Gravedigger of the Empire

With a dull thud, a steel plate was removed and fell onto a nearby platform.

It crashed onto another steel plate, churning up a thick cloud of dust.

Several workers wearing rough masks gathered around a dilapidated armored vehicle, which was once a formidable vehicle but now only about half of its original size remained.

The remaining half is now just an outline. The steel plates have been removed, and the machinery inside has also been taken down.

The turret on the vehicle had been removed to another location by the gantry crane, and the Maxim machine gun on it had long been dismantled.

Joe stood with his hands behind his back, watching from afar as a German-made armored vehicle was dismantled into its parts.

This was his job, and the process also proved that a nation on the European continent capable of challenging the British Empire no longer existed.

Maddie walked over with the documents; he had just checked the parts to see how they were weighed.

Although there were fewer, the numbers were indeed roughly the same, just as Kahn said.

Anyway, there will always be some discrepancies, and a little bit won't hurt.

"Quantity... no problem." He handed the document to Joe with feigned politeness; his name was already on it.

Joe gave a bright smile, took the pen, and signed his name without even looking at it.

Just kidding, he doesn't care about those numbers at all; he only cares about how much money will fly into his pocket next time.

Standing to the side, Vic rubbed his hands together with a forced smile, looking like a greedy fly.

He was naturally happy, because he had earned more money in the past few days than he might have earned in the previous six months.

The defenders gave him the marks, he paid the workers their wages, and even gave each of them an extra 100,000 marks as a bonus.

He pocketed the pounds the committee gave him, feeling incredibly comfortable.

Kahn was dozing off to the side. This job was not challenging at all. What he was most concerned about now was how to expand his influence.

If he could go to Asia, that would definitely be something that would make him very happy.

Even if that doesn't work, just wandering around Germany is much more interesting than watching a few workers dismantle old cars in Berlin.

He yawned, rubbed his eyes, and saw Vic coming closer.

The other person had a sly grin, an expression Kahn was very familiar with; most villains in movies had that look.

Generally speaking, guys who approach you with that kind of expression are probably trying to curry favor.

Sure enough, Vic took out two packs of cigarettes and stuffed them into Kahn's hand.

Kahn looked down and saw it was a brand-name product, much better than what was issued to him in the army.

"The second batch of weapons will be arriving soon. Is the warehouse ready?" Kahn put a pack of cigarettes in his briefcase and tore open another pack.

He had intended to take one out, but after looking around, he reluctantly put the cigarette back into his pocket.

"Of course," Vic replied proudly. He had already increased his net worth considerably by buying the land next door.

In Berlin today, land and real estate are valuable assets.

"Give the workers as much as possible! You know what the situation is like right now." Kahn glanced at Joe and Maddie, then looked back at Vic and added, "Don't let anyone burn your factory down. You know the consequences if you delay our business."

"No, no..." Vic wiped the sweat from his forehead guiltily.

After a brief chat, Kahn, Joe, and Maddie returned to the committee's car.

As they left Vic's factory, they talked about which restaurants in Berlin had the best food and which had the prettiest waitresses.

Kahn has now achieved his initial goals: he is now eating beef and bread, smoking imported cigarettes, and living a very comfortable life.

Compared to the poor struggling in dire straits in this era, he is now considered a semi-successful person.

Of course, that's not enough; he needs to improve his life and gain more power.

Only in this way can he have his own influence and do his part for the beliefs he holds dear.

So he knocked on Lieutenant Colonel McConnell's door and went into his superior's office once again.

"Didn't you go to the factory? How did it go?" Miken's face lit up with a smile when he saw Kahn.

Superiors are always tolerant and kind to subordinates who can bring them tangible benefits and do their jobs well.

Kahn was quite casual; he had been visiting Lieutenant Colonel McConnell frequently lately and had become quite familiar with him.

So he relaxed a little, letting Mike feel his closeness.

As long as they don't overstep their bounds, allowing their subordinates a degree of relaxation is a positive feedback loop for leaders.

"Thankfully! There haven't been any major problems. The second batch of weapons will arrive tomorrow; everything is going smoothly," Kahn reported on his work.

Then he continued, "I came to see you for another matter..."

"Hmm? Just say what's on your mind." Miken looked at Kahn.

Kahn leaned forward, closer to Mikan, and said in a low voice, "There's been some progress on the case I'm handling. I found a house, and the owner is dead..."

"The house? Is it the private property of that officer involved in the case?" Miken asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nobody knows who this house belongs to, so with a little maneuvering, it could be yours," Kahn said, staring into the other man's eyes with a natural tone.

"..." Vic fell silent, knowing that there was indeed room for maneuver in this matter.

"I had the house cleaned, intending to give it to you as a gift," Kahn continued.

He then threw out more bait: "Who knew... there was a safe hidden in that house..."

"Hiss..." Mike took a breath, the calm expression on his face completely gone.

He touched his chin, and when he spoke again, his voice trembled slightly: "You're planning to give this house to me?"

"Including everything inside," Kahn nodded and said.

"Good lad! A house in downtown Berlin isn't cheap these days." Miken laughed, stood up, walked to Kahn's side, and bent down. "So, what do you want?"

"What do you think of a lieutenant rank?" Kahn asked, expressing his desire.

Miken hesitated for a few seconds, seemingly calculating the pros and cons.

"One property isn't enough for your request." After a long pause, the lieutenant colonel, whose greed had already begun to take hold, made his decision.

"After it's done... I'll give you an extra thousand pounds," Kahn added, but he really didn't have that much money: "But I can only pay in five installments; I can't get that much money in a short time."

Miken, who thought he knew Kahn's capabilities, nodded. If Kahn had said he could come up with a thousand pounds in one go, he would have been suspicious.

Kahn said he would give it to him in five installments, which reassured him a lot: he was very confident that he could control Kahn, because even if Kahn was promoted to lieutenant, he would still be Kahn's superior.

If Kahn dares to mess with him, he'll teach this young man a lesson in tactical skill.

"I'll write a report and submit it. General William has a good impression of you, so it'll most likely be approved. Congratulations... Lieutenant Kahn." Miken patted Kahn on the shoulder, looking like he was encouraging a junior.

"I knew it, sir, you would definitely support me." Kahn took a key out of his pocket and pressed it on Miken's desk.