Chapter 116: Risky Raids Can’t Compare To Our Own Production
The 120th Division’s special commissioner is here?
Li Muzhi had not yet expressed his opinion when Zhang Wanhe on the side immediately said seriously: “It’s obvious that the other side came for the four thousand jin of sugar.”
“Minister Zhang, what’s going on?” Li Muzhi could tell that Zhang Wanhe had more to say.
Regimental Commander Gao of the 120th Division’s New Third Regiment brought four thousand jin of sugar to the arsenal, and the sugar has already been stored.
Looking at the situation, could it be that the 120th Division side wants to go back on it and take it back?
“I only overheard it.” Zhang Wanhe explained, “These four thousand jin of sugar were not captured by Gao Liujin; he was just helping with transportation. But unexpectedly, they directly transported it to our arsenal.”
Unexpectedly?
Four thousand jin of sugar was transported to the arsenal!!!
Li Muzhi was quite shocked upon hearing this.
He didn’t believe it was just an accident!
Clearly, Regimental Commander Gao had committed a major disciplinary violation.
“Let the person in.” Zhang Wanhe instructed Lao He.
“Okay.” Lao He turned and went out.
“Xiao Li, I’ll handle the matter with the sugar and the 120th Division’s special commissioner. You go do your work.” Zhang Wanhe said to Li Muzhi.
“Factory Director, I’m on break right now.” Li Muzhi said.
“That works too.” Zhang Wanhe nodded and said to Li Muzhi, “If they want to take the sugar back, don’t say anything; I’ll handle it.”
“Mm, okay.” Li Muzhi nodded.
Soon, a middle-aged man hurried in.
Zhang Wanhe knew this person and greeted him: “Old Zhou, what’s wrong? Is it urgent?”
“Old Zhang, did you receive four thousand jin of sugar?” Old Zhou asked directly.
“Yes, Gao Liujin transported it over.” Zhang Wanhe nodded, looking at him. “Old Zhou, you’re not trying to take it back, are you? The sugar has already been stored.”
“It was really Gao Liujin who transported it, and the four thousand jin of sugar is really here with you?” Old Zhou confirmed again, his expression half happy and half angry!
“What’s going on, Old Zhou? Gao Liujin transporting four thousand jin of sugar over…” Zhang Wanhe was puzzled.
Old Zhou explained: “At that time, our troops robbed the Japanese invaders’ transportation and obtained four thousand jin of sugar, but the Japanese invaders chased fiercely. Especially the Third Japanese Regiment also sent troops. Gao Liujin didn’t arrive at the location on the agreed time, so we all thought he had been wiped out by the Third Japanese Regiment and the sugar taken back. Thank goodness, this kid Gao Liujin protected the sugar and transported it to the arsenal side.”
Zhang Wanhe was even more puzzled: “Old Zhou, since Gao Liujin protected the sugar and transported it to the arsenal side, isn’t that a good thing? Why are you so angry?”
“Nonsense, how can I not be angry!” Old Zhou scolded, “After Gao Liujin protected the sugar, he should have transported it to the brigade headquarters or division headquarters. But instead, he directly brought it to the arsenal without even notifying the brigade or division headquarters. It nearly drove the brigade and division headquarters mad. If it were you, wouldn’t you be angry? Moreover, this scoundrel transported the sugar to the arsenal and directly exchanged it for Hell Cannons and cannonballs. That’s using public property for private purposes. Can that be allowed?”
If Li Yunlong were here, he would definitely understand immediately.
No wonder Gao Liujin wanted to attack the Third Regiment; it turned out the Third Regiment had sent troops against him. He took the Hell Cannon and cannonballs straight to the Third Regiment’s lair for retaliation.
As for the iron smelting plant discovered in the Third Regiment Area, it could only be an unexpected surprise, not something Gao Liujin had obtained intelligence about in advance.
If this kid Gao Liujin really knew there was an iron smelting plant in the Third Regiment Area, he wouldn’t have only exchanged for lethal shells and not armor-piercing shells.
“Haha, of course that’s not allowed.” Zhang Wanhe laughed a few times after hearing about the combat troops’ situation, looking at Old Zhou: “Since you already know Gao Liujin exchanged the sugar for cannons, what are you doing here? Don’t tell me you want to back out?”
If Gao Liujin had notified the division and brigade headquarters in advance, he definitely wouldn’t have gotten the Hell Cannon. This guy has some guts.
“What exactly did Gao Liujin exchange the sugar for here?” Old Zhou asked.
“He exchanged for one Hell Cannon and sixty cannonballs, but since there weren’t enough cannonballs, he was temporarily given ten, with another fifty not yet produced—they’re on credit.” Zhang Wanhe explained.
“What? This scoundrel used four thousand jin of sugar to exchange for just one Hell Cannon!” Old Zhou shouted upon hearing this, his voice nearly lifting the ceiling.
Hell Cannons are so rare; shouldn’t you, Gao Liujin, have exchanged for more than one?
You only exchanged for one—did you consider how the division commander and brigade commander would feel?
With just one Hell Cannon, the division commander and brigade commander fighting over it wouldn’t look good.
Old Zhou immediately said to Zhang Wanhe: “Old Zhang, can I make an exchange? I don’t need so many cannonballs; change it to a cannon?”
“Of course.” Zhang Wanhe nodded.
“Here’s the deal: deduct twenty from the fifty cannonballs and exchange them for one Hell Cannon for me.” Old Zhou said.
Then two Hell Cannons with thirty cannonballs should be about right.
As for the cannonballs in Gao Liujin’s hands, no need to think about it—there definitely aren’t any left.
This scoundrel took the cannon and went off somewhere to stir up trouble; they haven’t found him yet.
