Chapter Thirty-Six I really envy Americans

  In the days that followed, Judy stuck to Kang Fan like a shadow. In fact, from the moment Kang Fan boldly grabbed Judy's hand, this extraordinary Chinese man had captured the heart of this noble American woman. But Kang Fan did not think that his initial reckless move would lead to such severe consequences, and it turned out that Kang Fan was the most deadly pirate! Therefore, after arriving in England, Judy used all her skills to gather valuable intelligence for Kang Fan and provided him with various kinds of help through her extensive social connections in London. Under these favorable conditions, Kang Fan's plan to rob the ransom went very smoothly: relying on the magical hand-thrown poison gas bomb, Kang Fan and the intelligence personnel worked closely together, and under the cover of darkness, they looted the Japanese Embassy in London without spilling a drop of blood. However, due to the increased vigilance of the Japanese this time and their careful deployment beforehand, two batches of ransom had been secretly transferred out of the embassy before the robbery, so only the last batch that did not have time to be transferred was stolen: approximately ￡5 million. Fortunately, all personnel involved in this action withdrew safely, which was a perfect ending.

  The SS Helen had unloaded its cargo of exports to Britain at the London docks and taken on a new load of chemicals ordered by the Ningwu government before setting sail for home. In their joy at their success, both Kang Fan and Captain Li overlooked an important event that would affect their journey - in April 1898, the United States had used the explosion and sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbour as a pretext to take military action against Spain, which had immediately declared war on America. It was now late May 1898, and the two sides were locked in fierce combat. By the time Kang Fan thought of this, the SS Helen had already entered Spanish waters and was preparing to cross the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean.

  Captain Li listened to Kang Fan's words, slapped his forehead, and ordered the first mate to immediately turn the ship around, speeding out of Spanish waters, along the west coast of Africa, rushing southward, trying to use the Helen's high speed of over 20 knots to escape the control of the Spanish Navy. But it was too late: two Spanish warships were chasing after them at high speed, firing warning shots. The shells fell not far from the front of the Helen, creating a huge splash. If they continued to flee, the next shell would not be flying into the sea but towards the Helen, and once hit, there would definitely be casualties on board, which was what Captain Li least wanted to see. As he hesitated, a shell whizzed over the top of the bridge with an ear-piercing screech, causing Kang Fan and Captain Li to instinctively crouch down on the ground.

  "Raise the white flag and surrender!" Captain Li shouted hoarsely at the watchtower.

  The first mate strongly disagreed, staring at Captain Lee and shouting loudly: Absolutely cannot surrender, captain! The Spanish will destroy the 'Helen'! We must escape, they can't catch up with us!

  Captain Li was anxious and pushed the first mate forward, saying "If anyone gets hurt, who will be responsible!"

  First Lieutenant: I can! I'm in charge! I firmly believe that the 'Helen' will shake off the Spanish! After finishing, he rushed to the loudspeaker and shouted, Engine room, full speed ahead, full speed ahead!

  Helen's furnaces were blazing, her main shaft spinning wildly, and her speed suddenly shot up to a startling 25 knots!

  Captain Li could not outdo the first mate, and ordered through the loudspeaker: Attention all crew, attention all crew. This is Captain Li. Please take cover and prepare for damage control.

  Tony, driving like this will get you into trouble sooner or later. Captain Li said with a heavy tone, his hand on the first mate's shoulder.

  The first mate looks ahead, his expression firm and resolute. Don't worry, Captain, I've got this under control.

  Shells came flying in non-stop, landing all around the steamship, sending up towering columns of water. Missed again! Still missed! Still didn't hit! The Spanish really couldn't shoot worth a damn.

  Kang Fan nervously observed the relative distance between them and the Spanish warship, surprised to find that the distance was getting farther and farther away. In less than an hour, the Spanish warship had disappeared beyond the horizon, without a trace! But he could still see the muzzle flashes of the Spanish guns firing blindly, only the shells didn't know where they were flying to.

  The SS Helen slowed down to 12 knots. Overloaded with cargo, the main engine had been overworked during the escape and was hit by two small-caliber shells, although there were no casualties and they managed to shake off the Spanish warship, but the SS Helen could no longer maintain normal navigation, slowing down more and more, and finally stopped working after two hours.

  The first mate led the crew into the engine room for emergency repairs. Here, the nearest land was the Madeira Islands under Portuguese jurisdiction. In any case, they had to get the Helen to this island group, or else the ship and its people would be in dire straits on the vast Atlantic Ocean.

  Judy's sailing experience was far richer than Kung Fan's, but at this moment she seemed even more anxious than him. Kung Fan still looked calm and composed, as if the danger they were in had nothing to do with him, sitting on a long chair on the deck, with his legs crossed, basking in the warm sunshine of the early summer Atlantic, wiping his beloved 92-style pistol.

  What would have to happen for you to get anxious? Judy asked him, frowning.

