Hearing Titov's cold and emotionless voice, I couldn't help but shudder. Turning his head to look at Titov, I saw that his face was tense and stern, and it seemed that he was not joking with me, but solemnly asking for my opinion.

I turned my head to look at Mihayev again, he had obviously heard what Titov had said just now, and when he saw that my eyes were on him, he immediately took a step back nervously, and then asked: "Comrade division commander, I seem to have heard this political commissar say that he wants a gun...... Shoot me, huh? Although he tried to stay calm, he could still hear his voice change tone due to nervousness.

I looked at Mihayev with my hands behind my back and asked with an indifferent expression: "Shoot you?!" Comrade Engineer, could you please tell me why I want to shoot you? ”

Unexpectedly, when I said this, he not only did not relax, but seemed even more nervous. He hesitated, then said, "Because I ...... I was captured by the Germans...... Captured, and you also look...... See, it's not me...... I ran away on my own...... Escaped, but ...... It was the Germans who took the initiative to ...... me I released. After saying this, he leaned forward slightly, his arms drooping naturally, his fingers pressed against the seams of his trousers, and at the same time his head was lowered deeply, not daring to look up at us again.

Watching him put on this confession posture, which was clearly cultivated in the concentration camp, I could not help but feel sorry for him, sighed, and comforted him: "Comrade Mihayev, I will neither shoot you nor hand you over to the overseers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I'm here not only for reconnaissance missions, but also to find your whereabouts. Now that I've found you, I'll bring you safely back to the Independent Division. ”

"Is it true? Comrade division commander, you really won't shoot me. Won't you send me to the Overseers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to dispose of? Mihayev looked up at me. Asked tentatively.

"Yes. Comrade engineer. I looked at him dissatisfied, and added: "I'll repeat it one last time, as long as you don't run away from the battlefield because of greed for life and fear of death, or defect to the enemy, no matter what happens, I will keep you safe." "Finished. Without looking back, I walked out of the forest, intending to see if Gaidar's drawing was complete.

As soon as he walked not far away, he was stopped by Titov from behind. He came running quickly and said to me in a stern tone, "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, wait a minute. ”

I stopped, looked at him and asked, "Comrade Political Commissar, is there something wrong with you?" "Actually, I asked knowingly, and he stopped me at the moment, definitely not to ask me how the reconnaissance mission was going, but to talk to me about how to deal with Mihayev.

The volume of his voice increased by a few degrees. He said in a fierce voice: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, how did you do it. Why not dispose of this fighter. I warn you that this kind of warmness of yours is very dangerous. ”

Hearing him say that, my head suddenly grew bigger. Isn't it just that a soldier was captured by the Germans and released again, so he can use it like this? I was supposed to defend myself a few words, but seeing that the other party was older than me, out of respect for him, I didn't argue with him, but just kept silent.

Unexpectedly, he was still a little reluctant, seeing that I was silent, thinking that I felt that I was in a loss, his tone became more stern, and said: "Comrade Oshanina, you are the commander of the first division, and you should consider your identity before making every decision. At this point, he pointed to Mihayev behind him, and said in an unquestioning tone: "According to the provisions of the People's Commissariat of Defense Order No. 270: All Red officers and soldiers must fight to the end, but if they are captured by the enemy, regardless of whether they have resisted beforehand, they will be punished afterwards as traitors, and sent to labor camps, including their dependents." Since he was captured by the Germans, he should be severely punished, regardless of whether or not he leaked our information to the enemy. Even if you don't shoot him here, you should hand him over to the Overseers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If you don't deal with him, once he is denounced, you will be guilty of harboring, and you will not be able to get away with it. ”

Hearing this, I suddenly felt overwhelmed. Although I knew that his intentions were for my own good, I still felt very unhappy in my heart, knowing that I had been captured before, and if the people of the Ministry of Internal Affairs knew about it, I would not escape the fate of being sent to a punishment camp. Besides, even if this matter could be hidden from everyone, if Titov had reported Mihayev's affairs to the higher authorities, I would have been punished for being implicated. What should I do?

Just when I was in a dilemma, Gaidar appeared in time to relieve me. He and the soldier trotted in front of us, wiped a handful of sweat, raised their hands to salute us, and excitedly reported: "Report to the division commander, comrade political commissar, I have completed the reconnaissance mission. ”

"Are the drawings ready?" I hurriedly asked to divert Titov's attention.

"It's all right." Gerda said, handing over a drawn map.

When I took it, I casually asked, "Are all the enemy's firing points marked?" ”

"It's all marked." As he spoke, Gaidar pointed to the locations on the map marked with special symbols.

"Are they all accurate?" Titov poked his head over, looked at the map and asked again.

Gaidar didn't speak, just smiled and nodded at us, indicating that everything was marked accurately.

