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

Chapter 167 Happiness upon happiness
386th Brigade Headquarters

"Are there still no leads on the Japanese copper smelter?" the brigade commander asked the deputy brigade commander.

Previously, Li Yunlong had seized copper billets in Ping'an County and then seized a copper mine. The brigade commander judged that there must be a Japanese copper smelter in this area.

Although the arsenal now has equipment to manufacture bullets, it can also produce artillery shells.

But the demand for copper is certainly huge.

Simply relying on robbery is definitely not enough.

The best way is still to mine and refine the minerals yourself.

"Brigade Commander, please give me some more time," the deputy brigade commander replied. "The Japanese have been rampant lately, and there are spies everywhere. Our men dare not search openly; we can only proceed cautiously, and our operational range is really limited."

"I'd like to give you some time, but I'm afraid the Japanese won't give us any," the brigade commander said in a serious tone.

The brigade commander could foresee that once the Japanese learned of the rocket launcher's battlefield significance...

The Japanese will definitely do everything they can to search for the location of our arsenal.

You can't hide fire with paper.

No matter how well-hidden the border region's arsenal is now, it's only a matter of time before the Japanese find it.

If the arsenal is targeted and attacked by the enemy, our combat troops will need to provide full cover.

The prerequisite for providing full cover is that the border region's arsenal must produce enough weapons and ammunition for us in advance.

Otherwise, the consequences could be dire.

"Brigade Commander, then I'll..." The deputy brigade commander didn't finish his sentence.

Someone ran up to report: "Reporting to the brigade commander, the new 1st Regiment has sent a communications officer who has an emergency to report to you."

Upon hearing this, the brigade commander's expression immediately turned serious: "Let him in immediately."

The deputy brigade commander couldn't help but say, "Could it be that the Japanese have discovered the location of the New 1st Regiment?"

Although the Japanese are currently fighting fiercely against the Jin-Sui Army and their elite troops, the enemy they most desire to eliminate is still our Eighth Route Army.

Their spies are still searching for our troops.

“That shouldn’t be the case.” The brigade commander shook his head. “If it were truly an emergency, and the New First Regiment had been attacked, Ding Wei would have contacted the brigade headquarters by phone immediately, instead of sending a cavalry communications officer. It must be that the matter was not suitable to be reported by telegram.”

Soon, the communications officer jogged in, panting heavily, and saluted the brigade commander: "Reporting, brigade commander, our regimental commander asked me to report to you that he has taken the New First Regiment out with Regimental Commander Li and Regimental Commander Kong."

Did Ding Wei go out with Kong Jie and Li Yunlong?
Upon hearing this, the brigade commander was immediately taken aback and asked, "I have no doubt that Ding Wei went out with Li Yunlong, but why is Kong Jie here as well?"

Li Yunlong had previously acquired military dogs, keeping one for his brigade headquarters and sending the rest to the border region's arsenal.

Could this kid have just returned from the arsenal and is about to cause trouble again?
This bastard is trying to drag Ding Wei into trouble, so why doesn't he also drag Kong Jie into it?

Isn't this just playing the piano haphazardly?

Kong Jie's new second regiment is mining coal for the arsenal.

Take a step back and say that.

In a sense, Kong Jie's new Second Regiment also served as a guard for the border region's arsenal.

If there's any enemy activity at the arsenal and Kong Jie's new 2nd Regiment isn't there, that would be terrible!
The communications officer explained, "It seems that Regiment Commander Kong has obtained the right to test the rocket launcher, and Regiment Commander Li has brought our New First Regiment to accompany Regiment Commander Kong to protect the rocket launcher."

Before the communications officer could finish speaking, the brigade commander suddenly remembered.

That's right, that's right, how could we have forgotten?

Judging by the time, today should be the day the rocket launcher was born at the border region's arsenal.

The testing of this rocket launcher must begin soon.

The question is, how did the testing qualification for the rocket launcher end up in Kong Jie's hands instead of being given to Li Yunlong?

Could it be!

It was this reminder of his own words that made Kong Jie's mind open up.

Knowing that the fastest way to obtain the testing qualification for the rocket launcher was, Li Yunlong did not get it.

Thinking of this, the brigade commander cursed, "What the hell is Li Yunlong doing, dragging your regimental commander along to protect a rocket launcher? He just wants to make things worse for me."

The brigade commander knew Li Yunlong's personality all too well.

If the reins were loosened even slightly, he would be far removed from the emperor's reach.

With this rocket launcher in hand, this kid's going to be a menace!
With Kong Jie's brains, he wouldn't stand a chance against Li Yunlong; he'd be completely outmaneuvered by him.

The deputy brigade commander said sternly, "Why didn't your regimental commander report this matter by phone?"

It's inappropriate for Ding Wei to send a cavalry messenger to deliver such a major message.

If anything goes wrong during the testing of the rocket launcher, no one can afford to take responsibility.

The communications officer explained, "Commander Li and his men took our commander out, and it seems they found an enemy arsenal. The commander said this intelligence is very important and can't be discussed over the phone..." Before the communications officer could finish speaking, the brigade commander and deputy brigade commander blurted out, "What? What did you say? That son of a bitch Li Yunlong found an enemy arsenal!"

The reason why the brigade commander and deputy brigade commander added "son of a bitch" before Li Yunlong's title was partly because they were pleasantly surprised.

