Chapter 40: The Girl Who Defied Fate (Part 1)

"This is a secret passage that only Bismarck, Friedrich, and I know about, Commander, so make sure to stay close to me," 

Eugen said with a playful wink before leading the way into the dark tunnel.

"Don't rush; it's too dark. Let's take it slow," Lin Lan said, holding Eugen's hand as they entered the pitch-black passage.

The narrow path descended through a series of cold, steep steps. In the long darkness, the only sound was their footsteps. 

Lin Lan felt like all his other senses had been shut off, leaving him with only the reassuring grip of Eugen's hand to trust.

After what felt like an endless descent, fatigue began to set in. 

The surrounding darkness was unsettling, and he couldn't help but feel anxious. Sensing his unease, Eugen's voice echoed from ahead in the darkness.

"Commander, don't be afraid. We're almost there."

The warmth from her hand, combined with her comforting words, helped to ease Lin Lan's anxiety.

After what seemed like either five or ten minutes, Lin Lan finally saw a dim, blue light ahead.

They had reached the exit.

"Commander, we're here. Get ready, and don't blink~," Eugen said playfully.

Lin Lan chuckled, thinking it was just the seaside. Nothing he hadn't seen before. But as they stepped out of the tunnel, the breathtaking view made him gasp.

A vast expanse of stars filled the sky, twinkling like countless pearls scattered across the deep blue canvas of the night. 

The tranquil ocean, with its gentle waves, seemed to merge with the starry sky in the distance, like a masterpiece painted by a top-tier artist.

"This is... beautiful..." Lin Lan whispered in awe as he gazed at the seamless blend of sea and sky, feeling the refreshing sea breeze against his face.

The stark contrast between the dark tunnel and the starry sky left him stunned, making him realize just how beautiful the ocean and stars could be.

Looking back, he noticed they were now on the outer edge of the Iron Blood Fortress, standing on the seawall. 

The waves crashed against the tall, black and red seawall of the Iron Blood, creating a soft, rhythmic sound.

"Commander, what do you think? Isn't it beautiful?" Eugen's voice pulled Lin Lan out of his daze.

"Honestly, I never imagined the sky and ocean could be this stunning," he replied, gazing at the night view from the seawall.

Eugen chuckled softly and continued holding his hand as they strolled leisurely along the seawall.

"We've been together for so long, and this is the first time we've gone for a walk by the sea," she said, her silver hair flowing in the sea breeze, a blush spreading across her cheeks. 

Under the starlight, her alluring profile left Lin Lan momentarily speechless.

"Um, actually, I..." Lin Lan began, trying to find an excuse for why he hadn't done this sooner, but Eugen gently placed a finger on his lips, signaling him not to speak.

"My dear, you don't need to lie or make excuses. I don't want to hear lies, and I won't dig for the truth," she said softly. 

"You're back, and that's all that matters."

They stopped walking, and Lin Lan noticed two pearly tears silently rolling down Eugen's cheeks.

"Eugen, you..." he said, feeling a pang of guilt as he reached out to wipe away her tears. But the silver-haired girl gently leaned into his embrace instead.

Eugen's figure, in stark contrast to her older sister, was that of a perfect, elegant woman. 

Lin Lan held her close, saying nothing more. He understood that this embrace was the greatest comfort he could offer her.

Under the blanket of stars, time seemed to stand still.

After a long silence, Eugen's voice softly broke the stillness.

"Many people think I'm a lucky ship."

Lin Lan knew exactly what she meant. In history, the Iron Blood Fleet was almost entirely wiped out during World War II, with only Eugen surviving until the end. 

Her repeated escapes from near-death situations and her miraculous survival after the war earned her the nickname "The Ship That Refused to Sink."

"But I hate the word 'lucky' with all my heart. A lucky ship? Ha... It's just fate playing tricks on me."

Eugen's voice was tinged with bitterness as she pressed closer to Lin Lan.

"When I first gained consciousness, the first thing I saw was the blue cornflowers covering the hills of my hometown, Kiel Harbor," she began, recounting a past she had never shared with anyone.

"After I entered service, I fought alongside Lady Bismarck in the Operation Rheinübung and achieved a victory that felt like a miracle," she continued. 

"I thought I'd return home full of glory, but that's when I first encountered the cruelty and ruthlessness of fate."

"As I watched Lady Bismarck sink into the cold ocean, fate began to mock me."

Clinging to Lin Lan, Eugen recounted her experiences.

"During Operation Cerberus, I was ordered to pass through the heavily defended English Channel with the Scharnhorst sisters, a mission that felt like a death sentence."

"I can't forget the scenes of being relentlessly pursued that day—the rain of gunfire and the ever-present torpedo planes." 

"The memories are etched in my mind," she said softly. 

"Commander, fate gripped my throat there, trying again and again to make me accept a doomed fate. All I could do was resist, resist with all my might..."

Lin Lan felt the slight tremors in Eugen's body as she recalled those harrowing moments. This was the real Eugen, the one hidden beneath her carefree and teasing exterior.

"In the end, I was the only one to return unharmed to a devastated homeland."

"But fate wasn't done with me. It wouldn't rest until I was completely broken."

"Submarine attacks, enemy blockades, even colliding with an ally in the fog—fate tried time and again to make me surrender. But I swore by iron and blood that I would never bow to fate,"

Eugen declared, her voice growing more resolute. In that moment, she was like a proud warrior who, despite facing death countless times, refused to lower her head.

Lin Lan remembered the determined expression he had seen on Eugen's face during the exercises. 

The girl who had first entered battle had been hardened by fate's relentless pursuit into a steadfast warrior.

"Until... I looked back and realized that, little by little, my homeland was gone. My family, my comrades, all of them were gone," Eugen continued, her voice heavy with sorrow. 

"All my efforts had been in vain. I became the last warship of Iron Blood."

Though her words were merely a statement of fact, Lin Lan could hear the deep pain in Eugen's voice.

"After the war, I was captured by the enemy and forced to serve those I had once fought against. I was taken to unfamiliar waters, far from my homeland, and I never returned," she said. 

"What greeted me there was an explosion that felt like the end of the world."

Lin Lan tightened his embrace slightly, knowing exactly what explosion Eugen was referring to—Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll, the nuclear tests.