Our factory traveled through time

Chapter 29 Returning Empty-handed

"Brother Ce, how do I set up this animal trap? I've only ever used mousetraps to catch mice, I have absolutely no experience with this."

"Didn't you serve in the military? Can you teach me?"

Huang Feipeng looked at the ten animal traps, but he had no idea what to do with them. If he were to set them off, he would just leave them lying around in the woods.

"Do you guys have a misunderstanding about military service? I'm going to serve two years of compulsory military service, not to become a bounty hunter. I've never done that before."

"Just set up your defenses in the direction you think the prey might go."

We're all young people who grew up in the city, and we've only watched a few episodes of Man vs. Wild. But you get used to these animal traps after a few tries.

Just as Huang Feipeng was preparing to set up animal traps in the surrounding mountains and forests, Xiao Yong from the Black Rare Earth Chemical Plant stretched his shoulders and neck, then stepped forward with a hunched back and said:

"I know how to use this. I've used it to catch rabbits and wolves!"

All eyes turned to Xiao Yong, who calmly took the animal trap, then asked with a puzzled look, "Where's the chain?"

Huang Feipeng was slightly taken aback by the question and asked in return, "What chains?"

Xiao Yong fiddled with the double-jaw spring clip to test its bite force, then said in a calm tone:

"This trigger device can only clamp onto the prey. What if the prey gets its leg caught and then hops away with the trap still in place?"

"This requires an iron chain to secure the trap to the tree stump. Unless the prey has to detach an arm to survive like a gecko, it definitely won't be able to escape."

It wasn't too far from the industrial park. Zhang Luoyan arranged for someone to go back to the factory to retrieve the iron chains. These were standard products; they could find ten of them in the factory's model room.

Following Xiao Yong, everyone began setting up animal traps. Some were genuinely interested in learning, while others simply wanted to see where the traps were set up.

If I accidentally step on it while hunting again, just thinking about it makes me cringe.

Setting up an animal trap is actually very simple: look at the location and the camouflage. It seems easy enough, but without experience, you'll be clueless.

Just like before the time travel, many jobs didn't actually have much of a technical barrier, but some people could easily earn 20,000 a month, while others could only earn hard-earned money.

This is due to the difference in technology and information. Zhou Li of Daqiang Electronics Technology was able to swindle them out of money for maps, and they were able to swindle other factories out of crystal cores. It's all the same principle.

Wang Ce and Huang Feipeng examined it very carefully. The animal traps were produced in their factory and were related to the subsequent improvements and large-scale deployment.

For some reason, Huang Feipeng suddenly asked, "Brother Ce, why is the color of the bottom of these trees different from the top?"

"The trees along the road used to have their undersides painted white. Does someone paint these too?"

"I noticed that the area near the giant bird's nest isn't divided into two sections; there's only the first hunting and gathering path, and the trees near the park have different colors on top and bottom."

Xiao Yong from the Black Rare Earth Chemical Plant, with a stern face and a very serious expression, said:

"The trees lining the streets are coated with whitewash, which is mainly composed of lime and sulfur. Our factory has produced a lot of it, so we have a foundation in gunpowder manufacturing."

Zhang Luoyan, standing behind Wang Ce, nodded slightly and said, "Tree whitewash is quite viscous and can seal cracks in the bark, blocking the egg-laying channels of pests."

"Furthermore, the strong alkalinity can dissolve the waxy layer of insect eggs, and the added sulfur can kill fungal spores."

"In addition, it can also prevent freezing and sun damage, and the white reflective material can also alert vehicles to avoid it at night."

"Although the lower parts of these trees are also somewhat whitish, the possibility of this being due to natural evolution is extremely low."

Before Zhang Luoyan could finish speaking, with just a glance, Wang Ce instantly understood that these marks were most likely caused by blisters!

In other words, the first hunting and gathering route was very likely the passage when the river flooded and the dam broke!

After the workers brought the chains over, they secured them to the animal traps and tree trunks in less than ten minutes.

With plenty of decaying leaves on the ground and the soil on the surface being loose, the iron chain didn't need to be deliberately disguised and was not easy to spot.

"Captain Wang, this watchtower has two floors, and it's spacious enough to accommodate six people at the same time."

By the time the main force returned, the workers from Longmen Bamboo and Wood had already completed the construction of the first watchtower.

Since Wang Ce did not inspect the work, they did not continue construction but instead cut down timber to prepare for processing into gunstocks.

The gun Wang Ce was preparing to build was not a modern automatic rifle. He had disassembled those before; they were quite complex and couldn't be manufactured using the equipment in the factory.

