I simultaneously traverse countless worlds

Today, however, these dozens of Kabane encountered an unexpected situation. Li Mo, standing on the outer wall of Xianjin Post Station, calmly held a long Type 38 rifle in his hand and quickly and accurately completed the steps of firing—ejecting the spent cartridge and reloading—firing. The Type 38 rifle, which is known for its accuracy and low recoil, was used by Li Mo to exert the lethality of a sniper rifle. He eliminated the dozens of Kabane one by one. Even the more troublesome Thief species was shot and killed by Li Mo as soon as he was discovered.

As a Thief-type Kabane, it was a highly skilled samurai in life who became an elite Kabane unit. It can still more or less use the combat methods it was familiar with in life. Compared to those Kabane who only know how to charge and bite enemies mindlessly, at least one Thief-type can take on ten Kabane. However, the strength of its heart membrane is not much stronger than that of the core heart membrane of an ordinary Kabane. It was directly hit by a rifle bullet and turned into a corpse.

However, the Type 38 rifle in Li Mo's hand was, after all, a bolt-action rifle. For fifty Kabane soldiers running at the speed of athletes, at a distance of 600 to 200 meters, even if he eliminated half of the Kabane soldiers, he would still have half of the enemy left!

"fire!"

With a command, a twelve-pound Napoleon cannon on the high wall roared into action, and more than 100 rounds of shot, each about the thickness of a finger, swept across an area of ​​two hundred meters. The twenty or so Kabane that charged forward were knocked down by the oncoming shot, falling to the ground like tattered dolls. Occasionally, a few Kabane could still move a few times, but without the support of their limbs, they were no longer a threat.

Moreover, Li Mo thoughtfully finished them off one by one. The bright light of the Kabane's cores made them perfect targets. Destroying the cores and confirming the light's dissipation was the best way to verify the Kabane's death!

……

The battle, which lasted less than five minutes, came to an end. However, the group of people watching from the walls of Xianjin Post Station were completely silent. From the head of the Sifangchuan family and his young lady, who had come out to relax and watch the excitement, to the laborers who had been ordered by Li Mo to escort cannons and ammunition, everyone's eyes were wide open.

For the native Japanese of the Kabaneri world, they had never witnessed such a decisive and efficient battle against the Kabane. While there had been battles against the Kabane in the past, most of the brave samurai and soldiers, facing monsters that were difficult to kill with steam guns, were simply approached and bitten to death. In the past, they had relied on their superior numbers to encircle and annihilate a small number of Kabane, but it was difficult to kill these monsters without paying a bloody price. Now that the number of Kabane had increased to an absolute advantage, the Japanese, huddled in their various fortresses, could only rely on the Kabaneri for communication.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Japanese hiding in the various fortresses are likely to die every time they transport supplies or people using the railway and the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. They occasionally hear about the complete destruction of individual fortresses by the Kabane. The idea of ​​resisting and defeating the Kabane is something that many civilians and even samurai dare not even think about. They would rather hide in the fortresses and live a life of survival, begging for peace.

However, what the head of the Yomogawa family, the young lady Yomogawa Ayame, and her entourage saw was a scene of overwhelming victory. The dozens of Kabane that had once seemed so formidable were all wiped out before they could even get close to the moat of Kenjinze!

"Li... um, Mo Jun, you did a great job!"

When the head of the Yomogawa family came to his senses, he immediately demonstrated his abilities as a daimyo, warmly changing his usual practice of addressing Li Mo by his given name to a more intimate one, displaying a courteous and respectful demeanor.

This is only natural. Anyone with a modicum of insight who witnessed that scene would know how important it is to have weapons capable of killing the Kabane in this world threatened by them. Moreover, with the discerning eye of the Yomogawa family head, he could naturally see how important the new firearms called the "Type 38 Rifle" and the cannons called the "Napoleon Cannon" were to him, Kenjinze. It could be said that they gave Kenjin Station an extremely powerful trump card.

Yomogawa Ayame and the other samurai followers, while seeing how polite their lord treated the outsider as a refugee, now considered it all perfectly natural, including those who had previously grumbled about Li Mo's samurai treatment!

"Lord City Lord, the weapon test was successful, but there are still some problems!"

