Chapter 7: Perilous Narrows

Lynn was filled with doubts and curiosity, but facing the peculiar Colonel Siegenke, he could only extract information from him bit by bit, as if peeling bark off a tree with bare hands.

"There are some questions I've been unable to understand, Colonel! Perhaps with your intelligence, you could comprehend them better than we can... Why did we leave Berlin until the last moment?"

"Heh, you don't understand?" Siegenke smirked cunningly, then rose and climbed back to the torpedo rack, lying comfortably on his back. "Politics, my friend, that's politics. Only the big shots can manipulate it. You, me, all of us... we're just pawns on the chessboard. Whether we understand or not, it won't change our fate!"

Politics?

For Lynn, this simple yet profound word had always been something to be avoided. In his previous life, he was just an ordinary citizen, yearning for a peaceful and prosperous life. His interest in military matters was limited to history itself, without delving into the commentary on real-world military and political decisions. Listening to Siegenke's frustrated musings, he attempted to piece together various pieces of information and speculated from a different perspective. He came to a conjecture that until Berlin was encircled, many generals continued to visit the Supreme Command headquarters for consultations. If the Führer left too early, even with a lookalike body double, it could easily be exposed by subordinates. Once the news leaked out and the Allies focused their efforts on pursuing him, the "refuge" might not be as safe as intended. Furthermore, given the Führer's stubborn nature, even his most trusted generals would find it difficult to persuade him to change minor operational decisions. If Manstein, Guderian, and others couldn't do it, how could a minor figure like Lorenz Bach? Perhaps... the initiation of the "Aryan Ark" plan wasn't ordered by the Führer himself, but rather by Bach or other senior officers who took the initiative to evacuate the Führer from Berlin?

Possible, quite possible! Lynn speculated boldly, realizing that only in this way could the cause and effect be explained, even according to the historical knowledge he possessed.

"Hey, Dane, we're almost at the Strait of Dover! If you really don't want to continue with us, I can have the captain provide you with a small rubber raft to return to Denmark alone. How about it?"

At first, Lynn thought Siegenke was being considerate, but upon closer thought, he realized that Siegenke likely believed he knew too many secrets. If Lynn agreed and left the submarine, Siegenke would probably dispose of him by sabotaging the radio equipment on the dock, without arousing strong opposition from his subordinates. What a ruthless guy!

"Thank you for your concern!" Lynn replied firmly, "Since the moment I decided to join the SS, I have completely abandoned my Danish nationality and devoted myself wholeheartedly to the great war of the Germanic people. In war, I have had the privilege to meet many respected officers, colleagues, and soldiers, and I have sworn to fight alongside them to the end, with no thought of retreat!"

Upon hearing this, Siegenke showed no overt reaction, merely glanced at Lynn without interest, and continued staring at the cabin ceiling. After a while, Captain Motrich returned from the forward compartment, bringing news that abruptly tensed the atmosphere: "We are about to sail out of the Strait of Dover into the Skagerrak Strait. The Allied destroyers and seaplanes have deployed a tight cordon outside. This stretch of the journey will be extremely dangerous!"

"Captain!" Lynn leaned against the bulkhead, expressing his genuine respect and admiration for this "lucky star" even in his condition of serious injury, and asked nearby, "It's already completely dark outside, isn't it?"

"Yes!" Motrich turned around, showing approval and appreciation for Lynn's standing up.

Compared to Colonel Siegenke, this SS captain was much more mature in all aspects, but there was still a noticeable age and seniority gap between him and the Colonel. Lynn's inclination between these two officers was evident. To shake Siegenke up and reassure the soldiers, Lynn analyzed the WWII data he had mastered:

"If we sail in a surface-floating state, we can pass through the Skagerrak Strait in eight or nine hours. Considering the night patrols of Allied warships and aircraft, we will spend a considerable amount of time in the snorkeling navigation mode, reducing speed by about half. But as long as we can pass through the Skagerrak Strait smoothly tonight, there shouldn't be much to worry about in the subsequent journey. After all, we've constructed a solid defensive line with mines in the waters off the west coast of Norway!"

Upon hearing this analysis, Motrich exclaimed in surprise and admiration, "Oh! Lynn, I didn't realize you were so knowledgeable about naval affairs! That's impressive!"

Taking advantage of the moment, Lynn glanced at Siegenke, who looked uncomfortable lying on the torpedo rack, and provocatively said, "Just a little understanding and knowing some things others don't, nothing more!"

"Hmph, Dane, don't speak too soon!" Siegenke sat up again and, in a boastful manner, "leaked" information to Lynn, "Do you think these few submarines are the entirety of the plan? What a joke! You should know that we've been brewing and planning since two years ago. At that time, were you still working as a laborer in Denmark?"

"Not a laborer, a student!" Although Lynn was referring to this trivial matter, he was amazed internally: It turned out that the rumors about the outcome of WWII weren't baseless. If everything went as expected, the large number of submarines missing under the name "Rainbow" didn't truly sink themselves. Moreover, a considerable portion of those who fled to Switzerland, Spain, and South American countries through other channels were arranged by the "Aryan Ark" plan. It seemed that this wasn't just about "escape" or "seclusion," but rather about preserving the "fire" with the intent to rise again in the future. As for the fact that history didn't witness the resurrection of the empire, Lynn felt it was highly likely that a major change occurred in one part of the plan, leading to the disintegration of the remaining groups, each retreating with their wealth. Could it be... that the new and cutting-edge submarine carrying the Führer and Bach sank unexpectedly midway?

The submarine maintained absolute silence during its secret voyage, making it impossible for Lynn to glean any information even if he spent 24 hours in the command cabin. He could only continue to endure in this state of speculation and curiosity. Soon, the submarine's alarm sounded urgently, distinct from the emergency dive alert, indicating an impending enemy attack. Two crew members hurried to the torpedo compartment at the stern, standing solemnly beside the torpedo launch tubes, which likely contained a ready-to-launch torpedo. Shortly after, the engine noise on the submarine increased dramatically, and the continuous mechanical noise easily induced dizziness. When Motrich inquired with the crew, it turned out that this was the "normal condition" of the submarine entering snorkeling mode — unlike later modern submarines, this early war-era combat submarine had added snorkeling devices in subsequent modifications, resulting in less than ideal adaptation and stability. Occasionally occurring snorkel failures could even cause the diesel engines to suck air from inside the boat, which was even more terrifying than simply generating noise.

Enduring the unbearable noise, Lynn gradually felt a splitting headache and his thoughts became chaotic. Yet the officers and crew on the submarine not only had to maintain their posts but also remain alert at all times, which gave him a new appreciation for "iron will." About two hours later, the deafening noise suddenly ceased, and the submarine's trembling rapidly subsided. However, judging by the distance, Lynn knew this was not the end of their ordeal. Sure enough, drum-like thuds faintly echoed, growing stronger with each passing moment. Everyone knew these were enemy depth charges, and in their era, submarines facing depth charge attacks had no choice but to evade. Some prayed fervently while others closed their eyes, resigned to fate. Lynn felt as if he had returned to the early days of his time travel, experiencing the intense artillery bombardment of Soviet trenches. However, compared to then, at least now he had a loyal group of followers and a mysterious future to look forward to.