red moscow

Chapter 2987

At daybreak, the infantry brigade stationed in Sun Mountain City, under Sokov's arrangement, had already moved into some important defensive positions.

Sokov remembered that the German troops had stormed into the city from the north, so he took Belkin and several guards to inspect the north side of the city.

Although the city is called a mountain city, apart from a few rolling hills, there are hardly any decent mountains around it, only continuous forests. And the road leading to the city runs through the forest.

“Comrade Brigade Commander!” Standing on the earthen slope, Belkin observed the surrounding environment through his binoculars and said to Sokov, “The terrain of Sun Mountain City is very good. To enter the city, there are only four roads in the four directions of east, west, north and south. Although our troops are small, as long as we hold the four roads, the enemy will not be able to get in at all.”

No sooner had Belkin finished speaking than Sokov shook his head repeatedly, saying, "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, you're oversimplifying the problem. The enemy not only possesses a large number of tanks and artillery, but can also launch air raids to bombard our positions when necessary. Without strong permanent fortifications, our defenses won't hold out for long."

“Comrade Brigade Commander, what you say makes sense. But time is of the essence now, and the enemy could bypass our defenses at any moment and break through here directly.” Belkin said with a frown, “Even if the higher command agrees to send people to build permanent fortifications, we don’t have enough materials or time.”

“Furthermore,” Sokov continued, “our forces are limited, and defending such a large city is proving somewhat beyond our capabilities. My plan is this: deploy a company each to the east, west, and south to guard against German attacks, while concentrating our main force in the north. Meanwhile, the newly formed artillery battalion…”

"Wait a minute, Comrade Brigade Commander." Before Sokov could finish speaking, Belkin interrupted him, asking with a suspicious look, "How can you be so sure that the enemy will launch an attack from the north of the city?"

Sokov looked at Belkin and said with a wry smile, "I studied the map all night and found that if the enemy wants to take Sun Mountain City by surprise, they can only do so by crossing the Istra River, bypassing the Istra Reservoir, and entering Sun Mountain City from the north."

“Oh, I see.” Belkin nodded thoughtfully after listening. “No wonder you were so sure that the Germans would attack from the north of the city.”

"The artillery battalions are deployed in companies on the high points in the city." After Belkin quieted down, Sokov continued, "Once the enemy begins their attack, we will intercept them with artillery fire, which will certainly cause considerable casualties to the Germans."

After chatting for a few minutes, the two turned and headed towards the brigade command post, intending to readjust the troop deployment within the city.

As they walked, Sokov spotted a bunch of chestnuts under some big trees. His eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward, bending down to pick up the chestnuts. Belkin stood to the side, watching Sokov happily gathering them with a blank expression.

As Sokov picked up chestnuts, he thought that when he got back, he would ask the cook to help him roast them, as he hadn't had roasted chestnuts in a long time.

After Sokov had stuffed both bags full of chestnuts, he stood up with satisfaction and turned to Belkin, saying, "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, let's go back to headquarters."

As Belkin and Sokov walked side by side, Belkin asked the question that had been on his mind: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I don't understand, why are you picking up so many acorns?"

"Acorns?" Sokov asked, completely bewildered. "What acorns?"

“Look!” Belkin gestured with his chin toward the two chestnuts Sokov was holding, and said, “Isn’t that an acorn?”

"What, these are acorns?" Sokov asked, bewildered. "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, shouldn't these be chestnuts?"

“No, these are acorns, not chestnuts,” Belkin said with a smile. “Acorn trees and chestnut trees look quite similar, and it’s easy to mistake one for the other if you don’t look closely.”

When Sokov realized that what he had been collecting for so long was not the chestnuts he had been longing for, but acorns, his lips twitched. He quickly put a chestnut in his mouth, bit open the shell, and tasted the kernel inside. Sure enough, it was bitter and astringent.

