Bismarck

"Sir, there is an urgent telegram from Downing Street, asking what we should do now?"

The secretary, whose face was as gloomy as if a rainstorm could break out at any moment, came over quickly with a telegram in his hand. His gnashing teeth showed rebelliousness, viciousness, temper, and a fierce look that seemed to be ready to devour anyone.

"You can reply to the Prime Minister like this... We are blocked by submarines, and the Air Force has just been defeated. We probably have no chance this round..." Cunningham's face became increasingly bitter and purple. He shook his head, and his tone was somewhat helpless and desolate: "The only hope now is that the Gibraltar Fortress can hold out until tomorrow morning. By then, we will attack from both sides with the reorganized North African Air Force, and there may still be a glimmer of hope..."

"Tomorrow morning..." War-weary was stunned: "But can Gibraltar survive until tomorrow morning?"

"That's why I said there's basically no hope this time..." Cunningham sighed, "Which of the fortresses they destroyed could last more than two hours under their hands?"

The only thing that makes people feel at ease is that since the outbreak of the war, all the civilians in Gibraltar were evacuated in 41 years!

Now, everyone here is a real soldier, who has vowed to shed blood and sacrifice everything for his country. It is the duty and fate of soldiers to die on the battlefield, but civilians will not suffer too much loss, which is a relatively good result.

"Then...are we just going to give up this place?" War-weary gritted his teeth, his hardened fists and the blue veins on his forehead filled with unwillingness.

"There is another way. We can stay here for another week, and when they go to France to haul supplies, we can go and take back the fortress." Cunningham thought about it with a gloomy face, and finally came up with an idea. "Tovey will be here tomorrow afternoon. He has several anti-submarine escort aircraft carriers. When the time comes, we will first clear out the German submarines in this area, and then when the Germans go to haul supplies, we will work with the North African Air Force to fully cover you and the vanguard to rush up and take back the fortress!"

"Hmm? This is possible!" Upon hearing her man's idea, Yan Zhan's face instantly turned from stormy to sunny.

After all, she was confident that she could suppress a fortress that had been completely paralyzed by bombing. As long as the German ships and crew were not there!

only……

"Then...what if they arrange for the crew to stay behind? Or what if Spain joins the war?" After thinking for a while, War-weary continued to ask.

"Franco is really a fence-sitter. Even if the Germans promise to return Gibraltar, he probably won't easily join the war. What kind of place is the Gibraltar Fortress? Even if Lütjens wants to return it to Spain, Hitler and Raeder won't agree. But..." Cunningham, who was originally full of confidence, suddenly changed his offensive, smiled bitterly, shrugged his shoulders, spread his hands, and shook his head half a circle: "But judging from Franco's willingness to give us military passage, Franco should not refuse the Germans' request for passage for the transport team. And it is also possible that they will arrange for the crew to stay in Gibraltar - I really have no choice..."

"Then why did you say that you would stay here for a week to see how things go?" War-weary put his hands on his hips and snorted in annoyance.

"So it all depends on the situation... With Spain's land transportation, it will take at least a week for the transport convoy to arrive. So Lütjens has to go to France at least once, otherwise he won't be able to obtain fleet supplies and resources to repair the base. So..." Before Cunningham could finish his words, a staff officer suddenly ran in from outside: "Your Excellency the Admiral! Urgent report from the front: The battleships of the Evil Fleet have entered the Strait of Gibraltar!!"

Cunningham and War-weary looked at each other and instantly felt their own heartbeats: thump, thump, thump…

Chapter 893

(An hour and a half ago...)

"Captain, Zeppelin reports that the defense of Tangier Airport is very weak. The airport has been occupied by her alone, and the other party's attempt to blow up the airport has failed. Only the apron was damaged by the explosion, but the main runway is intact!... She is now negotiating with the commander of the Spanish garrison, and has requested that the follow-up carrier-based aircraft groups continue to be dispatched to suppress the anti-ship missile launch positions of the Gibraltar Fortress..."

Bismarck, with his waist-length blond hair and wide-brimmed hat on his head, looked excited as if he was doing Quinceanera OvO. He shook his long hair, leaned sideways, and looked at his captain beside him, feeling quite excited.

"Really? That's great!" Lütjens excitedly punched his palm. "Bismarck, call the Air Force Command in France immediately and ask Admiral Udet to prepare the transport planes and jets according to the plan. Once we control the Gibraltar Fortress, they can fly over!"

