Chapter 222: Six Hundred Cannons
“Baka, hold the line!”
“Hold the line, baka!”
“Baka, long live the Emperor!”
“Long live the Emperor! Baka!”
……
While Cheng Xiazi and Gao Xigang were raiding Heidao Sen Tian’s base, Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, Liu Weidong, and Gao Liujin were also advancing unstoppable, charging into the Twenty-first Brigade’s defense zone.
Since most of the Twenty-first Brigade’s troops had been withdrawn, the defense at this base was extremely weak.
The Japanese troops left behind could not withstand the fierce attack from Li Yunlong and the others, either being wiped out or retreating in defeat.
At the Yanzhen Arsenal side, there were still half a Japanese brigade’s troops defending.
The fortifications here were also built particularly fortified.
However, in the face of Li Yunlong’s absolute troop superiority and the Hell Cannon, this half Japanese brigade at the Yanzhen Arsenal was shattered to pieces.
It wasn’t long before the Japanese brigade was left with fewer than a hundred men.
They launched a suicidal charge and were ultimately easily annihilated by Li Yunlong’s side.
“Hurry, hurry, charge in and see how much equipment this large Japanese arsenal has inside!” After capturing the workers first, Li Yunlong and the others were like they had been injected with chicken blood, rushing eagerly into this large arsenal.
Entering the arsenal, rows of machines were neatly arranged, just like troops being inspected.
“Mr. Yan, please take a look and tell us what all this equipment is.” Li Yunlong pulled Yan Kai out.
Yan Kai was quite cooperative and listed them off like treasures:
“This is equipment for making bullets.”
“This is equipment for making melon grenades.”
“This is equipment for making mortars.”
“This is the production line for making cannonballs!”
“This is equipment for making grenade launchers.”
……
“Mr. Yan, are you sure you didn’t see wrong? There really is equipment for making grenade launchers and mortars here?” Li Yunlong was overjoyed.
Although Younger Brother Li could make rocket launchers, and new type rockets would eventually be made too.
But!
Not enough to go around.
So many troops are eyeing it, and we only got a bit more than our share thanks to merit, but the quantity is still limited.
Weapons like grenade launchers and mortars are still conventional equipment that our troops desperately need.
Earlier, with over a hundred grenade launcher mortars in hand, we pushed forward with artillery fire—that was so satisfying.
With so much equipment, once we mass-produce mortars and grenade launchers, we can truly fight with abundance!
“Yes.” Yan Kai’s tone was full of envy.
He had followed Li Yunlong, originally thinking Li Yunlong would take him to see Zhang Wanhe and get a chance to meet the Eighth Route Army Arsenal’s military industry experts, but now it seemed that was illusory moon in the mirror.
Yan Kai’s slender arms couldn’t twist Li Yunlong’s thick legs, so he simply stopped thinking about it and focused on looking at the Eighth Route Army’s Hell Cannon and rocket launchers.
Right before his eyes, seeing the Eighth Route Army take down a large Japanese arsenal, Yan Kai’s eyes went wide.
If only these things had been captured by the Jin Sui Army, that would be great.
There were five bullet production lines, four grenade launcher production lines, three mortar production lines…
“We can make grenade launchers and mortars, so does that mean we can make cannon barrels too?” Li Yunlong immediately asked excitedly.
Li Yunlong had heard Li Muzhi say that this cannon barrel is a seamless steel pipe.
If seamless steel pipes could be made here, then Younger Brother Li’s side… heh heh heh, it seems anti-aircraft weapons could be made.
“I didn’t see any equipment for making cannon barrels.” Yan Kai shook his head.
“Didn’t see any?” Li Yunlong was stunned upon hearing this: “We can make grenade launchers and mortars here, how could there be no equipment for making cannon barrels?”
“Based on these semi-finished cannon barrels, these semi-finished cannon barrels were probably shipped over from another arsenal.” Yan Kai explained.
“Damn it!” Li Yunlong’s eyes immediately bulged like eggs.
