red moscow

Chapter 2832 An unexpected encounter

Bobrikov led a guard platoon in four trucks and headed towards the place where the enemy plane crashed.

Before setting off, Bobrikov, keeping Sokov's instructions in mind, ordered all the soldiers to stay alert and shoot directly once they spotted the enemy without waiting for orders.

As the convoy might pass through a war zone on the way, it did not take the forest road, but drove slowly through the forest with difficulty. The journey that was supposed to take half an hour took nearly two hours to reach the destination.

The enemy plane crashed in a clearing in the woods. The plane was blown to pieces after the explosion, and the broken fuselage and parts were everywhere. Because it had just finished burning, wisps of black smoke were still coming out of the black parts. The incomplete body of the German pilot had been burned to charcoal and was scattered around the wreckage of the plane.

After the vehicle stopped, Bobrikov, who was sitting in the passenger seat, opened the door, jumped out of the driver's seat, and then shouted to the soldiers in the car: "Everyone get out immediately!"

As he shouted, the soldiers in the carriage jumped out one after another and lined up beside the car.

While the soldiers were lining up, the platoon leader walked up to Bobrykov and asked tentatively: "Comrade Company Commander, judging from the situation at the scene, all the German pilots on the plane should be dead. We can't capture any prisoners."

For the sake of confidentiality, Bobrikov did not explain the purpose of the operation to the squad leaders before he led the troops to set off. When the platoon leader came to ask him, he explained to him: "Comrade Lieutenant, our mission this time is not to catch some damn pilot, but to get the engine of this plane back. It is said that this may be the latest engine developed by the Germans, and it needs to be sent back to the military industry for research."

The platoon leader looked at the plane wreckage scattered around in front of him, scratched the back of his head and asked shyly: "Comrade Company Commander, what are the engines of the German planes like?"

To be honest, Bobrykov had never seen what an airplane engine looked like. When he heard the platoon leader ask him this, he couldn't help but show a bitter expression on his face. He shook his head and replied awkwardly: "Second Lieutenant, I won't hide it from you. I haven't seen what an airplane engine looks like either."

"What should we do?" The platoon leader looked at the parts scattered all over the floor and said in embarrassment, "We don't know what the plane's engine looks like. How can we bring it back?"

"By the way, isn't there a college student in your platoon?" Bobrikov said, "Call him over and ask him if he knows what an airplane engine looks like."

The college student was quickly called to Boblikov's presence, and after he raised his hand to salute, Boblikov asked, "College student, what major are you studying in school?"

"Comrade company commander," the college student soldier answered respectfully to Bobrikov's question, "I majored in journalism."

When he learned that the other party was studying journalism, Bobrykov couldn't help but feel a little disappointed: "That is to say, if there was no damn war. After graduation, you might become a journalist?"

"Comrade Company Commander, it is possible for you to become an editor." The college student soldier replied.

"Have you ever seen what an airplane engine looks like?" Bobrikov asked with a hopeful mentality.

Unexpectedly, the college student soldier nodded and said in a positive tone, "I have seen it." Then he pointed to a dark part about seven or eight meters away and said, "Look, isn't that the wreckage of the plane's engine?"

Hearing what the college student soldier said, the platoon leader was overjoyed and quickly called over a squad leader who was closest to him, pointed at the wreckage of the aircraft engine, and told him, "Second squad leader, take your men and move that thing onto the vehicle."

The second squad leader agreed and led the soldiers in his squad to move the engine wreckage onto the vehicle.

Unexpectedly, the first soldier who came into contact with the engine wreckage screamed: "Ah! It's too hot!"

Seeing this, Bobrikov knew that the engine wreckage had just finished burning and the temperature had not yet dropped. If he rashly touched it, he would be burned. He quickly ordered: "Soldiers who are moving things, put on your gloves to avoid being burned."

The soldiers quickly put on the gloves they had just taken off, lifted the wreckage of the plane engine, and placed it on the canvas spread next to it. Then one of them grabbed a corner of the canvas, lifted the wreckage of the engine, and placed it on the truck that had just driven over.

Seeing that the mission was accomplished, Bobrikov immediately ordered: "Everyone get in the car!"

