Chapter 464: Prophet, Angel, or Time Traveler?
Since coming home from the war, many men who became legends in battle were now forced to re-integrate into society — or continue serving in the armed forces. It was a tough decision for many, and how they fared depended greatly on the individual.
But some men had quietly vanished after achieving such distinction that they would be remembered forever. Manfred von Richthofen was one of these men — better known as the Red Baron.
He had been awarded nearly every medal a man could earn in the German Army, save for the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, which was usually reserved for men like Bruno, whose feats won entire campaign-level victories.
In Bruno’s past life, the man had been shot down over France — by who or what exactly remained disputed. Most experts believed the idea that an Allied ace had downed him was little more than propaganda; instead, it was largely agreed upon by historians, doctors, and ballistics scientists that the legendary Red Baron had been felled from the skies by a nameless anti-aircraft gunner firing from below.
However, in this life, not only had the Red Baron lived to tell the tale of his heroism — he had increased his already staggering kill count by two to three times over, even adding armored vehicle kills to his legacy.
But where was the legendary Red Baron now? Retired — living quietly back in his hometown of Kleinburg, Prussia. He had silently married and blended into the background: one of many heroes now living a life of peace, earned by the victory they had all fought so hard for.
Even so, he could not help but gaze upon the changing of time —especially as Russians and Germans alike worked together to reinforce and modernize the infrastructure of their two empires.
The rail system was being expanded in ways that cut through lands near his home, and whenever he went out for a drive on his motorcycle, Manfred could see the work nearing completion.
Germany and Russia, now enjoying an economic boom from their postwar cooperation, were investing heavily into projects: railways, industry, power grids, airfields — something big was happening behind the scenes.
Few had the eyes to see it. But Manfred did. And as he drove past a railway construction site again on this day, he noticed the workers talking about things — things he probably wasn’t meant to overhear.