Chapter 7: The Sky Has Fallen
“Where did we get reinforcements from?” Lao He asked.
“Don’t ask so many questions, unload the cannonballs and prepare to follow Battalion Commander Zhang’s troops to move the supplies from Sunjiabao back.” Li Muzhi instructed.
“Factory Director, should we give some to Battalion Commander Zhang?” Lao He asked.
This was Li Yunlong’s troops; Li Yunlong had no shame, and the soldiers he led had unusually thick skin.
If they let the other side work for nothing, it probably wouldn’t do.
Li Muzhi didn’t answer Lao He, but shouted to Zhang Dabiao, who had ordered the troops to accept the surrender of Sunjiabao’s Puppet Soldiers: “Battalion Commander Zhang, come over here.”
“Factory Director Li, what are your orders?” Zhang Dabiao ran up to Li Muzhi, his attitude extremely polite.
How could he not be polite? The man in front of him was the talent who had made the cannon.
Zhang Dabiao didn’t need to think to know how much importance the headquarters leaders would place on this talent.
“Sunjiabao’s Puppet Soldiers have surrendered, and Lao He is asking if we should give you some of these things…” Li Muzhi didn’t finish his words.
Zhang Dabiao immediately interrupted: “Divide what? This stronghold was originally captured by your Arsenal, and the captured supplies should all belong to your Arsenal.”
“Heh heh.” Li Muzhi chuckled, turned to Lao He and said, “See? Now you can rest assured and take people to move the things, right?”
Lao He wasn’t quite convinced and looked suspiciously at Zhang Dabiao: “Battalion Commander Zhang, you really don’t want any? You used some ammunition fighting the enemy just now too.”
“Once the stronghold is cleaned up, feel free to take the things back.” Zhang Dabiao said seriously.
Lao He couldn’t help but quietly ask Li Muzhi: “Factory Director, why isn’t Battalion Commander Zhang taking a share of the supplies? This isn’t reasonable.”
Lao He still remembered how shameless Li Yunlong had been when he came to the Arsenal for grenades earlier; Battalion Commander Zhang Dabiao under him had the same face, so how was he like a different person now?
“He’s telling you to move them, so just move them.” Li Muzhi said with a smile, without explaining.
From the moment Zhang Dabiao called back the Communications Soldier, Li Muzhi knew what was on Zhang Dabiao’s mind.
They had their eye on the Hell Cannon we had; they were deliberately giving us the profits from Sunjiabao to leave us with a good impression.
That way, when his regiment commander Li Yunlong came, it would be easier to speak.
Moreover, all captured supplies were to be turned over; now that Sunjiabao was taken, the captures should all belong to our headquarters logistics, and Zhang Dabiao was just going with the flow to do a favor.
“Alright.” Lao He didn’t want to think too much about it and immediately arranged for workers to go to Sunjiabao to help Zhang Dabiao’s troops clear the supplies.
Zhang Dabiao smiled at Li Muzhi and said, “Factory Director Li, your cannonball experiment was successful; do you want to continue experimenting?”
The Communications Soldier had already run back to notify the regiment commander; while they still had cannonballs, we could take the chance to hit the enemy’s reinforcements.
We couldn’t come out this trip for nothing.
When we hit the Japanese Reinforcements later, we could claim the captures.
“Of course.” Li Muzhi nodded and said to Zhang Dabiao, “I don’t know fighting wars; you call the shots on the next target.”
“Factory Director Li, one cannonball from you took down Sunjiabao, and you say you don’t know fighting wars.” Zhang Dabiao laughed.
“Haha.” Li Muzhi laughed heartily, “I really don’t.”
“Haha.” Zhang Dabiao also laughed heartily, “I’ll immediately arrange the next phase’s experiment target for you.”
……
Logistics Department
“Zhang Wanhe, has the Arsenal’s production resumed?” Zhang Wanhe received a call from the headquarters Deputy Chief of Staff.
“Bullets have started reproducing; we can deliver a thousand rounds before the end of this month. Grenades are still in the resumption process and will definitely be completed before the end of the month.” Zhang Wanhe hurriedly replied.
