I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France

Shen Bili has been spending most of his time at the shooting range practicing with his rifle.

It wasn't to show off his shooting skills in front of others at Versailles, but because there was a real need.

All along, Shen Bili had been using the British Enfield Rifle. He was accustomed to its feel, its firing rate, and its recoil.

But soon, Shen Bili realized he couldn't continue using this rifle.

This was the French Army, where everyone around him used the Lebel Rifle. Although Britain was an ally and it was easy to get 7.7MM caliber bullets for the Enfield, what about on the battlefield?

What if they were in the trenches, far from the British Army's defensive zone?

Or if they were operating deep behind enemy lines and logistics only delivered bullets for the Lebel Rifle?

After careful consideration, Shen Bili finally decided to switch to the Lebel Rifle.

This almost drove Shen Bili to collapse, as he felt he was learning not just one gun, even though he held only one, but rather eight different guns.

With every shot fired from the Lebel, the change in its balance altered the feel.

If these changes were rhythmic and regular, it would be manageable, but the first shot caused the most change, which gradually decreased until it was almost negligible.

(Note: This is due to the placement of the bullets; the one farthest in the tubular magazine has the greatest impact on balance, while the nearer ones have the least.)

Although these changes were generally subtle and didn't affect an average shooter much, to a sniper like Shen Bili, who demanded the utmost precision, it was fatal.

"No wonder the sniper company's overall standard is lacking." During a break in practice, Shen Bili put away his gun and sat in a simple chair to rest, frowning at his unsatisfactory performance, "This gun is artificially increasing our difficulty."

As Shen Bili pondered over how to solve this problem, Dominic mysteriously walked over with a gun case and greeted him, "Hey, Shen."

"Instructor?" Shen Bili looked at Dominic doubtfully, and upon seeing the gun case in Dominic's hand, he laughed, "Are you planning to get revenge?"

He thought Dominic was thinking about the pigeon shooting bet he lost last time.

Dominic shook his head, placed the gun case in front of Shen Bili, and said, "Are you ready? Once you open this gun case, the sniper company will be under isolation for training!"

Shen Bili smirked, "I don't mind."

Shen Bili indeed didn't mind. He was alone in France, with no family, no kin, and not even friends. He was already in a state of isolation.

"Excellent!" Dominic opened the gun case, turned it around, and pushed it in front of Shen Bili.

Inside was a rifle that looked like a Lebel but with a shorter barrel and an object resembling a telescope, a monocular scope.

Shen Bili was initially uninterested. As long as it was a Lebel, it couldn't pique his interest.

However, Shen Bili soon noticed something different. He picked up the rifle and questioned Dominic, "Vertical magazine?"

"Yes." Dominic replied, "This is the Bedier Rifle, a cavalry version of the Lebel. The General thinks it is more suitable for the sniper company. What do you think?"

Shen Bili held the rifle and felt it, confidently nodding, "Of course, we need this rifle."

Shire knows us well, Shen Bili thought.

The short barrel might sacrifice some accuracy, but it was far better than having to deal with the changing balance after every shot. The latter not only lost precision but left the shooter at a loss.

The magazine could only hold three bullets, which might be limited for ordinary infantry, but snipers needed to shoot and then relocate. They could reload while changing positions, and didn't need a high capacity.

Moreover, short-barrel rifles had many advantages in trench warfare.

Dominic added, "This was specially made for the sniper company by the 'Saint-Etienne' Arsenal. We carefully selected 200 out of more than 3,000. The bullets are also selected. There will be more to come. You can use them with confidence."

"Thank you, Dominic." Shen Bili said with joy.

Dominic spread his hands, "Don't thank me. It was the General's intention."

Shen Bili laughed, appreciating having a general who understood snipers.

But he still had some doubts. Wasn't it excessive to put the sniper company in "isolation training"?

Then Shen Bili noticed the rail on the rifle and the monocular scope lying in the gun case. He immediately understood, took it, and mounted it on the rifle.

Shen Bili then exclaimed "Wow", unable to wait as he aimed the rifle and saw the target 200 meters away clearly through the scope.

Shen Bili looked at Dominic in shock, "This..."

"Of course." Dominic nodded. "It was also the General's idea."

Shen Bili was convinced. This was exactly what the sniper company needed to boost their combat power to a new level instantly.

But this was just the beginning.

Dominic said, "Remember the observer's rifle you mentioned? We're manufacturing it now and it should be available soon."

The modification plan given by Shire was nearly perfect, almost skipping long periods of experimentation and testing. Dominic estimated it could be equipped to the sniper company within two weeks.

Shen Bili nodded emotionally.

The sniper company was given so much importance, with almost all external needs being addressed by Shire. This allowed them to train and focus on deploying them on the battlefield assuredly.

What more could he ask for?

One serves wholeheartedly knowing they won't let down someone who recognizes their value.

...

At sunset, Rome appeared solemn and magnificent, with the air filled with a faint aroma of coffee and fresh bread. Every building on the street seemed to tell a story of a thousand years.

A luxuriously decorated carriage passed through the bustling market and stopped in front of the Rodway Hotel in the city center with a crisp sound of hooves.

A middle-aged man in a suit and hat quickly got off the carriage. He glanced quickly to both sides and hurried into the hotel, accompanied by several assistants, seemingly worried about being recognized.

This middle-aged man was General Winter, who should have been commanding operations in Gelibolu, but here he was in civilian clothes.

Italian Foreign Minister San Lino anxiously awaited in the conference room. He only breathed a sigh of relief when General Winter entered safely.

"Welcome, General!" San Lino enthusiastically shook hands with General Winter.

"Thank you very much, Excellency." General Winter said, "I believe these negotiations will satisfy both parties."

"I hope so!" San Lino nodded, stepping aside to invite General Winter to the opposite seat at the top table.

The talks were held secretly, involving the Foreign Ministry rather than military personnel because Italy didn't want its allies to know.

Only this way did Italy have room for maneuver.