Chapter 217: Newcomers Arrive At The Border Region Arsenal
Li Yunlong’s troops passed by the New First Regiment, and Ding Wei happened to bring the New First Regiment out too, so the two traveled together to the assembly point.
“Old Li, you’re awesome!” Ding Wei noticed Yan Kai and immediately praised Li Yunlong greatly.
This time, to buy time for our Border Region Arsenal, the troops have to jump to the outer line of the encirclement and go to the Japanese invaders’ vulnerable rear to cause trouble.
Although the rear behind enemy lines is vulnerable, the risk is still very high.
If things go wrong, we could become an isolated army under siege.
And yet Li Yunlong brought Yan Kai along again—what does that mean.
It means that at the critical moment, he can pull in the Jin Sui Army again.
“Heh heh.” Li Yunlong chuckled smugly and said, “I volunteered to the brigade commander to go stir things up behind enemy lines—how could I do that without some reliance!”
Ding Wei asked, “So how did you trick Yan Kai into coming along again?”
Logically speaking, after Yan Kai was used by Li Yunlong once, he should at least stay vigilant.
Even if Yan Kai himself isn’t wary, with all those people in the Jin Sui Army, couldn’t at least one of them be vigilant?
This Yan Kai is Officer Yan’s close relative and holds real power in their arsenal and finance.
“This Yan Kai isn’t a good thing—he’s coveting our five carts of tungsten ore, coveting our Younger Brother Li, coveting our Hell Cannon shells, coveting our rocket launchers.” Li Yunlong said irritably, “Tell me, he’s coveting so many of our things—could I let him covet them for nothing? With a little scheming, look, he obediently blindfolded himself and followed me.”
“He’s also coveting our five carts of tungsten ore—what’s that about?” Ding Wei asked suspiciously.
Ding Wei could understand the Jin Sui Army coveting Li Muzhi, coveting the Hell Cannon shells and rocket launchers.
But for them to also covet our five carts of tungsten ore, their hand is reaching out a bit too fast.
“It’s like this…” Li Yunlong told Ding Wei the truth.
After hearing it, Ding Wei cursed, “This Officer Yan is truly too hypocritical.”
Then Ding Wei still said, “But since they mentioned equipment, they probably want to trade equipment for our tungsten ore. I think we can discuss that with headquarters.”
Li Yunlong glared upon hearing this: “Old Ding, aren’t you afraid of getting scolded by the headquarters leader?”
This is tungsten ore—it’s a strategic metal!
The Japanese invaders are going crazy for it, which only shows the value of this tungsten ore even more.
If you, Ding Wei, mention this to the headquarters leader, won’t the headquarters leader slam the table!
“Old Li, why are you in such a hurry.” Ding Wei said unhurriedly, “Officer Yan is proactively offering equipment to our arsenal—if we don’t take it, wouldn’t that be letting down his good intentions? Right now, developing our arsenal is more important than anything.”
“But the tungsten ore is important too.” Li Yunlong pointed out, “Even if Officer Yan himself can’t refine it and the Japanese invaders are blockading sea, land, and air so he can’t sell it, giving it to him is still like him helping us store it. But once the Japanese invaders are driven away, we’ll probably still have to fight them sooner or later, and then they’ll use this tungsten ore to trade for arms from the great powers, and those arms will end up aimed at us.”
“What if the tungsten ore is fake.” Ding Wei laughed.
“Fake tungsten ore?” Li Yunlong’s eyes widened at this, his expression gradually changing: “You mean…”
Exactly—how could Old Ding the scheming advisor lose his mind? Turns out he’s planning to use fake tungsten ore to swap for Officer Yan’s real equipment.
As for the fake tungsten ore, Younger Brother Li is so capable—faking it shouldn’t be a problem.
Anyway, Officer Yan won’t refine it and has no relevant equipment; he doesn’t even know how to test tungsten ore.
As long as the appearance is done well enough to pass as real, it’s practically getting something for nothing.
Ding Wei said seriously, “Did he really think our tungsten ore is so easy to covet? How could he not pay a price?”
“Then I’ll immediately send someone to the Border Region Arsenal to communicate with Younger Brother Li in advance and see if he can make some fake tungsten ore ahead of time.” Li Yunlong acted decisively.
If Li Muzhi can manage it, they can report to headquarters later.
“Fine.”
Li Yunlong quickly sent Sun Desheng on a fast horse toward the Border Region Arsenal direction, while he and Ding Wei continued leading the troops to the assembly point.
……
Border Region Arsenal
“Xiao Li, how’s the flashbang coming along?”
Logistics Minister Zhang Wanhe happily came before Li Muzhi. Even though Li Muzhi had just started making it, Zhang Wanhe couldn’t wait.
Zhang Wanhe had heard Li Muzhi say that this flash weapon was named the flashbang.
Throw it into a room—even if the enemy closes their eyes or turns away, it’s useless.
The brightness of this flashbang is equivalent to 800 light bulbs exploding at once.
This is millions of candlepower of light; the retinas and optic nerves are burned in minutes, temporarily blinding them—or if the effect is good, even causing permanent damage.
“Minister Zhang, I told you it takes one or two days—this is just the start.” Li Muzhi replied.
This flashbang isn’t made by Li Muzhi alone; the powder mixing, projectile body production, parts processing, etc.
