Chapter 22: Glint in Despair

When the Fast Boat returned to Hesens Island, Hesen and U148 had not yet returned, but Zhang Hainuo received some troubling news from Wolff and the remaining crew: in the past few days, British warships had been frequenting the area. Fortunately, the British imagination had not extended to the possibility of a German submarine lurking in this small cove. If it weren't for the barren volcanic island offering no hiding places, they might have sent someone to search!

Although the presence of the British had not brought disastrous consequences, it deeply concerned Zhang Hainuo. It seemed that the British were not as careless as he had hoped; they had noticed the regular purchases of diesel barrels by the Germans in Antalya Harbor!

"It looks like staying here isn't a long-term solution," Zhang Hainuo admitted to himself. He had been overly optimistic in assessing the situation when devising this plan. The mechanical failure of U21 and the encounter in Antalya were evidence of that. But then, this was a plan beyond the ordinary imagination; encountering challenges was inevitable when deciding to hide two German submarines from millions of Allied soldiers!

"Captain Hainuo, I have a decent idea, but..." Otto began tentatively. His speech was rarely hesitant like this, indicating to Zhang Hainuo that his suggestion might involve a painful sacrifice—U21, perhaps?

Seeing Zhang Hainuo's affirmative gaze, Otto continued, "Although the treasure salvaged earlier may not be much, when divided, it's enough for everyone to live comfortably or start a new venture. Given the current situation, we might as well safely store U21 and U148, then return to Germany with the treasure!"

A month ago, Zhang Hainuo would have never considered such a proposal. But the situation now was vastly different from a month ago!

"Safely store them?" Zhang Hainuo inquired.

"Yes, I mean, leave only a few people to operate U21 and U148, let them submerge to the seabed, and the crew on board can dive out through the torpedo tubes. This way, the two submarines can be relatively intact at the bottom of the sea. When the situation at home stabilizes, we can have naval personnel come to salvage them!"

Was his plan only to end abruptly in this manner?

Zhang Hainuo felt a sense of reluctance, but seeing Otto's resigned yet pragmatic expression, he couldn't find any arguments to counter.

"Let's convene all the officers for another discussion when they return," Zhang Hainuo suggested. Otto didn't press further, and the two fell into silence for a while before realizing it was already dinner time.

"Based on standard provisions, we have enough freshwater and food for everyone for another 5 weeks!" Zhang Hainuo's mood became heavier after returning from the kitchen of U21. After this Antalya trip, they might not be able to purchase bulk supplies from nearby ports for some time.

"Let's hope for a turn of events in these weeks!" Otto's lack of confidence was evident.

"Have you thought about what to do after this plan ends?" Zhang Hainuo suddenly remembered the question.

"I'll follow you!" Otto forced a smile. "Whatever you do, I'll do."

"Why?" Zhang Hainuo was curious. Besides the secrets he couldn't divulge, there wasn't much knowledge or expertise worthy of Otto's learning.

"Since the news of the abdication of the German Emperor and the surrender of Germany, I've decided to follow you!" Otto's smile faded, recalling less pleasant memories.

Zhang Hainuo fell silent for a moment. "If I go to America to speculate in finance, would you come with me?"

"Speculate in finance?" Otto was puzzled.

"Do you know anything about economics?"

"A little," Otto replied modestly.

"What about bonds and stocks?"

"A bit," came Otto's humble response again.

"Speculating in finance means dealing in bonds, stocks, and futures. It's risky, but the potential rewards are significant!" Zhang Hainuo, who wasn't trained in finance himself, had learned during the period from 1920 to 1929 that it was a good time to get involved in the American financial industry, especially the stock and futures markets. Of course, with the outbreak of the Great Depression in 1929, the financial sector was on the verge of collapse. However, with careful timing and appropriate investments, one could earn even more money than before, such as buying large amounts of gold and government bonds!

"Of course, our family isn't at the point where I need to sacrifice myself for its defense. I can go anywhere!" Otto's tone was sour, not only because he hadn't inherited the family's title but also because he wasn't valued within the family.

"I don't know how many people would be willing to follow me. If more people come with us, our capital will be stronger, and the opportunities for making money will be greater!" Zhang Hainuo envisioned the future. With the series of unfavorable circumstances before him, this future seemed to arrive sooner than expected.

Otto wasn't influenced by this vision. Instead, he asked a somewhat personal question:

"Captain, do you need money badly?"

Zhang Hainuo was taken aback. "You could say that! Because anyone who wants to accomplish something significant either needs talent or strength. Obviously, I lack talent, so I have to accumulate strength through money!"

Otto nodded as if he understood but asked, "What do you mean by 'significant accomplishment'?"

"It's a secret! But if you follow me, you'll find out sooner or later!"

Two days later, another British warship appeared near Hesens Island. Although U21 could dive underwater, Fast Boat couldn't completely conceal its presence. Reluctantly, Zhang Hainuo had Elga and his family stay on the boat. If the British approached, they would claim to be a Turkish freighter passing by!

This excuse was good, but when the British warship intercepted Fast Boat, Zhang Hainuo, who had submerged with U21, felt extremely nervous— if Elga suddenly turned against them, then he and U21 would either willingly become British prisoners or confront the British warship. But both outcomes would mean the complete failure of his plan.

Half an hour later, the British warship left, and Fast Boat, after circling nearby, returned to Hesens Island. Although this false alarm had caused Zhang Hainuo to break out in a cold sweat, the news of the discovery of a gold ship was like a thunderclap in the oppressive weather, bringing temporary relief. All his unease was momentarily set aside.

"Hainuo, here!" Before anyone had disembarked from U148, Hesen eagerly threw a heavily laden bag over. Zhang Hainuo caught it, and his chest ached from the impact. Good Lord, this small bag must weigh several pounds! Opening it, he found it filled with gleaming gold.

Rubbing his slightly sore chest, Zhang Hainuo realized what it felt like to be hit by gold.