Lunev picked up the two boxes on the table, took two steps forward, came to Serelkov and Lulik who were standing upright, looked at them carefully, nodded slightly, and said: " Well done, brothers, well done to you all!”
After saying that, he opened the box and took out the medal of valor inside. However, he did not immediately hand the medals to Serelkov and Lulik. Instead, he turned to look at Samyko who was standing next to him, and reminded the other party: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you can start."
Samek nodded, turned around, walked to the table, opened a bottle of vodka on the table, and poured the contents into two empty tea cups. After doing all this, he came to everyone with a tea cup filled with vodka.
Lunev first put the medals in his hands into the cups, then took the two teacups, handed them to Serelkov and Lulik, and said with a smile: "Drink!"
Serelkov readily took the teacup, but Lulik beside him stared at the teacup in Lunev's hand in a daze. For a moment, it was neither a matter of taking it nor not.
Seeing that Lulik was still refusing to take the tea cup from Lunev's hand, Serelkov became a little anxious. He pulled the hem of Lulik's military uniform with his free hand and reminded him in a low voice: "Hey, Lulik, Why are you still dazed? Why don't you quickly take the teacup from Comrade Military Commissar's hand?"
"But, Comrade Second Lieutenant, what is going on?" Lunev looked sideways at Serelkov and said innocently: "Why do you want to soak the medal in wine?"
Hearing Lulik's strange question, everyone burst into laughter. Amidst laughter, Serelkov whispered to Lulik: "You idiot, don't you know that this is a tradition in our army? When receiving a medal, soaking the medal in wine means that it will not be done." This is the last medal you get. Don't be stunned, hurry up and take the teacup."
Under Serelkov's urging, Lulik hesitantly took the teacup from Lunev's hand. However, he did not drink the wine in the tea cup immediately. Instead, he turned to look at Serelkov beside him, wanting to see how he did it.
I saw Serelkov raising the tea cup in his hand high and saying loudly: "The glory belongs to us, the glory belongs to the motherland!" After saying that, he drank the vodka in the tea cup.
Lulik also imitated Serelkov's example. After shouting a slogan, he drank vodka from the teacup in large gulps. Perhaps because he drank too quickly, he started coughing violently before finishing the wine in the cup. stand up.
Lunev took a step forward, patted Lulik's back gently, and said to him jokingly: "Lulik, if you want to become a qualified soldier, you must first learn to drink. Otherwise, every time you receive a medal, , you will suffer."
After Lulik coughed twice violently, he stood up straight and said to Lunev: "Comrade Military Commissar, please rest assured that I will definitely learn to drink in the shortest possible time. I promise you that you will give me a lesson next time." Xunshi, I will never be in this situation again."
Hearing what Lulik said, Lunev smiled and nodded, and then said: "Okay, I look forward to conferring medals on you again and see if you will choke on the wine like you did today when you drink. "
After sending Khokhlov and others away, the expression on Sokov's face became serious. He said to Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what did you tell Lieutenant Serelkov and others about pulling back a car of Germans?" , what do you think?"
"Although it is only five or six kilometers from the enemy's camp to our army's defense area, the roads along the way are not easy to walk, and the car stopped once in the middle, but it did not wake up the enemy sitting in the car." Sameko Ruoyou He said thoughtfully: "No matter where these enemies come from, they have become exhausted due to various reasons. This should be the moment when their combat effectiveness is at their weakest."
Regarding Samyko's statement, Sokov nodded in agreement: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you have said a lot. The enemy opposite us is very tired now, otherwise he would not have been pulled out of the camp by our soldiers, and he would not have been able to do so. Unaware.”
Samyko and Sokov have been partners for so long. He knew that Sokov would not mention this matter for no reason. He must have had some new ideas in his mind, so he took the initiative to ask: "Comrade Commander, do you have any plans?"
"Come and see." Sokov called Samyko and Lunev to the table, pointed at the map and said to them: "The enemy closest to us is stationed in October Town. Although the strength and defense situation It’s unknown, but according to my analysis, they shouldn’t have too many troops, and their security won’t be too tight.”
Although Sokov did not finish what he said, Samek guessed what he meant: "Comrade Commander, do you plan to send troops to attack October Town, eliminate the enemies inside, and occupy it?"
