Chapter 276: This Move Is Really Sneaky
Border Region Arsenal
Li Muzhi was developing the device in the flashbang when Doctor of Metallurgy Zhang Ke walked over, handed Li Muzhi a portion of powder, and said, “Factory Director, what do you think of this powder?”
This was scrap material produced from making fake tungsten ore; Li Muzhi had Zhang Ke find a way to grind it into powder.
Zhang Ke did not know what use Li Muzhi had for grinding this scrap material into powder, but he still did as instructed.
Li Muzhi stopped his current work, took it to inspect, and nodded, “Mm, not bad, it’s ground very finely.”
Zhang Ke asked suspiciously, “Factory Director, what do you plan to use this powder for?”
Li Muzhi asked solemnly, “When our soldiers bayonet fight with the Japanese invaders, what is our shortcoming?”
Although Zhang Ke had never been to the battlefield, he still listed them fluently: “Aside from physical foundation, endurance, and explosive power, the Japanese invaders’ Type 38 Rifles are longer than our rifles, and their bayonets are also longer. During bayonet fighting, our soldiers often suffer greatly in close combat because their weapons are not long enough.”
Li Muzhi nodded: “Mm, correct. During close combat, our soldiers’ weapons in hand are short, so they suffer greatly in bayonet fighting, and now our arsenal has not yet started making bayonets. Even if we made bayonets, the guns in our soldiers’ hands are shorter than the Japanese invaders’, so in bayonet fighting, they would still suffer greatly. Therefore!”
Li Muzhi paused, then continued, “So I plan to take a different approach and directly destroy the Japanese invaders’ bayonet fighting advantage.”
Destroy the Japanese invaders’ bayonet fighting advantage?
Zhang Ke did not quite understand Li Muzhi’s meaning and asked suspiciously, “Factory Director, how to destroy it, just relying on this scrap material left over from making fake tungsten ore?”
“Doctor Zhang, you must remember, in the eyes of us military industry personnel, there is no such concept as scrap material.” Li Muzhi said solemnly, “Once this thing is ground into powder, and I add two more things to it, it will become the soldiers’ trump card to defeat the enemy in close-quarters bayonet fighting with the Japanese invaders.”
With that, Li Muzhi took two small bottles from the table: one bottle contained wood ash, the other charcoal powder.
Li Muzhi took another large container, poured in the wood ash and charcoal powder, and finally poured in Zhang Ke’s portion of powder.
Li Muzhi stirred it evenly, then pointed at the mixed powder in the container and said with a smile, “Now this is blinding powder. When our soldiers engage the Japanese invaders in close-quarters bayonet fighting, they scatter this blinding powder at the Japanese invaders’ faces. Once the Japanese invaders’ eyes get this powder in them, they will immediately become blind. You say, when the Japanese invaders can’t see at that point, won’t they be at our soldiers’ mercy?”
“This…” Zhang Ke was stunned upon hearing it.
He had thought Li Muzhi was making this powder to create some new type of explosives powder, but unexpectedly, it was blinding powder.
This move could be called extremely insidious.
On the battlefield, destroying the Japanese invaders’ eyes would immediately ruin their bayonet fighting skills.
At that point, the Japanese invaders would be like meat on the chopping block; our soldiers could stab them to death even if their weapons were a bit short—it wouldn’t matter.
Not to mention weapons being short; even if our soldiers were unarmed, it would still be bullying the Japanese invaders.
Li Muzhi continued with a smile, “When this powder is scattered, without wearing a mask or other protective gear in advance, if inhaled into the lungs by the Japanese invaders, it will also cause breathing difficulties. Done right, our soldiers won’t even need to engage in close combat—the Japanese invaders will collapse on their own.”
“Factory Director, in my impression, you have always been a very kind person, but now looking at your smile, why does it seem so sinister?” Zhang Ke was greatly shocked.
The Border Region Arsenal could smelt steel, iron pots were being made, shell casings were being produced, but Li Muzhi had not been seen making bayonets.
Now it seemed that with this blinding powder developed, bayonets could be completely postponed.
As a Doctor of Metallurgy, Zhang Ke also knew that bayonets were not low-value; without a certain industrial level, good bayonets could not be made.
The reason Li Muzhi had not made bayonets was that he was waiting for the conditions to refine tungsten ore to mature.
At that time, once the tungsten ore could be refined and added to the bayonet steel, bayonets with excellent performance could be made.
Now, with blinding powder, the demand for bayonets could be pushed back.
Moreover, the cost of this blinding powder was also extremely low.
A lot of scrap material was left over from making fake tungsten ore; grinding it all into powder, wood ash and charcoal powder sources were also very easy— we didn’t lack wood, and carbon was even more abundant.
Actually, previously on the battlefield, soldiers had also used other methods.
For example, scattering chili powder or pepper powder, but the cost of those was really too high.
The current blinding powder had costs so low they could almost be ignored.
“What sinister smile?” Old Zhang’s voice came from outside.
Seeing Zhang Wanhe arrive, Zhang Ke immediately pointed at the blinding powder in front of him and said, “Minister Zhang, the Factory Director made this mixed powder. On the battlefield, throwing it at the Japanese invaders’ faces can blind their eyes and also cause breathing difficulties.”
