Chapter 14: The Era of the Land Soldiers

In the presence of a legendary figure like Erwin Rommel, a "resurrected" god of war, even the handsomest appearance and extraordinary demeanor paled into insignificance. This was the small tragedy in which Laurenz Bach found himself. After Rommel finished his speech and the meal began, Lin finally turned his attention to his much-admired young officer.

Having lunch with the newly arrived officers and soldiers at the "Sanctuary" wasn't a particularly grand occasion, but the atmosphere remained quite formal. Almost all the attending senior officers wore their honor medals, and Bach was no exception—his collar adorned with a Knight's Cross with Swords, his chest displaying a Gold German Cross, and an Eastern Front Medal, indicating his participation in the Soviet campaign during the harsh winters of 1941 and 1942.

Compared to the secrets held by this astonishing "Sanctuary," Bach's medals didn't intrigue Lin much. What caught his interest was that Bach's uniform, different from his usual black leather jacket and gray trousers, was not an SS officer's uniform. The light gray jacket resembled a Luftwaffe winter uniform, but the red-bottomed double edelweiss collar insignia were standard Wehrmacht Army officer markings. Observing the senior officers seated opposite him, Lin noticed that some still wore traditional German Army or Navy uniforms, though most had switched to uniforms similar to Bach's. The German style was evident in both the old and new uniforms, making it hard to say which looked more impressive.

Among those seated opposite, including Ziegler, Motzig, and Lin himself, several officers either belonged to or had been part of the "Vampire" commando. Yet, Bach did not frequently raise his head to look at them, instead dining with elegant composure. The only glance Lin shared with him revealed nothing but the same calm, friendly eyes as before, devoid of any sorrow over lost relatives or homesickness.

Before seeing Rommel in person, Lin had subconsciously viewed Laurenz Bach as the planner of the "Aryan Ark Project"—someone with a sophisticated staff team, a specialized unit, a mysterious background, and a brief tenure as Berlin's defense commander. These attributes seemed sufficient to execute a grand and secret evacuation plan. But now it was clear that Rommel's near-year-long seclusion after faking his death was to establish this "Sanctuary." Such an endeavor couldn't have been orchestrated by a mere SS colonel and special forces commander. Furthermore, this plan likely involved more than just a secret base, a few submarines, and a thousand or so evacuated soldiers. Lin felt like someone holding a flashlight in the dark, seeing only a small part of a much larger picture.

Having endured a long journey half-starved, and now cleaned up but still hungry, the officers and soldiers should have eagerly dug into the feast. However, the special atmosphere in the inner hall, coupled with the presence of the Propaganda Minister, the Field Marshal, and several senior officers, made everyone eat rather shyly. About fifteen minutes later, Goebbels was the first to rise, followed closely by several officers, including Bach. Rommel and some other officers left only after five more minutes. These subtle details fueled Lin's speculations—could there be an internal power struggle for control of the "Sanctuary"? And what role did the notoriously autocratic Führer play? These questions nearly overwhelmed him.

The meal ended as uniformly as it began, with gentle music playing while the soldiers and officers in the outer and second halls left their seats. By now, it was clear that the total number of people dining there didn't exceed a thousand, but considering the technical, construction, and duty personnel, the base's total population likely numbered around two thousand or more.

After the meal, Ziegler's temporarily commanded team was led by the Wehrmacht captain who had brought them into the dining hall to a conference room along another corridor. Here, they watched a nearly forty-minute propaganda film. The content, like the "Sanctuary," was highly classified and unpublished, covering topics like the Aryan race's origins, evidence and field investigations, as well as showcasing advanced weapons like high-speed submarines, new tank destroyers, long-range missiles, heavy jet bombers, and saucer-shaped aircraft. Even with his knowledge as a time traveler, Lin was astonished by the Third Reich's apocalyptic technology. Of course, most of these weapons were still in the design or prototype stage—had they been successfully developed and mass-produced, Germany might not have lost the war.

When the propaganda film ended and the lights came back on, the atmosphere in the conference room subtly changed. The officers and soldiers were still somewhat confused, but their morale, fighting spirit, and confidence, which had been eroded by long and arduous battles, were noticeably revived.

This is the power of propaganda, Lin thought clearly.

A moment later, Goebbels and Rommel reappeared, still dressed the same. Despite standing close together, they did not interact. During the so-called medal awarding and promotion ceremony, they only spoke to boost morale, watching coldly as the officers carried out the "one for all" awards. Every newly arrived soldier, regardless of rank, received a Silver German Cross and was promoted by one rank. This seemingly egalitarian promotion was particularly beneficial for those who advanced across rank categories, such as from Sergeant to Second Lieutenant or from Captain to Major. Even in wartime, achieving such rank advancement usually required accumulating significant merit, rigorous assessment from superiors, and relevant training and certification.

With their new medals and promotions, the officers and soldiers stood taller. Afterward, a general, who introduced himself as the "base chief of staff," read out secret orders from the High Command. As Rommel mentioned before the meal, the Germans entering the "Sanctuary" would no longer be divided into the Wehrmacht and the SS. All military personnel would be integrated into the "Imperial Guard," categorized by their original branches into ground, naval, and air forces, as well as the military police and security units directly under the High Command. The general diligently read out the new assignments for more than fifty soldiers:

"Lieutenant Colonel Ziegentke, Senior Staff Officer, 1st Regiment, Ground Forces; Major Mottkig, Senior Staff Officer, 1st Regiment, Ground Forces... Second Lieutenant Sever Kurtens, Reserve Officer, 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, Ground Forces; Second Lieutenant Lynn Galgo, Reserve Officer, 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, Ground Forces... Sergeant Gordon Wolfram, 3rd Armored Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, Ground Forces; Sergeant Brewer Bruno, 3rd Armored Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, Ground Forces..."

The new titles like "Ground Forces" and "Armored Company" were indeed refreshing. Lin thought they might be similar to "Grenadiers," primarily intended to enhance soldiers' sense of honor. The equipment would be more advanced, but probably not to the extent of causing a significant change. As for his position as a "reserve officer," although he wasn't assigned to a specific company, being grouped in the same battalion with six of his comrades was an ideal outcome. Likewise, the former crew members of U-396 were mostly assigned to the 17th Combat Detachment of the 1st Fleet, likely still serving on the slightly outdated Type VIIC submarine.

Rational thinking prevailed, but Lin remained full of curiosity and anticipation for the newly formed Imperial Guard. However, before experiencing it firsthand, he had to overcome two hurdles: healing his injuries and completing officer training. According to the subsequent personnel arrangements, the wounded would receive a period of treatment and rest. Although some officer training content would run concurrently, missing out on bonding with new comrades was a significant regret for the eager Lin.