Chapter 16: A Roundabout Solution

Since dawn, the camp of the 7th Parachute Division resembled a chicken coop invaded by wild dogs: chaos reigned supreme.

The first "wild dog" to arrive was the direct guard battalion of the Air Force Command. Though not all of them were deployed, several hundred fierce soldiers meticulously searched every building in the camp. Without hesitation, they confiscated the paratroopers' light and heavy weapons, replaced them with machine guns and guard dogs at the entrance! Moreover, these ferocious fellows swiftly seized all elevated positions, including the rooftops of the mess hall and latrines. Apart from the Model Paratrooper Regiment, all paratroopers were instructed to remain near their barracks and not wander aimlessly.

Following closely was the second "wild dog," comprised of over two hundred SS troops from the Fuhrer's Guard Regiment. They arrived in cars adorned with eagle emblems on their hoods, each soldier tall and handsome, their grandeur eclipsing even Hermann Göring's lackeys. They conducted a more thorough inspection of the entire camp, reportedly even scrutinizing the carpet beneath General Puchel's feet! They also took over strategic points like the armory, kitchen, and latrines from the Air Force.

With wild dogs prowling the camp, the paratroopers under General Puchel were both surprised and curious upon arrival. Rumors spread like wildfire: the Fuhrer was about to arrive for an inspection!

Throughout the morning, only the Model Paratrooper Regiment remained busy on the riverbank.

At 3 p.m., the mystery was finally revealed: a convoy adorned with silver eagle emblems and massive swastika logos entered in procession. Among them, an Austrian sergeant, who usually only existed in movies, photographs, and magazines, emerged from a car. He was still dressed in his tan sergeant's uniform, wearing a cap that almost covered his eyes and half his face. He gracefully waved to the paratroopers in the distance amidst the crowd, then briskly walked into General Puchel's command post.

Following closely behind him was the head of the German Air Force, Hermann Göring. The Air Marshal bore a serious expression, barely sparing a glance for his subordinates. It was said he had originally planned to stay in Paris to prepare for the next phase of massive air raids against Britain, but the paratroopers were under the jurisdiction of the Air Force Command, an occasion he couldn't afford to miss.

With the immense victory of the German Army on the Western Front, the reverence for the Fuhrer among military personnel had reached its peak. Only those officers and soldiers who had participated in the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael could maintain a sense of normalcy amidst the paratroopers. They had been received by the Fuhrer shortly before in the Netherlands, where the medals on their chests had been personally awarded by the Fuhrer himself!

——————Separator Line——————

"Dear Leader, considering that this inspection will adopt an unprecedented and innovative format, please allow me to provide commentary throughout!" Facing the Fuhrer once again, Logan was no longer as reserved as the last time. Moreover, with the joy of victory over France, the dictator seemed to be in an especially good mood today.

"Very well, young man, let's see what surprise you have in store for us!" he said amiably.

With that, Logan led the group to the pre-built grandstand — of course, the guards from the Air Force Command and the Fuhrer's retinue had meticulously inspected the area, ensuring that no important figures of the Empire would inadvertently board a 'makeshift plane'!

"My Fuhrer, may we begin?" without missing a beat.

Logan stood to the right of the Fuhrer, deliberately choosing this position because Hermann Göring was seated on that side. The stout Air Force Commander-in-Chief wore a serious expression as he gazed at the watermill, clearly displeased with the 'overstepping' of his subordinates. Perhaps he was already contemplating how to deal with these troublemakers after the event!

"Very well, let's proceed!" the Fuhrer nodded slightly.

Logan exchanged a glance with Stefenberg, the military officer, who raised the signal gun in his hand.

Bang!

A red signal flare soared into the sky.

"Now, suppose this location is the Isle of Wight, an important island, port, and defensive outpost in southern England. The building in our line of sight is the radar station they recently erected!"

Upon hearing the word "radar," the reactions of the Fuhrer and Göring differed noticeably, with the Air Force Commander's response seemingly more intense, as observed by Logan.

"Let's assume it's midnight, similar to the 'Potassium Chlorate Operation'!" Logan deliberately referenced the operation because it was widely regarded as a highly successful airborne operation by the senior officers.

The riverbank remained silent, except for Little Mustache and Göring, who seemed to grasp the implications of Logan's explanation. The other generals watched the watermill with bewilderment, although many of them had been informed that this was an "unprecedented" inspection!

A buzzing sound echoed from the sky a few minutes later, causing everyone to look up and see over twenty "Aunt Ju" planes flying slowly from east to west. Logan glanced at Göring, who still wore a stern expression. Perhaps he was relieved that he had timely reassigned these Ju-52s back to the 126th Special Bombing Squadron. Although his relationship with the Fuhrer was strong, he also knew that Little Mustache detested behind-the-scenes maneuvers, especially those that disobeyed his orders, often resulting in severe punishment!

"Now, our paratroopers will assault this radar station. To minimize the risk of being detected during the airborne assault, we will still employ glider landings!" Logan continued in his role as commentator.

The "Aunt Jus" flew directly overhead, but even as they receded into the distance, no white "dandelions" bloomed or gliders landed. Just as the generals were puzzled, another group of soldiers dressed in British uniforms appeared near the grandstand and proceeded along the temporary cleared path towards the watermill.

"Similar to the operation at Dunkirk, our soldiers will continue to masquerade as British troops to weaken the enemy's vigilance!"

At this moment, Little Mustache asked, "You didn't actually conduct a parachute drop, was it due to weather or equipment issues?" without skipping a beat.

Logan deliberately glanced at Göring beside him, "This was mainly because our Air Force Commander..." Göring's facial muscles twitched suddenly, his expression becoming unnatural. However, just as he turned to explain to Little Mustache, Logan seized the opportunity to interject, "Our Air Force Commander was concerned that the glider landings might disturb the Fuhrer during the process, especially since this landing area is a bit small. Fortunately, such concerns would not exist on the Isle of Wight, which is nearly 400 square kilometers in size and has many flat lawns!"

"Oh? Is that so? I do enjoy watching paratroopers jump, and gliders are quite nice too!" Little Mustache said, his expression resembling that of a child enamored with toys.

When Logan looked at Göring again, their eyes met squarely. From the confident gaze of the arrogant Air Force Commander, Logan saw what he wanted. In this silent battle, he had silently seized the initiative!

The subsequent content of this special inspection was quite simple: paratroopers disguised as British officers successfully raided the enemy's radar station and evacuated a large crate from inside. The dilapidated cargo ship promptly docked to receive them.

"In a dozen hours, submarines will arrive in Cherbourg via submerged navigation. Our engineers conducted detailed research after obtaining the British radar and swiftly developed equipment capable of jamming and suppressing British radar. With the loss of radar warning capability, the British Royal Air Force quickly fell to our mighty German Air Force! Long live Germany! Long live the Fuhrer!" Logan shouted with mock enthusiasm.

The German generals sitting on the grandstand all looked bewildered, except for Little Mustache and his most trusted Air Force Commander and Prussian Prime Minister cum Minister of the Interior, Hermann Göring, who were lost in thought.

After the performance of over a thousand German soldiers in an irregular formation ended, the generals all seemed to lament the extreme boredom of this inspection. Logan paid no attention to this, especially when he vaguely heard Little Mustache saying to Göring, "This young man has ideas... worth trying..." He knew that once again, he firmly held his destiny in his hands!