Seeing that Samyko guessed his intention, Sokov smiled and nodded, and replied truthfully: "Yes, that's what I thought, but before taking action, we must report the matter to Commander Konev , strive to cooperate with the main force of the front army to act at the same time."
"I agree!" Samyko waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and immediately expressed his agreement, and then shouted to the communication area on the side: "Director of the Communications Corps, please help us get through to the front army headquarters and find Konev. Commander."
After receiving the order, the director of the communications corps took five minutes to finally get through to the front army headquarters. However, the person who answered the phone was not Konev, but Chief of Staff Zaharov: "Hello, I am Zaharov. Husband, Chief of Staff, where are you?"
"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army. I am Sokov." After identifying himself, Sokov asked directly: "Is Commander Konev here? I have important matters to discuss with him. "
"The commander and the military commissar went to inspect the work of the 69th Group Army. I don't know when they will come back." Zakharov said on the phone: "If you have anything important, just tell me."
Sokov thought for a while and decided to tell Zakharov his thoughts first, and then the other party would pass it on to Konev. After a pause, he said: "General Zakharov, now there is a good opportunity to attack the enemy. I would like to ask when the main force of the front army will attack the enemy? So that it can cooperate with the main force's actions."
"A good opportunity to attack the enemy?" After hearing this, Zakharov asked in confusion: "What good opportunity?"
Sokov quickly told Zaharov how Serelkov and Lulik exchanged a car of vodka for eighteen German prisoners, and finally said: "General Zaharov, since the enemy The defense is so lax, I think we should attack the enemy decisively and catch them off guard. If we miss this opportunity and try to attack again in the future, I am afraid we will pay a huge price."
Unexpectedly, after listening to Sokov's words, Zakharov was silent for a long time, and then said quietly: "General Sokov, I understand your mood at the moment. To be honest, I also want to order the troops to attack the enemy immediately. But no, we have just ended a battle. Not only have the commanders and soldiers become exhausted, but also the ammunition, fuel and many military supplies required for offensive operations are seriously insufficient and will take a certain amount of time to replenish. "
"Is it really impossible to attack the enemy in a short period of time?"
"Yes, there is no way." Zaharov said helplessly: "The 69th Group Army is waiting for soldiers sent from the base camp. They cannot participate in offensive operations until they are supplemented."
Sokov chatted with Zakharov for a few more words, but the other party always insisted that it was impossible to launch an attack on the German army until the supply of soldiers, ammunition, fuel and military supplies was completed. In order to convince Sokov, he even brought up the case of losing Kharkov and Belgorod at the beginning of the year, trying to convince Sokov: "When the enemy attacked Kharkov and Belgorod at the beginning of the year, The number of our troops stationed in Belgorod is far greater than that of the Grossdeutschland Division attacking outside the city. However, due to lack of fuel and ammunition, in the face of the enemy's powerful offensive, although we have a numerical advantage, But they were still unable to repel the enemy's attack.
If we rush to attack the enemy this time without adequate preparation, we will barely capture Kharkov. But when the German army launched a counterattack, we simply could not hold the city. "
Hearing Zaharov say this, Sokov's heart suddenly went cold. If Konev does not plan to launch an attack on the German army in the near future, he will definitely be resisted by the superior strength of the German army if he launches an attack with his own group army troops. Under such circumstances, the solitary Sokov could not achieve any results even with three heads and six arms.
"Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said disappointedly: "When Comrade Commander Konev comes back, please be sure to convey my proposal to him and listen to his opinions."
"I know." Zaharov replied hesitantly: "But I think even if he listens to your plan, I'm afraid the final decision will be the same as what I just said. Before he gets the supplement from the base camp, , will never easily launch an attack on the enemy in the direction of Kharkov. After all, they have solid fortifications and a complete defense system. If they rush to attack the Kharkov area, they will only suffer unnecessary losses. Sokov Comrade, I draw your attention to this."
"Thank you, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov replied with a wry smile: "I remember what you said. I cannot take risks easily. It is not too late to attack the enemy after the large forces are ready."
"That's right." Hearing Sokov's change of heart, Zakharov's face showed a smile: "Then I wish you good luck. If anything happens, remember to call me in time. I will do my best. Help you."
