cc.floodtide-第55章

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　Qin　Shang　nodded　solemnly。　〃I　promise　to　use　every　source　at　my　mand。　Though　I　have　only　spent　fifteen　years　to　your　thirty　on　the　search；　I　regret　to　say　I　have　made　little　progress。　The　mystery　is　as　deep　as　the　disappearance　of　the　bones　of　the　Peking　man。〃
　〃You　have　found　no　leads　either？〃　inquired　Zhu　Kwan。
　〃The　only　key　to　a　possible　solution　my　own　agents　have　turned　up　is　a　ship　called　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃I　remember　her　well。　I　sailed　on　her　with　my　mother　and　father　to　Singapore　when　I　was　a　young　boy。　She　was　a　fine　ship。　As　I　recall；　she　was　owned　by　Canton　Lines。　I　searched　for　clues　to　her　disappearance　myself　some　years　ago。　What　is　her　connection　with　the　lost　art　treasures？〃
　〃Shortly　after　Chiang　Kai…shek　looted　the　national　museums　and　plundered　the　private　collections　of　our　ancestors'　art　treasures；　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　sailed　for　an　unknown　destination。　She　never　reached　it。　My　agents　have　failed　to　trace　any　eyewitnesses。　It　seems　many　of　them　also　disappeared　under　mysterious　circumstances。　No　doubt　lying　in　unmarked　graves；　courtesy　of　Chiang　Kai…shek；　who　wanted　no　secrets　about　the　ship　to　leak　to　the　munists。〃
　〃You　think　Chiang　Kai…shek　tried　to　smuggle　the　treasures　away　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan？〃
　〃The　coincidence　and　odd　events　lead　me　to　believe　so。〃
　〃That　would　answer　many　questions。　The　only　records　I　could　find　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　suggested　that　she　was　lost　on　the　way　to　the　scrappers　at　Singapore。〃
　〃Actually；　her　trail　ends　somewhere　in　the　sea　west　of　Chile；　where　a　distress　signal　was　reported　received　from　a　ship　calling　herself　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　before　she　sank　with　all　hands　in　a　violent　storm。〃
　〃You　have　done　well；　Qin　Shang；〃　said　Zhu　Kwan。　〃Perhaps　now　you　can　solve　the　puzzle？〃
　Qin　Shang　shook　his　head　dejectedly。　〃Easier　said　than　done。　She　could　have　gone　down　anywhere　within　a　four…hundred…square…mile　area。　An　American　would　pare　it　to　looking　for　a　needle　in　a　field　of　haystacks。〃
　〃This　is　not　a　quest　to　cast　aside　as　too　difficult。　A　search　must　be　conducted。　Our　most　priceless　national　treasures　must　be　recovered。〃
　〃I　agree。　That's　why　I　built　a　search…and…survey　ship　precisely　for　that　purpose。　My　salvage　crew　has　been　crisscrossing　the　site　for　six　months　and　has　seen　no　indication　of　a　hulk　on　the　seabed　matching　the　size　and　description　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃I　pray　you　do　not　give　up；〃　Zhu　Kwan　said　solemnly。　〃To　discover　and　return　the　artifacts　for　display　in　the　People's　museums　and　galleries　would　make　you　immortal。〃
　〃The　reason　I've　asked　you　here　tonight。　I　wish　for　you　to　put　forth　your　greatest　effort　in　finding　a　clue　to　the　ship's　final　whereabouts。　I　will　pay　you　well　for　any　new　information　you　discover。〃
　〃You　are　a　great　patriot；　Qin　Shang。〃
　But　any　expectation　Zhu　Kwan　had　that　Qin　Shang　was　on　a　noble　quest　for　the　people　of　China　was　quickly　dashed。　Qin　Shang　looked　at　him　and　smiled。　〃I　have　achieved　great　wealth　and　power　in　my　lifetime。　I　do　not　search　for　immortality。　I　do　it　because　I　cannot　die　unfulfilled。　I　shall　never　rest　until　the　treasures　are　found　and　retrieved。〃
　The　veil　shrouding　Qin　Shang's　evil　intentions　was　ripped　away。　The　billionaire　was　no　moralist。　If　he　was　fortunate　enough　to　find　the　Princess　and　her　priceless　cargo；　he　had　every　intention　of　keeping　it　for　himself。　Every　piece；　no　matter　how　large　or　small；　would　bee　part　of　a　hidden　collection　that　only　Qin　Shang　would　enjoy。
　
　Qin　Shang　was　lying　in　bed　studying　financial　reports　on　his　far…flung　business　empire　when　the　phone　beside　his　bed　chimed　softly。　Unlike　most　unmarried　men　in　his　position；　he　usually　slept　alone。　He　admired　women　and　summoned　one　when　he　occasionally　felt　desire；　but　business　and　finance　were　his　passion。　He　thought　smoking　and　drinking　wasted　time；　as　did　seduction。　He　was　too　disciplined　for　a　mon　affair。　He　felt　only　disgust　for　men　of　power　and　wealth　who　wasted　themselves　with　dissipation　and　debauchery。　He　picked　up　the　phone。　〃Yes？〃