He quickly spat out the acorn in his mouth, then blushed and took all the acorns out of his pocket and threw them away. At the same time, he explained to Belkin, somewhat embarrassed, "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, thank you for reminding me. I really thought these were chestnuts, and I was even planning to have the cooks roast them when we got back so you could taste them. I really didn't expect them to be acorns."

Berkin chuckled twice and explained, "These two trees look quite similar, and their fruits also look almost alike. It's easy to mistake one for the other if you're not careful. If you really want to eat chestnuts, I'll definitely let you know next time I see them."

"Then thank you in advance."

After resolving the chestnut mix-up, Sokov and his team continued walking towards the command post.

The sound of a car approaching came from behind. Sokov found it quite strange; most of the city's residents had been evacuated to the rear, and the streets were practically deserted, let alone filled with vehicles. Where did this car come from?

Before Sokov could turn around, the car behind honked its horn a few times, whether to remind Sokov and his party to make way or to greet them, it was unclear.

Belkin turned his head first and looked at the approaching vehicle, saying with some surprise, "It's a jeep, perhaps a liaison officer sent by our superiors to convey orders to us."

The jeep pulled up beside them, the passenger door opened, and a captain leaned out, asking Sokov and the others, "Comrades, where is your command post?"

Sokov knew perfectly well that any vehicle that could get through his defensive lines and reach this point couldn't possibly be carrying enemy soldiers. Therefore, upon hearing the captain's question, he truthfully replied, "The brigade headquarters is in the police station in Sun Mountain City. I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, the brigade commander, and this is Lieutenant Colonel Belkin, the deputy brigade commander. Comrade Captain, what brings you here?"

After confirming Sokov and Belkin's identities, the captain immediately got out of the car, went to the back seat, and opened the door. Worried that the people inside might bump their heads when getting out, he also placed a hand above the door.

A general stepped out of the car. Sokov recognized him at a glance as Major General Zakharov, the deputy commander of the army group. He didn't immediately approach to greet him. Although he and Zakharov had a good relationship, chronologically, the latter didn't recognize him at this moment. If he were too enthusiastic, it would surely arouse suspicion. Zakharov approached Sokov and Belkin and said solemnly, "I am Major General Zakharov, the deputy commander of the army group."

"Hello, Comrade Deputy Commander!" Sokov and Belkin quickly raised their hands to salute Zakharov.

Zakharov returned the salute, then focused his attention on Sokov: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I've heard General Rokossovsky mention you, saying you're a commander who's good at creating miracles."

"You flatter me, Comrade Deputy Commander. I was merely fulfilling my duty as a soldier." Sokov responded with unusual humility to Zakharov's praise.

“Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, before I came here, General Rokossovsky told me that there weren’t many troops garrisoning Sun Mountain.” Zakharov asked with a worried expression, “Are you confident you can hold the city?”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, do you want to hear the truth?"

“Nonsense, of course I want to hear the truth,” Zakharov urged. “Say whatever comes to mind. Don’t hold back. Even if you’re wrong, I won’t blame you.”

Sokov knew Zakharov's character well and naturally knew what he could and couldn't say. He organized his thoughts for a moment and then said, "As you know, my forces are limited, and it's simply impossible for me to hold such a large city. All I can do now is delay the city's fall."

Upon hearing Sokov's words, Zakharov's face showed displeasure: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, you're already considering abandoning the city before we've even seen a glimpse of the enemy. Don't you know that once the Germans occupy Sunhill, they can directly threaten the 16th Army's supply lines?"

"know."

"Since you know that, why are you still considering abandoning the city?" Zakharov asked in a puzzled tone. "As the city's defense commander, shouldn't you be thinking about how to defend the city?"

“Comrade Deputy Commander, when I say abandoning the city, I don’t mean we should run away and easily hand it over to the enemy,” Sokov explained to Zakharov. “Even if the main force of the infantry brigade withdraws from the city, I will leave a small force behind to fight the enemy in urban warfare. More importantly…”

Zakharov sensed that Sokov seemed to have a backup plan and urged him quickly, "What other ideas do you have? Just say them."

