Chapter 47: Li Yunlong Gets Friendly
“Old Li, I still have to thank you. If it weren’t for you…” Ding Wei was sincerely grateful to Li Yunlong.
With the Hell Cannon, the cannonball supply is now in place. Ding Wei’s New First Regiment has a higher starting point, can kill more Japanese invaders, and can fight tougher battles.
The New First Regiment is nominally a Garrison Regiment, but what we want is the substance of a Main Regiment!
“Hey, Old Ding, talking like that is meaningless. Who are we to each other?” Li Yunlong hooked his hand on Ding Wei’s shoulder and laughed, “Now you have a Hell Cannon, and I have a Hell Cannon too. If there’s an opportunity later, us brothers should team up for a big one.”
“Alright, no problem. As long as we get the Hell Cannon and the Brigade Commander allows it, even if it’s over a mountain of knives or into a sea of fire, I’ll stick with you to the end.” Ding Wei nodded, then remembered something and couldn’t help saying, “It’s just a bit of a pity.”
“A pity about what?” Li Yunlong asked.
“It’s a pity Old Kong isn’t hanging out with us.” Ding Wei said, “If Old Kong could get a Hell Cannon too, then us three brothers working together would be truly satisfying.”
“You’re right. This Kong Er Lengzi is now helping Li Muzhi with coal mining, no chance to make merits…” Li Yunlong muttered to himself, then said: “When we get to the Arsenal, how about we persuade him? Just stop mining coal for Li Muzhi, let him hang out with us two. We’ll lead him to make merits, help him train his troops. Once he has a Hell Cannon too, we can team up strong and do some big things.”
Ding Wei was stunned, his tone serious: “Old Li, don’t go inciting Old Kong. Combat Troops have no combat missions right now, the Arsenal’s military industry production has demand, Combat Troops can’t refuse. Don’t make Old Kong commit a big mistake. Besides, mining three days of coal for Li Muzhi gets him one Hell Cannon shell—that’s a great deal others can’t even dream of. Don’t mess around, or the Brigade Commander definitely won’t let you off.”
Ding Wei hadn’t expected that Li Yunlong actually wanted to incite Kong Jie.
“Where did I incite him? I’m just giving Old Kong an opportunity.” Li Yunlong said seriously, “Yes, I admit that mining coal for the Arsenal is a sweet job. If I, Li Yunlong, didn’t like mixing it up on the battlefield, I’d be jealous of Kong Jie too. But opportunities on the battlefield are really more than mining coal. Look, we snatched the Japanese invaders’ money, attacked No. 5 Supply Station and grabbed oil. With these captures, which one is worse than mining coal?”
“You can’t just see the gains and not the risks.” Ding Wei scolded, “You think luck will favor you every time, licking blood off a knife’s edge—one mistake is enough to keep you down. Besides, stockpiling coal at the Arsenal is very important. If Kong Jie doesn’t mine coal…”
“So many troops are jealous, if Kong Jie doesn’t mine, plenty of others will. It won’t delay the Arsenal stockpiling coal.” Li Yunlong interrupted.
“Old Li, I still have to advise you properly. Don’t stir up Kong Jie mining coal for Li Muzhi.” Ding Wei still tried to persuade him kindly.
“I’m just giving Old Kong an opportunity. See if he grabs it or not.”
……
Border Region Arsenal
Li Muzhi was sleeping when Lao He hurriedly came to wake him: “Factory Director, Factory Director, wake up quick, wake up quick.”
“Lao He, what happened? Did something happen at the Arsenal?” Seeing Lao He’s urgent expression, Li Muzhi’s sleepiness vanished instantly.
“It’s not an accident at the Arsenal. Regimental Commander Li and Regimental Commander Ding from the 386 Brigade are here.” Lao He explained, “They brought a large amount of fuel, and other things too…”
Before Lao He finished speaking, Li Muzhi was extremely surprised: “Really? They brought a large amount of fuel?”
Oil is known as the blood of industry!
Although the Border Region Arsenal is just starting up, it still needs fuel.
“Yes.” Lao He nodded, “They said the stuff is only to be handed to you, not to Minister Zhang.”
Li Muzhi put on his clothes and quickly went out.
Seeing Li Muzhi come out, Li Yunlong immediately laughed: “Younger Brother Li, sorry about this, disturbing your sleep. I originally wanted to wait until dawn.”
To get close to Li Muzhi, Li Yunlong directly called him Younger Brother Li.
“No problem, Regimental Commander Li. In the future, whenever you get good stuff, you can wake me up at any time.” Li Muzhi said he didn’t mind at all.
Li Muzhi fully accepted Li Yunlong trying to get close by changing how he addressed him.
“Haha.” Seeing Li Muzhi didn’t resist getting close, Li Yunlong was thrilled.
“Factory Director Li, hello, I’m Ding Wei, Regiment Commander of the New First Regiment.” Ding Wei introduced himself to Li Muzhi.
“Regimental Commander Ding, hello, hello.” Li Muzhi immediately responded politely and thanked him: “Thanks to Regimental Commander Ding for promptly providing important funds to logistics here. This has great meaning for the Arsenal’s production.”
Li Muzhi was naturally no stranger to this Ding Regiment Commander in front of him.
In the Ping An Ge Le battle, to support Li Yunlong attacking the county town, he blew up all the bridges in the defense zone. Known as: Ding Bridge-Bomber!
“Factory Director Li, you’re too kind. This is the duty of our Combat Troops!” Ding Wei said humbly, then handed a notebook to Li Muzhi: “This is cannonball data.”
“Good, thanks.” Li Muzhi took the notebook, looked down at it briefly. It was in two people’s handwriting, apparently recorded by both of them.
The cannonball data was recorded very detailed, with no waste of reference value.
“Take the fuel you brought slowly into the storeroom, I’ll tally it up.” Li Muzhi put away the notebook and got back to business.
What Lao He said was true. Li Yunlong and Ding Wei’s troops had indeed brought back a large number of oil drums.
“Good.” Li Yunlong and Ding Wei nodded, immediately having the troops line up and pass by Li Muzhi one by one.
Li Muzhi held a pen and notebook, recording in detail.
“Diesel one drum, 100 liters.”
“Gasoline one drum, 100 liters.”
“Machine oil one drum, 50 liters.”
……
Seeing Li Muzhi recording machine oil, Li Yunlong, illiterate, asked: “Little brother, what oil is this?”
“This is machine oil.” Li Muzhi explained to Li Yunlong, “With it, you can reduce wear on machine parts.”
“Then is it more valuable than diesel or gasoline?” Li Yunlong asked.
“It’s not about which is more valuable. Diesel and gasoline provide power, machine oil extends machine usage time. Both are essential fuel.” Li Muzhi explained.
“Oh, I see.” Li Yunlong nodded and noted it down.
Soon, Li Muzhi recorded more:
“Diesel one drum, 100 liters.”
“Diesel one drum, 100 liters.”
“Lubricating oil one drum, 50 liters.”
Li Yunlong asked again: “What’s this yellow sticky stuff?”
Li Muzhi explained: “This is called grease, also known as lubricating oil. It’s also used to reduce mechanical wear.”
“We have machine oil to reduce mechanical wear, now grease too? Isn’t that redundant?” Li Yunlong questioned.
“They’re different.” Li Muzhi shook his head and patiently said, “Machine oil is mainly for small parts, like inside the engine. Lubricating oil is mainly for large parts, like brakes, steering, bearings, etc.”
“Then it’s also essential like gasoline and diesel?”
“Yes.”
……
