Chapter 241: Military Statistics Bureau Wants To Buy Flashbangs
Border Region Arsenal
Although the Japanese invaders are currently conducting a raid, Li Muzhi is still the same as usual.
He wakes up as soon as the morning time arrives.
After washing up, he goes to the canteen to eat breakfast.
After finishing breakfast, he takes the workers and continues to devote themselves to modifying the equipment.
In this regard, Li Muzhi does things differently from later generations.
There was too much formalism in later generations, with a meeting required every day before starting work.
Li Muzhi tries his best not to hold meetings, as they waste time.
Moreover, with the Japanese invaders conducting a raid now, the arsenal here must race against time to produce weapons and ammunition.
This piece of equipment was quickly modified again, and just as Li Muzhi started testing it, he saw Captain Wang Xunbu of the headquarters Traitor Elimination Squad trotting over.
“Factory Director Li, you’re busy.” Wang Xunbu had a smile all over his face.
“Captain Wang, I’m very busy here. If you have something, just say it directly.” Li Muzhi said to Wang Xunbu while fine-tuning the machine.
“It’s like this: the Military Statistics Bureau found out about our flashbangs and wants to purchase them. Factory Director Li, what do you think?” Wang Xunbu said.
The Military Statistics Bureau wants to purchase flashbangs?
Upon hearing this, Li Muzhi was a bit surprised. The Military Statistics Bureau’s intelligence gathering is really fast.
However, that is the Military Statistics Bureau, one of the most powerful intelligence agencies during the War of Resistance.
Without thinking, Li Muzhi shook his head and refused: “Captain Wang, we just developed these flashbangs, and we have a huge shortage here ourselves. How could we possibly sell them to them.”
Although the Military Statistics Bureau has achievements in fighting the Japanese invaders, during the War of Resistance, they captured quite a few of our underground comrades.
If we sell flashbangs to them and they use them to capture our comrades, wouldn’t that be lifting a rock only to drop it on our own feet?
Wang Xunbu seemed to have anticipated Li Muzhi’s refusal. He said, “Factory Director Li, you’re worried that the Military Statistics Bureau will use the flashbangs to capture our comrades, right? Actually, I’ve already communicated with the headquarters leader about this. The Military Statistics Bureau can buy our flashbangs, but they must explain their intended use to us, and their operations must have our people following along. We need to confirm that they are indeed using the flashbangs to capture Japanese invaders and traitors. Otherwise, we won’t sell. What do you think?”
Doing it this way has another advantage.
That is, we have an opportunity to monitor the Military Statistics Bureau’s operations, which allows us to obtain their whereabouts, which is also a form of surveillance.
If one day they want to capture our comrades, we can have some preparation in advance.
Upon hearing this, Li Muzhi couldn’t help but question: “Would the Military Statistics Bureau be willing to cooperate?”
The Military Statistics Bureau during the War of Resistance was a violent organization.
Willing to use any means to achieve their goals.
For such an organization, it’s unrealistic to think they would openly share their operation plans and targets with us.
Wang Xunbu said: “If they are targeting those traitors and Japanese invaders with major crimes, I think it can be considered. After all, although their reputation isn’t great, they are very capable and professional at capturing Japanese invaders and traitors.”
“Shouldn’t you have communicated with Minister Zhang about this matter in advance?” Li Muzhi still questioned.
Logically speaking, Wang Xunbu should have gone directly to Old Zhang for this kind of thing, with no need to come to him.
“Minister Zhang isn’t here. He seemed to have some urgent matter and left in a hurry, so that’s why I came to you.” Wang Xunbu said hurriedly. “Moreover, the Military Statistics Bureau is about to capture two important targets right away. The mission absolutely cannot fail and requires our flashbangs to assist. That’s why I came to you.”
“Do you know about these two important capture targets of theirs?”
“Of course I do. These two targets were once on our Traitor Elimination Squad’s assassination list, but unfortunately, we never had the opportunity.” Wang Xunbu immediately nodded.
“In that case, how many flashbangs do they need?” Li Muzhi asked.
“At least two.” Wang Xunbu said.
“Go tell Lao He to bring me two flashbangs here.” Li Muzhi immediately instructed a worker to go find Lao He.
“Yes, Factory Director.” The worker hurried off.
Seeing this, Wang Xunbu smiled and said: “Factory Director Li, so you’ve agreed, right?”
“If it can be guaranteed that their capture targets are traitors or Japanese invaders, I have no objection.” Li Muzhi replied. “In short, if even one flashbang falls into their hands and is later used to capture our own comrades…”
Before Li Muzhi finished speaking, Wang Xunbu immediately interrupted solemnly: “Don’t worry about this. I definitely won’t give them that opportunity. At that time, the flashbang will be thrown by our team member, and from beginning to end, they won’t have any chance to touch the flashbang.”
“Is their capture mission today urgent? Approximately when will they act?” Li Muzhi asked.
Wang Xunbu said that from beginning to end, the Military Statistics Bureau personnel won’t have a chance to touch the flashbang, but that’s simply not realistic.
The Military Statistics Bureau is a notorious violent organization and not easy to deal with.
The safest method is still to impose technical lockdown on them!
“Tonight at twelve o’clock.” Wang Xunbu said.
