The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Begins in Songhu

Chapter 361 Victory Belongs to My Cousin (Part Two) [Bonus Chapter 2850 for the Emergence of the Erotic Photographer]

At 11:25 a.m., in a large karst cave about ten miles northeast of Gaofeng Pass.

This cave, hidden in a remote valley, was the secret arsenal that Mo Shuiyan finally chose after careful investigation.

Transportation may not be very convenient, but it is relatively safe.

As long as people are sent to keep watch on the surrounding hills, and production is stopped immediately once Japanese reconnaissance troops or aircraft appear, there is a very high probability that the production will not be detected.

So yesterday evening, after selecting this location, Mo Shuiyan led his team to move all the machinery from the truck into the cave and quickly installed it.

It's fair to say that they haven't stopped working at all, except for mealtimes.

As a result of long hours of heavy physical labor, Mo Shuiyan, who is still a strong middle-aged man, now feels like his back is about to break.

Even so, Mo Shuiyan did not choose to lie down and rest after installing the machine.

Instead, after wiping the engine oil off his face, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Generate electricity!"

With such a shout, a veteran worker from the Guinan Arsenal started up an old French-made gasoline generator.

As the generator roared to life, an old-fashioned machine tool in front of Mo Shuiyan was finally powered on.

After attaching a top-of-the-line alloy lathe tool he brought from the modern world, he then inserted a seamless steel pipe into the chuck and began operating it himself.

As steel scraps flew and swirled, an 80-millimeter-diameter steel pipe was gradually transformed by Mo Shuiyan into the shape he hoped for.

Mo Shuiyan breathed a sigh of relief after taking a measurement with calipers, because the precision of this old-fashioned machine tool was still barely enough to meet the processing needs.

If some key components such as bearings and ball bearings are replaced, the precision will be improved to another level.

However, shortly afterward, when making production plans, Mo Shuiyan's face showed a headache again: Damn it! I've transmigrated so many times, how come I've never been able to process anything properly?

Because the equipment he plans to manufacture next is the rocket launcher that Zhangjiayu once produced.

Although the ammunition of this thing, if propelled solely by gunpowder, naturally does not have the range of ammunition from modern dimensions that have small range-extending engines.

However, it can still have some positive effect on the Japanese army's future construction of numerous pillboxes and bunkers on the high ground around Kunlun Pass, which would cause huge casualties to the National Army.

Only now has he discovered a crucial, previously unforeseen problem: there isn't enough cast iron for ammunition production.

The blast furnace steelmaking technology was child's play for Mo Shuiyan; the key issue was that with time running out, he didn't have the time to mine, dig coal, or smelt iron.

Besides, this place isn't far from the battlefield. If we were to make such a commotion, it would be too much of a fuss, and it would be terrible if the Japanese found out.

Just as Mo Shuiyan was in a dilemma, an old man beside her asked:
"Commander Mo, what trouble have you encountered? Please tell me, in case I can help?"

Actually, Mo Shuiyan was able to find this venue thanks to this old man, surnamed Liang, who was the head of a village in the surrounding area.

After listening to Mo Shuiyan's predicament, Chief Liang took a couple of puffs from his large water pipe and patted his chest, assuring her:
"Don't worry! I'll solve this problem for you."

Three hours later, Mo Shuiyan finally learned how to solve the problem of iron materials.

All I could see were several baskets that he and a few young men had brought, filled with all sorts of brand-new kitchen knives, woodcutting knives, hoes, and hammers—it was clear that he had practically emptied out a blacksmith shop.

There were also some rusty iron pots, nails, doorways, etc.

As Mo Shuiyan examined these items, Liang Baozhang said, "Commander Mo, you can use these iron materials first. We'll keep sending you more later to ensure you can produce enough of those ammunition."

Mo Shuiyan naturally believed Liang Baozhang's assurance. However, he also believed that after this battle, the ironware in the surrounding villages would likely be completely destroyed.

"If we can win this battle and bring about some different changes to the Guinan Campaign, we should thank these fellow Guangxi people; not me, Mo Shuiyan, for knowing so much advanced knowledge."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Mo Shuiyan told herself this...

******
At 7:49 p.m., a villager dumped a load of yellow soil onto a machine gun bunker to reinforce it as necessary.

Instead of continuing to carry soil as before, he looked at the officers of the Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment, waiting for his new job assignment.

Because in the preceding period, Commander Hu and several of his associates had been constantly shouting at the top of their lungs:

"The trench is still too shallow. Keep digging. It needs to be two heads higher than you."

"Dig the hole deeper for me. What can you do with such a tiny, cramped bunker?"

"You all come with me..."

After a while, Commander Hu and his men shouted themselves hoarse, their heads were buzzing, but this also made them realize what to do next.

It's really strange that there's no shouting all of a sudden; I don't know what to do.

Then, when the warehouse manager nodded to Hu Biao, Hu Biao suddenly puffed out his chest and pulled in his stomach, shouting out another sentence at the top of his lungs, but the content was completely different:
"The Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment has gone to Antioch. Salute to all the villagers."

As he spoke, Hu Biao snapped a sharp salute to the group of weary villagers.

The next second, all the transmigrators present, along with the soldiers of the Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment, whose numbers had now reached a thousand, also saluted.

As the villagers were somewhat at a loss for what to do in the face of this scene, Hu Biao spoke up again:
"On behalf of all the officers and soldiers of the Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment, I, Mr. Hu, thank you all, fellow villagers; it is because of your help that we were able to complete the construction of an almost impossible fortification in such a short time."

Although there is still some finishing touches to be done, we can make some adjustments ourselves.

So, my fellow villagers, you've worked so hard for so long, now go back and get some rest; before you leave, remember to go over there and find Director Mi to collect three yuan in legal tender, as a token of my appreciation from Hu Biao and the Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment.”

Although it is now the end of the 29th year of the Republic of China, the value of the legal tender has depreciated considerably compared to when Hu Biao and his men were in Shanghai.

Although three yuan was a bit little, it should be enough to buy a hen.

This can be considered as the greatest possible compensation that Hu Biao and his team could offer to the villagers who helped them, given their limited resources.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, a man turned and walked away, muttering as he went, "I'm so tired, so tired. I must get a good night's sleep when I get back."

"Yes! It's even more tiring than during the busy farming season." Another old man echoed, then followed in his footsteps.

Then, all the villagers who came to help muttered something and turned to walk north, with no one staying to collect the money.

This scene left Hu Biao and his men completely dumbfounded, leaving them somewhat at a loss.

After a long while, AT finally muttered, "These Guangxi folks are really damn particular."

Just as Hu Biao was about to say something, Lao Yu, who had led a reconnaissance team, came running over and shouted from afar, "Damn it, the remnants of the 600th and 509th Regiments have moved from Ertang and will be here in another hour."

Hu Biao immediately disregarded everything else and began to explain:

"Make proper preparations; this group of remnants must be captured..."

(End of this chapter)