"Okay!" The Persian cat shook its ears and nodded obediently. But then its ears stood up again and its eyes raised, as if it had heard something: "...Hmm? Captain, Zeppelin just said that she suggested that the aircraft carrier and the bombardment squadron be separated, and that the aircraft carrier be in the Bay of Cadiz (north of the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, off the coast of Spain), relying on the cover of the mountains and taking off against the wind."

"This suggestion is fine." Lütjens made the decision without even thinking: "Zeppelin is still in Tangier now. You go and give orders to Bonte: let him command the two aircraft carriers to be responsible for air suppression and helicopter landing arrangements. Top will be responsible for cover with Eugen, Hindenburg and Ludendorff. In addition..." Having said that, Lütjens paused for a moment, turned his head, and looked at the battle cat beside him with a calm and slightly expressive look, who had accompanied him through many years of war in the smoke of gunpowder.

The secretary who was being watched felt a little confused when she saw her captain suddenly stop talking and look at her with a certain look. She blinked her big eyes and her face (pot) turned a little hot: "Captain, there are so many people here, why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing, actually. I just suddenly remembered that since we were equipped with missiles, it has been a while since I have been with you to do things like big ships and big cannons."

Lütjens smiled lightly and glanced at his pet cat, whose face suddenly turned red and steam was coming out of its head.

"There are so many people! Captain, you are so bad!" The embarrassed and angry secretary pretended to pounce and stretched out his two sharp front paws.

"Hey, hey, hey, stop hitting me, stop hitting me, if you hit me with your claws, I will be crushed." Lu begged for mercy quickly, but the expression on his face looked unscrupulous no matter how you looked at it.

"You obviously don't have any sincerity at all, huh!" He wrinkled his upturned nose and turned away with a snort, flicking his tail angrily, leaving him with a look that was obviously deliberately pretending to say "I'm angry and you can't be coaxed."

But on second thought, the captain is the kind of person who relies on his authority to make a living. Although so many people here are pretending to be quiet, they still have to save some face for their captain...

"Humph, I'll give you a way out this time!"

The pouting Persian cat sensed the position of the captain in her own command room, then leaned back carelessly, gently leaning on her captain's arm. But she still hugged her arm and twisted it towards the window sill on the other side.

After petting the cat for so many years, how could Lütjens not know that she was just throwing a tantrum? Forget it, just coax her first...

"Okay, okay, don't be angry anymore. Come with me to Gibraltar later, okay?" Seeing his cat throwing a tantrum, the captain, who was a little amused, still reached out his hand and naturally helped her straighten her hat which had tilted to one side when she turned her head proudly. He spoke gently - it looked like the attitude of discussing daily business, and it didn't sound at all that he meant to invite her to visit the enemy's house.

"You are the captain, don't you have the final say on which direction the steering wheel should be turned? Humph!"

Lütjens was both angry and amused as he looked at the Persian cat in front of him, whose soft ears and tail tips stood up and kept nodding slightly in a half-promising and half-awkward tone - just like three little traitors who deliberately "betrayed" what their master was embarrassed to say.

As for the somewhat arrogant Persian cat? She would never say that she actually missed the days when she followed the captain, traveling north and south, through wind and rain, standing side by side, and supporting each other through thick and thin.

After all, this is the C4ISR headquarters! Even if she returns home, she is not so embarrassed to say it.

She glanced at the sign "C4ISR Command Center" nailed on the top of the headquarters, and her cheeks felt a little hot. After all, she made this sign herself and nailed it there herself!

Four years passed in a blink of an eye, and she even visited the Gibraltar Fortress for the second time! It seemed that among the sisters, only Eugen was still in the Arctic Ocean at that time and had not been here!

But, speaking of this...

His ears twitched, and the radar "looked" at the deep-sea Tirpitz battleship beside him, which was covered in camouflage paint and looked a little white. Bismarck's eyes began to become a little sad.

Yes, Lindemann also died...

Although there are no conflicts between Voss and his sister now, and their cooperative relationship seems to be okay, everyone - including Voss himself - knows that Lindemann is the core of Tirpitz's thoughts.

Moreover, although Tirpitz usually doesn't say anything and just stays quiet and motionless, this is what makes people worry.

She used to be a homebody, but she wasn't autistic! She loved to eat, play, and was lazy. She had all the characteristics of a normal girl. But now...