Earlier when they took the Cuicun Arsenal, there were semi-finished cannon barrels there, meant to be sent to this next large arsenal.
He had thought this place could produce seamless steel pipes.
But after arriving at this large arsenal, these semi-finished cannon barrels were brought here to assemble complete grenade launchers and mortars.
In that case, it seemed they had gone in the wrong direction.
These semi-finished cannon barrels should have come from the previous arsenal before the Cuicun Arsenal, so they should trace back to investigate that previous arsenal.
Remembering something, Li Yunlong asked again: “Is the equipment for making mortars complete?”
“Very complete.” Yan Kai nodded and said, “Not only for making mortars, but also grenade launchers and bullet grenades—the complete production line equipment is all very complete.”
“Good as long as it’s complete.” Li Yunlong was finally somewhat satisfied.
Li Muzhi had said that this next large arsenal could make mortars, so there was a high chance it had the equipment he needed.
With the equipment, he could make new type rockets.
As long as the equipment was complete, it was steady.
As for the seamless steel pipe matter, it wasn’t a big deal.
Anyway, the management personnel from the Cuicun Arsenal were all in the Brigade Commander’s hands.
Since they had gotten the intelligence on this next large arsenal, tracing back to get intelligence on the previous arsenal would definitely not be a problem.
Once this Japanese raid was broken, they could go take that previous arsenal.
Of course.
If there was a chance to raid the Taiyuan Arsenal, he didn’t believe the Taiyuan Arsenal wouldn’t have equipment for producing seamless steel pipes!
“Hurry, hurry, move fast.” Liu Weidong didn’t waste time and ordered people to quickly transport.
At the same time, Liu Weidong pulled Li Yunlong aside and asked: “Li Yunlong, this Mr. Yan isn’t from our Border Region Arsenal, right?”
Liu Weidong had noticed that this Yan Kai actually recognized all the equipment and machinery.
A person like this, if he were really from the Border Region Arsenal, would definitely be high-level talent.
And the Border Region Arsenal’s high-level talent consisted of just a few people, none of whom had Yan Kai’s face.
“No.” Li Yunlong shook his head and explained: “He’s the deputy factory director from Officer Yan’s arsenal.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Weidong immediately understood: “Li Yunlong, you pulled this Yan Kai over again— are you planning to drag the Jin Sui Army in again?”
Earlier during assembly, he hadn’t seen Li Yunlong bring Yan Kai out; he had deliberately hidden him.
Clearly, this bastard Li Yunlong had likely violated discipline again.
Last time, he used Yan Kai to pull in the Jin Sui Army, and fortunately the Jin Sui Army didn’t suffer losses.
Otherwise, Li Yunlong would not have had an easy time.
He hadn’t expected this guy Li Yunlong to pull Yan Kai in again this time.
No wonder this guy was so confident about going behind enemy lines to cause trouble—by pulling in the Jin Sui Army again, if he could cut off the Japanese logistics and supplies, the success rate of countering the raid would greatly increase.
Once the Japanese encirclement and suppression army was drawn away, the First Army’s rear would be like our own vegetable garden.
“Without pulling in the Jin Sui Army, it wouldn’t be easy for our few regiments to succeed.” Li Yunlong admitted directly, “This little Japanese First Army has troops scattered, but added up it’s sixty to seventy thousand men. Plus Gangcun transferred another division over, so the Japanese troops number nearly ninety thousand even if not quite. Without pulling in the Jin Sui Army, we can’t pull it off.”
If we can’t pull it off, this Japanese raid won’t break through.
Once the Japanese get close, the Border Region Arsenal would have to stop production.
“With Yan Kai in your hands, I’m relieved.” Liu Weidong laughed slyly.
It was the first time Li Yunlong saw Liu Weidong laugh like this, and he inexplicably shivered.
He could tell, this scholar bastard was definitely up to no good.
He was just like Ding Wei, both cunning guys.
“Li Yunlong, Scholar, come to the storeroom quick.” Gao Liujin ran over excitedly.