Hearing the polite greeting from the head of the Sifangchuan family, Li Mo remained remarkably calm. He took out his Type 38 rifle, pointed to the scattered brass shell casings on the city wall, and then gestured to the Napoleon cannon beside him. He explained, "For example, rifle production is not a problem, but I need to personally prepare the propellant for small-batch production. As for artillery propellant, while it can be mass-produced, relying solely on manual scraping of gunpowder is simply not enough..."

In this regard, Li Mo was not lying at all. Xianjinyi's industrial capacity was obviously much stronger than that of the Eighth Route Army back then. There was no technical difficulty in mass-producing Type 38 rifles and Napoleon cannons. However, the modern propellant used in firearms and the granular propellant used in Napoleon cannons were deadly.

Thanks to the time-travel novels he had read and his high school chemistry knowledge, Li Mo had no difficulty in creating the Napoleon cannon and granular propellant. The Type 38 rifle may seem like a World War I-level weapon, but the Eighth Route Army was able to manufacture the Type 81 rifle under rudimentary conditions. For example, Xianjin Post Station, which could repair and maintain trains and produce rails and steam guns, had no technical difficulty in manufacturing these two pieces of equipment. However, the manufacturing process and materials required for ammunition were a completely different matter.

—As a bronze cannon, the Napoleon cannon was so difficult to manufacture that even the Bronze Age could accomplish it. However, the raw materials needed for the pellet propellant were not so easy to obtain. Sulfur and charcoal were relatively abundant resources in Japan, but saltpeter was practically nonexistent. It was entirely dependent on manual saltpeter production techniques. As for the modern propellant used in the Type 38 rifle, the nitrocellulose required a certain level of chemical engineering expertise for mass production. Clearly, in the world of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, which has skewed its technological path, Japan really doesn't have any commendable basic chemical engineering industry.

Therefore, when Li Mo first transmigrated to the world of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress and before entering the White Mist Space, he was under pressure from the fact that he was of low value and might have to live with the common people of Xianjin Post Station who struggled to survive on two meals of coarse grains a day. He gritted his teeth and carried out his own synthesis experiment of nitrocellulose. Fortunately, Li Mo, who was very confident, had excellent protective measures, which prevented him from becoming like Nobel, whose experiment failed and killed his own people.

Now, Li Mo needs to clarify the issue beforehand, otherwise, if the head of the Sifangchuan family were to act impulsively and order him to mass-produce Type 38 rifles or Napoleon cannons, he would have to give him a proper explanation!

"Hmm, that's not bad! Eh? Mo Jun, what are you planning to do?!"

While the head of the Sifangchuan family was somewhat disappointed by Li Mo's answer, he also considered it to be a matter of course. After all, he was the lord of the famous city of Xianjinyi and understood the difficulty of creating new weapons. However, he was immediately stunned by the other party's actions.

"Lord of the city, I'm preparing to lead men down to bring back the remains of the Kabane so we can see the specific destructive power of the new firearms and cannons!"

At this moment, Li Mo had already put away his rifle, bowed slightly to the head of the Sifangchuan family, and then turned to walk towards the other side of the city gate. He really wanted to study the situation of the Kabane in person. As for playing the role of a courteous sergeant with the head of the Sifangchuan family, Li Mo, who had already obtained extraordinary power and also researched the [Shadow Seed], really didn't care.

Seeing Li Mo's decisive action, the head of the Sifangchuan family was stunned for several seconds before he reacted. Ignoring Li Mo's seemingly impolite behavior, he quietly ordered the surrounding warriors and servants to protect Li Mo's safety!

……

Although the head of the Shifangchuan family was slightly displeased with Li Mo's impolite behavior, he was well aware of the importance of a scientific research talent. Just as he treated the highly skilled craftsmen of Xianjin Post Station with the same status and treatment as ordinary samurai.

After all, those [Juncheng] are the lifeline connecting the hundreds of cities and fortresses in Japan. Without the [Juncheng] to connect Jin Gang Yi with the surrounding cities and fortresses, the number of survivors in Japan would probably be reduced by more than half. Even Jin Gang Yi, which has the largest population and the strongest strength, would not be able to maintain its industrial operations and agricultural needs with only a population of 100,000 to 200,000 and an extremely small territory.

