Chapter 33: The Brigade Commander Is Sly And Calculating
Li Yunlong and the Brigade Commander ran over, seeing the soldiers of the New Second Regiment eating noodles.
The Brigade Commander pointed and said, “Li Yunlong, see? I was right. The arsenal really provides food for the New Second Regiment. I said the arsenal’s food isn’t bad, they’re making noodles.”
“Damn it, I actually envy Old Kong a bit now,” Li Yunlong couldn’t help but say.
“How about this, I’ll have Kong Jie replaced, and you can come here to mine coal?” the Brigade Commander joked.
“No, no, absolutely not. How could I snatch Old Kong’s rice bowl?” Li Yunlong immediately shook his head.
I still prefer being on the battlefield. If I don’t kill some Japanese invaders a day, I feel uneasy all over.
Li Yunlong and Kong Jie jogged over to Li Muzhi. Kong Jie quickly saluted the Brigade Commander, “Brigade Commander.”
“Kong Jie, you better mine coal well. The cannonball supply for my Brigade Headquarters depends entirely on you,” the Brigade Commander said sternly to Kong Jie.
“Yes, Brigade Commander,” Kong Jie nodded heavily, then pointed to the Brigade Commander and introduced him to Li Muzhi, “Li Muzhi, this is my Brigade Commander.”
“Li Muzhi, hello.” The Brigade Commander extended his hand to Li Muzhi, “Li Yunlong told me you built cannons. I still don’t quite believe it, even though you used it to take down the Xikou Warehouse. I still find it hard to believe that a military industry talent who built cannons is so young.”
“Heh heh,” Li Muzhi chuckled, “There’s no age limit for serving the country.”
“Well said, ‘There’s no age limit for serving the country’!” the Brigade Commander praised. “You built cannons, your merits are so great, and you’re not proud at all. No wonder the Headquarters Leader admires you so much. Factory Director Li, if your arsenal has any future military industry production needs, just say the word, and I’ll take care of it.”
“Brigade Commander, stop flattering. Let’s get down to business with Li Muzhi,” Li Yunlong urged from the side.
“Two gentlemen, have you already gotten the thousand catties of sugar?” Li Muzhi looked at Li Yunlong’s eagerness with some suspicion.
I know you, Li Yunlong, and your Brigade Commander are quite capable, but this is a thousand catties of sugar. Your efficiency is a bit too exaggerated.
Facing Li Muzhi’s suspicion, Li Yunlong shook his head and said, “It’s not sugar.”
“If it’s not sugar, then what is it?” Li Muzhi asked curiously.
“You’ll know when you go back and see,” Li Yunlong kept it a secret. “I guarantee you’ll be surprised.”
This was a negotiation tactic taught by the Brigade Commander to Li Yunlong: don’t reveal what the goods are first, but let Li Muzhi see for himself.
When he saw the machinery and equipment, and his excitement peaked, he would seize the opportunity to ask for cannons. It was highly likely to succeed.
If he revealed it in advance, the surprise would be drawn out for too long, which wasn’t appropriate.
The Brigade Commander also said to Li Muzhi, “Hurry back and take a look. For you, it will surely be a treasure.”
“Alright then, I’ll go back and take a look.” Li Muzhi nodded, then turned to Kong Jie and said, “Regiment Commander Kong, if you encounter any problems while mining coal here, send someone to notify me promptly.”
“Don’t worry, it’ll be absolutely fine,” Kong Jie nodded heavily.
“Kong Jie, keep up the good work,” the Brigade Commander said to Kong Jie again as he was leaving.
“Yes, Brigade Commander, I will definitely mine coal well,” Kong Jie solemnly pledged.
The Brigade Commander pulled Li Muzhi and quickly turned to leave. Li Yunlong was about to follow when Kong Jie grabbed him, “Old Li, you and the Brigade Commander are being so secretive, what good stuff are you up to?”
“Kong Er Lengzi, why ask so many questions? Just stay here and be a coal miner,” Li Yunlong said, throwing a remark at Kong Jie, and then ran off quickly.
Watching Li Yunlong’s retreating back, Kong Jie glared, “What’s so great about you, Li Yunlong? When my New Second Regiment gets up and running, and Li Muzhi sends me a batch of equipment, I’ll surpass your Independent Regiment in minutes.”
This little interlude did not affect the New Second Regiment.
After the soldiers of the New Second Regiment ate, they immediately resumed their work.
Even Kong Jie joined in, holding a pickaxe.
…
Li Muzhi returned to the arsenal as quickly as possible. In the backyard of the arsenal, the things Li Yunlong and the Brigade Commander had brought back were already laid out.
Lao He was very happy to see Li Muzhi return, “Factory Director, good stuff!”
“Hmm, it is indeed good stuff.” Li Muzhi saw it all: there was meat, canned food, and… machinery and equipment!
Li Muzhi’s pupils quickly contracted. As military industry personnel, machinery was their lifeline!
This was equivalent to the meaning of guns for soldiers.
Li Muzhi completely ignored the meat and canned food.
Li Muzhi quickly leaned in, his expression becoming more and more delighted.
Furnaces, rolling mills…
These were the machines needed to make cannonballs.
In addition, Li Muzhi also saw some semi-finished cannon barrels and other equipment.
With this equipment and semi-finished cannon barrels, a new term immediately appeared in Li Muzhi’s mind: rocket launcher!
As long as the arsenal’s power supply was sorted out, with these things, he could produce rocket launchers to fire rockets!
Rocket launchers could be modified from semi-finished cannon barrels, and the propellant for rockets could be made from fertilizer and sugar, only the ratio and explosives were different.
In later generations, rocket launchers were weapons of great battlefield significance.
They were light to carry, highly mobile, and had high concealment, especially suitable for street fighting.
They could attack tanks and armored vehicles, enemy machine gun firepower points, kill enemy infantry, and even be used to attack bunkers and gun towers.
At this stage, there were no anti-tank weapons on the battlefield to counter the Japanese tanks and armored vehicles. With the production of rocket launchers, their soldiers would no longer have to charge forward with explosives packs.
The Japanese infantry and tank coordination was very strong, and approaching a tank with an explosives pack was not as simple or easy as depicted in TV dramas.
It would take the sacrifice of countless people to blow up one Japanese tank.
But with rocket launchers, it would be different.
They could be fired from long range, targeting Japanese tanks and killing Japanese infantry.
For siege warfare, there were Hell Cannons, and for conventional combat, there were rocket launchers.
Combined with our troops’ unique guerrilla tactics, they would definitely become a nightmare for the Japanese!
Li Muzhi couldn’t help but smile, “Good, good, truly good stuff, I can’t believe it.”
Li Muzhi really didn’t expect Li Yunlong and his Brigade Commander to be able to bring back equipment.
It seemed that assigning cannons to Li Yunlong was a wise choice.
Look, although they didn’t bring back sugar immediately, they brought back equipment. I have to say, their ability to engage in side ventures is indeed strong!
Seeing Li Muzhi’s very happy expression, Li Yunlong and the Brigade Commander exchanged a knowing glance.
Following the Brigade Commander’s instructions, Li Yunlong immediately made a request to Li Muzhi, “Li Muzhi, this batch of equipment is quite good, isn’t it? It’s worth at least two Hell Cannons, don’t you think?”
Hearing Li Yunlong’s words, Li Muzhi immediately understood what he meant.
Li Yunlong and his Brigade Commander didn’t say what the items were first, but insisted he go back and see. Then, at his happiest moment, they seized the opportunity to ask for cannons. They were truly old and cunning.
