Chapter 236: Passing Off The Fake As Genuine
Border Region Arsenal
Today Li Muzhi didn’t need to teach the students, so Yanjing University Physics Department graduate student Old Gao taught them mechanics knowledge.
Li Muzhi was leading the workers to hurry and modify the equipment.
Of course, the main work was still done by the workers modifying the equipment according to Li Muzhi’s diagrams, while Li Muzhi supervised from the side.
Midway, when the workers encountered places they didn’t understand or that were hard to operate, they had Li Muzhi come solve them.
After busying for a morning, two machines’ machinery and equipment were modified.
Li Muzhi had the workers go eat first, then he personally debugged the modified machines.
After some debugging, the machine still had flaws.
After all, the Border Region Arsenal here lacked large important equipment, so the capability to modify equipment wasn’t very sufficient.
However, the new type rocket was just a simplified modification of the later 107 rocket, so the requirements for machinery and equipment weren’t that high.
So this flawed machine could basically be used. During production, just be extra careful.
After finishing the work, Li Muzhi went to the canteen to eat.
The vegetable-serving aunt gave Li Muzhi half meat and half vegetables, and laughed, “Factory Director Li, if you want to eat more meat, just tell me anytime.”
“Good.” Li Muzhi nodded, carrying his meal to find a seat and sit down.
Today’s meal was as rich and tasty as usual.
Li Muzhi had only eaten half when he saw the metallurgy doctor Old Zhang who studied abroad in the United Kingdom come over with a smile.
Old Zhang was holding two cloth bags, and he opened them one after another in front of Li Muzhi, revealing two portions of tungsten ore.
Old Zhang smiled at Li Muzhi, “Factory Director, among these two portions of tungsten ore, one is real and the other is fake. See if you can tell them apart.”
Li Muzhi picked up meat to his mouth while carefully observing.
The color and appearance of these two portions of tungsten ore couldn’t be distinguished by the naked eye.
Li Muzhi reached out and picked up the cloth bags of these two portions of tungsten ore respectively; the weight was also about the same.
Li Muzhi took out a magnifying glass and observed the two portions of tungsten ore.
This time, through the magnifying glass, he saw some subtle differences.
Of course, they were merely subtle differences.
If Li Muzhi hadn’t known in advance that one of them was fake, distinguishing the authenticity of this tungsten ore wouldn’t be that easy; it would still need chemical verification in the lab.
In short, this fake tungsten ore was enough to pass as real.
Li Muzhi smiled at Old Zhang, “Comrade Zhang Ke, not bad. You did a great job on this task.”
Metallurgy doctor Old Zhang’s full name was Zhang Ke.
Logistics Minister Zhang Wanhe wanted Li Muzhi to make fake tungsten ore, so Li Muzhi assigned the work to metallurgy doctor Zhang Ke.
Of course, the process for how to make fakes was also provided in advance.
Zhang Ke’s title as metallurgy doctor was not for show; the efficiency was fast, and the thing was made well.
If it were someone else, the time would probably be extended, and the thing definitely wouldn’t be made this well.
After all, although the fake-making process was given, it still had some difficulty.
“Hehe.” Zhang Ke smiled humbly, “Mainly because Factory Director your process was provided in great detail; I just followed your instructions.”
“We snatched five truckloads of tungsten ore from the Japanese invaders, so make five truckloads of fake tungsten ore here.” Li Muzhi said to Zhang Ke.
The cost to fake this fake tungsten ore was very low; since they were faking, they definitely needed to fake the full set.
Zhang Ke still asked, “Factory Director, even if the cost to fake tungsten ore isn’t high, do we need to make that much?”
“Once you make this fake tungsten ore, it will definitely still be returned to the Japanese invaders. Tungsten ore is so precious; the Japanese invaders will surely transport it back to their homeland at the fastest speed.” Li Muzhi laughed, “I will add some extra thing in advance to this fake tungsten ore. The Japanese invaders’ military industry is running so urgently; when they haul the fake tungsten ore back, they probably won’t check it carefully. Once this fake tungsten ore is put into their arsenal, heh heh.”
