Bright Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to Major National Heavy Industry

Chapter 208: Old and cunning
“I’ve already waited all night, so a little more time won’t make a difference,” Li Muzhi said with a smile.

Li Muzhi was in high spirits after bringing back all five cartloads of tungsten ore.

"That's true, that's true too, haha." Li Yunlong laughed and asked, "Brother Li, what do you plan to give us?"

"Minister Zhang, why don't you go and put the things in the warehouse first?" Li Muzhi said to Zhang Wanhe. "I'll chat with Commander Li and the others for a bit, and then I'll go and rest."

"Okay." Zhang Wanhe nodded and left.

Li Muzhi's gaze fell on Ding Wei and Li Yunlong's faces, and he spoke first: "Gentlemen, although we have brought back the tungsten ore, we still lack some necessary equipment to refine it. You two hurry up and try to get the managers of the Cui Village arsenal to talk as soon as possible, and see if the Japanese have the equipment I need in their next arsenal."

Commander Yan probably doesn't have much hope of having the equipment to produce hydrogen.

On the bald man's side, the contact has only just begun, and even if he has the information, he can't wait.

Therefore, Li Muzhi changed his mind and focused his attention on Li Yunlong.

Why can't a skilled cook make a meal without rice? Because a skilled cook won't steal rice.

We'd better let Li Yunlong and Ding Wei go and snatch the equipment for us.

"Brother Li, don't worry, I'll urge our brigade commander as soon as I get back," Li Yunlong said directly.

Previously, Zhang Wanhe urged us to urge the brigade commander, but we dared not urge him.

Now it's Brother Li who's urging us on. What, does the brigade commander's skinny arms think they can outmaneuver Brother Li?!

Ding Wei asked from the side, "Director Li, what does this equipment look like?"

“Even if I told you, you might not understand,” Li Muzhi said. “So, you should keep an eye out for the Japanese natural gas plant. They’ll definitely have the equipment I need there.”

The so-called Japanese natural gas plant's main task was, of course, to plunder the natural gas from this land.

We can take over this natural gas equipment, modify it, and use it to produce hydrogen.

“Okay, we’ll keep an eye out.” Li Yunlong and Ding Wei both nodded.

"Gentlemen, please keep these two items safe." Li Muzhi took out two vouchers and handed them to Li Yunlong and Ding Wei respectively.

"What is this?" Li Yunlong, who was illiterate, took it and looked at it before asking Li Muzhi.

Ding Wei, who could read, looked at the voucher and asked in a daze, "Director Li, this is a voucher for a new type of rocket, not a rocket launcher?"

This rocket launcher is newly developed, and we've been using it quite well. Why do you want to modify it?
Moreover, after this change, they're only giving us thirty coins, isn't that a bit too few?

What we brought back was a copper smelter and tungsten ore; what you're giving us isn't even a fraction of that.

Li Muzhi explained: "This new type of rocket is different from a rocket launcher. A rocket launcher is a small-caliber artillery piece, mainly used for tactical targets, and its lethality and power are limited. This new type of rocket is a medium-sized artillery piece. Although its explosive power is not as great as the Hell Cannon, it can directly strike medium-sized targets, which can save the Hell Cannon's shells."

Medium artillery?

Upon hearing this, Li Yunlong and Ding Wei both looked stunned: "This is a medium-sized artillery piece, I'm afraid it can no longer be fired from the shoulder, right?"

Even if Li Muzhi can create a recoilless weapon, it's definitely not light, and a single soldier probably couldn't withstand it.

"This only has shells, no barrel, so there's no need for a barrel to fire it," Li Muzhi explained.

No need for a cannon barrel to fire?
Upon hearing this, Li Yunlong and Ding Wei's eyes widened: "This doesn't need a cannon barrel? What does that mean? You just take the shell and fire it?"

“Yes.” Li Muzhi nodded and said, “When launching this new type of rocket, you just need to dig a pit, place it in the pit, and it can be launched. This way, there is no need for a cannon barrel, which greatly reduces the logistical transportation pressure and increases the rapid mobility of the artillery…”

Before Li Muzhi could finish speaking, Li Yunlong stared in disbelief: "Brother Li, you're not kidding me, are you? You're really going to put the shells directly into the crater and fire them?"

Isn't this just letting the shells fly by themselves?

Ding Wei was also shocked: "Director Li, when will you be able to manufacture this new type of rocket?"

It's so convenient and easy to launch; you can just dig a hole and launch it.

Combined with our guerrilla tactics, this new type of rocket is simply the best partner for guerrilla warfare.

“We still need some equipment, and it will take some time,” Li Muzhi replied. “You two take this voucher back first. When the new rocket is manufactured, you can use this voucher to collect it.”

"What equipment do you need?" Li Yunlong and Ding Wei asked eagerly.

These new rockets are so powerful, the two of them couldn't wait any longer. They didn't even care about the rocket launchers anymore, they just wanted to get the equipment for Li Muzhi right away so that they could use the new rockets immediately.

"I'll get information from the managers at the Cui Village arsenal. If I'm lucky, the next Japanese arsenal might have the equipment I need," Li Muzhi said.

“Okay, no problem. I’ll go back and personally help the brigade commander interrogate those bastards.” Li Yunlong rubbed his hands together, eager to get started.

“Okay, we’ll definitely urge our brigade commander.” Ding Wei was also impatient.

"Alright, you two, I'll be waiting for your good news. You can go back now," Li Muzhi said.

"Brother Li, let's head back now."

"Director Li, I'm leaving now. Goodbye."

Li Yunlong and Ding Wei ran away almost at breakneck speed.

