"Boom!" A 75-mm recoilless gun, which opened fire so fiercely that a shining flame came out of the muzzle, fired at a T-26 tank on the opposite side.

Two seconds later, the tank there exploded violently, and the flames soared into the sky.

As if it were a signal, as the tank exploded, puffs of black smoke continued to rise from the positions of the entire Soviet army.

"Da Da Da!" The Makqin heavy machine gun fired, and tracer bullets streaked across the sky, creating a straight line, and at the end of the line were the Soviet soldiers sleeping next to the campfire.

Bullets hit the snow, chirping, and some hit people, and people who had just been awakened from their sleep screamed loudly, looking at their bodies that were about to be frozen, and blood was bubbling outward, this kind of scene was terrifying.

In the sound of the Makqin heavy machine gun, there was also the sound of countless submachine gun fire, and all the automatic fire was firing, just beside the road that the Soviet Union had set up to march into the Long Snake Formation, stretching for several kilometers, all of which became battlefields.

Everywhere there was the sound of gunfire, everywhere there was the sound of screams before death, this dark night, no longer silent!

"Boom!" The explosion of another shell made Vinogradov fall to the ground in horror, and the explosion just now was near him!

"What's going on?" Vinogradov shouted loudly: "Quick, adjutant, report the situation!" ”

The adjutant quickly rushed in from the outside: "Division commander, it's not good, we are surrounded, and all around us, are Finns!" ”

Besieged!

At this time, the gunfire all around them made them have to believe in the fact that they were surrounded by a large number of Finns on the march, and now, they will meet the same fate as the 163rd Division!

"Quick, turn to defense on the spot, be quick, quick!" Vinogradov shouted: "And what about our tanks? It's time to fire! ”

As if hearing his shouts, the driver of a T-26 tank, who was reacting quickly, got into his cab and flipped the switch.

Quick, start!

All he heard was the weak wheezing sound of the starter behind him, buzzing, buzzing, a few clicks, and then he didn't move.

Again!

Buzz, buzz! Suddenly, a burnt smell came out, not good, the motor burned!

The weather is freezing and it has exceeded the starting capacity of the engine, and it is almost impossible to start it by relying on the motor before it is roasted with fire!

He climbed anxiously from inside the tank, and when he opened the lid of the engine compartment behind him, he found that the water tank had swelled, and inside, a large ice lump had emerged.

Damn it! When the fire was turned off, the water was not discharged! The engine of his tank has been frozen by the expanding ice!

He climbed out of his tank and watched the commander running over: "Quick, start the tank!" ”

"The engine is broken and won't start!"

"Oh no!" He watched the captain running over with his own eyes, and was swept down by a shuttle of bullets behind him, and the commander fell in a pool of blood, the captain's head was raised, and he finally glanced here, and his body was red.

"Finns, die!" In his hand, he picked up a DT machine gun and fired violently at the place where the fire had just appeared, and then he saw an even more terrifying scene.

A recoilless gun, fired at him! The shells were in the dark, dragging a tracer arc, flying at him accurately!

"Boom!" There was a violent explosion in the tank, in the explosion, he felt his body, drifting farther and farther, when he looked down, he found that the lower half of his body was burning on the tank, and then, his brain, became pitch black.

The battle, which did not last long, however, the casualties of the Soviet troops were significant.

Sitting in his makeshift tent, Vinogradov's face was gloomy.

"This is definitely not an ordinary guerrilla! They have artillery, and they have heavy machine guns, and their number is a few thousand, and it is clear that the Finns have mobilized the main forces of the army to besiege us! Vinogradov said: "Now we have to go on the defensive!" ”

"However, division commander, we are less than ten kilometers away from the 163rd Division, and if we continue to advance, we should be able to join the 163rd Division in half a day." A subordinate said.

Vinogradov shook his head: "No! There must be more traps ahead of us, the road may be destroyed, and our losses are too great to move forward. ”

On this day, there have been too many changes in Vinogradov's heart, from the beginning of the smugness, hoping to make a meritorious career and be promoted to the top level, to now, he has no confidence.

Before he could complete the task, he suffered a great loss, and at the same time, in his heart, he was already timid.

He didn't dare to advance any further, fighting would kill people, and if his troops lost too much, he couldn't deal with them.

However, if he went back like this, it would be even worse, he could almost imagine that as long as he went back, his life would be over, so he made the stupidest decision to stay where he was!

If he continued to advance, he could join up with the 163rd Division and twist into a rope, and if he was afraid, he would retreat, and he would reduce casualties, and now, he actually ordered to stay where he was and go on the defensive!

The Great Purge caused the Soviets to lose too many excellent commanders, such as Vinogradov, who commanded at most a platoon, and now, he has to command a division!

At this time, the surroundings had calmed down, but Vinogradov was scared in his heart, he didn't dare to move forward, he didn't dare to retreat, he didn't know, his hesitation really ruined this army!

In the second half of the night, the snowflakes began to fall again. The Soviet troops did not rest, they were digging in the frozen ground with all their might, doing defensive fortifications, and this work was tiring and irritable in the bitter cold weather.

At this time, in the woods just a few kilometers away from them, the troops who attacked had returned.

They untied their sleds on the spot and soon set up warm tents.

These tents can be folded and easily transported in a boat-like sleigh called an "Akhio". The sled is pulled by three skiers, with a person in the back maintaining the balance of the sled.

Inside the tent there is a wood-burning stove and soft pine branches underneath, so that even on the coldest night, the 20 people in the tent will feel very warm.

"Today, our goal has been reached, we have scared the Soviets, they have lost their last chance." Lieutenant Colonel McKinniemi said: "As long as we continue to hold the Soviets here, our large forces will slowly arrive, especially when our artillery arrives, which is the moment of complete encirclement and annihilation of the Soviets." ”