Chen Dao was secretly glad that Hitler was able to refocus on Malta, but he did not know that the sinking of the Poseidon troop carrier caused an earthquake in the upper echelons of the German and Italian worlds.

On the German side, the earthquake was naturally caused by the rising star of the German world, the formulator of the "Thanksgiving Plan" and the "Manstein-Rosen" plan, the first commander of the German naval aviation, Hermann. The disappearance of the commander of the Goering Motorized Rifle Division, special adviser to the Army Ordnance Bureau, and the well-known "Your Excellency the Brother-in-law".

What caused an even greater shock in the German world was that Reichsal Goering was admitted to the hospital on the day he learned the bad news, and was diagnosed with a sudden heart attack.

The ultimate shock in the German ** world was the tears of the German Führer Hitler, the tears of self-reproach.

Hitler did not cry when he learned of Chen's disappearance.

Knowing that his old comrade-in-arms Goering had a heart attack and was hospitalized, Hitler did not cry, he just chose to visit him as soon as possible.

According to inside information from eyewitnesses from the High Command, the Führer beat his chest in front of Keitel, Yodel and others, and cried and shouted: "It's all my fault, if I had listened to the advice of the little guy and conquered Malta first, the Poseidon would not have been sunk and the little guy would not have disappeared." If I had listened to the little one, Herman would not have been hospitalized. It's all my fault. I was the one who hurt the little guy and Herman."

Hitler did not forget to take revenge after remorse. In a fit of rage, he immediately ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Command to communicate with the Italian side. A request was made to send a large army into Sicily and to conquer Malta.

The Poseidon troop carrier was not the first Italian transport ship to be sunk by the British on the island of Malta, but it was the one with the heaviest losses, with less than 100 of the more than 1,000 recruits and crew on board being rescued, and the casualty rate was over 90 percent.

The sinking of the Poseidon once again focused the attention of the Italian military on the island of Malta.

The island of Malta is Sicily to the north, Libya to the south, and the boundary between the East and the West Mediterranean.

Valletta, the capital of Malta, has the only large British Navy base in the central Mediterranean. Not only did it serve as an intermediate stop for ships traveling between Gibraltar and Alexandria, but it also happened to straddle the usual route from Italy to Libya, just 80 kilometers from Sicily, Italy. The planes taking off from the island's airfields have a combat radius of Greece in the east, Libya in the south, Algeria in the west, and Florence in central Italy in the north, covering almost all important targets around the Mediterranean, so Malta Island has an incomparable strategic position and value for southern Europe and North Africa.

Although the Italian military circles were well aware of the importance of the island of Malta, Mussolini was overstaffed, the number of troops was tight, and the quality of the Italian army itself was not high. It was also poorly equipped and incapable of carrying out a landing in Malta.

Now the Germans offered to send troops to capture Malta. It was great news for the Italian military and Mussolini, and the two sides immediately hit it off, immediately formed a joint command, and began to work out a battle plan called the Hercules Project.

According to the plan, the Luftwaffe sent a Second Air Force consisting of 200 fighters and 250 bombers to Sicily, and the commander was the newly promoted Air Marshal Albert Brown. Kesselring.

In addition, there was the 1st Airborne Corps under the command of Lieutenant General Studenter, which commanded the 7th Parachute Division and the 22nd Airborne Division.

The Italian side sent three paratrooper battalions, four infantry divisions, and 80 aircraft, as well as a large number of naval ships, with a total strength of about 300,000 on both sides.

As an advance base for the attack on the island of Malta, Sicily was heavily armed and war clouds were gathered for a time.

After learning all kinds of inside information from Student, who came to Sicily again, especially Goering's heart attack and Hitler's tears, Chen Dao was speechless for a long time, and finally asked in Student's expectant gaze: "Should I go back to China to visit them?" ”

"Of course you have to go back to China, without your troops here, you can't play any role if you stay here. Going back to Berlin and visiting Marshal Goering is the most important thing you should do now. Steudent said.

Chen Dao nodded heavily, and then said to Studenter: "Help me arrange a plane, I want to go back to Berlin." Also, do me two more small favors. ”

At four o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, a Ju-52 transport plane took off from the airport in Sicily.

The next day, an Opel-Lightning three-ton truck loaded with flour, butter and other food products stopped in front of Mrs. Bellucci's house

On the same day, a thug surnamed Berlusconi was escorted by the local police to Sicilian airport to participate in the expansion of the airport, and died in a car accident a few days later

Chen Dao said that he had no knowledge of what happened to Berlusconi, because he was being taught by Goering face-to-face and had a full alibi.

In the intensive care ward of the Berlin Central Hospital, Goering lies on his back at the head of the bed, and Chen Dao sits on the edge of the bed.

Chen Dao held a fruit knife in his hand and listened to Goering's nagging while peeling apples.

"After I get this disease, maybe one day I will be stimulated a little, and as soon as my eyes are closed, this life will be over, if you don't want me to die young, don't stimulate me anymore."

"Do you know what is the greatest pain in this life?". Chen Dao asked intently as he peeled the apple without raising his head.

"I don't know the pain of others, but the biggest pain for me is dying young before I became the richest man in the world."

"You're wrong, and it's a big mistake, for you, the biggest pain should be that you are dead and the money is not spent, does what I mean by that?" Chen Dao asked.

"That makes sense." Goering said as he stretched out his left hand to Chen Dao.

"Since what I said makes sense, you have to live well, strive to become the richest man in the world before you die, and then spend all your money before you die." As if he didn't see Goering's outstretched hand, Chen Dao took care of himself and put the peeled apple into his mouth and took a bite.

"There is an old man named Lao Tzu in the East who said that there is a saying called the place of misfortune and blessing, I think your heart disease is an opportunity for you, a good opportunity to maintain your image as a military god." Chen Dao said as he gnawed on the apple, completely ignoring Goering's disgruntled eyes.

Hearing the word god of war, the resentment in Goering's eyes disappeared in an instant.

"Tell me the details."

"The old man named Lao Tzu also said that you have been promoted to the rank of Imperial Marshal and won the Grand Iron Cross, which can be said to have reached the pinnacle of your career, unless" Chen Dao said and looked at the door of the ward, and then said in a low voice: "Unless you replace the Führer." ”

Goering changed color in horror and hurriedly glanced at the door of the ward.

"Heinz, don't talk nonsense."

"I know you're not going to do that, so I think it's time for you to retire." Chen Dao said.

"You're retiring me?" Goering asked.

"The war is not over yet, what are you doing in retirement? I mean to hide behind the scenes and be a godfather, not like Keitel, Brauchitsch or whatever you used to do, always trying to show off in front of the Führer. Chen Dao explained.

"Godfather" Goering repeated several times as he touched his chin.

"Yes, charging into battle is what Ma Tsai does, and the real godfather has never been hidden. All you have to do is be a hidden godfather, and heart disease is your best excuse. Chen Dao said.

"I see what you mean, but what if I reduce my chances of appearing in front of the Führer, what if someone takes advantage of the situation and takes my place in the Führer's mind?"

"The real godfather must be able to do it easily without making a move, and the shot must be amazing. As long as you can guarantee that every move you make will solve a problem for the Führer that he can't solve, your position will be unassailable. Chen Dao said.

Goering pinched his chin and nodded slowly.

"You have a point, I listen to you."

In the afternoon of the same day, the news of Marshal Goering's discharge from the hospital spread among the top leaders of the German and political circles.

Soon after, another news came that, for health reasons, Marshal Goering had been granted a special leave by the Führer to recuperate in the countryside of Vienna. (To be continued......)