In particular, the Type 38 rifle and Napoleon cannon that Li Mo displayed had already shown a power that completely surpassed ordinary steam guns. Knowing that weapons with copper-cased ammunition seemed to have appeared outside, but not having witnessed it firsthand and instead learning about it through letters from relatives and friends at Jin Gang Yi, the head of the Si Fang Chuan family naturally knew that if he held this trump card in his hands, the strength and status of the Si Fang Chuan family would definitely be greatly enhanced. A top talent like Li Mo would absolutely not give it up.

Fortunately, Li Mo did not do anything too dangerous. He did pass through the city gate and carefully arrived at the direction of the battlefield with a dozen warrior attendants. He retrieved dozens of cores, including the core of the Thief Technique Seed, and did not linger in the direction of the battlefield. He returned directly to Xianjin Post Station and was then summoned to the Sky Keep by the head of the Sifangchuan family.

As Li Mo entered the main hall of the castle tower, the head of the Yomokawa family, who had summoned him privately, smiled broadly, making no mention of Li Mo's earlier rudeness. He then spoke magnanimously to Li Mo, who had just sat down:

"Lord Mo, you have made a significant contribution this time. Would you like a reward?"

Chapter 21 Li Mo's Request (New book, please add to your favorites and vote!)

"Lord Mo, you have made a significant contribution this time. Would you like a reward?"

Seeing Li Mo sitting in front of him, the head of the Sifangchuan family was in a good mood. He made a generous promise to this outsider who had come from a shipwreck, and was thinking about what reward the other party would ask for, and how he could bind this outstanding talent to the Sifangchuan family's ship, so that he could serve the Sifangchuan family and Xianjin Post Station.

As a Japanese daimyo with decisiveness and ability above average, the head of the Yomogawa family naturally understood the importance of the new rifles and cannons after watching Li Mo's demonstration. It can be said that even if it weren't for the Kabane disaster that plunged the entire world, including Japan, into a crisis of extinction, the Yomogawa family's acquisition of the production capacity for the new weapons would have been enough to gain a higher status and more territory in Japan, and even have a chance to contend for the position of Shogun. The importance of these weapons to the Yomogawa family is beyond doubt.

After all, the Yomogawa family and Kenkin Station are now facing the threat of the Kabane. Ordinary civilians and lower-ranking samurai can still deceive themselves into thinking that they can live in peace by hiding in a strategically located fortress. However, the head of the Yomogawa family is very clear that bad news about the Kabane attacking the fortresses in Japan can be heard from time to time. If Kenkin Station does not have a means of self-defense, it may be destroyed at any time.

It is precisely for this reason that even though the new weapon developed by Li Mo has many shortcomings, it is of particular importance to Xianjin Post Station. The head of the Sifangchuan family, who considers himself to be in a superior position, naturally has to be clear about rewards and punishments. Otherwise, how can he expect others to work hard for him in the future?

"reward……"

Upon hearing the words of the head of the Shifangchuan family, Li Mo raised his eyebrows slightly, silently reciting the knowledge from "An Actor Prepares." His expression became very sincere as he addressed the middle-aged man before him: "Lord City Lord, what I desire is the ability to mobilize the steam factory at Xianjin Post Station to mass-produce new weapons and resupply them. I also want to attempt some improvements to the steam guns and prepare to recapture the port adjacent to Xianjin Post Station!"

"Huh? Mo Jun, are you serious?!"

Upon hearing Li Mo's words, the head of the Sifangchuan family was genuinely incredulous. He couldn't help but look at Li Mo closely, and only when he noticed Li Mo's serious expression did he ask him with a strange look to confirm.

Honestly, if Li Mo asked for rewards such as territory, official positions, wealth, or even women, the head of the Sifangchuan family wouldn't find it strange at all. Isn't life all about striving for these things? Besides, in this world where the Kabane could kill at any moment, living for the moment has become the desire of many people, and living for the moment requires capital.

But why does Li Mo want the factory to mass-produce new weapons and improve steam guns, and even want to help Xianjinyi recapture the port?

