red moscow

Chapter 3107

As the convoy slowly approached and finally caught up with the 1st Battalion, Sokov looked out through the icy windows. The troops stretched out as a winding black line, starkly visible against the white snow. The marching column stretched for a kilometer or two, the soldiers trudging through the half-foot-deep snow, each step leaving clear, deep footprints. In the biting wind, their breath condensed quickly into puffs of white mist in the frigid air, only to vanish in an instant, as if it had never existed.

Just as Sokov's gaze swept across the marching column, he suddenly noticed Yefim's figure in the crowd. He quickly gestured to the driver, his voice urgent and firm: "Stop the car, stop the car now!"

Hearing a vehicle screech to a halt beside him, Yefim instinctively turned his head in the direction of the sound. When he saw that the person stepping out of the car was Sokov, surprise and disbelief flashed across his face. But he quickly regained his composure and quickened his pace to greet him: "Comrade Brigade Commander, why have you come to the front in person?"

"I've come to see how your battalion is performing so far." After getting out of the car, Sokov, though his general's coat collar was tightly wrapped, felt the chill seep into his bones through the thick fabric, causing him to shiver involuntarily. He looked at Yefim with a serious expression and continued, "Well, have you found any trace of the enemy along the way?"

“No, Comrade Brigade Commander.” Yefim shook his head, his tone tinged with helplessness. “Our battalion hasn’t found any trace of the enemy since we set out.” He added with a hint of frustration, “I’m afraid the Second and Fourth Battalions performed so well in the previous battles that they completely terrified the Germans, so they retreated faster than rabbits, to the point that we couldn’t even catch a glimpse of them.”

"Comrade Captain!" Sokov pointed at the marching troops after Yefim finished speaking, his tone clearly showing displeasure. "Look at your troops! Their formation is completely loose and disorderly. If they were to be suddenly attacked by the Germans at this moment, would you be able to quickly organize an effective resistance?"

"Comrade Brigade Commander, you don't need to worry." Yefim seemed unconcerned, even somewhat relaxed, and said, "The Germans have long been demoralized by us. They're only concerned with escaping for their lives. How could they dare to stop and launch a counterattack against us?"

"Comrade Captain!" Seeing Yefim's carelessness, Sokov's expression became even more serious, and his voice suddenly rose. "Although the enemy has suffered a temporary defeat, it does not mean that they have completely lost their fighting ability. You must remember one thing: a wounded beast will fight back more fiercely, and its bite will only hurt more and be more deadly."

Sokov looked around and saw a huge snowdrift about two meters high by the roadside. Below it should have been an inconspicuous little mound, which had been temporarily covered by snow and ice over the past few days. He quickly walked onto the snowdrift, then raised the binoculars that had been hanging around his neck and carefully observed the terrain and environment ahead.

Through the telescope lens, Sokov saw a vast, boundless snowfield stretching into the distance, seemingly meeting the gray sky at the horizon. Scattered in the distance were sparse groves of trees, their bare branches standing like rows of silent, steadfast sentinels against the white expanse. A cold wind occasionally swept through, stirring up fine snow dust that formed swirling, shimmering eddies in the air.

Sokov's brow furrowed slightly involuntarily, his fingers unconsciously turning the adjustment dial on the side of his binoculars. The entire area was shrouded in a suffocating silence, so quiet that one could almost hear their own heartbeat. This unsettling stillness only fueled his unease and vigilance. According to prior intelligence, the Germans had deployed fortifications and firing positions in this area, but right now, there wasn't a single person in sight, not even a trace of any man-made structure.

Not far below the snowdrift, the guard platoon stood at attention. One of the recruits, named Gobi, shivered slightly from the cold, his teeth chattering. Veteran Kum, noticing this, nudged him with his elbow and whispered, "How's it going, kid? Can't handle this awful weather?" Gobi nodded, took a deep breath of the icy air, and tried to regulate his breathing to ward off the biting chill. Seeing this, Kum took off his canteen, unscrewed the metal cap, and handed it to him: "Here, have a couple of sips of this. It'll warm you up."

Gobi took the water bottle, brought it to his lips, and gulped down a large mouthful. He was immediately choked by the strong liquid and coughed violently, his face turning bright red. Koum patted his back to help him catch his breath, then took the bottle from him, saying with a slightly helpless smile, "Young man, is this your first time drinking vodka? Don't rush, take it slowly, or you'll definitely choke."

Just then, Company Commander Bobrikov strode over and asked in a stern, reproachful tone, "Kum, what are you doing?"

"Reporting to Company Commander!" Upon hearing this, Kum immediately straightened up and reported to Bobrikov with proper posture: "Gobi felt too cold, so I gave him some wine to warm up, but he drank it too fast and choked."

After listening to Kum's explanation, Bobrikov simply replied, "Stay alert and observe carefully!" He then stepped onto the snowdrift and stood slightly to the side behind Sokov.

Immediately afterward, Yefim followed and tentatively asked Sokov, "Comrade Brigade Commander, have you made any discoveries?"

Sokov shook his head and replied gravely, “No, we found nothing. It’s deathly silent ahead, eerily quiet, as if no one has ever been here before.”

“Comrade Brigade Commander!” After hearing Sokov’s words, Yefim took the initiative to speak, “I said before that the Germans have long been terrified by us and are only concerned with escaping. They don’t have the guts to stay and stop us.”

Sokov remained silent, but a question arose in his mind: What's going on? Why can't I see any trace of the Germans? Am I just being paranoid?

(End of this chapter)