Chapter 185: Heading to Dongbei, what is still missing?

Minister Zhao looked around and leaned toward Li Mingyuan, "The Polar Bear has officially agreed to provide air support, and the first batch of MiG-15 fighter jets is already on the way. However, the Star-Spangled Country seems to have sensed something; their air force activities have become more frequent."

Li Mingyuan nodded, "As expected. The sooner we arrive in Dongbei, the sooner we can start production."

"By the way, here are the latest instructions." Minister Zhao handed Li Mingyuan a wax-sealed envelope, "Open it only when you reach your destination."

The train whistle blew, signaling passengers to board.

"Take care." Minister Zhao gripped Li Mingyuan's hand tightly, "The country needs you."

Li Mingyuan gripped back, "Rest assured, Minister, I will certainly not fail my mission."

The train slowly started moving, and Minister Zhao's figure gradually disappeared into the morning mist.

Li Mingyuan walked into the carriage and found his seat to sit down.

The carriage he was in was specially reinforced, not only with steel plate protection but also equipped with specialized communication equipment and anti-aircraft devices.

After the train left Jingcheng, its speed gradually increased.

The scenery outside the window changed from urban buildings to fields and villages, then to rolling mountain ranges.

"Chief Engineer Li, tea." A female train attendant respectfully handed over a cup of hot tea.

"Thank you." Li Mingyuan took the teacup and looked absentmindedly at the scenery speeding by outside the window.

The train was carrying them toward Dongbei, the cradle of Long Country's industry and also the front line of the coming war.

In the carriage, Li Mingyuan's technical team had already begun discussing work arrangements upon arrival.

They were heading to a secret underground factory, where Long Country's most advanced machinery and a large number of skilled workers were waiting, allowing production to begin immediately.

"Chief Engineer Li, what do you think we should produce first after we arrive?" asked Wu Zhe, the Weapon Group Leader.

Li Mingyuan thought for a moment, "'Feilong-1' anti-aircraft rockets and cloud bombs are the top priority; at the same time, we must begin mass production of improved anti-aircraft machine guns and Zhuxianwei Danfangyi."

"Is there enough time?" someone asked with concern, "The Star-Spangled Country could launch an attack at any time."

Li Mingyuan smiled slightly, "Don't worry, with me here, there is definitely enough time."

The atmosphere in the carriage eased a little; everyone knew that as long as Li Mingyuan was there, it seemed there were no technical difficulties that could not be solved.

The train continued to head north, occasionally passing through tunnels and crossing bridges.

The scenery outside the window also changed from the vast fields of the Huabei Pingyuan to layers upon layers of mountain ranges.

At noon, the train stopped at a small station to replenish water and fuel.

Li Mingyuan stepped out of the carriage and stretched on the platform.

This was a small station located in a mountainous area, surrounded by mountains, peaceful and serene.

It was hard to imagine that just a few hundred kilometers away on the border, the clouds of war were gathering rapidly.

"Chief Engineer Li, the latest telegram just received." A Communication Soldier hurried over and handed Li Mingyuan a telegram.

Li Mingyuan scanned it quickly, his expression turning grave.

The content of the telegram was simple but heavy: the Star-Spangled Country's air force had begun bombing cities on the northern border of Taiyang, just a few dozen kilometers from the Long Country border.

According to reports, some bombs "accidentally" fell within Long Country territory, causing several border residents to be injured.

"Notify the train conductor to depart as soon as possible." Li Mingyuan ordered, "We must reach our destination as quickly as possible."

Ten minutes later, the train started again, and this time the speed was noticeably increased.

Li Mingyuan returned to the carriage and opened the envelope Minister Zhao had given him.

Inside was a detailed map of the Dongbei industrial zone and a series of dense numbers.

He soon realized that these numbers were the production capacities of the factories and a list of existing equipment.

According to these data, the industrial foundation of Dongbei was even better than he had imagined, especially the heavy machinery manufacturing capability, which was sufficient to support most of his design plans.

At three in the afternoon, the train entered a stretch of rugged mountain railway.

Due to the complex terrain, the train had to slow down and crawl along winding tracks.

"Chief Engineer Li, look over there!" a young technician suddenly pointed out the window and exclaimed.

Li Mingyuan looked up and saw several small black dots circling in the distant sky, and the roar of engines could be faintly heard.

"Airplanes!" someone said nervously.

"Don't worry, it should be our patrol planes." Li Mingyuan comforted them, but he was not certain in his heart.

During this period, Long Country's air force power was limited, and patrol ranges generally would not extend this deep into the interior.

However, the planes soon disappeared into the clouds without approaching the train, temporarily relieving everyone's worries.

By evening, it began to drizzle, and the raindrops tapped against the train window, forming a hypnotic rhythm.

The technicians, exhausted from the day, mostly began to doze off, and the carriage gradually became quiet.

Li Mingyuan, however, could not sleep.

He took out a notebook and began to calculate and draw new design sketches.

It was late at night, and the train was still moving forward in the darkness; the sound of the wheels hitting the rails formed a monotonous and rhythmic background noise.

Li Mingyuan rubbed his tired eyes; the rain outside the window had stopped, and the clouds had cleared, revealing a bright moon and a sky full of stars.

Under this tranquil night sky, it was hard to imagine that a world-shaking war was brewing on the border hundreds of kilometers away.

"I hope this time, there will be fewer casualties and more Victory." Li Mingyuan muttered to himself, his gaze cast into the distance.

The train moved forward in the vast night of Dongbei, the rhythmic sound of the rails and wheels hitting each other sounding like the heartbeat of the earth. Li Mingyuan watched the silhouettes of the mountains passing by outside the window, his thoughts racing.

The latest intelligence just sent by the Communication Soldier showed that the northern battlefield of Taiyang had collapsed faster than recorded in history, and the border situation was on the verge of breaking out.

Even if the Polar Bear's MiG-15 fighter jets arrived on time, and even if the "Feilong-1" anti-aircraft rockets and cloud bombs could be produced quickly, there was still a fatal problem on the battlefield that needed to be solved.

"The terrain of Taiyang..." Li Mingyuan muttered to himself, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the window.

Taiyang had mountainous terrain, rugged roads, especially in the northern region, where mountains, hills, and rivers were intertwined.

Under such terrain conditions, Long Country's conventional trucks and transport vehicles would be unable to move, and supplies and troop movements would become a huge challenge.

He remembered that in that war in history, the Long Country army had missed many opportunities because of poor logistics and supply.

Even if the soldiers on the front lines are brave and their weapons are advanced, without timely supply support, they can only sigh at the sight of the enemy.

"The transportation problem must be solved..." Li Mingyuan stood up and paced inside the cramped carriage, his mind racing.

Outside the window, a bolt of Lightning streaked across the night sky, followed by a dull rumble of thunder.

The rain arrived suddenly, raindrops drumming against the carriage window, adding to the sense of urgency.

"If this were the modern era, an all-terrain vehicle would have solved this problem long ago..." Li Mingyuan looked up, his eyes suddenly brightening, "That's it, an All-Terrain Tracked Vehicle!"