Chapter 292: Without Seamless Steel Pipes, Anti-aircraft Weapons Can’t Be Made
Border Region Arsenal
Li Muzhi stretched on the chair, then stood up: “This flashbang is finally done.”
Five flashbangs were placed on the table.
All made according to Minister Zhang’s requirements, able to prevent disassembly and self-destruct periodically.
Li Muzhi took a flashbang and walked out, finding a guard: “Go, call your guard captain over.”
“Yes, Factory Director Li.” The guard nodded.
Not long after, the guard captain hurried over, smiling at Li Muzhi: “Factory Director Li, you called me over, is it to walk the Emperor again?”
The guard captain had sharp eyes; seeing Li Muzhi’s energetic state, he knew he had completed another phase of work, so this was probably to take the Emperor out for a walk again.
“That Takahashi Kōnosuke still hasn’t confessed?” Li Muzhi didn’t answer the guard captain directly, but asked.
“Hasn’t confessed, this bastard is very emotional now; after you tricked important intelligence out of him, he’s been cursing.” The guard captain replied.
Li Muzhi handed the flashbang in his hand to the guard captain and said: “This is the flashbang I just made; have someone take it to test on Takahashi Kōnosuke.”
Although the Military Statistics Bureau was a violent organization, it had to admit their contributions in the War of Resistance.
They were eager to exchange equipment for producing gas masks for flashbangs, so the task must be crucial.
With the added device inside, Li Muzhi still needed to ensure the flashbang could explode normally.
Otherwise, wouldn’t this delay the Military Statistics Bureau’s important task?
“Mm, alright.” The guard captain nodded, took the flashbang, and asked: “Can’t go in to see the flashbang’s effect; how should I write the data for you?”
“As long as the flashbang explodes normally, then you record the time and extent of Takahashi Kōnosuke’s vision and hearing loss.” Li Muzhi said.
“Alright, got it.” The guard captain nodded and immediately arranged for someone to send it to the interrogation side.
Li Muzhi came outside the dog kennel outer wall; people hadn’t even entered the courtyard, and the Emperor was already barking excitedly.
The Emperor was very smart and could tell by footsteps if it was Li Muzhi.
Li Muzhi came to the front of the dog kennel, and the Emperor excitedly wagged its tail desperately.
Li Muzhi untied the rope, and the Emperor circled at Li Muzhi’s feet, overjoyed.
Li Muzhi fed the Emperor a few bones, then took it out for a walk, with the guard captain and men accompanying.
“Factory Director Li, I just heard the news.” The guard captain said excitedly to Li Muzhi: “The frontline battle was won; the Kumamoto Division army was heavily damaged. This Japanese invaders’ raid failed, so our arsenal has time to produce weapons and ammunition.”
“It was heavily damaged, wasn’t it annihilated?” Li Muzhi countered.
With logistics and supplies cut off, and the Direct Line Army joining in, the fate of the Kumamoto Division army was already sealed.
But!
Merely heavily damaging the Kumamoto Division army wasn’t enough.
They had to be annihilated, so the Japanese invaders couldn’t gather sufficient troops quickly for the next large-scale sweep; that would buy time for the Border Region Arsenal.
Otherwise, once the Kumamoto Division army’s logistics and supplies were replenished, and Shinozuka Yoshio added some troops, the raid would quickly come back.
“Factory Director Li, who doesn’t want to annihilate the Kumamoto Division army? When your Hell Missile came out, it destroyed the Japanese heavy artillery position; without suppression from the Direct Line Army, they broke out, and our troops struck the Japanese invaders from three sides. The Japanese invaders, low on ammunition, tried to struggle with bayonet advantages, but were suppressed by your blinding powder.” The guard captain’s tone carried regret. “Everyone just needed to push harder; even if we couldn’t completely eat up the Kumamoto Division army, we could smash them thoroughly. But then the Japanese invaders’ airplanes came, fiercely bombarding and suppressing us and the Direct Line Army, and airdropped ammunition and supplies to the Kumamoto Division in time. The Kumamoto Division army’s combat power recovered considerably, and under the airplane cover, they immediately broke out.”
Li Muzhi’s tone was also regretful: “No way around it; without seamless steel pipes, the arsenal can’t make anti-aircraft weapons.”
During the War of Resistance, the Japanese invaders used air superiority to reverse many battles, causing too many tragic casualty incidents on our side.
Without anti-aircraft weapons, even civilians became cannon fodder.
Unfortunately.
Without the corresponding equipment, Li Muzhi, despite his skills, couldn’t put them to use.
This seamless steel pipe required a solid industrial foundation; anti-aircraft rounds needed huge chamber pressure to launch—no shortcuts.
Of course, this didn’t mean seamless steel pipes couldn’t be made at all.
During the War of Resistance, the Eighth Route Army’s military industry personnel once made steel pipes from train railroad tracks, but they were too rough, barely counting as a first step.
Also, similar seamless steel pipe parts could be disassembled from scrapped machinery and equipment.
For example, pipes from old steam engines; though sizes were non-standard, after cutting and forging, they could barely be used, but only barely.
Such pipes couldn’t withstand the chamber pressure of anti-aircraft rounds at all.
“Yeah, without seamless steel pipes, anti-aircraft weapons can’t be made.” The guard captain nodded. “Not just anti-aircraft weapons; even the most basic guns can’t be made.”
Don’t think that since Li Muzhi had made the Hell Cannon, rocket launcher, and now the Hell Missile, those all belonged to artillery.
In some ways, artillery’s lethality definitely surpassed guns.
