With the arrival of over 600 officers and soldiers from the 22nd Division, Hans Logan's exploits began to spread like wildfire within the 7th Parachute Division's base. Logan found himself "harassed" by admirers even during meals, walks, and trips to the restroom. Some enthusiasts even went as far as driving to the nearest town to buy stacks of newspapers, fueling the escalating admiration. The senior officers, led by Püchler, seemed pleased to see their morale boosted by the appearance of a model figure within their ranks. At the suggestion of Chief of Staff Heidrich, the division headquarters decided to hold an internal banquet to celebrate Logan's achievements. Poor Captain Logan found himself more exhausted from dealing with this than from engaging in combat with the British!
"Captain, Captain! We just received a call saying General Stüdner has woken up. General Püchler and the others are planning to drive to the hospital to visit him!"
Logan was shaving when Skopf's urgent voice reached his ears—how did this guy always manage to show up while he was grooming?
Upon hearing about Stüdner's condition, Logan didn't hesitate. He dropped his razor, grabbed a towel to wipe his face, and said, "I'm on my way!"
"I've arranged an extra seat for you!" Skopf said with an intentional air of importance, apparently willing to use his position to benefit his younger brother's prospects.
"Oh, that's very kind of you!" Walking along, Logan casually asked, "Uh, your brother's name is..."
"Oliver Skopf!" He interrupted eagerly.
"Right, got it!" Logan replied vaguely, and soon they were in the car—of course, the last one.
After a bumpy two-hour ride, the car finally arrived in Mainz, situated on the banks of the Rhine. Here lay the finest surgical hospital in the Rhineland, reputed for saving the lives of many severely injured individuals due to accidents each year. With the outbreak of war, business was booming.
As the leader of the German paratroopers, General Stüdner was granted a comfortable single room overlooking the Rhine. When Logan and his entourage crowded into the room, a young and pretty nurse was leaning forward to feed the general porridge. Judging by her ample curves, it was evident that General Stüdner was well provided for in terms of both spiritual and material sustenance, as evidenced by his high-spirited conversation...
Seeing his subordinates approaching, Stüdner turned his head but could only emit "uhh" and "ahh" sounds, and his mouth... still awkwardly curved to one side!
The officers exchanged puzzled glances. Püchler quickly asked the nurse, who smiled faintly, "The doctor said this facial paralysis is a temporary phenomenon after surgery. As long as the recovery is good, it should return to normal in a few months!"
"Facial paralysis?" The officers were dumbfounded once again—not that they hadn't seen facial paralysis resulting in unclear speech before, but this was their commander, the father of German paratroopers...
"Uhh, ahh..."
Stüdner did indeed want to say something, but no matter how hard he tried, he could only produce these syllables. At this point, his adjutant Hank leaned over and whispered something to him, and the general nodded slightly, uttering a few more "uhh" and "ehh" sounds.
Captain Hank turned to the crowd and said, "The general is very grateful for everyone's concern and for their dedicated service during his injury. He also hopes everyone will continue to work hard for Germany's victory and for the honor of the paratroopers!"
The official rhetoric sounded impressive, and standing on the outskirts of the crowd, Logan could hear it loud and clear. But how could he understand what Stüdner was saying?
After that, Stüdner gestured for Püchler and other senior commanders to come forward and shake hands and exchange pleasantries—one by one. Since he couldn't speak, his adjutant Hank acted as his proxy. If he agreed, he would nod; if not, he would shake his head slightly and then gesture.
Finally, it was Logan's turn.
"The general has always been concerned about the establishment of the model parachute battalion. When he learned that the Supreme Command had officially ordered it, and the personnel were basically in place, he felt relieved!"
After Hank finished, he glanced at Stüdner, who seemed quite satisfied with these two sentences, nodding in approval without speaking.
"The general said that a new unit will encounter many difficulties in its formation and integration, and you must be mentally prepared. If you encounter any problems, you can always ask General Püchler for help!"
With that, Hank looked at Stüdner again. However, these words didn't seem to be particularly to the general's liking. He motioned for Hank to fetch paper and pen from the bedside table, then tremblingly wrote a few words.
Logan looked at it—it was the German words for "patience" and "wisdom."
"Endure what ordinary people cannot endure and think what ordinary people dare not think!" Logan said smoothly.
The general seized Logan's hand, his eyes full of approval.
Remembering the previous confusion about equipment and ammunition, Logan suddenly realized: Yes, isn't the world about survival of the fittest? Stüdner had already paved the way for him. How could he complain about stumbling blocks? Roads are made by walking, and with decades of foresight, why fear Hermann Göring, that incompetent and arrogant fatty, who would come after the war?
"Don't worry, General, rest well here. When you recover, the model parachute battalion will definitely be a unit that makes you proud!"
Hearing this, Stüdner's grip tightened even more, so tight that it even made Logan wince...
"General! General! What's wrong with you? Doctor, hurry!"
Hank's shouting startled Logan. Looking at Stüdner again, his eyes were rolling back, and his whole body was convulsing.
The doctor arrived promptly and, upon seeing so many officers in the room, promptly issued an eviction order. Shortly after, two burly nurses entered one after the other, their muscular arms causing Logan and the surrounding officers to shudder.
"What's happening? Is the general okay? What did the doctor say?" asked Puchner to Hank.
The captain shook his head. "The doctor said that immediately after surgery, there may be complications, but once a series of operations are completed, followed by careful recuperation, there shouldn't be any major issues. However..."
"However, what?" Puchner inquired.
Hank pulled him aside and whispered something. Logan couldn't hear the specifics.
After waiting for the duration of two cigarettes, the doctor finally emerged with the two robust nurses. "Gentlemen officers, what are you still doing here? Leave! The general needs rest and cannot be overworked!"
The term "overworked" was quite easy to misinterpret, and the officers exchanged uneasy glances before reluctantly leaving.
Before returning to their base, Logan specifically instructed the driver to find a newspaper stand. Well, it seemed like no German newspaper missed covering him! However, the bespectacled man was quite clever; all the photos displayed were just of his profile. Moreover, considering the limited printing technology of the time, it wasn't likely that he would be recognized walking down the street—otherwise, Logan might not dare to visit England for tourism after the war!