Chapter 171: The Hardest Part Is Seamless Steel Pipes!
Lao He first walked over to some bags that were very well packaged.
The bag was quickly untied, and Lao He took one look and immediately showed joy on his face, saying, “This is sulfur powder!”
“What is sulfur powder used for?” Li Yunlong asked from the side.
“An important raw material for making gunpowder.” Lao He explained, “Whether making bullets or cannonballs, it can’t be done without it. There must be more than fifty bags here, one hundred pounds per bag, that’s more than five thousand pounds of sulfur powder.”
“More than five thousand pounds of sulfur powder, how many bullets and cannonballs can that make?” Zhang Wanhe immediately asked.
“Minister Zhang, I really can’t answer that for you.” Lao He looked embarrassed: “Bullets have different models, so the charge amounts are different. Cannonballs are the same; different specifications mean different charge amounts.”
“Just say how long this more than five thousand pounds of sulfur powder can last approximately.” Zhang Wanhe changed his question.
“It should be enough until the end of this year.” Lao He thought for a moment and said, “Provided the troops don’t fight major battles every day, and ammunition consumption isn’t too fast. Otherwise, it might run out in two or three months.”
Although Lao He didn’t understand military affairs, he saw combat troops constantly bringing back things, all captured from the Japanese invaders.
The Japanese invaders had suffered such a big loss, and Lao He could foresee that a large-scale sweep would definitely start soon.
Wanting the troops not to fight major battles every day, the Japanese invaders wouldn’t agree.
“That means at least it can last two or three months, that’s not bad at all.” Zhang Wanhe nodded happily.
There were more than fifty bags, and many more bags.
Lao He continued looking, and his expression became increasingly surprised.
“Not bad, this is saltpeter, its main component is potassium nitrate, which can be used to make gunpowder and matches, and it seems it can also be used to treat illnesses, good stuff.”
“This is charcoal powder, also used to make gunpowder.”
“This is… a bit like sugar, also a bit like potassium nitrate, but neither, never mind, I don’t recognize it, better let the factory director identify it.”
“This is iron powder.”
“This is…”
……
Lao He quickly finished identifying the contents of the bags; there were two he didn’t recognize, but he knew the rest.
These were basically all materials for making ammunition, and the types were very complete.
Take them to our arsenal, and they can be used directly.
Lao He said, “Judging from these materials, the Japanese invaders’ arsenal should mainly manufacture ammunition.”
When Zhang Wanhe heard this, he definitely felt disappointed inside.
We were just fantasizing earlier, if it could make airplanes and tanks, wouldn’t we hit the jackpot.
You’ve looked for so long, Lao He, and you tell me this is for manufacturing ammunition!
Although ammunition is equally precious to us.
But everyone hopes the stuff from the Japanese invaders’ arsenal is even more valuable stuff.
Zhang Wanhe pointed at those boxes and said, “Then hurry up and check those boxes.”
The Japanese invaders’ equipment was mainly disassembled into boxes.
Maybe there are surprises in these boxes.
Li Yunlong also looked tense on the side and cursed, “We’ve finally snagged an arsenal, if it’s only for making bullets and cannonballs, then our luck is too bad.”
Kong Jie followed, saying, “Yeah, bullets and cannonballs can already be made at the Border Region Arsenal side.”
Ding Wei said, “You two, look at the big picture. Even if it’s just equipment for making bullets and cannonballs, that’s still very rare.”
After all, right now only the Border Region Arsenal can make bullets and cannonballs, and the output definitely can’t supply our huge army.
While the captured equipment can make bullets and cannonballs, the output can increase.
The Japanese invaders’ large-scale sweep is brewing, and our demand for bullets and cannonballs is enormous.
“That makes sense.” Both Kong Jie and Li Yunlong nodded.
As several boxes were opened, Lao He rubbed his eyes, looked carefully a few more times, then said uncertainly, “This seems to be parts for a drill machine.”
Whether Li Yunlong and the others, or Zhang Wanhe, it was the first time they heard the word “drill machine.”
They all immediately looked at Lao He and asked in unison, “What is a drill machine for?”
“Drilling holes.” Lao He explained, “Whether making gun barrels or cannon barrels, a drill machine is needed to drill holes…”
Before Lao He finished speaking, Zhang Wanhe said excitedly, “Doesn’t that mean with this equipment we’ve got, we can make guns and cannons?”
Li Yunlong and the others’ expressions also lit up with joy: “Lao He, are you sure you didn’t see wrong?”
If this thing can drill holes, if the arsenal can make gun barrels and cannon barrels, it would have gun-making capability.
With Li Muzhi’s brain, the guns he makes would definitely be much better than the Japanese invaders’ guns.
“Ahem.” Lao He’s expression was still a bit embarrassed: “Everyone, I said it’s ‘seems like,’ I’ve never seen one, just guessing.”
“You damn…” Li Yunlong immediately wanted to curse, but was timely pulled back by Ding Wei: “Old Li, calm down!”
Zhang Wanhe said from the side, “No problem, no problem, wait until Xiao Li comes out to confirm. Lao He, keep checking the others.”
“Okay.” Lao He nodded and continued checking the boxes.