But!
Guns were still the basic weapons on the battlefield, indispensable.
For the Hell Cannon, rocket launcher, and Hell Missile, Li Muzhi had ways to bypass or not need seamless steel pipes for huge chamber pressure.
But guns couldn’t be bypassed.
Li Muzhi still said optimistically: “I believe it won’t be long before the combat troops below snatch equipment for us to produce seamless steel pipes. Once these anti-aircraft weapons are made, the Japanese invaders’ air superiority will be curbed, and battlefield regrets will decrease a lot.”
Thinking of something, the guard captain turned to look at Li Muzhi: “Factory Director Li, do you think the Taiyuan Arsenal has equipment to make seamless steel pipes?”
Li Yunlong and them, taking advantage of the Japanese invaders’ Taiyuan rear being empty, might go rob the Taiyuan Arsenal.
“Of course.” Li Muzhi nodded directly.
During the War of Resistance, the Taiyuan Arsenal could make guns and cannons, so it definitely had the capability to make seamless steel pipes.
But…
Even if the Taiyuan rear was empty, it probably wouldn’t be that easy for Li Yunlong and them to rob the Taiyuan Arsenal.
Of course, Regimental Commander Li’s abilities were always outstanding; since he went, Li Muzhi believed he wouldn’t return empty-handed.
“Mm, if Regimental Commander Li can rob the Taiyuan Arsenal and bring back equipment to make seamless steel pipes, then later…” The guard captain didn’t finish.
A guard ran up and interrupted: “Report Captain, Regiment Commander Luo from 35th Regiment sent a liaison officer back, saying he wants to see Factory Director Li.”
“Confirmed the identity? What’s the purpose?” The guard captain asked seriously; now, not just anyone could casually see Li Muzhi.
In other words, Li Muzhi’s time couldn’t be casually interrupted.
Even walking the dog was to rest his mind, couldn’t casually get distracted.
“Mm, confirmed, no mistake; he’s from 35th Regiment.” The guard nodded and continued: “He said their regimental commander sent him back to mention to Factory Director Li’s side that the Direct Line side saw the effects of blinding powder and Hell Missiles on the battlefield; the Direct Line side wants to buy.”
The guard captain, upon hearing, said directly: “Shouldn’t this matter go to Minister Zhang?”
“He said Minister Zhang is not here.” The guard replied.
“Factory Director Li, what do you think.” The guard captain turned to Li Muzhi.
In the guard captain’s view, blinding powder had low cost and could be considered for sale.
But Hell Missiles, we didn’t have enough ourselves, so no consideration for selling temporarily.
“Let him come over.” Li Muzhi said.
The guard captain instructed the guard: “Take him over.”
“Yes, Guard Captain.” The guard ran off.
Not long after, the guard led a young man over running.
“This is Factory Director Li.” The guard introduced Li Muzhi to the young man.
“Hello Factory Director Li, I’m Luo Sanmu.” The young man quickly saluted Li Muzhi and gave his name. “I’m the liaison officer from 35th Regiment.”
Looking at Factory Director Li before him, Luo Sanmu recalled the battlefield scene where Hell Missiles took out the Japanese heavy artillery position; his eyes filled with irrepressible excitement and respect.
The Hell Missiles were made by this Factory Director Li; he was so lucky—fortunately Minister Zhang was away, so he could see Factory Director Li in person.
At this moment, who knows how many in 35th Regiment would envy him.
“Luo Sanmu, tell me the situation in detail.” Li Muzhi smiled at Luo Sanmu.
“Yes, Factory Director Li.” Luo Sanmu nodded and immediately described in detail: “It was like this; at that time on the battlefield…”
After Luo Sanmu finished describing in detail, he looked at Li Muzhi somewhat nervously: “Factory Director Li, will you sell the Hell Missiles and blinding powder?”
When Luo Sanmu came, the regimental commander had already said.
If the logistics side was selling, he must negotiate the reward in advance.
If the logistics side wasn’t selling, then this reward would be gone.
“Definitely selling.” Li Muzhi nodded and said: “I’ll talk to Minister Zhang about this later; Minister Zhang will connect with the Direct Line side.”
“Factory Director Li, I heard Regimental Commander Li from 386th Brigade introduced a customer to you, and you rewarded him…” Luo Sanmu, hearing Li Muzhi say they were selling, followed up.
“How about this: if the business is done, give your 35th Regiment three Hell Missiles?” Li Muzhi interrupted him, seeing that the other wanted to see him probably to get this reward.
“Factory Director Li, really, three?” Luo Sanmu thought he misheard.
These were Hell Missiles—no cannon barrel needed, could be lit and fired by hand.
Such a handy thing, main regiments and garrison regiments would surely scramble for them.
For a local regiment like 35th, getting one or two later would be burning incense.
Though the regimental commander said with over 400 kills in meritorious service they could get three to five Hell Missiles, that was just talk to satisfy.
Now, introducing a business to the logistics side, and Factory Director Li giving 35th Regiment three Hell Missiles—this happiness came too suddenly.
He was still worried Factory Director Li would be hard to talk to, and he wouldn’t be able to report back to the regimental commander.
Now, not only was the errand easy to report, the regimental commander would praise him hard.
“Yes, three.” Li Muzhi nodded.
“Hahaha.” Luo Sanmu laughed with his mouth to his ears. “Thank you Factory Director Li, thank you! I won’t disturb you; I’ll go report the good news to the regimental commander.”
With that, Luo Sanmu saluted Li Muzhi and trotted off happily.
