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

Chapter 82 Finding a Backer for the Brigade Commander
After finishing their meal, the brigade commander didn't linger. He led Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, Li Muzhi, and Zhang Wanhe to say goodbye: "Gentlemen, we'll head back now."

"Let me see you off," Li Muzhi said.

"No need to send it."

The brigade commander waved his hand, and Li Yunlong and Ding Wei also waved their hands before leaving the arsenal.

No sooner had Li Yunlong left the arsenal than he tried to slip away: "Brigade Commander, I'm going back to rest now."

"Stop! Did I tell you to go back?!" The brigade commander grabbed Li Yunlong's arm.

"Brigade Commander, what's wrong? Who made you angry again?" Li Yunlong pretended to be confused.

"Li Yunlong, you've got some nerve! You dare to mess with my hell cannon!" the brigade commander roared.

Ding Wei, standing to the side, was shocked.

He didn’t believe Li Yunlong could get the brigade commander’s hell cannon for him. Ding Wei was even more incredulous that Li Yunlong, that bastard, would actually do such a thing!
"Oh, brigade commander, you're wronging me. How could I dare touch your precious darling..." Before Li Yunlong could finish speaking, the brigade commander angrily reached for his gun. Li Yunlong quickly stopped him, "Brigade commander, brigade commander, let's talk this out, let's talk this out."

The brigade commander's temper has been getting worse lately; he keeps pulling out his gun.

Li Yunlong smiled ingratiatingly: "Brigade Commander, try to look at it from a different perspective. Ding Wei's New First Regiment is under your brigade's command. If you transfer your Hellfire cannon to Ding Wei, isn't that Hellfire cannon still yours? It's just being stored in a different place. Don't you think so?"

"Li Yunlong, Li Yunlong, you sure know how to talk!" The brigade commander gritted his teeth, momentarily at a loss for words.

Then, still furious, the brigade commander continued to roar, "So you've found Li Muzhi to be your backer, and you think you can take me, your brigade commander, for granted...?"

Before the brigade commander could finish speaking, Li Yunlong explained with a smile, "Brigade commander, I'm not looking for a backer for myself, I'm looking for a backer for you."

"Find me a powerful backer?" The brigade commander didn't understand what Li Yunlong meant.

“Brigade Commander, you know me. When a battle starts, I have a hard time controlling myself, so I often get you into trouble, and it's not easy for you to clean up my messes,” Li Yunlong explained. “But things are different now. Brother Li from the arsenal said that as long as it's for the sake of the arsenal's production and construction, no matter how big a mess I make, if you can't cover it up, he'll do it for me. Listen to that, Brigade Commander, isn't that like we've found you a powerful backer? From now on, if we cause trouble and you can't handle it, you'll have Brother Li from the arsenal…”

The brigade commander interrupted, "So that means I can't command you anymore?"

"No, no, you'll always be my superior. I'm just providing support for our brigade," Li Yunlong coaxed.

"Hmph, you little rascal, why do you always use your tricks on me!" the brigade commander cursed again, though his tone had softened a bit.

It's really infuriating that Li Yunlong is eyeing my hell cannon.

However, the fact that this kid was able to bring Li Muzhi on board as a backer, and that Li Muzhi was there to protect him from things the brigade commander couldn't handle, is quite commendable.

After all, the brigade commander also knew that old habits die hard!
Li Yunlong's tendency to cause trouble on the battlefield is hard to eradicate, especially now that he has the Hell Cannon. He's like a tiger descending from the mountain, with wings added to its already formidable strength.

The brigade commander could foresee that this kid would turn the Shanxi-Northwest region upside down sooner or later; it was only a matter of time.

The brigade commander definitely can't handle something this big.

If Li Muzhi were to intervene on Kan Xuan's behalf, the matter would be much easier to handle.

Seeing that the brigade commander's emotions had stabilized somewhat, Li Yunlong immediately tried to slip away: "Brigade commander, I'm really tired now, can I go back and rest first?"

The brigade commander held Li Yunlong's hand tightly, increasing the pressure even more. "The brigade headquarters is about to hold an important military meeting. You try missing it!" "Brigade commander, are you going to give your hell cannon to Ding Wei at this meeting?" Li Yunlong asked with a grin.

"Hmm!!!" The brigade commander glared fiercely.

Li immediately shrank back: "Brigade Commander, I know, I know, it's about studying the military mission of seizing the Japanese locomotive, right? I'll participate, I didn't say I wouldn't."

"Get the hell out of my way!" The brigade commander kicked Li Yunlong aside.

"Ding Wei, come here for a moment," the brigade commander called out to Ding Wei.

Ding Wei quickly approached the brigade commander: "Brigade Commander."

"How do you operate the Hell Cannon? Did you learn from Li Yunlong?" the brigade commander asked.

"I've learned it, but I haven't had any live-fire practice." Ding Wei nodded quickly, his heart immediately filled with anticipation.

He overheard the entire conversation between Li Yunlong and the brigade commander.

Although the brigade commander was so angry with Li Yunlong that he was about to explode, he eventually managed to suppress his anger.

What does this mean? It means that our Hell Cannon might actually work.

That kid Li Yunlong, it seems he really can do it.

"Come back to the brigade headquarters with me for a meeting first. When you return to the New First Regiment, take this hell cannon back with you," the brigade commander said. "Once the ammunition supply from the arsenal arrives, find a target yourself and conduct a live-fire test as quickly as possible."

"Yes, Brigade Commander." Ding Wei's voice was loud and clear, filled with excitement, he couldn't believe it was true!

In this way, the Independent Regiment and the New First Regiment both possessed the Hell Cannon, while the 772nd Regiment and the 771st Regiment did not. In Li Yunlong's words, this made quite a splash.

"Don't be so happy yet. Do you know why I'm giving you the Hell Cannon?" The brigade commander's expression was serious.

"Was it because I robbed money in Heyuan County and earned merit?" Ding Wei looked at the brigade commander.

“It’s not just that.” The brigade commander shook his head, then added, “You’re different from Cheng the Blind and Kong Jie. You can handle problems calmly at crucial moments, especially when dealing with Li Yunlong’s troublemaking. You did a very good job. I’m assigning you the Hell Cannon because I hope you can cooperate with Li Yunlong to the greatest extent possible.”

Hearing the brigade commander's words, Ding Wei was somewhat stunned: "Brigade commander, does that mean that if Li Yunlong causes you trouble, I will also..."

The brigade commander interrupted, "As long as you can gain an advantage and avoid losses, you can handle it as you see fit. However..."

The brigade commander paused heavily at this point, then continued, "However, when you think it's time to stop, you must nip that stubborn mule Li Yunlong in the bud!!!"

"Yes, Brigade Commander, I guarantee the mission will be completed." Ding Wei nodded solemnly.

After finishing his conversation with the brigade commander, Ding Wei excitedly approached Li Yunlong and said, "Old Li, thank you so much! My Hell Cannon is all set."

"Haha." Li Yunlong laughed heartily, very proud of himself. "Old Ding, what did I tell you? I'll get you the Hell Cannon from the brigade commander. This isn't bragging, is it? Let's see if that Kong Erlengzi will still be digging coal after this, hahaha."

……

(End of this chapter)