Chapter 293: I Can’t Fall
Luo Sanmu left, and Li Muzhi continued walking the Emperor.
The Guard Captain accompanied him, and the two chatted casually.
Finally, they talked about the Guard Captain’s younger sister again.
“My younger sister is named Wei Ying. At the beginning, she was quite a quiet girl.”
The Guard Captain’s face still showed some regret. “Back then, my dad always wanted me to learn a craft, but I wasn’t interested in crafts. I played with knives and sticks every day, fighting. My younger sister was influenced by me and also started wielding sabers and spears. Sigh, it was all because I led her astray.”
“If I hadn’t led her astray, she would definitely be married with children by now.” The Guard Captain continued, “Letting a girl carry knives and guns and fight the Japanese Invaders to the death—honestly, this is a tragedy for our nation. Shooting the Japanese Invaders is our men’s business. This war shouldn’t drag our women into it.”
Li Muzhi advised, “Maybe wielding sabers and spears is truly what suits her. In this world, some women are destined to be different from ordinary women and will become heroic women.”
“Haha, only Factory Director Li would comfort people like that.” The Guard Captain laughed heartily and said, “Whether my younger sister can become a heroic woman isn’t important to me anymore. As long as she lives to see the victory in the War of Resistance and starts a family, that would be great.”
“How’s the partner Minister Zhang arranged for your younger sister? Have you seen that person’s information?” Li Muzhi asked.
“I asked Minister Zhang, and he said to trust his judgment, so I didn’t bother asking more.” The Guard Captain waved his hand.
“Aren’t you curious at all who this partner is?”
“What’s there to be curious about? Like I said, we can suspect Minister Zhang is stingy, but we can’t suspect his judgment of people…” The Guard Captain’s words trailed off.
Old Zhang’s voice came from behind: “Guard Captain, who are you calling stingy?”
“Oh haha, Minister Zhang, I was talking about that Deputy Minister Zhang under you who’s stingy, not you.” The Guard Captain turned around and quickly laughed it off.
Zhang Wanhe had several deputy ministers under him, one of whom was also surnamed Zhang, and the Guard Captain quickly brought that person up.
“Not only did I send rocket launchers and Hell Missiles to your younger sister as Xiao Li requested, I also sent bullets and grenades.” Zhang Wanhe still said to the Guard Captain, “Why are you still judging me with your old views?”
“Minister Zhang, I really meant the Deputy Minister Zhang, not you.” The Guard Captain stated again.
Zhang Wanhe didn’t argue further with the Guard Captain and turned his gaze to Li Muzhi: “Xiao Li, you’ve already taken the Emperor out for a walk, so I assume the flashbangs are ready, right?”
“Yeah, they’re done. I made five in total, but I had someone take one for testing.” Li Muzhi replied.
“How long will the testing take?”
“It should be quick, won’t take long.” Li Muzhi answered.
“Alright then, we’ll wait for the test results. Let the Military Statistics Bureau wait a bit longer.” Zhang Wanhe nodded.
“Minister Zhang, has the equipment arrived?”
“The Military Statistics Bureau said there was a delay on the road; it probably won’t arrive until early this morning.” Zhang Wanhe answered, then continued, “In short, I won’t give them the flashbangs until I see the equipment. I just heard that things aren’t going smoothly for Li Yunlong.”
“What’s going on with Regimental Commander Li?” Li Muzhi sensed some tension in Zhang Wanhe’s tone.
“The Jin Sui Army went to the Taiyuan Rear first but suffered a massive poison gas shells attack. The Jin Sui Army took heavy losses and got encircled; they’re now desperately breaking out.” Zhang Wanhe said angrily, “Li Yunlong and the others don’t have gas masks either. If they encounter poison gas shells, won’t that be dangerous?”
Before Li Muzhi could speak, the Guard Captain next to him couldn’t help but speak first: “Minister Zhang, the Japanese Invaders have poison gas shells, but our troops have no protective equipment. Won’t that delay the operation?”
Li Yunlong and the others went outside the encirclement to contain the Japanese Sweeping Army.
Now that the Japanese Sweeping Army is defeated, the Taiyuan Rear is vulnerable, so there’s an opportunity to grab some profits.
But with the Japanese Invaders having poison gas shells, it might not be easy to grab profits.
“That’s why I’m so eager to swap the equipment and raw materials from the Military Statistics Bureau.” Zhang Wanhe said seriously, “Once we get the equipment and raw materials, we’ll rush production; maybe we can still make it in time.”
Li Muzhi didn’t speak. Judging by normal circumstances, it probably wouldn’t be in time.
Because The Bald One was so quick to hand over this batch of equipment, it likely has defects.
After swapping, we’d still have to spend time repairing it.
He just didn’t know if Li Yunlong’s side could wait that long.
Zhang Wanhe still looked solemnly at Li Muzhi: “Xiao Li, once we swap for this batch of equipment, it’ll all depend on you. Whether Li Yunlong and the others can go to the Taiyuan Rear to grab a haul depends on whether the gas masks can be delivered to them in time.”
“Minister Zhang, I’ll give it my all!” Despite foreseeing it would be extremely difficult, Li Muzhi nodded heavily.
Just like the attitude of the revolutionary martyrs facing this war.
