Chapter 99: Joy or Sorrow

As the sun set, Lynn sat silently in the half-tracked armored vehicle, resting with her eyes closed. The posture of the "night warriors" she had seen earlier when selected for the night raid unit was similar—silent and contemplative. Her initial doubts were naturally resolved then; would the following doubts be similarly addressed?

Lynn hoped so.

After over an hour of traveling, they reached their destination under the cover of nightfall. While the Soviet Air Force on the eastern front might operate at night, the threat they posed to the German troops was considerably smaller. Lynn followed her comrades, disembarking from the vehicle and assembling by its side to prepare their gear. Having reviewed the operational plan, she knew her assault team was only a part of tonight's engagement. The Third Assault Squad would deploy hundreds of "night" warriors and over forty sets of infrared night vision equipment, while the armored battalion would utilize over a dozen tank armored vehicles, all coordinating with the 11th Armored Corps for a counterattack at the salient position on the front line—battle had already commenced during the day, with reports of the frontline troops successfully breaching the Soviet lines. The sporadic sounds of artillery heard now suggested that the main attacking force was temporarily slowing down for resupply and rest. According to the plan, elite units of the corps would conduct infiltrations with the assistance of the "Vampire" assault team equipped with infrared night vision gear, severing Soviet rear supply lines and attacking their command posts and artillery positions.

Before long, a group of over forty Waffen-SS infantry troops led by an officer arrived to join them—such scenes were all too familiar to Lynn!

"Paul Schellm, Second Lieutenant of the Armed Waffen-SS 11th 'Nordic' Volunteer Armored Grenadier Division, 11th Sniper Corps, reporting as ordered!"

Although the officer, with his stubbled face, looked weathered, it was evident he was far from thirty. Lynn took a moment to comprehend the string of titles he provided before realizing—they were from the Nordic Division?

Thinking of the inscription "SS 24 'Denmark' Armored Grenadier Division" on her original military ID, Lynn's excitement was quickly quelled. However, with a glimmer of hope, she still asked Eric after the handover, "Do you know about the situation of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Company of the 24th Regiment? Have you heard of a sergeant named Fein?"

"The 24th Regiment? Oh, I heard they lost two companies during a retreat and ended up fighting on the outskirts of Königsberg, suffering heavy casualties! I don't know the specifics though!" The lieutenant turned and pointed to a distance. "The 24th Regiment was deployed as one of the first attacking units this morning. The casualties brought back from the front lines are being treated in the field hospital over there. Maybe you can go and ask about the situation!"

With this information, Lynn's emotions fluctuated, but she didn't request a moment to leave from Eric; instead, she silently awaited orders to move forward.

Eric approached the gathered Waffen-SS soldiers, briefly introducing himself and outlining the objectives and significance of their operation. To Lynn, it felt like a repeat of yesterday's scene, and soon enough, she might find herself speaking similar words in a similar setting. These thoughts left her with mixed feelings!

Soon, Eric gave a firm command, "Let's go!" Leading the elite night assault team, followed by over forty regular Waffen-SS soldiers, they set off quietly, forming a column resembling a small train, advancing along the designated path.

The clear weather in recent days had solidified the once muddy ground, making it conducive for large-scale armored maneuvers. Following the visible tracks left by the treads, they swiftly crossed the defensive lines as the starting point for the attack, then used a crude pontoon bridge to cross a river. The frontline outpost, previously controlled by the Soviets, had now become a rear area for German forces to gather supplies and treat wounded soldiers. Numerous marching tents were set up at the edge of the woods, some lit by dim oil lamps, others marked with a red cross.

This seemed to be the location the lieutenant had mentioned earlier, but a few kilometers' journey wouldn't allow the troops to stop and rest.

Lynn was torn.

At that moment, Eric approached a sentry stationed by the road and inquired about something before quickly returning to Lynn's side, whispering, "The wounded from the 24th Regiment are temporarily stationed here. Go check if there's any news about the person you're looking for. We'll be walking a few more kilometers along this road; you can catch up later!"

Relieved, Lynn expressed her gratitude and swiftly departed from the unit.

Watching her depart, Eric sighed lightly, his eyes showing a hint of bewilderment, as if he saw the faces he once knew but could no longer meet.

Soon, Lynn arrived at the field hospital, where the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and alcohol. She questioned two medical personnel in succession, only to be told that there were too many wounded soldiers for them to keep track of. Left with no choice, Lynn ventured into the tents, searching anxiously on each rudimentary bed. There were indeed many wounded soldiers, indicating the intensity of the day's battle. Some had their eyes bandaged, others had their entire heads wrapped in white gauze, and some lay flat on their backs. In the dim light, Lynn couldn't see every face clearly, so she asked each nearby wounded soldier as she walked, "Have you seen Sergeant Fein? Any news about Sergeant Fein?"

It was unclear how many soldiers in the same unit shared the name Fein. Passing through adjacent tents, Lynn's hope seemed to fade, leaving her feeling disheartened.

"Hey, I'm Fein!" When that hoarse, rugged voice sounded, Lynn's quiet heart skipped a beat, and she swiftly turned around.

Though the dim outdoor setting prevented her from seeing the face clearly, the familiar figure and voice allowed Lynn to confirm the person's identity in an instant.

"Butcher..."

"It's me, Lynn!" How could the "Butcher" forget this occasionally silly, occasionally clever subordinate?

"I heard you were transferred to another unit. I was worried, but now..." The Butcher, with his cap on, showed no new injuries on his head, but the glaring white bandages wrapped around his neck, right shoulder, and right arm, along with the bandages on his left hand's missing fingers, filled Lynn with sadness.

"It's you? Lynn!" The Butcher's voice was rough but warm.

"Since you're here, everything will be fine!" The Butcher thoroughly examined Lynn, then smiled broadly. "Very good, very good! A corporal now, very good!"

Lynn almost reached out but didn't know where to place her hand. She fought back the tears, maintaining her composure as she stood at attention and said through clenched teeth, "Sir! Lynn Gago, your loyal subordinate, reporting to you!"

With injuries preventing him from shaking his head or nodding, the Butcher simply repeated, with a beaming smile, "Very good, very good!"

With his rugged appearance and the scabs on his face, this smile might appear ugly and ferocious to outsiders, but to Lynn, it was incredibly endearing.

At that moment, Lynn felt tears welling up, but she held them back. Though she had many sentiments and questions for her old superior, she continued to bury them deep inside, feigning strength as she said, "Sir, I must return to battle now. I hope to see you again soon. Please take care!"

The Butcher extended his left hand, still able to move, and lightly patted Lynn's right arm. "You too, take care! I hope we'll meet again soon!"

Lynn nodded solemnly, turning away. In that moment, a line of tears finally streaked down her cold face, bringing a faint warmth that dispersed the bloodthirsty air and the despair of seeing no hope. In this moment of confusion, her heart seemed to have found its direction once more.