Russia, March 1966.

"Captain, didn't you say we could get to the supply depot on the third day......" Packer's face appeared in front of Tacot's eyes.

"Uh...... How many days is it now? Reluctant to open his eyes, Thacot felt as if his face was covered in a layer of material...... Heavy and tired.

"Now...... Day 4, right? Simon tilted his head to glance at Otto, who nodded gloomily.

Takot pulled the map out of his hand and looked at it. "All right, kids." Thacot loudly announced, "We're completely lost!" ”

Simon lowered his head in frustration and let out a sigh of "I knew it would be ...... like this." Otto, on the other hand, habitually pulled his cheeks into his mouth.

"Simon, come here."

"How much fuel is left in the tank?"

"That's enough for three days...... Maybe......" Simon's expression was a little dazed.

"Are you sure we didn't pass by yesterday? How far are we from this village? Takot pointed to the map and looked at the young man.

"I, I don't know what to do...... Yesterday it was white everywhere, I don't remember what village we passed by......" Simon looked at Tacot, embarrassed.

"No, no, look here, did we walk through this fork in the road the day before yesterday? What the...... That is...... Say we're not on this road at all? Annoyed, Thakett threw down the map, but when Takett looked up, from the hatch view, Takot saw the white as far as the eye could see.

"Damn! Don't call me sir! Takot smashed his hand against the steel above his head.

"It's fine. Simon...... It's okay, it's not your fault. You, you go get something to eat. Thacot regained his usual composure. Although he was more nervous than everyone else.

"Captain ......" Otto suddenly raised his voice, and Simon stopped to look at him: "We have nothing to eat." ”

Thacott's fist clenched into a hammer, but deliberately did not allow the soldiers to see it. And yet they have fallen into a desperate situation, a real desperate situation.

"Looks like we're going to have to ask someone for directions......" Takot was almost using a "Ha! it! He said it, but finally restrained himself.

"Asking for directions?" Simon and Otto looked at each other: "None of us know Russian?" How do you make us ask for directions! ”

Otto let out a mocking sneer: "Hmph...... Asking for directions? There are snowmen living in this neighborhood......"

"Yes, yes! I seem to have seen a haystack there—at least it looks like a haystack......" Simon put his eyes on the gunner's scope and pointed excitedly ahead.

Takat pulled a pistol from his waist: "We don't need Russian." I have this! ”

There must have been an imperceptible evil in Thacott's eyes, and Simon's wicked smile and surprise told him.

"We still need Russian - if you want to ask for directions? Lieutenant. Lieutenant Jayne's voice came from behind. Obviously, he was right.

"Lieutenant Jayne. Do you know Russian? Thacott asked

"Hmm." He reluctantly sat up: "A little." I learned from prisoners of war. ”

"That's good, Lieutenant, can you walk?"

"I think so, but you'd better mix me...... Oh! Damn it! Jayne struggled to get to his feet. He waved his handless right arm. But his head was on the roof of the car.

"Bill, Otto, you two stay in the car and watch out for the guerrillas. Simon, you're mixed with a lieutenant. Let's go, ask the Russian, and take a look at the dinner. Tarcot opened the hatch and prepared to get out of the cavity when a large cloud of snow fell from the sky. Cover his face.

The wind struck the snow on the face, and it still hurt.

Came to the place where the Russians lived. The door was slammed open. Crying was heard from inside the wooden house. An old bearded Russian man lay in a pool of blood, and the rest of his family threw themselves on the corpse...... There was a hysterical cry.

"Let's go!" Jayne said in Russian, kicking the Russian boy.

The boy wasn't very old, maybe younger than Simon. He carried the basket on his back, turned his head, and stared at Jayne with resentment.

Yes, Russophobia-like hatred.

He was supposed to be the grandson of the dead old man.

"Take it." Takot handed Lieutenant Jayne's pistol to Simon, "See?" Takett pointed to the eyes of the Russian boy in front of him: "This is the look of hatred." To eradicate hatred...... Simon, the only way is to eliminate the hateful people. ”

Takett stared gravely into Simon's eyes, Tacett knew that he was reluctant, and Tarkett knew even more that the remaining mercy in his heart was plunging him into pain every day.

"I'm here to help you, kid." Takot shoved the gun into his hand, and he didn't push it back.

"Remember: this is the battlefield. These are extraordinary times. ”

Simon nodded sluggishly.

"Now go in. Don't leave any of them. The bullets inside are enough. Takot turned his back to him and pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and put it in his mouth.

Simon opened the door and walked in.

In the chimney of the wooden roof, a wisp of gray cooking smoke still rises. It was the Russian stove for heating, and if we hadn't shown up, the family would have been sitting around the fire by now, waiting for the women to make dinner.