"Can you show me this map?" Just as Titov and I were huddled together to look at the picture, Mihayev's timid voice came from the side.

"What do you do on the map?" Titov asked warily.

In response to Titov's questioning, Mihayev explained: "Comrade commissar, if you look at the settlements from the position of the forest, you can't observe them in many places. Although I spent only a short time in the settlement, I was able to tell immediately where the German firing points and firing holes were located as soon as I passed by the building. ”

I was very satisfied with Mihayev's explanation, so I did not hesitate to hand over the hand-drawn map in my hand. Unexpectedly, Titov grabbed my hand and reminded me: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, this is a military secret." It can't be handed over to someone like him who is suspected of collaborating with the enemy. ”

I gently broke free from Titov's hand. To put it mildly: "Comrade commissar." I believe that Comrade Mihayev, after looking at this map, will be able to provide us with useful information. If something goes wrong, I'll take care of it. ”

My words made Mihayev a little excited, and he took my map with trembling hands, raised his hand to the frame of his glasses, and began to study it carefully.

After looking at it for two or three minutes, he suddenly raised his head and said to Gaidar: "Comrade regiment commander." There are still many places on your map that are incomplete. Here, for example," he said, taking a pencil from Gaidar's hand and adding a few strokes to the drawing, "next to this building, there is a brick and concrete building, which was supposed to be a fire room, but now the Germans have converted it into a fire point with a machine gun in it. It is possible to block the road of our troops rushing to the building with fire. ”

I looked at the buildings and firepoints he had added to the map and nodded slightly. It doesn't seem like a bad thing that the Engineer has been captured in a settlement, at least he can observe the enemy's defensive positions at close range and provide us with this useful information. With a more comprehensive map of the German army's defense, we can pay less when attacking.

Mihayev continued: "...... And here at the crossroads, the enemy built several barricade fortifications, and an armored car, which our assault forces approached from which line of defense they would be discovered. ……”

While Mihayev and Gaidar were working on the refinement of the map, I pulled Titov aside and whispered: "Comrade commissar, you also saw it. Mihayev can provide us with a lot of useful information, so that our troops can attack the settlements with less sacrifice. ”

Titov did not speak, his eyes were leveled ahead, his expression was indifferent, and I could not guess what was going on in his heart. After waiting for a while, seeing that he did not react, I had to say again: "Comrade commissar, if we win the counterattack with the information provided by Mihayev, then he is the hero and should not receive any unreasonable punishment." ”

After hearing my words, Titov sighed and said helplessly: "Okay, this matter will be done as you say." With that, he lifted his leg and left. After walking a few steps, he stopped again and said to me, "Now that the reconnaissance mission is complete, let's stay in the forest and rest until it gets dark." ”

I nodded, and then cautiously said to him: "Comrade Political Commissar, do you think you want to say hello to those soldiers about today's incident?" ”

Titov snorted and said with some displeasure: "I know how to explain to the fighters, and I don't need you to teach me." After saying that, he left in a huff.

After Titov had gone away, Gaidar walked up to me, handed me the map that had been revised by Mihayev, and said: "Comrade division commander, Comrade Mihayev has already changed the map, please take a look." ”

I took the map and looked at it, and at least a third of it had been added, and in addition to a few buildings that we couldn't see at all, he had added a dozen hidden German firing points. Judging from the location of the firepower points, it is possible to inflict heavy casualties on our soldiers who break through to the settlements during the battle.

After reading this picture, I understood why during the Battle of Moscow, two cavalry divisions attacked several settlements near the city of Cumbre del Sol and fought for several days without defeat. It was because of the lack of careful reconnaissance in advance that the commander thought that after a certain period of artillery preparation, the enemy's defenses in the settlements would be destroyed, and in that case, our troops would be able to drive straight in. But in reality? Our troops, after paying heavy sacrifices, managed to storm the settlements, but because they could not eliminate the remnants of the enemy in a short time, they were driven out by the counterattacking enemy.

I returned the map to Gaidar, looked at my watch, and it was almost noon, so I ordered Gaidar: "Comrade Captain, it's almost noon, it's time for lunch." Give Comrade Mihayev some dry food and water from you, he may be starving, and we can't let our heroes go hungry. ”

With bread in one hand and a kettle in the other, Mihayev said to me gratefully: "Thank you, Comrade Division Commander. Your kindness to me, I ......"

Before he could finish speaking, I raised my hand to interrupt his later words and said lightly, "Okay, don't say so much." Comrade Mihayev. You finish eating and drinking. Just find a place to rest. I haven't slept all night, and I think you're sleepy too. ”

Mihayev nodded obediently and went to eat with Gaidar. I looked around and saw that there was a tree that was relatively clean, with no wild plants such as mushrooms or fungus, only a meadow, so I went over and sat down with my back against the trunk of the tree, and took bread out of my briefcase to eat.

