Chapter 198: Strategic Metal
Several boxes were placed in front of Li Muzhi.
Li Muzhi couldn’t wait and asked first: “Where is the tungsten ore? Which box is it in? Hurry up and open it to take a look!”
That’s right, one of the heavy supplies to be exchanged for this general’s sword was tungsten ore!
Although we also have tungsten ore here, from the establishment of the Soviet area to the strategic great transfer, a total of 8000 tons of tungsten ore were produced.
But basically all of it was sold, exchanged for various urgently needed supplies.
And The Bald One’s side, after obtaining tungsten ore, also used it to exchange for arms equipment.
Whether it was the military industry equipment in The Bald One’s arsenal or the equipment of the German-equipped Division Training Corps, all of that was exchanged by The Bald One with tungsten ore and other precious rare metals from Germany.
At that time, Germany coveted tungsten ore and planned to exchange it for equipment for one hundred German-equipped divisions and ten thousand airplanes.
Due to changes in the war, the cooperation between Germany and The Bald One was forced to terminate.
And now, with the Japanese invaders coming in, they are also frantically plundering tungsten ore.
According to statistics, from 1937 to 1945, the Japanese Army alone plundered more than 40,000 tons of tungsten concentrate from the tungsten mine at Miyunsha Plant!
Here, perhaps someone wants to ask, what exactly can tungsten ore do, and why is it so valuable?
In the military, tungsten metal is widely used to manufacture warship armor and bullet cores.
In industry, tungsten metal can be used to manufacture industrial cutting tools, drill bits, etc., and wear-resistant parts. It is one of the basic raw materials for high-end manufacturing.
In aerospace, tungsten metal can be used to manufacture aircraft engines, and even space shuttles and satellites in later generations cannot do without tungsten.
In a word, tungsten is a strategic metal!
The global tungsten reserves are only a few million tons.
And the reserves under our feet on this land are the largest in the world.
“It’s this one.” Zhang Wanhe had never seen Li Muzhi with such an attitude before, so he hurriedly personally opened one of the boxes.
The box was opened, revealing a package inside.
Zhang Wanhe unwrapped the package, revealing black and gray granules inside.
“All of you go out for a bit.” Li Muzhi looked at the black and gray granules, and his expression instantly became extremely solemn.
“Xiao Li, you…” Zhang Wanhe was truly a bit stunned. Li Muzhi’s reaction was really too big.
Zhang Wanhe actually recognized this stuff too; he had been there when they were mining tungsten ore before.
This tungsten ore is indeed a valuable thing; otherwise, the 8000 tons of tungsten ore back then couldn’t have been exchanged for so many supplies.
But what it was specifically used for, Zhang Wanhe didn’t know.
Now seeing Li Muzhi’s reaction, could it be that Li Muzhi knew its uses?
“Minister Zhang, please go out and wait. I’ll appraise it.” Li Muzhi explained.
“Let’s go, we’ll go out.” Zhang Wanhe didn’t mind Li Muzhi’s attitude at all. He immediately took a few people out and closed the door.
Outside the door, the transport personnel were still saying to Zhang Wanhe: “Minister Zhang, Factory Director Li’s reaction is so big. We all know this thing is very valuable, but Factory Director Li’s reaction is a bit too much.”
Factory Director Li directly made Minister Zhang come out; it was practically a commanding tone.
Even if Minister Zhang doesn’t mind, Minister Zhang is still Factory Director Li’s superior leader after all.
“All of you shut up.” Zhang Wanhe’s expression was serious.
The bigger Li Muzhi’s reaction, the more it showed the importance of this thing.
Making these people shut up and not talk, even through the door, was to avoid disturbing Li Muzhi’s appraisal.
At this critical moment, someone came running hurriedly: “Factory Director, Factory Director, Regiment Commander Li of the 386th Brigade is back. He says he got the copper refining plant back!”
Li Yunlong got the copper refining plant back!!!
Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanhe’s emotions instantly exploded.
Earlier, hearing Brigade Commander Chen of the 386th Brigade say that Li Yunlong would soon find the copper refining plant.
Li Muzhi had even sent over a dozen workers with tools, and now the copper refining plant was brought back. The efficiency was really fast!
The arsenal now has power, and iron can be smelted, but copper cannot be refined.
If copper could be refined, then we could produce the raw materials for cannonballs and bullets ourselves.
This would have extraordinary significance.
Zhang Wanhe immediately scolded: “Keep your voice down, don’t disturb Factory Director Li’s work.”