The head of the Sifangchuan family, of course, did not know that Li Mo was by no means a helpful international friend. His ideas, such as helping Xianjinyi improve its military and reclaim the port, were actually part of his larger scheme regarding Xianjinyi.

Originally, before Li Mo realized that he could enter the White Mist Space and gain power from other worlds, his idea at the Kenjin Station was to improve his status and prevent a scenario like the fall of Kenjin Station in the original Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress storyline, so that he could escape on the Junjo instead of being abandoned.

However, plans are clearly subject to change. Li Mo now possesses the power of four of his own from other worlds, which means he can be said to have the ability to protect himself in the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress world. Furthermore, the "Shadow Seed" he developed by analyzing the "Shadow Power" can immediately summon a suicide squad of more than fifty people. At this point, Li Mo will not act according to the original plot. What he wants is actual control of the fortress of Xianjin Station, so that he can control its manpower and resources to deal with the villainous boss and the threat of the Kabane in the original plot.

Under these circumstances, Li Mo naturally needed to gain a higher status and power at Xianjin Post Station. Now that the head of the Sifangchuan family had taken the initiative to offer rewards, it was exactly what he wanted. He could control the head of the Sifangchuan family, who was the master of Xianjin Post Station, without using other means. He could try to make use of the industrial capabilities of Xianjin Post Station first, and incidentally clean up those Kabane to conduct actual combat and enhance his own prestige.

Of course, Li Mo knew he couldn't openly reveal his intentions, but the head of the Sifangchuan family obviously wouldn't let him make demands at will. Not intending to waste a [Shadow Seed] to create a puppet, he naturally had prepared an excuse in advance!

"Lord City Lord, as a shipwrecked survivor, I have family and friends waiting for me to return to my hometown, so my desire to reclaim the port also has its own selfish motives..."

Faced with the question from the head of the Sifangchuan family, Li Mo's expression darkened, revealing a hint of grief. He displayed superb acting skills, combining them with the body control techniques he had acquired from traditional Chinese martial arts. His eyes were red and even faintly glistening with tears.

Li Mo was already mentally prepared for the questions that the head of the Shifangchuan family might raise and had prepared a draft. Using his previous excuse of using shipwrecked people as a cover, he could naturally use this excuse to cover up his lie. In addition, Xianjinyi did have a coastal area and port in the past, but it was forced to abandon the port and coastal area due to the threat from the Kabane. Now that Li Mo had first brought out weapons and equipment and proposed to improve industrial capacity for combat, he had a very suitable excuse.

Of course, Li Mo also saw that the head of the Yomokawa family was not someone who was content with the status quo, which is why he took the initiative to propose strengthening industrial capabilities and opening up port routes. Otherwise, it would have been a waste of effort if he had encountered a daimyo who would have been a coward!

"...I see. I appoint you as the temporary head of the Xianjin Post Factory. But please allow me some more time to consider the matter of sending troops to retake the port!"

Hearing Li Mo's words, the head of the Sifangchuan family was relieved of his doubts. Looking at Li Mo, whose eyes were red and even had a hint of tears, he made a decision after a moment's thought. He asked Li Mo to temporarily take over the position of general manager of Xianjin Post Factory, but he did not immediately agree to let him take back the port.

As the lord of Kenkin Station, the head of the Yomogawa family naturally wanted to reclaim all of the former Yomogawa family's territory. However, under the threat of numerous Kabane, this dream was merely a luxury with no hope of being realized. Moreover, Kenkin Station's own military strength was not very strong, and the steam guns they had were only effective against humans. Rashly going out to reclaim the port would probably just be handing the Kabane a fresh gift. Knowing his own limitations, the head of the Yomogawa family was naturally unwilling to send his samurai to their deaths.

Now, the head of the Sifangchuan family was somewhat tempted. With the advanced firearms and artillery provided by Li Mo, it seemed that there was real hope for Xianjinyi to recapture the port. If this could be achieved, it would greatly enhance the strength of Xianjinyi and his own prestige. However, the head of the Sifangchuan family could not make a decision on such a major matter immediately. He felt that he should think about it carefully.

