red moscow

Chapter 2886 Strange Van
Seeing Zaryakin coming, Sokov said to Stolypin: "Comrade Stolypin, let me introduce you. This is Captain Zaryakin, the commander of the special company. He will personally lead people to escort you through our army's defense line and into the German-occupied area."

"Hello, comrade captain!" Stolypin extended his hand to Zaryakin and said in a friendly tone: "I am Stolypin, the head of the partisan unit. I am glad to meet you."

"Hello, Comrade Stolypin, I'm glad to meet you, too." Zaryakin responded politely and got back to the point: "It's getting late, let's set off as soon as possible."

Stolypin raised his hand to check the time and asked in surprise: "The Germans haven't started sleeping yet. Will we expose our target if we pass through the defense line now?"

"Don't worry, Comrade Stolypin." Facing Stolypin's worries, Zaryagin comforted him and said, "There are no German defenses in the area we are about to go to, and the chance of encountering them is very small, so set off early, and you will be able to reach a farther place by daybreak."

After hearing what Zaryakin said, Stolypin no longer hesitated and nodded in agreement: "Okay, I'll gather the team members and set off immediately."

When the guerrillas lined up, Sokov saw Klubkov standing with Zoya, and his pupils suddenly contracted violently. He finally remembered why he was so familiar with this name. In later materials, it was specifically mentioned that Zoya was captured by the German army because of the betrayal of a traitor, and the traitor's name was Klubkov. Since the full name of the traitor was not mentioned in the materials, Sokov could not judge whether the person who betrayed Zoya was Klubkov who was standing next to her at the moment.

"Comrade Stolypin," Sokov called out to Stolypin as he and his guerrillas were about to leave with Zaryakin. He asked politely, "How many people in your group are called Klubkov?"

"Just one." Stolypin asked Sokov in surprise: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, why are you asking him?"

After learning that there was only one guerrilla fighter named Klubkov, Sokov was certain that this man had become a traitor after being captured by the Germans, and betrayed Zoya, causing her death. He stared at Klubkov's back and continued to ask, "What kind of person is he?"

Stolypin smiled: "He is a very good comrade. When we arrive behind enemy lines, I plan to let him command a sabotage team alone..."

"No, this is absolutely not possible." Sokov said in a lost voice, "You can't let him command a sabotage team alone."

"Why?" Stolypin asked in confusion.

His question stumped Sokov. Yes, how should he answer him? He couldn't tell him that Klubkov would soon become a shameful traitor and betray Zoya, who was working with him, to the enemy, causing her to be brutally murdered by the Germans.

Seeing that Sokov was slow to speak, Stolypin needed the army's assistance to lead the team through the front line this time, but he still felt uncomfortable if the army commander told him what to do. However, out of politeness, he suppressed his anger and said, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I don't know what misunderstanding you have about Klubkov, but there is no subordinate relationship between us. You have no right to ask who I appoint as the leader of the sabotage team."

Sokov sighed secretly and said helplessly: "Comrade Stolypin, I don't want to interfere with any of your decisions. It's just that Klubkov looks unreliable, so I remind you to be cautious in using him to avoid making a big mistake."

"I know what's going on. Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel, for reminding us." Stolypin thanked him, but his tone showed his dissatisfaction. "If you have something to do, go and do it. You don't have to send us off!"

Watching the guerrillas gradually going away under the leadership of Zaryakin, Stolypin and the communications staff, Sokov could not help but smile bitterly and shook his head. This journey was dangerous, and he wondered how many of these guerrillas who were about to go deep behind enemy lines would be able to come back alive.

"Comrade Commander," Romanov heard Sokov sighing and asked curiously, "I heard you sighing. Are you sighing about something?"

"Romanov, look at those young guerrillas. They are carrying out missions deep into enemy-occupied areas. I'm afraid not many of them can come back alive."