The "radar" continued to scan the battleship Tirpitz, as well as the figure sitting on the cushion in front of the window in the command room, looking bored and dazed - in the busy command center, she was alone and seemed even more taciturn.

The younger sister was sad, and the elder sister also became a little sad. Her heart softened, she lowered her head and sighed, and was silent for a while, and she also stopped thinking about making a little quarrel. Thinking that the two sisters have now replaced the 406mm main guns, they can safely bombard the Gibraltar Fortress from a farther and safer place across the Spanish hills. The Persian cat had an idea in mind. Slightly sideways, she looked back and asked: "Hey, Captain... Wait, let Tizi go for the main attack?"

"Grapes?" Lütjens, who was in tune with his own ship cat, immediately understood what Bismarck meant: "No problem - come to think of it, it's time for this girl to vent her feelings."

"Well, I'll talk to Captain Tizi and Captain Voss. Then... Tizi will lead the bombardment, Bonte will prepare for the landing, Zeppelin will bomb the ground, and Eugen will cover the aircraft carrier... Captain, how should I arrange it?" Bismarck turned around and looked at the captain who had walked with her all the way, with a smile in her eyes. In her heart, there was a demon cat on each side, secretly cheering in her heart: "Let's go together! Let's go together! Captain, you said you would go to Gibraltar with us and have a good stroll through the streets again!"

Anyway, the only two people who can use heavy artillery to fire guided shells at a 406mm shell each across the hill are Tizi and me!

"What are your arrangements?" Lütjens lowered his head slightly and looked at the Persian cat in front of him, who was full of excitement, with his tail tip raised high and turning around gently, and even shaking his ears unconsciously. He curled his lips slightly, thought for a moment, and then told the Persian cat with a smiling face that he had made the arrangements: "As for you, of course... send a telegram to Udet. Ask him to send reinforcement fighters and transport planes! Quickly - by the way, tell Bonte that if the situation at Tangier Airport can be controlled, the landing troops should be transported to the airport by helicopter first, freeing up the flight deck of the Gneisenau to prepare for the British and American air forces to jump to the wall. That's it... (Baji!) Oh, why are you shaking people with your tail!"

"Humph!"

The angrily Persian cat turned around and swung its tail to show that it was angry and didn't want to pay any attention to the captain, the bad guy.

................................................

The deep sky was gleaming with the stars of the Milky Way, and one meteor after another flashed with dim golden light in the night sky. The long tracer drew a parabolic trajectory in the sky, falling on the dying Rock of Gibraltar across a hill hundreds of meters high, turning into thick smoke that blocked out the sun, deafening explosions, and flames that dyed the sky red. Coupled with the ship-borne guided bombs that were attacking from the other side of the battlefield, which was closer to the core of the Spanish inland, the Gibraltar Fortress, which originally controlled the throat, had a dangerous terrain, was surrounded by mountains and the sea, and was majestic, and was beaten to a pulp.

Thanks to the efforts of the communications team, the urgent telegram for help was sent with great difficulty. It was in the hands of Lord Mountbatten, the genuine fortress garrison commander and Governor of Gibraltar, who had already been "transferred" in, for less than half a minute before it was sent intact to Number 10 Downing Street.

At this time, the meeting room at Number 10 Downing Street was filled with noisy and inconsistent discussions from many bigwigs such as the Wartime Cabinet, the Policy Group, the Press Group, and the Prime Minister's Secretariat. The overflowing discussions even filled up the empty rooms in the Prime Minister's Office.

You know, since the Battle of Britain, in order to prevent air raids, except for Churchill himself who was not used to living in the air-raid shelter, and the senior secretary of state who had to accompany the Prime Minister, this Prime Minister's residence, which has a history of 500 years and is as unsustainable as the British Empire, has been basically empty.

"Prime Minister, Gibraltar and Lord Mountbatten have sent an urgent telegram, saying that the firepower of the evil fleet is too fierce and the fortress is in danger. We request urgent tactical guidance..."

"Put it down, put it down. I understand. Show them first. Let me think about it. Let me be quiet..."

Churchill waved his hand, and the exhausted Churchill signaled his secretary to pass the telegram to others. He lay on the sofa, which was already half-new. He rubbed his temples with his hands, closed his eyes and looked sad. He listened to the more bustling discussions below, and waited anxiously for the British Embassy in Madrid to see if they could quickly send back some first-hand information on the negotiations with the Spanish government.

