away, anchoring alone is not enough.

Therefore, Wu Yingzong and Lin Shuiwang swam to a small island in the atoll and tied the cable to a large rock on the island.

This way, there's no need to worry about the plane being swept away by the seawater.

With security assured, everyone waited on the plane for the fleet to arrive, boiled water and cooked a simple in-flight meal.

This wait lasted six hours, until the fleet, with an average speed of only 30 kilometers per hour, finally arrived.

The four tycoons were very excited when they arrived.

They discussed it with Fang Wen.

“Mr. Fang, could we be in charge of this ghost ship expedition?” John Irwin Rockefeller asked.

"You guys?" Fang Wen understood what these people wanted. Since they had come this far, it wouldn't hurt to let them have their fun.

He was just keeping it a secret.

Elizabeth Katherine Rockefeller immediately added, "Didn't you say you had a movie you wanted to release in the US? I can help."

Connor Alexander Whitney also assured: "I can guarantee the supply of Pratt & Whitney R1830 successor engines."

Fang Wen couldn't help but smile: "It would be great if you were in charge. I look forward to a grand discovery."

Subsequently, the four wealthy individuals who had taken command began directing their men to take action.

They first lined up a team of explorers to go over.

The explorers entered the atoll in small boats, cautiously approaching the ghost ship.

Instead of boarding the ship, they explored the area around the ghost ship and reported what they found.

“There are multiple collision and friction marks inside the atoll, some new and some old, which clearly indicates that this is not the first time this ship has entered the atoll.”

This discovery is terrifying.

This means that the ghost ship entered multiple atolls without being driven.

How is this possible!
Therefore, Professor Suarez made a surprising judgment.

He believes that the ghost ship will automatically sail out of the atoll with the ocean currents each year, and then enter the North Pacific Current, which will carry it eastward until it encounters the California Current and changes direction.

The ghost ship would also return to its original location as the ocean currents shifted, and then repeat the incredible unmanned voyage every year in a similar cycle.

While this speculation is reasonable, it is still chilling.

Another answer was circulating among the crew.

The Caribbean pirates on the ghost ship are cursed, so they can never leave. To vent their endless rage and their pirate instincts, these ghosts control the ghost ship to sail out of the atoll every year for a cruise.

This assessment, on the contrary, convinced the fleet members even more, and as a result, many began to back out.

Seeing that none of the crew members dared to board the ship for exploration, the four wealthy men grew anxious.

They wanted to enjoy a thrilling adventure, but were unwilling to take the risks themselves. If the people they hired didn't participate, their trip would have been a waste.

To this end, they increased the reward; if one reward wasn't enough, they doubled it.

With a generous reward in hand, brave men will surely emerge, and a new expedition team was formed.

Before the expedition team was about to set off, Wu Yingzong and Zhao Wanping volunteered.

"General Manager, let's go inside and take a look too."

Fang Wen shook his head and refused.

What he wanted was the rare treasure inside the ghost ship, something that no one else knew what it was except for him.

Even if the expedition team brings out the treasure, Fang Wen can still find a way to get his hands on it.

Therefore, there is absolutely no need to send your subordinates on risks.

Wu Yingzong and Zhao Wanping did not join the expedition team, which then set off in two boats.

But this journey turned into a disaster; of the ten people, eight returned, and the survivors described the horrors they had endured.

Monsters lurking beneath and inside the ship, and a terrifying, eerie interior environment.

Those two victims were killed by the monster.

That's it, the ghost ship is confirmed, and no one in the fleet dares to go on an expedition anymore.

The sudden halt to the ghost ship project is a problem for Fang Wen.

But he didn't think there was any danger on the ship; it was probably just some accident.

He made this judgment based on his own supernatural ability. If there really was a problem on the ship, then why was the mysterious energy completely normal?

More importantly, if there were terrifying monsters inside, why were only two people left while everyone else ran out?

That's seriously underestimating the monster.

Therefore, Fang Wen suggested gathering those eight people and asking them about the situation inside.

Inside the seaplane cabin, Fang Wen and four wealthy men asked questions together.

"I want to know what's going on inside. Can someone tell me in detail?" he asked.

The burly man stood up: "I am the appointed captain of this expedition, so let me speak. When we approached the ghost ship by boat, we sent a diver to explore the bottom of the ship. Then we left one person behind to assist him, and the other eight climbed onto the ghost ship."

