Chapter 242: Let Li Muzhi Take Charge
Li Muzhi told Lao He to produce one hundred modified flashbangs, then he returned to continue debugging the equipment.
This equipment had another unit modified successfully; after Li Muzhi debugged it, the equipment could be used.
He had people move the debugged machine into the factory building; Li Muzhi continued supervising on the side.
It was almost time to get off work when Minister Zhang and the brigade commander of the 386th Brigade arrived.
As soon as they met, Zhang Wanhe immediately asked, “Xiao Li, do you know shipbuilding?”
Li Muzhi told the truth: “Minister Zhang, don’t joke with me. I’ve never even come into contact with ships, so how could I know manufacturing.”
In fact, Li Muzhi had come into contact with ships in his later life.
But they were all just visits; he understood some basic principles and common knowledge of ships, but he had not delved into specific ship manufacturing.
Immediately after, Li Muzhi looked at Zhang Wanhe suspiciously: “Minister Zhang, why are you asking me this?”
Zhang Wanhe pointed at the brigade commander and said, “Li Yunlong under the 386th Brigade captured a Japanese senior naval expert. Now, we want you to first check him out.”
Upon hearing this, Li Muzhi immediately looked at the brigade commander in confusion: “Brigade Commander Chen, did Regimental Commander Li capture a Japanese senior naval expert?”
Wasn’t Li Yunlong supposed to take his troops outside the encirclement to fight?
He captured someone outside and still managed to bring him back?
All this back-and-forth trouble—did he really treat the Japanese mopping-up troops as nothing?
“This damn guy has good luck.” The brigade commander first happily cursed.
After all, capturing a Japanese senior military industry personnel back was giving them face.
Then the brigade commander continued, “The deputy factory director of the Jin Sui Army’s arsenal, Yan Kai, knows this person. He said this is a senior naval expert. Li Yunlong realized this person’s value, so he risked sending him back.”
“So that’s how it is.” Li Muzhi nodded and said, “Then, has this Japanese senior naval expert cooperated with the interrogation since we captured her?”
If the other party didn’t cooperate, even if Li Muzhi went, he wouldn’t be able to check.
“The person isn’t cooperating yet, but we just want Xiao Li you to think of a way to confirm if she really knows shipbuilding.” Both the brigade commander and Zhang Wanhe understood why Li Muzhi asked this.
If the other party didn’t cooperate, they could take it slow.
The most critical thing right now was still to figure out if she was really a senior naval talent; they couldn’t just take Yan Kai’s word for it.
“I don’t understand ships either.” Li Muzhi paused and said, “I can only say I’ll try my best.”
“Once you’re done here, come with us.” Although Zhang Wanhe was very anxious, he still held back and said.
Li Muzhi was modifying equipment here; once the equipment was modified, it was for making new type rockets.
The Japanese mopping-up had begun, but fortunately Li Yunlong and the others had the mopping-up troops withdraw three brigades, greatly reducing the pressure of the large force’s counter-mopping-up.
With bullets, grenades, rocket launchers, and such provided by the arsenal, relying on favorable terrain and guerrilla tactics, the Kumamoto Division’s mopping-up was being worn down.
But no one could guarantee that those three withdrawn Japanese brigades wouldn’t join back in.
Therefore, the emergence of the new type rockets was still urgently needed.
“This equipment is in the final stages; the rest is just debugging, and I can debug it when I get back.” Li Muzhi waved his hand and said.
“Alright then, come with us.” Zhang Wanhe nodded.
Li Muzhi walked in the middle, Zhang Wanhe on his left, the brigade commander on his right.
The brigade commander said to Li Muzhi, “According to Yan Kai, this Japanese senior naval expert is named Yamamoto Sakura, a woman. He and Yamamoto Sakura were once classmates, and Yamamoto Sakura seems to have some connection to the Japanese Navy’s highest commander, Yamamoto Shichijōhachi.”
“Yamamoto Shichijōhachi?” Li Muzhi was still a bit stunned upon hearing this.
After all, Li Muzhi was not unfamiliar with the name of the Japanese Navy’s highest commander.
Wasn’t this person’s name Yamamoto Isoroku, who died when his military aircraft was shot down by the US Military?
Where did this Yamamoto Shichijōhachi come from?
The brigade commander smiled and explained, “Seven times eight equals fifty-six.”
“Haha.” Li Muzhi smiled faintly, “This must be the nickname Regimental Commander Li and the others gave him.”
