Anti-Japanese War: Starting from Yaobai

Chapter 2907 If we don’t have saltpeter, we’ll make it ourselves!
The anti-Japanese brigade has funds, food, and weapons, but now it lacks ammunition and explosives.

As for the ammunition issue, Duanwu actually thought about getting it from Black Widow.

But he thought about it and felt that this was inappropriate.

Although Ito is greedy, he will never watch people in the black market sell arms to him.

So in order to ensure that the black market line continued, Duanwu did not even mention the purchase of ammunition.

However, the issue of ammunition and explosives should also be put on the agenda.

The Anti-Japanese Brigade had its own arsenal, but the ammunition required very high gunpowder, and the Anti-Japanese Brigade did not have the ability to produce ammunition at that time.

As for explosives, they were also in serious trouble at this time because the saltpeter they had purchased before had been used up and they now had no other channels to purchase them.

The Japanese had very strict control over saltpeter, which greatly increased the difficulty of purchasing saltpeter.

But no matter how difficult it is, Duanwu must get saltpeter, otherwise explosives cannot be made.

After Duanwu returned to the Anti-Japanese Brigade’s base, he immediately sent someone to call Ma Pingan to his room.

Ma Ping'an hurried over and saw Duanwu frowning, so he knew that he had something important to discuss.

Seeing Ma Ping'an, Duanwu spoke first. "Old Pan, now we have funds, food, and weapons, but ammunition and explosives have become a big problem. Especially for explosives, the saltpeter is all used up, and there is no way to buy it now. The Japanese control the saltpeter strictly."

After hearing this, Ma Pingan also looked serious: "Captain, I am also worried about this matter. How about we buy it from Black Widow at a high price?"

Duanwu shook his head: "Ito is keeping a close eye on us. People in the black market don't dare to sell us arms and supplies easily, and saltpeter is probably not going to be easy either. So we have to find a way ourselves."

At this point, Duanwu asked, "Old Pan, does the underground party organization have any solution?"

Ma Ping'an frowned and said, "I have already inquired, but the answer I received was that there is no saltpeter. Even if there is, it cannot be transported to the Anti-Japanese Brigade's base. The Japanese have set up checkpoints at various major transportation routes and the inspections are very strict. We have no chance at all."

After hearing this, Duanwu was silent for a long time. The atmosphere in the room was so depressing that it was hard to breathe. Ma Pingan looked at Duanwu, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Suddenly, Duanwu slammed the table, his eyes revealing determination: "Lao Pan, since we can't buy saltpeter, let's make saltpeter ourselves!"

Ma Pingan's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief: "Captain, making saltpeter by yourself? Is this possible?"

Duanwu smiled slightly: "Old Pan, everything depends on human efforts. I know a way to get saltpeter. Although this method will take some time, as long as we succeed, we will have a steady supply of saltpeter to make explosives."

Ma Ping'an still found it incredible.

However, at this time, Duanwu continued: "The feces and urine of humans and animals can produce nitrate after fermentation under certain conditions."

Ma Ping'an was half-believing and half-doubting, thinking: "Those guys in the brigade urinate every day, but I haven't seen any saltpeter in their urine. Could it be urinary stones?"

Ma Pingan shook his head again and said, "Captain, this is a bit unreliable, isn't it? I haven't seen anyone urinate saltpeter."

Duanwu laughed after hearing this: "Old Pan, what are you thinking about? I just said that after fermentation, for example, the soil next to the manure pit, the alleys that have been irrigated for a long time. Those white crystals are. There are many saline-alkali lands in the north. Go and get some soil from the saline-alkali lands and you can make saltpeter."

Ma Ping'an's eyes lit up, because if that was the case, it would indeed be easy to find.

Ma Ping'an immediately said, "Then I'll do it now." After receiving the order, Ma Ping'an quickly organized manpower and assigned tasks.

Some of them went to collect soil from the pigpens in the nearby villages, some went to collect soil from the several dry toilets at the Anti-Japanese Brigade’s base, and some went to the nearby saline-alkali land to dig soil.

When the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces soldiers heard that they could solve the problem of explosive raw materials by themselves, they all became very motivated.

The soldiers who went to the pigpen covered their noses, endured the pungent smell, and carefully used shovels to put the layer of light white soil around the pigpen into sacks.

The soldiers who went to the manure pit even pinched their noses and collected the dirt.

The anti-Japanese fighters who went to the saline-alkali land had a much easier time. Although the project was large and required a lot of soil, they did not have to endure the stench.

But no matter what, whether the soldiers were digging soil in the pig pens and manure pits, or in the saline-alkali land, they were all full of energy.

Not long after, the soldiers returned to the base with a lot of harvest.

Duanwu had been waiting at the training ground in the center of the base. Seeing the soil everyone brought back, he nodded with satisfaction and said loudly: "Comrades, let's start making saltpeter now! All of you follow my command."

Duanwu first sorted out the different soils collected, and then arranged for the team members to build a simple filtering device.

They used bamboo to make a frame, covered it with multiple layers of gauze, and then placed the soil on the gauze for filtering. The filtered liquid was collected in large wooden barrels.

"Next, place the liquid in the sun to allow the water to evaporate slowly."

Duanwu gave instructions and demonstrated in person. The team members followed his instructions and arranged the barrels neatly on the open space.

The sun was high in the sky, and the liquid in the wooden barrel was constantly steaming under the high temperature.

The soldiers looked at each other, wondering how the saltpeter could get out of the barrel.

One of the soldiers asked, "Captain, why hasn't the saltpeter appeared yet?"

Duanwu chuckled: "How can it be that fast? It will take at least three days to see the saltpeter after natural drying, and about ten days to complete a barrel."

The little soldier scratched his head: "That's too slow!"

Duanwu smiled and said, "If you want to do it quickly, you can use a big pot to boil the water in this bucket. The charcoal you burn can also be used."

"Then let's burn it!"

Perhaps the soldiers were so eager to see saltpeter that they went out to look for wood, set up a big pot, and prepared to make saltpeter without waiting for Duanwu's order.

Ma Pingan watched from the side and said with a smile: "These young people are really energetic, as if they have endless energy."

But at this time, Duanwu said: "After the saltpeter is refined, we have to make some plans. These wooden barrels are not enough, and the soldiers need to divide the work. Those who dig the soil will dig the soil, those who filter will filter, and those who refine will refine. Let them form an assembly line. In this way, we will have a steady supply of saltpeter."

Ma Pingan said happily: "That's great. As long as we have enough saltpeter, we can mass-produce explosives. It will be much easier to fight the Japanese then."

Duanwu nodded. How could he not know the importance of explosives in war? As long as the devils entered the minefield he had set up, no matter if there were hundreds or thousands of them, they would never return! .