“I plan to use this time of holding the city to open up several secret passages leading out of the city,” Sokov said. “Once our counter-offensive begins, we can send a portion of our troops to sneak into the city through these pre-prepared passages and coordinate with the counter-offensive forces to launch a pincer attack on the enemy.”

Sokov's words brought a smile back to Zakharov's face. But he quickly regained his serious expression: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, digging a secret passage leading out of the city will probably take a long time. Do you think we can complete the passage before the enemy breaches the city?"

“There shouldn’t be any problem.” Sokov had thought it over carefully last night. To hold the city, he would probably have to apply some of the street fighting tactics from the Battle of Stalingrad to this city in advance. He patiently explained to Zakharov, “I asked the city police about the situation last night and learned that two of the city’s sewers have exits outside the city. We can use the city’s sewers as secret passages to enter and exit the city.”

Zakharov put his hand on Sokov's shoulder, nodded, and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, General Rokossovsky said you are a man who can create miracles, and it seems he was absolutely right. To be honest, when I heard you say that the city couldn't be defended at all, I was secretly thinking that if the city really fell, it would probably take a lot more casualties to take it back from the enemy. But with the existence of the secret passage, our battle to take the city back from the enemy will become much easier."

"Comrade Deputy Commander!" Belkin interrupted Sokov and Zakharov, who were chatting endlessly by the roadside, and said with a smile, "It's too cold outside. Why don't we go back to the brigade headquarters? There are two stoves there, and it's much warmer than here."

“Alright, then let’s go to your command post first.” After saying that, Zakharov got back into the car through the open door and beckoned Sokov and Belkin to get in: “You two get in too, take me to your command post.”

Sokov, Belkin, and the others had walked for about forty minutes from the command post to this spot in the northern suburbs. Now, riding in Zakharov's jeep, they arrived at their destination in just ten minutes.

As the sentry at the gate saw an unfamiliar jeep approaching and reached out to stop it, Belkin, sitting in the back seat, rolled down the window, leaned out half his face, and said to the sentry outside, "Don't you recognize me?"

When the sentry realized that the person sitting in the back was actually the deputy brigade commander, he quickly withdrew his hand from the car, raised it to his forehead to salute Belkin, and then pulled up the barrier to let the jeep into the police station's parking lot.

After the group got out of the car, Zakharov asked with some curiosity, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, according to regulations, the commanders in charge of city defense all like to set up their headquarters in the church in the city center. You know, the church building is not only sturdy enough to withstand artillery fire, but the bell tower on top is also the highest point in the entire city, from where you can clearly see the movements around the city."

“Comrade Deputy Commander, I have set up the observation post in the church,” Sokov said. “If they discover anything, they will report to the brigade command immediately by telephone. The reason I did not choose the church as the command post is because it is too conspicuous. Once the Germans launch an attack on the city, they will definitely shell or bomb the area where the church is located. I do not want to set up my command post in a dangerous position.”

Zakharov agreed with Sokov's statement: "You're right, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov. If the command post were to encounter any mishap, the troops below would certainly fall into chaos due to the loss of unified command. Therefore, when choosing the location of the command post, the first consideration should be security."

At this point, Zakharov glanced around and casually asked, "Is it safe here?"

“It’s safe, Comrade Deputy Commander.” Sokov replied without hesitation, “There’s a basement below the police station. If this place is shelled or bombed by the enemy, we can move to the basement in time.”

"Move to the basement?" Zakharov stared at the building in front of him, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "What if this building collapses and we get trapped in the basement? How will we get out then?"

“Comrade Deputy Commander, you can rest assured about that.” Sokov recalled that in his previous life, during a city defense battle, a group of officers and soldiers were trapped in a basement. He had to use a grenade to blow open the air vent that exposed the basement to the ground to rescue them. “Even if we are trapped underground, I have a way to get out.”

(End of this chapter)