The Japanese Invaders brazenly invaded, and the country and nation weren’t fully prepared to respond; time and space were both insufficient.
But the revolutionary martyrs still resolutely resisted.
Once the equipment arrives, he’ll work overtime to rush it.
After chatting a couple more sentences about the equipment, Li Muzhi said to Zhang Wanhe: “Minister Zhang, earlier a liaison officer from the 35th Regiment of the combat troops came, saying the direct lineage wants to buy our blinding powder and Hell Missiles.”
“The blinding powder can be considered; it has no technical content.” Zhang Wanhe had no issue with the blinding powder and looked at Li Muzhi, “But we don’t have enough Hell Missiles for ourselves.”
Zhang Wanhe could foresee that even if the Kumamoto Division army was worn down to death, the Japanese Invaders would surely sweep again.
After all, the number of Japanese Invader armies on this land was huge.
The Kumamoto Division Commander’s army of tens of thousands of Japanese Invaders was barely a fraction in the face of that huge number.
This meant that once the Japanese Invaders launched another sweep, it would inevitably be extremely brutal.
By then, the pressure on the combat troops would be unprecedented.
The battlefield significance of Hell Missiles was thus beyond doubt.
Although, he still coveted the equipment from the direct lineage side.
But the premise was that they had to ensure their own survival first.
Unless!
Unless the production scale of Hell Missiles could be ramped up; if output increased, they could consider it.
“Minister Zhang, you’re worried that if the Japanese Invaders come with heavy troops again, our troops will face too much pressure and won’t have enough Hell Missiles, right?” Li Muzhi saw through the other’s concern.
“Unless the output of Hell Missiles can increase.” Zhang Wanhe nodded.
Li Muzhi said, “We can use Hell Missiles to swap for the equipment we need from the direct lineage side. We can modify that equipment once we get it to expand the production scale of Hell Missiles.”
“I’m afraid the Japanese Invaders won’t give us that much time.” Zhang Wanhe still shook his head and said, “Hell Missiles are different from Hell Cannons; they’re very portable, with no logistics transportation pressure and very high mobility. I estimate the headquarters leader won’t allow selling them either. If the direct lineage wants to buy, we should sell Hell Cannons instead.”
He hadn’t even finished the anti-disassembly device for the Hell Cannon shells.
If they wanted to sell Hell Missiles, they’d definitely need to add an anti-disassembly device to them too.
In terms of time, there probably wouldn’t be enough.
“How about this, Minister Zhang.” Li Muzhi thought for a moment and said, “If I can find time to make the anti-disassembly device for Hell Missiles, then you should still report to the headquarters leader. The output of Hell Missiles is too low; from a long-term perspective, it’s choking our troops. We must try to expand the production scale.”
“You probably won’t have time for that.” Zhang Wanhe looked at Li Muzhi, feeling distressed: “You’re the most precious asset in our military logistics now. If you wear yourself out, that’s a loss we can’t bear.”
Right now, they were about to swap equipment from the Military Statistics Bureau, and then Li Muzhi would need to rush to inspect and repair it to produce gas masks, which Li Yunlong’s side was waiting for.
The anti-disassembly device for Hell Cannon shells wasn’t done yet either.
Although anti-aircraft weapons hadn’t started production, Zhang Wanhe knew Li Muzhi was already tinkering with some parts in advance.
Even, occasionally Li Muzhi had to teach the students a class or write military industry materials for them.
Li Muzhi was busy like a top every day; without the Emperor, he probably wouldn’t even come out for half an hour’s walk to rest.
With him so busy, having to squeeze out time to tinker with the anti-disassembly device for Hell Missiles—Zhang Wanhe was genuinely worried Li Muzhi would get sick from overwork.
If Li Muzhi really collapsed from exhaustion, not only would the headquarters leader not let him off, Zhang Wanhe wouldn’t forgive himself either.
“Minister Zhang, it’s fine. I’m still young.” Li Muzhi said he could persist.
This young body was full of vitality; although busy, Li Muzhi felt energetic every day and lived very fulfillingly.
Moreover!
No matter how tired he was, it couldn’t compare to some combat troops.
They fought the Japanese Invaders every day, enduring wind and dew, traveling by starlight and moonlight; the high-intensity combat had emaciated them to skin and bones.
While he had ample sleep time every day and good food, conditions were already very good.
The conditions of our army were still harsh.
The disparity in strength between enemy and us remained huge; military industry was the soul of the army’s combat power.
If military industry didn’t hold back, when combat troops fought fiercely with the enemy, fewer people would die, less blood would be shed, and more enemies could be killed.
“Even the young can’t withstand this kind of torment.” Zhang Wanhe still felt distressed, but seeing Li Muzhi’s resolute expression, he couldn’t force it.
On one hand, Zhang Wanhe felt sorry for Li Muzhi.
On the other hand, what Li Muzhi said was indeed correct.
The battlefield significance of Hell Missiles was too great, while the Border Region Arsenal’s output was too low—only about twenty per day.
In the face of our huge troop numbers, this output was far too low.
To ramp up output, more equipment would be needed.
“Minister Zhang, I’ll pay attention to my health; don’t worry.” Li Muzhi said with a smile, “I know I can’t collapse. I’ll plan my time reasonably.”
“Sigh.” Old Zhang sighed.
