Chapter 17 Crossing the Strait

Another night with clouds filling the sky, the "Auntie Ratas" seemed quite fond of "flying kites" in this weather. They would occasionally dive into thick clouds, only to reappear in the open sky above the gently blowing wind, dragging the long steel cables attached to the dragonfly-shaped DFS-230 light assault gliders, flying north at a relatively slow speed.

Seated at the co-pilot position in one of the gliders, Logan silently gazed at the dark horizon, feeling a myriad of emotions but having no one to confide in. Exactly 30 days ago, he had participated in his first combat since being transported back to World War II aboard this type of glider. And now, on June 26th (if one counts May 31st), he embarked on another journey.

Coincidence, yet not entirely so; fate, yet not entirely predestined. These two forays into combat had no traceable history. As an accidental time traveler, Logan had made changes within his capabilities from his standpoint.

The extent to which the butterfly effect could stir up a storm remained unpredictable!

Fortunately, the main course of history was undergoing a shift. If this mission succeeded, the shadow of Germany's two-front war might be lifted.

Unfortunately, the threat to the Empire's demise was not eliminated. With megalomaniacs like Hermann Göring and neurotics like Adolf Hitler, even if Britain were defeated and the Soviet Union swept aside, could they truly establish a thousand-year empire?

Throughout historical occasions, the primary cause of the fall of a vast empire often lay within its own borders!

"Captain, what are you thinking about?"

A somewhat gentle voice pulled Logan back from his contemplations.

It was Mentz Borges, the field reporter dispatched by the Imperial Propaganda Department. It was his series of reports that had garnered attention across Germany for Logan, an obscure parachute officer, overshadowing even some distinguished generals. Logan had initially felt grateful for this quirky fellow, but little did he expect that Borges not only learned about the top-secret operation but also unexpectedly obtained approval from the High Command, becoming the only non-combatant among the 50 assault team members!

"Nothing much, just reminiscing about the past! Nervous?"

Logan's words carried a hint of irony. Initially irritated to learn that this virtually non-combatant was occupying a precious spot among the operation's personnel, he had been furious and had tried every means to shake off this burden. Unfortunately, there was no way around it; Borges had influential connections, even Field Marshal Erwin Rommel had repeatedly instructed to ensure the safety of this esteemed journalist.

"No, I'm not nervous at all. On the contrary, I'm looking forward to this operation, especially being with a great hero like you!" The bespectacled man beamed with innocent pride.

"Here we go again! I've told you not to call me a hero. I'm just a very ordinary commander! Moreover, this operation is quite dangerous; who knows..." At this point, Logan suddenly remembered his position. He looked back at the soldiers in the cabin, the atmosphere as somber and serious as the last time.

Borges adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses with his hand. "Ever since the Battle of Monk's Hill, I feel there's no difficulty that can frighten me. I think I was born for big scenes!"

His words seemed light, but Logan fell into silence: then what was he born for?

Women? Looking back on his 23 years of life before the time travel, his years of dating didn't exceed 8, and his years of intimacy were close to 6, with the number of women he held hands with still in the single digits.

Wealth? Initially, he owed over a thousand euros in credit card debt, and his entire net worth didn't exceed 3,000 euros. As for the savings at home, they were the wealth accumulated by the older generation. Logan always believed that only what he created with his own hands was truly his achievement.

Fame? With only his passion for parachuting and a few bar brawls, his local fame didn't even reach double digits!

"Why don't we parachute near London and take out the British government leader in one go, throwing the whole of England into chaos?" Borges' question was as fearless as his character, and Logan decisively shook his head:

"The chance of success for such an operation is probably less than one percent, and even if it succeeds, those who go will have a one-way ticket!"

The sensitive words "one-way ticket" immediately caught the attention of several paratroopers sitting in the front of the cabin. After all, carrying out covert operations in enemy territory was already high-risk; no one was willing to leave their prime years on foreign soil!

Both of them realized this subtle change and didn't continue the conversation.

After a while, when the leading tug aircraft emitted light signals, the pilot said, "It's time to release the cables!"

Since Tobias and Grot were still recuperating in the hospital, this time, sitting next to Logan was Locke Press, an old bird who participated in the airborne assault on the Elb Fortress—he had once piloted the same type of glider and accurately landed on top of the Dutchman's fortress, earning him a first-class Iron Cross medal.

With the lessons learned, Logan promptly ordered, "Release the cables!"

Based on reconnaissance by the German Air Force, the British had indeed erected a building with strange antennas on the Isle of Wight. However, due to recent British blockade of southern ports, German spies lurking in Britain couldn't verify the accuracy of this speculation in a short time. Disappointed by this response, Logan struggled to conceal his disappointment. The secret police of the Empire were rampant in the war zone, showing no mercy to any civilians with grievances, and their stationed foreign intelligence officers were said to number in the thousands. Despite significant annual funding, they rarely provided valuable intelligence. (It was said that U-47's successful infiltration of Scapa Flow and sinking of HMS Royal Oak was thanks to a German spy who had been lurking there for years!)

Although intelligence couldn't be confirmed, after careful examination of the aerial photographs with the Air Force staff, Logan believed that the British had every reason to establish an advanced radar station on the Isle of Wight. Around that strange building, they had constructed a circular defensive position and deployed some anti-aircraft guns. Looking down from the air, it was like a magnified version of "Logan's Watermill"!

The so-called "Logan's Watermill" had already become a joke in the German military—the commanding officer of the model airborne regiment, Captain Hans Logan, had staged a farce on the riverbank using a watermill and some British uniforms. The key was that the audience for this performance was none other than the Imperial Chancellor, the Air Force Commander, and senior officers of the High Command! No one thought this farce had any excitement. On the contrary, they thought Captain Logan was the boldest and most foolish comedian of the year, even surpassing the Waffen-SS soldiers who shot and wounded General Studnitz in Rotterdam!

Just before departure, Logan was fortunate to hear these evaluations. He dismissed them contemptuously: the fact that the Führer endorsed this "Operation Stiletto" was the greatest recognition. When the results of the operation came out, let's see who dared to mock him!