The soldiers packed up their gear and lined up in three neat rows in the open space of the church hall. Andre walked up to Lin Hua and asked him for instructions: "Comrade platoon leader, shall we go out now?"
Lin Hua shook his head and said, "It's cold outside, let's wait for the car here." Seeing what Andre wanted to say, he added, "Send a soldier to the bell tower and see the car." Let me know when you come." Andre agreed and immediately ordered a soldier to go up to the bell tower.
Although Major Caverin, the adjutant of the garrison headquarters, said that the truck would arrive soon, it took two hours for the soldiers on duty at the bell tower to come down and report that they saw three covered trucks heading towards the camp. Drive in the direction of the church.
But when the soldiers lined up and left the church, Andre gave Lin Hua a thumbs-up and said: "Comrade platoon leader, fortunately you had the foresight to let the brothers stay in the church, otherwise it would be so cold in such a cold weather. After standing outside for two hours, they were all frozen into ice sculptures." Lin Hua just smiled faintly at Andre's flattery, and then followed the soldiers out of the church.
Three trucks were lined up in the open space outside the church. A captain was leaning against the hood of the truck, constantly raising his hand to look at his watch. Seeing Lin Hua walking out of the church, the captain stood up straight and said with some displeasure: "Comrade Sergeant, why are you moving so slowly? Don't you know there is a war ahead?"
Facing the captain's accusation, Lin Hua still kept a smile on his face. He looked at his subordinates, who had already lined up beside him, then walked up to the captain, raised his hand in salute, and said politely: "Comrade Captain, Platoon leader Sergeant Sokov reports to you that the entire Khimki town garrison platoon has been assembled and ready to board at any time!"
Seeing that Lin Hua was so respectful to him, the captain could no longer find fault. Instead, he shook his head and said: "Okay, Comrade Sergeant, let your subordinates get on the train. We have to rush to the front line immediately. "
After Lin Hua waited for the troops to board the vehicle, he originally wanted to sit in the cab of the second vehicle. He had just taken two steps when he was stopped by the captain: "Comrade Staff Sergeant, sit in the front vehicle with me."
The captain and Lin Hua walked one behind the other. After getting into the cab of the first car, the captain told the driver: "Let's drive, comrade driver."
After the car started, Lin Hua asked the captain curiously: "Comrade Captain, are we going to Sun Mountain City?"
When the captain heard Lin Hua's question, a surprised expression appeared on his face. He asked in surprise: "Aren't you under the command of the 16th Army? What are you doing in Sun Mountain City?"
Lin Hua was confused by the captain's question. He said confusedly: "Aren't the troops of the 16th Group Army launching a counterattack against Taiyangshan City?"
"Yes, the troops of the 16th Group Army are indeed attacking Taiyangshan City." After listening to Lin Hua's words, the captain finally figured out what was going on. He nodded and said, "But the task of liberating Taiyangshan City has been completed according to the orders of the superiors. Handed over to General Vlasov's 20th Army. Our destination is Kryukovo."
"Kryukovo?" Lin Hua sounded familiar with this place name, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it. He couldn't help but asked curiously: "How long will it take for us to get there?"
Before the captain could answer, the driver spoke first: "Kryukovo is thirty-eight kilometers away from the town of Khimki. In other seasons, it can be reached in less than an hour. But look at the bad road conditions. Why?" It will take two hours to reach the destination.”
On the road to Kryukovo, there is still a beautiful snowy winter scene everywhere, but the further you go, the more traces of war you can see: dark craters on the edges of the road, destroyed tanks on the edge of the forest, The cannons, as well as the scattered corpses that had not been collected in time, belonged to both German and Soviet troops. ,
When Lin Hua saw this scene, he couldn't help but think to himself: "How great would it be if the destroyed tanks, artillery, and soldiers killed were all from the German side? Unfortunately, there are still many Soviet tanks and artillery. It was destroyed by the German army; countless Soviet commanders and fighters fell on this land they loved."
As the convoy approached a village, it was blocked by a temporary checkpoint. A second lieutenant carrying a submachine gun walked to the car, took a look inside the car, and asked, "Which unit are you in?"
The captain sitting between the driver and Lin Hua quickly replied: "I am from the garrison headquarters, and I was ordered to send you reinforcements." Then he patted Lin Hua's shoulder with his hand and said, "Come on Comrade Shi, let your people get out of the car and assemble!"
When the soldiers of the garrison platoon were lined up on the roadside, the three trucks that sent them completed the U-turn at the same place. The captain stuck his head out of the car window and said to Lin Hua, who was standing in front of the queue: "Comrade Sergeant, I wish you good luck!" Then he retracted his body and told the driver, "Drive!"
"Comrade Sergeant," the second lieutenant at the checkpoint said to Lin Hua expressionlessly after waiting for the car to drive away, "Take your people and follow me!"
Soldiers could be seen everywhere in the village, and commanders at all levels kept shouting loudly at their own troops, asking their soldiers to rush to the designated gathering place immediately. Andre approached Lin Hua and asked in a low voice: "Comrade platoon leader, which unit are we in?"