Li Muzhi chuckled twice at the end, though he didn’t finish the thought.
But it would definitely cause important destruction to the Japanese invaders’ homeland arsenal.
“Hehe.” Zhang Ke chuckled upon hearing this, nodding, “Alright, Factory Director, then I’ll fake the full set.”
Immediately after, Zhang Ke asked, “But Minister Zhang had us make fake tungsten ore to exchange for equipment with the Jin Sui Army side, right? We’re giving it all to the Japanese invaders?”
“You don’t need to worry about that; just make the fakes as soon as possible.” Li Muzhi said.
“Good, Factory Director, eat slowly. I won’t disturb you.” Zhang Ke accepted the order and left.
Li Muzhi lowered his head to continue eating; when only a few bites remained, Logistics Minister Zhang came over.
Minister Zhang walked over with a smile and said, “Xiao Li, good news.”
“Minister Zhang, from the looks of it, did you get rich again?” Li Muzhi teased.
“Xiao Li, if you say that, I’m going to have to criticize you. In your mouth, how am I Zhang Wanhe always some money-grubbing person? Can’t I be happy for other reasons?” Though Zhang Wanhe said this, it was completely joking, without any hint of real criticism.
“Minister Zhang, what other reason is it?” Li Muzhi asked curiously.
“News just came from the combat troops: the Japanese invaders’ mopping-up troops withdrew three brigades.” Zhang Wanhe laughed, “The remaining Japanese invaders’ division wanting to mop up our combat troops is a delusion, so they’ve also slowed their pace. In other words, both sides are at a stalemate. As long as the Japanese invaders have no other tricks, our Border Region Arsenal doesn’t need to relocate. Not only can we continue full-speed production of weapons and ammunition, you can also safely produce the new type rocket.”
“That’s truly good news.” Li Muzhi laughed, then asked, “What method did Li Yunlong and them use to draw away three Japanese invaders’ brigades?”
“I don’t know that; I asked headquarters, and headquarters is also unclear.” Zhang Wanhe shook his head and laughed, “Let’s not worry about the details. As long as the combat troops can handle the Japanese invaders’ mopping-up, we’ll hurry with military industry production.”
“That’s true.” Li Muzhi nodded, finished his last few bites, pushed the two cloth bags Zhang Ke left in front of Zhang Wanhe, and said, “Minister Zhang, see what difference there is between these two things.”
These two cloth bags had real tungsten ore in one and fake tungsten ore in the other; Li Muzhi still wanted Minister Zhang to see them.
Minister Zhang also needed to take them to the headquarters leader.
Once the headquarters leader nodded, they could “return” this fake tungsten ore to the Japanese invaders.
Zhang Wanhe lowered his head to look at the things in these two cloth bags; thinking Li Muzhi was joking, he said, “Xiao Li, aren’t these two portions of tungsten ore? What’s different about them?”
Li Muzhi laughed, “Didn’t you have me make fake tungsten ore? One of them is fake.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanhe’s expression immediately changed to surprise: “You made the fake this quickly?”
Although Li Muzhi had said earlier that making fake tungsten ore wasn’t hard, Zhang Wanhe hadn’t expected Li Muzhi to produce it this fast.
This was more than not hard; it was simply too easy.
After speaking, Zhang Wanhe lowered his head again and carefully looked over both portions of tungsten ore once more, then looked up at Li Muzhi suspiciously: “Xiao Li, are you sure these aren’t two real ones? You’re not joking with me?”
Clearly, Comrade Old Zhang couldn’t tell anything.
“Minister Zhang, this one is real, this one is fake.” Li Muzhi pointed them out to Zhang Wanhe respectively.
Zhang Wanhe lowered his head again, keeping the concepts of real and fake in mind as he looked once more, but still couldn’t distinguish them.
However, Zhang Wanhe’s expression became excited: “Haha, this fake looks just like the real one. Even if that Yan Kai has great discernment, he won’t be able to identify it.”
