red moscow

Chapter 2758

After some rest, the troops set out again.

Sergeant Zub came to Sokov and said worriedly: "Comrade Captain, these people we took in have no combat effectiveness at all except wasting our food. If we encounter new scattered small units, should we not take them in anymore?"

Sokov knew that what Zub said was true, but those who seemed like a burden at the moment would be a force that should not be underestimated after they were reorganized after arriving at the new defense zone. "Sergeant Zub, you can't say that. The soldiers we have taken in have lost their organization. When we arrive at our destination and reorganize them, they will soon be able to form a new combat force."

"Comrade Captain is right." Chulsin, who was walking beside him, echoed, "Sergeant Zub, don't think they are a burden. When we return to our defense zone, there will definitely be many troops vying for such soldiers. If we don't control them now, where will we recruit soldiers with combat experience? Do you want the entire army to be made up of recruits?"

After listening to what the two said, Zub realized that he had oversimplified the problem and quickly apologized to Sokov: "I'm sorry, Comrade Captain, I oversimplified the matter."

"It's okay." Sokov said generously, "This is human nature. After all, everyone was scared by what happened in the early morning."

After a pause, Sokov said to Chulsin and Zub, "You two are people I trust. If we fight the enemy again before we find the friendly defense line, even if you are defeated, you must find a way to stay by my side. Do you understand?"

Although Chulxin and Zub didn't understand what Sokov meant by this, they still nodded: "Understood!"

After his last time traveling, Sokov realized a serious problem: if he didn't have his own team, he would face many difficulties in carrying out his work in a new environment. When he was the commander in the later period of the war, why was he able to command the troops to the extent of being able to use his own hands? It was mainly because he had a group of classmates from the Frunze Military Academy to help him. Before becoming a senior commander this time, he needed subordinates like Konstantin, Chulsin and Zub to help him.

In the evening, the soldier who was exploring the road ahead came back to report to Sokov: "Comrade Captain, we found a road ahead. There is an open space across the road, and there is a forest more than 200 meters away."

After the soldier finished speaking, Sokov asked hurriedly, "Have you found any traces of the enemy?"

"No." The soldier shook his head and said, "We have carefully observed and found no trace of the enemy."

"That's good, that's good." Knowing that there was no trace of the enemy, Sokov felt relieved. If he wanted to move forward, he would have to cross the road, but there was an open area of ​​several hundred meters across the road. If the enemy appeared on the road while passing through the open area, a battle would inevitably occur. Once entangled by the enemy, it would not be so easy to escape.

Sokov found Vlasov and reported to him: "Comrade Commander, the soldiers who were exploring the way ahead said that there is a road ahead, and there is an open area of ​​several hundred meters across the road, and then there is a forest. Would you allow us to pass this road?"

Hearing Sokov's words, Vlasov did not make a decision immediately, but waved his hand and said, "Take me to see it."

Sokov led Vlasov, Colonel Del, and five or six other soldiers including Chulsin and Zub to the edge of the forest near the road. Looking at the seven or eight meter wide dirt road ahead, Sokov said nothing. It didn't take much time to cross the road, but it would take at least two or three minutes to enter the forest on the opposite side. One or two people would be fine, as they were small targets. Even if Germans appeared on the road nearby, it would not have much impact. But if hundreds of people crossed the road at the same time, once they were noticed by the Germans, a fight would be inevitable.

After Vlasov checked the surrounding terrain, he turned to Colonel Del and asked, "Chief of Staff, what do you think?"

Colonel Del said without hesitation: "While there are no enemies now, order the troops to quickly pass through this road and go to the forest on the opposite side."

But Vlasov did not immediately agree to his proposal. Instead, he expressed his concerns: "From here to the opposite forest, there are several hundred meters away. Even if we run, it will take two or three minutes. If the enemy happens to appear on the road when we pass by, then our whereabouts will be exposed, and it will be very dangerous. Besides, we don't know what the situation is like in the opposite forest. What if the Germans are ambushing there? If we rush over like this rashly, we will fall into their trap."