Regarding Andre's question, Lin Hua smiled bitterly and shook his head, indicating that he didn't know. This is not because he is being mysterious, and he really doesn't know. He only knew that this small unit now belonged to the combat order of the 16th Army, but he really didn't know which division or regiment it belonged to.
Seeing that Lin Hua couldn't get the answer he wanted, Andre approached the second lieutenant and asked: "Comrade second lieutenant, I would like to ask, what is the designation of your unit?"
The second lieutenant looked at Andre with a strange look: "Why, you added to our division and you don't even know the unit number?"
"Yes, yes," Andre said with a smile: "The superiors only informed us that the troops were placed under the command of the 16th Group Army, but they did not say which troops they were."
"We are the Panfilov Division named by the Supreme Command," the second lieutenant said proudly: "The official designation is the Eighth Guards Rifle Division!"
The number that the second lieutenant said in an understatement was like thunder to everyone in the garrison platoon. The famous saying "Although Russia is big, we have no way to retreat because Moscow is behind us" is the first-level instructor of the division. Klochkov said it. Knowing that they were now a member of this glorious group, every soldier in the platoon was extremely excited. They held their heads higher and took bigger steps when they walked.
When he reached a wooden house with a sentry stationed on guard, the second lieutenant stopped, turned around and said politely to Lin Hua: "Comrade Sergeant, let your soldiers wait here, and you will follow me!"
The second lieutenant led Lin Hua to the entrance and said to a sentry: "Please go in and report that the Khimki Town garrison platoon is here."
Not long after the sentry entered, he came out and said to Lin Hua: "Please come in, Comrade Sergeant. After you enter, walk forward along the corridor. In the second room on the right, the division commander and political commissar are waiting for you."
Hearing that the division commander and political commissar were waiting for him at the headquarters, Lin Hua felt a little flattered. He was just a small sergeant, not even an officer, but he could enjoy such treatment. What was going on? After thanking the sentry, he walked into the headquarters under the envious eyes of everyone.
Lin Hua walked into the division commander's room and saw two commanders standing by the wall with their backs to the door, looking up at a large map hanging above.
"Reporting to the division commander and comrades political commissar," seeing that the two people were not aware of his arrival, Lin Hua quickly raised his hand to his forehead and said loudly: "Sergeant Sokov, the platoon leader of the Khimki Town garrison platoon, has been ordered to come. arrive!"
The two men turned around suddenly and looked carefully at Lin Hua who was standing at the door. After a while, the commander with two gold stars on the rhombus collar badge said: "Comrade Sergeant, welcome to your arrival. Let me introduce myself first. I am Major General Leviakin, commander of the 8th Guards Division. And. "This," he nuzzled at the commander wearing the rank of political worker next to him, "is Comrade Yegorov, the division political commissar."
After Lin Hua waited for Leviagin to finish speaking, he immediately asked: "Comrade division commander, please allow me to ask, what is the mission of our platoon?"
"Come here, come here to the map." Leviagin said expressionlessly while waiting for Lin Hua to stand in front of the map: "I heard the commander, General Rokossovsky, mention you. He thought you He is a warrior with a very fighting spirit, but I can't see this at all." He picked up an explanation stick and tapped on the map. "To the east of the city of Kryukovo we are attacking, there is a It’s a small village called Kryukovo, and your platoon’s mission is to defend this place.”
After receiving the combat mission, Lin Huagang was not happy for long when he suddenly realized that something was wrong. He found that there were many troop numbers between the villages and cities where he was about to be stationed. He couldn't help pointing to the map and curiously asked: " Comrade Division Commander, there seem to be quite a few of our troops between villages and cities. How should our platoon cooperate with them in fighting?"
After Leviakin heard Lin Hua's question, he shook his head and said: "Comrade Sergeant, since you are a garrison platoon, the task I give you is to defend Klyukovo village. As for the liberation of Klyukovo As for the battle in the city, your platoon will not participate in it. Let’s leave the opportunity to those troops with offensive experience.”
Lin Hua became depressed when he heard that Leviakin had assigned him a defensive mission, and he murmured: "We are here to fight, not to make fun of ourselves. "
Although Lin Hua's voice was small, it was still heard by Leviakin. He turned and asked Yegorov: "Comrade Political Commissar, do you know what soy sauce is?"
"Soy sauce?!" Yegorov repeated the unfamiliar word, shook his head with a smile, and then asked Lin Hua politely, "Comrade Corporal, what are you talking about?"
Leviakin's words shocked Lin Hua into a cold sweat. He suddenly remembered that there was no such thing as soy sauce in Russia. The two of them didn't know what it was. That was perfectly normal. He quickly said perfunctorily: "Comrade Political Commissar, soy sauce is a condiment from my hometown. You may not have seen it before."
"Okay, Comrade Sergeant," Leviakin was not interested in what soy sauce was. He waved to Lin Hua and said, "Don't worry about soy sauce or not. You can take your platoon immediately and hurry up." Set up defenses in the village of Kryukovo.”
