Chapter 135: The Great Function of Toilet Paper
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Type 81 Gang 1 Automatic Rifle, weighing 3.5 kilograms and measuring 955 millimeters without the bayonet.”
Ye Sanshi was running through some specs in Class Five’s dormitory. He held Wang Ye’s 81st gun and began explaining its basic parameters to everyone.
As he spoke, he proceeded to unload the magazine.
“This is a general-purpose magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds, designed to hold 7.62*39111111 steel core bullets. The effective range of these bullets is around 400 meters.”
Ye Sanshi looked at the attentive audience and clarified, “The effective range doesn’t indicate the absolute maximum distance the gun can shoot. It means that a bullet can still penetrate an A3 steel plate of eight millimeters in thickness at a distance of four hundred meters. Furthermore, the rifle’s firepower remains lethal even within 1,000 to 2,000 meters.”
The room fell silent as everyone absorbed this information. They were surprised by the gun’s impressive range and lethality, and they trusted Ye Sanshi’s expertise, knowing that he based his statements on factual data.
Ye Sanshi was pleased that no one questioned the information or raised any objections. Satisfied, he squatted down, still holding Wang Ye’s gun, and proceeded to open the small wooden box that Wang Ye had just brought up.
Originally, everyone in Class Five, including Wang Ye, had been curious about what was inside the small wooden box.
Now, as Ye Sanshi opened it and revealed its contents, they all tilted their heads and widened their eyes in surprise. Some had even speculated that the box might contain bullets, even if they were just blanks used for training purposes.
However, their speculations were proven wrong. The box contained no bullets, real or otherwise. Instead, it held various gun-cleaning tools – a piece of cloth, a stack of towels, a bottle, and other small instruments.
Ye Sanshi laid out the cloth, which was as big as a tablecloth, on the floor. Then, he picked up Wang Ye’s gun and addressed the class.
“While the primary function of a gun is to fire bullets, it’s equally crucial to understand how to maintain and clean the firearm to ensure it operates safely. Today, 1’11 demonstrate the process of disassembling the guns. Please place your guns on your beds and take notes with pen and paper.”
Upon his instructions, everyone in Class Five complied and arranged themselves with their pens and paper, ready to learn.
Ye Sanshi started the demonstration, saying, “Let’s begin with the common magazine. As 1 mentioned earlier…”
And so, Ye Sanshi proceeded to explain and introduce the various parts of the gun while providing insights into gun maintenance and care.
Ye Sanshi’s actions were deliberate, and his explanations were thorough, leaving no component unexplained. He patiently waited for everyone after each explanation, ensuring that they could take notes and absorb the knowledge.
After demonstrating the disassembly, he proceeded to teach the proper use of the various tools in the box for maintaining the gun parts. He emphasized the importance of caution when handling gun oil, as it could be slightly corrosive, instructing them to wash their hands after contact.
The process of disassembling and assembling a gun took nearly half an hour. Despite squatting on the floor without small stools, none of the recruits showed impatience. They attentively followed the steps and Ye Sanshi’s instructions, diligently taking notes. Their behavior was remarkably different from their usual behavior in a regular classroom setting.
As Ye Sanshi completed the assembly of the gun, the recruits thought the lesson was over. However, he surprised them by asking Wang Ye to fetch some toilet paper. Curious but obedient, Wang Ye quickly retrieved a roll and handed it to Ye Sanshi.
With a smile on his face, Ye Sanshi addressed the class, “What I’ve taught you so far covers the basic maintenance and disassembly and assembly of firearms. But there’s something else essential to using guns that I’m going to teach you now!”
Intrigued, everyone in the class widened their eyes, eager to learn the additional crucial information about using firearms.
Then, everyone watched as Ye Sanshi placed the gun on the cloth and reached out to take the toilet paper from Wang Ye.
At that moment, Wang Ye couldn’t help but notice a slight twitch at the corners of his mouth.
As he took the roll of toilet paper, he noticed an obvious palm print on it. Wang Ye couldn’t help but think about what he had mentioned earlier regarding the corrosive nature of the gun oil. He realized that using this toilet paper for cleaning the gun barrel would not be a long-term solution; it would deteriorate quickly after just a few rounds of cleaning.
He knew he had to clean it thoroughly.
However, Wang Ye’s intentions were his own. At the moment, Ye Sanshi had only pulled out a small portion of the toilet paper.
Ye Sanshi took this opportunity to address the crowd, speaking about the significance of the gun barrel in any firearm. He emphasized that the stability and lifespan of the gun were heavily dependent on the cleanliness of its barrel. Neglecting its maintenance could lead to malfunctions, misfires, or even dangerous explosions on the battlefield, jeopardizing the lives of both the user and their comrades.
“This is an extremely critical point,” Ye Sanshi declared solemnly to the assembled group. “Especially during battle, we don’t have the luxury of disassembling and cleaning our guns every time we fire. Therefore, ensuring the barrel is clean is not only a personal responsibility for our survival but also a responsibility to our comrades and the success of the war.”
With conviction in his voice, Ye Sanshi held up the toilet paper he had taken from Wang Ye.
“This roll of toilet paper represents our commitment to our own safety and to the success of our mission.”
Looking at the attentive faces before him, Ye Sanshi raised the toilet paper in his hand and explained, “During our gun training sessions, we often use toilet paper to plug the muzzle. However, it’s essential not to tightly compress the paper into a solid ball. Instead, just roll it up slightly to create a barrier against dust and debris.”
Gu Yingnan couldn’t hold back and asked, “Class monitor, wouldn’t it affect our shooting if we stuff the paper into the muzzle? What if we encounter an emergency and don’t have time to remove the paper?”
Ye Sanshi gave a reassuring smile and replied, “That’s a valid concern. But as I mentioned earlier, we only use a small amount of soft toilet paper. This way, in case of an emergency, the gun can still fire bullets without any issue. A small amount of toilet paper won’t obstruct the firing mechanism. Just remember not to force too much paper inside.”
Another question arose, this time from Deng Hai. He suggested using a plastic cover for the muzzle, which would be thinner and might not affect the shooting.
Ye Sanshi nodded in agreement, “Yes, we do have rubber soft gun caps that serve a similar purpose. However, they tend to get lost easily, so most of us prefer the toilet paper method due to its simplicity and effectiveness.”
He then turned to the group and asked if there were any more questions. After receiving negative responses, he concluded the discussion, “Alright then, Wang Ye, I’ll return the gun to you. As the vice-class monitor, you can go first in the practice session..”