Chapter 1: Battle Rewards

Tick... tick... tick...

Fingers adorned with rings, much like a parvenu, tapped lightly on the large oak table, next to which lay a sapphire-blue scepter adorned with gemstones and a golden eagle.

"Disobeying orders on the battlefield is a grave offense, Lieutenant. You should know that," remarked the Marshal.

"Yes, Marshal! But I truly didn't see the signal from the tug!" replied the Air Force lieutenant, his head wrapped in bandages, his tone neither humble nor arrogant. Initially, he might have felt nervous in such a situation, but the supremely arrogant attitude of the other party clearly irritated him: he had fought bravely on the front lines, escaping death several times. While he might not have performed deeds of the highest order, he had certainly achieved remarkable feats. Yet, upon his return, he faced such cold interrogation. What kind of world was this?

"Is that so? But the pilot sent the signal before your detachment was unhooked. Even if you didn't see it, did your driver not see it?" The "parvenu" asked, imperiously.

"Yes!" replied the lieutenant firmly.

In such situations, one must stand their ground.

"Marshal, I believe Lieutenant Logan would never make such a mistake! Perhaps there was interference from the starlight at the time..." interjected Kurt Stüdent, the "head" of the German paratrooper unit, his head also wrapped in thick bandages, his tone remarkably consistent with that of his subordinates: neither groveling nor arrogant.

The man behind the table rested his feet, as fat as pig hooves, on the chair, taking a cigar from an exquisite cigar box, perhaps larger than his ego. "Hmph! General, starlight is vastly different from our aircraft signals. Do your men lack such basic knowledge?" he sneered.

The "parvenu" was speechless, and Logan silently watched as the fat man puffed away.

"Lieutenant Logan, if it weren't for your excellent feats, I would have thrown you into solitary confinement long ago! Be mindful of your actions! And you, General, keep your subordinates in check. If they wish to lead such lax lives, they're free to leave my air force for other units!"

"Of course!" Stüdent said, his face turning red.

As the two left, the man behind the table added, "Oh, and Lieutenant Logan, the Fuhrer wants to see you this afternoon. Behave well and don't disgrace the air force!"

"Of course, esteemed Air Marshal!" the paratrooper lieutenant retorted, lacking any warmth.

Leaving the mansion, Logan grumbled, "I never expected him to be like this, so arrogant, unreasonable, and rude. No wonder he has such a bad reputation!"

"Lieutenant, when you speak of a German officer, especially an Air Marshal, please mind your status and language!"

Stüdent's tone lacked rebuke; it was evident that he upheld the noble tradition of Prussian officers in character, despite not hailing from noble lineage like Witzleben or Lüthje.

Logan silently boarded the car. After it started moving, the paratrooper general said calmly, "Hans, don't be disheartened. He isn't specifically targeting you! In fact... I persuaded the Fuhrer to change his previous decision, which was seen as questioning the air force's capabilities. That irked him, and he's still resentful about it!"

"I see, General. I apologize for inconveniencing you..." Logan, with his thick skin, wasn't "disheartened" by such treatment. As a person from the future, he knew Hermann Göring was originally a foolish, arrogant, and greedy man. But he didn't expect such an attitude towards his subordinates, especially one with illustrious achievements like his—it was clearly envy and jealousy!

"Don't be foolish! Even if forced to resign, as long as it benefits Germany, I'll do it without hesitation!" Stüdent said, lofty in his righteousness. Of course, in war, there's rarely absolute right or wrong.

"You're a model soldier!" It was the best praise Logan, not very articulate, could muster. He then asked, "Why was the operation halted?"

"Some felt that with Belgium's surrender, the Allied front would collapse. Since victory seemed assured, there was no need to risk the lives of 20 paratroopers! Supposedly, even the Fuhrer agreed at the time. So..." Stüdent shook his head in disappointment, "Perhaps I was too rash, pushing you all into such a dangerous situation!"

This didn't surprise Logan too much. "That's why the bombing that night was delayed for so long. Luckily! By the way, General, was the air force's participation in it due to your insistence?"

Stüdent glanced at Logan, "That was the only thing I could do at the time!"

"Thank you, General!" Logan said earnestly.

Not everyone, it turned out, was as narrow-minded and short-sighted as the Imperial Air Force Commander. In the afternoon, at the temporary headquarters of the Supreme Command in the outskirts of Sétain, Logan enjoyed the treatment befitting a hero: not only was he received by the Fuhrer himself, but he also received the "Knight's Iron Cross" artifact, which boosted his charm by 20, and his personal rank was gloriously upgraded—becoming an "Imperial Air Force Captain," doubling his monthly salary and increasing his maximum troop count!

"I've heard Kurt speak highly of you. He said you're... hmm, a young officer with great strategic acumen, who proposed the concept of universal paratroopers. We found that very impressive!" said the Fuhrer, shaking Logan's hand, seeming polite.

Facing the super-boss, Logan found him less impressive than he imagined, but he spoke respectfully, "Of course, under the leadership of the Fuhrer, the elite paratroopers of the air force can not only be a versatile force on the battlefield but also strike fear into all our enemies!"

"Haha, such a vibrant and confident young man! Well, youth is truly a blessing!" Turning to the generals beside him, he said, "These young people are so full of vitality and confidence! Hmm, indeed interesting!"

Whether paratroopers were a versatile force wasn't something a young air force captain could determine. In any country, the relationships between military branches were more complex than politicians' pockets!

"Oh, by the way, Kurt! You mentioned something to me yesterday... an 'Exemplary Paratrooper Regiment'?" the Fuhrer asked "Big Zongzi."

"Yes, my Fuhrer, the Exemplary Paratrooper Regiment!" Stüdent said, "In my vision, this should be a new type of force superior to ordinary paratroopers, with better equipment, stronger combat capabilities, and broader applicability. It would ideally be equipped with heavy weapons and have specialized transport tools. At the Fuhrer's command, they could appear in any corner of the battlefield within hours, even in remote towns thousands of kilometers away!"

"Oh! Very interesting! Indeed very interesting!" the Fuhrer nodded. "Since Captain Logan displayed excellent command ability in our 'Potassium Chlorate Operation,' even Joseph (Dietrich) has highly recommended him! So, Captain, I hereby appoint you as the commander of this model paratrooper battalion. This unit... will still be under the jurisdiction of the Air Force, belonging to the 7th Paratrooper Division! Kurt, you can report directly to Alfred (Jodl) for the manpower and equipment needed!"

Before Logan could fully react, Studebaker eagerly accepted the task, "Very well, my Fuhrer! You will soon see an unprecedented paratrooper unit!"

Perplexed, Logan listened intently, wondering what this model paratrooper battalion was all about. What was so interesting? What had he become? A guinea pig for German high-ranking officials?

After hearing "Big Zongzi's" explanation, Logan's confusion quickly turned into excitement. The so-called "model paratrooper battalion" could be considered an experimental unit for versatile paratroopers, or an enhanced version of ordinary paratroopers. In Studebaker's vision, this would be an elite force with capabilities for special operations, deep strikes, and ground combat, with a planned size of 1400 personnel (a regular German infantry company typically consisted of three platoons with 860 personnel at full strength, while a paratrooper company had 5 to 6 platoons with over 1000 personnel). In addition to the basic equipment of current paratroopers, there would be tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery, but the most critical aspect would be the "specialized transport tools," including dedicated transport planes and glider units. Studebaker expressed his readiness to confront Hermann Goring to ensure this.