Shining Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to a Great Power’s Heavy Industry

Chapter 1: Arsenal Shuts Down
“Li Muzhi, the Border Region Arsenal is entrusted to you.”
“Before the end of the month, the bullet delivery quantity must not be less than one thousand rounds.”
“I don’t care what method you use, normal production or unconventional production, in any case, the bullet quantity must be guaranteed.”
“Also, grenade production must resume before the end of the month, and next month’s grenade output must also return to normal!”
Head of Logistics Zhang Wanhe said to Li Muzhi in a serious tone.
“Please rest assured, Minister Zhang, I guarantee to complete the task!” Li Muzhi nodded heavily.
Li Muzhi was originally a top military industry expert from later generations. After dying of old age, he opened his eyes again and found himself transmigrated into the Shining Sword world.
The original owner was also called Li Muzhi and was the deputy factory director of the Border Region Arsenal.
The Yamazaki Brigade sneaked an attack on First Line Sky, and the Border Region Arsenal also suffered losses.
The original arsenal factory director was injured, so Zhang Wanhe promoted deputy factory director Li Muzhi to factory director, having him continue to oversee the arsenal’s bullet production and restore Border Region grenade production within the deadline.
“Go to work.”
“Yes, Minister Zhang.”
……
Li Muzhi returned to the new factory of the Border Region Arsenal, where the workers had already begun restoring production in full swing.
Workers of this era had very high awareness and knew what to do without being told.
Li Muzhi gathered the arsenal’s key personnel for a meeting and asked, “Has the arsenal’s losses been specifically tallied?”
“Factory Director, it’s already been tallied. The losses aren’t big. Take a look.” Workshop Director Lao He slowly handed a notebook to Li Muzhi.
Lao He, whose original name was Da Da Rong, was forty-five years old and a veteran of the arsenal.
He was twice Li Muzhi’s age, and Lao He actually had some emotions about Li Muzhi becoming the arsenal’s factory director.
However, this was Minister Zhang’s appointment, so Lao He could only cooperate with Li Muzhi’s work.
Li Muzhi took the notebook and looked. The arsenal’s losses were indeed not big.
This Border Region Arsenal was an arsenal at best, or a small workshop at worst, with hardly any machinery and equipment.
With such a thin family fortune, what losses could there be.
The arsenal’s biggest loss was that the original factory director was injured.
Li Muzhi noticed the record at the end of the notebook: surprisingly, there was an extra batch of mechanical supplies, including welding machine, cutting machine, generator, and so on.
There was no memory in the original owner’s mind about this batch of supplies, so Li Muzhi asked Lao He, “What’s the deal with the supplies recorded at the end of this notebook?”
“This was robbed by Independent Regiment Regimental Commander Li Yunlong during one of his side businesses. The enemy was pressing hard at the time, so it was hidden outside. It was only dug up and turned in these past few days.” Lao He explained to Li Muzhi, then added, “This Li Yunlong was shameless when he left and wanted twenty cases of grenades, but I didn’t give them. Without approval from Minister Zhang and you, I didn’t dare make the decision on my own.”
“This Regimental Commander Li must have been cursing when he left.” Li Muzhi couldn’t help but smile.
Li Yunlong never took a loss. He turned in the stuff but still wanted grenades.
Lao He didn’t give them, so Li Yunlong must have left hopping mad.
“You bet. I’ve never seen such a wild regimental commander. This guy doesn’t act like one at all; he’s just a rogue.” Lao He was somewhat troubled. “He said he’d come back. He said this batch of supplies can’t be turned in for nothing, and you must give him those twenty cases of grenades when he returns.”
“Let’s not talk about Regimental Commander Li for now. Where is this batch of supplies? Take me to see it.” Li Muzhi set aside this little interlude.
Lao He led Li Muzhi to a new storeroom.
Li Muzhi quickly checked it over, his face breaking into a grin: “Forget twenty cases of grenades; even giving Li Yunlong fifty cases wouldn’t be too much.”
Li Muzhi hadn’t expected that this machinery and equipment was real: generator, cutting machine, welding machine, large caliber steel pipes, and more.
As a top military industry expert from later generations, a term immediately popped into Li Muzhi’s mind: Hell Cannon!
The Hell Cannon was a bizarre weapon produced in the Middle East in later generations, modified from gas tanks, with simple craftsmanship, low cost, and huge lethality.
One shell had the power of three thousand grenades and swept the battlefield, becoming a favorite.
The US Military was badly beaten by this Hell Cannon.
Of course, the Hell Cannon wasn’t without flaws, like poor accuracy control, often missing, and short range, only fifty meters.
Think about it: at fifty meters, three thousand grenades exploding at once—what’s the difference from suicide.
However, as a top military industry expert, Li Muzhi could control accuracy by installing balance tail wings.
As for range, it could also be extended.
Hell Cannon shells were modified from gas tanks, but they could use materials for making grenades to cast smaller aerodynamic projectile bodies. Making the projectile body smaller would reduce air resistance and weight, allowing it to fly farther.
As for the explosives in the shells, that was no problem at all for Li Muzhi.
The arsenal’s warehouse now had sugar and fertilizer, which could be used to make high explosive.
Workshop Director Lao He saw Li Muzhi grinning from ear to ear and seriously reminded him, “Factory Director, I know this batch of supplies is very important, and Regimental Commander Li has made a great contribution, but you still need to stay calm. Giving Regimental Commander Li fifty cases of grenades won’t do. If all the grenades go to the Independent Regiment, what about the other troops?”
The arsenal’s warehouse currently had exactly fifty cases of grenades left.
“Let’s go back and continue the meeting.” Li Muzhi did not respond directly to Lao He.
Lao He didn’t ask, but his expression was still very serious.
If at the meeting Li Muzhi really gave the Independent Regiment fifty cases of grenades, he would definitely object.
Back in the meeting room, Li Muzhi dropped a bombshell: “I’m now announcing a notice: immediately stop current bullet production, and halt the resumption of grenade production!”
The Border Region Arsenal couldn’t produce bullets itself and could only refill bullet casings picked up from the battlefield.
The quality of these refilled bullets was indescribable.
Inaccurate, short range, and in rainy weather, they were prone to getting damp and failing to fire properly.
As for the quality of Border Region grenades, Independent Regiment Regimental Commander Li Yunlong had already made it very clear.
Sometimes they only split in half when exploding, often causing delays on the battlefield.
Since Li Muzhi could make the Hell Cannon, he definitely had to prioritize the big guns first.
What, making big guns means failing the bullet and grenade tasks—how to explain to Minister Zhang?
That’s not a problem. Minister Zhang said it didn’t matter the method, normal production or unconventional—as long as the result is achieved, not the process.
With big guns, relying on Regimental Commander Li’s side business skills, have him rob Japanese invaders’ bullets and melon grenades. Completing Minister Zhang’s targets would be a piece of cake, and the quality would be guaranteed!
Li Yunlong had said it: good weapons in hand make the backbone strong!
Without the Hell Cannon, he could still rob a batch of machinery and equipment. Give him the Hell Cannon, and he’d definitely rob even more.
The Border Region Arsenal had too little machinery and equipment; they must have Li Yunlong use the Hell Cannon to rob more for them.