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

Chapter 222 Six Hundred Cannons
"Baka! Hold on!"

"Hold on, you idiot!"

"Baka! Long live the Emperor!"

"Long live the Emperor! Baka!"

……

While Cheng Xiazi and Gao Xigang were sweeping through the base of Heishan Morita, Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, Liu Weidong, and Gao Liujin were also advancing swiftly towards the defense zone of the 21st Brigade.

Since most of the 21st Brigade's troops had been transferred away, the defenses of this garrison were very weak.

The remaining Japanese troops were no match for Li Yunlong and his men's fierce attack; they were either annihilated or routed.

At the Yanzhen arsenal, there was still half a battalion of Japanese soldiers defending the area.

The fortifications here are also exceptionally sturdy.

However, faced with Li Yunlong's overwhelming numerical superiority and the hellish cannons, the half-Japanese battalion at Yanzhen Arsenal was utterly annihilated.

Before long, the Japanese battalion was reduced to less than a hundred men.

They launched a suicidal charge, but were easily annihilated by Li Yunlong's forces.

"Quickly, quickly, let's rush in and see just how much equipment is inside this Japanese arsenal!" After arresting the workers first, Li Yunlong and the others, as if injected with chicken blood, rushed into the large arsenal.

Upon entering the arsenal, rows of machines were neatly arranged, like an army being inspected.

"Mr. Yan, could you please take a look at all these devices?" Li Yunlong pulled Yan Kai out.

Yan Kai was quite cooperative, recounting the details as if they were his own treasures:

"This is equipment for making bullets."

"This is the equipment used to make melon grenades."

"This is equipment for making mortars."

"This is the production line for making artillery shells!"

"This is equipment for making grenade launchers."

……

"Mr. Yan, you're not seeing things, are you? There's equipment for making grenade launchers and mortars here?" Li Yunlong was overjoyed.

Although Brother Li can now build rocket launchers, he will eventually build new types of rockets as well.

but!

There are too many monks and too little porridge.

So many troops are eyeing it, and we can only manage to get a few more thanks to our merits, and the amount is limited.

Conventional weapons like grenade launchers and mortars are still equipment that our team urgently needs.

Previously, we had hundreds of grenade launchers and mortars at our disposal, and it was so satisfying to fight them.

With so much equipment, mortars, and grenade launchers, we can truly fight a war with ample resources once they are mass-produced!
“Yes.” Yan Kai’s tone was full of envy.

He followed Li Yunlong, originally thinking that Li Yunlong would take him to see Zhang Wanhe, hoping to have a chance to get to know the military experts from the Eighth Route Army's arsenal. But now it seems that this was just wishful thinking.

Yan Kai, with his thin arms, couldn't outmaneuver Li Yunlong's thick legs, so he simply stopped thinking about it and focused on watching the Eighth Route Army's hellish cannons and rocket launchers.

Yan Kai stared wide-eyed as he watched the Eighth Route Army take over a large Japanese arsenal.

If only all these things had been captured by the Jin-Sui Army.

There are five bullet production lines, four grenade launcher production lines, three mortar production lines...

"If we can make grenade launchers and mortars, then can we make cannon barrels?" Li Yunlong asked excitedly.

Li Yunlong had heard Li Muzhi mention that the cannon barrel was made of seamless steel pipe.

If seamless steel pipes can be manufactured here, then Brother Li's side... hehehe, it seems like they can start manufacturing anti-aircraft weapons.

“I didn’t see any equipment for making cannon barrels,” Yan Kai said, shaking his head.

"Didn't you see it?" Li Yunlong was taken aback. "They can make grenade launchers and mortars here, how come they don't have equipment to make cannon barrels?"

"Judging from these semi-finished gun barrels, they must have been transported from other arsenals," Yan Kai explained.

"Damn it!" Li Yunlong's eyes immediately widened like eggs.

Previously, we captured the Japanese arsenal in Cuicun, where there were semi-finished artillery barrels that needed to be sent to the next large arsenal.

