Chapter 137: Wait, You Said Clothes Can Stop a Bullet?

Minister Zhao looked at the blueprints Li Mingyuan had quickly sketched out, moving from confusion to shock:

"Wait, you're saying the middle layer can stop shrapnel and bullets? How is that possible? Clothes can stop a bullet?"

Li Mingyuan smiled slightly: "Not just clothes, it is a specially designed Bulletproof Vest."

"It is made by compressing multiple layers of specially treated bamboo fiber, reinforced with a steel wire mesh."

"Although it cannot stop direct fire at close range, it has a very good protective effect against stray bullets and shrapnel from over 100 meters away."

"On the battlefield, most casualties are actually caused by stray bullets and shrapnel, not direct fire."

Minister Zhao widened his eyes, looking at Li Mingyuan in disbelief: "Clothes can stop a bullet..." he muttered to himself, then shook his head violently,

"This sounds like a fantasy! No matter how thick clothes are, they can't stop a bullet, unless you're wearing iron armor!"

Li Mingyuan explained patiently: "It is not ordinary clothing, nor is it iron armor. This utilizes the properties of multi-layered fibers to disperse the impact of the bullet over a larger area, thereby slowing down its penetration. After being specially treated, bamboo fiber has extreme toughness, and when combined with the steel wire mesh, it can effectively block medium-to-low-speed projectiles."

Minister Zhao still looked skeptical: "Does such a thing really exist? You aren't just bragging, are you?"

"I can make a sample for you to see tomorrow," Li Mingyuan said full of confidence.

Minister Zhao laughed in spite of himself: "Fine, then I will wait to see your 'Bulletproof Vest'."

When he said the words "Bulletproof Vest," his tone was full of doubt and mockery.

……

After returning, Li Mingyuan locked himself in the laboratory.

He brought in a large amount of bamboo, cotton, fur, and specially treated canvas material, and also borrowed some thin steel wire from the metal processing workshop.

For an entire day, all sorts of strange sounds emanated from the laboratory: the muffled thuds of crushing bamboo, the clacking of a loom, the buzzing of electric welding... It wasn't until late at night that Li Mingyuan finally put down his tools, satisfied, and looked at the finished product in front of him.

The next morning, Minister Zhao and several Military Representatives arrived at Li Mingyuan's laboratory as agreed.

Pushing open the door, they saw several sets of gear that looked just like ordinary cotton-padded clothes laid out on a table in the center of the laboratory.

"This is the 'Bulletproof Vest' you were talking about?" Minister Zhao pointed at the clothing on the table, his tone carrying obvious skepticism.

Li Mingyuan nodded and picked up one of them to hand to Minister Zhao: "Please take a look. It does look like ordinary cotton clothing on the outside; this is so it doesn't attract attention. But its construction is completely different."

He pointed to various parts of the clothing and explained in detail:

"The outermost layer is specially treated waterproof canvas, which can withstand wind, snow, and general friction or tearing."

"The middle is the key part, made of multiple layers of specially treated bamboo fiber compressed together, reinforced with an interwoven thin steel wire mesh."

"Bamboo fiber has extreme toughness and is able to absorb and disperse the impact force."

"The innermost layer is insulation material, using a mixture of specially treated wool and cotton."

Minister Zhao and the Military Representatives looked at each other; one of the military experts took the "Bulletproof Vest" to examine it closely, then shook his head and said:

"To be honest, it looks like ordinary cotton clothing with a few extra layers of material. Can it really stop a bullet? That seems unlikely."

Another expert was also skeptical: "The penetrating power of a bullet is so strong, how could these few thin layers of fabric possibly block it?"

Facing everyone's doubts, Li Mingyuan remained calm and composed: "Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. I suggest we go to the testing ground to verify it in person."

Minister Zhao nodded in agreement: "Fine, then let's go to the testing ground. Let the facts speak for themselves!"

Half an hour later, the group arrived at the site where they had tested the Ultra-light Mortar yesterday.

Following Li Mingyuan's instructions, the staff had already set up a wooden mannequin in the center of the range and dressed it in the "Bulletproof Vest."

"The test is divided into two parts," Li Mingyuan explained to everyone, "First, we test pistol fire from 100 meters away, then rifle fire from 200 meters away. This matches the most common injury scenarios on an actual battlefield—stray bullets and scattering at medium-to-long range."

The experts discussed it among themselves, most of them not optimistic.

The Military arranged for a sharpshooter to stand with a pistol at a position 100 meters away from the wooden mannequin.

"Prepare to fire!" Following the command, the scene fell into Silence.

"Bang!" The first shot rang out; the wooden mannequin swayed slightly, but the Bulletproof Vest remained intact.

"Continue!"

After five consecutive shots, the wooden mannequin was unharmed. The crowd began to whisper, their skepticism gradually turning into surprise.

"Maybe the pistol's power isn't enough," one expert guessed, "A rifle's penetrating power is much stronger."

The test moved to the second stage. A light machine gun was set up 200 meters away, aimed at the wooden mannequin.

"Fire!"

"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!" The machine gun spat tongues of fire, and over a dozen bullets struck the area covered by the Bulletproof Vest.

As the last bullet was fired, the testing ground fell into an eerie Silence.

Everyone widened their eyes, looking in disbelief at the wooden mannequin that was still standing.

"This... this is impossible..." an old expert broke the silence, his voice full of shock, "The bullets hit it, I saw it with my own eyes!"

Several officers and experts immediately rushed forward, surrounding the wooden mannequin and carefully inspecting the "miracle clothing."

"Damn it!" a Colonel couldn't help but curse, poking at the bullet marks on the Bulletproof Vest with his finger, "It really didn't penetrate! This... this is simply..."

Minister Zhao bent down to carefully observe the bullet marks on the surface of the Bulletproof Vest.

The machine gun fire had left obvious holes in the outer canvas, but strangely, looking further inside, the bullets seemed to be stuck on something.

"Take the clothes off and let's see!" Zhou ordered impatiently.

Two staff members carefully removed the Bulletproof Vest from the wooden mannequin.

The crowd immediately gathered around, scrambling to get a look.

"Look here!" The expert pried open the area struck by the bullet heads so everyone could see the inside of the clothing, "The bullets are stuck in the final layer of material; they didn't fully penetrate!"

Sure enough, over a dozen deformed bullets were firmly embedded in the inner layer of the Bulletproof Vest like insect specimens; not a single one had passed through.

"What on earth is this thing made of?" Zhou asked in disbelief, weighing the Bulletproof Vest in his hands,

"It's only about four kilograms? This isn't an iron plate, how could it possibly stop a bullet?"

Everyone turned to Li Mingyuan, their eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge and incredulity.

Li Mingyuan smiled slightly, took the Bulletproof Vest, and began to explain in detail: "The key lies in the multi-layer structure and the specially treated materials. This Bulletproof Vest has seven layers of materials with different functions."

He pointed to the outermost layer: "The outermost layer is waterproof and windproof canvas, mainly to cope with harsh weather."

Then he lifted the surface layer, revealing the structure inside: "The second layer is a specially treated bamboo fiber layer, which has been high-pressure compressed and specially woven to form a super-strong fiber mesh."

"Bamboo?" an expert asked in surprise, "Can ordinary bamboo block a Bullet?"