Seeing the reaction of the head of the Shifangchuan family, Li Mo knew that his suggestion was still promising. His next step was to take control of the Xianjin Post Station's factory and develop the "Spraying Bullet" from the original story to strengthen the military power of Xianjin Post Station!

Chapter 22 The Male Protagonist Becomes a Tool (New book, please add to your favorites and vote!)

Why, even with the Type 38 rifle and the Napoleon cannon, does Li Mo still intend to find the "spraying bullets" from the original story to strengthen the military power of Xianjin Post Station?

The reason is that, as mentioned before, the production of the Type 38 rifle and the Napoleon cannon is not a problem. Xianjin Station has no difficulty in industrializing production on its own. However, the propellant and pellet propellant required for both are a big problem. The nitrocellulose produced in the laboratory can be used to supply dozens or hundreds of rifles, but for more than that, it is not something that one person can handle. As for pellet propellant, it is even more difficult.

Before the [synthetic ammonia] process was developed, the large-scale use of gunpowder weapons by humans depended on the supply of raw materials. Japan did not lack high-quality sulfur and charcoal, but saltpeter was an absolute rarity in Japan. Since Li Mo could not find saltpeter in Xianjin Station, he was forced to use the saltpeter scraping technique.

That was an outdated, antiquated method. It involved having people scrape saltpeter from the toilets, and the collected saltpeter had to be refined before it was usable. Li Mo certainly didn't have to do this himself, but the problem was that Xianjin Post Station only had a little over 30,000 people. The amount of saltpeter obtained from scraping was very small. Each shot from a Napoleon cannon required several kilograms of propellant. It was estimated that after firing more than ten Napoleon cannons in one volley, the saltpeter produced by Xianjin Post Station in a single day would be almost exhausted. To equip more Napoleon cannons, they would need to find saltpeter mines.

It was only after realizing this problem that Li Mo understood why, in the original anime of the Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress world, although bolt-action rifles with metal cartridges and heavy cannons similar to the Dora Cannon appeared in Haimen a few years ago, the overall equipment was still steam guns, which were not very effective against the Kabane. It was simply that the factories in Japan lacked saltpeter and suitable modern gun propellants, so they could only produce steam guns.

Now, Li Mo plans to find the male protagonist of the original Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress storyline ahead of time. The "Jet Shot" invented by the protagonist gives the steam gun the power to kill Kabane, making it a more suitable weapon for the current Kenkin Station!

………………

Xianjin Station is a station city with a highly developed steam industry. Almost all the nearby Juncheng (steel cities) are manufactured here. Apart from the power core, the McClatch Steam Engine, Xianjin Station can directly produce other parts of the Juncheng.

As for producing steam guns, that was child's play for Xianjin Station. That's why when Li Mo found himself near Xianjin Station and was rescued by the Sifangchuan family head and his group, he wanted to highlight his importance by saying that he knew how to manufacture advanced weapons. He estimated that the weapons and equipment he chose were not difficult to manufacture for Xianjin Station.

In fact, there are no obstacles to switching industrial equipment capable of producing steam trains and steam guns to produce army weapons and equipment at the level of World War I. At least when it comes to not considering the production of artillery with a caliber of 105mm or larger, there are no technical difficulties in producing small caliber artillery, flat-fire guns, heavy machine guns and rifles with a caliber of 75mm. The reason why Li Mo chose to manufacture the Type 38 rifle and Napoleon cannon at Xianjin Station, apart from the limitations on its ammunition, is mainly because he could not remember the better rifle and artillery design drawings.

To be honest, when Li Mo was reading novels and occasionally saw people making firearms by hand online, he remembered a few design drawings of small arms from World War I and World War II. However, the difficulty of producing the Type 38 rifle and the Mauser 98K was obviously different. As for artillery, it goes without saying that apart from those fervent World War II enthusiasts who might study this, most people would be lucky to remember the difference between muzzle-loading and breech-loading cannons.

Now, Li Mo is preparing to use the Type 38 rifle as a sniper rifle, and he is also preparing to replace the Napoleon cannon with the Tiger Crouching Cannon. Steam guns with jet bullets are the mainstream, but he still needs to find the male protagonist who invented jet bullets first!

"My Lord, this is our steam smelting plant area!"