The evil spirit fleet launched a massive attack, and there were German submarines in the waters where Cunningham was located, which was far from ensuring the safety of the fleet's operations and navigation. Under such circumstances, the fall of the Gibraltar fortress was basically a matter of time.

There's actually nothing to argue about - the lice on a bald man's head are obvious!

However, if we consider the next step on the battlefield - for example, will Franco agree to open the supply channel to the Germans? Will the evil fleet's capture of Gibraltar lead to the Spanish leaning towards Germany or even joining the war? Even if the Spanish do not join the war, how will the relationship between them and the Allies evolve... Whether the defenders of the Gibraltar Fortress will fight to the end or surrender gracefully is no longer something they can decide!

Hundreds of years of territorial occupation and the current real disputes must all be taken into consideration! Before the discussion of this topic came to a conclusion, Churchill could not even allow the Gibraltar Fortress to surrender with dignity!

What if Franco didn't stick to his bottom line? What if the Germans just took advantage of him?

You know, the Germans had probably planned this for a long time! The news sent back by the embassy claimed that when the ambassador went to Franco's official residence to ask for a meeting, he was received by Franco together with German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop who personally came!

Even if this ambassador is capable, Ribbentrop is the Foreign Minister and Germany has been planning this for a long time. The authority that the British ambassador can make decisions on, the interests that he can promise, the bottom line that he can test, and even the flexibility of the diplomatic game cannot be compared with that of the German Foreign Minister who is personally on the other side!

Moreover, now even the battlefield dominance is in the hands of the Germans! Even if Franco is just a fence-sitter, fence-sitters have their own way of survival - even if he does nothing else and only allows the German transport team to transport supplies to Gibraltar, this fortress is basically hopeless to recapture!

Besides, even if our ambassador used his eloquence to persuade Franco not to agree to military transport, he still had air and sea transport!

Hitler (smugly): Don’t you British and Americans have a lot of bombs? If you have the guts, why don’t you bomb the Spanish highways or attack the Zeppelins?

As soon as he thought of the smug look of the mustache, Churchill, who was at a disadvantage in both reasoning and physics, became even more angry. Even the idea that he had originally had, "We can't hold on anyway, so why not put the safety of tens of thousands of officers and soldiers in the fortress first and surrender with honor", was suppressed a little by his gloomy face.

The loss of Gibraltar is a big deal, and the parliament will definitely question it. If I had given this order myself... you would have surrendered "honorably after being allowed to do your duty and being irresistible", and you would have saved your life and military honor, and I would have to bear the blame!

It's fine if I take the blame for you, but who will take the blame for me if there is a parliamentary inquiry? (Sound of shock)

Before the old Prime Minister Chamberlain retired due to illness, the streets were filled with people chanting “the useless Prime Minister has stepped down”. I still remember that!

................................................

The verbal sparring in the Madrid diplomatic arena, the hesitation and procrastination in Downing Street, the fear and torment of the defenders in the fortress tunnels, were all ruthlessly crushed by the unstoppable movement of time amid the roar of artillery fire, just like life, slowly slipping away bit by bit through the cracks in the hourglass - and seemed to have slipped to the opposite side of the Third Reich, making it seem that the Third Reich's already not-so-long national destiny might be able to continue a little.

Mountbatten, who had slipped out "by order", was already dumbfounded, and Cunningham was helpless as he looked at the heavy losses of the air force. Cunningham, who was out of reach, gritted his teeth and continued to fight. Although he did not hold much hope in his heart, he still chose to fulfill his duties. He personally led Warspite and Vanguard, and with the cooperation of anti-submarine aircraft, he led the primary school students to open the way in front of the aircraft carrier and missile ship. He even relied on the perception of Warspite and Vanguard to blow up two German submarines. But even so, it would take until after 370 a.m. at the latest to get close to the maximum launch distance of kilometers for anti-ship missiles - this was also Cunningham's last trump card.

As for the more than one hundred Cricket carrier-based aircraft going to fight with the Crow of Disaster and the Rhine Daughter...can we speak properly?

"Can they hold out until two o'clock in the morning?" The telegram for help from the Gibraltar Fortress was also sent to Cunningham, but he was not very hopeful about this.

"If we use an artillery war, they won't be able to make it until twelve o'clock. If we just want to land and occupy this place... maybe we can do it?" War-weary said casually while looking around intently and searching the dark and deep sea and underwater.

