Chapter 6: Cracking and Refining

  After great efforts, the pipeline was finally laid out, and various switches and regulating valves were made of crude rubber. However, to truly start cracking and refining, some catalysts are still needed to assist in order to be more efficient and labor-saving.

  Luoyang Tian walked into Lei Meng's specially set up office, looking at Lei Meng who was buried in the many paintings and calligraphy works, truly diligent! Now he felt that this life was not in vain, having actually gotten to know such a legendary figure, history would probably give him a light touch.

  He had just come in for a while, and Lei Meng, who was busy with his work, looked up and asked: "General Luo, it's been a long time since I saw you. How have you been lately? Is everything okay at home?"

  He hit the sore spot, his wife died of a serious illness two years ago; last year, the old man was in poor spirits, got up at midnight and fell, breaking his leg and arm bones, after seriously injuring his vitality, he struggled for two months and also left; now the old mother is worried and ill, saying nonsense all day long, it seems that she won't live much longer either; there's only a 16-year-old thin son who is healthy.

  He stiffened and forced a bitter smile, saying: "Master, at home... Alas!" He let out a heavy sigh, unable to continue.

  Lei Meng took a deep breath, hastily nodded his head, and suddenly forgot about the unfavorable events that had occurred in Luoyang Tian's household over the past two years. He forced a smile and said, "Today's weather is really great, it's so bright even during the day."

  Luoyang Tian is an open-minded person, he listened to the master's considerate words and quickly changed the subject, although it was a bit awkward, but also very thoughtful. He squeezed a smile and said: "Master, what arrangements are there for the apprentice to do? These two years have not been effective in construction, just watching everyone busy. It's really embarrassing."

  "No need, no need! Just take care of your family for now, there are still plenty of people around. When you have time, focus on improving your own martial arts skills and teach Luo Wen well."

  "Master..." Luoyang Tian pleaded again, but was interrupted by Lei Meng: "Go back." Lei Meng waved his hand.

  Luoyang Tian sighed heavily and left with a backward glance every three steps.

  Lei Meng let out a soft sigh and muttered to himself, "It seems that medical technology is still not advanced enough. Otherwise, many people wouldn't have had to die. But even if I had the ability... with my current strength, it would be impossible to sustain."

  Two days later, in this office filled with documents, Yang Tian burst in excitedly and shouted: "Finally finished the task you assigned! Those catalysts and complexes are all done. A lot of rare earth elements have also been separated!"

  It's better to pull out Yang Tian, this backbone, and work together to build the foundation of modern industrial raw materials.

  Lei Meng let out a heavy sigh. He said with joy: "The most important part has been figured out by you, the rest will be easy."

  "Yes, who would have thought that seven years later we'd be busy making raw materials!" Yang Tian also sighed, then thought of the achievements over the past seven years, the smiles on the faces of the common people and soldiers, and a sense of pride arose, saying "However, we've also managed to create a piece of heaven and earth, something that in the past we didn't even dare to think about."

  "That's it, what was the environment before and what is the environment now, there's simply no comparison." Lei Meng's face was also full of self-satisfaction.

  After the joy, Yang Tian frowned and said: "Now that construction is underway everywhere, many factories do not have sufficient security measures. If someone wants to sneak in and steal information, it's impossible to prevent."

  "Let them be, as long as we guard the crucial points and don't leak any safety-related technology, let them take it out," Lei Meng said nonchalantly. "Hehe, learning some useless things that can't be put to use will drive them crazy."

  For Yang Tian, defending to the death was the best option, but currently they were short-handed and could only reluctantly nod in agreement.

  "Now that the catalyst is ready, let's start catalyzing and cracking. The downstream factories are all ready, just waiting for this final push." Lei Meng made a decisive decision to start work.

  The next day, Lei Meng announced to the outside world that martial law was enforced in the petrified zone, and those who entered without permission would be killed!

  On the third day, Yang Tian deployed bright and dark sentries everywhere. Lei Ming began to lead a group of newly cultivated technical personnel to inspect equipment in all places.

  On the sixth day, after all the problems found during the inspection were solved, trial operation began.

  After opening the valve, crude oil from Ishihara began to enter the distillation zone... refining zone... and was separated into gasoline, diesel fuel, and various chemical raw materials. These raw materials were transported to downstream enterprises, where gasoline and diesel fuel could be directly used in internal combustion engines, but had not yet been properly matched to make them work; asphalt could be used for paving roads; synthetic rubber could be made into various insulating materials, wrapped around electrical wires; polymeric materials could be used to make various household goods...

  Many scouts were unclear about the situation and did not dare to act rashly, so they just paid attention to what was being produced there. When they saw that they were all daily necessities or production materials, they suddenly felt that it was a waste of effort: this had no significance for the war at all.

  After running with bated breath for a month, Lei Meng let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Huang Chu and others who came to ask about it: "Finally, I can rest assured that nothing has gone wrong. However, now we need to stop and overhaul, replacing some new things."

  Huang Chu frowned and asked, "General Lei, you've gone to great lengths to produce these scraps?" The various materials that had been broken down still hadn't received the guidance of Lei Hong and Yang Tian, and couldn't be put to use.

