Chapter 177: Let The Cannonballs Fly Themselves!
Gao Liujin left, and Lao He noticed the diagram on the table in Li Muzhi’s office.
Lao He looked down and asked suspiciously, “Factory Director, are you improving the rockets? Regiment Commander Kong’s test results were already very good, no need to change them, right?”
Lao He had seen the structural drawings for the rockets launched by the rocket launcher.
Right now, many places in the diagram structure that Li Muzhi drew were similar.
So, Lao He mistakenly thought this was Li Muzhi improving them.
“This is not for improving the rockets, but for a new model of rockets.” Li Muzhi explained.
A new model of rockets?
Lao He didn’t quite understand Li Muzhi’s meaning and asked, “Factory Director, can you be more specific?”
Li Muzhi said, “The rocket launcher is light tactical-level artillery, and the Hell Cannon is heavy artillery, so our army still lacks medium artillery fire. This new type of rockets is to make up for our army’s lack of medium artillery fire.”
After hearing this, Lao He was a bit stunned and looked at Li Muzhi, “Factory Director, since it’s medium artillery fire, the caliber won’t be small, right? At that time, a single soldier carrying it on the shoulder probably won’t be able to handle it, right?”
In Lao He’s view, since this was also rockets, it definitely still needed to be launched with a cannon barrel.
Then the caliber definitely couldn’t be small.
A large caliber meant heavy weight as well.
With heavy weight, a single soldier might not be able to carry it.
Li Muzhi smiled and said, “Lao He, look at my diagram, did I draw a launch cannon barrel on it?”
Lao He looked down again, then looked up stunned at Li Muzhi, “Factory Director, I don’t understand your meaning.”
Lao He indeed did not understand Li Muzhi’s meaning.
In Lao He’s view, since it was to launch cannonballs, it definitely needed a cannon barrel.
Even the rockets that our arsenal just made could have no recoil, but they still needed a cannon barrel to launch.
For the Factory Director’s new weapon without drawing a cannon barrel, are you going to tell me you don’t need a cannon barrel anymore?
My goodness!
Launching cannonballs without a cannon barrel, wouldn’t that mean… So, Lao He really didn’t understand Li Muzhi’s meaning.
“The meaning is that this new model of rockets from me doesn’t need a cannon barrel; the cannonball can launch itself.” Li Muzhi explained.
“…” Upon hearing this, Lao He’s mind short-circuited directly.
No cannon barrel needed, and the cannonball can launch itself?
This isn’t a joke, is it!
If cannonballs could really fly on their own, what would cannons be for?
According to what you said, Factory Director, this would be equivalent to the cannonball flying over to kill the Japanese Invaders itself.
If you can make cannonballs today that fly over to kill the Japanese Invaders themselves, tomorrow could you make airplanes that fly over to kill the Japanese Invaders themselves?
Nonsense, this is really nonsense.
Of course!
Standing in front of Lao He was no one else but Li Muzhi.
If it were anyone else, Lao He would have spat a mouthful of old phlegm long ago.
Lao He had personally witnessed the miracles created by Li Muzhi.
This young Factory Director, his abilities were completely mismatched with his age.
After a long while, Lao He came back to his senses and looked hesitantly at Li Muzhi, “Factory Director, you’re really not joking, this cannonball can really fly on its own, no need for a cannon barrel to launch it?”
Li Muzhi explained, “The reason our rockets use a rocket launcher is that the rocket launcher only serves to ignite, aim, and support. The rocket actually relies on its own carried propellant to propel it out. For this new model of rockets, canceling the cannon barrel and letting the rocket launch itself, the principle is similar.”
Hearing Li Muzhi’s explanation, Lao He understood and his expression instantly became excited, “Factory Director, according to what you said, as long as we solve the aiming and support functions, it seems we indeed don’t need a cannon barrel.”
In Lao He’s heart, his worship of Li Muzhi immediately rose to an incredibly high level.
This was simply an unprecedented and unparalleled creative idea.
Letting cannonballs fly over to kill the enemy themselves—who would dare believe it!
And with Li Muzhi’s explanation, he saw the feasibility.
Our Factory Director is truly amazing.
We have large caliber steel pipes now, and the Factory Director bypassed huge chamber pressure to create the Hell Cannon.
We can smelt steel now, and the Factory Director directly canceled chamber pressure to create the rocket launcher.
Although our Border Region Arsenal can smelt steel, it still doesn’t have the capability to manufacture cannon barrels.
So.
Our Factory Director simply got rid of the cannon barrel altogether.
Directly letting the cannonball fly itself!
Damn… Lao He didn’t know what words to use to describe the Factory Director’s great wisdom.
“Lao He, don’t get too excited yet.” Li Muzhi told Lao He to calm down, “I’ve only drawn the diagram first. To make this new model of rockets, we’re still lacking some important equipment. We might have to wait until Regimental Commander Li takes the Japanese Invaders’ new arsenal.”
Lao He was still extremely excited and said, “Regimental Commander Li taking the Japanese Invaders’ new arsenal is definitely no problem. Factory Director, you’re really too amazing. If I tell Old Lu and the others about this idea of yours, I tell you, they would directly choose to stay, and I wouldn’t need to do much work.”
What work is there to do?
The Factory Director’s wisdom is so impressive; being able to work under such a top military industry expert is a blessing that takes several lifetimes to cultivate.
If Old Qi and Old Lu learned about the Factory Director’s new thing that simply doesn’t need a cannon barrel, they would be completely convinced from the heart, and even if beaten with sticks, they wouldn’t step back.
