Seeing that everyone's eyes were projected, Kesselring didn't know what was going on, and it was inconvenient for everyone to ask, so he could only remind him by coughing softly, and at this time Hoffman seemed to have just come to his senses.

"I'm sorry, I just thought of something and got a little distracted." Hoffman smiled apologetically, "Can I hear your story one more time?" ”

"Of course......" Kesselring had just begun his explanation of the reason for Ranke's award, and was interrupted without saying a word, "I don't mean this, I mean the previous ......"

"Front?" Kesselring was puzzled, "What's ahead?" ”

"Great Britain...... The part where he was in England. ”

"It turned out that the Führer was interested in this history." Kesselring scratched his head, for he was not particularly familiar with it, so he had to say, "Major Ranke, please introduce yourself and the Führer." ”

Ranke had just been frightened, his body was so stiff that he couldn't move, and Kesselring called him three times in a row before he reacted, and stammered, "Führer...... Führer, Marshal Kesselring, I ......"

"Young people, don't be nervous, the chief will not bury your contributions and achievements, they will see your growth, and your understanding and evaluation of your own value can be further improved." Hoffmann comforted him, "I'm just interested in what you had experienced before you resolutely returned to the German family, you know, this experience I resonated with you, and when I saw you, I remembered myself when I was young - although I was born and died for Germany in the last war, strictly speaking, I was not a German citizen more than ten years ago." ”

Ranke spoke of his own experience. At first, he was nervous and restrained, but slowly let go, and he described the whole past in a calm tone. Finally, in a choked voice, he said: "Dear Führer, I saw that speech in the darkest and lowest time of my life. Your words were like a guiding light that illuminated the way forward for me, freed me from the chaos and put me in the right direction, and I had a career, a status, and an honor in the German family. Although I have not fought in a war and have not received a systematic military education, I am not quite like a pure military man, and I am also scared when I carry out my mission, but when I think of your teachings. The thought of your high expectations fills me with courage and not at all fearing these enemies. I believe that we can succeed, and I am willing to use my switch to take advantage of the interests of the nation......"

Keitel suddenly reacted: "I remember, you are the lieutenant who gave lectures to the cadets, the first lieutenant who did not work in the military academy and was able to give lectures to them. ”

"Marshal. You remember correctly. That's me. ”

Hoffman smiled and patted him on the shoulder, "I appreciate what you just said, but there is one thing I think you said wrong. What is Military? He was an excellent soldier from the time he put on the military uniform, was loyal to the German people, and fought bravely against the enemy, regardless of the specific position - you see that I was just an ordinary herald when I was a corporal, and my shooting and stabbing skills were also very average, and I did not destroy many enemies with my own hands, but my superiors still fully affirmed my achievements. They bestowed this rare honor on me. "From that time on, I was determined to fight to the death for the German people, no matter what I was in." The people believed in me and supported me, and finally elected me as the Führer. ”

Ranke saluted and replied in a sonorous voice: "I see, no matter what position I am in, I will fight for Germany to the death." ”

When the ceremony was finally over, and after a group photo had been taken, Ranke was cautious and let all the officers who were higher than him and the heroes who were ahead of him at the time of the award go first, almost as long as he was the last to go. Just as he stepped out of the gate and was about to leave, a voice suddenly came from behind him: "Major Rank, please stay." ”

"Who are you?" Looking at the other party's rank of lieutenant colonel, he first saluted habitually, and then asked suspiciously.

"I'm the Führer's chief lieutenant Dahlgues, and the Führer has something to ask you to see him again, but you need to wait five minutes."

"Okay, no problem."

In the Führer's office, Bowman spoke in a strange tone: "Führer, are you really going to give up this man?" This is the object we have spent a great deal of effort and careful training for a long time, he has all the necessary conditions to carry out the mission, he is clever, ruthless, ruthless, multi-tasking, and familiar with the local situation, and he is in line with the requirements of the action in any way. Why did you suddenly ask for a substitution? ”

"Not why, because I found someone better and more suitable."

"Who?"

"You've just met."

