Canteen System Assistance Notes

"Next, in addition to the Tongyumenkou Highway Bridge, we plan to build two more bridges. One is a railway bridge alongside the Tongyumenkou Highway Bridge. We intend to connect the existing Guanzhong-Shaanxibei railway line, then turn east, cross the Yellow River, and connect with the Tongpu Line in Shanxi Province.

"The second is the Yellow River dual-use highway-railway bridge in Wuzhong, Ningxia Province. The existing seasonal floating bridge is inaccessible to trains and can no longer meet our transportation needs. In the second phase of railway construction, we plan to connect the new railway in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region with the new railway in Ningxia Province, crossing the Yellow River to form a true transportation network."

He spread out his hands and extended an invitation to Luo Ying and Mei Yangchun: "Mr. Luo, Mr. Mei, I wonder if Shancheng Cableway Company is willing to participate in the bidding for these two projects.

Chapter 453: England Invites

The calendar of 1941 was torn off page by page, and finally, the 31 calendar papers of May were gently turned over, and the world welcomed June.

As a time traveler who knows history, Liu Helian knows that many major events have happened in the world in recent times. In May, Nazi Germany launched the Crete Airborne Campaign, and the famous Hood and Bismarck also

They both sank to the bottom of the sea. He read the public news reports in the newspaper. Compared with the timeline of World War II that he originally remembered, the history of this time and space on a large scale has not changed much.

It seems that the changes on the Chinese battlefield, and even the changes they have brought about in other parts of the world, have not yet accumulated to a level sufficient to change history.

Liu Helian shook hands and said goodbye to the manager of the "United Defense Support Company" while thinking about his own things. This company is a glove company that the British use to purchase supplies in the United States. Because of the previous issue of the pound delivery voucher, China Resources and the British

The country's communications on the American continent have basically changed to be conducted through this platform company.

This time, Liu He negotiated a contract with the British for some equipment, weapons and vehicles, added an order for the trucks purchased previously, and after some wrangling with each other, he learned about the British's current delivery progress, which was considered to have completed the stage.

Segmental tasks.

The British asked about the AR1 submachine gun licensing fees and related matters in the UK. The manager of the United Defense said that the military had already test-fired the Dutch version of the order, considering the price was right (compared to the $209 Tom's

Johnson), is very interested in purchasing a batch of 9mm versions to equip the army.

Next, Liu Helian prepared to go back to the hotel to pack his things, set off for the airport, and take a "private plane" back to China via the Soviet Union.

However, when Liu Helian was about to walk out of the door of the "Joint Defense Support Company", he was suddenly stopped by someone unexpectedly. "Oh, please wait! Dear Mr. Liu!" The manager just now chased out the door, followed by the female typist from the secretary's office.

"Mr. Patrick, what's going on?" Liu Helian asked, automatically filtering out the strange translation tone in his head. He saw that Manager Patrick was holding a telegram in his hand. "Don't tell me it was Downing Street who sent a telegram to me?"

"I have to admit, Mr. Liu, you're very close to the truth!" The manager handed the telegram to Liu Helian. "We just received a telegram from General Harris of the Royal Air Force looking for you."

Arthur Travers Harris, currently Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Air Force, Air Vice Marshal. This brilliant World War I veteran and advocate of the "Strategic Air Force" was not yet Commander of Bomber Command, but he was already one of the researchers and leaders of the Royal Air Force's bombing campaign against Germany, and held considerable influence within the British Air Force.

Liu Helian knew that in a little over six months, Harris would be promoted to commander of the Royal Air Force. And from then until the end of the war, his reputation as "the butcher" would spread throughout both Britain and Germany. He advocated for bombers to achieve victory in the war, carried out indiscriminate bombing of German cities to undermine the Nazis' war potential, and frequently caused heavy losses to British bomber crews due to tactical and strategic errors.

His nickname "The Butcher" will be circulated between Britain and Germany, but

The former is a mean ridicule, while the latter is a vicious curse.

Of course, at this point, Mr. Butcher was only a lieutenant general. He had come to the United States with a British Air Force delegation to discuss the purchase of fighter jets. Logically, as a small agent, he and this man should have no connection at all, and there would be no intersection at all.

