German Red Prince

To demonstrate the might of the German Empire's military, the German Emperor designated a several-hundred-square-kilometer area in the eastern suburbs of Berlin for military parades. Grand military parades were held there on major holidays and important celebrations.

Later, when World War I broke out, the Imperial War Department suggested that this place be converted into a special site for testing various new weapons.

After the victory in World War I, the place was not abandoned, but it was turned into a simulated military combat training ground, with a large number of bunkers and trenches built, and barbed wire was erected all around.

Weapon strongpoints, machine gun bunkers, foxholes—everything you'd find on a battlefield is here, realistically recreating the brutal scenes of war.

At the same time, they knew that those who came to observe the military exercise were all big shots, and these people were the empire's treasures. If they were hit by a cannon shot here by some fool, it would be terrible.

Although the stands were very high and outside the artillery range, no one could guarantee anything, since luck is a fickle thing.

During the Battle of the Marne, a German soldier forgot to calibrate his gun before firing. This single shot struck a secret French ammunition depot, and the meticulously planned French offensive was completely thwarted by the explosion.

The building was constructed to be quite sturdy and luxurious, with the main structure made of reinforced concrete and thick layers of cement and steel, capable of withstanding the frontal bombardment of a 280mm caliber cannon.

Meanwhile, the interior of the grandstand building is also very well constructed. Its water circulation and power systems can operate independently for a long time, and the guards inside are stationed every five or ten steps, ensuring very strict security.

The observation ports inside have also undergone special processing and modification. Every few meters, there is a custom-made high-powered telescope, from which one can clearly see the movements on the training ground. There are also many spare high-powered telescopes at the back in case there are too many people and not enough, like today.

The weather was fine on the day of the military exercise, and many high-ranking officers arrived quite some time before it began. It was said that His Majesty the Emperor would be present at the exercise, and that the second prince of the Kingdom of the Rhine, Nicholas von Thorne, the "German Superman" who had performed well in the Polish campaign, was also participating in the exercise.

They wanted to see just how capable this supposedly legendary Prince Rhine really was. In any case, influenced by these rumors, this military exercise was much more lively than usual.

Many important figures were present, including Chancellor Tirpitz, Marshal August von Mackensen (the Knight of Death), Marshal Alexander Heinrich Rudolf Kluke (the God of War of the Marne), and Marshal Bernhard Karl Adolf von Diemlin (the Shield of Africa).

Many people from the General Staff, the Transportation Department, and the Logistics Department also came, as well as some officers who are not so prominent now. Colonel Brauchitsch, Major Manstein, Major General Rundstedt, Major General Bock, Major Celt, and Guderian also took leave to come and observe the military exercise.

A group of people were discussing something when the Kaiser arrived, and everyone immediately shut up and stopped talking.

The officers stood at attention and saluted Wilhelm II, who returned the salute.

"Which two units are on duty today?" William asked the recorder beside him.

"Your Majesty, it is the 8th Division under General Kluge and the 3rd Division under General Model!"

"Yes, let's begin." Wilhelm II nodded.

The recorder received the message, fired a signal flare, and the exercise officially began.

Model, known for his defensive prowess, did not play defensively this time but instead launched a bold attack. Thorne had discussed this with Model in detail before the exercise. This battle was meant to be a warning to Guderian.

"You little brat, I don't believe I can't take you down." Thorne grinned wickedly.

Model concentrated his heavy firepower in one place and launched a fierce attack on Kruger's central position. 105mm and 210mm howitzers opened fire at the same time, bombarding the target position.

Kluge's deployment was relatively conservative, dividing his troops into three lines: a blocking line, an artillery line, and a counter-attack line. He evenly distributed heavy firepower and artillery on each defensive position, awaiting Model's attack.

But he didn't expect Model to concentrate his heavy firepower to attack his central position, causing him to lose a lot of troops from the start.

