Chapter 1: Idle Hands

"Good morning, Major!"

"Good morning!"

"Morning, Major Logan!"

"Good morning! Commander!"

"Morning, Hans!"

"Hey, Kate, good morning! Did you sleep well last night?" No missing words.

"Yeah, pretty well! Wish you a pleasant day!"

"Wishing you a pleasant day too!"

After exchanging greetings with familiar or unfamiliar officers coming his way, Logan, dressed smartly in his military uniform, carried a black briefcase and briskly walked through the marble corridor of the German Air Force headquarters on the first floor. He took the elevator and headed straight to his office on the 5th floor.

Turning the corner, he was greeted by a smile from the blonde lady sitting behind the desk, "Good morning, Major! You look quite cheerful today!"

Logan, without intending to peek at the spring beneath the light gray suit collar (Germans dressed decently but not conservatively during this period), smiled and replied, "Thank you, Sarah. You look lovely today too!"

Though not the first time hearing such praise, the female secretary was pleasantly surprised, "Really? Thank you! Wish you a pleasant day!"

"Wishing you a pleasant day too!"

The second door to the left from this secretary's desk had a sign that read "Logistics Department - Facility Construction - Hans Logan." Unless there were external assignments, Logan was basically in this office on weekdays.

The transformation from a model airborne regiment commander to a "senior white-collar" in the Air Force began two weeks after the end of "Operation Dagger." At that time, the big boss of the German Air Force, known for his obesity and greed, Hermann Göring, intended to charge Logan with violating operational orders and slandering senior officers. But unexpectedly, Göring was highly satisfied with the process and results of this operation, believing it fully demonstrated the superiority of German soldiers and greatly appreciated Logan and his subordinates' performance. Since the Fuhrer had no intention of pursuing it further, the investigation into the telegram ending with "Long live the Imperial Air Force" ended without any consequences—supposedly because the Air Force failed to provide timely cover, Göring was scolded by the Fuhrer in his office, but he also did not face any punishment.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Logan was promoted for the second time within a month and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (which began to be awarded only from June 3, 1940). Unexpectedly, Göring himself provided strong support for this promotion, openly praising Logan and announcing his transfer to the Air Force headquarters, claiming to "entrust him with heavy responsibilities." Initially, Logan hoped to stay at the Air Force headquarters for two days, but he was immediately assigned to his current position.

Logistics was one thing, but facility construction? Assigning such a position to a field commander was equivalent to sitting on a cold bench.

Without StuGent's protection, little bearded Fuhrer was perplexed— even if he knew, he could not argue with his long-time dead party for a mere Air Force Major. As a result, Logan quietly settled in the Imperial capital, far from the front lines, but rather than saying it was an appointment, "hiding one's light under a bushel" would be more appropriate!

After the two previous actions, Logan deeply felt how terrifying it was to lack military qualities as a commander. Utilizing the leisurely job tailored for him by "Fat Hermann," he began to read various military books eagerly, from Clausewitz's "On War" and Douhet's "The Command of the Air" to the Air Force's internal combat manuals, regulations, and various weapon operation manuals. It was like a feast of words that he once found tasteless had become delicious after being influenced by the battlefield. Sometimes, he would immerse himself in reading for a whole day and find that only duty officers and guards were left in the entire building when he went out.

Perhaps it was Logan's "lack of ambition" that made the superiors feel bored. Initially, Göring, who deliberately found fault with him twice, seemed to have completely forgotten about this extremely "restless" subordinate during this period. Of course, the superiors had more important things to worry about, such as the stubborn British.

Just after July, with the British government once again clearly refusing Germany's peace proposal, the infuriated Fuhrer issued Operation "Sealion." The German Air Force was the first to receive orders to attack. Arrogant Hermann Göring guaranteed that his air fleet would flatten the British airports, ports, and key facilities within two months, paving the way for the next landing operation—privately, he even believed that the British would be frightened by the formidable combat power of the German Air Force and compromise before the German army's tanks landed!

Soon, the German Air Force began probing attacks. Initially, the target was the British fleet sailing in the English Channel, but the Royal Air Force's squadrons always appeared in time to intercept German bombers. After a week, the Germans not only failed to achieve any substantial results but also lost dozens of combat aircraft.

The replay of history to a certain extent did not surprise Logan, who was quietly observing. With the authority of the Air Force Logistics Department, he was able to access some information that outsiders couldn't, to increase his knowledge in weaponry. As for the "secret weapon" that the British were proud of brought back by "Operation Dagger," although partially damaged in the final artillery battle, it did not stump the technical experts of the German Air Force. In just half a month, they successfully deciphered the key technology of this equipment, and the replication work of some unique components was already underway. But what had the most significant impact on the battlefield was the electronic jamming equipment they developed.

One day while eating chocolate and nearly biting his finger, Logan suddenly remembered the method of using metal foil strips to interfere with radar, so he tactfully asked the German experts about it. Currently, no one had thought of this method—out of contempt for Hermann Göring, Logan temporarily chose not to reveal this effective interference method, deciding to save it for a critical moment: after all, it wouldn't be difficult to gather a sufficient quantity of metal interference strips, considering that chocolate factories produce tens of thousands of foil sheets every day.

Returning to the story, on July 19, 1940, in Berlin, the city was shrouded in thick clouds. Although the dark clouds obscured the scorching sunlight, it felt like a thick blanket covering the earth, making it uncomfortably hot. Fortunately, the central air conditioning in the Air Force headquarters (invented in 1902 and practicalized in the 1920s) was quite efficient. Upon entering the room, Logan closed the door tightly and brewed himself a cup of fragrant tea—unlike modern appliances like air conditioners, it was difficult to obtain good tea from the East.

Just as he opened his book, the phone on his desk rang.

Logan picked up the receiver—it was Sarah, the secretary from before. A young woman of twenty, she was undeniably the most attention-catching female on the floor, rumored to have an uncle who was a general in the military.

"Major, General Milch requests your presence in his office," Sarah said sweetly.

"Oh? Is that so? Alright, I'll head there now!" Logan hung up the phone, feeling puzzled. This Air Force General, who held titles like Deputy Commander and Director of the Air Force, was usually quite busy. So why did he suddenly think of someone like Logan, who was somewhat out of favor? It was said that this guy had done a lot for Göring in the past, but later fell out of favor due to being too assertive. While the front lines were ablaze with action, the Air Force's second-in-command could only quietly manage affairs from the rear...