“What’s up, Gao Liujin, did you find something good?” Li Yunlong asked immediately.
“The Japanese warehouse is full of grenade launchers and mortars.” Gao Liujin was thrilled like he had eaten honey, “Based on preliminary count, the two together come to about six hundred.”
Hearing this, Li Yunlong laughed: “Looks like I was a bit stingy. If I’d known, I would’ve given all the grenade launcher mortars in hand to Old Kong earlier.”
With six hundred grenade launcher mortars, averaging out among our few regiments, we could each get a hundred.
Of course, Liu Weidong had to take equipment and captures back, so he couldn’t have weak firepower—let him take two hundred.
The remaining four hundred divided among our few regiments would still be abundant.
As long as they carried enough cannonballs, our artillery fire could continue pushing forward.
Liu Weidong said to Li Yunlong: “Leave me two hundred grenade launchers and mortars, I’ll go direct the machinery and equipment transport first.”
“Good.” Li Yunlong nodded and followed Gao Liujin to the storeroom.
Gao Liujin wasn’t exaggerating; the arms boxes in this storeroom were indeed piled like mountains.
Ding Wei was directing people to quickly open the boxes and take out the grenade launchers and mortars inside.
Seeing Li Yunlong arrive, Ding Wei said: “Old Li, I checked, besides arms, this storeroom has a lot of other raw materials and supplies. Liu Weidong’s troops probably can’t take it all, we need to hide some in advance.”
Li Yunlong took out the map, quickly looked, and pointed: “These places are all suitable for hiding things, we have mass base there.”
“Looks good.” Ding Wei looked at the locations on the map and said, “Let’s quickly spare some manpower to move and hide the stuff.”
“Good.”
……
Twenty-ninth Brigade
“Brigade Commander, the soldiers we sent to track the Eighth Route Army have all lost contact.” A staff officer walked over and reported to Major General Kawashima, Commander of the 29th Brigade, “Based on preliminary judgment, they were very likely discovered and eliminated by the Eighth Route Army.”
“Baka!” Major General Kawashima cursed upon hearing this, “How are the Eighth Route Army so alert? All lost contact?”
Losing contact with this group of Eighth Route Army was no small matter.
Their firepower was fierce; if not found, they were a ticking time bomb, a huge hidden danger.
“Eighth Route Army troops have always been very alert; they’re hard to track.” The staff officer nodded.
“Send more people, we must find this group of Eighth Route Army…” Major General Kawashima’s words were cut off.
Someone came running like their ass was on fire: “Report to Brigade Commander, bad news—Colonel Heidao Sen Tian’s base has been attacked by the Eighth Route Army, and the Twenty-first Brigade’s base has also been attacked.”
Major General Kawashima was dumbfounded upon hearing this: “Baka, what did you say? The Eighth Route Army attacked the Twenty-first Brigade’s base!!!”
Why the Eighth Route Army hit Heidao Sen Tian’s base, Major General Kawashima set aside for now.
But there was a large arsenal in the Twenty-first Brigade base—this was no joke.
Now with most of the Twenty-first Brigade’s troops withdrawn, even though the Yanzhen Arsenal still had half a brigade defending, this group of Eighth Route Army had heavy artillery, and half a brigade couldn’t hold them off.
“Go immediately and relay my order: have the Wuyong Regiment reinforce the Twenty-first Brigade side at top speed.” Major General Kawashima ordered without hesitation.
“Brigade Commander, if the Wuyong Regiment is withdrawn, the encirclement’s strength will be greatly reduced. If most of the Eighth Route Army takes the chance to break out…”
“Preserving our arsenal is the top priority now.” Major General Kawashima said firmly, “As for most of the Eighth Route Army breaking out, it’s not that simple—they’re dragging families and can’t move fast; I can tie them down until the main force arrives.”
“Hai.”
Under Major General Kawashima’s orders, the Wuyong Regiment under the Twenty-ninth Brigade rushed toward the Twenty-first Brigade base.
