Chapter 6: Loose Lips

"Hey, sergeant, are we still in the Baltic Sea?"

As Lynn dragged his tired and weak body back to the torpedo compartment at the stern of the submarine, Major Siegenke propped up his upper body with a luggage pad, leisurely reclining against the torpedo rack. His lofty gaze and casual tone made Lynn suddenly feel the urge to launch him like a torpedo – this guy was really not very likable!

"We've only been underway for half a day. Even at a speed of 20 knots per hour, it's only a couple of hundred miles," Lynn replied to the Major's question.

Hearing Lynn's response, the Major raised an eyebrow, looked up at the ceiling for a moment, and then asked, "How many kilometers are in a nautical mile?"

"Approximately 1.8 kilometers!" Lynn replied without hesitation. Such common knowledge questions he had known since high school, and the Major, being a mid-level officer in the military, surely knew as well. Was this the difference between the Waffen-SS and the regular Wehrmacht?

Siegenke suddenly realized, "Oh, we're getting close to Denmark! Sergeant, that's your homeland, isn't it?"

This guy actually knew he was Danish. Did he hear it from Captain Moltke or read about his "heroic deeds" in the newspapers?

This topic extended into territory Lynn couldn't answer, such as details about Denmark's geography and culture. He chose to remain silent, leaning against the bulkhead, intentionally grinning to himself, which prompted Bruel and the others to ask if he was alright.

"Barely holding on!" Lynn replied weakly, casting a discreet glance towards the Major. As he suspected, this strange guy seemed to live in a self-centered world, oblivious to everything around him, even changes in his colleagues – he would probably prefer risking flying a plane rather than being on a submarine if given the choice.

Sure enough, the Waffen-SS Major, who had already closed his eyes, spoke up, "Operating a submarine is no different from driving a car. What's so difficult about it? Having a pilot's license, now that's impressive!"

Lynn pondered for a moment and asked, "Are you saying... Colonel Bach can fly a plane?"

The Major suddenly opened his eyes and turned to look at Lynn. "How did you know I was talking about Colonel Bach?"

Lynn inwardly smirked: If this oddball wasn't so enamored with Bach, he probably wouldn't bother acknowledging him.

Seeing Lynn's silence, Siegenke became serious this time. "You knew Colonel Bach has a pilot's license, didn't you?"

During his time with the "Vampire" Commando Unit, Lynn's understanding and admiration for Obersturmbannführer Theodor Bach had indeed grown, but he always kept a low profile, making many aspects of Bach seem mysterious to him. As for the pilot's license, Lynn had no idea. However, seeing Siegenke's reaction, he had a hunch and deliberately replied, "Whatever the Major knows, I know. But what I know... the Major might not."

This piqued Siegenke's interest, and he turned to face Lynn directly. "Alright then, tell me, what don't I know?"

When it came to secret matters, Lynn should have leaned in to speak, but he deliberately stayed put, sitting on the floor and looking up at the Major. In a tone mimicking a fortune teller's mysterious style, he said, "What does the Major know about the Empire's future?"

It was a sharp question, and Siegenke was caught off guard – he wasn't completely ignorant, otherwise, he wouldn't have had that moment of lamentation at the bow of the ship. He also wasn't omniscient, otherwise, such an important figure wouldn't be arranged among the last group to board.

The key to playing the fortune teller was to grasp the other person's psychology. Lynn deliberately lamented, "All of us here have sworn to keep the secret of the 'Aryan Ark,' but how many actually understand the plan? Certainly not the Major!"

Siegenke suddenly became interested. He turned around and faced Lynn directly. "Then tell me, what do I not know?"

To discuss secretive matters, Lynn should have leaned in, but he deliberately stayed where he was, sitting on the floor and tilting his head back to look at the Major. He mimicked the tone of a fortune teller, "How much does the Major know about the Empire's future?"

This language, with its strong implications, surprised the Major. He suddenly became annoyed and speculated, "This must have been revealed to you by Captain Moltke, damn him!"

Lynn smiled. Although his tiredness and pain made his smile not very bright, it still managed to intimidate Siegenke.

"Captain Moltke didn't reveal anything to me, in fact, he knows less than I do! But there's one thing I still don't understand... why did we choose that place instead of a safer location like South America?"

"Hah, you don't know? You really don't know!" Like a child who had won a toy from a friend, Siegenke suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "I knew you were bluffing, Sergeant!"

"You know?" Lynn shook his head. "I don't believe you."

When Lynn said he didn't believe, Siegenke's expression darkened, and he struggled between psychological coercion and rational thinking. As Lynn had hoped, this invisible battle was ultimately dominated by personal traits. Siegenke grabbed Lynn's wrist, his tone turning extremely harsh. "Tell me, who leaked this secret to you! If our enemies find out, not only will the dozens of people on this submarine be in danger, even our Führer, whom we swore to protect with our lives, won't escape misfortune! Do you understand how serious this is?"

Finally, the truth came out... although he had received implicit confirmation from Moltke earlier, hearing Siegenke mention "Führer" himself relieved Lynn of his number one mystery. It seemed that the person lying on the stretcher carried by the soldiers earlier was indeed the Führer himself, and the one who "committed suicide" in Berlin was undoubtedly a decoy. As for the so-called dental evidence from the future, it was probably all fabricated in advance by the conspirators.

Bruel and Wolfroom, who were close to Lynn, also heard this, but they didn't confront the Major as one might expect from a TV drama; instead, they stared at him intently.

The grip on Lynn's wrist wasn't very strong, even making Lynn feel somewhat weak. He replied calmly, "Major, you've misunderstood! The reason I can say these things is partly due to Colonel Bach and partly based on my own speculation. That's all!"

Siegenke seemed reluctant to believe, but after a moment of contemplation, he seemed to think that the possibility of a leak was indeed small. He let go of Lynn's hand but still demanded that Lynn swear on his family.

With a clear conscience, Lynn didn't hesitate to comply.

"Damn it, you've been extracting secrets from me all this time, it's such a waste that you're not a spy!" Siegenke was smart, just a bit late in understanding.

At this point, Lynn didn't deny it, he apologized and explained, "Actually, when I was in the submarine command cabin, I saw our route on the nautical chart, so I knew the destination of this voyage a few days ago. I just confirmed it with you now—that's all, just knowing the truth a few days earlier!"

It's like losing to a newcomer in a chess game, Siegenke appeared quite disheartened, seeking self-comfort, "Yeah, a few days earlier... At this point, many people must have been stunned by that grand plan, not knowing what to say!"

Many people? Does that mean the ones evacuating to the "shelter" are not just the personnel aboard these four submarines? Of course! Of course! Lynn wished he could pat himself on the back. Since a secret retreat plan had been formulated, everything should be systematically arranged. Besides loyal soldiers and essential supplies, top talents were also indispensable. However, on one hand, they needed to avoid external scrutiny, on the other hand, they had to conceal enough strength for the resurgence. They also had to consider the actual capacity and self-sustaining ability of the shelter. So, to what extent did these so-called "many people" reach? Hundreds, thousands, or...