You were tasked with guarding the Sihang Warehouse, and you brought out a Tiger tank?

Lin Feng sat down at the creaking, broken wooden table in the command post and flipped through the security regiment's roster once more.

The ink marks were added in the last few days. A few days ago, the roster was mostly empty, but now it's gradually being filled with names.

More than 100 new recruits were added, and together with the previously gathered defeated soldiers, the roster now has 347 people.

At this rate, another batch can be recruited by mid-July, and it is expected that by August 13, when the Battle of Shanghai begins, the Security Regiment will be fully staffed with two battalions and six infantry companies, totaling 800 men. This should not be a problem.

As for the quality...

Lin Feng closed the roster and threw it on the table with a "thud".

Don't count on it.

Whether they were newly recruited soldiers or former militia members, they were basically not very combat-effective.

Let alone fighting the Japanese, even fighting bandits would probably require relying on the soldiers redeemed from the system as the backbone.

At best, they can only assist, handle logistics, and boost morale.

The real main force and junior officers still need to be relied upon by the system.

"well……"

Lin Feng sighed and took a small notebook out of the drawer.

This is a price list he kept during the few days he traveled here.

The price of various commodities, such as rice, eggs, salt, and kerosene, is written on it in dense text.

He opened the system and focused his mind on the [Supply Exchange List].

Quickly browse, silently calculating in your mind.

In the system, 1 ton of eggs requires 36 exchange points.

One exchange point requires 50 yuan to recharge.

Therefore, the system exchange cost for 1 ton of eggs is 36 × 50 = 1800 yuan.

One ton equals 2000 jin (1 catties).

Therefore, the cost of exchanging 1 jin of eggs from the system is 1800 ÷ 2000 = 0.9 yuan.

On the market, the wholesale price of 1 jin (500g) of eggs is only 2 jiao (0.2 yuan), and the retail price is no more than 3 jiao (0.3 yuan).

Of course, the Jiangnan region is prosperous, and the people in Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai are relatively wealthy, so there are many chicken farmers, and eggs are naturally cheap.

But the system is still three or four times more expensive...

Lin Feng shook his head.

Other civilian supplies are similar.

Rice, flour, salt, oil... the system's exchange prices are two to four times higher than the current market prices.

However, this is understandable.

We are still in a time of peace, and the supply of goods is relatively abundant, so prices are naturally cheap.

Once a full-scale war of resistance breaks out, transportation will be disrupted, supplies will be scarce, and prices will certainly skyrocket.

At that time, the system's ability to readily purchase this advantage will become valuable.

But for now, it's definitely more cost-effective to buy from the market.

He continued reading.

My gaze lingered on the [Ammunition] category.

This is interesting.

[1000 rounds of 7.92x57mm Mauser rifle ammunition: 4 rounds]

Four exchange points are equivalent to the cost of 200 yuan.

So the cost of 1000 bullets is 200 silver dollars, which is 0.2 silver dollars per bullet on average.

For organizations like the security regiment, the amount of ammunition allocated each year is limited. If they want more, they either have to bribe their superiors or buy it on the black market.

Currently on the black market, one silver dollar can buy five Mauser rounds, which is 0.2 silver dollars per round.

"Huh? The prices are about the same?"

Lin Feng was taken aback.

But upon closer inspection, that doesn't make sense.

The black market price is the retail price, and the quality varies greatly, including refurbished rounds, reloaded rounds, and even misfired rounds.

The system provides brand new, original products, and the quality is guaranteed.

More importantly, once war breaks out, the price of bullets on the black market will definitely skyrocket.

He remembered reading that by the middle of the War of Resistance against Japan, in some places, a silver dollar could only buy one or two bullets on the black market.

The system's price is fixed.

"That leaves room for maneuver."

Lin Feng's eyes lit up.

Not just bullets.

There were also artillery shells.

[50 rounds of 75mm high-explosive shells for Croatian mountain guns: 10 points]

He doesn't have cannons now, but he can exchange them for cannonballs.

At 10 exchange points, the cost is 500 silver dollars, and 50 grenades are exchanged, averaging 10 silver dollars per grenade.

How much would this thing cost on the black market?

It costs a full 100 silver dollars apiece, and not many have been sold!

There are also emergency medicines.

[Individual medical first aid kit (containing sulfonamides, gauze, tourniquet, morphine, etc.) 50 packs: 3 points]

Each pack costs only 3 yuan on average.

Sulfonamides.

This was a "miracle drug" before the invention of penicillin, which could effectively inhibit bacterial infections and saved the lives of countless wounded soldiers.

On the black market, a small bottle of sulfanilamide powder can sell for tens or even hundreds of dollars.

Not to mention there's also painkiller like morphine.

Exorbitant profits.

Absolutely exorbitant profits.

"What a pity..."

Lin Feng leaned back and rubbed his temples.

There's no way to get in touch with them.