Li Muzhi said, “Minister Zhang, actually I have another idea I didn’t tell you earlier.”
“What idea?” Zhang Wanhe looked at Li Muzhi.
“I plan to make five truckloads of fake tungsten ore to return to the Japanese invaders.” Li Muzhi said.
“Return to the Japanese invaders?” Zhang Wanhe didn’t understand, “What’s the meaning in doing that?”
We’ve taken the real one; making fakes to return to the Japanese invaders—would they just give up? Would they stop the mopping-up?
Absolutely impossible!
“How could there be no meaning? This is fake tungsten ore, not real.” Li Muzhi said seriously, “When returning this fake tungsten ore to the Japanese invaders, we’ll add some extra thing in advance. As long as the Japanese invaders transport the fake tungsten ore to their homeland arsenal, if we’re lucky, it could destroy…”
Li Muzhi didn’t finish his words; Zhang Wanhe was shocked: “Xiao Li, you’re not joking, are you? You want to use fake tungsten ore to sabotage the Japanese invaders’ homeland arsenal?”
If that’s the case, far from meaningless, it would be hugely significant!
The Japanese invaders’ homeland arsenal was their core.
Good machines, good equipment, and heavy equipment were all there.
If destroyed, the Japanese invaders would cry their hearts out.
“Minister Zhang, I’m not joking.” Li Muzhi shook his head, then said, “You should also report this matter to the headquarters leader. To return the fake tungsten ore to the Japanese invaders, we can’t let them get suspicious.”
It wasn’t that once these five truckloads of fake tungsten ore were made, they could just give them directly to the Japanese invaders.
The Japanese invaders weren’t fools; if the things were taken back too easily, they’d definitely feel something was off.
They should have headquarters or the combat troops put on a good show, letting the Japanese invaders seize back the five truckloads of tungsten ore—that would be realistic.
“That’s natural, that’s natural.” Zhang Wanhe nodded repeatedly, laughing: “If we don’t trick the Japanese invaders properly, they won’t feel safe transporting the tungsten ore to their homeland. Haha.”
Zhang Wanhe laughed while wrapping up the two cloth bags, and said to Li Muzhi: “I’ll go to headquarters right now and tell them…”
Zhang Wanhe didn’t finish before slapping his forehead and saying, “Oh right, I forgot the main thing. How’s the equipment modification going? Smoothly?”
What Comrade Old Zhang cared most about now was the progress of Li Muzhi’s side producing the new type rocket.
Although the Japanese invaders’ three brigades had withdrawn, the pressure on Li Yunlong and them definitely wouldn’t be small.
It was still very necessary to produce this new type rocket sooner.
“Modified two pieces of equipment this morning; fairly smooth.” Li Muzhi answered, “The rest can be finished in three days.”
“So that means, three days from now, you can start making the new type rocket here?” Zhang Wanhe asked in surprise.
“Start making parts three days from now; actual production, if smooth, a week later.” Li Muzhi answered.
This wasn’t Li Muzhi deliberately delaying; the equipment capability was limited.
Parts assembly and testing all needed time.
This wasn’t like later generations, where once the assembly line started, goods poured out.
“That long?” Zhang Wanhe said upon hearing, impatient: “Xiao Li, can you go any faster?”
Including modifying the machines, it would take ten days to produce; it felt too slow.
“Minister Zhang, progress can be rushed, but quality will drop, and the chance of accidents will increase. Are you willing to gamble?” Li Muzhi asked in return.
“No gamble, no bet.” Zhang Wanhe immediately shook his head like a rattle.
Anyway, now the Japanese invaders’ mopping-up was at a stalemate; they temporarily couldn’t do anything to us.
The Border Region Arsenal here had a big operation; once an accident happened, it would be serious.
Safety first!
“Xiao Li, I’m going to headquarters.” Zhang Wanhe instructed, “You do things your way here; don’t rush, safety is most important.”
“Good, Minister Zhang.”
