Chapter 10: The Secret Cavern

From "preparing to dock" to "the submarine docking," Lin En couldn't observe the external environment. He could only speculate based on various commands coming from the conning tower. Frequent turns while cruising slowly on the surface indicated that the submarine was navigating a winding fjord, a journey that lasted nearly two hours, suggesting the fjord was over 10 kilometers long. Following this, the captain ordered the submarine to dive to a depth of 8 meters. Even as the submarine was almost fully submerged, the captain and his first officer remained outside in the conning tower. Lin En imagined the scene: the submarine with only the top of the conning tower visible, the periscope nearly scraping the top of the passage, and the propellers churning up white water in the perfectly sized channel. Thus, a German submarine, seen as a sea demon by the Allies, quietly entered a secret cavern, leaving only the word "missing" in records.

After proceeding in this semi-submerged state for a few minutes, the helmsman, Lambert, received three consecutive course adjustment orders. Then, the captain's firm and steady voice came through the speaking tube: "One-third speed astern, crew prepare to dock!"

Finally, they had arrived. Like a long-distance bus nearing its garage, Lin En felt a surge of excitement and curiosity, eager to rush to the deck. However, only the naval crew, along with Ziegenkurt and Motechig, could ascend first. After the submarine's engines were shut down, the SS troops assigned for rotational duties were ordered to return to their quarters and await further instructions.

Back in the aft torpedo compartment, Lin En's six subordinates were all present, their gear packed and expressions relaxed. To accommodate Lin En's injury, Noah helped him carry his full equipment. But the wait was not over yet. After a full quarter of an hour, Captain Motechig walked to the aft compartment from the forward section, announcing to the troops in each compartment that they had reached the haven. He declared loudly and solemnly, "From now on, everything you see and hear must be regarded as an absolute secret of the Third Reich. You must protect this information with your life."

Curiosity and excitement grew among the men, yet Motechig left without giving the order to disembark. After another ten minutes, the order to disembark was finally passed to the aft torpedo compartment. Despite his physical weakness, Lin En stood tall and led his men, moving from the aft to near the conning tower, then climbed out through the vertical passageway... into the dazzling light of dozens of high-powered incandescent lamps, illuminating the space outside the submarine as if it were daylight. Once his eyes adjusted to the light, Lin En eagerly took in his surroundings. The smooth, stone-walled space was even larger than he had imagined, with a vaulted ceiling over 20 meters high, making it feel like a temple hall, emphasizing their insignificance. Even the nearly 100-meter-long submarine seemed like a small detail in this vast cavern.

In this astounding cavern, more than half the space was occupied by dark, seemingly bottomless water. The surrounding docks, equipped with cranes, gantry cranes, and intersecting tracks, lacked the fortified and heavily armed appearance of Koenigsberg and Stettin, with only a few guards patrolling the area. The innermost dock housed an array of built-in dry docks and lifting equipment, where uniformed engineers were busy working, the welding lights adding a sci-fi touch to the scene.

Looking back, the entry channel was indeed as low and hidden as Lin En had guessed, capable of being submerged by just a few more meters of water. Without special control equipment, it could only accommodate submarines and small boats. Yet, the cavern already housed over ten submarines, occupying just a corner of the water area. To fill the entire space, it would take three to four hundred submarines.

Walking along the deck, Lin En saw crystal-clear icicles still hanging from the railings, with ice on the machine guns and deck guns. The cavern, though not warm, was at least free from the howling wind. The submarine felt like a traveler entering shelter from a snowstorm, still carrying the deep chill. Captain Weister, having removed his waterproof coat, stood silently by the conning tower, smoking a dark pipe, watching the crew disembark. As a submarine commander, he had fulfilled his duty. But as a soldier, with the war nearing its end, his fate differed from most German soldiers preparing to lay down their arms. His future, and that of his submarine, remained uncertain.

As Lin En passed by, he saluted Captain Weister. Despite the pale face caused by prolonged exposure to the cold, the commander nodded slightly in response.

Ziegenkurt stood in front of a freight train with an engine and three flat cars. The cars were ordinary, but the engine was smaller than a typical coal-fired locomotive and lacked a large smokestack, likely using a more efficient internal combustion engine. Beside Ziegenkurt stood a shorter officer with triangular eyes, dressed in a pristine dark gray winter coat of the Wehrmacht, adorned with a silver oak leaf cross medal at the collar, his posture upright as he scanned the disembarking soldiers. Meanwhile, Captain Motechig instructed the soldiers to load their weapons and gear onto the last car, then line up according to their units.

As Lin En crossed the plank, the SS captain raised an eyebrow and said, "Combat equipment, ammunition, bayonets, and unrelated items must all be placed in the car. Only carry essential personal items."

It didn't take long for the soldiers to load their gear into the car. Lin En's small unit lined up quickly, and he stepped back to the left end to review his men.

Once all SS troops and naval crew from the submarine had assembled on the dock, Motechig and Captain Weister stepped forward to report: "Aryan Ark Project, second contingent, fourth squad personnel have arrived. SS combat personnel, 32; one died from severe injuries en route, the remaining 31 are present. U-396 crew, 26, all present."

The reverberation of their voices added to the solemn atmosphere. The Wehrmacht officer beside Ziegenkurt stepped forward, scanning the assembled troops with sharp eyes. "Loyal soldiers of the Reich, I salute you on behalf of our great Führer! The arduous journey has ended in victory. From today, a new chapter in your lives begins!"

Lin En expected further important announcements, but the officer simply gave a formal salute and then turned to Ziegenkurt, Motechig, and Weister, saying, "Board the train."

Following orders from the two captains, the SS soldiers boarded the first car, the submarine crew the second. The Wehrmacht officer and Ziegenkurt boarded the engine, standing on the external walkway, occasionally looking back. Without a loud whistle, the engine hummed to life, slowly pulling the cars forward. Initially, it moved barely faster than walking, but Lin En and his men would soon realize how convenient and labor-saving this small train was.

After rounding a turn in the middle of the dock, the train slowed down, stopping completely before a steel gate, ten meters wide and four or five meters high. Guarded by Wehrmacht soldiers armed with MP44 assault rifles and MG42 machine guns on tripods, the concentrated firepower could instantly shred any unauthorized intruder.