After all, it was he who was dragged to the test field by William Wyatt to "perform" at the beginning. Those measures on how to make ordinary army troops able to compete with the projection of the ship girl were at least reported to the whole army. However, War-weary himself knew that the projection was not the real combat power of the ship girl. If the real body was around, the personal force of the projection plus the artillery call of the real body would be extremely troublesome for ordinary soldiers!

Of course, if you go to fight the enemy's ships and crews by yourself... anyway, only the main guns and missiles can break the defense. The cricket's dozens of tons of physical strength can only be a human crane at best - have you ever seen a crane that can smash armored steel?

As for the ship girls coming to slaughter the sailors, do they really think they are just decorations? Besides, the ship girls near the main body are much stronger than when they are outside. As for the fortress? Prepare the armored isolation door inside the fortress, and then blow up the whole interior, which can basically send the opposing ship and the sailors directly back home. Or concentrate a batch of heavy mortars to fire at the same time, which can also curb the attack of the ship girls.

So even if that shameless ship cat on the opposite side comes ashore himself, it should be able to hold out until two o'clock, right?

War-weary could guarantee this, and Cunningham knew it very well.

After all, although Britain and the United States have also developed helicopters, and they know that Germany has helicopters. However, occupying a fortress must go through a fierce battle - there is a saying that firepower can suppress, but occupation requires infantry. The problem is that in the fortress assault, his German evil spirit fleet is not a landing ship. Just by using helicopters to airdrop a few ship girls, there is no way to occupy a fortress with internal defense design.

Then, taking this opportunity to fire a salvo of missiles, it is possible to severely damage the evil spirit fleet exposed off the coast of Gibraltar! When General Arthur Cunningham integrates the light bomber units of the North African Air Force and the four remaining giant-class light carriers in the Mediterranean tomorrow, the German ship-man's occupation operation will be directly aborted - even if there is a high probability that they will be counterattacked by the Ta_183 Raven of Disaster or even missiles, and the carrier-based aircraft will be exhausted, and even the two armored aircraft carriers Glorious II and Victory II, as well as the Independence-class light carriers supported by the Americans, will not be able to withstand it - but it doesn't matter, as long as the evil spirit fleet can be destroyed, no matter how big the sacrifice is, it is worth it! Not to mention, Tovey will definitely arrive at the battlefield at noon tomorrow, and he still has more than a hundred missiles in his hand.

Even if you Germans control the Tangier airport and can summon fighter reinforcements, your anti-aircraft missiles are exhausted and your fleet is in ruins. An airport is nothing more than a few more Crows of Disaster, and you will have to escape back the same way you flew here!

Therefore, Cunningham and War-Spite still held on to the last glimmer of hope for a reversal of the war situation at this time.

however……

"Right here, a few people, use the explosive packs to blow up this vent for me, and the rest of you get ready to pour gasoline!"

On the top of the Gibraltar Fortress, which was filled with thick smoke and rising heat, Zeppelin, holding an MG151 machine gun, used his senses to scan the surrounding area for any movement, pointed at a large camouflaged concrete slab not far away, and gave orders to the back.

Behind her were several paratroopers jumping out of helicopters—and gasoline barrels hanging below...

Chapter 894: I, Zeppelin, also want to fight a land battle

The violent vibrations penetrated through the three hundred meters of granite and several meters thick reinforced concrete walls, and then through the already somewhat turbid air in the tunnel, hitting the chest and ears of every fortress defender. The air ducts on the wall made a buzzing noise, and the hot air that still had a faint smell of gunpowder and burnt after filtering the ventilation system blew into the tunnel, which was already stuffy and sweaty. The guarding officers and soldiers sat on the wall on one side of the tunnel, some concentrating on praying, some closing their eyes to rest, some fanning themselves, and some whispering to each other... Under the dim light that flickered, everyone's expression was so solemn.

Although they were still confident in the defense of the fortress, they were afraid of facing the evil spirits that were said to be evil and powerful when the Germans landed - not to mention that they were being firmly suppressed by the gunfire of the evil warships. Although as a soldier, they had long been prepared to die on the battlefield, but in the face of life and death, everyone's heart was filled with ripples.

A soldier with a childish look on his face looked at his squad leader. Fearing being scolded, he hesitated for a few seconds, but in the end, the worry in his heart overcame the fear of being scolded. Although he was a little timid, he still reached out and gently pushed: "Squad leader, tell me, can we withstand them in this state?"