"Just now?" Bowman suddenly remembered, "You mean Rank?" ”

Hoffman nodded: "That's him, I think he's far more suitable than the people you picked." ”

"Really? Why can't I see it? Bowman didn't want to confront Hoffman, he knew that most of the time it would be difficult for the Führer to change his mind, but what was it that made the Führer decide that Ranke was the ideal person after only a few minutes of contact? It may be attributed to the Führer's terrible instincts, but he felt that the logic was somewhat unclear, and he hoped that the Führer would give him a reasonable explanation, after all, he had put a lot of effort into this operation.

"On the surface, Ranke is untrained, lacks ruthless determination and the ability to deal with difficult situations, his physical condition is not outstanding, and he is a little sensitive emotionally and mentally, which does not seem to be the steadiness required of an agent, but ......," Hoffman elaborated in a prolonged voice, "you see, the man who carried out this plan was almost dead, and he had to have great courage and loyalty, and above all, he needed to be full of love for the German people and leaders, The man you have chosen is at best a social dregs, and he has agreed to serve us solely because we have seized on him and had to submit to the Gestapo - forced, reluctant submission. Suppose he falls into the hands of the British, how long will he hold out in the face of the means of the British espionage? Could it be that from the beginning, there was a mentality of betraying and betraying comrades? He lacked the conviction that came from the heart and was willing to die for the German spirit. In other words, he is carrying out the task with reason, but this task is not enough by reason alone, but more important is faith, faith and will - and Ranke is the most suitable person for these conditions. ”

"Well, you've convinced me, and I hope you'll convince this lad too." Bowman sighed and stopped holding on to his thoughts.

"Knock knock" Dalges knocked on the door with Rank.

"Please come in."

"Let's go inside." He confessed to Rank, "Relax in front of the Führer, he values you very much." ”

Ranke straightened his clothes, especially the Knight's Cross he had just received, before calmly entering the office, and Dalges immediately closed the door and nervously stood at the door.

"Major Ranke of the Logistics Department of the African Army Command met with him." Ranke bowed respectfully.

"Major Rank, we're meeting again so soon." Hoffman pointed at Baumann, "This is Comrade Baumann, our head of party affairs. ”

Ranke saluted Bowman again, and the latter asked bluntly, "Are you a party member?" When did you join the party? ”

"I am a party member, and my party card number is No. 05966413." Ranke replied without hesitation, "I submitted an application to my superiors to join the party in the second week after joining the army, but because it took me 2 years and 104 years and 104 years to finally pass the loyalty test, I really joined the party in the third year, and I was introduced to the party by Schubran, the commander of the division's logistics department. ”

"Now there is a very important mission, it has a 1 in 10 chance of success, and the chance of safe evacuation after success is still 10%, I know that you are a top student in the Department of Statistics at Cambridge University, may I ask ......" Hoffman suddenly said something unrelated to the topic just now, "What is the probability of successfully completing the mission and evacuating safely?" ”

"It's only 1%." Ranke replied without hesitation.

"Comrade Ranke......" Bowman asked, staring into Ranke's eyes, in a very solemn tone, word by word, "if the Führer and the party want you to carry out this almost life-and-death task, are you willing to accept it?" ”

"I do!"

"You have to think about it, don't answer so quickly, maybe you may not be suitable for this task."

"Nope! Although I do not know what the task is, since you have asked me to stay, it proves that I meet the needs of the mission, and ......" Ranke also replied in a very solemn tone, "the task of making the Führer and you so solemn must be a task that has a bearing on the overall situation, the safety of the Party, the interests of the country, and the fundamental interests of the German people, and I personally will never retreat at such a historical juncture." I want to be worthy of the country and the people, worthy of the great love of the leader, and worthy of the medal I have received! ”

"Now I believe you made the right decision." Bowman turned to Hoffman and said, "The Führer always sees people more accurately than we do, and usually sees higher, farther, and deeper. I have never seen this kind of impassioned attitude and down-to-earth spirit in another person. ”

Hoffman smiled slightly, but didn't say much.

Ranke interjected, "And the probability that I will complete the task may be more than 10%. ”

"Why?"

"Because I don't have to think about evacuation, and if necessary, I can sacrifice myself to cover the retreat of other comrades, so the probability of success is greater." Ranke said in a categorical manner, "From the day I applied to join the party, I vowed to dedicate everything I had, including my life, to the party and the people. Evacuation was not a problem for me - I had been given a new lease of life from the day I returned home from England, and death was not something to be feared for a man who had already died once. ”

"Very well, ask Otto Skorzny to come and meet his best partner." (To be continued.) )