“Mm, that’s still in time.” Li Muzhi acknowledged and said to the workers modifying the equipment: “Continue modifying the remaining equipment according to my requirements. If you encounter any problems, notify me promptly. I need to step away for a bit first.”
Debugging the equipment isn’t urgent right now. Modifying these flashbangs won’t take much time.
Borrowing a phrase from later generations: I don’t know how to build a business, but to destroy one, it’s just a matter of minutes.
This saying applies to the military industry as well.
It’s not easy to produce something, but to destroy it is all too easy.
“Got it, Factory Director.” The workers nodded and continued working.
Two flashbangs were delivered to Li Muzhi’s hands. Li Muzhi told Wang Xunbu to wait outside and entered the operation room.
After more than two hours, Li Muzhi came out with the flashbangs, handing them to Wang Xunbu while saying: “I’ve added a small self-destruct device to these flashbangs. The button is here. After pressing it, the self-destruct device won’t activate, but as soon as it’s released, the self-destruct device will start, and the flashbang will self-destruct in about ten seconds.”
Li Muzhi explained the operation in detail to Wang Xunbu and added: “This way, even if the Military Statistics Bureau tries any tricks, they won’t have any chance to disassemble it.”
“Factory Director Li, your method is truly thorough.” Wang Xunbu quickly understood.
When our team member takes the flashbang over, before the action starts, they can press the self-destruct device button in advance but not release it.
When using it, the flashbang is thrown out and will explode in two or three seconds. The self-destruct timer is longer and won’t have time to activate, so it won’t affect the flashbang’s effect.
But if the Military Statistics Bureau personnel try any tricks, such as secretly sneak attacking our team member to seize the flashbang.
If our team member is sneak attacked, the button holding the flashbang will be released.
In ten seconds, the flashbang self-destructs. Even if it falls into Military Statistics Bureau personnel’s hands, they won’t have a chance to disassemble it and obtain technical information.
Thinking of something, Wang Xunbu asked: “Adding this self-destruct device must increase the cost, right?”
“What price are you planning to sell them at?” Li Muzhi asked.
“Ten silver dollars each.” Wang Xunbu said, thinking this price was already very high.
But there was no choice; the Military Statistics Bureau was flush with cash, while we were poor and needed money.
“Raise it to thirty silver dollars each.” Li Muzhi casually tripled it.
“Thirty silver dollars?” Wang Xunbu was stunned. Factory Director Li, this price hike is too exaggerated.
Just a flick of the lips, and it’s twenty more profit—faster than robbery.
Li Muzhi said seriously: “Didn’t we add a self-destruct device? Production costs have increased, so isn’t it reasonable to raise the price a bit?”
“Factory Director Li, can I ask, roughly how much does it cost to produce one flashbang?” Wang Xunbu asked.
“The cost is definitely not small. This aluminum powder and magnesium powder aren’t easy to obtain!” Li Muzhi said seriously. “Calculated at cost price, one flashbang costs less than one silver dollar.”
Wang Xunbu, upon hearing this, had thought Li Muzhi’s so-called cost would be several silver dollars.
He hadn’t expected it to not even require one silver dollar in cost.
And yet, you want to sell it for thirty silver dollars each!
Even Logistics Minister Zhang isn’t as ruthless as you.
No wonder people always say that even if Minister Zhang isn’t around, Factory Director Li of the arsenal can take over for Minister Zhang.
Now seeing it, it’s well-deserved.
Factory Director Li isn’t just able to take over for Minister Zhang; he can even handle financial revenue generation on the side.
“Factory Director Li, this price of yours…” Wang Xunbu was about to say something.
Li Muzhi interrupted: “Didn’t I say, magnesium powder and aluminum powder are hard to obtain—this is a huge limitation. Of course, we can also negotiate other terms with the Military Statistics Bureau as appropriate, such as them exchanging equipment or other military industrial raw materials. We’re not only after money here.”
The Military Statistics Bureau has great power and has seized and confiscated some factories.
This equipment and raw materials are just sitting in the Military Statistics Bureau’s warehouse.
It’s too wasteful for this equipment to just gather dust. We still need to help make the best use of them.
“So how should this equipment and other military industrial raw materials be priced?” Wang Xunbu asked.
“First see what equipment and military industrial raw materials they can provide.” Li Muzhi said.
“That works.” Wang Xunbu nodded and said, “To get them to provide equipment and military industrial raw materials, we still need to let them see the flashbang’s battlefield effect first. I’ll go contact them now. If the talks go well, I’ll come find you again.”
After speaking, Wang Xunbu was about to leave when Li Muzhi called him back: “When you come again, if Minister Zhang is around, you can also communicate with Minister Zhang. No need to always come to me.”
“I still think that when it comes to negotiating business, you’re much better at it than Minister Zhang. Of course, Factory Director Li, your time is very valuable. If Minister Zhang is around, I’ll go to him first.” Wang Xunbu left Li Muzhi with these words, didn’t disturb him further, and quickly departed.
Li Muzhi quickly wrote down the modifications to the flashbang’s self-destruct device and handed it to Lao He: “Lao He, according to my new requirements here, separately produce some flashbangs. The quantity doesn’t need to be large for now—one hundred will do.”
“Got it, Factory Director.” Lao He agreed directly without asking the reason.