“Mm.” The Deputy Chief of Staff grunted and still instructed, “The Arsenal’s ammunition production is the lifeline of our army; we can’t be careless in the slightest.”
“Please rest assured, Leader; I will definitely ensure the Arsenal’s production.” Zhang Wanhe guaranteed.
“Mm.” The Deputy Chief of Staff grunted again, and the call ended.
Zhang Wanhe put the microphone back on the stand; he had originally planned to call the Arsenal to ask, but he gave up on the idea.
He would make a surprise inspection of the Arsenal himself.
He could also check on the work ability of the newly promoted Factory Director Li Muzhi.
Zhang Wanhe rode his fast horse and arrived at the Arsenal side at top speed.
“Hello, Minister!”
The guard at the Arsenal doorway saw Zhang Wanhe arrive, saluted promptly, and came over to help hold the horse.
While dismounting, Zhang Wanhe suspiciously glanced a few times toward the inside of the Arsenal, feeling something was off; it was too quiet.
Yes, quiet!
It was as if there was no one inside the Arsenal.
Zhang Wanhe took a couple steps toward the Arsenal, and the guard said to him, “Minister Zhang, are you looking for our factory director?”
“Don’t make a sound.” Zhang Wanhe didn’t answer him but quickened his pace.
Zhang Wanhe entered the Arsenal at top speed; as expected, it was empty inside—no one.
No Li Muzhi, no Lao He; even the Arsenal’s workers were nowhere to be found.
“What’s going on? Where are the Arsenal people?”
Zhang Wanhe questioned the guard; he felt like the sky was falling.
The headquarters leader valued the Arsenal’s production highly and had personally called to inquire; he had even guaranteed to the headquarters leader that production would be ensured!
And now, with no one at the Arsenal, how could production be happening? This would ruin everything!
“They went with the factory director to witness a historic moment.” The guard explained.
“What historic moment?” Zhang Wanhe couldn’t understand what the other was saying.
“Minister Zhang, you don’t know yet? Factory Director Li led the workers to make a cannon…” The guard looked at Minister Zhang somewhat strangely.
Before the guard finished speaking, Zhang Wanhe stumbled and nearly fell: “What? What did you say? Li Muzhi made a cannon?”
What a joke!
No one understood the Border Region Arsenal’s situation better than I, the Head of Logistics.
With this pile of scrap metal, making a bullet was a struggle, let alone a cannon! Nonsense.
“Yeah, Minister Zhang, I have to say, this Li Factory Director you newly promoted is truly a rare talent…” The guard admired Zhang Wanhe’s judgment.
“Cut the crap.” Zhang Wanhe didn’t believe the guard at all and even thought he was being sarcastic.
Stopping the Arsenal’s production without authorization—if the headquarters leader got angry, no one would have a good outcome.
If it went badly, someone might even be executed.
“Where did Li Muzhi go?” Zhang Wanhe demanded.
“I’m not sure about that.” The guard shook his head.
“Absurd, utterly absurd!” Zhang Wanhe felt the world spinning.
This Li Muzhi had stopped the Arsenal on his own, and he didn’t even know where he’d taken the workers—this was a huge joke.
“Minister Zhang, I recall when Factory Director Li left with the people, they headed toward the Independent Regiment.” The guard remembered this detail and reminded him.
“Call your captain; we’re setting out.” Zhang Wanhe ordered furiously, “Go catch that bastard Li Muzhi and bring him back.”
“Minister Zhang, Factory Director Li made a cannon; he’s a valuable talent, you…” The guard saw Zhang Wanhe didn’t believe it and wanted to say a few words for Li Muzhi.
Zhang Wanhe cut him off: “Execute my orders immediately!”
“Yes.” The guard realized that verbal explanations were futile at this moment; after all, the Arsenal’s capabilities were obvious to all.
Saying the Arsenal had made a cannon—even if the guard had seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t fully believe it, let alone others; better to take Minister Zhang to see for himself.
