Bright Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to Major National Heavy Industry

Chapter 32 Kong Jie was so excited he almost cried.
"It would be best if the Eighth Route Army couldn't make mortars, but we're just afraid of the worst-case scenario."

Hirata Ichiro still worried, "What if the heavy artillery in the hands of the Eighth Route Army was made in their own arsenal? If they can make heavy artillery, with that equipment, it's probably possible for them to make some mortars as well."

Immediately afterwards, Hirata Ichiro asked, "How did the Eighth Route Army obtain its heavy artillery? Where did your investigation lead?"

"I'm sorry, sir, we still haven't found any valuable clues." Zheng Qianyi said, bowing his head.

"Get to the investigation now!" Hirata Ichiro roared. "And find clues about the location of their arsenal as well!"

This batch of equipment must have been taken to the Eighth Route Army's arsenal. If we find the Eighth Route Army's arsenal, we can still snatch this batch of equipment back.

"Yes, sir." Zheng Qian nodded repeatedly and withdrew.

"It's a good thing that the Eighth Route Army can't build mortars now that this batch of equipment has fallen into their hands, but I'm worried..." Hirata Ichiro was still a little worried.

This batch of equipment increased the strength of the Eighth Route Army's arsenal. Even if they couldn't build mortars, who knows what other weapons they would use them to make?

……

A coal mining site
Kong Jie led the New Second Regiment in a vigorous coal mining operation. Three days of work could earn them a cannonball from the Hellfire Cannon, and the soldiers of the New Second Regiment were all highly motivated.
"Have you heard? This hell cannon can destroy three pillboxes with one shot."

"Also, I heard that this hell cannon can kill more than a hundred Japanese soldiers with one shot."

"You can get one of these shells by digging coal for three days. It's a real bargain."

"Absolutely! The use of those infantry gun shells at headquarters is said to require the approval of the headquarters commander. This Hell Cannon is much more powerful than the infantry guns. What a wonderful thing! Other units are green with envy."

"So even if the arsenal doesn't set a production quota for us, we absolutely cannot slack off when we're working."

"If anyone slacks off and the arsenal replaces us, kill him!"

“Killing him would be too lenient. Break his legs, then put them back on, break them again, and put them back on.”

"You're amazing. Even the torture methods used by the Japanese military police can't compare to yours."

……

It's meal time.

"Dinner's ready! Dinner's ready! Eat before you get back to work!" The cook and his men brought the food over.

"Commander, if we mine coal at the arsenal, will they provide meals?" The soldiers of the New Second Regiment were pleasantly surprised.

The newly formed Second Regiment was experiencing periods of hunger and hardship, leaving the soldiers extremely hungry.

I never expected that when I came to mine coal for the arsenal, they would even provide me with meals.

"Of course." Kong Jie was also pleasantly surprised. Li Muzhi had only asked him to dig coal, but had not mentioned that he would provide meals.

Surprisingly, they actually provided meals.

Moreover, the food at the arsenal is really high-class; they serve noodles!
Kong Jie ate two large bowls in a row, patting his round belly, and said happily, "I dare say that our Second New Regiment has the best food in the entire army."

"Yes, Commander, we eat coarse grain buns in the regiment, but here we can eat noodles. It's unbelievable!" Some of the soldiers cried with joy.

Some of them joined the Eighth Route Army, wanting to join a main force regiment with established ranks like the 772nd or 771st Regiment, since the conditions in the main force regiments were better.

Many people felt unlucky to be assigned to the new Second Regiment.

Now, all those negative emotions have vanished!

"We're so lucky to have been assigned to the New Second Regiment, mining coal for the arsenal. We get noodles to eat, something even the main regiments don't get." Kong Jie said. "So, after eating the noodles, you can't slack off while working."

"Don't worry, Commander, we'll fight to the death as long as we don't die!" The soldiers' morale was soaring.

Since Li Muzhi had taught the key personnel and workers at the arsenal how to build cannons, he had some free time to come here.

Upon seeing Li Muzhi arrive, Kong Jie hurriedly ran up to him and said, "Director Li, you're too kind. The food here is really good, even better than what we eat at the brigade headquarters."

"Commander Kong, mining coal is hard work, so we'll make sure you're well-fed," Li Muzhi said with a smile. "What you're doing now is providing power to the arsenal."

"Isn't your arsenal powered by generators, which run on oil?" Kong Jie asked doubtfully.

When he entered the arsenal earlier, he saw diesel generators, but no coal-fired power source.

"We'll soon have other motivations," Li Muzhi said confidently.

"Director Li, you can rest assured about my work, Kong Jie. My soldiers will never slack off and will dig as much coal as possible for your arsenal to ensure its future power supply," Kong Jie said confidently.

"Commander Kong, are you really planning to stay here and mine coal instead of going to kill Japanese devils?" Li Muzhi asked.

“The Japanese definitely still want to kill us, but we don’t have the means right now,” Kong Jie said, pointing. “As you can see, the Second New Regiment is a new regiment. The whole regiment only has one light machine gun, and the rifles are all old Hanyang rifles discarded by other units. The soldiers are not very strong either. Let’s have you dig coal first and let the soldiers get some training before we talk about anything else.”

"Hehe." Li Muzhi chuckled and said, "Just because you still have a heart full of fighting for your country, Commander Kong, I won't let your passion cool down. Once your Second Regiment's soldiers are trained, I'll send you a batch of weapons and ammunition."

"Really?" Kong Jie was pleasantly surprised.

The deputy brigade commander already said that being close to the source gives us an advantage; if we mine coal for Li Muzhi's arsenal, we might have a chance to get weapons from him.

Unexpectedly, they didn't let us work for nothing; they even sent us a batch.

He's the director of an arsenal, a top talent capable of creating the Hell Cannon. The weapons he gives you will definitely be extraordinary.

"The weapons and ammunition produced by the arsenal are meant to be provided to your combat troops to kill the Japanese devils, aren't they?" Li Muzhi said in a tone that made it seem like a matter of course.

"Director Li, you're so much easier to talk to than Minister Zhang!" Kong Jie was so excited she was almost in tears.

Earlier, Zhang Wanhe came to see me, said a few words and left in a hurry, afraid that I would plead poverty and ask him for things.

Now look at Li Muzhi's side. They are willing to provide him with weapons and ammunition. They are both logistics personnel, but one is in the sky and the other is on the ground. The difference is too big.

"Hehe, Commander Kong..." Li Muzhi chuckled, wondering why he was being so polite. Before he could finish speaking, someone called out to him, "Factory Director, the brigade commander of the 386th Brigade and Commander Li of the Independent Regiment are here to see you."

Upon hearing this, Li Muzhi turned his head and saw a middle-aged military officer wearing glasses and a leather jacket jogging quickly alongside Li Yunlong.

Upon seeing this middle-aged military officer, Li Muzhi felt a deep sense of respect.

Li Yunlong's brigade commander, that's a very important figure.

While others are reciting the Zhongzheng document, what they are reciting is Zhongzheng himself!

Among the Eighth Route Army, only Li Yunlong's brigade commander wore a leather jacket; the other brigade commanders did not.

Getting a vest like this in this day and age is no easy feat.

Of course.

What people talk about most is the phone blackmail that this brigade commander did to Li Yunlong.

Wishing you prosperity and good fortune! Bring me your things!
(End of this chapter)