Finish eating. I leaned my back against the trunk of the tree and closed my eyes. I hadn't slept all night, but I didn't feel sleepy at all, and my mind was thinking about the details of the attack on the settlement.

Just as I was thinking about it, I suddenly heard a rush of footsteps from far and near, and I opened my eyes sharply, and at the same time vigilantly grabbed the submachine gun placed on the grass next to me. When one of the fighters ran to me, he paused, half-crouched, and whispered: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, it's not good. Three Germans came into the forest! ”

"How far is it from us?" I asked nervously.

"They have gone into the forest and are coming in our direction. I guess it will be another three to five minutes. They're going to get here. After the fighter finished speaking, he actually ran forward again, and it seemed that he was going to report to Titov.

"Comrade division commander, what happened?" Seeing the warriors coming in a hurry and leaving in a hurry, Gaidar and Mihayev, who had been resting not far from me, also sensed that something might be wrong, so they both ran over to inquire what was going on.

I hurriedly waved at them and instructed, "Three Germans have entered the forest, you should find a place to hide." ”

Fortunately, the forest was full of low bushes, and we easily found a hidden spot. As soon as I lay down behind a thick bush, Titov rushed at me, quickly threw himself down beside me, and said in a low and hurried voice: "It is almost ten hours before dark, and we will not be able to withdraw our line if we are discovered by the enemy." ”

"Comrade Commissar, what should be done then?" I asked nervously. Originally, according to my meaning, this place is still a few hundred meters away from the settlement anyway, and even if you shoot and kill all the Germans who have entered the forest, you will not let the large German army in the settlement find out. Now that he's saying that, I'm a little overwhelmed again.

"Be hidden, and be careful not to be discovered by the Germans. There were only three of them, so they didn't find us. To search for a few hidden people in such a large forest, you have to send a platoon of troops. ”

After a few minutes, three Germans appeared in my field of vision. I saw that they all carried rifles on their backs, carried a bamboo basket in one hand, and held a shovel in the other. Seeing them dressed like this, I secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and hurriedly tilted my head and said to Titov next to me: "Comrade political commissar, have you seen what they are carrying?" It seems that they are here to pick mushrooms, but they are not here to find us. ”

The Germans stopped about fifty meters from us and dispersed, searching for mushrooms. In the summer forests of Russia, countless mushrooms grow whenever it rains, and the deeper you go into the forest, the more mushrooms there are, and the more varieties there are.

I looked ahead through the bushes and saw that there were patches of mushrooms on the grass and at the foot of the trees, and perhaps these Germans would come here to pick mushrooms. Thinking of this, I became a little worried, gently touched Titov beside me with my shoulder, lowered my voice and said to him: "Comrade commissar, do you see the patches of mushrooms in front of us?" Maybe the Germans will pick up our land later, and they might find us. What should we do? ”

Titov raised the pistol in his hand and said, "Don't shoot yet, pay attention to concealment." If the enemy is going to die, then when they get closer, we will shoot them all at the same time. It was more than 500 meters from the enemy's position, and they could not hear even the most dense gunfire. ”

I nodded and simply said, "I agree!" ”

However, it soon turned out that my fears were unfounded. Because there were so many mushrooms in the forest, the Germans walked twenty meters away from us with baskets full of them. The three of them laughed a few words, put the shovel on their shoulders, carried the basket full of it, and walked back happily.

Seeing the enemy's distant back, I scolded indignantly: "Damn Germans, I hope you will be poisoned by poisonous mushrooms later." ”

I just said it casually, but I didn't expect Titov to deliberately correct me and say: "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, maybe your wish is going to be frustrated." On the way here, I made a special observation, and the mushrooms here are all edible, and no poisonous ones have been found. ”

Hearing Titov say that the mushrooms here are all edible, I couldn't help but have an idea, and hurriedly said to Titov: "Comrade Political Commissar, anyway, it's still early before dark, why don't you take advantage of this time to let the soldiers pick some mushrooms, and we will also bring them back to the division headquarters to let everyone improve their food?" ”

When Titov heard this, he said repeatedly: "This is a good idea, everyone is tired of eating rusks every day during this time, so I will immediately arrange for someone to pick mushrooms so that everyone can improve their food." ”

We stayed up in the forest until dark, and then we carried a few bags of fresh mushrooms and walked towards the defense area of the Guards Division. However, for the sake of safety, Titov walked at the back of the whole team with the submachine gun he had asked for from the soldiers. He turned back from time to time as he walked, wary of possible enemies in the rear.

It wasn't until I stepped into the position of the Guards Division and saw again the lieutenant who had sent us away from the position yesterday that I breathed a long sigh of relief and said to myself: "Thank goodness we finally came back safely. (To be continued......)