Burning Moscow

　　 Hearing the news of O'Xianing's sacrifice, I didn't feel the slightest sadness. On the contrary, I felt relieved, and I was secretly relieved. After all, I'm just a fake Lida, and after a long time in contact with O'Xianing, I will not be able to escape the fate of the **** sooner or later. With his sacrifice, the risk factor I was exposed to has been reduced by a few points.

　　 The three of us sat face to face, no one spoke, and the room fell into a brief silence. The political commissar reached out, patted the back of my hand lightly, and asked me kindly, "Lida, what are your plans in the future?"

　　 "What's your plan?" I asked inexplicably.

　　 The political commissar looked at me with a dazed expression, and quickly explained to me: "I mean, do you want to stay in the division or go to the grassroots to command a force?"

　　 I quickly stood up and saluted the two of them: "I want to command the troops at the grassroots level. I hope that the division commander and political comrades can agree."

　　 "Then which unit do you want to go to?" the political commissar asked with a smile.

　　 I thought about the people I knew in the 316 division and the units I was familiar with. When I used to command the guard battalion, I used to partner with the first-level instructor Krochkov, but he has sacrificed honorably. The rest of Festov, Pavlov, Aggie, Aguminte and others who are close to me are stationed in the station area. They all belong to the 1077 regiment at present, if you want to join the army, it is the most suitable to cooperate with these people. So I euphemistically asked, "Comrade commander, can I be a commander of the 1077 regiment?"

Panfilov stood up with a smile, greeted me to sit down, then walked behind me, patted my uninjured shoulder lightly, and said: "Our division has lost a lot of personnel in recent battles. The grassroots troops are short of suitable commanders. The current 1077 regiment does have a position. Their deputy commander has just died, and they need a capable person to replace this role. However, their defensive areas are now fighting cruelly every day, at any time. There is a risk of sacrifice, so you have to think carefully."

　　 As soon as the voice fell, I replied without hesitation: "Comrade Teacher, don’t think about it, I’m willing to go."

He listened to my answer, walked two back and forth behind me with his hands on his back, and then said: "I am not worried about your ability to work. We are all obvious to all of us about your performance on the battlefield. The key is the newly appointed regiment. The commander is a general. Without greeting him in advance, he was assigned a female deputy. I don’t know what he would think?" He stopped and said to the political commissar, "Comrade Yegorov, you give him the 1077 regiment. The head of the team called and asked him to come over and let Lida meet him first."

　　 The political commissar agreed, picked up the phone on the desk and started dialing. Panfilov continued and said, "Lida, the new team leader will come later. I will ask you to meet first and communicate with each other, so that you can work with the 1077 team in the future."

　　 I quickly stood up and said, "Master, please rest assured, no matter who you partner with, I will try my best to do a good job."

The teacher patted me on the shoulder, let me sit down again, and said, "Lida, you have to be a little psychologically prepared. The political commissar and I know you very well and trust you very much. And this group leader is new and doesn’t know you. , I am worried that he might reject you."

"No problem," I did not stand up this time, but sat in a position, looking up at the teacher in front of me, and said: "As long as it is not a matter of principle, I listen to him, so there will be fewer contradictions. Since he is a position General, with rich experience in leading troops, I have many things to learn from him."

The teacher nodded and said admiringly: "It seems that you are very confident." Then he raised his voice and said, "Well, let's try first! When he comes later, I will ask you to communicate first, as long as He has no opinion, you can follow him to the army immediately."

"Comrade Commander," I suddenly had the urge to communicate with the original subordinates first, so I took the initiative to make my request to Panfilov: "I can talk to Festov and Pavlov who are defending the station. Do you have a word?"

"No problem," Panfilov replied very readily. Just after the political commissar finished the phone call, he picked up the handset and dialed a number, and then said to the inside: "I am General Panfilov. Pick me up from the station. Felstorf." After a while, he said loudly, "Is it Felstorf? This is Panfilov....No, no, no...I have no instructions to give you. It's just an acquaintance of you who wants to talk to you. You wait." He handed the microphone over.

　　 I took the microphone, put it to my ear, took a deep breath, and said, "Hello, Felstorf, this is Oshanina!"

　　 "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel?! Is that you?" Festov on the other end of the microphone asked hesitantly.

　　 "Hello, Felstorff! Of course it is me. Is this still false?" I answered his question in a positive tone.

"Instructor Pavlov, come here quickly. It is a call from Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina." I heard him calling another acquaintance Pavlov loudly, and then I vaguely heard something inside. Pavlov's excited voice: "Is it really Comrade Lieutenant Colonel? Hurry up and give me the phone. I want to say a few words to her."

　　 Soon Pavlov’s voice clearly came through the earpiece: "Hello! Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, how are you doing?"

　　 "Very good!" Hearing the voices of these acquaintances, I felt very cordial, and asked, "Where are you?"

"We are also very good. Although the battle is cruel, we are still alive." His voice paused, and then he continued: "Apart from me and Festov, there are also Aguminte and Aji, we all All live well."

　　 While chatting with Pavlov, suddenly a cold wind poured into the room, and it made me tremble with cold. I looked towards the entrance and happened to see an officer walking in with the curtain open. As soon as the burly officer walked in, Panfilov greeted him and shook hands, and even the political commissar Yegorov, who had been sitting just now, stood up.

　　 I caught a glimpse of the comer's collar badge with a red diamond shape and two gold stars, so I hung up the phone and stood up and saluted him.

The man shook hands with the teacher and political commissar, turned his head and saw me, he couldn't help but cried out in surprise: "It turned out to be you, Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, I didn't expect us to meet again so soon." and stretched out to me. Come on.