The wording of the telegram was very official, basically giving a time and place, and specifying Mr. Harris, on behalf of the British Royal Air Force Bomber Command, inviting Mr. Liu Helian to negotiate. No other information was revealed - why did he come to see him?

Finding a deserted place and taking out his cell phone, Liu Helian sent a text message to the Central Committee to report the matter: He decided to meet the general.

The meeting place wasn't a hotel or conference hall, but rather Shirewater Air Force Base in Halifax, eastern Canada. It was a busy transit point for British passengers flying across the ocean to America, with long-distance flights departing from here, transiting through Newfoundland and Iceland before returning to the UK.

It was already evening when Liu Helian arrived. As soon as he stepped off the plane, he was taken to a small cart by a team of ground crew uniforms and brought to a large hangar—a hangar that blocked out natural light, illuminated only by a few floor lamps. Within the small aperture, a long table was set up, and several people stood around it. The most formally dressed person had his back to Liu Helian, staring at a small-scale military map on the table.

"Hello, Mr. Liu."

The ground crew member who led the way walked away, and the man turned and greeted Liu Helian. His blond hair was meticulously combed, and he had a brown mustache. His small eyes seemed embedded in his face with ravines, almost hidden in the shadows cast by his brow bones.

"Hello, respected Lieutenant General Harris, hello."

Liu Helian reached out his hand toward Harris and shook it vigorously. The general was very tall and muscular. If he were twenty years younger, he would surely be a giant Englishman, capable of sailing a small sailboat to catch a marlin and outfighting sharks.

"Orderly, bring a cup of tea for our wonderful Mr. Liu."

Seeing the CBE medal hanging on Liu Helian's chest - which was awarded to him by the British royal family after the discovery of the Majiagang oil field - Harris's face softened a little. He asked the staff officers around him to sit down and started a conversation in a very typical British way.

"Mr. Liu, the weather is pretty good today," Harris said. "I believe you must have had an easy and pleasant journey from the United States." "Thank you for your well wishes. Indeed, I was lucky enough not to encounter any bad weather."

"So, Mr. Liu, who is full of the magic of luck, why don't you use your wonderful magic pen to circle out another fertile oil field for the Royal Air Force?"

"Puff!" Liu Helian nearly spat out the tea in his mouth. "Harris, you've been waiting for me right here!" "A single Majiagang has become this mess. Do I have to draw you a picture of the North Sea oil fields? Ha, Your Excellency, an ordinary pen can't conjure up an oil field out of thin air." He smiled to hide his embarrassment. "I'm not being modest. If you need another Majiagang, you'd better find someone else."

"If your pen is still so lucky, I believe Downing Street will buy it for a hundred times the price, even if it can only depict the new oil fields in northern Germany, despite the hum of the House of Commons."

New oil fields in northern Germany?

Liu Helian suddenly realized that Harris, British Bomber Command, German oil fields, oil, and war… these factors were linked together, and the British's purpose in seeking him out was clearly evident. He quickly cast his gaze over the military map on the table. Sure enough, it depicted northern Germany, the North Sea, and Scandinavia. The coastline was winding, and several red and blue pencils were placed nearby. "Oh, Mr. Liu, I'm sure you've noticed that too."

Seeing Liu Helian's eyes fixed on the map, Harris stood up and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, let's get straight to the point."

He handed the red pencil to Liu Helian: "Not long ago, our intelligence agency informed the Bomber Command that at the beginning of last year, the Germans had asked you to point out the location of some oil fields through diplomatic and commercial channels." Although, your actions are undoubtedly normal business behavior, we have no right to interfere.

But today, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is fighting a fierce battle against Nazi Germany, defending the lives and property of the people of the British Isles. As we all know, oil is an important factor in sustaining the war effort.

His eyes blazed with fire, and he spoke calmly, "Mr. Liu, we are now standing together in the trenches against fascism. I very much hope that you can show us, on this picture, the magic you performed for the Germans."

Chapter 454: Four Engines Interlude

Oil is the blood of the war machine. Not to mention the three Axis powers, except for a few countries, there was no country that did not lack oil during the entire World War II.

