Chapter 9

The factory outside the Ninth Institute Base is said to be only a small part of it. The important facilities, technical reserves, and strategic reserves are all located in the caves deep within the mountains.

The main task of the base is to store equipment and technology. Even the nuclear power plant, which was built not long ago, is located in the deepest part of the mountains!

The base's terrain is well-concealed, and after careful reconnaissance and design by Liu Suzhi and many other returned comrades, there is no need to worry about natural disasters affecting the workshops built at the bottom of the valley.

Behind the valley lies the Daba Mountains, extending towards the Qinling Mountains. The main body of the base also extends towards the Qinling Mountains, it is said.

A narrow gravel road, only a few meters wide, connects the dormitory building to the workshop at the bottom of the valley. Over the years, coal slag, brought from somewhere, has been laid on the road, making it much smoother and easier to walk on.

"Stop! What are you doing here?" As they approached the bright light from the at least 100-watt bulb at the workshop entrance, the two were startled by a loud voice.

"Yang Shan and Liu Yijiu from Workshop 9327." Just as Liu Yijiu was about to turn and run back to the dormitory, Yang Shan calmly answered and shone the flashlight on his own face.

"Why aren't you sleeping at this late hour? What are you doing at the factory?" The tone of the person asking became much friendlier upon hearing Yang Shan's response.

The small gate at the edge of the iron fence opened, and a middle-aged man in a white uniform appeared under the bright light at the factory entrance.

"Isn't this Comrade Xu? Didn't you go home? Why are you on duty today?" Yang Shan, pulling Liu Yijiu along, greeted the middle-aged man in the uniform as they walked towards the factory entrance.

This man is Xu Zhiyuan, a cadre in the base's security department!

The base has three security systems. Internally, it is managed by the base's internal security, which is roughly equivalent to a public security bureau but much more powerful. If someone from the base commits a crime outside, the local police station must hand the case over to the base's internal security for handling.

Externally, the base is guarded by the Capital Garrison Force, which strictly defends the surrounding area for dozens of miles.

The third system, and the least useful, is the security department. Why there is an internal security and an external security, and still a security department, no one knows.

Perhaps it is to accommodate some retired soldiers.

"You young people are indeed the successors of socialism! You're already practicing your skills in the workshop before five o'clock! Especially you, Little Yang, who often comes so early! I must write a commendation letter to the base leadership. You are a role model for everyone in the base. The power of a role model is infinite, and more people should learn from you..." Xu Zhiyuan praised Yang Shan upon hearing his words.

His words made Liu Yijiu acutely notice that Yang Shan's face had turned red.

Yang Shan came to the workshop just to put on a show and earn recognition, hoping to be set up as a model so he could advance faster! Many people in the base are just getting by, and to earn higher wages and more subsidies, they must become role models, which is the shortcut.

Especially the technical workers and experts who were relocated from Shanghai, many of whom want to return to their cities.

Yang Shan, as such a role model, stands out.

"Comrade Xu, you flatter us! We are always ready for the revolution!" Yang Shan stood at attention and gave Xu Zhiyuan a crooked salute.

"High gorges give rise to a calm lake, and tall buildings rise from the ground. Only through constant practice can we turn others' experience into our own..." Liu Yijiu stood straight and answered Xu Zhiyuan's words without hesitation.

Hearing this, Xu Zhiyuan saluted the two and opened the factory gate, gesturing for them to enter.

Liu Yijiu was a bit confused about what was happening, while Yang Shan quietly gave him a thumbs up.

Liu Yijiu was unfamiliar with everything in the base. Without Yang Shan's company, he would be lost.

From the halfway point of the dormitory area, the valley didn't seem very large, but once they entered the workshop, they found it much wider than they had imagined.

The entire valley bottom was occupied by Soviet-style brick and wood workshops, each separated by less than ten meters. There were six workshops in the valley, each over ten meters wide and forty meters long! Without Yang Shan, Liu Yijiu would have a hard time finding the mechanical processing workshop.

There is an internal security post at the workshop entrance!