Although the original owner was a security regiment leader, he used to be a spoiled brat who took the money he earned by exploiting soldiers and embezzling salaries. He spent his days eating, drinking, and having fun. He had no legitimate way of life.

Those arms dealers and drug dealers are all shrewd people; without an introduction from an acquaintance, it's impossible to make connections.

Moreover, reselling weapons and medical supplies is extremely risky.

If discovered by the Military Intelligence Bureau (at that time it was still called the Second Division of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics), the consequences would range from losing one's official position to losing one's head.

"We have to take it slow..."

Lin Feng muttered to himself.

First, establish a firm foothold, cultivate your own power, and build a reliable network of relationships.

At that time, the hard currency in these systems will be able to turn into a continuous stream of funds to support him in producing troops, buying equipment, and expanding his army.

Just then, footsteps came from outside the door.

It was very urgent.

"Commander."

It was Zhao Dashan's voice.

"Come in."

The door was pushed open, and Zhao Dashan strode in.

His face was still covered in sweat, and the back of his military uniform was soaked, clearly indicating that he had just run from the training field.

But his eyes were bright and he was full of energy.

Zhao Dashan stopped and saluted:

"The trenches over at the training ground are almost finished."

"The 317 militiamen, divided into six groups, have all dug foxholes and makeshift trenches under the guidance of their instructors. Their movements are a bit slow, but they've memorized the key points. With more digging and practice, their speed will pick up."

Lin Feng nodded: "That's good. Thank you for your hard work."

"Of course."

Zhao Dashan paused for a moment, then continued, "Shall we start shooting practice tomorrow?"

"right."

Lin Feng stood up and walked to the map hanging on the wall: "Let's start by learning how to hold a gun and maintain it. How can we fight a war if we can't even clean a gun? Then practice on stationary targets. As for bullets... let's start by having everyone fire five rounds a day to get a feel for it."

He was actually a little reluctant to part with it.

Each person fires five times a day, so more than 300 people would fire more than 1,500 times.

According to the system price, that's over 300 yuan.

But no way.

The former security guards' marksmanship was...

Lin Feng felt a headache just thinking about it; it was no different from the black uncles of later generations who would hold AKs overhead and fire indiscriminately.

The firearms are not maintained, aiming is nonexistent, and firing is done haphazardly.

With that level of skill, going to the battlefield would be suicide.

You must practice.

You can earn more money, but once you die, you're gone.

Moreover, if these people train well, they will become a force to fight the Japanese in the future.

"Yes."

Zhao Dashan responded, then lowered his voice and leaned forward: "Also, news has come from the city."

Lin Feng turned around: "What news?"

"This morning, the Wang family sent someone to inform all the local gentry that on July 5th, which is the day after tomorrow, Mr. Wang will lead the way to our area to 'donate money and show his appreciation,' so that everyone can contribute something to express their goodwill."

As Zhao Dashan spoke, a disdainful expression appeared on his face: "That sounds nice. I reckon they just want to test our strength."

Lin Feng smiled.

"A donation as a gesture of support?"

He walked to the window and opened it.

On the training ground, the soldiers were still digging the soil, sweating profusely, with dust flying everywhere, and the sound of shouting could be faintly heard.

In the distance, the soldiers redeemed by the system were conducting squad tactical drills, their movements clean and efficient.

A scene of bustling activity.

Why is Wang Fuhai coming to offer condolences and donations at this time?

Has he given in?

Or is it a weasel paying New Year's greetings to a chicken?

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes.

Based on his extensive experience watching TV dramas and reading online novels, and his navigating the workplace, he knew that this old fox would never admit defeat easily.

It's even less likely that they'd genuinely come to give money.

Therefore, there are only two possibilities.

First, I wanted to lull him into a false sense of security, so I could secretly make some moves.

Secondly, he wanted to personally inspect the security force to assess its strength before deciding on his next move.

Or both?

"interesting."

Lin Feng turned around, a playful smile on his face:

"They're bringing us money, how can we not treat them well?"

He looked at Zhao Dashan:

"Pass down the order: on July 5th, the entire regiment will line up to welcome them. Only the veteran soldiers and new recruits should go; the rest of the elite troops should not appear yet."

Zhao Dashan's eyes lit up: "Yes, I'll arrange it right away."

He turned to leave, but Lin Feng called him back:

"etc."

"Is there anything else you need, Commander?"

"Tell our people to be extra careful these next few days."

Lin Feng's tone was calm, but his eyes were cold:

"Especially around the base, place more sentries. If the Wang family really dares to play dirty tricks... we need to be prepared."

Zhao Dashan nodded emphatically: "Understood."

He left quickly.

Lin Feng sat back down in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

Since Mr. Wang wants to play, let's play along.

Perfect timing, he also wanted to see just how deep the waters were in Qing County.

By the way...

We shouldn't refuse those donations for comfort and support.

What he lacks most right now is money.

After all, the Battle of Shanghai was a super meat grinder. Without the money to build up an army, sending his current number of men would be a waste.