Chapitre 86: Chapter 86 Good People
"You appeared in the dock area because you just sent your family aboard the evacuation ship, right?"
Standing by the railing at the stern, Bäck took out a silver cigarette case from his pocket and opened it, offering it to Lincoln. Inside were about ten cigarettes. Lincoln hesitated for a moment, then took one.
Bäck picked one for himself, closed the cigarette case, and expertly tapped the cigarette twice on the lid before placing it in his mouth. He took out a lighter, cupping his hands to light Lincoln's cigarette first, then his own.
Taking a deep drag of the cigarette, feeling his emotions settle, Lincoln replied with as standard a pronunciation as possible, "Yes, sir, they're important to me."
Exhaling a second puff of smoke, Bäck said slowly, "Victory and defeat in war are like clouds in the sky, they will eventually drift away; family is like the sun, absent for a few days, but indispensable throughout our lives."
Lincoln couldn't help but admire the sentiment expressed. Despite their similar ages, he never imagined chatting with this young colonel, being just an ordinary foot soldier.
Exhaling a third puff of smoke, Bäck said in a calm tone, "I entered the preparatory military academy at the age of twelve, and for more than ten years, I've been separated from my family most of the time. Sometimes, I really wish I could enjoy the care of a family like an ordinary person."
The sentiment felt genuine, without any hint of affectation.
"You became independent early, while I relied on my family until adulthood!" At this moment, Lincoln felt embarrassed to mention that he relied on his parents for support for a few months after graduating from university. He felt that despite having knowledge and understanding beyond this era in many aspects, he still needed to look up to the young colonel beside him in many ways.
Bäck maintained a calm expression, only his eyes gazing dreamily at the spray rising from the stern.
"Same life, different paths for everyone."
"Yeah," Lincoln agreed. Then, he remembered what Colonel Bäck had said in the wheelhouse earlier and asked, "By the way, sir, you said the ship that set sail from Königsberg was going directly to Denmark?"
"Oh! Yes, to Denmark!" Bäck replied. "It's relatively safe there for now, and even if it's occupied by British and American forces, the safety of civilians is more guaranteed than being captured by the Soviets!"
In the midst of a war that hadn't yet ended, such words sounded somewhat bleak.
Because he had looked back on history from several decades later, Lincoln knew that German civilians in the British and American zones did indeed have a better life after the war compared to their compatriots in Soviet-controlled areas, a difference that persisted in terms of economic levels and living conditions even after the reunification of East and West Germany.
"If possible, I'd like to ask for your help," Lincoln said, lacking confidence as he spoke. Despite being under a colonel, he found some requests challenging to make.
Bäck didn't hesitate. "Hmm, go ahead, I'll do my best."
Speaking slowly, Lincoln said, "Whenever it's convenient, could you please help me inquire about the whereabouts of Matt Rorlsen, Alice Rorlsen, and their daughter, Kassidy Rorlsen? I hope they've safely reached Denmark and settled down!"
"Sure thing," Bäck readily agreed.
This took Lincoln by surprise.
Bäck leaned down, propping his arms on the railing, cigarette held between his fingers, and explained, "I'll do my best to help every soldier who joins the Special Operations Forces resolve their worries. On the battlefield, we must maintain intense focus, as any small distraction could lead to irreversible consequences."
This sentiment struck a chord with Lincoln.
After pondering for a while, Lincoln finally came up with a compliment. "You're a good man."
Taking a final drag of his cigarette, Bäck flicked the butt into the sea and turned to look at Lincoln.
"This world isn't black and white, but... it's good to hear you say that!"
With that, he flashed Lincoln a toothy smile, revealing a prominent canine tooth on the left side of his upper jaw, accentuating his handsome face and making Lincoln feel even more that he was an extraordinary individual.
At the farewell, Bäck didn't offer any comforting words like "Don't overthink it" or "Rest well." Perhaps in his view, soldiers who could withstand the crucible of war were resolute enough in their will, and even if faced with setbacks, they could quickly adjust their mindset.
As he descended the deck, Lincoln saw that the sailors on the starboard side had already lowered the transport boat. The small boat was rocking heavily as it made contact with the sea surface, and looking into the distance, the distance between the warship and the exploded ship had correspondingly decreased somewhat, but it wasn't enough to discern with the naked eye whether the ship was listing.
Having no particular faith, Lincoln made a somewhat irregular cross on his forehead and chest.
With the kind help of another sailor, Lincoln returned to his cabin. The empty bunks remained as they were, highlighting the unique position of the "vampires." Petty Officer Erik and many of his comrades were lying in bed fully clothed, some possibly already asleep, and some just resting with their eyes closed. Walking softly back to his berth, Lincoln lay down, closed his eyes, but various images kept floating through his mind: the innocent expression of little Kassidy, the alluring gaze of Alice, these represented a kind of happiness; scenes of maritime disasters he had seen in movies and on TV, especially the unforgettable ones from Titanic, the thought of those poor souls struggling in the icy waters caused a sense of discomfort. After struggling in this whirlpool for a long time, he suddenly heard someone whispering softly, "Look, a boat's been rescued!"
Knowing it had nothing to do with the Rorlsen family, Lincoln couldn't help but get up and walk barefoot to the porthole. He saw the transport boat that had left earlier had returned to the vicinity of the ship. Its small deck, along with the stern, was packed with refugees, and the boat was rocking in the waves, looking as if they could be thrown overboard at any moment.
The two "Night Warriors" who had spoken earlier seemed to have been watching by the porthole the whole time. Without needing to consult each other, they each picked up a blanket and headed for the cabin door, calling out to their comrades who hadn't fallen asleep yet, "Let's go, let's help out!"
The "Night Warriors" who had already lain down got up one after another, each with their own blanket. Since sleep was out of the question, Lincoln followed suit. Stepping out of the cabin door, he noticed that there were also many "Night Warriors" from the opposite cabin spontaneously going to the deck to lend a hand. This silent scene filled Lincoln with complex emotions. His previous impatience was gone, and he began to feel proud and honored to be part of such a team.
On the deck, many wounded soldiers who had been assigned to open-air positions had already gathered by the ship's side, helping the sailors use elevators, ropes, and soft ladders to transfer refugees from the transport boat onto the warship. Seeing the seawater sloshing off the ship's side, Lincoln realized that the warship's speed had noticeably slowed down—a risky move in waters where enemy submarines could be lurking. So, he turned to look at the bridge, where the naval officer stood alone at the door of the wheelhouse, his gaze fixed on this side of the ship with an unreadable expression.
Lincoln felt a mix of emotions.
With everyone's efforts, the first batch of refugees soon boarded the ship smoothly. Almost without exception, these elderly, weak, women, and children were soaked through, shivering as the cold sea breeze blew, their pale faces chilling to see. The surrounding soldiers quickly wrapped them in blankets and settled them in the warmer interior. Lincoln saw the round-faced "Night Warrior" directly pick up a six or seven-year-old child and hurry towards the cabin entrance, the child crying in his arms, and a blanket-clad woman stumbling to keep up.
Lincoln hurried forward, reaching out to support the disheveled and bloodless woman. "Don't worry, I'll take you over! Don't worry! The child will be fine!"
Hearing Lincoln's words, the woman's emotions calmed slightly, but her body was so weak that even with Lincoln's support, she could only stagger forward. Upon entering the cabin door and seeing the long steel steps, he didn't hesitate and simply lifted the woman and headed down.
"You're a good man, sir, you're a good man..." the woman tremblingly repeated on his back.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone