In the afternoon of that day, Qin Chuan and the colonel-level officers of the First Infantry Corps were summoned to a secret meeting.

The conference room was full, and the officers talked in low voices, with a vague sense that a big war was about to begin.

Qin Chuan sat next to Colonel Slain...... This is what Colonel Slane meant.

"Malta is going to be finished, isn't it?" Colonel Slain said, "Or maybe we're finished!" ”

Colonel Slain laughed as he spoke.

This made Qin Chuan realize that even Colonel Slein did not know the true goals of the German army.

"Any questions?" Seeing that Qin Chuan's expression was different, Colonel Slane couldn't help asking.

"No, no...... No problem, Colonel! Qin Chuan replied.

For reasons of military secrecy, Qin Chuan couldn't talk nonsense, not even to Colonel Slane, although Qin Chuan knew that this might be the case when the meeting was going to be announced.

In a few moments, Rommel walked into the conference room, and all the officers hurriedly stood upright.

Rommel walked to the front of the conference room, ordered the officers to sit down, and then said unhurriedly: "Good afternoon." First of all, I would like to congratulate all of you who have successfully led the First Infantry Corps through parachute landing and training in the use of the Iron Fist. But that doesn't seem to be a good thing, because you all know that having more skills and qualities means having more and more dangerous tasks, which is why I didn't train with you! ”

There was a "cajoling" laugh in the conference room, and Rommel was very good at setting the mood, even though he was very harsh on the officers.

"You've been selected for a highly classified, extremely important mission!" Rommel said: "In this operation, I will direct your actions!" ”

Hearing this, Colonel Slain sensed that this mission was somewhat unusual, because if the target of the attack was to attack the island of Malta as they had guessed, it would not be a "highly secret" mission, but a mission that everyone could guess.

"The mission time is five o'clock in the morning tomorrow!" As he spoke, Rommel looked at his watch and said, "You have fifteen hours to prepare, the transport will arrive at the airport on time at half past four, complete the boarding preparations in half an hour, and leave on time at five o'clock!" ”

"But the general......" one officer asked, puzzled, "shouldn't we go to Tripoli to board the plane?" ”

The officer was clearly still thinking about the island of Malta...... If the island of Malta is to be attacked, then, of course, it should be boarded in Tripoli.

"No!" Rommel replied, then stood up, and the assistant then spread out a magnified aerial photograph on the wall behind him and pinned it to the wall with a few thumbtacks.

"This is Crete, gentlemen!" Rommel stood next to the chart and said triumphantly, "This is your goal!" ”

The conference room couldn't help but "coax" and went into chaos, and no one expected that the target would be Crete.

Colonel Slane glanced at Qin Chuan, and Qin Chuan said with some embarrassment: "I'm sorry, Colonel, I can't say!" ”

"Was it your idea?" Colonel Slane asked.

"So to speak!" Qin Chuan replied.

"Well done!" Colonel Slain smiled bitterly and whispered, "You lied to all of us. Of course, that's good, because I think the British will be fooled too! ”

"Let me give you a brief introduction!" Rommel pointed to the aerial map and said: "As you all know, our first target is the airfield, and to control the airfield is to seize the lifeblood of the enemy." Therefore, the task of the first regiment was to parachute into three parts in battalions and launch a surprise attack on the three airfields in Crete! ”

After a pause, Rommel pointed to the map with his baton and said, "These three airports are Iraq, Malemai and Rethymnon. Among them, Rethymnon Airport has not yet been completed, Malemai Airport can only take off and land fighter jets because of the short runway, and Irak Airport is the airport with the most complete facilities and the longest runway, which can take off and land all kinds of aircraft! ”

So don't think about it, Ilak Airport and Malemai Airport are the focus.

Sure enough, Rommel then said: "The campaign requires us to quickly occupy the airfields of Ilak and Malemae, especially the airfields of Iraq, because once we have control of them, it will be possible for our transports to land, and you will be able to get more reinforcements and supplies!" ”

"General!" Colonel Slein asked, "I wonder how many troops are stationed at these airfields!" ”

"We can't get more detailed information!" Rommel said: "The reason is that we don't want to expose our strategic intentions too early!" ”

This is understandable, because if a spy is captured by the British, even if he knows nothing and does not confess, it is at least proved that the Germans and Italians were interested in Crete.

"All we know is a big deal!" Rommel said: "The British and Greeks stationed more troops on the coastline, and the airfields had only fewer troops, of which the Irak airfield was the largest, with about two battalions of British troops and one battalion of Greek troops jointly garrisoned, and the Malemai airfield was one battalion of British troops and one battalion of Greek troops, and Rethymnon had only one company of Greek troops!" ”

Hearing this information, the officers could not help but talk about it, because the contrast of forces was too great, especially at the Ilak airfield, where a battalion of German paratroopers attacked three battalions of the enemy...... And the Germans suffered heavy losses in soldiers, and one battalion did not even have more than 500 men.

"What about their fortifications and equipment?" Major Kleiman asked.

Major Kleiman was the battalion commander of Qin Chuan's battalion, and he had been in contact with Qin Chuan before, and Qin Chuan had his permission when he suggested blowing up the school.

Because he was almost certain that the first battalion would be the main battalion to attack the most difficult airfield at Iraq, he was more concerned with the fortifications of the British army.

"You can breathe a sigh of relief on that!" Rommel said: "The British were very lax in their defense of Crete, and it was clear that our strategy of deception was at work...... Their defense of the airfield was nothing more than simple barbed wire and a fence, not even a minefield. ”

The officers couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, if this was the case, then there was indeed a lot of strength, because the defender's forces were relatively scattered, while the attacker could concentrate his forces on a breakthrough point.

But before the officers could breathe a sigh of relief, Rommel said: "But you need to pay attention, they have tanks and armored vehicles, and we also don't know the exact number of them, only that 30 tanks and 50 armored vehicles were transferred to the island of Malta not long ago!" ”

Looking at the stunned officers, Rommel spread his hands and said, "This is exactly when the 'Iron Fist' comes into play, isn't it?" ”