Liu Helian dug a Majiagang near London. Although he only has a few symbolic non-voting shares, he only follows the reports of the stationed personnel.

This oil well has at least three layers of air defense positions, and there is also a gate.

The fighter planes at Wick Field were directly responsible for the cover, even removing two radars from the "home chain." According to the newspaper reports, General Dowding even pulled over a fighter reserve from northern Scotland.

There was no other way. The value of the large domestic oil fields, especially the kind that didn't require shipping, was unimaginable. At the start of Operation Sea Lion, the Germans still harbored the illusion of "seizing the oil fields intact" and refrained from striking Majiagang. Only after the Nazis confirmed they couldn't land on the British Isles did they begin to focus their bombing efforts on the oil fields. However, by this time, the Luftwaffe had become exhausted and unable to sustain daytime bombing, forcing them to resort to nighttime infiltration raids.

Even so, this oil field brought unprecedented losses to both sides. In the air battle around Majiagang, with the British on the defense and the Germans on the attack, planes from both sides rained down like rain—a clear example of Nazi Germany's thirst for oil.

In the original history, the Nazis also went to Austria, Hungary and Romania to import crude oil to drive various war equipment; they studied coal-to-oil and synthetic fuel technology, intending to use the country's abundant coal production capacity to make up for the shortage of liquid fossil fuels.

While Germany wasn't completely devoid of oil, its meager production capacity couldn't meet both wartime and civilian needs. So, naturally, the Germans wouldn't give up on an oil and gas coordinate circled with a strange, Eastern magic pen...

Bullshit!

As a future man, Liu Helian knew what the German domestic oil fields were like - although located on the southern edge of the North Sea oil and gas basin, the quality of oil produced by those oil fields in Schleswig-Holstein in northern Germany and the ease of extraction were really not that good.

The oil fields here are buried deep, with reservoirs approaching 20 meters deep. Most of the oil lies in shallow, nearshore areas, blocked by seawater or soft sand. While drilling rigs capable of reaching depths exceeding 200 meters exist, the depth of the reservoirs means that even in the 21st century, the success rate for drilling here is less than half, and drilling alone costs €30 million.

At the same time, the quality of oil produced in the North German oil fields is not very good. The oil here contains a lot of gas. After the natural gas drives the lighter upper oil to rush out of the well,

What remains in the oil layer is mostly waxy, heavy, viscous oil.

The value of crude oil is far less than that of light crude oil from the Middle East, North Africa and even Central and Eastern Europe, and it is also very troublesome to smelt.

The Germans must have conducted a test drill after receiving the coordinates and would not have been unaware of this.

Judging from the British attitude, did the Germans really dig out an oil well? Liu He gritted his teeth. He felt that as a time traveler, he had indeed underestimated the Germans' thirst for oil during World War II.

"As members of the anti-fascist camp, we have an unshirkable responsibility to fight against the evil Nazi and fascist forces." Liu Helian took the lead in stating his fundamental position, maintaining the tone of the meeting. At the same time, he returned the topic to the other party, giving himself some time to think. "Although I am only a lucky person with a little experience in exploration and development, I am willing to contribute my part to the anti-fascist cause."

"However, Your Excellency, what do you need to know? Or, in other words, what kind of assistance does the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland hope I can provide?"

"Why don't you first tell me about the production and information of those oil fields? Mr. Liu, the United Kingdom will pay you enough for your information."

Heavy oil containing wax was a forbidden zone for commercial smelting during World War II. If commercial refineries were not accustomed to heavy oil like the petrochemical industry in later generations, they would not like that heavy stuff. The light and ultra-light crude oil from the Middle East and Southeast Asia were their white moonlight.

Liu Helian began to think, and the historical knowledge from the future allowed him to quickly discover the blind spots that he had previously overlooked.

Germany was already under an oil embargo, and after the subsequent war with the Soviet Union, they could only look for oil within their own sphere of influence. If the Germans began to develop these, it must be because they were under the pressure of war and ignored some things that were not commercially viable.

