Chapter 27: The Brigade Commander Has Face
“What are you standing around for? Hurry up, I’m telling you, not even a single screw can be left behind, got it!” Li Yunlong heavily patted Zhang Dabiao’s shoulder.
Sometimes, a machine can’t operate normally if it’s missing even one screw.
Insignificant little parts that surprisingly play a big role!
“Regiment Commander, rest assured. If time allowed, I’d take this whole storeroom back with us!” Zhang Dabiao spat into his palm and immediately led his men to work excitedly.
Ding Wei had already given a preliminary report to the brigade commander: “Brigade Commander, the warehouse mainly has grain, white flour, white rice, vegetables—enough to feed our brigade for over a month. There are also some weapons and ammunition: six grenade launchers, two mortars, guns enough to equip nearly half a regiment. Unfortunately, no infantry guns or mountain cannons…”
“If there are no infantry guns or mountain cannons, so be it. We have Hell Cannons.” The brigade commander was very satisfied.
He had long known that this Xikou Warehouse had plenty of profits. Having taken it today, it indeed did not disappoint.
Li Yunlong ran over and said to the brigade commander: “Brigade Commander, I’ve found some good stuff and already have people moving it. Come take a quick look—what a great find! Then I can go negotiate a good price with Li Muzhi.”
“Li Yunlong, did you really find machines, you rascal?” The brigade commander had just heard from Ding Wei that Li Yunlong had dragged Diao Gui off to look for machines. This batch of machines had been snatched by the Japanese invaders from a small arsenal.
“Of course.” Li Yunlong led the brigade commander to the storeroom.
Zhang Dabiao and his men had already quickly loaded the trucks and were covering them with cloth.
The brigade commander took a few looks, his eyes lighting up: “Li Yunlong, this really is a treasure.”
“Brigade Commander, what treasure is this? What can it make?” Li Yunlong asked.
“I don’t know everything, but there are furnaces and cannonball molds among them. I reckon this is for making cannonballs,” the brigade commander said.
“For making cannonballs?” Li Yunlong paused. “Our Border Region Arsenal can already make Hell Cannons and cannonballs ourselves. Why do we need this stuff?”
“You really have a short-sighted view, kid.” The brigade commander laughed and cursed. “Didn’t you notice that although the Hell Cannon has great power, its cannonballs are still crudely made? If we take this equipment back to the Border Region Arsenal, Li Muzhi could make better cannonballs, which wouldn’t be bad. What’s more…”
Li Yunlong picked up the brigade commander’s words and continued: “What’s more, there are machines inside that even you don’t recognize. They might be able to make other things.”
“So, Li Yunlong, take this batch of stuff to brigade headquarters first. I’ll negotiate with Old Zhang later.” The brigade commander’s tone was very serious.
Earlier, he had told Li Yunlong to send the dug-up equipment to the arsenal, but the kid couldn’t even get twenty cases of grenades. What a disgrace!
Now, with this batch of treasures, he would personally negotiate with Zhang Wanhe.
“Brigade Commander, what do you plan to ask Old Zhang for with this batch?” Li Yunlong asked the brigade commander.
“I may not know the goods, but I know their value. I think asking Old Zhang for two Hell Cannons should be negotiable.” The brigade commander made a bold demand.
“Brigade Commander, alright, then I’ll take the stuff to your brigade headquarters first.” Li Yunlong knew his negotiating skills weren’t a match for the brigade commander’s. If the brigade commander could really secure two Hell Cannons… heh heh, then the one Hell Cannon in his own hands could stay.
Li Yunlong also knew the brigade commander’s temper. With just one Hell Cannon, he would definitely try to take it from him—his own slender arms couldn’t twist the brigade commander’s thick legs.
But if there were two Hell Cannons, the brigade commander, being a man who cared about face, would surely give him some.
Zhang Dabiao soon finished loading the trucks. Li Yunlong’s other two battalions, with the other captured supplies, followed Zhang Dabiao and left first. Ding Wei’s New First Regiment was responsible for creating smoke bombs to lure the Japanese invaders’ reinforcements elsewhere, buying time for Li Yunlong’s side to transport the stuff back.
……
386 Brigade New Second Regiment
“Damn it, our New Second Regiment’s conditions are even poorer than Li Yunlong’s New First Regiment back then.”
New Second Regiment Regiment Commander Kong Jie looked at the supplies list in his hand and grumbled endlessly.
Back in the day, when the New First Regiment was first formed, it at least had a few light machine guns.
But the New Second Regiment only had one light machine gun.
Put nicely, our New Second Regiment is the 386 Brigade’s regular troops.
Put bluntly, we’re like stepchildren, not even as good as the county brigade.
“Regiment Commander, brigade headquarters just issued a new order.” The deputy regiment commander walked up to Kong Jie.
“What new order?” Kong Jie looked at the deputy regiment commander.
“The order is a bit strange. It says that if our combat troops have no combat missions, and if the Border Region Arsenal needs anything for military industry production, our combat troops must cooperate with the Border Region Arsenal.” The deputy regiment commander replied.
“The order is a bit odd.” Kong Jie nodded.
The Border Region Arsenal could only manage secondary-loaded bullets and black powder grenades—the quality of both was another matter.
What military industry production could they have that needed our combat troops to cooperate on?
What could we cooperate on?
Cooperating on their secondary-loaded bullets?
Or cooperating on their black powder grenades?
We’re combat troops. Sending us to fight Japanese invaders and traitors is no problem—that’s what combat troops are for.
Having combat troops cooperate on military industry work isn’t even the right expertise.
“Regiment Commander, Logistics Minister Zhang is here.” Someone came to report at that moment.
Zhang Wanhe was here?
Kong Jie was quite surprised upon hearing this.
How did this logistics bigwig Zhang Wanhe suddenly have time to come to the Independent Regiment?
Still, he was the head of logistics, in charge of our army’s logistics supplies.
With the New Second Regiment so short on ammunition and firearms, now that the logistics minister was here, maybe he could play poor and ask for some.
So, Kong Jie hurriedly got up to greet him.
“Minister Zhang, what wind blew you my way?” Kong Jie smiled broadly at Zhang Wanhe.
“Regiment Commander Kong, I’m here on some business and just passing by, so I brought you a message.” Zhang Wanhe could tell from Kong Jie’s expression what he was thinking.
The New Second Regiment’s conditions were indeed too meager. If he chatted more with Kong Jie, he’d immediately start whining for supplies. Zhang Wanhe was busy raising funds now and had no time to haggle with him.
“What message?” Kong Jie asked.
“If your New Second Regiment has no combat missions right now, go to the Border Region Arsenal immediately.” Zhang Wanhe said to Kong Jie. “The new factory director there, Li Muzhi, wants to see you.”
“The Border Region Arsenal’s new factory director Li Muzhi wants to see me?” Kong Jie was stunned. He didn’t even know this Li Muzhi—what could he want?
Zhang Wanhe asked Kong Jie: “Haven’t you received the order for combat troops to cooperate with the Border Region Arsenal?”
“I have.” Kong Jie nodded.
“Then that’s it—hurry over.” Zhang Wanhe dropped this and left in a hurry.
“What does this Li Muzhi want with me? He can’t really want me to help make grenades or bullets, can he?” Watching Zhang Wanhe’s back, Kong Jie was baffled.
“Regiment Commander, since brigade headquarters issued the order, you should go as soon as possible.” The deputy regiment commander said to Kong Jie. “And figure out exactly what’s going on.”
“Mm.” Kong Jie could only suppress his doubts and set off immediately.