The person hurriedly lowered his voice and said: “Minister Zhang, Regiment Commander Li says he got the copper refining plant back and wants the factory director to go receive it.”
“You all stay here guarding. No one is allowed to disturb Factory Director Li’s work, understood!” Zhang Wanhe said to the personnel.
“Yes, Minister Zhang.”
Only then did Zhang Wanhe quickly walk out.
Outside, Li Yunlong was in a bad mood because he lost a drinking game to Ding Wei.
Seeing that it was Zhang Wanhe who came out, not Li Muzhi, Li Yunlong shouted: “Old Zhang, you don’t know the goods. What are you coming out for? Better have Younger Brother Li come out.”
“Xiao Li is doing important work right now and can’t get away temporarily.” Zhang Wanhe faced Li Yunlong’s shouting without any displeasure.
What a joke!
What he brought back was a copper refining plant.
Not to mention shouting a few words; even if he cursed us a few times, we wouldn’t be angry.
In a word, who made him capable and competent?
“Old Zhang, you’re not joking, are you? What work is more important than me bringing back a copper refining plant?” Although Li Yunlong said this, he still let Zhang Wanhe receive the things.
Li Yunlong didn’t understand military industry, but he knew that Younger Brother Li making so many weapons wasn’t done in leisure.
It was done in busyness.
The rocket launcher was produced; maybe Younger Brother Li was making a new thing again.
“There’s too much of this stuff. Move the equipment directly to the new warehouse first. Once Xiao Li is done, have him go verify it.” Zhang Wanhe looked and said, “As for the raw materials, put them toward the arsenal side. Put the copper billets directly at the arsenal side too.”
The copper refining plant that Li Yunlong snatched back came back with more than just equipment and raw materials.
There were also complete copper billets produced, and of course, semi-finished products too.
“Good.” Li Yunlong nodded and immediately arranged to do so. Zhang Wanhe directed how to place the things.
At this time, Kong Jie brought his team over for a meal.
Seeing Li Yunlong bring back a lot of stuff again that was being unloaded, Kong Jie hurriedly came over: “Old Li, what have you got again? So much copper and raw materials—did you get a copper refining plant?”
“Old Kong, isn’t it just a small copper refining plant? That’s nothing.” Li Yunlong was showing off.
“Old Li, you’re really something. You’ve earned great merit again.” Kong Jie said admiringly.
Kong Jie had been hanging around the arsenal and heard from the workers that they couldn’t refine copper themselves. Once the existing copper was used up, the arsenal would have to stop production.
Now, this kid Li Yunlong brought back the copper refining plant; it was like timely rain.
“Old Kong, why don’t you stop coal mining and come hang out with me, Old Li?” Li Yunlong made a joke.
“I’m not hanging out with you. I’ll solidly dig my coal.” Kong Jie shook his head and said to his soldiers, “Help move the supplies and equipment. We’ll eat after it’s done.”
“Yes, Regiment Commander.” The soldiers of the New Second Regiment immediately helped unload the supplies and equipment.
After finishing talking with Kong Jie, Li Yunlong remembered something and went to Zhang Wanhe to add: “Old Zhang, the management personnel and workers from the copper refining plant were all captured too. They’re now at Village 17, the unmanned one. You should still contact the intelligence department to handle them.”
These workers and management personnel from the copper refining plant definitely needed to go through screening and modification before they could be used.
“Good, no problem.” Zhang Wanhe nodded quickly and immediately called someone to notify the intelligence department.
Immediately after, Zhang Wanhe went to Li Yunlong: “Regiment Commander Li, how is your brigade commander doing with interrogating those management personnel from the Cuicun Arsenal?”
The ordinary workers and low-level management personnel from the Cuicun Arsenal had already gone through one screening, and the people were handed over to the intelligence department for processing.
The mid- and high-level management personnel from the Cuicun Arsenal were all still with the 386th Brigade.
“Old Zhang, what’s the rush? Good food isn’t afraid of being late.” Li Yunlong said directly, “If you’re in a hurry, go urge our brigade commander yourself. I wouldn’t dare.”
Li Yunlong had also heard some news from brigade headquarters; these mid- and high-level management personnel were very stubborn, and the brigade commander needed more time.
“Heh, no rush, no rush. Let your brigade commander take his time.” Zhang Wanhe chuckled.
Zhang Wanhe also knew that intelligence interrogation was delicate work that couldn’t be rushed.
Besides, if Yan Kai had the opportunity, he could also get equipment.
Zhang Wanhe continued directing the personnel to move things. Kong Jie went to Li Yunlong: “Li Yunlong, the brigade commander said to give me some weapons and ammunition. Did he tell you?”