First of all, one of Germany's strengths before World War II was its chemical industry, or rather, Farben chemistry!

Is heavy oil difficult to extract? No problem. Farben Chemie and Faber Energia can jointly develop oil recovery chemicals for use in oil wells, or even employ some radical new strategies to boost oil production. In the future, after years of development, the offshore oil fields in Schleswig-Holstein will still be able to produce an average of 220 million tons of oil annually while meeting stringent environmental regulations.

Although Nazi Germany's development efforts had only just begun, if they could continue uninterrupted for a few more years, the Nazis, with their industrial might... Liu Helian made a simple estimate. Conservatively, with the advantage of newly commissioned oil fields, the Germans could quickly develop the North German oil fields to one-third of their historical output, or 73 tons per year. He also remembered that Germany's historical oil production capacity (including imports) over the past 40 years was 688.8 million tons. An additional 73 tons per year... that's a significant portion.

Secondly, there is Germany's synthetic oil technology.

If heavy oil is subjected to normal distillation and refining, due to its high content of heavy fractions, it can only produce a very small amount of gasoline and kerosene, and a small amount of diesel. The remaining components are only heavy oil that can supply naval boilers, asphalt for paving roads, and paraffin for making candles, and have no commercial prospects.

During World War II, the German hydrogenation liquefaction synthetic fuel technology route could make use of these useless heavy components: by adding hydrogen,

Benzene and other additives, and under the action of precious metal catalysts, invincible

Farben Chemie should be able to synthesize the synthetic aviation fuel commonly used by the German Air Force for use by the oil-short Air Force - compared to using poor quality lignite, heavy oil can be regarded as a very good synthetic oil raw material.

Diesel, heavy oil, synthetic fuel, against the navy and the air force... then it's Raeder and Fat Mayer, oh, maybe the Führer with the mustache will personally inquire about this matter, then the Germans' development efforts will not be small.

"Although the conditions in Germany's oil fields aren't as good as those in Britain, with poor oil quality and deep deposits," Liu Helian, having figured things out, slowly articulated his assessment, "even so, I think the possibility of the Germans being able to exploit the oil fields is still very high."

"Can you estimate its approximate production capacity?" a nearby representative, dressed in a black naval uniform, interjected urgently. "You just mentioned that similar petroleum refining products include diesel and heavy fuel oil, which are crucial for us to assess German submarine activities."

According to geological data, the potential recoverable reserves of the North German oil field aren't particularly large. Liu Helian glanced at the somewhat impatient man and shook his head slightly. "The estimated reserves are probably under 100 million tons, but no less than 6 million tons."

He wasn't lying, he was just selectively stating part of the truth. The British would probably ask the Russians to verify this; there was no need for them to lie. However, there was a strong case for using potential reserves instead of achievable production capacity. I wasn't directly involved in the development like I was at Majiagang, so how could I know how much oil the Germans could actually produce?

"I imagine the mighty Royal Air Force will be able to uncover the details of the oil wells, right?" Liu Helian feigned ignorance. "After all, as everyone knows, oil extraction produces accompanying petroleum gas, a hazard to the well's safety that generally must be burned. The Royal Air Force could simply dispatch planes to circle northern Germany at night and discover the oil fields. And once they do, bombing them would solve the problem, wouldn't that be enough?"

The scene fell into silence. Several representatives from the Navy and Air Force looked at each other, no one speaking. Everyone's attention finally focused on Vice Admiral Harris. The tall man sighed, breaking the awkward situation.

"Mr. Liu, you may not understand the technical details of reconnaissance, nor are you familiar with the circumstances of bombing..."

I have some idea, but I can't say it. The early British bombing of Operation Circus, while not causing significant losses to the Germans, inflicted heavy losses on the British Air Force. By 1942, the Germans had shot down over 2000 British bombers and fighters of all types involved in the operation. By now, that number should be at least 700 or 800, right?

"I'm so sorry, Your Excellency, Lieutenant General."

"The United Kingdom would like you to tell us the exact coordinates of the German oil wells."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't involved in the specific development. The actual development is likely being led by the German Feba Energy Group." Liu Helian spread his hands, indicating that he couldn't help. "A more precise, general area would be fine."