The equipment in the factory is accurate, but the materials are substandard. The requirements for everything, from the barrel and bolt to the recoil spring, are very high.

Even if it were to be manufactured with great difficulty, its lifespan and maintenance would be major issues.

He chose the Mauser Modified, also known as the Liaoning Thirteen, which was once very popular at the Northeast Arsenal. This bolt-action rifle was simpler.

Moreover, the CNC equipment in the factory was definitely much more advanced than the industrial level during Zhang Dashuai's era.

Wang Ce could draw the blueprints for World War II weapons with his eyes closed, including the Mauser C96, Type 38 rifle, Hanyang rifle, and even howitzers.

"The height of the watchtower should be increased by one more layer, and the stability of the foundation must be strengthened. The specific structural stability should be based on the standards for floods and earthquakes."

Wang Ce had already deduced that small-scale flood discharges would likely occur here every so often, so the standards for the watchtowers would definitely need to be raised.

He doesn't stand guard; this is entirely for the sake of the sentries who are on duty.

Upon hearing this, the workers from Longmen Bamboo and Wood were slightly taken aback, then glanced at the group who had returned empty-handed, and remained silent.

Xiao Yong, from the nearby rare earth chemical plant, suddenly spoke up without expression:

"Listen to Captain Wang, he's right. Captain Wang usually doesn't do useless things."

The head of Suqu Jewelry Factory straightened his thin frame and nodded without making a sound.

Both teams that have gone out now are very impressed with Wang Ce.

Firstly, it was due to their formidable military strength; secondly, if Wang Ce hadn't decisively withdrawn his troops, they would probably be being chased and killed by those large birds right now.

The largest birds are as big as airplanes. If one were to swoop down from high altitude, it could turn them into mincemeat in one go.

"Yes, Captain Wang. I will rebuild a watchtower next to this one with a more stable foundation and a taller tower."

The person in charge of Longmen Bamboo and Wood is not stupid. Even Xiao Yong, a troublemaker who dared to contradict Wang Ce at the beginning, is now implying that he should obey.

This shows that Wang Ce must have demonstrated enough ability to make Xiao Yong truly convinced.

"It's getting late, everyone should go back and rest. If any of you five factories are really struggling to make ends meet, you can come to Shenghong and ask us for an advance on some food."

Upon hearing Wang Ce's words, the head of Longmen Bamboo and Wood's eyes lit up, and his gaze toward the heads of Suqu and Black Rare Earth factories was filled with gratitude.

Fortunately, he didn't act impulsively and raise questions. At this stage, he wouldn't even dare to dream of a leader who could provide food support.

When the group returned to the south gate of the park, a large crowd had gathered there.

The workers from Zhixun Lithium Battery, who have already completed their mission, and Beijiajia Children's Clothing are also here.

Especially at Beijiajia children's clothing, because most of the employees are women, a lot of people gather around, trying to strike up a conversation here and there.

"You haven't been out there, so you probably don't know, but hunting outside isn't easy. This area to the south has already been scouted by the people from Big Gun Electronics Technology."

"The easiest hunting route is the first one in the middle, while the route with the most supplies is the second one, which has a lot of wild fruits and vegetables. Near the big river, there is also a high ground where you can fish."

"The fish in the river are all stupid now, they've never been fishing before. Our team leaders Zhou Li, Luo Ji, and Yang Miao said they'll completely clear the riverbank within five days, and then there will be an endless supply of big fish!"

"The largest area is the one upstream from here. I don't know why, but there are very few fruits, vegetables, or game."

"Moreover, there are many huge crocodiles on the riverbank at the end. Crocodiles are not like mudskippers. Even if they stand still and let you hit them, you may not be able to kill them."

By this time, most of the hunting teams that had gone out had returned. Guo Ping'an from Fuhuakang Electronics Factory, the leader of the first hunting team, brought back more than ten large fish.

Even Guo Lao, with the people behind him, dug up quite a lot of wild vegetables.

Zhou Li of Daqiang Electronics Technology, Luo Ji of Jingmao Luggage, and Yang Miao of Xinke Plastics were somewhat disheveled, but their baskets contained a good amount of vegetables.

In Yang Miao's hand was a gray rabbit the size of a basketball; apart from that, there was not a single piece of meat.

Everyone turned their gaze to Wang Ce and his group, their expressions filled with a hint of mockery.

After seeing the baskets that Wang Ce and the others had brought back, he looked even more astonished and said:

"Good heavens, it's all fucking weeds!"