Just as the soldiers lined up and boarded the bus in an orderly manner, a man in a peaked cap ran out from not far away and shouted at them: "Hey, comrades!"

Bobrikov, who had opened the driver's door, heard the shout and quickly turned to look in the direction of the voice. After seeing the person clearly, he asked with a straight face, "Who are you?"

After the man confirmed that Bobrikov was the highest-ranking commander here, he immediately trotted towards him.

But before he could get close, two soldiers stopped him with guns raised: "Stop, if you take another step forward, we will shoot!"

The man had no choice but to stand there and anxiously asked Bobrykov: "Comrade Captain, can you take me back to our army's defense zone?"

Looking at the haggard man in front of him, Bobrykov could not help but frown slightly and asked again: "Who are you?"

"Comrade Captain, I am from the 37th Army. After my troops were dispersed, I managed to escape the enemy's encirclement with great difficulty."

"You said you were a soldier, but where is your uniform?"

The man heard Bobrykov's question and replied with a wry smile: "After the troops were dispersed, I had to change into civilian clothes in order to escape the German encirclement."

Bobrikov had also participated in the collection of stragglers, so he knew that many officers and soldiers changed into civilian clothes in order to escape the encirclement. Seeing the man dressed like this, he didn't think it was strange.

He waved his hand at the other party and said, "Get in the car."

When the convoy set off again, the man in the peaked cap happened to be sitting next to the college student soldier.

The college student soldier asked curiously: "Comrade, which unit did you belong to before?"

"I was originally from the 37th Army," the man replied. "After my troops were defeated by the Germans in the Kiev area, it took me almost a month to get here. If I hadn't happened to meet you, I might have had to walk for several days to get back to Moscow."

"Oh, so you are from the Southwestern Front." The student soldier asked curiously, "Have you ever fought against the Germans?"

"Yes." The man nodded and said, "At least 20 to 30 Germans died under my gun."

Unexpectedly, as soon as the man finished speaking, there was a burst of laughter in the carriage. It was obvious that no one believed what the man said. The man realized that everyone seemed to not believe what he said and thought he was lying. After calming down, he continued: "I am a machine gunner. I was originally in the Western Front. After the troops were disbanded, I met a commander and followed him to the Southwestern Front."

The college student soldier asked: "Where is the commander now? Is he alive or dead?"

The man shook his head and said, "I don't know. After the area we were in was occupied by the Germans, I never saw him again. I don't know whether he escaped, died, or became a prisoner of the Germans."

The convoy returned to the brigade headquarters and stopped not far from the tent.

Sokov, who was staying in the tent, heard the sound of a car outside, and quickly opened the curtain and walked out to see if Bobrikov and the others had returned.

After getting off the car, Bobrikov trotted to Sokov, saluted, and reported: "Comrade Commander, we have brought back the wreckage of the aircraft engine."

"Well done, Comrade Captain." Sokov raised his hand and patted Bobrikov on the shoulder. After praising him, he ordered, "Send the wreckage of the aircraft engine to the army headquarters."

"Yes, Comrade Brigade Commander."

Just as Bobrikov turned around and prepared to carry out his mission, an abrupt voice came from not far away: "Major Sokov, is it you or your ghost?"

Hearing someone say this, Sokov was very dissatisfied. He looked in the direction of the voice, wanting to teach this guy a lesson. But when he saw the other person clearly, he widened his eyes in surprise: "Churxin, are you Churxin?"

The man in the peaked cap ran quickly to Sokov, raised his hand to salute, and respectfully reported: "Comrade Major, Soldier Chulsin reports to you that I have successfully escaped the German encirclement. Please give me instructions!"

"I don't have any instructions." Sokov opened his arms and gave him a warm hug: "Churxin, it's nice to see you again."

"Me too." Chulxin said a little excitedly, "Since we were separated by the Germans, I thought you were dead. I didn't expect to see you here again."

Bobrikov, who was standing nearby, looked at the two men in surprise, wondering if the person he brought back was an acquaintance of the brigade commander?

After the two separated, Bobrikov asked Sokov in surprise: "Comrade Brigade Commander, do you know him?"

