The battlefield was filled with a strong and pungent smell of sulfur, billowing black smoke was burning on the ground, and white snow was blown away again and again, scattered in every corner, stained with red blood and black soil.

The black ditch platform in the cold winter is wailing, and the shadow of death hangs over the whole world.

Song Biao's heart is filled with real darkness.

He lay coldly in the trench, indifferently watching the Russian army and the Russian army in front of him constantly staggered fire, in the flickering of machine guns and rifle muzzles, in the light of flames, in the sound of gunfire, human life suddenly became so cheap and insignificant.

During a brief stalemate, the two sides suspended firing and the two armies tacitly agreed to save each other's wounded on the battlefield and not shoot again, as was easy to see before the First World War.

People call it chivalry.

Major Kornilov took the opportunity to withdraw with the 3rd Infantry Battalion in embarrassment, and in the short half-hour exchange of fire, although they were shooting at each other from a distance of 700 meters, it still caused a lot of mental pressure and trauma to his troops, and more than 10 Russian soldiers were injured.

Xue Changqing's transport brigade was temporarily responsible for transporting the wounded, sending down the wounded, including the 3rd Infantry Battalion and the 2nd Siberian Infantry Division, and was responsible for delivering ammunition to the front line.

Hu Dalin's troops continued to dig trenches and repair fortifications in accordance with Song Biao's orders.

This is the main work of the Manchurian Infantry Regiment in this campaign, unless the Russian army really can't hold on, they don't have to rush up to the front line now, they were scared all night last night.

Song Biao was at an intersection where several communication trenches met, and the pre-war command post of his Manchurian infantry regiment was nearby, and a four-meter-deep bunker was dug in addition.

Major Kornilov hurriedly retreated, bent his waist, ran to Song Biao's side with a few lieutenants, and complained to Song Biao in Russian: "Our luck has always been not very good, the army actually launched an attack when we were halfway through the retreat, and a shell exploded behind our trench, and several soldiers were not in a hurry to dodge, and they were all injured." ”

Song Biao nodded slightly coldly, and replied in the same Russian: "I saw it." Now that it's safe, we're just a reserve within a reserve, just keep building the fortifications. ”

Major Kornilov sat directly on the muddy floor in the trench, lit a shit-smelling cigarette for himself, and said with hatred: "This wave of troops is really fierce, I always feel that it is not a good sign, they are so strong to dig a trench, maybe it is the same as the Battle of Arthur, and they dug in front of our trench in one go." ”

Song Biao didn't answer him immediately, and calmly continued to think about whether he had missed something.

At this time, there was a cacophony of voices from the traffic trench.

The two of them looked over at the same time, only to see General Mishuchenko walking briskly along the communication trench with several high-ranking officers and staff officers, and soon, the group of people came in front of them.

In this messy trench, these high-ranking Russian officers still wear the most luxurious military uniforms, from their leather caps to their spur-spurted military boots, and the sabers sparkled with sparks on their belts, all of which prove their nobility and power.

They are also the most arrogant people on this battlefield.

Major Kornilov saluted first and reported to General Mishuchenko: "Your Excellency, our Manchurian Infantry Regiment has completed the construction of the main fortifications overnight, built three trenches and two communication trenches, and now has completed the task of evacuation and replacement, and continues to engage in the construction and transportation of fortifications. ”

General Mishuchenko gave a brief return salute and praised Song Biao and Major Kornilov: "The two of you have done a very good job, I have nothing to fault with!" ”

Major Kornilov was delighted and said: "Thank you for the compliment!" ”

Song Biao didn't speak a little coldly, no matter how much money and benefits the Russians gave him, he still felt that it was a very annoying thing to be a soldier for the Russians, but the interests came first, and he couldn't help but do this thing.

General Mishuchenko waved his hand and motioned for everyone to enter the temporary command post of the Manchurian Infantry Regiment, after all, there was a four-meter-deep bunker here, and it was always much safer.

The upper level of the command post was supported by cylindrical logs, which continued to be covered with more than two meters of frozen soil, which was enough to withstand most of the shelling.

The disadvantage is that it is pitch black, and only kerosene lamps can be lit in broad daylight.

Sitting down in this slightly cramped little room, General Mishuchenko took off his black felt-fur cloak, sat down in a chair, and even crossed his legs a little leisurely, and lit a pipe for himself.

It can be seen that General Mishuchenko at this time was very accomplished, and at the suggestion of Song Biao, he chose an unconventional decision, and this decision also made him the supreme commander of the Heigoutai battlefield.

Song Biao had already met with this Cossack general from a wealthy aristocratic family more than once, and in these several contacts, he had become more and more clearly determined that General Mishuchenko was an authentic old nobleman of the Tsarist Empire, and had the peculiar eccentricities of the Cossacks.

