Chapter 29: Weapons That Crush an Era

Hearing Lin Ran’s relaxed and somewhat mysterious tone, Li Yunlong’s bull-like eyes lit up instantly.

"Brother Lin!" He grabbed Lin Ran’s arm, his voice rising a few notches. "By the sound of it... have you brought some incredible treasure again this time?"

Li Yunlong had originally thought that submachine guns and general-purpose machine guns were already the ceiling for individual infantry weapons. Even the brigade commander had mentioned that only a small number of elite foreign troops could afford such equipment. That was why Li Yunlong hadn't been particularly eager to inspect the hardware earlier. No matter how good a submachine gun was, having one per person was the limit. Even if Lin Ran were to deliver thousands more, it wouldn't have much to do with him personally.

But with Lin Ran’s current tone... could there be something even better?

Li Yunlong looked at Lin Ran with burning eyes. "Brother Lin, is there really an individual weapon better than a submachine gun or a general-purpose machine gun?"

Lin Ran chuckled. "Not bad, Regiment Commander Li. After three days of parting, one must look at you with new eyes. You even know the term 'individual weapon' now?"

Li Yunlong grinned. "I just hear the brigade commander rambling about it. I’m just a rough man; what do I know about these technicalities?"

Lin Ran nodded. That man, naturally, was well-informed. He looked at Li Yunlong and asked, "Let’s set that aside for a moment. Regiment Commander Li, after using those submachine guns for the past two days, how do you find them? Are they good?"

"Good! They’re beyond reproach!" Li Yunlong nodded emphatically. "That gun is simply perfect!"

"Perfect?" Lin Ran smiled. Then he asked, "Are there no downsides at all?"

Li Yunlong was taken aback by the question. Then, as if recalling something distressing, he wore an expression of genuine pain. "If you insist on a downside, it’s not that there isn't one."

"Well then, Regiment Commander Li, tell me, what is the downside?"

The group started walking toward the entrance of the village, chatting as they went. Li Yunlong clicked his tongue. "Everything about that submachine gun is great, but... damn it, my heart aches!"

"You just lightly hook your finger, and a dozen rounds are gone. That’s all money flying away!"

When guns roar, gold pours! The submachine gun was fierce, but it was *too* fierce! In just a few moments, a whole magazine would be spent. At Guaizigou, to wipe out the Sato Brigade, Li Yunlong had been ruthless. But looking back now, how much ammunition had been wasted?

Lin Ran nodded. A veteran of the battlefield indeed; he had hit the nail on the head! "So, what I’ve brought you this time is something else, guaranteed to keep your heart from aching over the ammunition."

"What is it?" Li Yunlong felt as if a cat were scratching at his heart; he was itching with curiosity.

Lin Ran slowly spit out a few words: "A fully automatic... assault rifle!"

"Fully automatic... assault rifle?" Li Yunlong chewed on the tongue-twisting yet powerful-sounding term twice. Unable to hold back any longer, he grabbed Lin Ran’s arm and practically dragged him, sprinting toward the village entrance!

"Brother Lin! Where are the guns? Quick! Hurry and let me see!"

As soon as they reached the truck, Li Yunlong frantically circled the cargo bed, wishing he could stick his head under the canvas. Lin Ran, dragged along and panting, leaned on his knees to catch his breath for a moment before pointing at the truck bed: "The... the crates..."

Before he could finish, Li Yunlong signaled with his eyes, and Zhang Dabiao nimbly jumped onto the truck. He picked up a bayonet and pried open a heavy-looking wooden crate in a few swift motions. But the moment it opened, he was stunned. A large iron tube, and hollow at that—what was this?

"Not that one!" Lin Ran waved his hands hurriedly. He pointed to a slightly smaller crate nearby. "That one! The one with the guns!"

Zhang Dabiao reacted quickly and pried open the crate Lin Ran indicated. Inside lay rows of uniquely shaped rifles, neatly arranged and emitting the faint, pleasant scent of gun oil. It was none other than one of the three great guerrilla artifacts: the AK-47.

Zhang Dabiao carefully picked one up. It was heavy, with sleek lines and a sort of brutal industrial beauty. Was it good-looking? If it looked good, it was a good gun!

"Yes, that’s the one!" Lin Ran pointed to another crate nearby. "That’s the ammunition. Help me take out a packet."

Zhang Dabiao pried open an ammo crate and took out a package wrapped in wax paper. He then handed the gun and the ammo to Lin Ran. Amidst a crowd of eager gazes, Lin Ran began loading the bullets into the magazine one by one.

The reason he had arrived a day late was that he had spent that time on the other side, cramming through learning materials. Guns and artillery were one thing, but he figured no one here would know how to use an RPG or a 107mm rocket launcher. Even Lin Ran hadn't known how to operate them. So, he had studied thoroughly on the other side and only came over once he had mastered them. Fortunately, these weren't high-tech weapons; there were plenty of videos on the internet.