Thacott puts a cigarette in Lieutenant Jayne's mouth and joins him in making fun of the Russian boy. Finally, we gave the boy a cigarette, which he held in his mouth and did not refuse. Takot even lit a fire for him himself, and said respectfully in German, "Please, sir." Then Takett and Jayne laughed as they admired the smoking boy. The boy coughed, and Takot had to admit that Takot was glad that the food and the child from the Russian peasant family would solve all the predicaments they faced.

As they did so, gunshots, cries, and shouts rang out from the hut behind them. At the end of the day, everything was quiet. The door was gently opened, and Simon stepped out.

Thacot snatched the pistol and opened the magazine. It was found that there were a few rounds left. Tarcot stared into Simon's eyes, and the young man just stared ahead in a daze without saying a word......

．．．．．．

Lined with snow-covered pine trees. The torrential snowfall blurs the line between the road and the woods......

The Russian boy looked sluggishly at the pine trees around him, and he noticed that some of them had even been crushed by the combined force of wind and snow...... Only a sharp stump remained. He had never seen such a tremendous force from the cold.

The Russian boy had a thick rope tied around his waist.

The thick rope is tied in a dead knot. The rope was pulled straight by the boy's body. At the other end of it was a German assault gun tethered.

"Sir—that's not right—I mean: it's not right." Simon looked at the Russian boy pulling the rope for a long time from Otto's scope: "He's leading us to a dead end. He's going around in circles—you can see it! ”

"He's a good boy...... "Takot tried to take a nap in his chair, but was woken up: "His whole family is dead...... He didn't say anything...... Isn't it a good boy? ”

"Sir! Wouldn't that be even more implausible? ”

The tank moved slowly in the direction of the boy's rope as Simon's maneuver was directed......

"Stupid." Otto leaned on the iron shell of the chariot on his seat and raised his gloomy face: "He also wants to live." Simon, stop arguing with Captain, use your brain. The artillery commander pointed to his bald head: "Let's tie him to the front and lead the way." If he hadn't taken us to the airport, he would have starved to death. ”

Otto saw Simon and wanted to argue: "All right, boy. That Russian kid is colder than us......"

He looked at Tarcot, "Sir, this kid didn't bring us to the airport...... Don't freeze to death first. ”

"Simon, look, Otto's considerations are the point......" Thacot turned his head to look at Jayne who was crooked in the corner behind him, "Jayne." Call the kid in Russian. Give him some wine to drink. ”

On the way back to the tank from the Russian's house......

"Jayne." Takot continued to smoke: "Do you believe in fate? ”

"Fate?" Jayne sighed and tilted his head to glance at Tacot, "Why do you ask this?" ”

"What a coincidence, old fellow!" Takot put his arm around his shoulders and laughed, Simon still holding the Russian boy with his pistol in front of him. They walked ahead and couldn't hear what we were saying.

The Russian kid was called over by Lieutenant Jayne in non-standard Russian. One end of the rope was still tied around the boy's waist, and he staggered over and climbed with difficulty onto the roof of the chariot. Tacot was about to hand the boy the bottle with a little wine left, when Simon, who had been silent in the driver's seat, suddenly came over. snatched the bottle from Thacott's hand and offered to hand it to the trembling Russian child outside the hatch.

The boy was frozen stupid, his hair and eyebrows were frozen white from the snow. His face was like a piece of frozen meat, numb and hard.

"Hurry up!" Simon urged him in Russian. This is a phrase that the young man learned from him on the way to escort the Russian child. The boy seemed to understand, but only took the bottle sluggishly.

"Captain, please give me a cigarette." Simon stuck his head out the window and held out a hand in wait. Simon looked cautiously at Tacket with his eyes in the dark, and Turnett looked away from him, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and handing it to Simon. The latter immediately put a cigarette in the mouth of the Russian child and lit it with his own lighter.

Takot noticed that several pairs of eyes around him were starting to turn strange. Thacot reached out and pulled Simon's roof off the sunroof. Takot called Lieutenant Jayne's name and asked the Russian kids outside about where we were and how far we were from the airport. As Thacot did so, Tarkett stared into Simon's eyes with fierce eyes, reproaching him for being so blatantly sympathetic to his enemies.

"Simon, don't forget. He is the enemy. Takot lowered his voice as if it were an oppression.

"Simon—why don't you just call the Russian in and sit down, and then you go out and pull the cart—huh?" Simon screamed in a spree, his voice piercing.

Before the loader could finish speaking, Otto also began to attack: "Fight! Kids – this is not a tour. ”

"He's not an enemy! He's just a kid! Simon cried out, his cheeks flushed.

"Enough!" Tsuquet's voice wasn't loud, but the soldier knew that Thaket was really angry. "Don't blame Simon—" Takett turned his face to Simon, "We're Germany's aces." Shouldn't you treat your enemies with the same courtesy as Friedrich the Great did? The real submission of the enemy is by our wisdom - not brute force! Simon did the right thing. ”

The young loader reluctantly lowered his head and pouted.