As soon as the two left, Old Zhang appeared and chuckled at Li Muzhi, "Little Li, you're really something. You managed to get rid of Li Yunlong and Ding Wei with just two coupons."

They brought back a copper smelter and important tungsten ore. And you, with just two vouchers, managed to swindle them away.

"Minister Zhang, didn't you take the transport team to drop off the goods?" Li Muzhi asked. "Also, what about Commander Gao and the others? Did they go back early?"

Li Yunlong and Ding Wei were completely captivated by the new rocket launch method, filled with anticipation.

Once they come to their senses, they'll definitely come back for it.

This was not a problem for Li Muzhi.

At worst, we can just give them another twenty vouchers for the new rockets later.

Originally, Li Muzhi planned to give Li Yunlong and Ding Wei fifty coupons each.

Giving it in two installments, one for thirty and one for twenty, will perfectly solve the problem.

“No, Gao Liujin and his men went to attack Yuehua Station again,” Zhang Wanhe explained. “Last time, didn’t Li Yunlong and Gao Liujin manage to seize military supplies such as sealant and potassium nitrate at Yuehua Station? This time, they might be able to seize some more military supplies.”

As for the transport team asking him to put things away, Zhang Wanhe had the deputy minister do it in his place.

"Oh, I see." Li Muzhi then said to Zhang Wanhe, "Minister Zhang, you can wait here for Commander Gao and the others to return. I'll go and rest first."

“Okay, no problem.” Zhang Wanhe nodded, but still asked, “The 772nd Regiment, the 28th Regiment, and Gao Liujin’s New Third Regiment were involved in the raid on Yuehua Station. These three regiments also participated in the important operation to reclaim the tungsten ore. They’ve returned. What are we giving them?”

Li Muzhi handed Zhang Wanhe three vouchers and said, "Just give each of them one voucher later."

Zhang Wanhe took it; it was also a voucher for the new type of rocket, with each voucher containing thirty rockets.

Zhang Wanhe said to Lin Mu, "Okay, Xiao Li, go and rest. I'll wait here."

"Okay." Li Muzhi turned and left.

After Li Muzhi disappeared, Zhang Wan looked left and right to make sure no one had noticed.

Zhang Wanhe took out a pen and secretly crossed out the two strokes above the character "three" on the three vouchers, turning them into a thick "one".

Of course, the top is thick and the bottom is thin, so there are still many flaws.

So, the shrewd Minister Zhang simply made the bottom "一" as thick as the top one.

In this way, the thirty on the voucher was perfectly turned into twenty.

In this way, the logistics department can save thirty new rockets.

As dawn approached, Gao Liujin, Blind Cheng, and Gao Xigang returned.

The transport team of three thousand people was basically fully loaded, and their operation was clearly a great success.

Seeing the three return, Zhang Wanhe quickly approached them with a smile: "Hey, how was it? Did you manage to snag any military supplies at Yuehua Station?"

"So-so. Just like last time, they stole some sealant and potassium nitrate, and some light bulbs." Gao Liujin said boastfully. "There are also several other kinds of supplies that we don't recognize, but it doesn't matter. We brought them all back so that Director Li can take a look. Where is Director Li? Hurry up and let him out."

“Xiao Li waited all night for the tungsten ore and just went to rest. Don’t disturb him now,” Zhang Wanhe said. “Let’s put the other supplies into storage first, and let him see what they are when he wakes up.”

"Did Director Li say what reward we'll receive for this operation?" Gao Liujin asked.

"Here, one for each of you three." Zhang Wanhe handed over three vouchers.

"What is this?" Gao Liujin couldn't read.

Cheng the Blind and Gao Xigang, who could read, became suspicious: "Minister Zhang, what is this new type of rocket? Isn't it a rocket launcher? Also, why are the strokes of this number so thick? It looks like it's been altered."

Zhang Wanhe then explained the advantages of the new rocket to the three men, and their reactions were the same as Li Yunlong and Ding Wei's—they were all incredibly excited and eager to see it.

Then Zhang Wanhe explained that the nib of the fountain pen was not working well, and when writing, too much ink dripped out, making the strokes thicker.

Upon hearing this, Gao Liujin still said, "It's very important that we retrieve the tungsten ore, and the military supplies at Yuehua Station are also very important. Those unfamiliar supplies might actually be other valuable items. Minister Zhang, isn't it too little that you're only giving us twenty rounds?"

"You should all know how significant this new type of rocket is on the battlefield," Comrade Zhang said directly. "Countless units will fight tooth and nail for these new rockets; twenty of them would be more than enough."

Immediately afterwards, Comrade Zhang brought up the headquarters leaders: "Of course, if you really think it's too little, then report it to headquarters and let the headquarters leaders handle this matter, you see..."

Before Zhang Wanhe could finish speaking, Gao Liujin immediately said, "No need, no need. It's such a small matter, there's no need to alarm the headquarters leaders."

Gao Xigang and Blind Cheng echoed, "Yes, yes, no need to disturb the headquarters leader, he's so busy."

All three understood that if they reported it to headquarters, they might receive a larger reward of new rockets.

But after passing through the hands of the division commander and brigade commander, by the time it finally reaches us, we'll probably only have half of the twenty rounds.

“The three of you, we should report this to headquarters. I think…” Zhang Wanhe’s words, which were meant to be coy, were left unfinished.

Gao Liujin, Gao Xigang, and Blind Cheng quickly took their leave.

Before leaving, Blind Cheng even gave his pen to Zhang Wanhe.

"Hehe." Watching the three leave quickly, Zhang Wanhe picked up the pen left behind by Blind Cheng and chuckled.

(End of this chapter)