While smoking his pipe, under the light of a kerosene lamp, General Mishuchenko carefully watched Song Biao's re-replenished battle map, and after the second in-depth inspection after dawn, Song Biao wrote down the layout characteristics of the front line.

Lieutenant Colonel Sheenissky, as the most important adjutant, had been constantly watching and discussing with General Mishuchenko, muttering and discussing the operational objectives of the army, and other staff officers also gathered around them.

Song Biao sat indifferently in the distance, idle and bored to light a cigarette for himself, indifferently as if he was listening.

After discussing with Lieutenant Colonel Seyenisky and Major Kornilov, General Mishuchenko still did not seem to have figured out the general direction of the entire army's operations, nor did he give an updated order for deployment.

It was only at this time that General Mishuchenko suddenly asked Song Biao: "Song, what do you think of this raid?" ”

Song Biao had already taken off his black felt fur cap, and gently scratched the back of his head with the thumb of his right hand holding a cigarette, as if he was an outsider and neutral irrelevance, and he didn't even deliberately look at General Mishuchenko and the group of senior Russian officers.

After waiting for a while, he sighed: "Judging from the size of the entire corps and the deployment of the reserves, this division should be the Eighth Division, or the Fifth Division, no matter which one it is, it should be regarded as the most important elite force of the army, and it is probably slightly stronger than the 10th Division that severely damaged the Second Army of Siberia." What kind of commander there is, then what kind of army will there be, the general of the army is said to be the commander-in-chief of the Manchurian battlefield, this person has always been known for knowing people and making good use of them, has outstanding vision, and is good at dispatching troops. He sent such an elite force to rescue the garrison in the Shendanbao area at this time, which is enough to show that the commander-in-chief attaches great importance to Shendanbao, so even if the division in front of him is blocked, more troops will rush over one after another. We do have an advantage in military strength at the moment, but in two days, four days at most, we may be in a weaker position in numbers. Calculate little by little, if we are not sure that we can defeat the opponent in two days, then let's defend on the spot and make ourselves invincible first. ”

Lieutenant Colonel Sheensky suddenly stood up and said with Cossack arrogance: "We can crush them with the simplest and most skillful cavalry charge!" ”

After Song Biao analyzed so much, this lieutenant colonel can still come to such a simple conclusion, which can only show that the quality of senior officers in the Russian army is really not good, and there is no way, it is basically equivalent to a hereditary nobleman.

Song Biao didn't even bother to sneer and sneer, almost bland, but always very confident and replied simply: "It is not wise to use a brigade of cavalry to attack a German division, not to mention that the opponent is also well prepared, and yesterday he also strengthened the fortifications all night." ”

General Mishuchenko was silent, and after thinking for a moment, he ordered the other officers: "Our task is to resolutely prevent the Yue army from rescuing the first brigade of the Yue Ben cavalry in Shen Dan Fort, instead of risking the annihilation of the opponent, everyone still has to stand on the defense for the time being, and the others should go back first and prepare again, and the Yue army should soon launch a second wave of offensive." ”

After saying this, he specially told Song Biao alone: "Song, you stay alone, I have something to tell you." ”

This is very strange, could it be that General Mishuchenko decided to occupy the magpie's nest, and that one of his top commanders at the front would not leave a regimental command post and use this place as his headquarters?

Song Biao didn't know what General Mishuchenko was thinking, he didn't have to leave anyway, he sat on a bench and smoked, watching the other Russian [***] officers leave this slightly crowded small bunker.

After everyone else left, General Mishuchenko pushed the map between himself and Song Biao and asked, "Based on what you know about Yue himself, what do you think Yue will do next?" ”

Song Biao replied almost without thinking, and without giving others room for questioning: "This is the trump card unit of the Yue army, the trump card unit, they have no choice, they must complete the breakthrough of the Russian army's encirclement of Shendanbao." I was only 500 meters away from their position, and as far as I could see, they didn't even have enough artillery, at most eight 31-year-old rapid-fire field guns, which were no different from larger grenades in terms of range, muzzle velocity, and power, so don't worry too much. They also have no other baggage and convoys, and I suspect that in two or three days they will run out of ammunition unless there is a large convoy to follow. I suspect that there will be new troops sent to the army, so they have nothing to fear. The problem is that the number of troops that the army can draw at present is not unlimited, and at most two more divisions and regiments will be added, which is the limit of the army's investment in the Shendanbao area. If we adopt a stubborn defensive strategy, continue to build fortifications in the rear on a large scale, and make a long-term defensive posture, the Yue army will charge even more frantically, because if we hold on like this, other Russian troops will eventually defeat the 1st Cavalry Brigade of the Yue Army and seize the Shendanbao defense line. ”