Chapter 15: Farewell in the Tavern

Berlin's spring arrived unexpectedly; after the snow melted, a few wildflowers sporadically bloomed along the street. Li Yuxuan, carrying the newly bought Naval Tactics Overview, habitually walked toward the tavern he usually visited—since being "crushed" by Guderian last time, he had become fascinated with studying the tactics of various services, and consequently developed an interest in the navy as well.

As he pushed open the tavern's wooden door, he saw a familiar figure sitting in the corner. The boy, wearing a coat faded to near‑white, stared blankly at a glass of beer, with a Navy Recruitment Form laid out in front of him.

"Yo, Xiao Karl, what are you preparing to do?" Li Yuxuan walked over and patted his shoulder.

The boy jerked his head up, his face still bearing a lingering childishness, yet his eyes held a stubborn resolve. "First, I'm not little; I'm just one year younger than you." He frowned as he corrected, then pointed to the form on the table, "Second, I'm preparing to join the Imperial Japanese Navy."

"Joining the navy?" Li Yuxuan was somewhat surprised. The boy, named Karl Dönitz, was a friend he had met at the tavern; his father had been a Prussian officer, and after the family fell on hard times he lived with his mother in Berlin, often debating with him which was more important, the Army or the Imperial Japanese Navy.

"Right, Li." Karl Dönitz's fingers tapped lightly on the form, "Through our discussions, I realized the importance of the navy. You said that future wars won't be fought only on land; the seas are the arena where great powers contend."

Li Yuxuan smiled and sat opposite him: "Heh, don't make it sound like you're serving the nation."

Karl Dönitz didn't shy away, a self‑deprecating smile curling his mouth: "Of course not. Mainly, my noble status has long faded; my family can barely afford bread. Only by enlisting can I climb through battlefield merit and restore my ancestors' glory." He paused, his voice lowering, "My grandfather was a captain in the Imperial Navy; I want to follow in his footsteps."

Li Yuxuan picked up the form; in the photo on it, Karl Dönitz wore an ill‑fitting suit, yet his gaze was especially resolute. He suddenly recalled the first time he saw the boy—back then Karl Dönitz had been thrown out by the tavern owner for lacking money to pay for drinks, and Li Yuxuan had casually settled the bill. As they grew familiar, he learned that beneath the seemingly destitute exterior lay a fierce unwillingness to lose; when talking about navy tactics, his eyes lit up as if with a glow.

"Alright, I wish you a brilliant future, Xiao Karl Dönitz." Li Yuxuan pushed the form back, lifted the glass of water on the table, "With water in place of wine, I toast to your future path as a captain."

Karl Dönitz also raised his beer mug and lightly clinked it against Li Yuxuan's: "Thanks, Li." A few drops of the brew splashed onto his back of the hand, but he didn't even notice, staring at Li Yuxuan, "Honestly, in your terms, you're a Confidant to me."

"Oh? How could I not know?" Li Yuxuan raised an eyebrow.

"You're the first person who seriously listened to me talk about Submarine Tactics." Karl Dönitz's tone carried a hint of excitement, "Even the officers recruiting for the navy laughed at my wild ideas, saying submarines are only auxiliary weapons, but you said 'future submarines can change the rules of naval warfare,' and I've kept that in mind."

Li Yuxuan was momentarily taken aback. He had only mentioned a future submarine warfare concept in passing, not expecting the boy to take it seriously. Seeing the spark in Karl Dönitz's eyes, he suddenly felt that perhaps the course of history truly hides within these seemingly accidental conversations.

"When I have a foothold in the navy, I'll study submarines." Karl Dönitz clenched his fist, "Then the submarines I design will surely make the British Fleet fear!"

"Ambitious." Li Yuxuan smiled and nodded. The tavern's wall clock struck four times; Karl Dönitz stood up, carefully folded the form and slipped it into his coat. "I must go; the recruitment office closes at five." He looked at Li Yuxuan, his gaze tinged with reluctance, "Farewell, Li. I hope that when I return from the Navy School, you will still be in Germany."

"I will." Li Yuxuan also stood, "I still have to stay in Berlin for two more years; then I'll listen to your submarine stories."

Karl Dönitz nodded vigorously, turned and hurried out of the tavern, the hem of his coat lifted by the wind like a fledgling eagle about to spread its wings. Li Yuxuan stood in the doorway, watching his silhouette vanish around the corner, and felt an unexpected emptiness inside.

"Alas, what a pity," he sighed softly, "As a friend I met in the tavern, you have to go now."

What's happening this year? Why are friends one by one all leaving?

A while back Rommel went to take part in field exercises, saying he'd stay with his unit for over half a year; Guderian was transferred to the General Staff, busy studying Mechanized Forces; now even Karl Dönitz is heading to the navy. The tavern that used to be bustling has suddenly grown quiet.

He sat in the tavern for a long while, ordered a cup of black coffee, but didn't take a sip. Sunlight slanted in through the window, casting dappled shadows on the table. He recalled meeting Hitler in Vienna, remembered Jiang Ruiyuan's letter from Japan, thought of those whose names appear in history books—realizing that their life paths had also intersected so mundanely, in a tavern one afternoon, in an accidental conversation.

Perhaps this is the norm in chaotic times, where meetings and partings come unannounced. Everyone runs toward their own goals, pushed forward by the torrent of the era, not knowing when the next encounter will be, nor what the scene will look like when they meet again.

Li Yuxuan picked up the Naval Tactics Overview on the table and turned to the Submarine Warfare chapter. The text was still rather obscure, yet he suddenly felt that he understood something else—the living individuals hidden behind the tactics, their dreams, struggles, and choices.

He paid for the coffee and left the tavern. The spring breeze brushed his face, bringing warmth. From afar, the horn of the Military Academy sounded, reminding him that his studies remained unfinished.

"Let's go," he said to himself, "They're all moving forward, and I can't stop either."

His steps fell on the freshly sprouted grassland, light yet firm. He knew that the farewell with Karl Dönitz was not an ending, but the start of another story. When they meet again in the future, perhaps they'll stand on opposite sides, perhaps they'll clash in battle for their respective countries, but at least for now, the friendship forged in the tavern was genuine.

Li Yuxuan looked up at the sky, Berlin's spring day clear and endless. He knew that the era belonging to them was gradually unfolding its prologue.