Li Muzhi could only say in his heart that this nickname was spot on.
Seven times eight equals fifty-six—perfect.
Not long after, Li Muzhi arrived at the interrogation room where Yamamoto Sakura was.
Since Yamamoto Sakura’s value was very high, there were several layers of sentries outside the interrogation room.
These were all the most elite troops from logistics, normally used to protect headquarters and important rear agencies.
“Xiao Li, the person is inside. Go in and check slowly. The brigade commander and I will wait outside.” Zhang Wanhe wouldn’t go in to disturb.
After all, he wouldn’t understand military industry topics anyway.
Brigade Commander Chen also said, “Xiao Li, if you can’t figure it out, it’s fine if you’re not sure. Anyway, the person is in our hands; we have plenty of time.”
“Okay.” Li Muzhi nodded and stepped into the interrogation room.
Although the guards didn’t recognize Li Muzhi and hadn’t seen his face before.
But Li Muzhi was young, and with Zhang Wanhe’s attitude toward him, the guards seemed to guess his true identity.
They all cast respectful gazes at Li Muzhi; Factory Director Li of the Border Region Arsenal was finally showing his true face.
Amid the guards’ respectful gazes, Li Muzhi entered the interrogation room.
In the interrogation room, there was still a meal laid out, untouched.
It was clear that this Yamamoto Sakura was on a hunger strike.
Li Muzhi’s gaze fell on Yamamoto Sakura’s face, still feeling a sense of amazement.
This woman was indeed very beautiful, with phoenix eyes and black hair cascading over her shoulders, full of charm in every glance.
However, this woman’s expression was very frightened and tense; she must have been stimulated, and her emotions hadn’t fully stabilized.
She looked somewhat pitiful.
Seeing Li Muzhi come in, Yamamoto Sakura’s expression was still a bit stunned.
Several people had already questioned her since she was brought here.
The previous ones were all older; this one in front of her looked only in his twenties, a bit too young.
But Yamamoto Sakura still planned to not cooperate with the interrogation, just like before.
Even if she was scared inside, she wouldn’t speak.
Li Muzhi sat down directly in front of her and said, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Li Liang, and I’m the factory director assistant of the Eighth Route Army Border Region Arsenal.”
The translator translated Li Muzhi’s words to Yamamoto Sakura. （Subsequent dialogue translations are automatically omitted）
Yamamoto Sakura listened, but her facial expression showed no change.
She still felt a bit uneasy inside.
What kind of operation was it for the Eighth Route Army to send an arsenal assistant to question her?
Seeing no reaction from Yamamoto Sakura, Li Muzhi continued:
“Let’s talk about your Navy’s Yamato Battleship.”
“The Yamato Battleship lives up to being the king among battleships, with huge main gun caliber and strong armor; calling it the world’s number one battleship is well-deserved.”
……
While talking about the advantages of the Yamato Battleship, Li Muzhi secretly observed Yamamoto Sakura’s expression.
If the other party’s expression showed no change, it meant she had received some training, and interrogation would be hard to yield results in a short time.
Conversely, if there was a flaw, it meant she hadn’t received training.
Not long after, a barely perceptible trace of pride and complacency appeared on Yamamoto Sakura’s face.
This was enough for Li Muzhi.
The Yamato was the pride of the Japanese Navy; many important meetings and decisions were made on the Yamato Battleship.
Hearing Li Muzhi praise the Yamato Battleship, Yamamoto Sakura’s expression showed pride and complacency, which was enough to prove she was from the Japanese Navy and hadn’t received any special training.
If she were from the Japanese Army, hearing someone praise the Yamato would definitely elicit the opposite expression.
From this detail, Li Muzhi saw the problem.
Since Yamamoto Sakura still felt pride and complacency about the Yamato, it meant her heart still belonged to the Japanese Navy.
So why was she working for the Japanese Army?
This wasn’t reasonable.
Having confirmed Yamamoto Sakura was from the Japanese Navy, the next step was to lead her along his line of thinking to find out the reason.
Li Muzhi changed the subject: “It’s a pity that the era has changed; it’s no longer the age of big ships and big guns dueling, but the age of aircraft carriers. Your army’s Yamato Battleship took the wrong path and wasn’t willing to change in time, so its only end is to be sunk!”
When one’s inner pride is praised, it’s hard not to feel smug.
Once shifted to doubt, they would likely speak up to refute.
