Chapter 456: Step by Step Guidance

Since Lu Cheng didn't bring up the topic of repairing the Iron Rail, Director Li only looked a bit puzzled, but didn't take it seriously.

Not mentioning it is fine; after all, he prefers fewer complications.

Clipping a chicken foot, Li, holding it and gnawing with his hand, started chatting casually.

"We have no one who served in the army; as for the past… hmm, this wild chicken meat is tasty, ha… oh, uh, we also had no one in the army before…"

Lu Cheng set down his chopsticks: "That's not right, Director Li. Your family has no soldiers, yet you seem to have a thunderous aura."

"A thunderous aura?" Li, still gnawing the chicken foot, involuntarily paused at the remark.

"What kind of aura is that?"

Liu Baoquan, standing nearby, couldn't help but interject: "It means you have grit."

"Oh?" Li tapped his head: "Well, I'm not very educated, only finished primary school, so excuse my ignorance, ha."

Lu Cheng dared not laugh; now he had to heap praise on you, praising you until you lose yourself.

"That further proves Director Li has grit and ability; even with limited education, you can still hold the position of forest farm director. If it were someone else, that level of education would surely be insufficient."

At this moment, Li lost interest in gnawing the chicken foot; having attained this position, he's seen every kind of person and heard every kind of talk.

This young man speaks so sagely, not at all like a youngster.

"Ah, ha ha, it means the organization trusts me… sigh, but after your reminder, indeed my family does have someone who served in the army."

Lu Cheng knew there would be, of course based on a bold guess.

Because during the War of Resistance, Guangxi ranked among the top three provinces with the highest troop contribution rates, reaching an astonishing 7%.

That is, out of every 100 people, seven went to battle.

The ratio may seem low, but in reality it's terrifyingly high.

Excluding the elderly, women, and children, essentially all young men were on the front lines.

Thus, a quick look up the family tree shows that almost every household has relatives linked to the resistance.

Immediately Lu Cheng clapped his hands: "See, I told you—otherwise how could your grit be innate?"

Director Li chuckled: "It should be fine; the soldier I mentioned is actually my aunt‑uncle‑grandfather‑younger‑brother's cousin‑in‑law."

"Cough cough…" Ma Dagang, sipping his drink, couldn't help but retch at the words.

He also had no idea what Lu Cheng was rambling about; those words clearly had nothing to do with the forest farm funding the Iron Rail repairs.

Lu Cheng felt a bit awkward; after rambling for so long, he only managed to produce a distant, unrelated relative.

The calculation was off.

But Lu Cheng's thick skin meant he wouldn't let the words fall flat.

"That's fine; no matter how distant, it's still a kinship. That makes you a glorious family. Do you, Director Li, accept my statement?"

Li instantly scratched his head; how could he dare not accept? To refuse would be to deny the contributions made during the resistance.

Moreover, being linked to revolutionary martyrs is a great honor.

Immediately, Li nodded earnestly: "Indeed, indeed, we are all family."

Since Director Li accepted, the rest became easy; Lu Cheng narrowed the scope of his talk.

"Now, Director Li, as a descendant of revolutionary forebears, with foreign enemies repeatedly invading our borders, what are your thoughts on this situation?"

Having just affirmed his glorious lineage, Li felt compelled to show pride, slapping the table and standing up.

"Of course we should drive those White‑eyed Wolves back. No, sending them back is too cheap; we should eradicate them completely."

"Damn it, it's a pity I'm not a soldier and can't go to the front. Otherwise I'd be wielding a machine gun, blasting all the White‑eyed Wolves."

Lu Cheng also pounded the table: "Since you're a descendant of revolutionary forebears, your momentum is enough. Come, Director Li, I'll toast you again."

"Still drinking? Don't you have a mission this afternoon?"

Li didn't feel like drinking much; listening to the young man's words, he sensed a trap, but his head was dizzy, making his reactions sluggish.

"Mission or not, it's fine; I'm glad to meet you today, Director Li."

Saying that, Lu Cheng poured two more glasses, drank one himself, forcing Director Li to drink as well.

That cup knocked him straight into a daze.

Looking at the bottles, both were empty, and most of the liquor was his, equivalent to more than a jin.

Moreover, the baijiu from Capital City is strong spirit, 65% alcohol.

After the 1980s, to meet market demand, they gradually released 52° and 46° products.

"Director Li, you just said you'd wield a machine gun against the White‑eyed Wolves; that's unnecessary. The soldiers are holding the front line; we at the rear can rest easy, but…"

Li, clearly feeling the alcohol, stood there swaying, his tongue thick as he said.

"But what, tell me! I can't wield a machine gun, nor can I just stay a shrinking turtle in the rear; that's not my nature—I'm Li, and I have a thunderous grit…"

Lu Cheng wanted exactly that: "We certainly can't be shrinking turtles; while the soldiers fight up front, we should protect the rear, transport as much supplies as possible so our comrades have no worries and can freely punish the White‑eyed Wolves."

Li pointed his finger at Lu Cheng, but actually at the seat where Liu Baoquan was sitting.

"Chief Lu is right; we should secure the rear, transport more supplies, more weapons, bring artillery, aircraft, even better bring warships to bomb those White‑eyed Wolves to death…"

That's truly drunk talk, mentioning aircraft and warships; you can't haul those by train, they just fly over themselves.

"Director Li, you're right about transporting more supplies, but where do we get them from?" Lu Cheng guided patiently.

"Of course we transport them via the Iron Rail."

Just as Lu Cheng was about to speak, Ma Dagang quickly added: "But your Iron Rail is broken like that; you can't transport much anyway."

This time Ma Dagang said it outright, and Lu Cheng didn't stop him, since the groundwork had already been laid.

Sure enough, Li didn't hesitate this time, slapping the table: "Repair it; I'll immediately send people to buy materials and fix it. It's no big deal! I can't betray my aunt‑uncle‑grandfather‑younger‑brother's cousin‑in‑law, can't tarnish the face of the glorious family…"

Ma Dagang was stunned; at first Li had outright refused, but now, despite saying the same, Li agreed.

Even though the words were identical, the outcome differed; Ma Dagang couldn't help but look at Lu Cheng, admiration flashing on his face.

Lu Cheng still guided; on the surface it seemed like endless back‑and‑forth, yet he somehow made Li feel that leaving the Iron Rail unrepaired would be like betraying the martyrs.