Binjiang Police Affairs

Two police cars turned on their sirens and rushed toward San Zao Port at top speed.

Since the Spring Festival of 1989, the Binjiang Water Police have been assisting the Fishery Administration to protect the fisheries resources of the Yangtze River, and are more than familiar with the Fishery Station.

The Binjiang Fishery Station has a dock at San Zao Port, where the Fishery Administration law enforcement ships are moored.

Han Yu dialed Captain Wu's number urgently and said, "Captain Wu, this is Han Yu. Have you received the order? Great, great, we're on our way now, we'll be there in no more than forty-five minutes. Have the border guards and civilian soldiers arrived? Okay, thanks so much."

Shi Shengyong couldn't help asking, "What did Captain Wu say?"

"They just received the notice and are hurrying to resupply. They'll be ready to sail in twenty minutes, as soon as we arrive."

"Hurrying to resupply?"

"They need to refuel and load up with water, and with so many people, they need to stock up on more provisions such as grain, oil, and vegetables. Otherwise, what will we eat and drink on board?"

Before Shi Shengyong could speak, Xu Mingyuan, sitting in the back seat, couldn't help asking, "Salted Fish, how long will this sea trip last?"

Han Yu put down his phone, turned around, and explained, "The passengers preparing to smuggle themselves out are currently on the bus heading to the East Sea. Director Jiang and Director Jiang from our sub-bureau are keeping an eye on them. Right now, we don't know where the Snakeheads will organize the migrants to board the ship, nor do we know what route the smuggling ship will take.

What we have to do now is to get to the vicinity of She Mountain Island as quickly as possible. Once Director Jiang and Director Jiang confirm where the migrants boarded and what ship they are on, we will then proceed to the possible areas where the smuggling vessel might navigate to search and intercept."

Fang Zhiqiang, squeezed in the middle of the back row, asked in a low voice, "The sea is vast. Can we find the location of the smuggling ship?"

Han Yu had his doubts as well, silent for a moment, then feigned a casual laugh, "The impending typhoon is a big help to us, and now it's the fishing ban period. As long as we can figure out from where the smuggling ship departed, it shouldn't be difficult to find them."

"How will we find them?"

"We'll combine efforts from both shore and sea."

Xu Mingyuan pressed, "How do we combine?"

Han Yu patiently explained, "The Fishery Administration ships are equipped with radar, and we can search using radar at sea. As the typhoon is approaching, all ships, big or small, must come to port for shelter. Any ship going out to sea at this time is definitely suspicious. As for the shore, Director He and Director Jiang are on their way to the East Sea right now to personally ask the East Sea Sea Supervision Bureau and the Port Supervision Bureau for assistance."

Fang Zhiqiang, puzzled, asked, "What help can the Marine Supervision Bureau and the Port Supervision Bureau provide?"

"Our Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau has a VTS system and several radar stations, and so do they. Once Director Jiang and Director Jiang trace the clues and figure out where the smuggling vessel departed, Director He and Director Jiang can ask the Marine Supervision and the Port Supervision to track its position and even its course via radar."

Watching his senior brothers deep in thought, Han Yu added with a smile, "Normally, this would be difficult because there are too many ships on the river and at sea, and the radar sweep is full of bright spots. But now it's not a normal time. A typhoon is coming and most big and small ships are in the port or in the sheltered anchorage, so there are few out sailing."

Xu Mingyuan nodded his head and couldn't help asking again, "Salted Fish, do you know how many people the Snakehead plans to smuggle out? If there are only a few, isn't mobilizing such a large force a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut?"

Han Yu had the same concern. It wasn't just that several directors had personally taken the lead for this case, but also the cost of fuel needed for the Fishery Administration ship to set sail was not a small number.

Just as he was unsure of how to respond, Shi Shengyong confidently said, "There definitely won't be a shortage of smuggling passengers, I estimate no less than twenty."

"Director Shi, do you already have information on how many migrants there are?"

"Right now, we only have one."

"Then how do you know there won't be fewer than twenty?"

"It's simple," Shi Shengyong rolled down a crack in the window and lit a cigarette with a smug look, "We've been following this case for over half a year. Our known smuggling passengers were prepared to smuggle to Japan to make a fortune months ago. But the Snakehead delayed in telling them to depart, what does that imply?"

"What does it imply?" Fang Zhiqiang asked curiously.

