Prologue: Returning to the German Military Headquarters
August 21, 2012, in the picturesque Alps.Mr. Friedrich von Hoffman, wearing a Knight's Cross, was standing on the platform looking out into the distance.
This day held special significance for him; his grandfather, the elder Hoffman, had once been a Lieutenant Colonel and staff officer at the High Command of the Third Reich, and had unfortunately died in a car accident on August 21, 1942, at the very place he served—the former site of the Eagles Nest, where the Imperial Stavka was located.
The Knight's Cross on his chest was an heirloom left by his grandfather. Although the Hoffman family had produced several notable figures during the Holy Roman Empire, by the 20th century, apart from the elder Hoffman serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Wehrmacht of the Third Reich, there was no other history to boast of; this Knight's Cross was their only source of pride.
Even during the family's most difficult times after the war, his father had always treasured it instead of selling it for money like many other families.
Every year on August 21, his father would polish the long-treasured medal, wear it, and take the whole family to the former site of the Eagles Nest to pay their respects; after his father passed away, it was Hoffman who brought the whole family.
Unfortunately, before they set off this time, his son suddenly came down with pneumonia, so his wife had to stay behind in their Hamburg home to take care of him.
Influenced by the elder Hoffman, Hoffman joined the German Wehrmacht after receiving his doctorate, dedicating himself to the study of World War II history and military strategy.Now over forty, he had achieved great success in this field and enjoyed a high reputation in both military and historical circles. He also served as a historical consultant for several World War II games and war films, and had been the lead member of the expert panel for the famous "Hearts of Iron" game series.
Since the war, the Eagles Nest had been converted into a premier mountain resort in Germany. Apart from all armaments being dismantled, other facilities and furnishings remained exactly as they were 70 years ago.
Every year, people from all over the world came to visit. As the sun set, Hoffman, worried about his son's condition, decided to end his visit and return to Hamburg overnight.
The elevator was still the same one installed 70 years ago, a large contraption capable of holding 53 people at once. Although it had weathered the years, thanks to the high quality of German manufacturing and the careful maintenance of the engineering department, it was still in working order.
There were not many people in the elevator. Standing next to Hoffman was a young man also wearing a medal, though it was clearly a 21st-century replica. Seeing the other person staring fixedly at the real one on his own chest, Hoffman smiled, unconcerned.
The elevator was descending at a steady speed, and in a few dozen seconds, it would reach the ground.
But suddenly, Hoffman felt the elevator plummeting, and before he could react, the elevator plunged into total darkness.
"Ah..." Amidst desperate screams and a loud bang, Hoffman felt himself jolted upward, and then he lost consciousness...
The next day, major newspapers across Germany reported the accident at the Eagles Nest site on their front pages. A total of 7 people died and 1 went missing. The local police department had promised to find the whereabouts of the missing person as soon as possible, dead or alive.
He did not know how much time had passed, but the unconscious Hoffman seemed to sense a glimmer of light. He tried hard to open his eyes, but his eyelids felt as heavy as lead.
In a daze, a person dressed in a field-gray Wehrmacht uniform walked towards him.
"Child..." A kind voice, a gentle face; he looked a bit like his father, but Hoffman knew for sure it wasn't him—his father had never served in the military, let alone worn a Third Reich era uniform.
However, he did look a bit like his grandfather.
Could he have reached heaven?
"Child, you are a lucky one. God bless you. If not for this medal, you would have gone to heaven. But you are also the most unfortunate, because what you are about to face is such a thorny and difficult empire...
"Thorny?
Difficult?
Empire?
Countless question marks swirled in Hoffman's mind. What on earth did this mean?
Before he could figure it out, the holy light surrounding his grandfather had vanished, and the elder Hoffman seemed to fade away into a wisp of faint blue smoke in the air.
Hoffman was startled; he felt a different kind of strength in his body. He suddenly opened his eyes, trying hard to reach out and grab the other person...
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