The situation at the front was indeed worse than Gastens imagined. Although slightly? Carey and Lowell don't tell him too many core secrets because of Gastens' identity. But judging from the limited information they have revealed, Anken Ruiin may have to vomit the entire province of Anta this time. As for the province of Scat, which is on the verge of Antar and is within the scope of the First Army's attack, Listen to Lott? Carey's meaning, may also give up. Once these two provinces are abandoned, His Majesty the Emperor will destroy the main military forces of the Negro Republic in a short time, and his intention to attract everyone to attack them will be dashed, and the war will turn from an offensive to a tug-of-war, and the situation will become complex and elusive.

Gastens returns to the factory and tries to sort it out. However, with his position and perspective, there is still too little information and things that can be influenced. The only thing he can do is to strengthen the management of the factory's production process, to ensure that under the production of sub-components and sub-assembly lines, the core assembly links are all in the hands of his old subordinates, so as to ensure that even if some workers betray, they will not take away his core competitiveness.

As the days passed, the pressure on production at the factory in Gastens increased. Little? Carey's attempt to recommend Gastens' rifles to the upper echelons seemed to be a success, with the Welsh II rifles and modifications coming in from the front line in a steady stream of snowflakes. Gastens had to expand the size of the workforce, recruiting almost all of Strongwood's skilled workers. At the same time, he was also tightening his control over the ranks of workers, by eating, living and working with them, without specialization, paying them full wages, ensuring adequate rest periods, and providing safe shelter. Gurakos is the core of the backbone of the workforce. These workers recognized the communism propagated by Gastens and were also moved by Gastens's charisma, which can basically be regarded as Gastens's team. Although the number of these workers is not large, accounting for less than 20% of the total number of workers in the entire factory, Gastens gradually arranged them in key positions in all aspects of the production line, and achieved effective control of the factory.

As the clock ticked into November, the situation in the war became even more scorching. The Second and Fourth Legions, which were originally used for home defense in the Western Theater of the Ankenrein Empire, were also sent to the front. Counting the 1st, 3rd, and 6th Army Corps that had already been on the battlefield, one combat reserve army of the six legions in the Ankenrein Western Theater of Operations, except for the Fifth Army Corps, which was still defending the homeland, all the others had been engaged in the war against the Negro Republic. In terms of numbers, in the small land of the Duchy of Tulucas, more than 300,000 troops have been concentrated in Ankenrein.

When he has time, Gastens always goes to Lott? Carey and Frank? Lorwell walked around, although Frank? Lowwell is always busy, but replacing Danny? Carey became the commander of the 4th Division, which was being reorganized. Carey, the impression of Gastens is still good. In return, each batch of Gastens modified Welsh II steam rifles will be given priority to the Fourth Division. After going back and forth, the two slowly built a good cooperative relationship.

"We're going to the front soon."

Little? Carey rode his horse and walked side by side with Gastens on the garrison of the Fourth Division, and the soldiers along the way would stop to salute the division commander when they saw it. Gastens also took the light with him. He put his hand on the pergola, and as far as the eye could see, there were improvised barracks, densely packed, like the fruits of a harvest on a tree in autumn.

"What about logistical pressures? There is no food left in the city of Strongwood, and 300,000 people need to be fed and drunk from the rear, so I guess the pressure on Uncle Lower's side is also very high, right? ”

And Lott? After Carey got acquainted, Gastens did not hide his experience and insight in combat. Many of the ideas he makes tend to make Lott? Carey was a little surprised, many perspectives and details, it is difficult to think of people who have not personally experienced the war and commanded the war.

"You're really sharp", Lott? Carey nodded and lowered his voice, "Now that the logistics are under great pressure, it is not easy to ensure the food supply of these soldiers. There is still a month to go into winter, and when it snows heavily, our logistics will be completely finished. Now the above means that the stalemate in Strang Wood should be resolved as soon as possible before the winter snowfall, and one or two provinces of the Negru Republic should be taken to form a fait accompli. ”

"That's hard," said Gastens, looking at the soldiers in a school yard not far away, lined up in neat formation, holding his modified Welsh II steam rifle. Now soldiers affectionately call this kind of rifle a long-legged rifle, which means that its range should be longer than the original factory.