Shi Shengyong smiled and said, "It means the Snakehead is gathering numbers. This is smuggling, not sending someone off on a motorcycle. Finding a ship costs money. And smuggling is risky; what if they get caught? So I'm sure that the number of smuggling passengers will certainly not be few."

Han Yu thought so too, but was not certain.

Xu Mingyuan was silent for a moment, then returned to the previous question: "Salted Fish, Director Shi, how long do you think it will take for us to return from this sea voyage?"

"Prepare for a long-duration mission. I reckon it'll take at least four to five days."

"Will it take that long? Does the Fishery Administration Ship have enough fuel to last?"

"The Fishery Administration Ship can sail for two thousand nautical miles, with self-sustenance lasting at least fifteen days. Don't worry about running out of fuel, and don't worry about going hungry on board."

Xu Mingyuan, who had only been on vessel 001 and had never been on a sea vessel, asked in amazement, "The Fishery Administration Ship is that powerful?"

"There's even more impressive stuff. Captain Wu is a meritorious figure; Captain Wu's ship is a meritorious vessel!"

"Meritorious vessel?"

Han Yu glanced at the scenery outside the window and explained with a smile: "Last year, a Filipino fishing boat discovered that we were constructing an island reef in the South Sea, immediately returned to the Philippines, and reported to the Philippine government.

That area belongs to our territorial waters, but the Philippines has long coveted our island reefs. Upon learning about our development, they were furious. Not only did they issue a strongly worded statement demanding that we cease our work on the islands immediately, but they also planned to dispatch warships to expel our people."

Shi Shengyong had not heard of this either and asked urgently, "What happened then?"

"We couldn't deploy warships; what if a conflict accidentally escalated? After all, we are focusing on economic development and need a favorable international environment. Therefore, the superiors dispatched a Fishery Administration Ship to urgently support the South Sea, preventing the Filipino naval ship from approaching our island reefs."

"Captain Wu sailed there?"

"Yes, Captain Wu and the crew were resolute upon receiving the orders to prevent the Filipino naval ship from approaching by all means necessary. Do you know what their promise to the superiors was at the time?"

"How did they guarantee it?"

"The people are here, the ship is here, the reefs are here, the national flag is here!"

The Fishery Administration Ship is usually moored at San Zao Port. Who could have thought that a ship and ordinary fishery administration personnel like Captain Wu would execute such a mission.

Shi Shengyong was deeply moved and asked eagerly, "And what happened after that?"

Han Yu took a deep breath and said with emotion, "Director Shi, you haven't seen Captain Wu's ship, but Brother Xu and Brother Fang have. The vessel is only forty-nine point nine meters long and seven point six meters wide, weighing just three hundred tons, and it's an old ship launched ten years ago.

Compared to the Filipino naval ship, it is much smaller, not even one-tenth the size of the opposition, and it doesn't have any weapons on board. Nonetheless, they rushed to the South Sea and stood near our reefs, confronting the Filipino naval ship at very close range – they blocked the ship and refused to give up an inch of territory!"

"They just blocked it? There was no conflict?"

"None, but it's not easy for a small ship to block a larger one, and it's highly dangerous."

"How dangerous?"

"It's different on the high seas than on land or in a river. Sea water is constantly moving, and ships have inertia; they can't stop on a dime or move as easily as a car on land. To grapple closely with a large warship is risking destruction and loss of life if a mistake is made!"

Xu Mingyuan, who used to be the leader of the Criminal Investigation Fourth Squad and had frequently boarded vessel 001 for anti-smuggling operations and protection of fishery resources, knew very well the risks of a small ship approaching a large one, let alone confronting a large warship.

He listened, awestruck, and couldn't help asking, "And then what happened?"

Han Yu sighed, "It is said that at that time, the guns and cannons on the Filipino warship were already aimed at them, ready to fire at any moment. Despite the imminent danger, they didn't shrink back. One step back would mean national shame.

According to Captain Wu and his crew, even if it meant collective sacrifice, they could not let the Filipino naval ship come within five kilometers of our reefs. In the end, they overcame the Filipino warship and defended our territory and territorial waters."

"That's incredible, I had no idea if you hadn't told me."

"It truly is incredible. If our master were here, he would definitely treat Captain Wu to a drink."

As soon as Han Yu finished speaking, Xu Mingyuan looked up and said, "Our master is gone, but we are still here. After the operation ends, we'll treat Captain Wu to a drink."