Amidst the roar of steam hammers and rivet guns, Li Mo, accompanied by a group of warriors and several officials, entered the most important steam factory in Xianjin Post Station, observing the surrounding steam engines and smelting processes as he walked.

It has to be said that the technology tree in the world of Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is indeed quite special. When Li Mo looked at the large steam engine and forging equipment that were full of retro feel, he felt as if he were seeing an industrial antique. You know, in the world before he transmigrated, unless there were some special needs for steam engines, industrial electrification had long been achieved. Even in the African world, you rarely see steam engines unless you see these old antiques in an industrial museum.

After pretending to admire it for a while, Li Mo, not seeing the male protagonist from the original Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress story, turned to the steward and instructed, "I have some technical questions to ask. Find the best steam engine technician here!"

Faced with Li Mo's instructions, the steward, who had temporarily assumed the position of chief of staff under the city lord, dared not neglect them. He immediately instructed his other subordinates, and soon five steam technicians, including the original protagonist Ikoma, were summoned. They all looked at Li Mo and his group with some unease.

Among them, the male protagonist Ikoma is the youngest of the five steam technicians, while the other four are mostly middle-aged workers in their thirties and forties. As introduced by a factory manager, Ikoma is indeed one of the most outstanding people in the factory in terms of steam technology. Otherwise, in the original plot, when the young lady Yomogawa Ayame came to repair a steam gun, the factory manager would not have introduced the male protagonist Ikoma to repair firearms. Otherwise, if he were just a hothead, no one would have recommended him and offended the young lady of the castle.

The problem was, when Li Mo looked at the green-haired boy wearing the craftsman's glasses and whose physique was thin but sturdy, he felt a strange and inexplicable feeling. The boy's green hair made him feel like laughing!

"Do any of you have any research on how to increase the power of steam guns?"

Upon seeing the protagonist Ikoma and several steam craftsmen, Li Mo suppressed the urge to laugh at Ikoma's green hair and solemnly asked them a question, only to be met with silence.

Needless to say, the four steam craftsmen were responsible for repairing steam machines and certain important parts. They didn't really have much research on weapons like steam guns, which were used by samurai. However, Ikoma, the male protagonist in the original story, who was filled with hatred for the Kabane because his parents died, and wanted to research a weapon to kill the Kabane, did not answer immediately but hesitated.

"...Sir, are you preparing for war by increasing the power of the steam gun?"

Fortunately, the male protagonist, Ikoma, was not a cunning person. Having heard that Li Mo had already produced a weapon capable of killing Kabane, he did not think that the other party wanted to increase the power of the steam gun to deal with ordinary people, and couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

"In the near future, Xianjinyi is preparing to clear out the surrounding Kabane, and even plans to reclaim Xianjinyi's original port and salt fields. This requires a large number of city wall components, but the key is weaponry. New weapons cannot be mass-produced due to limitations in ammunition and raw materials. That's why I want to improve the firepower of the steam gun..."

Li Mo didn't hide anything from Ikoma, the male protagonist. Anyone with a discerning eye could deduce the limitations of the new weapons and equipment based on the information gathered, so he naturally told him frankly.

"...My lord, in that case, I do have an idea!"

Upon hearing Li Mo's words, the protagonist, Ikoma, was surprised. He had never imagined that those people who were afraid of the Kabane and dared not face them would actually have the idea of ​​taking the initiative to attack and eliminate the Kabane. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.

In a sense, the protagonist Ikoma's thinking is rather simple and direct. He believes that Li Mo is a truly capable person, unlike those who exploit the common people by relying on their noble birth or martial prowess. Now that he already has new weapons and equipment, and is still seeking a breakthrough in steam guns in the face of the Kabane, he feels that his idea of ​​enhancing the power of steam guns with "jet bullets" would be helpful to this very kind adult, at least in dealing with those damned Kabane.

Li Mo guessed Ikoma's general idea, but instead of revealing it, he nodded and asked Ikoma to lead the way. Then, Ikoma took out the [Jet Bomb] he had created and conducted a practical test at the test field on the side!

……

"Excellent! With the steam gun combined with the [Jet Shot], it's powerful enough to kill Kabane at least at a range of 100 meters. A truly remarkable invention!"