The man continued his story.

After they climbed onto the ghost ship, they gathered on the deck. Suddenly, one of the team members lost his footing and fell below the deck.

The others quickly went down to rescue them.

Unexpectedly, in the pitch-black environment, they were suddenly attacked by many monsters.

The expedition had no choice but to abandon the rescue of the fallen crew member and retreat along the same route.

But after they disembarked from the ghost ship, they heard from the team member who stayed behind that the divers had also been attacked by monsters.

Therefore, the entire expedition team chose to return immediately.

Fang Wen listened to what they said without comment, and instead asked the four wealthy men questions.

What are your thoughts on this?

John Irwin Rockefeller made the sign of the cross: "It is the evil spirits on the ship at work. The wicked pirates have offered their souls to the devil. It is not a place for humans to set foot."

Clearly, this devout believer was ready to give up.

The Whitneys, however, were hesitant.

Elizabeth Catherine Rockefeller did not speak.

Fang Wen stood up and walked towards the eight expedition members: "Could I see the wounds inflicted by the monster?"

The expedition members all revealed their wounds.

The wounds were basically two deep, bloody holes.

What kind of monster is this?

Several images flashed through Fang Wen's mind.

Rats, snakes, bats, and vampires.

It seems that all four of these can cause this kind of wound.

John Irwin Rockefeller, who also came to check, exclaimed, "You've been bitten by a vampire!"

His sudden outburst startled the others.

Seeing that something was wrong, Fang Wen quickly spoke up to analyze the situation.

"They're not vampires. Think about it, are vampires really that bad? You were bitten by vampires, but they didn't even suck your blood."

That's true, how could vampires, who are so powerful in European legends, be so weak?

Everyone calmed down.

Fang Wen continued his analysis: "If they were vampires, none of you would have escaped. How could you all have returned like this? I suspect you were bitten by rats or sea snakes on the ship, and out of fear, you abandoned the rescue of your companion, leaving him on the ship."

It seems possible.

The expedition leader looked guilty, but then remembered something else: "The diver was also attacked by the monster."

Yes, what's the deal with the divers?

Fang Wen and Wu Yingzong whispered for a while, and Wu Yingzong, having received the order, immediately went out.

After a short while, he returned and whispered in Fang Wen's ear.

After listening to Wu Yingzong's words, Fang Wen sneered and looked at the man who had stayed outside to meet the divers: "What you heard was said by this man. No one else knows the truth. But he overlooked something very important: why did the snorkel and safety rope break?"

The man quickly explained, "It was bitten off by the monster. I was trying to drive the monster away, but it turned around and tried to bite me. I was scared, so I ran away."

Fang Wen shook his head: "You're lying. Wu Yingzong, bring the remaining safety rope and breathing tube."

Wu Yingzong went out for a short while and then returned with two large bundles of diving equipment.

Fang Wen picked up the broken piece and showed it to the four wealthy men.

"Look at this cross-section, what kind of monster bit it? It's so smooth. I think it looks like it was cut with a knife."

After examining the items carefully for a while, the four of them nodded in agreement.

"Yes, the ropes chewed by the wild animals I keep at home are all pitted and uneven, I've never seen such a neat tear."

"You can only do this by cutting with a knife."

"It seems we've been scammed."

"Capture him."

The expedition team members who plotted to kill the diver were subdued, and Fang Wen's analysis of the wounds led everyone to suspect again that there were no monsters on the ship.

Subsequently, searchers at the atoll discovered the diver's body; the clear water could not conceal the crime.

The fact that the diver's body was unharmed proved that everything had finally come to light; the diver was not harmed by a sea monster.

After some explanation, the expedition team's tension eased.

However, they had already lost their courage because of their first encounter with the enemy, and the appointed captain was unwilling to take command.

Fang Wen didn't want to waste any more time like this, so he decided to go himself and give the expedition team the courage to go with him.

Besides him, Wu Yingzong, Zhao Wanping, and even Lin Shuiwang and John Harvey bravely participated.

Professor Suarez will also be going.

Under these circumstances, the expedition members agreed to go again.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Katherine Rockefeller also applied to join the adventure.

This person is the boldest among the four tycoons.

Fang Wen made thorough preparations for this expedition, including a portable mining lamp and candles.

They also brought weapons to deal with possible monsters.

The group boarded a small boat and set off again, arriving at the ghost ship.

(End of this chapter)