I am an industrial worker during the War of Resistance

Chapter 9: The Development of Human Technology is Like Boiling Water

"Director Chen, look what you brought back."
Pig ears and fried peanuts. And sweet potato liquor. Hahaha, let's have a good drink today!

After the door to Chen Changzai's cave dwelling was opened, Political Commissar He's laughter rang out.

"Oh, Political Commissar He, you're back! Hey, pig ears! Political Commissar He, have you struck it rich or what? Where did you get such good stuff?"

Upon seeing Political Commissar He enter, Chen Changzai quickly stood up to offer him a seat.

He casually picked up the drawings on the table and put them aside.

Political Commissar He placed the pig's ears, peanuts, and sweet potato roast on the table.

He casually asked, "Hey, where's Wang Ling? I didn't see her when I came in."

"I sent her to help out in the logistics department; her job was originally supposed to be in the logistics department."

Now that I'm feeling much better, what's the point of her staying here with me all the time? It just makes people gossip.

"By the way, why is everything so lavish today? It's almost the end of the month. If you dare to secretly use your allowance to buy this food and drink, your sister-in-law will never forgive you."

"How could I dare? I gave all my allowances to your sister-in-law as soon as I received them."

Sigh, married women are such a hassle. It was fine when we were climbing snow-capped mountains and crossing grasslands, but now that we're here, we're married.

They control me in every way, it's tough.

Let's not talk about that.

The leader paid for all the food and drink himself.

There's a place near headquarters that slaughtered a pig and braised its head. To reward you for writing the industrial development plan, the boss specially paid for some pig ears, peanuts, and sweet potato chips.

They said they wanted me to bring it back as a treat for you.

I'm just benefiting from your kindness.

"Then we'd better have a good time."

Oh, by the way, take a little bit of this pig's ear out and leave some for Wang Ling.

I'll go check if Commander Chen and Political Commissar Liu are here, and call them over to have some fun together."

"Don't go and call them. I saw them when I came back. They'll be here in a bit."

I think you'll be someone who cherishes your wife in the future.

"They're not even married yet, and they're already leaving things for each other."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Wang Ling is still growing. She needs to eat some meat to get some nutrition," Chen Changzai said with a smile.

Chen Changzai's feelings for Wang Ling are somewhat complicated, a mixture of the care and affection an elder has for a younger generation, and the impulsiveness of youth.

This is not difficult to understand.

Although his soul was over fifty years old, his body was only eighteen.

This is also a mutual influence.

"Has headquarters approved my industrial development plan?" Chen Chang asked as he set out the two dishes and the wine.

The dishes and wine were laid out, but neither of them touched them. After all, more people were coming later, and it would be impolite to touch the food and wine.

"The leaders have all read it, and they strongly agree with what you mentioned in the industrial development plan."

In particular, the senior leader said that Factory Director Chen has a broad perspective and a long-term vision.

The headquarters is currently holding a meeting to discuss how to implement your industrial development plan.

However, one thing was decided first: to establish engineering schools. The sooner we could train talent, the sooner we could achieve industrialization.

The leader knows you're very busy and have a lot of work, but they still asked me to ask you if you could be a vice principal in charge of teaching.

If that doesn't work, becoming a teacher will do.

After listening to Political Commissar He's words, Chen Chang smiled wryly and said, "I'm already leading more than thirty students here."

They work at the arsenal during the day.

I will give them another lesson in the evening.

During the day, they were able to manage at the factory.

I am currently designing a steam engine during the daytime.

If students come to intern, I can take them with me.

But if you ask me to teach them the basics, I really can't spare the time.

"What, you're designing a steam engine?"
"Now that you've designed it, can we manufacture it?"

When Political Commissar He heard that Chen Changzai was designing a steam engine, he was so surprised that he stood up immediately.

The two hand-rolled cigarettes that he had just pulled out of his pocket on his right hand, now only one arm, fell to the ground.

Chen Chang bent down and picked up the tobacco that had fallen to the ground.

He blew the dirt off the cigarette, then helped Political Commissar He sit down on a stool before going to the stove. He picked up a small stick from the edge of the stove and started a fire. He turned around and lit a cigarette for Political Commissar He, then lit one for himself.

Then he sat down and said, "This steam engine is just a small, simple steam engine."

It is impossible to build a large steam engine under the current conditions.

We can only proceed step by step, alternating between each other.

The purpose of this small steam engine was to provide a primary power source for the manufacture of large steam engines.

To manufacture a qualified steam engine, you first need a qualified connecting rod and a power wheel.

However, a qualified connecting rod needs to be continuously hammered and forged in a forging press to become strong enough.

Large forging hammers cannot be driven by human or animal power.

So I need to first build a simple steam engine by hand.

This steam engine powered a small forging hammer.

Use this forging hammer to hammer out a relatively strong and tough connecting rod.

Then, using this slightly better connecting rod, they built an even better steam engine.

Wait until this steam engine drives a larger forging hammer.

Use this large forging hammer to forge a truly qualified connecting rod.

That's roughly the process.

In addition to forging hammers, we also need steam engines to drive machine tools such as lathes, boring machines, drilling machines, and slotting machines for initial machining.

Industrial upgrading has been achieved through generations of upgrades.

When we have more processing machinery and more people who understand the technology and know how to use these machines...

Forget about rifles and grenades.

Even airplanes, tanks, and artillery—we can build them all.

"Great, that's wonderful! If we had our own planes and artillery, we could drive the Japanese devils back to their homeland."

That loud voice—it's definitely Commander Chen.

Sure enough, two people walked in from outside the cave: Commander Chen and Political Commissar Liu.

"As soon as I opened the door, I heard you talking about building airplanes and cannons."

"Can we really build it now?" Political Commissar Liu asked.

"Just because it's not possible now doesn't mean it won't be possible in the future."

"As long as we accumulate enough technology and equipment, we will be able to build our own airplanes and cannons," Chen Changzai said with a smile.

After everyone sat down, Chen Changzai took out the drawings he had been sketching and writing on and showed them to the group.

Although the group of people didn't understand mechanical drawing.

However, when they saw the exquisite lines and dimensions marked on the drawings, the group's eyes lit up and they were mesmerized.

"Great, great! Just tell me what you need to make this, Director Chen, and I'll go and prepare it for you right now," Political Commissar He said excitedly.

"No rush, let's drink first and chat while we drink," Chen Changzai said with a smile.

"Yes, yes, let's drink first. This is a celebration in advance of the birth of our steam engine," Commander Chen and Political Commissar Liu chimed in.

There wasn't much sweet potato liquor, only two jin (1 kg). The four of us each had half a jin, which was just enough to satisfy our craving.

While drinking, Chen Changzai said, "Political Commissar He, I'll need your help tomorrow to arrange for two woodworking lathes and two carpenters."

I need to make a wooden steam engine first as a preliminary test.

You also need to coordinate with the steel mill to see if we can set up a small blast furnace here.

We need to bring in some more steelmaking masters.

Furthermore, we need to expedite the oil collection process, even while building the first steam engine.

I need to cast many components using the lost-wax casting method.

The paraffin wax used in casting fittings using the lost-wax casting method is separated from petroleum.

Separating paraffin is not complicated, but it requires petroleum.

We don't have drilling rigs yet, so we can only collect oil from oil wells scattered around the world.

Once we develop the steam engine, we can use it as a power source to drill oil wells.

Although there aren't any large oil wells here, the oil in those small oil wells is enough for our temporary use.

I have a list of items here; Political Commissar He, please help me arrange them later.

"No problem, I'll take care of it this afternoon."

(End of this chapter)