"How so? You don't have confidence in our forces? The spies on the opposite side reported that there are no more than 20 divisions in the Neglo Republic that can be put into the battlefield, of which only four or five divisions can be equipped with armor, and we maintain a 1.5 times advantage in their strength, and it is theoretically possible to win. ”

"Strength is one thing, morale is also important. Moreover, these rifles I modified relied on the captured Welsh II rifles, and now that we have lost the battle, I think the captured rifles will soon be in short supply, what will we do then? ”

"It is said that the rear has already begun to work on the design of a new rifle. If your modified rifle is really good and can play an important role in front-line combat, we may recommend it to our superiors to see if we can send you back to develop a weapon for the Royal Arms Design Institute. ”

"Thank you so much," Gastens bowed lightly on horseback. He has a lot of weapon design ideas in his stomach that can greatly affect the outcome of the battle, such as mini bullets, such as rear-loading guns, such as repeating guns by changing the structure of the air valve and adding multi-stage gas cylinders. But he didn't intend to contribute this knowledge, those advanced weapons were the foundation of his life after he put up the red flag in the future, how could it be for this already decaying country.

“…… However, the people of the Royal Academy of Sciences probably don't look down on me, and my idea of modifying the gun is also simple, and when the time comes, they can take it and look at it casually, and they can make the same. It's better for a big old and low-class serf like me to be an honest soldier and kill the enemy. ”

Hear Gastens call himself a big boss, a little special? Carey laughed a few times and didn't continue the conversation. In his position, it was not so easy to recommend a candidate to the Royal Academy of Weapons, and he only mentioned it casually, hoping to give Gastens more motivation to work. Now that this serf himself is self-aware, he is too lazy to bother to speak, and he chatted with Gastens for a while, slightly? Carey and Gastens took their leave, and began to prepare for the expedition.

Back at the factory, Gastens refocused on the factory's production. Recently, with the expansion of the scale of the factory and the increase of the number of workers, the number of workers and workers' families who need to be responsible for Gastens has been growing rapidly, and there are many city residents who have a good relationship with the workers, who have not fled or do not want to flee, and who have found various excuses to come to eat and drink to protect, and Gastens has not had time to manage before. Can it be slightly special now? The information revealed by Carey made him a little uneasy, the food and wages of the factory workers came from the Seventh Combat Readiness Regiment, and it was basically from the logistics of the Ankenrein Empire. If the logistical food supply cannot keep up, it is likely to affect the workers' motivation to produce.

After a brief straightening of his mind, Gastens called Big Ivan and Gurakos. He instructed Gurakos to check the number of people currently living in and around the factory dormitories and enjoying the protection of the factory, and to map them all to each worker, and to find out how many people each worker had brought in. At the same time, he instructed Ivan and his team to strengthen control over the factory and residential areas and reduce the entry of outsiders. After doing all this, Gastens changed his clothes, took a specially made and improved version of the Welsh II steam rifle, which had been made long ago, and went to Frank? Lowell.

"Oh, little Gas, what is the wind that has blown you here today? You don't work hard in your factory, come to me, do you want food, or money? ”

Frank? Lowll and Gastens also get along well. This aspect comes from the dead Danny? Kerry, on the other hand, also comes from the careful maintenance of Gastens. Seeing that Lowell was not very busy, Gastens stepped forward and handed him the refilled Welsh II steam rifle.

"General, look at this."

"Oh, isn't that the little thing you've been working on? What's so special? ”

"It's up to you to give it a try, and it's not interesting for me to say it."

