Chapter 314: Gaoping’s Dual Use
Li Muzhi returned to his own laboratory and continued completing the device diagram modification for the Hell Missile.
By dinnertime, the diagram modification was finished.
Not only was the diagram modification finished, but even the parts diagrams were drawn to scale by Li Muzhi.
“Lao He, modify the Hell Missile according to this diagram and parts.” Li Muzhi handed the diagram to Lao He.
Lao He took it and looked, somewhat stunned: “Factory Director, this is the Hell Missile for sale, and you’ve modified it so quickly?”
You took a long time to modify the device in the Hell Cannon Shells.
For this Hell Missile device, you finished the diagram modification in one day?
“This Hell Missile is less difficult than the Hell Cannon Shell, I just simplified it a bit.” Li Muzhi explained.
“Hmm, it looks like the two are indeed very similar.” Lao He looked carefully again, then said, “Alright, I’ll get someone to make it as soon as possible.”
“Just make two sample rounds first, don’t produce too many.” Li Muzhi instructed.
After all, we don’t have enough Hell Missiles here ourselves, so even if selling, the quantity is limited.
Unless we scale up production.
“Got it, Factory Director.” Lao He nodded.
“It’s mealtime, let’s go eat first.” Li Muzhi said.
“Okay.” Lao He put away the diagram, and the two walked together to the canteen.
“Factory Director, the anti-aircraft weapon parts are being worked on, but I don’t know when the combat troops will send the seamless steel pipe equipment.” Lao He sighed, even impatiently.
Li Muzhi had said that this anti-aircraft weapon is dual-use for high and flat trajectories.
What does high and flat dual-use mean?
It means pointing the cannon muzzle at the sky can strike aerial targets.
Leveling the cannon muzzle can also strike ground targets.
Like the Japanese Army’s tanks and armored vehicles.
Although the Japanese Army’s tanks and armored vehicles are restrained by rocket launchers, rocket launchers have too short a range after all and easily expose positions.
While this anti-aircraft weapon has a long range and can suppress the invaders’ mechanized troops with distant sweeping fire.
Eliminating enemies from a distance is always a first-mover advantage on the battlefield.
Before, we always let the enemy get close to fight, that was out of necessity.
“Regimental Commander Li and the others might soon send us a surprise, let’s not worry too much about combat troops’ matters.” Li Muzhi said optimistically.
“Yeah, we should mainly focus on our military industry production.” Lao He nodded.
At the serving window, the serving lady ladled a bowl of fish soup for Li Muzhi: “Factory Director Li, this fish soup is very fresh, drink more.”
“Thank you.” Li Muzhi thanked her, put the fish soup on the plate, and took two steamed buns.
Li Muzhi sat down with the plate, had drunk half the fish soup and eaten one steamed bun, when he saw the Guard Captain hurrying over.
The Guard Captain quickly walked to Li Muzhi and handed him a stack of photos: “Factory Director Li, take a look at what factory this is.”
Li Muzhi took the photos, glanced at them, and seeing the pipes and tanks, his expression lit up with surprise: “This is a natural gas factory.”
Li Muzhi had long been eyeing the invaders’ natural gas factory.
As long as we can capture the equipment from this natural gas factory, then we can refine the tungsten ore.
By then, whether it’s the cannon barrel for this anti-aircraft weapon or other guns’ gun barrels, they all need tungsten.
During continuous firing, the gun barrel generates high temperatures from gunpowder combustion and bullet friction, leading to metal deformation or burst barrel risk.
Adding tungsten enhances the steel’s heat resistance and wear resistance, extending service life.
Li Muzhi quickly flipped through the rest of the photos, happily looking at the Guard Captain: “This is a invaders’ factory discovered by the combat troops below, right?”
“Yes.” The Guard Captain nodded and said, “This was discovered by Brigade Commander Chen of the 386th Brigade. He didn’t recognize the factory, so he took photos and sent them back.”