"If you concentrate your heavy firepower in one place, it means that the strength of your two flanks has been greatly weakened. In that case, I won't be polite."

Kluge ordered the 8th and 4th Regiments stationed on both flanks to launch a surprise attack on Model's two lines of defense, aiming to encircle Model's 3rd Division from the flanks.

"Hmph, trying to ensnare us? Let's see how long you can hold out from the front." Model ordered, "Armored units, attack!"

Two infantry companies, under the cover of six tanks and fifty armored vehicles, rushed forward. The previous rounds of artillery fire had destroyed the barbed wire and bunkers, demonstrating the formidable power of the armored forces. They launched a rapid attack and broke through quickly.

Several lines of defense in the central position have been breached, and the armored vanguard is advancing like a sharp sword.

If this continues, Kruger's flanks will also be in danger. In just a few hours, he has lost nearly two battalions of troops at his front lines.

"Bring a few battalions from the flank to reinforce them. If we wipe out their main force, we'll have won half the battle," Kruger ordered his adjutant.

Both sides' main forces were engaged in a decisive battle on the front lines, while their flanks remained remarkably quiet.

Fred scrambled out of the puddle; he had no choice but to hide there to avoid the reinforcements coming from the other side.

He could only crawl out once the troops were far away; he had almost suffocated just now. Thorne whistled and jumped down from the tree, while the soldiers hiding around him also pushed aside the camouflage coverings.

"Fred, I was just thinking about whether to give you CPR, but it seems I was overthinking it." Dudman was still teasing Fred, who was so stupid to jump into the water.

Fred glanced at him. Good heavens, there were people all around him, and he had nowhere to hide except in the water.

"Alright, stop arguing, let's keep going." Thorne waved his hand. He and his squad were currently carrying out a raid on the command post.

"Your Highness, did you also launch a surprise attack on the Polish command post in this way back then?" someone asked admiringly.

"Well...I guess so," Thorne said somewhat awkwardly.

The crowd around them immediately became excited. It was an honor for them to have the chance to replicate Prince Thorne's glorious operation.

"Your Highness, let's give this operation a code name, how about 'Operation German Superman'?"

Thorne felt a chill run down his spine when he heard about this Germanic superman, but seeing the admiring looks in the eyes of the others, he knew he couldn't go against their wishes and had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

“Alright, this operation is codenamed ‘Operation German Superman.’ We’ll launch a surprise attack on the command center and cripple their command system.” He then looked at Fred, “Fred, you need to remember the steps of this operation. You’re very talented, and I’ll be relying on you in the future.”

“Yes! Thank you, Your Highness.” Fred nodded in agreement.

Looking at the soldiers in front, Thorne made a gesture, and everyone understood and quietly crept up.

"Sorry, brothers, you've all been killed in action," Thorne said with a smile. The soldiers looked completely bewildered. Which unit was this? How did they manage to sneak up on the command post?

"Take their clothes off!" Thorne ordered. Thomas and the others looked at Thorne, who seemed somewhat excited, with shock. They thought, "You said you have no weird fetishes, yet you're taking other people's clothes off."

"Ah, no!" The soldiers struggled desperately. Wasn't this a military exercise? Why were they stripping people of their clothes?

"Damn it, gag them!" Thorne ordered. Several men rushed forward and hurriedly gagged the soldiers, causing them to whimper. From a distance, it looked as if a group of people were raping an innocent young man.

Afterwards, the soldiers said they had suffered severe psychological trauma and needed counseling. Thorne had no choice but to go over in person to explain and apologize. It was rare to see a prince humbly apologizing to a few soldiers.

However, after this exercise, Thorne gained another nickname – "The Stripper Prince".

Do not be captured by Thorne's troops. This prince has a strange fetish for stripping people naked; anyone captured by them, regardless of gender, will be stripped bare. This nickname later caused many misunderstandings and gave Thorne a major headache.