Beside him, Li Yunlong licked his lips. What Lin Ran held was another type of gun he had never seen before.

Before long, Lin Ran finished loading the bullets and inserted the magazine. "Click!" With a soft sound, the fully loaded magazine was firmly locked into the rifle. He raised the AK-47, pointing the muzzle toward a vast, empty snowy slope in the distance.

"Regiment Commander Li, look at this." Lin Ran pointed his index finger at a distinct metal lever on the right side of the receiver, above the trigger.

"Is this... a safety?" Li Yunlong asked tentatively.

Lin Ran nodded, then shook his head. "It is a safety, but it’s also a switch."

As he spoke, Lin Ran pushed the lever upward with force, producing a crisp "click." Then, he placed his finger on the trigger and squeezed gently—

"Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta—!!!" A long tongue of fire erupted from the barrel.

Li Yunlong was a bit dazed. "Brother Lin, isn't... isn't this still a submachine gun?"

The smile at the corner of Lin Ran’s mouth deepened. "Regiment Commander Li, watch again!"

Before he finished speaking, Lin Ran moved his finger and flipped the mode switch decisively downward—another crisp "click!"—and squeezed the trigger again.

"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
...

The sound of crisp, short, and powerful single shots echoed. Li Yunlong was dumbfounded. He looked at the steadily firing AK-47, then at Lin Ran, then back at the small lever on the side of the gun.

"Brother Lin, this, this..."

Lin Ran lowered the gun and looked at Li Yunlong, whose face was flushed with excitement. "Regiment Commander Li, weren't you just aching over the cost of ammunition? Now... does it still ache?"

"It doesn't ache! Even if I died, it wouldn't ache! Hahaha!" Li Yunlong shook his head like a rattle-drum, laughing until his eyes disappeared. One shot, one round—what was there to ache about? It was just like a rifle! And you didn't even have to work the bolt!

"Hahaha, good, good, good!" Li Yunlong’s large eyes were wide as saucers. He then asked, "By the way, Brother Lin, you said earlier, what is this gun called?"

"Assault rifle!"

Lin Ran began to lecture Li Yunlong again. "A so-called assault rifle is a combination of a rifle and a submachine gun. It can fire single shots, and it can also fire in bursts!"

This was a weapon that truly transcended the era. Submachine guns already existed in this world. Although their distribution was currently limited, they were at least in service. But this assault rifle wouldn't be successfully developed until 1941! Even the brigade commander had never seen one!

Li Yunlong took the AK-47 from Lin Ran, liking it more the longer he looked at it. With this, there was no need to worry about the cost of ammunition.

"Hahaha, Brother Lin, you always manage to bring me surprises!"

Whatever demotion or disciplinary action, whatever frustration or resentment he felt—all of that had been thrown to the winds! His mind was now entirely occupied by this miraculous new rifle.

As he spoke, Li Yunlong leaned in close to Lin Ran’s ear and whispered, "Brother Lin, how many of these assault rifles have you brought for me?"

Seeing his cautious manner, Lin Ran found it amusing. He held up an index finger and wiggled it before his eyes.

Li Yunlong’s eyes widened. "100?"

That number was enough to arm an elite company! Just thinking about it made him excited!

To his surprise, Lin Ran shook his head.

Li Yunlong’s breath hitched. "1,000?"

That quantity was enough to arm his entire New First Regiment with plenty to spare! He dared not even imagine it!

Lin Ran continued to smile and shake his head.

Li Yunlong felt his vision go dark; his heart felt as if it might stop. "It wouldn't be... just 10, would it?"

Lin Ran finally couldn't hold back and burst into laughter. "Regiment Commander Li, be confident! Make a bold guess! Guess a number you didn't dare to imagine just now!"

Li Yunlong swallowed hard, his throat feeling as if it were on fire, and slowly spat out a number: "10,000?"

Lin Ran nodded firmly, his smile bright. "Yes! 10,000! AK-47 assault rifles!"

"Clang!"

Li Yunlong’s legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground. "My God!"

10,000! That was enough to fully equip the main forces of their entire division! He had originally thought that by bringing Lin Ran so much gold and antique treasure, and even sacrificing his position as a regiment commander, he had finally repaid some of the debt of gratitude. But with these 10,000 divine weapons dumped on him... he feared he wouldn't be able to pay back this debt in this lifetime! If anything, he was only becoming more indebted!

Lin Ran stifled a laugh and reached out to pull the shell-shocked Li Yunlong up from the snow, even helping him brush the snow off his backside.

"Regiment Commander Li, don't be in such a hurry to be shocked; wait until later to be shocked."

"Ah?" Li Yunlong had just steadied himself, but upon hearing this, he stumbled again. "There... there's more?"

Lin Ran didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked up at Zhang Dabiao, who was also stunned by the number 10,000 in the cargo bed, and said loudly, "Brother Zhang, please, the first crate you opened earlier... that large iron tube inside, could you help me get it down?"