Li Yunlong is quite capable; he actually managed to find the Japanese arsenal.

Once we take over this arsenal, it will definitely be of great significance to our border region's arsenal.

On the other hand, the brigade commander and deputy brigade commander were both very annoyed.

Li Yunlong's abilities are really getting bigger and bigger! He actually concealed such a big matter and secretly tried to drag Ding Wei and Kong Jie along to do it!

If something goes wrong, the brigade headquarters will have to clean up your mess.

The communications officer explained: "Our regimental commander said that Regimental Commander Li had acquired a few Japanese military dogs along the way. Regimental Commander Li judged that the place where the Japanese would use military dogs must not be an ordinary military stronghold, so he sent people to look for it and found the Japanese arsenal."

"Damn it, didn't Li Yunlong say it was a chance encounter, that we ran into the Japanese military dogs? This is an encounter battle!" Upon hearing this, the brigade commander couldn't help but curse again.

The brigade commander thought the military dog ​​was a Japanese soldier who had run into Li Yunlong on his way to relocate.

Otherwise, the brigade commander would have sent people to search for them long ago.

However, since Li Yunlong had already found the arsenal, that's... double the good news!

Why is it described as double happiness?
Just now, the brigade commander was urging the deputy brigade commander to hurry up and find the Japanese copper smelter.

Think about it.

Now that we've found the Japanese arsenal, how far away can their copper smelting plant be?
After all, the production of weapons and ammunition in arsenals cannot be separated from copper.

The Japanese couldn't possibly locate the copper smelter too far from the arsenal, as that would have resulted in high logistical costs.

Therefore, the Japanese copper smelter must be very close to this arsenal.

We'll send people to conduct a targeted search around the Japanese arsenal. If we're focused and specific, we won't have trouble finding the Japanese copper smelting plant.

The deputy brigade commander anxiously asked, "Does your regimental commander know where the Japanese arsenal is now?"

The deputy brigade commander had clearly figured it out as well.

The Japanese copper smelter was probably near this arsenal.

Having located the Japanese arsenal, searching for their copper smelter in the vicinity will surely yield surprising results.

The communications officer scratched his head, thought for a moment, and then looked up: "It seems to be Cui Village. Yes, yes, that's right, it's Cui Village. The enemy's arsenal is there."

"Hahaha." Upon hearing this, the brigade commander laughed happily, "Ding Wei is really meticulous and conscientious in his work. He even managed to get the location of the arsenal out of Li Yunlong."

That kid Li Yunlong, he still wanted to do things secretly behind my back, but now Ding Wei has exposed all his secrets... The brigade commander is increasingly convinced that he made the right choice in using Ding Wei.

As long as Li Yunlong takes Ding Wei along for any work, we can completely relax.

The brigade commander immediately turned to the deputy brigade commander and said, "Now that we know the location of the Japanese arsenal, let's be more targeted. Send people to search that area specifically. I refuse to believe that we can't find that little devil's copper smelter."

"Brigade Commander, Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, and Kong Jie took over the Japanese arsenal. Isn't that stirring up a hornet's nest? Should we send the 772nd Regiment out to provide support?" the deputy brigade commander asked.

"It's so chaotic outside, and the Japanese have spies everywhere. Let's not send anyone to meet them." The brigade commander thought for a moment and said, "Since that bastard Li Yunlong dared to take Kong Jie and Ding Wei to raid the enemy's arsenal with rocket launchers, he must have a way to come back. Sending someone out to meet them would increase the risk of us being exposed."

Once Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, and Kong Jie take over the Japanese arsenal, it will definitely cause a huge uproar on the Japanese side and greatly stimulate their nerves. They will not only scream and shout, but they will even go crazy.

In this situation, if we rashly send people out, and it gets exposed, it will also implicate Li Yunlong and his men.

However, the brigade commander still said, "Tell the 772nd Regiment to be prepared. If Li Yunlong and his men need reinforcements, send the 772nd Regiment over as quickly as possible."

"Yes, brigade commander." The deputy brigade commander nodded and went to carry out the order.

"You should go back and rest too," the brigade commander told the communications officer to return to the New First Regiment to rest.

"Yes, brigade commander." The communications officer withdrew.

The brigade commander's gaze fell on the location of Cui Village on the map, and he couldn't help but laugh, "I really want to go and see it for myself."

But the brigade commander cannot go to the Cuicun arsenal.

They couldn't even go to the border region's arsenal in advance to wait for Li Yunlong, Kong Jie, and Ding Wei to return in triumph and then congratulate them on their fortune.

Li Yunlong and his men attacked the Cui Village arsenal. This was a huge deal, and the brigade commander had to be stationed at the brigade headquarters to oversee the operation.

In addition to getting the 772nd Regiment ready, the brigade commander also needed to communicate with the division headquarters to ask them to prepare some troops as well.

In case Li Yunlong and his men need reinforcements, having more troops will provide better support.

This is, after all, a Japanese arsenal; we must reclaim it and never let the Japanese take it back.

The brigade commander took out a pen and paper and quickly wrote down the words.

After writing it down, the note was put into an envelope. The brigade commander called over the cavalry communications officer and handed him the envelope: "Send this to the division headquarters as quickly as possible."

"Yes, brigade commander." The cavalry communications officer took the letter, carefully put it away, mounted his horse, and rushed it to the division headquarters.

(End of this chapter)