"What nonsense are you talking about!" The squad leader hit him angrily, "You only said this to me, remember there won't be a next time! If our lieutenant heard it, he would definitely say that you are trying to shake the morale of the troops and he would have to shoot you!"

"Ouch... OK, OK, I get it." The recruit who was hit covered the freshly baked red envelope on his forehead and looked at his squad leader's face in the dim light - although the squad leader said nothing, and his face did not change other than stern, but the pile of cigarette butts at his feet and the slight trembling of the hand holding the cigarette were enough to explain the problem - a fierce battle was inevitable!

In fact, the fortress's deployment and other matters had been announced to the officers and soldiers long before the battle broke out, and even the combat plan of "how to deal with the ship girl" was organized for a temporary exercise when the alarm was received at noon yesterday. But the problem is - the exercise is just a simulation after all, and now they have to really deal with the legendary evil spirit...

Didn’t you see that the squad leader didn’t say anything but kept smoking one cigarette after another?

"I don't know what's going on outside right now... God, please bless me..."

The bombardment lasted about half an hour, and the Gibraltar fortress suffered heavy losses.

The radar and optical observation posts had been suppressed by the stormy artillery fire as early as the bombardment began, and the three-hundred-meter-thick rock mountain also cut off all channels for the personnel inside the tunnel to perceive the outside world. At present, except for the few people built on the top of the main peak, who could barely see part of the track of the evil warship's bombardment through the cover of the remaining mountains at the southernmost end of the Iberian Peninsula, all the personnel, whether on the artillery platform, on the anti-aircraft guns, or in the bunkers of the anti-landing fortifications, have all withdrawn to the tunnel to avoid the roll call of the artillery fire. Now, apart from the observation post on the main peak, the only channel to obtain external information is the "starting point" of the tunnel broadcasting system, that is, the radio station where the fortress headquarters contacts (requests) and (helps) the outside world.

However, soon, good news came from the internal broadcasting system...

"... (boom) Brothers, this is the fortress command center! I am the acting commander (boom)... We have just received a telegram from His Excellency the First Sea Lord (boom) and Commander of the Allied Atlantic Theater, Marshal Cunningham! He said that the main force of the navy will be able to reach the missile launch position at two o'clock at the latest (boom) and launch a missile attack on the Germans... The Gibraltar Fortress is well fortified, and we are prepared (boom)... His Excellency the Marshal encouraged us to persevere to the end for the victory of the free world (boom)..."

As soon as the good news was announced on the radio, the soldiers in the tunnel were excited. The frustration of having to hide in the depths of the tunnel and defend with their heads in their hands was swept away. In such an atmosphere, no one even noticed that the ventilation pipes that were fanning the hot air had been stained with a faint smell of gasoline. And it was gradually getting stronger!

"Sniff... sniff..." The new recruit who was pushed by the veteran to the ventilator to "blow hot air" was the first to smell a dangerous smell: "Squad leader, smell it, why does it smell like gasoline?"

"Geno? There's gasoline in the ventilation duct...?!" The squad leader, who was originally in high spirits, suddenly changed his expression. Regardless of the deafening roars still coming from the duct, he found a shelf to climb up and put his ear against the hot duct. A burst of gasoline came directly into his ears!

"Oh no! Someone is pouring gasoline into the ventilation pipe!!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the tunnel, which was originally full of excitement for the arrival of reinforcements, suddenly turned cold. There was no time to think about what had happened. Even though they were all disciplined soldiers, they were completely panicked at this time.

"How is this possible? When did the Germans get up there? Did they fly up there?"

Hundreds of soldiers in the entire tunnel all thought of the same question at the same time - although, this was also the last question they could think of in their lives...

Hot air blew from the top of the vent, and the fire from the bombardment on the mountain and below illuminated the place. In front of the thick smoke and fire, five or six empty gasoline barrels were thrown in a mess. On the other side, the firing holes of the two guard bunkers were emitting bursts of green smoke, as if they had been visited by blasting tubes. Looking at the dark ventilation pipe, Zeppelin looked indifferent and handed a bundle of cluster grenades with the protective cover unscrewed and the trigger ring exposed to Skorzeny, who was fighting on the other side. His face was full of gunpowder, but he looked excited and belligerent. Even the scar on his cheek looked like a smile.

"Ladies first." The top European master, who was in a good mood, even extended his hand in a gentlemanly salute.