Li Muzhi had arranged for others to do them separately according to his requirements.
If Li Muzhi had to do it all himself, the time would be greatly delayed.
This is the benefit of having assistants and right-hand men—not needing to do everything personally.
Then Li Muzhi said to Zhang Wanhe, “Minister Zhang, we need to hurry with training new people at this arsenal—your efficiency is a bit slow. How come the newcomers haven’t been sent yet?”
Although the Border Region Arsenal had borrowed skilled workers from other arsenals and was rushing weapons and ammunition production.
But they were from other arsenals after all and had to be returned—they couldn’t be delayed too long.
The Border Region Arsenal needed to quickly train more military industry personnel.
Moreover, as the Border Region Arsenal grows and develops branches, it will need more military industry personnel.
So, training in advance is beyond doubt—it’s urgent.
Even if the Japanese invaders launch raids now, while preparing for transfer, we still need to hurry and train talent.
Exactly.
Although no one wants to move, transfer preparations still need to be made.
If the combat troops don’t fight smoothly, we’ll have to transfer by force then too.
Of course, if the combat troops do well in the warfare, we won’t need to transfer—that’s even better.
Zhang Wanhe said, “The main thing is your requirements are too high, Xiao Li. You want university students, not illiterates. Then you say best if they’ve studied physics, chemistry, math—not just those who can read and write essays. You want quick-minded and energetic ones, not rigid bookworms. You want…”
Li Muzhi interrupted Zhang Wanhe: “Minister Zhang, I told you—iron barracks, flowing soldiers! The Border Region Arsenal urgently needs to train a core of senior technical backbone. Once that senior technical backbone core is set up, they’ll be like the iron barracks. On one hand, they’ll handle production here at the Border Region Arsenal; on the other, they’ll nurture more elite workers. It’s like planting a crop once, but harvesting endlessly.”
This isn’t Li Muzhi being demanding—it’s about laying the foundation cradle for incubating elite workers in advance.
It’s like the foundation of a house—the more solid the foundation, the taller the building.
“Heh heh, yes, yes, you’re right!” Zhang Wanhe didn’t refute Li Muzhi, chuckled, then changed the subject: “Actually, I came not to rush your flashbang, but to tell you good news. The rear selected and screened out twenty-eight university students according to your requirements—either studied physics or chemistry, anyway they all fit. Take a look—this is the list.”
After Zhang Wanhe finished, he grinned and handed the list to Li Muzhi.
Twenty-eight people?
Li Muzhi was still quite surprised to hear it.
In his view, his requirements were already very high.
Being able to gather ten would be good.
This isn’t to say the Eighth Route Army lacks talent—on the contrary, there are plenty of elite talents in the Eighth Route Army ranks.
It’s just that advanced intellectuals are scarce everywhere, and the Japanese invaders’ blockade is tight, so many can’t be sent across the blockade line to the Second War Zone.
Especially such advanced intellectuals—forget ten; three to five would be burning incense.
The rear sent twenty-eight at once.
On the surface, it’s twenty-eight people.
In reality, they will become the future cornerstone for the Border Region Arsenal’s growth and development.
“Where are they? Take me to see them right away.” Li Muzhi took the list folder while eagerly wanting to meet them.
“They’re in the meeting room now.” Zhang Wanhe said.
“Let’s go, right to the meeting room.” Li Muzhi immediately set aside his current work to head to the meeting room.
On the way to the meeting room following Li Muzhi, Zhang Wanhe still reminded him: “Xiao Li, there are a few troublemakers in there—just like Regimental Commander Li. They have a cultural foundation but bad tempers, often disobeying management. You’d best prepare mentally in advance.”
Originally, when the rear sent these troublemakers, Zhang Wanhe wanted to send them straight back.
But then he thought, since they’ve been sent, let Xiao Li take a look.
Maybe Xiao Li can tame them.
Of course, if Xiao Li can’t handle them, he can send them back himself.
“Heh heh.” Li Muzhi chuckled and said, “Young people are bound to be hot-headed. To be honest, the type I like most is troublemakers.”
In this world, people with personality are never mediocrities.
Don’t mention anything else—just take Li Yunlong as an example.
Fiery temper, unruly and untamed.
Often disobeying management, throwing tantrums at the drop of a hat!
But he ran into the Sakada Regiment and smashed it with just light weapons.
Whereas Whampoa high achiever Chu Yunfei or hard-fighting Kong Jie—even in just an encounter battle with the Sakada Regiment—fought miserably.
And Li Yunlong did it in a frontal bayonet fight, frontal combat.
Take another example from later generations: a certain writer surnamed Han. As a youth, he was rebellious, didn’t follow classroom discipline—for instance, not taking notes in language class, even mocking the teacher, “My language is the best in the city.”
When he entered high school, he was held back for grades and eventually dropped out for failing seven subjects.
When he left, a teacher asked what he would do next.
This writer surnamed Han said he’d rely on writing, and the teachers just shook their heads and laughed, not believing it possible.
Yet in fact, this writer surnamed Han not only supported himself by writing but became a shining young writer of that era, a TV star.
He even made movies, with one film’s box office reaching over three billion!
In short, anyone with real ability and skill is a troublemaker.
Troublemakers are wild horses—once tamed, they can run faster and farther than others.
“Heh heh, then let’s take a look.” Zhang Wanhe chuckled too.
