Gravedigger of the Empire

People need to have fun sometimes, and Kahn was no exception.

In Berlin in 1921, there was a man Kahn had always wanted to meet, so he walked alone to the gate of the University of Berlin.

The environment here is quite nice; at least it hasn't been hit by artillery shells yet.

In front of the old-fashioned building, all kinds of bicycles were parked.

Kahn was familiar with this feeling; he could see just as many bicycles when he walked through the place where he used to study.

The school is so big that you need a bicycle to get around.

Everything before him reminded him of that familiar environment, the soup dumplings in the No. 3 canteen, and the "portion meal" at window number 2 of the No. 1 canteen.

The juice inside the steamed buns is very hot and so delicious that you can't bear to waste it; you have to use a divided iron plate to serve the rice, three meat dishes and one vegetable dish cost thirteen yuan, and two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes cost only twelve yuan.

What brought these memories to Kahn was the sumptuous dinner he had at Löw's house the day before.

Löw wasn't lying; his wife was indeed a very good cook, and that bowl of beef broth almost made him swallow his tongue.

The road was shaded by trees, and several students hurried past on the other side of the lawn.

Kahn walked on, reminiscing about his past self. If he hadn't time-traveled, he'd probably still be living in this kind of environment.

After crossing a small square and entering a teaching building, he finally found the classroom he was looking for.

He went through a lot of trouble to get here, asking around along the way.

However, it was all worth it.

Because he saw it, he saw the person he wanted to see.

The middle-aged man on the podium was beaming, turning around every now and then to write a string of symbols and numbers on the blackboard.

Soon, he spotted the young man in military uniform standing outside the classroom door.

He didn't stop, but continued teaching his entire course until the bell rang.

"Who are you?" The middle-aged man with messy, frizzy hair was dressed in a respectable suit and looked very kind.

"My name is Kahn! Kahn Miles." Kahn suppressed his excitement and reached out to shake hands with the other person.

The phenomenon of idol worship exists in every era, and Kahn also had many big stars he wanted to meet.

For example, the person in front of you.

"Sorry, I don't remember having any acquaintances in the military." The middle-aged man sized up Kahn, remaining cautious.

Kahn quickly explained, "No, Mr. Einstein, I am merely an admirer who came because of your reputation."

"An admirer? You... know me?" Einstein was taken aback. He didn't think that a military officer would be interested in the scientific field he studied.

"Of course! E=mc²! Your theory of relativity is absolutely brilliant." Kahn felt that his eyes should be shining right now.

He finally understood the mentality of women who scream wildly when they see their idols.

If I could, a lost soul from the 21st century would really like to see the stars of this era with my own eyes.

Curie, Nönstot, Röntgen, Ostwald, and Planck...

Of course, this also includes the man standing right in front of him, Albert Einstein.

Compared to the era in which he lived, this was truly the time when humanity's stars shone brightest.

"This really surprises me; you actually know the field I'm researching," Einstein said, sounding somewhat surprised.

He truly never expected that one day a defense force officer would come to see him so abruptly, and that he actually knew about the academic research he was conducting.

"I'm still quite interested in these things." Kahn, or rather, Zhou Zhuo before his transmigration, had achieved quite good results in the college entrance examination, and his knowledge of physics in high school was enough for him to talk about for a while.

Although he could not possibly understand physics as well as Einstein, he stood on the shoulders of giants.

The two walked and talked, and the more they talked, the more they hit it off: clearly, the young man in front of him intrigued Einstein.

He soon discovered that Kahn did have some knowledge of physics, but it was all superficial.

But... this young man's interests were surprisingly wide-ranging. He had some knowledge of spectroscopy, a little about quantum mechanics, and even knew about nuclear fission.

"Frankly speaking, if you can focus your energy on one direction, you might achieve some good results." Einstein felt a sense of appreciation for the young man's talent and thought he should give him some pointers.

"Science is the driving force of human progress. Wasting time in the military is not what you should be doing, young man." He spoke frankly, and it was clear that he genuinely wanted to save a misguided child.

Kahn laughed, scratching his head sheepishly. He was honest, knowing his own limitations: "Professor, to be honest, if we talk for a few more minutes, I'll give myself away."

"I'm just a science enthusiast. Asking me to actually do research would be an insult to academia."

"Okay, maybe you're right. I enjoyed chatting with you. I'm going to have lunch now, do you want to come?"

"No, Professor, I have other matters to attend to, so I won't bother you any longer." Kahn politely declined, "I will visit you again when I have time; your profound knowledge is truly fascinating and captivating."

"You're very clever, not like a soldier," Einstein complimented, then said goodbye: "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Professor." Kahn was satisfied to have met the idol he had been looking forward to.

He still has time; he can come to visit again! At this moment, he felt some of the benefits of having traveled through time.

You see, if given the chance, he could go and meet Oppenheimer in person…

Suddenly, Kahn froze on the spot. His eyes widened as he remembered something.

1921, October.

In the distant East, on a small boat, a group of shining stars illuminated the path forward for a nation.

Compared to the scientists he had just seen, those stars shone just as brightly, and their energy was still enough to ignite hope.

He also wanted to meet and see for himself those people he had never met before.

Even if he couldn't help them in any way, he still wanted to hold their hands and say thank you.

A hot tear rolled down his cheek. Kahn reached out and touched it, seeing the glistening droplet on his fingertip.

What should I do...?

This thought popped into Kahn's mind; it was the first time he had such an idea since he had transmigrated to this era.

Even if it could save those he admired from taking a detour, or allow a vibrant life to be saved, then his journey across time to come here would have been meaningful.

He turned around and looked at the bustling crowd; Einstein's figure had long since disappeared into the students.