Chapter 82: Reporter

Bai Yang hopped off the coach bus and frowned as he surveyed the shabby town of Dawan.

Wasn't there supposed to be a shipyard, and airplanes too? Why is it in such a remote place?

The coach could only drop him off in town; to get to the shipyard he'd have to call and have them come pick him up.

Bai Yang spotted a small shop at a glance and walked over to make the call.

Just as he picked up the phone, a fresh-faced Miss, schoolbag on her back and a big bag of luggage in her hand, walked out of the shop and headed toward the coach bus not far away.

"Hello, I'm a reporter from the Echeng Evening News. Can you come pick me up in town right now?"

Hearing an affirmative answer, Bai Yang bought a bottle of Jianlibao, sat down at a table in the shop, and started chatting aimlessly with the proprietress:

"Sister, is the Gaijin Shipyard far from here?"

Anyu, who had been watching her daughter leave with an empty ache in her heart, glanced a few extra times at the camera hanging on Bai Yang's chest:

"About half an hour, I'd say. You're a reporter?"

"I'm from the Echeng Evening News. I heard they've built a fishing vessel of over a thousand tons, and we're planning to look into it and do a report."

Anyu: "Then you've come late. That ship looks like it'll head out for some trial run right after the ribbon-cutting—you probably won't get to see it."

Bai Yang was a bit taken aback. He'd come to the shipyard specifically to photograph the big ship; without the ship, was he supposed to just photograph a factory?

Thinking he might have made the trip for nothing, Bai Yang couldn't help feeling sorry for his own sore backside.

After sitting on that bumpy coach bus for so long, was it easy on me?!

With no ship to photograph, Bai Yang could only ask again:

"What about the airplanes? I heard Dawan Village has airplanes—have you seen them?"

"Planes, now those are plenty."

Anyu glanced at the wall clock in the shop and tilted her chin toward the outside:

"Should be coming about now."

Bai Yang instinctively looked up at the sky and faintly seemed to hear a low humming sound.

He stepped outside and saw a small black dot gradually growing larger.

A propeller-driven fighter plane painted with the stars and stripes approached at an angle, pulled up over the town, then executed a wide aerial turn, exposing its full belly.

The townsfolk also stopped and looked up until the F4F gradually faded into the distance.

Anyu: "See? You can see them around this time every day."

Bai Yang lowered his camera—he had already snapped several shots.

Even though he'd known in advance, seeing it with his own eyes still left him unable to suppress a sense of awe.

He'd photographed plenty of airliners at Pingtan Airport, but he'd never seen aerial maneuvers like this, let alone in a fishing village.

No ship, but maybe photographing a few planes would do?

Just then, a stately Buick sedan drove into the village and pulled up directly in front of the shop.

The five-meter-plus Lincoln-style sedan was second only to the Tiger Head Benz in presence—a walking tool for showing off.

Bai Yang, who knew how to read the room, stepped back, and then watched as the car door opened and a man in a suit that couldn't quite conceal his nouveau riche air stepped out, forcing a smile the instant he saw Bai Yang:

"You're Reporter Bai? I'm Wu Long, currently handling affairs for Gaijin Company. Just call me Wu Jingli."

……

"Wu Jingli, those planes really belong to your shipyard?"

Sitting in the Buick's spacious, comfortable back seat, Bai Yang's impression of Gaijin instantly jumped several notches.

"Planes are nothing—we already have three now, and we'll expand to thirty in the future!

You saw the plane just now? That's the pilots training hard to ensure sightseeing safety."

Wu Long had long known reporters would come, so he was blowing his own horn with abandon:

"To do the tourist area project right, we have a full set of original WWII trucks, one-to-one warship models—we're going to recreate a Zhenzhugang!"