I originally thought this was where they could get seamless steel pipes.

As a result, we arrived at this large arsenal, where these semi-finished cannon barrels are brought here to be assembled into complete grenade launchers and mortars.

In this way, it seems we've gone in the wrong direction.

These semi-finished cannon barrels should have come from the previous arsenal of the Cuicun Arsenal. We should trace the origin back to that previous arsenal.

Remembering something, Li Yunlong asked again, "Is the equipment for making mortars complete?"

“Very complete.” Yan Kai nodded and said, “It not only manufactures mortars, but also grenade launchers, bullets and grenades. The complete production line equipment is all available.”

"That's good enough." Li Yunlong was somewhat satisfied.

Li Muzhi once said that once a large arsenal is able to manufacture mortars, the equipment he needs will most likely be found here.

With the equipment, he could develop new types of rockets.

As long as the equipment is complete, everything is fine.

As for the seamless steel pipe issue, it's not a big deal.

Anyway, the managers at the Cuicun arsenal are all under the control of the brigade commander.

Now that they've gotten information about this large arsenal, it shouldn't be a problem to trace it back to the previous arsenal.

Once the Japanese sweep is thwarted this time, we'll set up another arsenal.

Of course. If I had the chance to go to the Taiyuan Arsenal, I'd be convinced they didn't have the equipment to produce seamless steel pipes!

"Hurry, hurry, hurry up and move it." Liu Weidong didn't waste any time and had his men move it quickly.

At the same time, Liu Weidong pulled Li Yunlong aside and asked, "Li Yunlong, this Mr. Yan isn't from our border region's arsenal, is he?"

Liu Weidong noticed that Yan Kai actually recognized all the equipment and machines.

If such a person is indeed from the border region's arsenal, then he must be considered a highly skilled individual.

There were only a handful of senior talents at the border region's arsenal, and none of them had Yan Kai's face.

“No.” Li Yunlong shook his head and explained, “This is the deputy director of the arsenal on Commander Yan’s side.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Weidong immediately understood: "Li Yunlong, you've brought Yan Kai over here again. Are you trying to drag the Jin-Sui Army into this again?"

When we assembled just now, I didn't see Li Yunlong pull Yan Kai out; he deliberately hid him.

It's pretty obvious that Li Yunlong, that bastard, has most likely broken the rules again.

Last time, he used Yan Kai to bring in the Jin-Sui Army, and fortunately, the Jin-Sui Army did not suffer any losses in the end.

Otherwise, Li Yunlong would definitely not have fared well.

Unexpectedly, Li Yunlong has dragged Yan Kai into this again.

No wonder this guy is so confident about causing trouble behind Japanese lines. If he can bring the Jin-Sui Army in and cut off the Japanese supply lines, the success rate of the counter-offensive will increase significantly.

Once the Japanese army's encirclement and suppression force is withdrawn, the rear of their First Army will become our own vegetable garden.

“Without bringing in the Jin-Sui Army, it won’t be easy for us to accomplish anything with just a few regiments,” Li Yunlong admitted directly. “Although the Japanese First Army is scattered, it still has about 60,000 to 70,000 men. Plus, Okamura has transferred another division, so the Japanese forces are probably close to 90,000. Without bringing in the Jin-Sui Army, we simply can’t handle this.”

If we can't handle it, the Japanese won't be able to break through this sweep.

Once the Japanese troops got close, the border region's arsenal had to stop production.

"With Yan Kai in your hands, I can rest assured." Liu Weidong smiled strangely.

This was the first time Li Yunlong had ever seen Liu Weidong smile like that, and he inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine.

I can tell, that scoundrel scholar is definitely up to no good.

He's just like Ding Wei; they're both treacherous guys.

"Li Yunlong, Scholar, come over to the warehouse right now!" Gao Liujin ran over excitedly.

"What's up, Gao Liujin? Did you find something good?" Li Yunlong asked immediately.

