I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 163

Chapter 163: The Pinnacle of the Domain

When James heard the news of Charles's victory, he was in his office at the Schneider Armaments Factory.

James had a habit that was a bit different from most people. He enjoyed hearing the sound of machines running and the clinking and clashing of metal. To him, it symbolized power, strength, and even authority, just like the cannons he produced.

His office, though spacious, was simple and unadorned. Apart from the essential items like the desk, chairs, table lamps, and bookshelf, there was also a small open meeting room next door. On the oval table was a model of the 75mm cannon.

Low-key, simple, and lacking in leisure items or entertainment, the office had a pragmatic air about it.

James liked this style. He believed it constantly reminded him to stay motivated, and that was the foundation for a company to grow and thrive in the long term.

At that moment, James sat at his desk, casually flipping through several photos. They were of the “Mark I” tanks produced by Charles.

James couldn’t understand how this ugly monster could pose a threat to the “Saint-Chamon” and even become the strongest—and only—competitor. Could it really achieve victory on the battlefield?

Although James always showed disdain for it, deep down, he felt a sense of unease.

After all, this was Charles! He had already created many miracles on the battlefield that no one else could match.

At that moment, his secretary, Paulina, came in with a telegram. Her blue eyes, behind her glasses, looked slightly flustered. She approached cautiously and said, “Mr. James, Charles… has won.”

“What?” James looked up at Paulina in shock, staring for a moment before pulling out his pocket watch and glancing at it. He still couldn’t believe it. “But the battle started less than two hours ago!”

“Yes!” Paulina quickly replied. “One hour and forty-seven minutes. The news has been confirmed. The Germans chose to surrender, and we’ve recaptured Lafox.”

James furrowed his brows. Agitated, he took a cigar from his box, struck a match, and lit it.

He stood by the window, contemplating for a while, then turned his back to Paulina and ordered, “Send for Eugen.”

“Yes, sir!” Paulina answered.

Eugen was the head of Schneider’s design department. The “Saint-Chamon” tank was his creation.

Before long, Eugen appeared in James's office, dressed in work clothes, his white gloves stained with oil, and a few dirt marks on his face.

James frowned. “Are you messing with machines again with those workers?”

“Sir!” Eugen replied. “It’s the only way I can design better creations!”

James shook his head slightly and motioned for Eugen to sit on the sofa in the meeting room. He picked up the photo of the “Mark I” and walked over, tossing it in front of Eugen. “The answer is no, your work isn’t good enough!”

Eugen glanced at the photo and immediately understood what had happened.

“No, no way!” Eugen said, looking at the photo. “It defeated the ‘Saint-Chamon’?”

“Without a doubt!” James responded sharply. “We were completely defeated, Eugen! Charles achieved victory in just one hour and forty-seven minutes, using this very tank! And our tanks? We lost forty-three of them without advancing even a step, not even an inch. Most of them were stuck on the road!”

Eugen paused for a moment and looked up at James. “I need more information, sir! The entire course of the operation. Can you provide that?”

James turned his gaze toward his secretary, who understood and immediately brought a document to Eugen. “This is the information we got from the journalists. Specific data still needs to be verified!”

“Thank you, Paulina!” Eugen said absent-mindedly, taking the document and opening it.

He examined it for several minutes. James waited patiently without interrupting.

This was James’s approach to managing people. If he thought someone was capable, he gave them enough freedom and respect. James believed that sometimes, this was more important than a high salary.

The hardest people to manage were the talented ones. He had once thought of bringing Charles under his wing, but James believed Charles wasn’t the type of “talent” who would accept being subordinate to anyone.

Charles’s talents were for his own use. He was a natural-born rival.

Eugen let out a long breath, closed the file, and stared vacantly at the space in front of him, as if digesting the content of the file.

“Well?” James asked. “Have you thought of something?”

“He’s someone who can design and fight, sir!” Eugen said with a strange expression on his face. “He’s familiar with the battlefield. He knows what’s needed on the battlefield, and then designs his tanks according to those needs. His tanks seem tailor-made for his tactics. This Charles… is a genius in both fields!”

James gave an “Oh” and nodded. He had seen this too. “The reason we lost is because we don’t know how to fight!”

“That’s one way to put it,” Eugen freely admitted. “Our understanding of the equipment mostly stays in the workshop and on design blueprints, but they’re meant to be used on the battlefield. This led to a severe disconnect between design and reality!”

Saying this, Eugen picked up the photo of the “Mark I” and waved it. “Charles’s tank, on the other hand, seems born for the battlefield. It achieves a perfect balance. While it doesn’t have a cannon, it maximizes its combat power!”

“Is it possible for us to defeat him?” James asked. “Should we bring in a few soldiers? Or send you to the army to experience it firsthand?”

The latter part was actually a jest, but Eugen took it seriously. “If necessary, we could do that. How can we design something for the battlefield if we don’t experience the battlefield?”

James shrugged his shoulders. He had forgotten that Eugen had this kind of personality. He would always personally experience things for the sake of design, regardless of the cost.

“Maybe we don’t need to go that far!” Paulina called out from her office, leaning out. “We… could try a simpler approach!”

“What approach?” James asked, curious.

Paulina, stepping forward in her high heels, pointed at the photo of the “Mark I” and said, “I’m not sure if this approach will work, but… if Charles’s tank is designed for the battlefield, has it already shown us what the design direction for a battlefield tank should be? We can’t copy it, but we can improve based on his ideas!”

After a pause, Paulina opened the document and pointed to the data. “For example, we should replace the electric drive engine. It’s 5 tons heavier than the traditional engine, but its function is limited. Also, the armor thickness—perhaps the ‘Saint-Chamon’s’ thicker side armor is the wrong approach…”

James and Eugen exchanged a glance. They both saw the recognition and surprise in each other's eyes. Paulina was right. The design direction had already been laid out in front of them, but they hadn’t noticed.

Then James thought of Francis’s nearly bankrupt tractor factory and the British “Holt 120” tank that was about to come off the production line.

The former could provide basic technology and workers, while the latter could push Schneider even further ahead, easily surpassing Charles’s “Holt 75.”

Money wasn’t something James needed to worry about. What he needed was to stand at the top of the field. What he needed was to defeat Charles!

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