“Great, we must capture this natural gas factory.” Li Muzhi said joyfully, “About when can Brigade Commander Chen move in?”
“I’m not sure about that.” The Guard Captain shook his head, looking at Li Muzhi, “I don’t understand these things, but disassembling these pipes and tanks surely isn’t that simple, right?”
“Mm.” Li Muzhi acknowledged, then said, “These pipes contain dangerous flammable gas; a single spark could turn the entire factory into ruins. The disassembly difficulty is much greater than for a regular smelting plant.”
“After dinner, I’ll quickly convene relevant personnel for a meeting, come up with a disassembly plan, and prepare the disassembly personnel.” Li Muzhi continued, “Then, contact Brigade Commander Chen; whenever he moves in, send the disassembly personnel over promptly.”
“Alright.” The Guard Captain nodded and said, “Then I’ll reply to Brigade Commander Chen’s people and tell them it’s a natural gas factory, extremely dangerous, try to take it without firing a shot.”
Taking it without firing a shot was completely asking too much.
After all, the invaders aren’t stupid; would they just hand over the natural gas factory?
But if firing shots, a single spark could easily destroy the entire factory, even taking the troops with it.
Brigade Commander Chen’s dilemma was indeed huge.
“Good.” Li Muzhi nodded, and the Guard Captain walked away.
As he left, he grabbed two steamed buns from the serving window, munching on them while walking.
The Guard Captain often ate like this, grabbing two steamed buns to munch on while working.
After handing off to the 386th Brigade’s messenger, the latter left quickly.
Before dark, the Guard Captain personally patrolled once more, confirmed no anomalies, and then prepared to rest.
At this time, he saw Kong Jie return.
Kong Jie’s team returned fully loaded, bringing quite a few supplies and guns and ammunition.
Even, the Guard Captain saw Kong Jie carrying a Hell Missile.
The Guard Captain remembered that Kong Jie didn’t have a Hell Missile.
But the Guard Captain didn’t pay it much mind; maybe when Kong Jie went out on action, Factory Director Li gave him a few.
Factory Director Li had always been very generous to Regiment Commander Kong.
“Regiment Commander Kong, where did you scrounge again this time.” The Guard Captain greeted with a laugh.
“You all go tally and store the stuff, hand the captives to logistics, then go eat. I’ll chat with the Guard Captain a bit.” Kong Jie said to those around him.
“Yes, Regiment Commander.” The Battalion Commander and others took the team to get busy.
“Guard Captain, guess who I saw on this trip out.” Kong Jie teased.
“I don’t know where you went, how can I guess.” The Guard Captain laughed, “The strongholds and sentry posts in this area have basically been cleared; did you go to the invaders’ county town?”
“Why would I go to the invaders’ county town, not much profit, wastes ammunition.” Kong Jie shook his head.
These county towns require siege artillery to attack, and our Hell Cannon Shells are precious.
Moreover, supplies from these county towns have been drawn out to support the Kumamoto Division’s large army.
In other words, many county towns are hollow shells now; the deal isn’t worth it.
“Then where did you go?” The Guard Captain realized too; hitting county towns before was always profitable, now it’s likely a sure loss.
“I went to the Xiangshan area and saw your younger sister.” Kong Jie said.
Hearing this, the Guard Captain immediately asked: “How is she? Has the team developed?”
“Her guerrilla team has over sixty people, seems to be developing okay.” Kong Jie replied, “I took down a big traitor, left her over a hundred guns and lots of supplies, plus a Type 92 Infantry Gun and ten shells, enough for her to grow the team to several hundred.”
Hearing this, the Guard Captain was half-believing: “Regiment Commander Kong, why give her so much?”
If it was just over a hundred guns and lots of supplies, that could make sense.
Giving even a Type 92 Infantry Gun is obviously off.
