Impossible Mission

Luke, along with the members of the Howling Commandos, set off from the East Coast, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and passed through the Strait of Gibraltar, entering Italy's territorial waters.

Since Spain was a neutral country during World War II, and British naval bases were stationed nearby, their group was not stopped at all.

After a long and bumpy sea voyage, and undergoing a few routine identity checks along the way, Luke and the others successfully arrived at Sicily, about to land in Palermo.

The members of the Howling Commandos could hardly believe they had come right under the Axis Powers' noses!

Dum Dum Dugan couldn't help but exclaim, "This is the most thrilling and dangerous thing I've ever done in my life!"

The others agreed, saying they felt like lions walking into a wolf pack.

No matter how strong an individual might be, if their identity were exposed, they would be torn to shreds by a pack of wolves!

Perhaps then, their commander Luke could escape alone with his formidable strength.

But for them, they were destined to fall under the Nazis' guns.

"We've reached our destination. Someone will meet us shortly and provide us with shelter."

Luke spread a map of Sicily out before him and said, "Let me repeat: I am now Vito Corleone, a Sicilian who left his hometown years ago. My identity is that of a smuggler, a profiteer trading goods between the Allied Nations and the Axis Powers."

"However, this is just a cover to deal with the Axis naval forces. I personally captured a Hydra assassin in Brooklyn, New York. His name was Gregg Nissen, and the Strategic Scientific Reserve obtained a lot of intelligence from him."

"So, when I get to Sicily and meet my contact, my identity will be a secret envoy from Berlin, tasked with delivering the Führer's orders to Mussolini. The British have cracked the Enigma, and using radio communications to transmit important intelligence has become an unreliable method. Therefore, posing as a Berlin envoy won't arouse suspicion."

"Our mission... is to go to Rome and assassinate Mussolini?"

Dum Dum Dugan's eyes widened, doubting if he had heard correctly.

This mission was simply too insane.

If it weren't for Luke's steady and reliable demeanor throughout the journey, which had already earned him the team's trust, he would have thought the other man was joking!

"No, it's not that dramatic. Mussolini's government is merely a puppet. He was previously stripped of all his powers by the King of Italy and imprisoned on Ponza Island. It was only later that Hitler sent his men to rescue him."

Seeing Luke shake his head in denial, the members of the Howling Commandos breathed a sigh of relief.

At this time, Sicily was occupied by two German armored divisions. If they tried to cause any trouble, they would surely be shot dead.

As for assassinating Mussolini, that was even more far-fetched!

God only knew how many protectors that dictator had around him!

"Our mission is to enter Rome, capture Mussolini alive, and assist the Allied forces in landing on Sicily! To be the first team to conquer Italy!"

Luke continued.

For the next few minutes, the entire cabin fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone's mouths hung open, their expressions blank, wondering if they had misheard or if Luke had misspoke.

"Sir... are you serious?"

Dum Dum Dugan asked hesitantly.

He found that this young captain always managed to surprise the team.

"Kidnapping a head of state with just a few men and successfully escaping—I know it sounds unreliable, no different from suicide."

Luke leaned forward, his hands on the table, his tall frame exuding an oppressive aura.

The team members who had intended to voice their opinions instinctively lowered their voices and fell silent.

"But the reality isn't that bad! First of all, our opponents are the Italians. I think I don't need to say more about the performance of this country's army. American newspapers said, 'If Italy remains neutral, it's equivalent to the German army gaining five divisions. If Italy joins the Allied Nations, it's equivalent to the German army gaining ten divisions. But if Italy joins the Axis Powers, the German army needs twenty divisions to protect them!'"

Luke used a humorous tone to slightly ease the atmosphere.

"Compared to the French, who surrendered after forty days, the Italians aren't much better. You surely don't know that in World War I, the British army, with twenty-five men, fought against ten thousand Italian troops and captured eight thousand of them. You also surely don't know that in terms of warfare, they couldn't even defeat Ethiopia..."

Luke's tone was impassioned, his eyes gleaming slightly.

The deeds he mentioned were actually mostly jokes he had seen in his previous life, and their authenticity was yet to be verified.

For instance, Ethiopia during World War II was not the primitive indigenous population that many people imagined. In fact, their army was known as the "Mighty Lion of East Africa" and was quite valiant.

If Italy hadn't resorted to chemical warfare in its second invasion, it might not have occupied Ethiopia, and who knows if it wouldn't have suffered another Waterloo.

As for the Italian army, it wasn't as bad as all that. Although it had indeed provided many laughs, its military strength was not weak, and it had some outstanding performances during World War II.

For example, in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the 185th Paratroopers Division Folgore, under an absolute disadvantage of 1:13 in troop numbers and 1:70 in armor, used Molotov cocktails, anti-tank guns, mines, and explosives to halt the British armored offensive.

In summary, everything Luke had said so far was intended to boost the morale of the Howling Commandos and alleviate their fear.

Perhaps he could single-handedly raid Rome and capture Mussolini, but he couldn't complete the subsequent mission of assisting the Allied landing on Sicily.

"But we're not just facing the Italian army, we're also facing the Germans!"

Dugan was somewhat wavering. As a soldier, he should obey orders, and Luke's speech was quite inspiring.

At least, the members of the Howling Commandos now believed that the Italian army was no match for them, and advancing into Rome seemed less difficult than they had imagined.

"The Allied forces will handle that for us!"

Luke replied decisively.

The reason he agreed to join Colonel Phillips' plan was not due to a sudden impulse but after careful consideration.

According to the original timeline of World War II, the Allied forces had already concluded the North African campaign and were about to counterattack into Italy, opening a new front.

In July, Allied landing forces would set sail for North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean ports, as well as Oran and Algiers.

Then, led by General Patton, the army would strike directly at Sicily.

And now, the day when Mussolini's government would collapse and Italy would surrender was not far off.

To others, an assault on Rome to capture its leaders might seem like an impossible mission.

But Luke was confident, for he stood on the rumbling wheels of history.

"How much prestige will I gain by becoming the conqueror of Italy?"

Luke couldn't help but wonder.

Spreading his name across the world, this method of gaining prestige, almost like cheating, couldn't be done in the game.

"Everything is at your command! Sir!"

After a long pause, Dugan gritted his teeth and made his decision.

Since he had already arrived in Sicily, surrounded by enemies, there were only two paths before him. Either complete the mission and return home with honor, or be branded a traitor and face a court-martial.

Seeing their leader Dugan speak, the other team members nodded vigorously.

PS: Dedicating a book, "Treasure Map Every Day."

A satisfying system novel with frequent updates, worth diving into~

PS2: A new week, requesting recommendations, favorites, and investments (ω)