"Shit, how can you put these two contradictory words together into a sentence?" Liu Helian thought to himself, but before he could say anything, the tall Lieutenant General Harris seemed to have realized what was happening. He turned around and faced the dark hangar. "Mr. Liu, I have been authorized to tell you something.

"As an agent, if you're looking to purchase a large four-engine aircraft, you don't have to focus solely on Boeing. Northern Airlines only has two Boeing 307s in its fleet. Don't you think these civilian aircraft, which are in short supply and have many operational restrictions, aren't suitable for a company capable of operating international routes?"

He waved his hand to the side, and an orderly immediately walked towards the distribution box on the side of the hangar.

"The United Kingdom Air Force hopes to reduce losses and improve efficiency in its bombing of Germany's North Sea oil fields. We need your assistance, as the person most knowledgeable about the situation. Regarding Far Eastern strategy, perhaps we can also reach a certain common ground and have a basis for joint action."

At that moment, the lights in the hangar flicked on, revealing a massive aircraft with a turret and four propellers. It was far larger than any twin-engine bomber Liu Helian had ever seen, perhaps only comparable to something as massive as the Boeing 307. While the aircraft's defensive machine guns had been removed and the wing emblems erased, its multi-colored British Air Force livery remained intact.

"The Halifax in Halifax—unarmed, nothing involving military secrets, but still a great aircraft, perfect for Northern Airlines." Lieutenant General Harris paused, "You only need to work your pen magic on this map once more—if it's convenient..."

"Do you have any more useful suggestions? Lieutenant General Harris, perhaps this matter should not be decided in this small aircraft hangar, but in a more formal occasion." Liu Helian also smiled. He stretched out his hands again and shook hands with Harris.

Previously, the British were on the defensive, the Germans on the offensive, and both sides suffered heavy losses; now it seems like a good idea to reverse the situation and sort it out. "I mean, ha, let's just toss all those commercial secrets and stuff like that."

Chapter 455: The War Between Acts

"German Nazi planes flew eastward, facing the rising sun. It was Sunday morning. Soviet schools had just finished their leaving parties the previous day; the bands had quieted as tenth-grade graduates welcomed a new day; Moscow youths descended on Red Square as usual; Kiev residents descended on the banks of the Dnieper River; and Leningrad was still shrouded in daylight... At 3:45 a.m., the sun rose over Moscow, and by then, German planes were already en route to their attack. Fifteen minutes later, the hatches opened, and bombs rained down from the sky, landing on the cities—the Great Patriotic War had begun."

When Liu Helian heard the hurried announcement from the Russian radio station, this translation suddenly popped into his mind. As a time traveler who had watched many documentaries, he still remembered this "perfect essay" from the first episode of "The Great Patriotic War" vividly.

Its words are calm and simple, without any special rhetoric, yet it calmly depicts the prelude to a great war. Perhaps because the history of this war has imbued it with a heavy accumulation, this plain text reveals the cruelty of the sword and the shadow.

This was a war that ranks among the top three in human history. Tens of millions of people, directly and indirectly, fought along a front stretching thousands of kilometers. It profoundly influenced the course of World War II and altered the landscape of postwar Europe and the world. It marked the expansion of World War II and the beginning of a new phase in the war.

Yes, on the early morning of June 22, 1941, the Soviet-German War began with the German Air Force crossing the actual control line between the two sides.

So far, the history of this space-time is largely identical to that of the original space-time.

From the vague descriptions of the speed of the German advance in newspapers and radio, it was clear that Soviet border troops were vulnerable to the German superiority and surprise. Although Russian radio reported many stories of heroic resistance, the speed of the Nazi advance still seemed frighteningly fast.

As a systematic "blitzkrieg" showed its power for the first time in battle planning (the theory of blitzkrieg had not yet been fully formed during the Battle of France), many Soviet troops were surrounded by the German army without warning. Some were wiped out after stubbornly resisting, some were chased and scattered during the retreat, and some were captured after surrendering.