“Lao He, you should go host the production. I haven’t finished drawing this yet.” Li Muzhi said calmly.
“Yes, Factory Director.” Lao He’s voice was loud and clear; he quickly and respectfully exited and closed the door.
Lao He returned to the workshop, his face still beaming with an incredibly bright smile, unable to close his mouth.
“Lao He, what’s making you so happy?” Metallurgy Doctor Old Zhang asked Lao He curiously.
“Old Zhang, yesterday I talked to you, and you still want to go back to Huangyadong Arsenal, right?” Lao He first teased him.
“I do want to stay, but after all, I came from there.” Old Zhang’s tone was tactful.
He wanted to stay, but Huangyadong Arsenal had treated him well too.
“No problem, if you want to go back, no one will stop you.” Lao He nodded, then said mysteriously, “Have you ever heard of cannonballs that don’t need cannons to launch and can fly to kill the enemy themselves?”
“Lao He, don’t joke.” Old Zhang shook his head immediately upon hearing it, “Traditional cannonballs are propelled out by the huge chamber pressure of cannons. Even the rockets made by our Border Region Arsenal need a rocket launcher to fire; how could cannonballs fly on their own! If that’s true, why make cannon barrels at all—just make cannonballs.”
“Hehe.” Lao He knew Old Zhang would say that; he chuckled and then said, “I just went to our Factory Director’s office, and I saw our Factory Director working on a new weapon.”
“Lao He, don’t tell me your Factory Director is making cannonballs that don’t need a cannon barrel and can fly to kill the enemy themselves?” Old Zhang questioned immediately.
I admit that Factory Director Li of our Border Region Arsenal is very capable, an impressive talent.
Even we few overseas-educated graduate doctors feel inferior in front of Factory Director Li.
But you, Lao He, bragging that your Factory Director Li can make cannonballs that launch without a cannon barrel—no one would believe that.
Cannons have been around for centuries, always following the same model, right?
Could this Factory Director Li possibly change a model that’s been around for centuries!
“Who is our Factory Director? He’s a once-in-millennia genius!” Lao He boasted, “Human civilization is only a few millennia old, and in those millennia, only our Factory Director emerged. Don’t say he can make cannonballs that fly out to kill the enemy themselves—I believe that in the future, he might even make airplanes that fly out to kill the enemy themselves. Our soldiers won’t even need to contact the enemy; they’ll wipe out the Japanese Invaders.”
“Lao He, I know Factory Director Li is an extraordinary talent, but aren’t you exaggerating a bit?” Old Lu, who graduated from Berlin University’s Steel Department, really couldn’t listen anymore.
Even a salesman doesn’t boast like that.
“If you don’t believe it, no problem; at lunchtime, you can ask our Factory Director yourselves.” After whetting their appetite, Lao He went off to work.
Old Lu and Old Zhang looked at each other, then at Lao He’s back; Old Lu said, “How much of what Lao He said do you believe?”
“How much? I don’t believe a single bit!” Old Zhang blurted out, “The firing principle of artillery is right there; for centuries, artillery has been done this way. Factory Director Li getting rid of the cannon barrel and letting the cannonball fly itself—this, this, this…”
By the end, Old Zhang’s tone couldn’t help but hesitate a bit, “Lao He isn’t usually one to joke; could it be that Factory Director Li really can do it?”
After all, although the Border Region Arsenal can smelt steel, it still doesn’t have the capability to make standard cannon barrels.
If Li Muzhi wants to make new artillery, he simply doesn’t want the cannon barrel—this, this, this… It sounds absurd, but what if he really can do it.
“We should go ask Factory Director Li.” Old Lu felt it was necessary to ask Li Muzhi.
If Li Muzhi really has such wisdom to change centuries of artillery firing modes, then, then, then we’d stay even if beaten to death.
We’ll tie ourselves to the Border Region Arsenal from now on.
“Let’s ask at lunchtime instead.” Old Zhang held back Old Lu, “Factory Director Li’s time is precious; we should try not to disturb him. What if it affects Factory Director Li making this cannonball that doesn’t need a cannon barrel and flies itself—Minister Zhang would light us up!”
“True, that makes sense.” Old Lu nodded, “Then we’ll ask Factory Director Li at noon.”
These two big shots decided not to disturb Li Muzhi for now.
But the topic of Li Muzhi making cannonballs that don’t need a cannon barrel and can fly themselves quickly spread inside the arsenal:
“Heard about it? Our Factory Director is making new artillery that doesn’t need a cannon barrel; the cannonball can fly to kill the enemy itself.”
“Real or fake? Don’t spread rumors. Without a cannon barrel to launch, how could the cannonball fly to kill the enemy itself.”
“No cannon barrel, cannonball flies itself—our Factory Director is too awesome.”
“Exactly, the arsenal can’t make cannon barrels, so the Factory Director simply ditched the cannon barrel—impressive.”
“If cannonballs can fly to kill the enemy today, maybe tomorrow the guns the Factory Director makes can also fly to kill the enemy.”
“Guns flying to kill the enemy is nothing; maybe our Factory Director can even make airplanes that fly themselves to kill the Japanese Invaders.”
“Airplanes killing Japanese Invaders themselves is nothing; maybe our Factory Director can make even more awesome cannonballs that fly to the Japanese Homeland and directly bomb the Emperor to death, ending the war.”
“Bombing the Emperor to death is nothing; best to sink the entire Japanese Homeland.”
“Right, our Factory Director is so awesome, he can definitely do it—cut the Japanese Invaders down root and stem, eliminating the threat forever!”
……
