Chapter 84: Newcomer Joining

"SS-Obermann (Armed SS Second Infantry) Lynn Gagor, in recognition of your outstanding performance in previous battles, especially in the attack on the Soviet armored forces' camp, where you demonstrated exceptional courage, determination, and insight, I hereby promote you to SS-Rottenführer (Armed SS Corporal) with the sacred authority granted by the Great Leader and National Commander of the SS!"

"Absolutely honored!"

Those were the only words of gratitude Lynn had in his repertoire. Fortunately, the young officer wasn't one to adhere strictly to formality. He looked at Lynn with approval, nodded slightly, then turned to the sergeant beside him and said, "Corporal Gagor, you're assigned to your combat squad from now on!"

"That's fantastic!" The sergeant said joyfully to Lynn, "Welcome back to the team!"

Welcome back to the team?

This completely caught Lynn off guard, leaving him feeling pleasantly surprised. While he knew he had decent marksmanship skills, the attributes of courage, determination, and strategic thinking were subjective evaluations that couldn't be quantified. Perhaps it was because of his proactive role in selecting the final crossing point, or maybe his performance during the battle had impressed the others. It was evident that the sergeant named Eric had a genuinely favorable impression of him. In the furnace of war where millions of soldiers clashed daily, and countless cannon fodder perished, would one more soldier like himself really make a difference?

"An honor indeed!" Lynn repeated the same words to the sergeant.

He extended his right hand, patting Lynn's shoulder firmly. However, he then said apologetically, "Our ship is arriving shortly, and I'm afraid there won't be time to arrange other matters for you!"

Is it necessary? Lynn thought wryly.

"No, sir, I'm ready to fight at any time!" 

Upon hearing Lynn's response, the sergeant and the young officer exchanged glances, each smiling, then turned and headed towards the dock.

After meeting up with the "Night Warriors" who had arrived a few minutes earlier, neither the young officer nor the sergeant acting as the introducer announced the new companion to the others. Shortly after, a half-track armored vehicle arrived carrying four heavily wounded soldiers on stretchers, who, judging by their uniforms, were also members of the "Night Warriors." They waited idle for about ten minutes until a faint thumping sound heralded the arrival of a small camouflaged naval vessel. Its arrival caused a commotion among the civilians on the other side, but no one was allowed to enter the dock.

Before the sailors could fully set up the gangway between the ship's side and the dock, the young officer deftly crossed the gap and boarded, exchanging salutes and handshakes with the officers waiting on board. Lynn noticed that when he spoke, his tone was calm but not weak, and his body language was not overly complicated, yet he always seemed to convey his meaning in the most concise manner.

The "Night Warriors" at the front, two by two, carried their more severely injured comrades aboard the ship, while the others walked over the gangway in queue. From the attire and movements of these comrades in front, they all seemed to be rigorously trained "Night Warriors," indicating that they hadn't picked up recruits along the way to fill vacancies. Thus, Lynn's inclusion, even if it had an element of luck, was based on merit and performance — Lynn finally regained some confidence.

"Watch your step!"

At the gangway onto the ship, a sergeant who had been walking at the front took the initiative to stand aside and remind his companions. This meticulous gesture once again made Lynn feel the stark contrast in atmosphere. As he passed, although he hadn't had a face-to-face encounter with the sergeant before, he still received a friendly expression.

After boarding, Lynn saw that the young officer was still standing with the naval officer, their ages and demeanor seemingly far apart.

So, he whispered to Sergeant Eric, "Our leader looks quite young, doesn't he?"

"Hey, he's only 23, a 23-year-old major!" There was no hint of jealousy in his tone, just genuine admiration.

"Only 23!"

Lynn was also surprised. At the age of 23, he had just graduated from university, knowing nothing but theoretical knowledge, and could only roam the job market, while others were already senior officers.

Boarding from the position of the ship's deck, the Night Warriors walked along the ship's side towards the rear, entering a hatch near the bow. Similar to boarding, another Night Warrior walked ahead and reminded everyone to "watch your head" as they entered the hatch.

Before entering the hatch, Lynn looked up at the bridge. It was only two stories high, with a very simple structure, probably just a gunboat or torpedo boat, far from the level of a destroyer. However, while there were many museums or water parks in the former world where retired warships were placed, this one was a genuine relic of World War II. Due to the defeat of the German army, very few remained in the future.

Stepping through the hatch, Lynn entered a cold and damp world. Passing through labyrinthine interior passages under dim cabin lights, Lynn suddenly lost his sense of direction — fortunately, this wasn't a test for recruiting "Night Warriors." Guided by two sailors, the thirty-odd people were each placed in two large cabins facing each other, with many bunk beds arranged on upper and lower levels. Everyone didn't pick and choose; those at the front went to the innermost bunks, while those at the back went outwards, leaving seven or eight empty bunks when it was Lynn's turn.

Looking at these empty bunks, Lynn remembered the "Night Warriors" who had died in battle, especially the tall officer who had led them initially. He undoubtedly had commanding abilities, able to lead his subordinates into battle calmly and confidently, all of which left a deep impression on Lynn. He once hoped to become such an outstanding commander himself, but after meeting Major Herr, he had

 even higher aspirations.

"Everyone!" The sergeant put down his firearms and loudly addressed his companions with his back turned, "Let me introduce, this is Lynn Gagor, the new warrior personally selected by Major, who showed outstanding performance in the battle where Lieutenant Berenst was killed!"

The cabin erupted into somewhat enthusiastic applause, interspersed with whistles and playful shouts — this somehow eased Lynn's mood. A group of people with emotions, capable of joking and teasing, was undoubtedly easier to get along with than a group of emotionless monsters!

Turning around, the sergeant smiled at Lynn and said, "Introduce yourself!"

During the three days in Königsberg, Lynn had also rehearsed this kind of question. He said loudly, "I am a Germanic Dane, 21 years old, skilled in shooting, very poor in speaking German, and nothing else!"

In response to this brief self-introduction, the "Night Warriors" who had put down their firearms responded with a round of similarly simple applause, mixed with laughter. Although they had left the battlefield, boarding the ship didn't mean they were far from danger, so the atmosphere still hadn't completely relaxed. After this, the sergeant gestured for Lynn to sit down, while the others either packed their gear or spoke quietly in pairs.

Compared to his new companions, Lynn's belongings were much simpler. Mimicking the sergeant, he hung his assault rifle on the nearby bed frame within reach and tucked his shotgun under his pillow, then took off his boots, letting his feet breathe after a day of confinement.

"Do we have a name for our special operations unit?"

"Of course!" The sergeant lay comfortably on his bunk, closed his eyes, and said, "Vampires!"

Um... quite a cool name, Lynn thought. The reason for using this name should be derived from the nickname of the active infrared night vision device.

After docking, the warship obviously didn't immediately shut down its engines, so the mechanical roar from the lower deck could be heard. It also didn't set sail immediately after the Night Warriors and the wounded boarded. From the clanking sounds emanating from the cabin passage as people walked, it seemed that there were still some people boarding, and the likelihood of civilians was small due to their similar weights. After more than twenty minutes, the rumble from the bottom of the ship suddenly intensified, and the ship began to sway. Lying on the hard bunk, Lynn's mind conjured up the images of Alice and Catherine; he wondered if the mother and daughter had a place to sleep on that ordinary refugee ship. Whether there would be a chance to meet in the future, he wished them smooth sailing nonetheless!