"Simon. This is on the battlefield – I repeat: this is on the battlefield! These are extraordinary times! We are in danger at all times - every resource is limited - do not give your mercy to the enemy - the Russians are as ruthless as we are - do you hear me! "Thacot had to criticize the child harshly, even though he deeply understood what filled his young heart.

"This kid is not an enemy!" Simon shouted stubbornly. But it looks even more vulnerable.

"Listen, Simon! Except for your family - your army - everyone is the enemy! Takot gritted his teeth and gurgled at the ground.

"I disagree. Lieutenant! Simon's name was Lieutenant Thacott, as if it had broken his heart.

"Then you'll agree - Corporal Simon!"

The Russian boy had already returned to the tank, and he took steps and threw himself forward, as if he had pulled Maria. Lieutenant Zorn returned to the cabin and watched their confrontation. "Don't forget you're a soldier." He pointed at Simon and said coldly.

It's really cold outside...... Tsuckert shuddered his upper limbs from the car back into the car. The skylight was closed by the lieutenant. Simon returned to his driver's place. Otto smoked a cigarette while muttering something to himself. "...... There is nothing left, but there is plenty of smoke......" muttered the old gunner, lowering his gloomy face. It was crowded in the car. Tacett bent down and exchanged glances with Jayne, who looked melancholy but didn't say anything. It's not easy to do without your right arm. Takot struggled to bring his body down. Turning with his right arm propping up his center of gravity, Thacote returned to Simon's side.

He habitually pressed the little one's artery with his left hand, and he was still sleeping soundly. Each time, although it was only a faint beat, Thacott was very steady.

"Airfield, Captain." Otto's eyes were still on his scope: "It's the airport, here we are." He didn't look back at it, and didn't seem to be at all happy about it.

"Where? Let me see! Ignoring the cold, Nash stepped out of the skylight: "What a hell!" The Russian kids didn't lie to the Tacots! Airports – guys! We're here! We are saved! ”

The dull atmosphere in the car that had started yesterday was suddenly swept away. Thaket also poked out of the hatch above his head and took out the telescope that Taket had forgotten for a long time and looked ahead. At the end of the pine forest on both sides. It is an open field, and a makeshift wooden tower gradually comes into view.

"Here we are. Soldiers. Takot announced. Everyone put on their headphones, and the carriage was cheering.

"Yes, they are saved!" Simon also shouted happily from the front.

"Yes! Simon – We are saved! Takot said over the intercom, the laughter of the soldiers coming over the headphones.

"Full speed – Simon! Full! Otto shouted gloatingly, like a man in the desert seeing an oasis.

The gears of the tank made a clicking sound of shifting speeds. The engine is running at full speed, and so is the noise.

"Full speed! We're going to race the planes on the runway! Ha! Takot shouted, not hiding his excitement......

．．．．．．

A Junkers 52 transport plane unloaded all supplies and ammunition, then loaded one stretcher after another, ready to fly away. Lying in those stretchers were the wounded who had been brought in from all over the battlefield.

"Anything else? It's full, it's full! This is the last one of the day - I said - this is the last one of the day! The officer in charge of loading and unloading the wounded pulled the hand of a wounded soldier who was about to climb into the hatch, and then slammed it into the hatch: "Child, what do you have to hurry about - this one is full!" ”

But the officer did not immediately order the plane to take off. All three of the Junkers 52's propellers were up and running, but they were still on the ground, as if waiting for something.

"What did you say?" The officer, who was in charge of loading and unloading the wounded, said to an SS panzer lieutenant who suddenly appeared in front of him: "What do you say your soldier is?" It's too loud for me to hear! ”

"He's the armored assault gun driver of the Skeleton Division! It's a skill class. The right to leave first! Wearing his striking black SS coat, Takot lit a cigarette in front of the officers next to the transport plane.

"He's an assault gun driver, isn't he?" The officer looked down at the calm-faced man, who had been shot in the left leg and the skin on his face turned purple...... All this began to suspect that it was a feature of freezing to death, but he was indeed wearing the uniform of an SS panzer.

"I'm Captain Takat of the SS assault gun company. The wounded man was a member of the SS Advanced Technical Branch. There is a right of first refusal. Takot reiterates.

"Wehrmacht brothers don't have such good luck...... though reluctant, the officer in charge of loading and unloading the wounded gave in, opened the hatch, ordered a stretcher to be lifted, and then loaded Captain Thacott's "advanced technical unit" onto the plane.

"Good work, brother." Thacot nodded impatiently at the officer and walked away.

"Alright. Can take off - take off! It's the last one of the day—the last of the day. The officer closed the hatch and slapped the cold fuselage twice. Seeing that the life-saving Junker 52 began to move, the wounded who were crowded around began to be agitated. Most of the wounded were Wehrmacht soldiers, but there were also many SS infantrymen in between. They wailed and cursed in pain, pushing each other...... Some even try to grab the wheels and wings of an airplane...... They understand that if they don't leave today, many of them won't have tomorrow......

The Junkers 52 transport aircraft flew at the end of the runway. (To be continued......)