Kong Jie now looked carefully at the stuff in Li Yunlong’s hands, and his eyes nearly popped out.
Leaving aside light and heavy machine guns, there were four Type 92 infantry guns, and the number of grenade launchers and mortars added up to a hundred!
This guy’s firepower configuration for one regiment directly surpassed that of a direct lineage division.
No wonder the brigade commander wanted Li Yunlong to give him so many weapons and ammunition; it turned out this guy had struck it rich.
“Old Kong, how many weapons and ammunition did the brigade commander tell me to give you?” Li Yunlong wasn’t opposed to this.
First, although Kong Jie’s side was helping the arsenal with coal mining, at critical moments they still had to serve as security for the arsenal.
Providing weapons and ammunition to Kong Jie’s New Second Regiment was also providing security for the arsenal.
Secondly!
Li Yunlong wasn’t stupid.
This time we struck such a big fortune; we were definitely going to be robbed by the division commander and brigade commander.
It’s just that they haven’t had time to rob yet.
Rather than being robbed later, better to leave more with Old Kong.
In the future, if we need some weapons and ammunition support, we can get some relief from Old Kong.
“The brigade commander told me to give you twenty grenade launchers, ten mortars, and additionally two Type 92 infantry guns.” Seeing that Li Yunlong showed no sign of refusal, Kong Jie immediately said happily, “And light and heavy machine guns; he said to give as I see fit, so you just give as you see fit.”
This kid Li Yunlong always promised in but never out.
Kong Jie had been worried about not being able to get weapons and ammunition from this guy, but unexpectedly, his attitude was actually okay.
Upon hearing this, Li Yunlong’s eyes widened, and he cursed: “I say, Kong Er Lengzi, you didn’t get the quantity wrong, did you? Are you sure it’s twenty grenade launchers, ten mortars, two Type 92 infantry guns?”
Seeing Li Yunlong change face, Kong Jie stuck out his neck: “Li Yunlong, this is an order straight from the brigade commander. If you don’t believe me, you can confirm with the brigade commander first and see if I’m…”
“I say, Old Kong, your memory is really terrible.” Li Yunlong said seriously, “The brigade commander clearly said to leave only twenty grenade launchers for me, leave ten mortars, leave one Type 92 infantry gun, and give the rest to you. Could I be the one who remembered wrong!!!”
Upon hearing this, Kong Jie’s eyes widened even more, shocked in his heart: Li Yunlong isn’t joking with me, is he?
Only leave you twenty grenade launchers, leave ten mortars, and only one Type 92 infantry gun—that wouldn’t be me robbing you, Li Yunlong?
Moreover, this would be you, Li Yunlong, voluntarily delivering it to my mouth to rob. Are you stupid, Li Yunlong?
Soon, Kong Jie figured it out.
This damn Li Yunlong wanted to use me as a shield.
He clearly knows I’m digging coal for the arsenal here, which to some extent serves as security for the arsenal. Shoving this large batch of artillery into my, Kong Jie’s, hands is to avoid being robbed by the brigade commander and division commander later.
After all, this was over a hundred artillery pieces; not to mention the brigade commander and division commander robbing.
Even if headquarters leaders found out, there would be an order to make you, Li Yunlong, hand over most of it.
Your scheme is clever, directly shoving it to me, Kong Jie.
You didn’t consider for me at all, what if… But, we’re relying on the Border Region Arsenal here, so headquarters leaders should consider it accordingly, right?
Li Yunlong saw Kong Jie’s attitude of having figured it out and asked seriously: “Old Kong, think carefully again. Did you remember wrong, or am I right?”
The reason Li Yunlong did this, besides preventing robbery.
When the time comes, if the arsenal’s rocket launchers come through, we’ll have reason to demand more.
Otherwise, the brigade commander would say, you bastard pretending not to know, you have so much stuff already, and you’re still fighting over rocket launchers.
So, with the stuff in hand greatly reduced, we’d have reason when fighting for rocket launchers.
Although Li Muzhi said he’d give us thirty rocket launchers.
When the rocket launchers come down then, if we have plenty of artillery on hand, the brigade commander would definitely deduct our rocket launchers.
“It seems like I really remembered wrong.” Kong Jie stopped pretending. With so much artillery delivered right into his hands, he’d take it first.
Maybe when the Japanese invaders come, I can directly rain shells on them to send them off!
“Old Kong, that’s right…”
Li Yunlong didn’t finish his words when suddenly his expression changed.