As one box after another was opened, everyone’s expressions became happy again.
Lao He identified them one by one:
“Hehe, I recognize this one, I really do, this is equipment for making bullets.”
“This is equipment for making cannonballs.”
“This is an annealing furnace, I think, not sure.”
“This seems to be… I don’t recognize it.”
“This should be pickling equipment, I think, not confirming.”
……
Lao He finished checking all the boxes. What could be confirmed was that besides equipment for making bullets and cannonballs, the captured equipment seemed to also have gun and cannon making capability.
It’s just that Lao He didn’t recognize some other machine parts, so he wasn’t very sure.
Most importantly, whether for making bullets or cannonballs, Lao He didn’t see complete intact machine parts.
Lao He scratched his scalp and couldn’t help looking at Li Yunlong and the others: “Regimental Commander Li, Regiment Commander Kong, Regimental Commander Ding, when you raided this Japanese invaders’ arsenal, did you make sure to take everything inside?”
“What kind of stupid question is that!” Kong Jie blurted out, “I even dismantled the buildings, how could we not take everything!”
Li Yunlong also said solemnly, “We finally found a Japanese invaders’ arsenal, we definitely wouldn’t leave them a single hair. I personally checked, absolutely nothing left behind.”
Ding Wei looked at Lao He suspiciously: “What’s wrong, is something missing?”
“I’ve seen the equipment for making bullets and cannonballs at our Border Region Arsenal, I recognize it.” Lao He nodded and said very affirmatively, “But the equipment here for making bullets and cannonballs is missing half the parts.”
“Aren’t there parts you don’t recognize? Maybe the Japanese invaders used new technology, so the parts are different?” Zhang Wanhe’s tone wasn’t good from the side.
If it’s only half, wouldn’t that be screwed!
“Shouldn’t be.” Lao He shook his head and said, “I said I recognize the equipment for making bullets and cannonballs. Among these unfamiliar parts and equipment, there are none I recognize, they definitely aren’t for making bullets and cannonballs.”
“Damn it, I think you just don’t know the goods!” Li Yunlong cursed angrily, “Better wait for Younger Brother Li to come out and let him check.”
Ding Wei and Kong Jie didn’t speak, they looked at each other, both thinking of something.
At that time, when we brought the troops close to the Cuicun Arsenal, the Japanese invaders had already finished packing and were loading the trucks.
Maybe we still arrived a bit late.
The Japanese invaders had already transported away a batch of equipment and supplies in advance.
So what we snatched back is only half!
“Maybe Lao He missed it, let’s wait for Xiao Li.” Zhang Wanhe said the same.
Of course.
Although that’s what they said, the excited and happy atmosphere had clearly dropped a lot.
Originally thought snatching back the Japanese invaders’ arsenal, we could really… result is, it must be that new Sato Jino little Japanese invader behind it.
If Fujita Ichi was still the gendarmerie captain of Heyuan Gendarmerie, with that little Japanese invader Fujita Ichi’s stupidity, we definitely could have gotten the complete arsenal.
Li Yunlong immediately said, “Old Ding, after we get back, we must report to the brigade commander right away, have the brigade commander figure out a way to quickly get rid of that Sato Jino little Japanese invader and put Fujita Ichi back in position.”
“Of course, if that fool Fujita Ichi doesn’t get reinstated, our surprise will be discounted, I absolutely won’t allow this to happen again!” Ding Wei also nodded heavily.
Kong Jie said from the side, “We attacked the arsenal, the Japanese invaders side needs someone to take the blame, will Sato Jino take the blame?”
“Hard to say.” Ding Wei shook his head, “Besides being the captain of Heyuan Gendarmerie, that Sato Jino has another identity, he’s the deputy minister of Japanese Gendarmerie Headquarters.
A Japanese invader who can sit in that position isn’t without skills, not that easy to take down.”
Li Yunlong said annoyed from the side, “Damn it, to my mind, forget the hassle, I’ll take cannons and rocket launchers to attack Heyuan County Town, take the county town, and directly solve that Sato Jino little Japanese invader.”
Ding Wei immediately said seriously, “Old Li, don’t mess around. We snatched the Japanese invaders’ arsenal, you saw it, all the Japanese invaders are coming at us. If you rashly attack Heyuan County Town, you think it’s as simple as before!”
Kong Jie also said, “Snatched the Japanese invaders’ arsenal, a large-scale sweep is definitely starting, Old Li, don’t cause trouble for the brigade commander.”
Li Yunlong didn’t speak again, but his expression didn’t show any intention of stopping.
If there’s an opportunity, Old Li definitely still wants to personally twist off that Sato Jino little Japanese invader’s head to use as a chamber pot!
“The factory director is out.” Not sure who shouted.
Li Yunlong, Zhang Wanhe, and the others immediately turned their gazes to inside the arsenal.
Sure enough, Li Muzhi was quickly walking out.
Seeing that Li Yunlong and the others brought back quite a lot of stuff and equipment, Li Muzhi even spotted the drill machine parts and pickling equipment parts at a glance. Li Muzhi was very surprised; these were machines for making seamless steel pipes.
The hardest part of making guns and cannons is seamless steel pipes!
