Chapter 71

The next morning, Hu Hao followed Colonel Zhang to the armory with a drooping head. Colonel Zhang was assigned to manage the bullet reloading line, while Hu Hao, according to Colonel Zhang and Factory Manager Wang, was to work as a blacksmith.

After arriving at Factory Manager Wang's office, Colonel Zhang said, "Factory Manager Wang, I've brought Hu Hao to you. I'll leave him in your hands!"

"Alright, you go do your work. Er Lang Zi, come here and check if there's anything wrong with these two orders!" Factory Manager Wang, who was checking the orders, waved his hand, signaling Colonel Zhang to go about his business.

Seeing this, Colonel Zhang said to Hu Hao, "Hurry up and go. If you don't behave, I'll deal with you!" With that, Colonel Zhang left to help at the bullet reloading line.

Once Colonel Zhang was gone, Hu Hao perked up. Before, he had to be careful because of Colonel Zhang, but now he was free to act as he pleased.

"Hey, Mr. Bragger, if you can't read, just give up the position! You're just occupying the toilet without doing anything! If you can't handle it, why don't you give the position to my brother!" Hu Hao said as he approached.

"Cut the crap, start checking the orders for me!" Factory Manager Wang handed the orders to Hu Hao, who began to check the data while Factory Manager Wang rolled a cigarette.

"Give it to my brother? You wish! Go ask your brother if I dare give it to him and if he dares to take it!" Factory Manager Wang lit his cigarette, and seeing Hu Hao take out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, he also took one and lit it with a Zippo lighter, leaving Factory Manager Wang speechless.

"Er Lang Zi, let me see that lighter!" Factory Manager Wang said.

"Pfft, never seen one before? Let me show you!" Hu Hao handed his lighter to Factory Manager Wang and continued checking the orders.

Factory Manager Wang lit his cigarette using Hu Hao's lighter.

"Not bad, looks like you've got some good stuff from the Japanese. Get me one later!" Factory Manager Wang said, examining the lighter closely.

"Give it to you? It costs 10 silver dollars! The orders are fine!" Hu Hao handed the orders back to Factory Manager Wang.

"10 silver dollars! That's expensive! But it's fine, consider it your apprenticeship fee!" Factory Manager Wang said.

"What, apprenticeship fee? Who am I apprenticing to? Who can be my master? Give it back!" Hu Hao snatched the lighter from Factory Manager Wang.

"Damn, you won't even apprentice to learn blacksmithing?" Factory Manager Wang said.

"I don't want to learn, and I'd rather you didn't teach me! If you don't let me work as a blacksmith, I might consider giving you one!" Hu Hao said.

"Pfft, you're trying to outsmart me! Not giving me the apprenticeship fee, huh? I'll go ask your brother!" Factory Manager Wang said with a laugh.

"Hey, how can you be so shameless? No wonder you love to brag!" Hu Hao said loudly. If he asked Colonel Zhang, Colonel Zhang would definitely give it, but in the end, it would still be Hu Hao who would handle it.

"Hehe, I told you, I have my ways to deal with you! Fine, no more talk. If the orders are fine, follow me. I'll start teaching you blacksmithing today!" Factory Manager Wang said, gathering his things and heading out, with Hu Hao following behind. Hu Hao thought to himself, "Damn, I thought I was shameless enough, but he's even more shameless! I need to think of a way to get the upper hand!"

Upon arriving at the blacksmith's workshop, Hu Hao saw about 10 people forging something, which looked like knives.

"Hey, Mr. Bragger, you're making knives in your blacksmith's shop? Isn't this supposed to be an armory? This looks like an ancient armory!" Hu Hao said.

"You know nothing! Fine, I'll show you what an armory is. Follow me. Stop saying I'm just bragging!" Factory Manager Wang said, leading Hu Hao into a cave.

Hu Hao thought the cave only had the outer space, but after turning a corner, he saw various forks, like a maze.

And there was electricity inside.

"Wow, so many caves, and there's electricity! Where did you get the electricity from?" Hu Hao asked.

"Hehe, let me tell you, I have a lot of talented people here. See this electricity? It's set up by a physics teacher from our armory. The light bulbs were bought by someone I asked from elsewhere! Not bad, right?" Factory Manager Wang said.

"Sure, you're much better than me. You can't even read!" Hu Hao said.

"Bullshit, if I didn't ask someone to buy the light bulbs, what good would it do to know how to read?" Factory Manager Wang said loudly. He used to be proud of being the factory manager despite not being able to read, but after yesterday and today, this kid kept bringing it up, making Factory Manager Wang feel very uncomfortable, as if not being able to read and being the factory manager was a big deal.

"Fine, keep bragging! Aren't you going to show me around?" Hu Hao said, smiling inwardly but not showing it on his face.

After entering one of the caves, Factory Manager Wang said, "This is where we mix the gunpowder. Don't come in here without permission, and don't smoke near the entrance, or we'll all be done for!" He pointed to the inside, where many people were wearing masks and mixing gunpowder.

After leaving the gunpowder cave, they came to a larger cave.

"See, this is where we make hand grenades. No smoking here either!" Factory Manager Wang said.

"Right, those hand grenades that split into three pieces? Your factory always produces such substandard goods. When thrown, they only split into two or three pieces, which can only scare the Japanese, not do much damage. The Japanese call them hand grenades," Hu Hao said.

"What do you mean split into two or three pieces? At least 10 pieces, some just larger. They can still kill the Japanese!" Factory Manager Wang said loudly after Hu Hao mentioned the substandard goods.

"Fine, I won't argue with you. Continue showing me around, let me see your shop!" Hu Hao said.

Factory Manager Wang then showed Hu Hao the gun repair workshop, the bullet reloading workshop, the carpentry workshop, and the iron smelting workshop.

After seeing all the workshops, Factory Manager Wang said, "Is this still a blacksmith's shop? Can a blacksmith's shop make these things?"

"Not really a blacksmith's shop anymore," Hu Hao said, making Factory Manager Wang very happy. Hu Hao continued, "But more like a general store, selling knives, guns, gunpowder, and hand grenades. Not bad, an arms general store!"

"You damn brat, this is an armory, not a blacksmith's shop or a general store! You damn brat!" Factory Manager Wang pointed at Hu Hao, pacing around in anger.

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