“Is that so?” Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanhe hurriedly came over, looked at the stuff, and solemnly looked at Li Muzhi: “Xiao Li, is the cost of this thing high? Can the rags on the Japanese invaders’ military caps block it?”
In our rear hospitals, there were too many soldiers injured from bayonet fighting with the Japanese invaders.
It was not that these soldiers were not desperate enough on the battlefield; it was really that the Japanese invaders’ weapons were longer, plus they had training foundations—our soldiers suffered too much in close combat.
Now, with this blinding powder, on the battlefield it could make the Japanese invaders’ eyes close on the spot—wouldn’t the Japanese invaders then be at our mercy?
Actually.
Before, the soldiers had also tried scattering sand at the Japanese invaders’ faces.
But the effect was not very good.
Because the two pieces of rag on the Japanese invaders’ military caps were really annoying.
When our soldiers threw sand, they just needed to turn their faces sideways, and the sand would be blocked by the rags, unable to get into their eyes.
If this blinding powder could make the rags ineffective, then the significance would be great.
Before Li Muzhi could answer, Zhang Ke spoke first: “Minister Zhang, this cost is so low it couldn’t be lower. Just grind the waste left from making fake tungsten ore into powder, then add wood ash and charcoal powder.”
“That really is extremely low cost.” Old Zhang smiled; scrap material left from fake tungsten ore, wood ash, charcoal powder—this low cost meant it could be produced in large quantities.
At that time, during close combat, our soldiers would not… Right, still hadn’t asked if the rags on the Japanese invaders’ military caps could block it.
Zhang Wanhe hurriedly continued asking, “Then can the two pieces of cloth on the Japanese invaders’ military caps block it?”
“Minister Zhang, have Regiment Commander Kong take it to test, and you’ll know.” Li Muzhi said.
“Mm.” Zhang Wanhe nodded, then asked, “Then how to carry this blinding powder? Can’t just put it directly in pockets, right?”
Li Muzhi said, “Of course it can’t be put directly in pockets. Actually, the best container is eggshells, then sealed. When using, just take it out, crush it, and scatter at the Japanese invaders’ faces—the effect will definitely be good. But logistics here uses eggshells as fertilizer, so wrap in paper instead. Before use, open the paper wrapper in advance, grab the powder in the palm, and scatter at the Japanese invaders’ faces when close—it will work the same.”
“Mm.” Zhang Wanhe immediately nodded and called someone to quickly find Kong Jie.
“Zhang Ke, go find paper and package these blinding powders separately.” Li Muzhi said to Zhang Ke, “Once packaged, bring them back.”
“Okay, Factory Director.” Zhang Ke carried the container and left.
Li Muzhi’s gaze fixed on Zhang Wanhe: “Minister Zhang, you came directly without the guard reporting—is there some urgent matter? Could it be that the frontline warfare is not going smoothly?”
“If the frontline warfare were not going smoothly, wouldn’t my expression be anxious and cursing?” Zhang Wanhe pointed out.
“True enough.” Li Muzhi nodded; Old Zhang’s face indeed showed no negative emotions at all.
Li Muzhi still asked, “Then the frontline warfare is going very smoothly?”
“I don’t know the specifics either, after all, I’m logistics. But I did hear that the direct lineage has over a dozen divisions coming to fight the Japanese sweeping army. With them joining, perhaps this raid will be broken.” Zhang Wanhe said.
“What about Regimental Commander Li’s side?” Upon hearing that the direct lineage had over a dozen divisions joining, Li Muzhi immediately felt relieved.
He could faintly sense that this counter-raid would probably end ahead of schedule without taking long.
“Unclear on his side.” Zhang Wanhe shook his head and said, “But Regimental Commander Li never suffers losses in fighting wars. If the Kumamoto Army is dealt with, he might even take advantage of the momentum get some things back for us.”
“True enough.” Li Muzhi nodded and asked, “Then Minister Zhang, why did you come so urgently? Surely not to check on Hell Missile production?”
“No.” Zhang Wanhe shook his head and said, “It’s the Military Statistics Bureau side; they’re eager to immediately trade equipment for our flashbangs, saying best to complete the transaction in these two days.”
“So urgent?” Li Muzhi was still stunned upon hearing it, “This equipment—have they already transported it from the large rear area?”
If this equipment was in Shancheng, the journey here was not short.
“From their tone, the equipment can arrive tomorrow evening.” Zhang Wanhe said, “They probably have some important capture mission and urgently need flashbangs.”
“This is a bit too rushed.” Li Muzhi replied, “Give me two more days; obviously not enough time to make the devices.”
“They said they can take a few first.” Zhang Wanhe said, “You can make a few makeshift ones first; no need to make them so precise.”
“Then the equipment—can we send someone tomorrow evening to inspect goods in advance?” Li Muzhi asked.
If just making do with a few, barely managing a few was still possible.
“They said yes.” Zhang Wanhe nodded.
“Alright then, Minister Zhang. I’ll try to rush it as much as possible first.