As Li Muzhi expected, when he said the Yamato’s ultimate fate was to be sunk, Yamamoto Sakura couldn’t stay calm and got agitated: “Our Navy is now the world’s second strongest. As long as we don’t go to war with the US Military, who can defeat our Navy!”
She often went aboard the Yamato Battleship; it was the glory of the Imperial Navy.
How could she tolerate Li Muzhi saying it would be sunk!
As for Yamamoto Sakura claiming their Navy was the world’s second, actually, by current global naval strength, the Japanese Navy ranked third.
British Navy second, US Military first.
But if the British Navy really fought the Japanese Navy, the British probably wouldn’t win.
After all, at the start of the Pacific War, the Japanese Navy was thrashing the world’s number one US Navy, and that wasn’t bragging.
Although the Japanese Navy’s ships’ tonnage was far behind the US Military, when it came to fighting, they weren’t paper tigers.
Li Muzhi shook his head: “Your Navy will soon go to war with the US Military because they’re already restricting your oil and other strategic resources; you’re being choked, so you have no choice but to fight them.”
“Even if we go to war, the US Military won’t beat us.” Yamamoto Sakura’s expression was as arrogant as the Japanese Navy high-level.
“Your industrial output is merely tens of billions, while the US Military’s is two thousand billion. What do you have to beat them with—your proud mouths?” Li Muzhi questioned.
“We can make a bet. Do you dare?” Yamamoto Sakura, in her agitation, temporarily forgot their identities and that she was a captive.
“Do you want to go back?” Li Muzhi didn’t take her words.
Once the person’s emotions were stirred up, the situation was opened.
“You’re just a little assistant; what can you decide?” Yamamoto Sakura directly questioned.
“As long as you cooperate well, I can talk to headquarters and let you go back.” Li Muzhi threw out the trigger.
Talk to headquarters, and I can go back!
Yamamoto Sakura caught the key information in Li Muzhi’s words and looked into his eyes with her beautiful ones: “So you’re not really a factory director assistant, are you?”
A little factory director assistant wouldn’t have that authority.
Li Muzhi didn’t hide it anymore and directly revealed his identity, like dropping a king bomb: “Indeed, I’m not a factory director assistant. I’m Factory Director Li Muzhi of the Eighth Route Army Border Region Arsenal.”
“…” Yamamoto Sakura was stunned.
When she was at the Taiyuan Arsenal for exchange, she had heard the Taiyuan Arsenal’s factory director mention the factory director of the Eighth Route Army Border Region Arsenal.
The Taiyuan Arsenal’s factory director had extremely high praise for this person, saying if he could be used by the Empire, he could at least double the Imperial Army’s strength!
Doubling the Imperial Army’s combat power was more than just surface-level.
Now, the Empire’s front lines were stretched too thin, and troops were insufficient.
If army combat power could be doubled, it meant half the troops would suffice for the same battle.
This would greatly alleviate the pressure of insufficient Imperial troops.
One person doubling an army’s combat power—his value was beyond measure.
If one word had to be used for him, it was: national fortune!
This person’s abilities could already influence a nation’s national fortune.
The Taiyuan Arsenal’s factory director said he hadn’t met the Eighth Route Army Arsenal’s factory director, but based on his judgment, the Border Region Arsenal’s factory director was likely an elderly sage.
Yet Yamamoto Sakura hadn’t expected the renowned factory director of the Eighth Route Army Border Region Arsenal to be just a young man in his twenties.
“Are you really the factory director of the Eighth Route Army Arsenal?” Yamamoto Sakura still couldn’t believe it.
“I’ll say it again: do you want to go home?” The other party’s emotions were fully stirred; Li Muzhi brought the topic back.
“Even if you’re the arsenal’s factory director, can you decide for your headquarters leaders?” Yamamoto Sakura was now being led by Li Muzhi.
Even if your abilities, Li Muzhi, could influence a nation’s national fortune, to your headquarters leaders, you’re a treasure.
But high-level decisions probably aren’t something a single arsenal factory director can make.
Especially for a high-level captive like me.
“My words have a condition: you have to cooperate well.” Li Muzhi reiterated the trigger, “As long as you cooperate well, I can guarantee I’ll let you go home then.”
Here, some might jump out to criticize.
If Li Muzhi really wanted to release her, would headquarters agree?
In fact, history was like that.
On August 15, 1945, the Japanese surrendered, and all Japanese on this land were sent home.
Li Muzhi releasing her at that time would be completely fine.
Li Muzhi hadn’t said he would release Yamamoto Sakura immediately.