"What are you looking at me for? Take it off! Hurry up and change." Thorne started tearing off his clothes without saying a word, leaving everyone else stunned. Good heavens, this, this...

After changing their clothes, Thorne and his companions ordered the others to keep an eye on the soldiers and headed towards the command post.

Kluge is currently in a precarious situation, his flanks locked in a stalemate with Model's forces, neither side gaining the upper hand. While he has withstood the offensive on the main battlefront, he has suffered heavy losses. "Go and order another battalion to be transferred from the flanks..."

Before he could finish speaking, Thorne and his men walked in with guns in hand. "Excuse me, everyone, you have been captured by us."

Looking at the soldier in front of him, Kruger was astonished. Who was this? Had he gone mad?

“We are General Model’s special operations team. I am the team leader, Nicholas von Thorne. Excuse me, General Kruger.”

Thorne waved his hand behind him, "Tie them up!"

Under Thorne's command, Kruger's headquarters was captured. Thorne then began a series of micromanagements, resulting in a barrage of inexplicable orders at the front lines, causing chaos in troop movements.

"Huh? What's wrong with Kruger?" The spectators looked puzzled. "This... how can you command like this?"

Upon receiving Thorne's message, Model laughed loudly, "Good! Prince Thorne has succeeded! Armored forces! Charge!"

Kruger's defenses collapsed completely, and his army suffered a crushing defeat.

The generals were all puzzled. What was wrong with Kluge? Had he lost his mind later on? How could he command his troops so haphazardly?

"Hahahaha." The German Emperor laughed. "Kluge, how careless of you, that prince from the Rhineland went around to the command post and tied him up."

"what?"

At the end of the exercise, Model, at the cost of two thousand men, annihilated more than seven thousand Kluge soldiers and captured a number of officers, both high and low.

Armored assaults and raids behind enemy lines—these entirely new tactics were something these old-timers in the Army were seeing for the first time.

Seeing this, Guderian also made up his mind.

"cheers!"

Thorne and his group came to Adolf's place to celebrate. The exercise had come to a successful conclusion, and he could finally return to the Rhine.

Everyone was gathered here: Adolf, Himmler, Dudman, Fred, Thomas, Goebbels, and Hannah.

Looking at them, he saw Adolf and others he had heard of in his own time, as well as Dudman and his group whom he had met in this time. Thorne felt a surge of emotion. "Gentlemen," he said, "I have something to confess."

He stood up. "Everyone, I apologize for keeping this a secret for so long. My name is not actually Karl. My name is Thorne, and I am the second prince of the Kingdom of Rhine."

Adolf and the others were clearly surprised. They had guessed that Mr. Karl was more than just a businessman, but they never expected him to be a prince.

"Your Highness"

Adolf tried to bow, but Thorne stopped him, saying, "No, don't bow to me."

He looked at everyone and thought of his past life. In that life, he was just a nobody suffering from a terminal illness. No matter how many ideals he had, he could not realize them and finally died in humiliation on his sickbed.

But unexpectedly, he transmigrated. In this life, he was different; he held a high position and wielded great power. However, having transmigrated, he was destined not to be a contented rich man or a prince who idled away his days. He wanted to change things! He wanted to break the shackles of the old world!

He had too many regrets in his past life. When he was born, the red country that was built by countless people with ideals had already collapsed, leaving only a series of lamentations.

As he grew older, he became increasingly pessimistic about the world. He saw it as a materialistic world where money reigned supreme, entertainment was the ultimate pursuit, ideals were abandoned, and people no longer looked up at the stars.

Striving and hard work have become derogatory terms, while opportunism has become the righteous path. The air is thick with the stench of materialism, filled with pointless lamentations and affectation. The tides of materialism and consumerism have driven him to despair. Idealists are misunderstood; sincerity has vanished, replaced by backstabbing, intrigue, and conspiracy!

He described his ideal to Adolf and others: a world without class oppression and hatred; his ideal was the liberation of all mankind!