Since the public information was filled with headlines like "Nazi Germany could capture Moscow in two months," "Swastika flags will fly over Red Square before winter," and "Soviet Union might be vulnerable to German forces," and neither the Soviet Union nor Germany had reliable statistics on their losses, Liu Helian still didn't know if the gadgets he'd "developed" for the Soviet Union had any effect. After much deliberation, he decided to deal with the matters at hand first.

The contact with the British Air Force has been basically completed. After staying there for a few days, Liu Helian compiled the relevant information he knew, such as the possible well locations of the North German oil fields, possible construction methods, and the possible development progress of the Germans, into a document and handed it to Cheng Enshu's team who came for formal negotiations. Next, Cheng Enshu, who has rich experience in the insurance and investment fields, will take his place in the repeated negotiations with the British, and use this information to exchange for as many chips as possible.

Given the Germans' temperament, they would likely have built layers of defense around this valuable domestic oil field, perhaps even towing anti-aircraft barges, deploying Type 8A anti-aircraft guns, and deploying a wing of Messerschmitt or Focke-Wulf fighters. And in keeping with Churchill's style, he would have forced Bomber Command to bomb this "critical strategic target" around the clock, with sufficient propaganda to generate significant impact. Before the US Eighth Air Force developed a large-scale attack capability in 1943, the British's independent strategic air strikes were only of questionable effectiveness.

The scene unfolding at Majiagang is likely to erupt in northern Germany, particularly around Hamburg... Well, a few more plane crashes in Britain and Germany won't hurt, after all. Liu Helian thought this as he packed his luggage and boarded his disguised eMule passenger plane. As the "minister of no responsibility," it was almost time for him to return home.

There were only four people on this plane: him, co-pilot Hu Zikun, a random radio operator and mechanic, and a navigator. The cabin of the plane was loaded with a lot of supplies purchased from the United States.

The transcontinental flight began in Edmonton, Canada, and flew to Fairbanks, Alaska, before returning to China via Suicheng and Irkutsk in the Soviet Union. Because the navigator was a Soviet who had boarded the plane from Fairbanks, Liu Helian couldn't even leave his seat, even with the automatic assisted pilot function activated.

He could only turn on the onboard radio and play the Moscow broadcast for everyone while thinking quietly.

By this time, the CCP was no longer just a "local" armed force trapped in northern China, struggling under siege by the Japanese invaders and constantly defending itself against backstabbing by reactionaries. Its behavior began to gradually move closer to that of a legitimate and orthodox ruling regime, and it was inevitably increasingly influenced by changes in the international situation.

The outbreak of the Soviet-German War would undoubtedly have a significant impact on China. For example, the border region's industrial system currently employed numerous Soviet experts and engineers from various fields. After the war began, they would undoubtedly return to China to participate in combat or construction. Once they left, China would undoubtedly have to make arrangements for their return to the Soviet Union, handling the handover and transition of work to their original workshops, factories, and research institutes.

For example, the ongoing Sino-Soviet trade and economic activities will undoubtedly be impacted. Many Soviet-origin raw materials, equipment, and consumables may be delayed or even unavailable for delivery. Furthermore, the export of many light industrial and commercial products back to the Soviet Union may also be subject to changes at the Soviet's request. Previously, the Soviets used the empty tonnage of their return convoys to order numerous civilian goods, such as down jackets, candy, and spirits, from the border region. Now, these orders will likely have to make way for military supplies.

In addition, our ability to use the Soviet channel to transport imported materials through Xinjiang Province may also be reduced - at this time, the Soviet Union is probably mobilizing all available transportation capacity to carry out an unprecedented industrial migration in human history.

By the way, can we take over some of the industrial transfer from the Soviet Union? he thought.

The passenger plane converted from the eMule was well-equipped with onboard equipment, and its extensive navigational instruments left the Soviet navigator somewhat unprepared. Soon, Liu Helian and his companions approached their next relocation point: Irkutsk Airport. From there, Liu Helian would rest and then turn the plane south, crossing the border directly to Huinong.

Because the eDonkey does not burn oil, he flipped the oil drain switch to release the aviation fuel added at the previous airport to meet the situation of insufficient fuel on board after a long-distance flight.