Volume 4 Chapter 40: Harvest

The judgment of the two serial killers was correct. Shortly after they left, a team of superhumans from the Justice League arrived near their previous position.

Out of the entire allied armored train crew of over two hundred, only twenty people remained: twelve superpowered beings and eight scientists. Leading them was Indiana Jones.

The handsome archaeologist’s face was soot-blackened, even with a few blisters. His cowboy hat was gone, yet his gaze remained as resolute as ever, deep sorrow flickering in his pupils. He carried a large silver thermos flask and a piece of pitch-black, ragged scrap metal, seemingly torn off from some part of the train car.

“Doctor Jones, should we search again?” A superhuman stepped up behind him and asked quietly.

“No need. We’ve searched three times already. No more survivors are likely. This place isn’t safe. We have responsibilities. We must get the remaining scientists and the Uranium-235 to an Allied base!” Doctor Jones glanced at the large thermos flask in his hand and shook his head.

“Jones, what about him? I don’t think handing him over to the Allies is a good idea.” A formidable superpowered being glared fiercely at the human figure tucked under his arm. “If he hadn’t held back Dean David, that damned Nazi Gerthard would never have had a chance to detonate the railway gun!”

It was a thin man, currently in a deep coma. Though covered in gore, the face of Leo Robert was still recognizable. The giant hadn’t died at Dean David’s hand, nor in the massive explosion, becoming a captive of the Justice League once more.

“We cannot execute Leo Robert ourselves. Since Dean David didn’t kill him but captured him, we must respect the Dean’s final decision before his death. We’ll hand him over to the Grimm Academy for disposal!” Jones shook his head and spoke gravely.

“A deal too favorable for him!” After a long silence, the formidable superhuman finally spoke bitterly.

“It’s not his fault. He’s just a pitiful patriot. His wife died by Gerthard’s hand. He’ll probably lose all hope in Nazi Germany now!” Jones sighed, looking down at the ragged piece of pitch-black scrap metal in his hand. “When he wakes up, give him this scrap. ‘Gerthard’ is written on it in blood. He should recognize his wife’s handwriting.”

“Doctor Jones, they want to leave!” Another superpowered being pointed towards the Fairy Tale Maidens walking towards Jones.

“Liv, you all…” Doctor Jones frowned slightly upon seeing the red-eyed girls, sighing inwardly.

Although it seemed unlikely the Gentlemen Alliance would return now, it still wasn’t the time to disband. He truly hoped the Fairy Tale Girls Team would stay until the Justice League safely escorted the remaining scientists and Uranium-235 to the nearest Allied base.

However, Grimm Academy had already lost two members. Even the Vice-Dean, David, had sacrificed himself in the massive explosion to protect them all. Jones found it hard to press them to stay.

The sheer power of that explosion was beyond human resistance, even for superpowered beings. It was impossible for fifteen members of the Justice League to have twelve survivors; most should have perished. The scientists had even less chance of making it.

Only in the explosion’s final instant had Dean David, who could have escaped, chosen to stay. He unleashed his vector field with all his might, focused in the direction the Justice League fled, slightly dampening the blast’s force. That act alone had saved them and preserved the shielded flask containing the Uranium-235.

Dean David wasn’t the only one to display noble character in that explosion. Dr. Oppenheimer, the lead scientist of the Manhattan Project, and several older scientists had also chosen to remain on the train.

Dr. Edward Taylor, who had joked with Dr. Oppenheimer earlier, was actually another key figure in the Manhattan Project. While Oppenheimer was later known as the “Father of the Atomic Bomb,” this Dr. Edward Taylor was dubbed the “Father of the Hydrogen Bomb.”

The research paths for atomic and hydrogen bombs fundamentally differed: nuclear fission versus nuclear fusion. Combined with Oppenheimer’s communist leanings, deep conflict had existed between the two men during their work. Yet, they were scientists at heart. In the face of death, these differences vanished entirely.

…

One week later, suburban villa, Munich, Germany.

“Lads, good news! The Führer’s commendation orders have come through!” Lieutenant Colonel Skorzeny strode into the hall, waving a telegram.

“Wow, Gerthard! You got promoted! I should call you Captain Gerthard now!” Baron von Wurdenbeller, still pale-faced, grinned as he handed the telegram to Qin Lun.

The vampire baron had returned to Munich days earlier. Thanks to the SS secret agency sparing no expense, Wurdenbeller had been pulled back from the brink, finally restored from a vampire bat to human form.

“And didn’t you get the coveted Iron Cross Medal?” Qin Lun raised his glass with restrained pride, smiling slightly in the Baron’s direction.

“It’s no match for your Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross!” Captain Bock put on an exaggeratedly jealous expression, pursing his lips.

“Captain Gerthard!” Skorzeny suddenly snapped to attention, pulling out a small, ornate brocade box.

“Sir!” Qin Lun forced a look of seriousness, straightened up, chest out, hands rigidly against his thighs.