The group was stunned speechless for a long time by Thorne's words. Goebbels was the first to react and got up to walk towards Thorne.

He grasped Thorne's hand. "My ideal is the same as yours: to strive for a world without oppression."

Himmler then stood up with a smile, shook Thorne's hand, and said, "I think a world without oppression is one where you can eat high-quality chicken every day. Shouldn't I be included?"

Adolf, Dudman, Hannah, and the others all stood up. "Count me in, Your Highness!"

Thorne's eyes welled up with tears. It was wonderful to still have a group of people who could fight alongside him.

He wiped away his tears. "Don't call me Your Highness, call me Comrade."

Thorne boarded the Rhine train and left Berlin. Dudmann, his two companions, and Hannah's family returned to the Rhine with him, while Adolf and others continued to develop and expand their influence in Berlin.

Goodbye, Berlin.

The special train started moving and left Berlin.

"Rhine, I'm here!"

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Party to Unify Germany

"Your Highness Thorne, we have arrived at the Rhine."

Hamo walked into the train compartment from outside and bowed.

“It’s getting late, so let’s stop at the next station. I’ve already informed them to arrange accommodations for tonight. We’re tired from the journey, so we’ll see Prince Otto tomorrow morning.”

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, Butler Hammer." Thorne nodded. "Also, go and inform the others and tell them to tidy up."

Hamo withdrew, and Thorne lay down on the bed. "Rhine, Thorne, Otto," he murmured to himself, sighed, scratched his head, and sat up. He had been sorting through the prince's memories these past few days and had a general understanding of the royal family of the Kingdom of Rhine.

Although he had rehearsed many times, afraid of revealing any flaws, he still didn't know how to face his "family" in this timeline. What if he acted too exaggeratedly or made them feel something was off? If they became suspicious, that would be terrible. What if they found out he was an imposter and killed him out of humanitarian concern?

"Sigh, let's just take it one step at a time. There's always a way out." As long as I don't act too strangely, there shouldn't be any major problems.

When the train arrived at the station, the group went to their lodgings to rest for a while. Thorne checked the time; it was only a little before 5 p.m., so they could still go out for a stroll.

Having lived in this world for so long, this was his first time visiting the Rhine, and he was filled with curiosity about this kingdom that did not exist in his previous life.

"Sorry, Dudman, we can't take you with us." Thorne grinned mischievously and pulled Fred and Thomas away, then looked at Hannah, "Hannah, we're all men here, it's not convenient to bring you along, sorry."

After saying that, he pulled the two of them away quickly, leaving Dudman and Hannah standing there.

"Hey, why don't we bring them along? That's not a good idea, is it?" Thomas looked at Thorne with some confusion.

Fred rolled his eyes, looking at him with a look of pity for someone with intellectual disabilities. "I say, Thomas, are you really stupid or just pretending? Don't you know that Dudman has feelings for Hannah? His Highness finally managed to create some time for them to be alone, why are you so stubborn?"

Thomas looked deeply impressed and took notes in his notebook.

Thorne and a bunch of his men ran away, leaving Dudman standing there awkwardly, wondering what to do.

Seeing Hannah fiddling with her fingers, Dudman felt it would be unmanly not to speak up now, so he mustered up his courage and walked over.

"Miss Hannah, may I invite you to join me for a stroll?" (/ /o/ω/o/ /)

Dudman blushed and invited her, and Hannah nodded, stepped forward, and took Dudman's hand.

"It's done!"

Fred excitedly swung his hand and punched Thomas on the head, who was also crouching in the corner "peeping".

"Whoops"

Thomas covered his head with both hands and shouted, "What are you getting so worked up about? It's not like we're holding hands!" He rubbed his slightly dizzy head and glared at Fred.

"What do you know? This is what it means for a brother to be genuinely happy."

Fred clapped his hands. "Alright, that's done. Let's go find Prince Thorne."