Gastens smiled and went with Lauwell to the shooting range of the Legion's military headquarters. After several tests, Lowell soon discovered that the refueled version of the rifle had a longer range and greater power. He was a soldier and a man who loved guns, and he fired more than two dozen rounds with a steam backpack before he remembered to ask Gastens about the situation.

"Little Gas, is this a more powerful weapon you've designed? What is the model called? I think with this weapon, it will be easier for us to break the shells of those iron turtles, what, how about the yield? ”

"General, this is not a mass-produced product", Gastens saw Lowwell take the bait, and explained with a smile, "In order to make this gun, I broke more than a dozen captured Welsh II rifles, and only then did I find a good physique, which can withstand higher pressure with limited modifications, and it is difficult to mass-produce." It took me four whole days to make this gun, but it was exhausting. ”

"It can't be mass-produced, then you don't let that kid Lott know, otherwise he should whip you to make this kind of gun, he is about to go to the front line, knowing that there is a gun from you, he must not jump!"

"That's right, General, this one is made for you, and your guards, and I've made fifty guns, not as good as this one, but better than the ordinary modified ones. And, if you take a closer look at the cylinder of this gun, I have my unique design there. ”

Lowell heard the sound and went to check the cylinder of the gun, and sure enough, he found his name on the cylinder - Frank? Engraving of General Lowell. Only then did he realize that the gun was a gift made for him by Gastens. Lowell was not polite, and after a few words of praise to Gastens, he asked the guard to put away the gun and get to the point.

"Why, little Gas, give me such a good thing, what do you want?"

"I don't want anything, today with Lott? Commander Kaili chatted, speaking of the recent logistical tensions, didn't my factory recruit a bunch of workers, and sheltered many workers' families? I'm afraid that I won't have anything to eat when I turn around, so I'll come here and ask you first. Don't starve to death the workers or their families, delay production, don't you? ”

"Okay you kid, don't delay production and pressure me", Lowell stretched out his hand and slapped Gastens, pulled him back to the military headquarters, and retreated left and right, before whispering to him about the current situation.

"The kid Lott is right, now the logistical pressure is very high, and the soldiers on the front line can only guarantee three rye cakes a day, a piece of bacon and a can of beans for two days. I have never treated you badly on your side, and I have given you according to the level of front-line soldiers. But you have to take it easy, don't get too many people, or I won't be able to do it here. ”

"I see, General Lawwell, my side plans to control the size of the workers and their families to a thousand, not to rise, about the amount of food of a regiment, do you think it's okay?"

"A regiment...... Did you know that now that one more regiment is on the front, we have one more chance of winning? Pavel blinked and looked at Gastens with a smile.

"If our 1,000 people can be fed, then we can make half a regiment of rifles every day, which will be of great help to the front line. You can go to the front line and ask, who else wants to use our own Erqi style now? ”

"Okay, for your sake, I'll give it to you, don't worry about the food, don't worry if you starve to death. But you're going to have to make me another gun, and I'm going to give it away, with a snack, you know? ”

"Well, I know, you can rest assured!"

Gastens nodded, knowing that his worst fears about food had been resolved. He returned to the factory, waited for the evening, and finally waited for the report of Ivan and Gurakos.

"Lord Garstens, there are now two hundred and forty-two workers in the factory, and a total of six hundred and nineteen citizens have brought in to receive shelter and food, and we have registered them all."

Gurakos said as he handed Gastens a roster. Big Ivan watched Gastens take it and complained beside him.

"Well, many of these people are not relatives of the workers, some are friends, some are not even friends. We tried to chase them away, but you didn't speak, and we couldn't do it. Those workers are too, nosy, you recognize one, I recognize one, and they all admit it. These people don't do anything to eat, you have to take care of it, or you won't be able to get it! ”

"Eight hundred and sixty-one in all," Gastens counted the total, and wrote on the cover of that roster, "I'll take care of this matter, winter is coming, and Strongwood's food is long gone, and the food must be prepared early!" ”