Sokov didn't expect that Vlasov would think so complicated about a simple road problem. He quickly said, "Comrade Commander, can I tell you what I think?"

"Of course." Vlasov nodded and said sensibly, "Captain Sokov, I know you have a lot of ideas and can definitely come up with a good solution. Can you tell us how to pass this road?"

"We can go through in groups," Sokov replied. "We will go through the road in groups of ten. After the first group enters the forest on the opposite side, the second group will set out. At the same time, we will set up a machine gun on each side of the road. If we find any enemy coming, we can suppress them with firepower."

"That's a good idea," Vlasov said approvingly. "Then let's do as you say. By the way, send a group of people to the opposite forest to check if there are any Germans in there."

"No problem, Comrade Commander." Sokov agreed very readily: "I'll send someone over right away."

Soon, the first group of pathfinders assembled, and Sokov asked Chulxin to be the team leader. Before they set out, Sokov specifically reminded them: "Chulxin, after you lead your men into the opposite forest, you must search carefully to see if there are any German ambushes. After confirming that there are no enemy ambushes, send someone back to report to me."

"I understand, Comrade Captain." Chulxin repeated Sokov's order: "Once I confirm that there are no enemies in the forest opposite, I will immediately send someone back to report." After a pause, he added, "If I find an enemy ambush, I will immediately fire a warning shot."

Sokov held Chulsin's hand and said with concern: "Be safe, I wish you good luck!"

When Chulsin's group left the forest, crossed the road, and rushed quickly to the opposite forest, Sokov called Konstantin to him and said, "Second Lieutenant Konstantin, I have a mission for you. We have two light machine guns. You lead the men to set up the machine guns on both sides of the road. Once you find any enemy threatening the passing troops, you must open fire immediately."

"Yes, Comrade Captain," Constantine answered quickly and loudly, "I will go and set up the guard immediately."

Then Sokov called Sergeant Zub to him and told him, "Sergeant Zub, you lead the second group. When Chulsin sends someone back to report that the forest on the other side is safe, you lead the second group to quickly cross the road and enter the forest on the other side. Do you understand?"

"clear."

Colonel Del, who was standing not far away, saw Sokov giving orders to everyone, and couldn't help but whispered to Vlasov: "Comrade Commander, you and I both know that according to the records, Captain Sokov has only been in the army for more than a month. But the way he gives orders is like a commander with many years of command experience." In fact, Vlasov also doubted Sokov's background. When he first met Sokov, Sokov said that he had just joined the army for a day or two, but from his words and deeds, he didn't look like an ordinary person at all. Who dared to break into the German armored column alone and captured 12 tanks in one breath? Even if it was an experienced veteran with more than a dozen tanks behind him, he probably wouldn't dare to do this.

Hearing what Colonel Del said, Vlasov said with emotion: "Maybe Sokov is a military genius, otherwise I can't explain what I saw."

"So what do you think he will be able to do in the future?"

"I can't say exactly what position he will reach in the future," Vlasov said thoughtfully, "As long as he can survive on the battlefield, in three to five years, he may have the opportunity to become the commander of an army group."

"Ah, he can become an army commander in three to five years?" Colonel Del said in surprise, "That's too fast. I thought he would be lucky to be a division commander."

Fortunately, Sokov did not hear the conversation between the two, otherwise he would definitely refute the other party in his heart: I have to wait for another three to five years before I have the opportunity to become the commander of the army group. Who are you looking down on? You know, the last time I traveled through time, it only took me a little over a year to become the commander of the army group, and I made the German army terrified on the battlefield.

After the first group led by Chulsin successfully passed through the open area and entered the forest, Sokov's nerves became extremely tense, staring at the opposite forest intently, fearing that there would be gunshots from inside. If there were really gunshots, it would mean that the Germans were found in the opposite forest, which meant that this road was blocked and they had to change their route to escape the German encirclement.