“You don’t want to exchange for one more Hell Cannon?” Zhang Wanhe asked. “There’s only one left; you sure you don’t want it?”
“I want to, but we can’t have too few cannonballs; we need them over there.” Old Zhou explained. “We robbed the Japanese invaders’ transportation, and they definitely won’t let it go; they’ll retaliate. So we need cannonballs. Otherwise, Old Zhang, you could exchange the last Hell Cannon to me. Credit me fifty cannonballs…”
Before Old Zhou finished, Zhang Wanhe interrupted: “Old Zhou, cannonballs can’t be put on credit unless you report to the headquarters leader and apply.”
Crediting fifty cannonballs is no small amount.
If the combat operation really needs it, tell the headquarters leader, and they will handle it accordingly.
“That’s not…” Old Zhou’s words were cut off as someone hurried over: “Old Zhou, we’ve found him—we found Gao Liujin; we’ve found the person.”
Upon hearing they’d found Gao Liujin, Old Zhou was immediately filled with murderous intent: “Where’s this scoundrel? Where is he?”
“It was 386th Brigade who sent someone to remind us. Gao Liujin is attacking the Third Regiment. Division headquarters found out and immediately sent people to the Third Regiment side…” The person’s words were not finished.
Old Zhou staggered, nearly losing his balance, his eyes bulging: “What did you say? Did Gao Liujin, that scoundrel, go attack the Third Regiment!!!”
This Third Regiment is not to be trifled with.
It crushed two direct line divisions in the Xinkou Battle!
You bastard Gao Liujin, taking one Hell Cannon and ten cannonballs to take on the Third Regiment—isn’t that suicide!
Although Zhang Wanhe didn’t know much about combat troops’ affairs, one regiment taking on a Japanese invaders’ regiment sounded truly shocking.
This Regimental Commander Gao was even more trouble-prone than Li Yunlong.
Li Muzhi on the side was also very shocked; he knew the caliber of the Third Regiment.
He hadn’t expected Gao Liujin to dare attack them; even Old Li didn’t have the guts.
“Old Zhou, mainly because Regimental Commander Gao won. Not only did he take out the Third Regiment’s new regimental commander Mita Taro, he even discovered a Japanese invaders’ iron smelting plant in the Third Regiment Area…” The person’s words were not finished.
Zhang Wanhe said in surprise: “It’s really an iron smelting plant?”
Although Li Muzhi had said that when the time came, cannonballs would be plentiful and if there was no iron, combat troops could directly dismantle it from the Japanese invaders’ railway.
But that wasn’t a long-term solution; troops dismantling railways would still suffer casualties.
If they could smelt iron themselves, that would mean something entirely different.
Risking raids could never compare to their own production!
Li Muzhi was also stunned. An iron smelting plant? Gao Liujin’s luck was too good.
The mine equipment that Li Yunlong had snatched earlier was for mining copper ore, but it could also be used for iron ore.
Once the power issue was solved, if they could smelt iron themselves, they could try manufacturing the new gadget.
Old Zhou was from the combat troops, so he didn’t fully grasp the concept of an iron smelting plant; what mattered to him was troop kills and combat power. He glared at the person: “Gao Liujin really defeated the Third Regiment?”
One regiment attacking a Japanese invaders’ regiment head-on—how did Gao Liujin win?
Of course.
If Gao Liujin could defeat the Third Regiment, that would be hugely significant.
It would accumulate valuable head-on attack experience for our army.
“It seems he teamed up with 386th Brigade’s Regimental Commander Li.” The person explained.
“How did Gao Liujin end up with Li Yunlong?” Old Zhou was stunned. “These two never got along, did they?”
Although Gao Liujin had split off from the 386th Brigade side, the issues between him and Li Yunlong were old news.
Li Yunlong had his troops seize grain, causing a big fuss.
And Gao Liujin was the one robbed; these two fought every time they met. Them teaming up against the Third Regiment sounded too far-fetched.
“I don’t know the details.” The person shook his head, looking at Old Zhou. “They’re on their way back to the arsenal now. Do you want to go catch him, or wait for Gao Liujin to come himself…”
Old Zhou interrupted directly: “Nonsense! Waiting for him—who knows if this scoundrel will disappear halfway again? Where would I even find him!”
With that, Old Zhou turned to Zhang Wanhe: “Old Zhang, I’ll come back for the Hell Cannon and cannonballs later. I’m going to deal with this scoundrel Gao Liujin first. You don’t know how anxious the division commander and brigade commander were.”
“I understand, I understand.” Zhang Wanhe nodded, fully understanding.
Then, Zhang Wanhe still said: “My transportation team has organized manpower and vehicles. Want to take them along? To bring the stuff back while you’re at it? Never mind, I’ll personally lead the transportation team there.”
This was an iron smelting plant; Old Zhang felt it was safer to personally lead the transportation team to receive it.
“Alright, Old Zhang, sorry to trouble you.” Old Zhou nodded and stepped forward to leave.
Zhang Wanhe turned to Li Muzhi: “Xiao Li, you wait here at the arsenal. I’ll go move the iron smelting plant back for you.”
“Okay, Minister Zhang, be careful on the road.” Li Muzhi nodded.
Old Zhou noticed Zhang Wanhe’s attitude toward Li Muzhi and realized he had been so focused on catching Gao Liujin and confirming the four thousand jin of sugar that he overlooked Li Muzhi, the renowned arsenal factory director.
Old Zhou immediately said politely to Li Muzhi: “Factory Director Li, sorry, I neglected you. I thought you were just an ordinary person at this arsenal…”
Li Muzhi smiled and said: “No problem, you go ahead with your business. Secure the people and things, then come back here.”
“Okay.”
……
Old Zhou and Old Zhang led the transportation team and hurriedly left the arsenal.