  Kang Fan laughed and said: "I don't know how to navigate or repair ships. What's the use of being anxious?"

  Judy thought for a moment and sat down next to Kang Fan, adjusting her skirt hem back and forth. Her smooth white legs, with beautiful lines, occasionally flashed in front of Kang Fan's eyes. Kang Fan noticed this movement and unknowingly stopped the work in his hands, staring blankly at Judy's legs. Judy, understanding people's intentions, lifted her leg up, and the sunlight shone into her skirt, illuminating everything clearly. Kang Fan immediately stiffened all over.

  Kang Fan, if I must die, let me die in your arms. Mei Xiang's words suddenly echoed in his ears, and Kang Fan's soul returned. He shifted his gaze away, resumed wiping the gun in his hand, and gradually calmed down. But a strange sense of irritation followed, and he irritably threw away the gun cleaning cloth.

  Are you thinking of Mei Xiang? Judy asked him with a sour tone.

  Kang Fan didn't say a word, raised his gun and squinted at the sea with narrowed eyes.

  Is Mei Xiang better than me? Judy asked again, her voice trembling.

  Kang Fan's heart softened, and he put his arm around Judy, holding her in his arms. "You're all good, it's me who's not," he said in a muffled tone.

  Judy quietly felt Kong Fan's embrace, and in her ear came the sound of Kong Fan's clear and powerful heartbeat.

  The Helen was severely damaged and it was impossible for the crew to repair the main engine in a short time, so they could only drift on the sea like dead fish. As time went on, the two Spanish warships that had been chasing them earlier caught up again. The Helen was doomed to be captured.

  Captain Li rushed up to the deck and looked at the black muzzles of the Spanish warship's cannons, his face ashen.

  The Spanish warship signaled by flag: My ship is ordered to sink your vessel. Withdraw all personnel within 20 minutes.

  Captain Li signaled Helen to hoist the flag: Obey orders and take action.

  Everyone quickly took action, loading the compensation and some essential supplies for survival at sea onto two lifeboats. With all their might, they rowed to try to get as far away from the Helen as possible in the shortest time.

  As the time arrived, the loud sound of cannons started, and the beautiful Helen was shaking in the gunfire, bursting into a raging fire, the hull slowly tilting, and it seemed hopeless.

  Kang Fan covered his face in pain: goods worth tens of thousands of pounds were reported lost! Everyone's expression was painful, especially Captain Li and the first mate, who were so heartbroken that they forgot how to cry.

  The bombardment lasted for over a dozen minutes, but the Helen, with its sturdy structure, still floated stubbornly on the surface of the sea, as if to defy the Spanish display of force. Soon, the Spanish gave up their attack and fled north in disarray. As everyone was wondering what had happened, a sailor pointed excitedly at the distant sea and shouted.

  Look, American warship! We're saved!

  Four American warships appeared on the horizon, their tall masts and black smoke trails visible one after another. The Stars and Stripes fluttered in the wind. Amidst the cheers of the crowd, three American warships went to pursue Spanish naval vessels, while the remaining one came straight over to provide assistance. This branch of the US Atlantic Fleet had been tracking these two Spanish naval vessels for a long time but had never managed to catch them. Since the start of the Spanish-American War, these two Spanish naval vessels had cleverly avoided the powerful US Navy and engaged in guerrilla warfare at sea, specifically targeting American merchant ships sailing across the globe. They had achieved significant results but had never intentionally harmed crew members, a testament to their professionalism.

  At the request of Captain Lee, American sailors helped put out the big fire on the Helen and towed it to the nearby Portuguese Madeira Islands with ropes.

  The main island of the Madeira Islands, Madeira Island, is an important hub for maritime traffic between Europe, Africa, America and Asia, with excellent ports and complete ship repair facilities. The island is densely forested, with rivers running through it, and has a mild and humid climate, making it also a great place for leisure and vacation.

  The SS Helen was badly damaged, but the main structure of the hull remained intact and could be repaired. The cargo on board had suffered significant losses in the fire, but it was still better than losing everything. This made Kang Fan feel a lot more at ease.

  Kang Fan truly felt the superiority of a country with a strong navy. In the oceans that connect the world, as global maritime trade develops rapidly, the navy plays a unique and crucial role in protecting its own maritime trade security. However, to establish a navy that can fulfill its mission globally, it requires strong resource support and consistent national policy, which cannot be achieved overnight. Therefore, although Kang Fan yearned for such a navy, it is absolutely impossible to achieve this wish at present, and he could only wait anxiously for the maturation of the opportunity.

  Incidentally, today is a memorable day for me as it's my first time posting online. Because today, the number of clicks on "Rebirth of the Great Qing Empire" broke through 10,000! I'm very happy and satisfied! During this period, I got to know many comrades, received support from many friends, and also received promotion from web editors, heartfelt thanks to you all!