After half an hour of waiting, Sokov saw a soldier running out of the opposite forest. Through the telescope, he could clearly see the expression on the soldier's face, without any panic or fear, only unconcealed joy.

From the expressions on the soldiers' faces, Sokov felt relieved, because there were no traces of the enemy in the forest opposite.

However, he did not immediately order Sergeant Zub's second group to set off. After all, he had only observed the expressions on the soldiers' faces and did not understand the actual situation in the forest opposite, so he could not act rashly.

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Vlasov saw a relaxed expression on Sokov's face, so he quickly took the binoculars from him and looked at the soldiers running over. At the same time, he asked Sokov, "Captain Sokov, we didn't hear any gunfire from the forest across the way. Does that mean there are no enemies in there?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sokov nodded and replied, "When Chulsin led the team to leave, he agreed with me that if he found the enemy, he would fire a warning shot in time. If there was no enemy, he would send someone to report it."

Upon hearing this, Colonel Del immediately urged: "Captain Sokov, since there are no enemies in the forest opposite, order everyone to pass quickly. Otherwise, when the Germans come, it will not be so easy to pass."

The soldier who had brought the message was about to reach the highway when he heard the roar of a motorcycle engine coming from the west. It seemed that a motorcycle was coming. Because the direction of the sound was right at a bend in the forest, he could not see clearly whether the motorcycle was from the Soviet Army or the German Army.

The soldier who was running did not dare to continue running forward after hearing the sound of the motorcycle. Perhaps he was afraid of exposing his target, so he just lay on the ground.

Sokov saw that the soldier was only a dozen meters away from the road, and if he worked harder, he could run over in a dozen seconds. But now he was lying on the ground. Although there were weeds as cover, if a German motorcycle passed by, the sharp-eyed German soldiers sitting on it would still be discovered.

Thinking of this, Sokov shouted at the soldier: "What are you doing lying there? Come over here!"

Hearing Sokov's shout, the soldier quickly got up from the ground and rushed towards Sokov and others with a gun in hand.

Because he had just laid down, he wasted some time, and when he crossed the road and rushed into the forest, a sidecar motorcycle emerged from the corner of the road. There were two German soldiers on the motorcycle, one was a motorcyclist wearing goggles, and the other was a machine gunner sitting in the sidecar.

He saw the soldier rushing into the forest, shouted something, then raised the MG3 machine gun fixed on the sidecar and started shooting wildly.

"Get down, get down quickly!" Although most of the soldiers were lying down, Sokov was worried that some people were still standing and would be hit by German machine gun bullets, so he shouted loudly and asked everyone to lie down on the spot.

After everyone lay down, no one immediately fired back. Therefore, the German motorcycles were moving fast, and even if they fired, it would probably not be easy to hit the target.

When the motorcycle was more than 30 meters away from where Sokov and others were hiding, Constantine, who was hiding on the roadside with a machine gun, decisively ordered the machine gun to fire.

The Germans were caught off guard. First, the machine gunner was hit by a bullet, and his head tilted back, and he fell off his motorcycle. Then, the bullet hit the motorcyclist, and the three-wheeled motorcycle lost control and rushed directly into the forest.

Sokov didn't know whether the motorcycle was a scout or a messenger. But he didn't care about that at the moment and decisively gave the order, "Everyone, cross the road immediately and rush to the forest on the opposite side as fast as possible."

As Sokov's order was given, the soldiers at the edge of the forest got up from the ground, swarmed across the road, and ran through the open space towards the forest in the distance.

Sokov, along with several soldiers, surrounded Vlasov, Colonel Del and Nikolsky, covering their passage through the open area.

As soon as we entered the forest, Chulxin came up to us and asked with concern, "Comrade Captain, are we moving now?"

Sokov immediately ordered: "Count the number of people to see if everyone is here."

(End of this chapter)