“Captain Gerthard Heinrich! In recognition of your outstanding contribution to the Reich during the ‘Heracles’ operation, we hereby award you the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. May you uphold this honor, remain disciplined for the motherland, and continue to fulfill your duty as a soldier of the Reich.”

Skorzeny solemnly pinned an Iron Cross Medal adorned with Silver Oak Leaves and Crossed Swords onto Qin Lun’s chest. As the medal touched his uniform, Qin Lun’s eyes suddenly blinked rapidly, a flash of surprise visible in his bright, ash-grey pupils.

Simultaneously, Grant, who had just received a First Class Iron Cross from Skorzeny, also turned to look at him in pleasant astonishment. The two exchanged a meaningful glance.

In the attack a week prior, the massive explosion of the Allied armored train not only devastated the Justice League but had also effectively wiped out Hydra Corps’ regular special forces; only a handful escaped. Of course, the superpowered Red Skull and Baron Stark weren’t among the casualties. All members of the Gentlemen Alliance got away safely.

Originally, Lin Feng, Lili, and Little Lian, exhausted physically and mentally, had suggested the temporary team return immediately to Shattered Starry Sky.

However, the two serial killers, Qin Lun and Grant, convinced everyone to stay. They didn’t just want time to heal using the Third Reich’s medical technology before their mandatory return period ended. The two killers had also keenly sensed that the Third Reich’s promised rewards might undergo unexpected changes.

Though they never imagined the change would manifest in the Iron Cross Medals themselves; they had expected some tangible reward they could take back to Shattered Starry Sky.

In the Gentlemen Alliance, two men received the coveted Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross for this victory: the mission leader, Lieutenant Colonel Skorzeny, and Qin Lun for his “outstanding contribution.”

Grant, whose “contribution” had been acquiring information during the Casablanca Operation related to the “Super Soldier Program,” and Baron von Wurdenbeller, who nearly died shielding the Gentlemen Alliance from a Vatican Cardinal, received the First Class Iron Cross along with the “Demolitionist” Captain Bock.

Worthy of special note was Lin Feng. His intelligence contributions earned him a Second Class Iron Cross alongside the Queen of Sandstorm. Little Lian and Lili were awarded Third Class Iron Crosses thanks to Lin Feng’s testimony regarding their acts: concealing intelligence about the later armored train among the “Super Soldier Program” research documents and their “clever collaboration internally and externally” at the critical moment.

Qin Lun ran his fingers over the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross now pinned to his chest. Detailed information about the medal from the Death Notice surfaced in his mind:

Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: Unique Treasure of this World; Sub-Legendary Honorary Medal (Partially Sealed); Third Tier, Intermediate Item; Bound to Apostle 70053. Can unbind character by expending large amounts of Contribution Points and Apostle Currency.

Secondary Aura of Honor: Passive skill of medal. Once equipped, aura activates automatically. Based on the Apostle’s Law Body, enhances physical constitution by 10% and increases the power of one of the Apostle’s active skills.

Iron Will: Passive skill of medal. Once equipped, Apostle partially gains immunity to mental control skills. This law calculation is based on the Apostle’s Perception attribute and the level of the enemy’s mental control skill.

Third-Level Mana Source: (Sealed).

Unknown Passive Skill: (Sealed).

“Prompt: Upon gaining this item, the Apostle forfeits any chance to gain additional rewards related to World Exploration Degree. The reward for World Essence Plunder will be voided.”

“Item Prompt: The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross can only have its seals lifted and achieve item promotion within this world and its parallel timelines.”

Reading the description within the Death Notice, Qin Lun softly exhaled a turbid breath.

This medal was actually classified as Sub-Legendary! Though the final two skills were sealed, limiting it to perhaps half its potential power, the two revealed passive skills were incredibly powerful and applicable across almost all Quest Worlds, truly worthy of its Sub-Legendary tier.

Even though Shattered Starry Sky had negated the World Exploration Degree reward, Qin Lun was convinced that even finding a Dark Gold item among any potential bonus loot might not be more practical.

Indeed, the fact that Qin Lun received this partially sealed Sub-Legendary item was already “special consideration” from Shattered Starry Sky.

Had Qin Lun not performed exceptionally well in his first two Otherworld Missions, accumulating vast amounts of Contribution Points, his Apostle level wouldn’t have skyrocketed far beyond his actual power, almost jumping into the Second Tier of Apostles within just two missions. Under normal circumstances, Shattered Starry Sky would never have arranged for him to possess the plot character Gerthard.

Bear in mind, the prerequisites for Qin Lun obtaining the Knight’s Cross weren’t just his “distinguished service” during the operation. Gerthard had already earned a standard First Class Iron Cross Medal earlier.

While that medal wasn’t a special treasure, Shattered Starry Sky transforming the Knight’s Cross into one required a significant expenditure of cosmic law, an act that could only be interpreted as “favoritism” explaining Qin Lun’s windfall.