"This Japanese warehouse is full of grenade launchers and mortars." Gao Liujin said excitedly, as if he had eaten honey. "According to preliminary statistics, there must be six hundred of them in total."

Upon hearing this, Li Yunlong laughed and said, "Looks like I was a bit stingy after all. If I had known, I would have given all the grenade launchers and mortars I had to Lao Kong earlier."

There are 600 grenade launchers and mortars, so if we average that out of our several regiments, we can get another 100.

Of course, Liu Weidong had to take the equipment and spoils back with him; weak firepower wouldn't do. So he was given two hundred.

The remaining four hundred were divided among our various regiments, which made us quite well-off.

As long as we carry enough shells, our artillery fire can continue to sweep across the land.

Liu Weidong said to Li Yunlong, "Keep 200 of these grenade launchers and mortars for me. I'll focus on directing the movement of machinery and equipment first."

"Okay." Li Yunlong nodded and followed Gao Liujin to the warehouse.

Gao Liujin wasn't lying; the ammunition boxes in the warehouse were indeed piled up like mountains.

Ding Wei directed his men to quickly unpack the boxes and take out the grenade launchers and mortars inside.

Seeing Li Yunlong approach, Ding Wei said, "Old Li, I've taken a look. Besides the weapons, there are many other raw materials and supplies in this warehouse. Liu Weidong's team probably can't take them all back. We need to hide them in advance."

Li Yunlong took out a map, glanced at it quickly, and pointed, "These places are all suitable for hiding things; we have a strong grassroots base there."

“I think it’s a good idea,” Ding Wei said, looking at the location on the map. “Let’s quickly spare some manpower to move the stuff and hide it there.”

"it is good."

……

29th Brigade
"Brigade Commander, the soldiers we sent to track the Eighth Route Army have all lost contact." A staff officer came over and reported to Major General Kawashima, the commander of the 29th Brigade. "Based on preliminary assessments, they have most likely been discovered and eliminated by the Eighth Route Army."

"Baka!" Major General Kawashima cursed upon hearing this, "Why are the Eighth Route Army so vigilant? Have they all lost contact?"

Losing contact with this group of Eighth Route Army soldiers is no small matter.

Their firepower is fierce; if we don't find them, they're like a ticking time bomb, posing a huge threat.

“The Eighth Route Army troops have always been very vigilant, making them difficult to track.” The staff officer nodded.

"Send more men, we must find this group of Eighth Route Army soldiers..." Major General Kawashima didn't finish his sentence.

Someone rushed over like their backside was on fire: "Reporting to the brigade commander, something terrible has happened! Colonel Kuroshima Morita's base has been attacked by the Eighth Route Army, and the 21st Brigade's base has also been attacked."

Upon hearing this, Major General Kawashima was immediately dumbfounded: "Baka! What did you say? The Eighth Route Army attacked the 21st Brigade's base!!!"

Major General Kawashima temporarily set aside the question of why the Eighth Route Army attacked Kuroshima Morita's base.

But there's a large arsenal in the 21st Brigade's base, and that's no joke.

Now that most of the 21st Brigade's forces have been withdrawn, even if half a battalion remains to protect the Yanzhen Arsenal, this group of Eighth Route Army soldiers has heavy weapons and artillery, and half a battalion cannot stop them.

"Immediately relay my orders to have the Martial Valor Brigade reinforce the 21st Brigade as quickly as possible," Major General Kawashima ordered without hesitation.

"Brigade Commander, if the Martial Valiant Regiment is withdrawn, the encirclement will be much weaker. If most of the Eighth Route Army takes this opportunity to break out..."

"The most important thing now is to protect our arsenal," Major General Kawashima said decisively. "As for the majority of the Eighth Route Army to break through, it won't be that easy. They have families with them and can't move fast. I can hold them off until the main force arrives."

"Hai."

Under Major General Kawashima's orders, the 29th Brigade's militia regiment quickly moved towards the 21st Brigade's base.

(End of this chapter)