  Yang Tian smiled and said: "After a while, everyone will understand."

  After being suspended for a month, Lei Meng overhauled the cracking and refining equipment and produced the first batch of electric wires. Huang Chu saw it and still didn't understand, asking: "The electric wire is already good, why do you need to wrap it up?"

  "In this way, the two wires won't touch each other and burn out the generator." Yang Fu emerged from behind a large machine, laughing loudly.

  Huang Chu and Qin Hao scrambled for a red and black wire, looking at the copper wire in the middle wrapped with something called plastic, and suddenly had an epiphany.

  Another month passed, and Lei Meng produced the tires and installed them on a long-prepared car. He filled diesel into the fuel tank and poured diesel into the cylinder. With great effort, he shook the crankshaft and finally started the car in a deafening "dada" sound.

  Yang Tian didn't wait for the thunder to rumble, grabbed the steering wheel and got into the car. He then sprang up onto the open driver's seat, shifted gears, stepped on the accelerator and drove the car onto the cement road with a loud roar.

  Lei Meng stared at the car that was speeding away with black smoke, and he couldn't help but be stunned. This thing can actually move! There are still many things that haven't been assembled yet. Huang Chu, Qin Hao, Yang Erwu, and Yang Fu all stared at the departing car with wide eyes, not speaking for a long time, only heavy breathing.

  Before long, Yang Tian turned the car around and drove back with a rumble. He screeched to a halt in front of the astonished crowd and exclaimed excitedly: "Haha, the feeling of taking a joyride is really cool!"

  Suddenly, the car "Ka ~ ka ~ bang!" stopped moving, and black smoke emerged from the front hood. Yang Tian was stunned, it's unbearable!

  Black-faced Lei Meng suddenly appeared in front of Yang Tian, shouting in a low voice: "Yang Tian! Return my car!" After that, he shook Yang Tian's neck violently, who was still in a daze.

  Yang Tian was pinched until he rolled his eyes, brushed aside the not-so-powerful Lei Meng's hands, coughed twice, and said with a red neck: "Really want to pinch me to death! It's just extinguishing the fire, what's the big deal."

  "Never mind, go and get me a battery at once, I'm going to use spark ignition!" Thunder was still fuming with anger.

  Two months later, a new car was made, except for the rough appearance and no paint, this car is already a mature off-road convertible.

  The thunderous sound of the ignition switch, the car started with a slight "puff" sound. He elegantly drove the car in a circle on the spot and stopped in front of the crowd, saying: "Come on up, try the feeling of sitting in the car, this is much more comfortable than a horse-drawn carriage."

  Huang Chu, Yang Erwu, and Qin Hao all excitedly boarded the vehicle, leaving behind only Yang Tian standing in place with a sullen face. According to Lei Meng's words, he was supposed to stand guard at his post and protect the Petrochemical Industrial Zone.

  "Hmph, what's so great about it? Next time I'll drive myself and let whoever sit wherever they want!" With that, Yang Tian turned around and left, intending to find even more comfortable materials.

  Lei Meng drove the car smoothly out of the petrified area on the cement road, and rushed into Hexi City amidst admiring glances. After turning around in a zigzag pattern, he brought the crowd with a pleasant mood to a stop on the Hexi Bridge.

  Yang Erwu excitedly said: "Master Uncle, this car is really cool, just now I didn't know how many girls were staring at me with stars in their eyes."

  Qin Hao chuckled and said: "Those beauties are looking at the handsome and elegant me, not you!"

  Yang Fuhong, sitting in the passenger seat with a smile on his face, turned around and glanced at Yang Erwu and Qin Hao, saying: "How shameless! What they're looking at is the brilliant Leiming!" Seeing that the two were blushing and didn't dare to refute him, he continued: "If my old man had a car like this too, traveling would be so much more convenient. Haha~!" After finishing speaking, he stroked his beard and laughed loudly.

  "Yes, yes! For us old bones, we can't ride horses, but with a carriage, we can travel comfortably everywhere." Huang Chu also nodded in agreement. In the past two years, he had been feeling increasingly that his body was not suitable for long-distance travel, and if it weren't for Lei Ming's repair of the roads between cities, he feared he would hardly be able to leave the city.

  Lei Meng smiled slightly, confidently saying: "This is simple, just manufacture a few more cars and it will be fine. Besides, the original intention was to popularize cars." He jumped off the car, facing the refreshing autumn wind, looking at the golden rice in the distance under the sunlight, and the exposed Shi Yuan Xinqu, his heart suddenly filled with grandeur, this world will change because of me!

  His every move seemed to carry a certain aura, and the pedestrians passing by on the bridge hurriedly gave way, making him an unintentional beautiful scenery.

  "Wow! A group of beauties are coming over!" The peaceful atmosphere was instantly shattered by Yang Erwu.

  "General Lei!" The crazed cry echoed from afar, the ground trembling slightly. A chill ran down his spine as his hair stood on end; there were just too many people.

  "Take care of the car! I'm off!" With that, he leaped out from the bridge and plunged into the turbulent white river like a fish, creating two splashes of white water, and disappeared without a trace...