But Romanov listened to Sokov's words and said with such expression: "Comrade Commander, this is normal. Although they are guerrillas, they are also fighters like us. In order to eliminate the German invaders, no one will frown even if they bleed and sacrifice. As long as we can defeat the enemy, no matter how great the price is, it is completely worth it."

Sokov glanced at Romanov and immediately lost interest in continuing the conversation with him.

The two returned to the tent. Karsokov noticed that Sokov was a little off. He couldn't help asking, "Comrade Brigade Commander, I see that you look a little off. What happened?"

"Among the guerrillas just now, I saw a member named Klubkov. He didn't look like a good person at all. So I kindly reminded Comrade Stolypin, the leader of the team, to be more vigilant and not to entrust him with important tasks, but he didn't appreciate it at all."

After listening to Sokov's words, Karsokov was silent for a while, then he said: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I think Comrade Stolypin, who leads the team, must be more familiar with the situation of the team members than we are. If we rashly give him suggestions, he will definitely be unhappy."

Sokov waved his hands and said impatiently, "Forget it, forget it. I have already reminded him. Whether he listens or not is none of my business. Anyway, they are not subordinate to us, so even if something happens, it will not involve us."

"Comrade Brigade Commander, you are right." Karsokov agreed, "Our mission is to help them pass the front line. The rest has nothing to do with us."

Sokov saw a piece of paper on the table with something written on it. He quickly reached out to pick it up and looked at it carefully.

"Comrade Brigade Commander," Karsokov took the opportunity to say, "This is the record of my conversation with the Third Battalion. The commander of the Third Battalion, Captain Nazorov, reported that when they were digging the second-line position, water suddenly emerged from the ground, causing the newly dug trenches to be flooded, and the soldiers could not stay in them at all. He asked if it was possible to suspend the construction of the second-line position?"

"No, Comrade Chief of Staff, this is absolutely not possible." Sokov said to Karsokov with a serious expression: "Call Captain Nazorov immediately and ask him to build fortifications in another place. Anyway, the fortifications of the second line must be completed before dawn."

When Sokov was arranging the task during the day, he had personally told Karsokov why the second-line position had to be built. Seeing that Sokov was dissatisfied with the attitude of the third battalion commander, he quickly picked up the phone and called the third battalion command post: "Third Battalion Command Post? This is Lieutenant Colonel Karsokov, Chief of Staff. Let your battalion commander answer the phone."

"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff." Soon, Nazorov's voice came from the receiver: "Does the brigade commander agree that we should build a second-line position?" Karsokov glanced at Sokov and continued: "The brigade commander orders you to build the second-line fortifications overnight and make sure it is completed before dawn."

Nazorov immediately wailed, "Comrade Chief of Staff, when I called you just now, didn't I say that underground water had emerged from our second-line positions and submerged our repaired fortifications? The soldiers simply couldn't stay inside."

"The order is clear. It is to build new fortifications in the second-line position. Since the selected area is flooded, we will move to another place for construction." Karsokov said bluntly: "Comrade Captain, I remind you that orders are for execution, not for discussion. Do you understand?"

"Okay." Nazorov said helplessly, "I'll follow your orders and continue the construction at another location later."

Sokov waited until Karsokov put down the phone, then looked at him and asked, "Why, Captain Nazorov is in a bad mood?"

"Of course." Karsokov nodded and said, "As far as I know, their second-line position started construction in the afternoon. The officers and soldiers worked hard for several hours and were about to complete the fortifications, but suddenly underground water emerged and directly flooded the trenches. Anyone would be crazy. October in Moscow is already winter, and there were two snowfalls at the beginning of the month. If the soldiers were allowed to soak in the water, they would definitely get cold in such a cold weather."

"I don't care what difficulties they have, but the second-line position must be established. This is responsible for the lives of the officers and soldiers." Sokov said seriously: "Flesh and blood can't stop the enemy's shells. In order to reduce casualties, we can only temporarily transfer the soldiers to the second-line position to avoid shelling and bombing when the enemy bombards and bombs."