Wu Long kept spouting the ideas Tang Wen had drilled into him, making Bai Yang nod repeatedly as he whipped out his notebook and started scribbling:

【Gaijin Shipyard has built a port, currently owns one eight-thousand-ton warship and three fighter planes, plus a quantity of trucks and supplies, has attracted over a thousand villagers to join, plans to expand tenfold in the future, and aims to build it into a Zhenzhugang.】

Seeing Bai Yang pull out his notebook, Wu Long grew even more pleased with himself and went on to mention that Gaijin also made high-horsepower engines and automatic transmissions:

"We manufacture 430-horsepower V12 engines—even the truck factories in Gui Province are begging us for orders. We can't keep up with demand at all.

We've also specially developed an automatic AT transmission—you can drive without shifting gears."

"430 horsepower? Is that a lot? And what's an AT transmission?"

Bai Yang didn't know much about engines and looked at Wu Long in confusion.

The latter thought for a moment:

"430 horsepower… that's the equivalent of 20 large tractors in one engine. As for the AT transmission…"

Wu Long actually didn't know what an AT transmission was either. He racked his brain trying to recall what Tang Wen had told him, and after a long while finally remembered the keyword "used in tanks," and immediately started filling in the rest:

"The AT transmission is the transmission tanks use—the torque is especially high. Right, our engines are also tank-technology engines."

After saying that, Wu Long replayed it in his mind and confirmed that Tang Wen had indeed said the word "tank" in connection with the AT transmission.

Bai Yang was a bit skeptical—could the things your shipyard makes really compare to a tank?

"Wu Jingli, are you sure your engines and transmissions can compare with a tank's?"

Wu Long was immediately displeased and explained at once:

"The ships we build are 3,400 horsepower, and we even sell 850-horsepower engines to Xiangjiang. How big are our ships? How big is a tank?"

Bai Yang had a sudden revelation and kept taking notes:

【The shipyard can manufacture 3,400-horsepower engines, and by cascading the technology downward, has developed a 430-horsepower engine and AT transmission (never heard of it) comparable to a tank's, selling far and wide to truck manufacturers in Gui Province, with demand outstripping supply.】

With him talking and Bai Yang taking notes, by the time they reached Dawan Village, Bai Yang had already reaped a full harvest.

But when he glanced out the window, he noticed a particularly large area had been fenced off, with quite a few construction machines working inside, and even two large ships run aground on the shore. He hurriedly asked what was going on.

Wu Long glanced over; Tang Wen had specifically instructed that all personnel be barred from entering the construction site of the Level Two Shipyard, and it would be best to keep the Level One Shipyard closed as well, so he prepared his explanation:

"We are currently expanding the shipyard. The schedule is tight and it's unsafe, so you can only take a look from the outside."

Bai Yang didn't mind this point; he simply pointed to the two tank landing ships on the shore and asked:

"What kind of ships are those? Why are they stranded?"

"They are engineering vessels. They transported the machinery and supplies up from the sea and can sail away on their own.

Transport by road is too slow; since our roads here are poor, we went straight for sea transport, which is also more efficient."

Wu Long relayed Tang Wen's exact words; Bai Yang had no doubts and raised his camera to take a few photos.

【The machinery and personnel for the shipyard expansion are being delivered directly to the shore by boat, coordinated with engineering vessels—a completely new construction concept (I've never seen this; I can write more about it)】

Just then, Liu Kan flew overhead again in his F4F; Bai Yang stretched his head out hard to get a clearer look.

Seeing this, Wu Long said with a smile:

"Since Reporter Bai is so interested in aircraft, let's go straight to Dawan Port. There are three seaplanes there; let Old Liu take us up for a few circles."

Bai Yang instantly became interested; he had never been on an airplane before, so Wu Long's words were definitely a surprise.

However, out of reverence for flight, he did not agree immediately:

"Are there any physical requirements for riding in an airplane?"

Wu Long laughed heartily:

"None at all. The day before yesterday, as soon as the Boss left, I... ahem, don't write that down.

Anyway, rest easy, little brother; I'll accompany you!"