"Of course, of course I know him." Sokov nodded vigorously and said in a positive tone: "When I was still in the 37th Army, he was my subordinate. When the Germans occupied the Yagotin area, I lost him. I thought he had died long ago, but I didn't expect he was still alive. By the way, how did you meet him?"

Bobrikov grinned and gave the honor to Chulsin: "Comrade Brigade Commander, you should let him tell you in person."

When Chulsin heard clearly how Bobrikov addressed Sokov, he showed a surprised expression on his face. He asked in astonishment: "Comrade Major, you are now the brigade commander?"

Sokov nodded and then asked, "By the way, Chulsin, where did you come from?"

"I came from the Yagotin area," Chulsin replied. "It took me a month to get here. I saw a battle going on ahead, so I changed my route and wanted to pass through the front line from a safe place. Unexpectedly, I met this captain comrade, and he brought me back."

After Chulhin finished speaking, Sokov turned to Bobrikov and said, "Comrade Captain, Chulhin is my old subordinate. After we separated in the Yagotin area, I thought he was dead. I didn't expect that we would meet again one day. Thank you, thank you for bringing him here."

"Comrade Commander, you are very polite." Bobrikov asked Sokov cautiously, "How do you plan to accommodate him?"

"As early as the 37th Army, he was in the headquarters' guard unit." Now that Chulsin had reappeared, Sokov naturally wanted to find a way to keep this old subordinate by his side: "Comrade Captain, you should keep him in your company."

"No problem, Comrade Brigade Commander." Knowing that Chulsin was Sokov's old subordinate, Bobrikov naturally knew what to do. "I'll arrange it immediately."

After Sokov turned around and went back to the tent, Bobrikov brought Chulxin to the guard platoon leader and said to him, "Comrade Lieutenant, this Chulxin is an old subordinate of the brigade commander. From now on, I will arrange for him to join your platoon."

Hearing that Chulxin was an old subordinate of the brigade commander, the platoon leader showed unusual enthusiasm towards him: "Comrade Chulxin, welcome to become one of us."

The college student soldier also came over and asked tentatively: "Comrade Chulxin, so what you said in the car just now was true?"

When Bobrykov heard what the college student soldier said, he was stunned and asked, "What did he say?"

"Report to the company commander," the student soldier replied, "Comrade Chulsin said in the car that he had personally killed 20 to 30 enemies. The comrades in the squad thought he was bragging and laughed at him."

The soldiers who laughed at Chu Erxin at that time were standing not far away at this moment, and what the college student soldiers said reached their ears. Thinking of their own laughter at Chu Erxin just now, these soldiers lowered their heads in embarrassment.

"Comrade Chulhin." Bobrikov looked at Chulhin and asked, "What did you do before? Did you have a military rank?"

"I used to be a machine gunner," Chulhin answered truthfully, "without any military rank."

"Oh, you're a machine gunner?" After hearing what Chulsin said, Bobrikov quickly exchanged glances with the guard platoon leader and said, "It just so happens that the first platoon is assigned a rotary machine gun, and no one knows how to use it. From now on, you are the machine gunner in the platoon. How about it, any questions?"

"No problem, Comrade Captain. I will stick to your arrangements."

"What do you want?"

Hearing Bobrikov's question, Churhin glanced at the student soldier next to him and said, "Comrade company commander, I hope you can assign me an assistant shooter."

Bobrikov noticed the look Chulsin was giving the college student soldier, nodded, then pointed at the college student soldier and said, "Then let him be your assistant shooter, and give you two more ammunition handlers to form a machine gun team, with you as the team leader."

Chulsin knew very well that Bobrikov made this arrangement out of consideration for Sokov's sake. He understood the ways of the world, and since the other party had shown him goodwill, he naturally had to express his gratitude: "Thank you, comrade company commander. I promise you that I will never let you down."

Bobrikov nodded to Chulsin, then pulled the guard platoon leader aside and whispered to him, "Comrade Brigade Commander ordered us to send someone to escort the wreckage of the plane's engine to the headquarters. It's up to you to decide which squad to send to carry out this mission."

(End of this chapter)