Romanov came over and handed a telegram to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, the telegram has just been received!"

Sokov took the telegram and quickly read it. Karsokov came over and asked curiously: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what does the telegram say?"

"The telegram was sent by a reconnaissance team." After reading the contents of the telegram, Sokov handed it to Karsokov and said puzzledly: "They seized a strange van. It's empty inside. There's nothing."

After Karsokov quickly read the contents, he couldn't help but frowned. "And this van was captured by the reconnaissance team on the way to the front line. Comrade Brigade Commander, tell me, what is this van used to transport?"

Before Sokov could speak, Romanov's expression froze, and he said cautiously, "Could it be a truck carrying poison gas bombs? You know, the enemy has been unable to break through our defense line, so they might use some special means, such as launching poison gas bombs at our positions."

"That's impossible, Romanov." Sokov looked at Romanov and said expressionlessly, "I think you've read too many novels and have developed fantasies. If it were World War I, it would be possible for the Germans to release poison gas into our positions in order to break through the defense line. After all, they have done so before. But the situation is different now. Their leader was a victim of poison gas bombs in World War I, so he hates poison gas bombs and will never allow his army to use such weapons on the battlefield."

"If this truck is not used to transport poison gas bombs, then what is it used to transport?"

"I don't even know what the car looks like, how can I know what it is used for." Sokov turned and ordered Romanov: "Immediately send a telegram to the reconnaissance team and ask them to find a way to drive the car back so that we can find out what the enemy is planning to do."

"Okay, Comrade Brigade Commander." Romanov wrote down Sokov's words, turned around and walked to the walkie-talkie, bent down and dictated Sokov's original words to Morozova, and urged her: "Send the telegram as soon as possible."

Morozova didn't waste any time and immediately started sending telegrams.

Two hours later, Captain Yefim, the commander of the first battalion, called and reported: "We found a strange German van approaching our battalion's position. What should we do with it?"

Karsokov, who answered the phone, heard what Yefim said and immediately ordered: "Comrade Captain, you immediately arrange for someone to pick up the other party, so that it will not accidentally drive into the minefield. Remember, you must let the car pass through the minefield safely, and there must not be any mistakes, understand?"

After waiting for more than half an hour, a strange van appeared at the door of the brigade headquarters.

The scout came in and reported to Sokov and others: "Comrade Commander, I have brought back the van you requested."

Sokov and his men followed the scout out of the tent. Looking at the van parked not far away, Sokov couldn't help but fall into deep thought. The van looked a bit like the command van commonly used by the Germans. He walked to the back of the van, and the scout standing next to it immediately stepped forward and opened the two rear doors.

Seeing the car door open, Sokov hurried forward to see what was inside. When he got to the door, he found it was pitch black inside and he couldn't see anything, but the smell coming from inside made Sokov fall over.

He covered his nose, took two steps back, and said in disgust: "This carriage must be filled with shit, why does it stink so bad?"

Karsokov didn't believe in evil and insisted on going over to experience it for himself. The next moment, he was overwhelmed by the stench coming from the carriage. He took a few steps back and came to Sokov's side, breathing heavily, and said with a smile: "Comrade Brigade Commander, you are right, this car should be a manure truck, otherwise it wouldn't smell so bad."

"Comrade Commander." The scout who drove the car back was a little anxious when he heard Sokov and Karsokov both say that the car was used to transport manure. "I assure you, this car is definitely not used to transport manure."

As he spoke, he turned around and took out a piece of hose from the carriage, walked in front of Sokov and the others, and continued: "Look, this is what I found in the carriage. If this car is used to transport manure, then the hose should be full of manure, but look, this is clean."

Sokov took the flashlight from Romanov and shone it into the hose. He found that it was indeed clean, just as the scout said. This meant that the vehicle was definitely not used to transport excrement. He turned to Karsokov and asked, "Chief of Staff, tell me, what is this vehicle used for?"

(End of this chapter)