　〃You　asked　me　to　call　you　regardless　of　time　of　night；〃　came　the　voice　of　his　secretary；　Su　Zhong。
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　said　impatiently；　his　train　of　thought　interrupted。　〃What　is　the　latest　report　on　the　United　States？〃
　〃She　left　her　dock　at　seven　o'clock　this　evening。　All　automated　systems　are　functioning　normally。　Unless　she　encounters　heavy　storms　at　sea；　she　should　make　Panama　in　record　time。〃　〃Is　a　crew　standing　by　to　board　and　to　take　her　through　the　canal？〃
　〃Preparations　have　been　made；〃　answered　Su　Zhong。　〃Once　the　ship　enters　the　Caribbean；　the　crew　will　reengage　the　automated　systems　for　her　journey　to　Sungari　and　disembark。〃
　〃Any　word　on　the　intruders　at　the　shipyard？〃　〃Only　that　it　was　a　very　professional　operation　using　a　highly　sophisticated　submersible。〃　〃And　my　underwater　security　team？〃　〃Their　bodies　have　been　recovered。　None　survived。　Most　appear　to　have　died　from　concussion。　The　patrol　boat　was　found　at　the　Harbor　Authority　dock；　but　the　crew　has　vanished。〃
　〃The　Iranian…registered　freighter　that　was　moored　nearby　the　shipyard…has　she　been　boarded　and　investigated？〃
　〃Her　name　is　the　Oregon。　She　departed　slightly　ahead　of　the　United　States。　According　to　our　sources　at　Naval　mand；　it　was　overtaken　at　your　request　by　Captain　Yu　Tien　of　the　cruiser　Chengdo。　His　last　message　said　that　the　freighter　had　heaved　to　and　he　was　sending　a　boarding　party　of　marines　to　inspect　her。〃
　〃Nothing　from　Captain　Yu　Tien　since　then？〃　asked　Qin　Shang。　〃Only　silence。〃
　〃Perhaps　his　boarding　party　found　incriminating　evidence　and　he　has　seized　the　ship　and　disposed　of　the　crew　under　strict　secrecy。〃
　〃No　doubt　that　is　the　situation；〃　agreed　Su　Zhong。
　〃What　else　do　you　have　for　me？〃
　〃Your　agents　are　also　questioning　the　guard　at　the　main　gate　who　claimed　that　three　men；　one　of　them　wearing　the　uniform　of　a　security　officer；　presented　stolen　credentials　and　entered　the　shipyard　in　a　Rolls…Royce。　It　was　thought　they　drove　directly　to　the　United　States；　but　this　cannot　be　verified　since　all　guards　were　ordered　off　the　dock　just　prior　to　her　sailing。〃
　〃I　want　answers；〃　Qin　Shang　said　angrily。　〃I　want　to　know　what　organization　is　responsible　for　spying　on　my　operations。　I　want　to　know　who　is　behind　the　intrusion　and　the　deaths　of　our　security　people。〃
　〃Do　you　wish　Pavel　Gavrovich　to　head　up　the　investigation？〃　asked　Su　Zhong。
　Qin　Shang　thought　a　moment。　〃No；　I　want　him　to　concentrate　on　eliminating　Dirk　Pitt。〃
　〃At　last　report；　Pitt　was　in　Manila。〃
　〃The　Philippines？〃　Qin　Shang　said；　his　posure　slipping　away。　〃Pitt　was　in　the　Philippines；　just　two　hours　away　from　Hong　Kong　by　air？　Why　wasn't　I　told　of　this？〃
　〃Word　only　came　hi　from　Gavrovich　an　hour　ago。　He　trailed　Pitt　to　a　dockyard　in　Manila；　where　he　and　his　partner；　Albert　Giordino；　were　observed　being　taken　aboard　an　Iranian　cargo　ship。〃
　Qin　Shang's　voice　became　quiet　and　vicious。　〃The　same　Iranian　freighter　that　stood　off　the　United　States？〃
　〃A　positive　match　has　not　yet　been　confirmed；〃　said　Su　Zhong。　〃But　every　indication　suggests　that　they　are　one　and　the　same。〃
　〃Somehow；　Pitt　is　mixed　up　in　this　affair。　As　the　National　Underwater　and　Marine　Agency's　special　projects　director；　it　stands　to　reason　he　can　operate　and　pilot　a　submersible。　But　what　possible　interest　can　NUMA　have　in　my　operations？〃
　〃His　involvement　at　Orion　Lake　appears　to　be　accidental；〃　said　Su　Zhong。　〃But　perhaps　he　is　now　working　with　another　United　States　investigative　agency　such　as　the　INS　or　CIA？〃
　〃Very　possible；〃　said　Qin　Shang；　the　latent　hostility　reflected　hi　his　voice。　〃The　devil　has　proven　far　more　destructive　than　I　ever　conceived。〃　A　few　seconds　passed　hi　silence。　Then　he　said；　〃Inform　Gavrovich　that　he　is　to　be　given　full　authority　and　an　unlimited　budget　to　uncover　and　stop　any　covert　operation　against　Qin　Shang　Maritime。〃
　〃And　Dirk　Pitt？〃
　〃Tell　Gavrovich　to　postpone　killing　Pitt　until　he　returns。〃
　〃To　Manila？〃
　Qin　Shang　was　breathing　quickly；　his　mouth　a　thin　white　line。　〃No；　when　he　returns　to　Washington。〃
　〃How　can　you　be　sure　he'll　go　straight　to　the　American　capital？〃
　〃Unlike　you；　Su　Zhong；　who　can　read　people　from　photographs；　I've　studied　the