Capítulo 13: Ballplayer
As the British forces scrambled to reposition and cover the exposed area, Werner had already dashed out from the small building and sprinted toward the left-side structure with incredible speed.
An exceptionally dangerous situation occurred during this time: a British soldier on the roof tossed a grenade down, attempting to halt Werner's advance. But Werner didn't slow down; instead, he swung his MP40 submachine gun like a baseball bat, smacking the grenade mid-air.
This astonishing move left Qin Chuan and the others in stunned silence. The grenade, deflected by Werner's strike, flew back through a window into the British-occupied building, where it exploded.
"What was he doing before he enlisted?" the baker couldn't help but ask.
"You saw it yourself, Sergeant," one of the German soldiers who had been with Werner replied. "He was a professional baseball player!"
"Well," the baker nodded, "he belongs on a baseball field."
Then, after a brief pause, the baker gave an order: "Covering fire!"
Werner continued his daring maneuvers, taking advantage of the confusion caused by the grenade's explosion. He quickly pulled the satchel charge from his back, lit the fuse, and within seconds, reached the window of the building, hurling the explosive inside with all his might.
But Werner didn't stop there. He raised his submachine gun and sprayed the interior with bullets until the magazine was empty, only then retreating to safety.
At that moment, Qin Chuan noticed a British soldier on the roof, aiming his rifle at Werner, who was running back to the small building. Qin Chuan quickly took aim and fired, just before the British soldier could shoot. The bullet hit its mark, and the British soldier, wounded, let out a cry before toppling off the roof, likely sustaining fatal injuries from the fall.
Hearing the commotion behind him, Werner briefly glanced back, then quickly scanned toward Qin Chuan's position, realizing what had just happened.
"Boom!" The satchel charge detonated inside the building.
The ten-pound explosive was equivalent to dozens of M4 grenades going off simultaneously, causing the entire structure to shake violently. The British soldiers on the ground floor were undoubtedly killed instantly, and those on the upper levels likely suffered severe injuries. The explosion even caused part of the ceiling to collapse, and the anti-tank gun fell from its position.
"Friedrich, cover us!" the baker ordered. "Everyone else, follow me!"
With that, the baker grabbed two grenades and led the soldiers in a charge toward the junction. This was their best opportunity—the British forces were still reeling from the blast, and the cloud of dust and debris provided the Germans with excellent cover.
Qin Chuan knew exactly what the baker's order to "cover" meant—it referred to the other building on the right, which hadn't been destroyed.
With this in mind, Qin Chuan leaned against the corner of a wall and raised his rifle.
The machine gun in the right-side building opened fire, only about fifty meters away—too close for comfort for a sniper. Qin Chuan could see the face of the British gunner clearly through his scope.
The machine gun fell silent abruptly as Qin Chuan's shot hit the gunner squarely in the jaw. The force snapped the man's head back, and he disappeared from view, leaving behind a splatter of red and white matter on the wall. Qin Chuan guessed that the bullet had likely entered through the jaw and exited through the back of the head, causing a massive brain injury.
The thought made Qin Chuan feel nauseous, but he quickly pulled back the bolt to chamber another round, firing again.
This time, he took out the assistant gunner. Qin Chuan was confident that the machine gun would be out of action for a while, as the British soldiers hadn't yet realized that both of their gunners were dead.
A few British soldiers spotted Qin Chuan and immediately aimed their rifles at him. Qin Chuan ducked behind the corner just in time, as several bullets whizzed past, while others struck the wall, sending painful shards of debris flying into his face.
Realizing that peeking out again would be suicide, Qin Chuan stayed put. He knew that several British soldiers were likely aiming at that very corner, ready to shoot him the moment he reappeared.
Looking toward the baker's position, Qin Chuan saw that he had successfully provided the necessary cover. During the time Qin Chuan had taken out the machine gunners and drawn the enemy's fire, the baker had led the other soldiers to the left-side building. They tossed grenades through the windows and doors, and once the explosions subsided, they stormed inside.
Qin Chuan couldn't see what was happening inside, but he knew the Germans had the upper hand. The gunfire he could hear was from K98Ks and MP40s, indicating that the British soldiers inside were being systematically eliminated.
Sure enough, after a short while, the baker and his men emerged from the building, charging toward the second structure. Clearing out the second building was much easier, especially since Werner had already lobbed two grenades inside.
The battle ended quickly. Thirty-two British soldiers were killed, while the Germans lost three men. One of them was shot in the abdomen during the assault on the second building. When Qin Chuan saw him, the soldier was desperately trying to hold his shredded stomach together, his pale blue eyes pleading for help from those around him. Blood spurted from his mouth—he was spitting it out in an attempt to keep breathing.
"Medic! Medic!" the baker shouted toward the outside, but everyone knew it was futile. The city was too large, with too many buildings to clear, and the troops were scattered all over, fighting in various corners. The medics were just as dispersed.
So, all they could do was watch as the soldier struggled, each breath causing him to convulse in agony, until his breathing slowed… and slowed…
Finally, the soldier gasped, "Mom…" before going still.
That final word stunned everyone into silence. They didn't know how to interpret it, and it made them wonder if they would also break down like that in their final moments.
After a long pause, the baker walked over, gently closed the soldier's eyes, and broke off half of his identification tag, slipping it into his pocket.
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