“Why what!” Kong Jie looked at the Guard Captain seriously, “I saw a girl struggling to build a team; if I hadn’t gone in time today, you might never see her again in this lifetime. The team still needs to develop quickly; once combat power is up, you working at the arsenal can worry less as her brother.”
“What happened, what danger did she face today?” The Guard Captain asked hurriedly.
“A big traitor captured thirty girls to give to the invaders; that traitor was celebrating his birthday today, with over three hundred and fifty Japanese Invaders and Traitors at home. Your younger sister’s intelligence was wrong; even if she only planned to fight those thirty or forty invaders, with her guerrilla team’s conditions, think about it yourself.” Kong Jie explained.
“Regiment Commander Kong, thanks for helping in time.” The Guard Captain immediately understood.
The traitor captured thirty girls to give to the invaders; his own younger sister wouldn’t abandon rescuing them. With Xiangshan guerrilla team’s conditions, fighting thirty or forty invaders was indeed tough.
“No thanks needed, all comrades, we should look out for each other.” Kong Jie waved it off, then asked: “Did Old Zhang send a partner to her side?”
“Regiment Commander Kong, did you see this partner? How is he?” The Guard Captain asked hurriedly again.
Back then, though the Guard Captain said he trusted Minister Zhang’s judgment and didn’t inquire about the partner’s personal info.
But in the Guard Captain’s heart, he was still curious what kind of person this partner was.
“I didn’t see him; your younger sister didn’t bring him on the action.” Kong Jie shook his head and said, “From your younger sister’s tone, that partner is a cultured person, but seems not to get along with her.”
“Maybe with time, they’ll mesh.” The Guard Captain thought to himself upon hearing; we can’t ask Minister Zhang to replace him, he’s so busy.
“For your younger sister’s team to grow strong, it definitely needs cultured people supporting; many guerrilla teams want such a partner but have no chance.” Kong Jie nodded too, “Maybe; after working together long, they might even develop a bond of life and death. I estimate they can mesh. Plus with the weapons and ammunition and supplies I provided her, her team will definitely grow strong quickly; you as brother can rest easy guarding the arsenal.”
“Regiment Commander Kong, thank you.” The Guard Captain sincerely thanked Kong Jie.
After all, what Kong Jie gave Wei Ying was far more than typical aid.
“No thanks; did you see the Hell Missile I brought back? That’s from your younger sister.” Kong Jie laughed, “Hell Missiles are in short supply now; with this one, who knows when it might achieve a miracle for me.”
“…” The Guard Captain paused, said nothing.
Trading a Type 92 Infantry Gun and ten shells for one Hell Missile meant more to Wei Ying’s Xiangshan guerrilla team.
Kong Jie’s care for the Xiangshan guerrilla team was still generous.
After chatting a few more words with the Guard Captain, Kong Jie went to see Li Muzhi. Upon meeting, Kong Jie handed him the notebook: “Factory Director Li, here are the data for two modified Hell Cannon Shells; I brought them back for you. Same effect as normal Hell Cannon Shells; I think no change.”
“Regiment Commander Kong, you’ve worked hard.” Li Muzhi said as he took it.
“Hard work nothing; if you need anything later, especially testing weapons and ammunition, just say the word.” Kong Jie said casually, “All good? If so, I’m off to eat.”
Though they captured food raiding strongholds below.
But how could that compare to the arsenal’s food; so not just Kong Jie, but his soldiers too, all saved stomach space to come back.
“Mm, good.” Li Muzhi nodded.
Kong Jie left; Li Muzhi finished reading the notebook in hand; data no problem.
Li Muzhi had someone notify Lao He that modified cannonballs could go straight into production.
Then, could discuss follow-up with Jin Sui Army on trading Hell Cannon Shells for equipment.
Li Muzhi took out a pen and continued his current work.
The students had submitted their equipment repair and improvement plan for making gas masks to Li Muzhi; he needed to review and give correction directions.
Strive to let these students fix the machinery and equipment with max efficiency quickest, avoid detours.