"Let's go directly to the material warehouse next to it. Once we find the right material, we'll head to the mechanical processing workshop. By the way, what material do you need? Don't pick something that the base doesn't have much of..."

"Don't worry, I have it figured out. Big Brother Yang, does the base have Soviet-imported aviation-grade aluminum rods? A diameter of 22 to 25 millimeters would be fine, and we don't need much, just enough for four sleeves, about 500 to 600 millimeters long..." Liu Yijiu knew that in this era, getting good materials in China was almost impossible.

Since he was unsure what materials the base had, he mentioned a type that was easy to process and should be in the base's reserves. After all, the silencer is a one-time use item.

If there were suitable machines and materials, it would be easier and more durable to use 1mm thick steel plates, cut, drilled, deburred, polished, rolled, and welded, rather than mechanically processed.

Using mechanical processing, to achieve the desired effect, a more complex design would be needed. To save time and make processing easier, high-hardness, easily machinable aviation-grade aluminum would have to be used.

"My goodness, Big Brother, Soviet-imported materials are scarce here. If Director Xie finds out, he'll have us killed..." Hearing Liu Yijiu's words, Yang Shan jumped up.

"It's just a bit of aviation aluminum. Don't worry, once we figure out the formula, what can he say? We'll give him a production process and formula in exchange for a bit of aluminum. Would he refuse?" Liu Yijiu said indifferently.

Although he didn't know who Director Xie was or how many directors there were in the base, Liu Yijiu didn't think they would be harder to deal with than Su Mingyi.

"No, this can't be done. It's fine to go to the material warehouse for ordinary materials, but the imported materials are brought in from outside for the base's material experts to study and analyze. If they're gone, Old Xie won't forgive us! Let's use something else..." Yang Shan didn't believe Liu Yijiu could do it.

Hundreds of experts from various fields in the base had spent years trying to figure out the Soviet formulas and production processes without success.

A new, inexperienced young man claiming he could produce the Soviet's top-grade aviation aluminum was audacious!

Seeing that Yang Shan wouldn't agree to go to the material warehouse, Liu Yijiu was at a loss. If he knew where the materials were, would he be in this situation?

Moreover, they had the right! Even if they failed, they would at most be warned. The leaders couldn't discourage the enthusiasm of grassroots technical personnel, right?

No matter what Liu Yijiu said, Yang Shan refused to use the aviation-grade aluminum.

"Revolution requires a fearless spirit of sacrifice. Besides, history is created by the people! Big Brother Yang, with this material, we will create history. Figuring out the material formula and production process can change the history of our country's inability to produce this strategic material domestically, filling a domestic gap. At that time, we will be heroes..."

"Alright, I didn't read as much as you. Don't try to fool me. How did I end up with you, this troublemaker!" Yang Shan was indeed tempted by Liu Yijiu's words.

There were many opportunities to earn merit, but they were not for people like them, who knew nothing and had no mentors.

Liu Yijiu's claim about figuring out the material production process and formula seemed unreliable, but his silencer seemed reliable!

If Liu Yijiu shared some of the credit with him...

The base had no rules against ordinary technical personnel using strategic materials for research and experiments.

Low risk, high reward, it was worth taking the risk!

Liu Yijiu, who was hungry, would take the biggest risk by designing and processing the silencer. He should and must get the materials.

As for the unfortunate Luo Tong, he always followed them around, doing whatever they told him. If he were with them now, Liu Yijiu wouldn't be so conflicted.

"Rumble..." Just as the two were at an impasse, Yang Shan's stomach rumbled.

His stomach was empty, and he hadn't had a proper meal in a long time. Having not gone hungry since college, he couldn't bear it anymore.

"These materials are used to analyze the chemical and physical properties of Soviet materials. As long as we have experimental results, who cares if we turn the materials into shavings? Besides, who would bother to check the inventory in the warehouse in a few weeks? My teacher has done some research on this. If we can present some data, it will prove we've been working seriously. If the leadership asks us to continue, we'll work diligently then." Seeing Yang Shan's hesitation, Liu Yijiu continued to persuade him.

"Besides, it's for the meat!"

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