　　 Hearing my name so accurately, it should be someone I know. I shook hands with him while looking at the general in front of me. I felt a little familiar, but I couldn't remember where I saw him in a hurry.

At this moment when I was in a daze, the political commissar Yegorov spoke: "Comrade Lida, let me introduce you. This is the new commander of the 1077 regiment, General Leviakin, who just arrived in the division before. From here..."

　　 When I heard the name Leviakin, I immediately remembered who this person was. Two days ago, he was ordered by the group army headquarters to bring thousands of soldiers and Oshanin’s anti-tank dogs to the 316th Infantry Division. "It turned out to be you! Comrade General." When I met another acquaintance on the front line, I was extremely excited, and the shaking hands couldn't help but increase a bit.

　　 We returned to the table and sat down, and Panfilov asked General Leviakin: "Comrade Commander, how are the casualties of the troops?"

Leviakin shook his head, sighed and said: "Comrade commander, it is terrible. The commander of the whole regiment suffered two-thirds of the casualties, and the soldiers killed more than half. My deputy commander also died, hope You can equip me with a competent assistant as soon as possible."

Panfilov seemed a little excited when he said this, and said: "You and I want to go together." Then he added without thinking: "Since you and Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina know each other , Things are much easier."

What he said made Leviakin confused. He asked incomprehensibly: "Comrade Commander, you have confused me. Do I know Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina? You called me from the field in the middle of the night. Is there any contact from the division headquarters?"

"Yes! Comrade Leviakin." Political commissar Yegorov took over the topic first: "We plan to appoint Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina as your deputy and serve as deputy head of the 1077 regiment. Take you I'm calling here to ask for your opinion."

　　Leviakin turned his head, said nothing, just stared at me. When I was a little embarrassed, he turned his head, looked at the division commander and political commissar, and slowly said: "When I was at the headquarters of the group army, I heard Comrade Rokosovsky introduced Oshanin. The situation of Lieutenant Colonel Na. Regarding sending her to our regiment as the deputy head of the regiment, I personally think..."

　　 At this point, he actually sold off and stopped. Not only the teacher and political commissar were staring at him, but I was also very nervously waiting for his answer. Fortunately, he didn't let us wait long, so he gave his answer: "I personally think: with her work ability and tenacious fighting spirit, she is completely qualified for this position."

　　 After listening to his opinion, the three of us unanimously breathed a sigh of relief. The teacher immediately took the topic and said: "Since you also agree with the appointment of the division, let Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina go back to the 1077 regiment with you later."

"This!" Leviakin said hesitantly, "Comrade Commander, can I let Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina come to my regiment at a different time? I am afraid that there will be a problem when I go back at this time. Besides, you also know that now, Often small groups of enemies on motorcycles sneak into the rear of our army to harass. I am responsible for the safety of the lieutenant colonel!"

　　Although Leviakin's reasons are very good, Panfilov frowned and asked, "Then what time do you think is the most appropriate postponement?"

Leviakin turned his head to look at me, hesitated a little, and then leaned close to the teacher’s ear and said something in a low voice. Because the voice was too small, I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I knew exactly what he was saying. I was explaining to the division commander the reason why I could not be allowed to go to the army for the time being. However, the time was short. After he whispered, he straightened his body and said loudly, "How about tomorrow noon?"

Panfilov tapped his fingers on the table lightly, frowning while considering Leviakin’s proposal. It took a long time before he nodded slowly and said: "Well, Comrade Leviakin, just follow you If you say so, I will ask Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina to report to your regiment at noon tomorrow."

After the three of them arranged my work, Leviakin stood up, pulled the hem of the uniform with both hands, and said, "Then it's settled. There are still tasks to be assigned in the regiment. I will go back first. ."

　　 Panfilov and Yegorov also stood up and told Leviakin: "Be careful on the way back."

　　 "I will." Leviakin replied and raised his hand to salute the two, then turned and left.

　　 The sky just got bright, and a new round of German offensive began again.

　　 Intensive gunfire came from outside, the phone in the room began to ring non-stop, and the three of us took turns answering incoming calls. The content of these calls was similar, either reporting where the Germans had launched an offensive or requesting reinforcements from Panfilov. Regarding the former, Panfilov said something, and then used a pencil to draw the location of the German attack on the map. For those who asked for help, he replied very simply: I don't have a reserve team. You must be nailed to the ground like a nail, and you are not allowed to step back, because behind you is Moscow.

　　 Hearing what Panfilov said, I knew very well that it was not that he was not saved, but that he really had no soldiers to send. As far as I know, the earliest divisional guard battalion has long since lost all losses in the battle. Today's guard force is no more than one platoon. com is also composed of the staff of the division and the logistics personnel of some agencies. Such a troop is just fine for guarding missions. If they were sent to the front, it would be no different from sending them to death.

　　 As time goes by, the situation becomes more and more unfavorable for us. According to the feedback, although our defense line has not been breached by the Germans, it has been retreating continuously.

At ten o'clock, I received the last phone call from Aji from the position. He said excitedly on the phone: "... Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the fascist bandits have rushed into the position, and we are going tenaciously. Fight, and compete with them in every basement...."

　　 Hearing this, I interrupted him and asked, "Where's Ferstoff?"

　　 "He fought the enemy head-to-head in the trenches just now. Now there is no movement. I guess he has sacrificed!"

　　 Hearing this news, I felt nervous, and then asked: "Where is the instructor Pavlov?"

　　 "sacrifice!"

　　 "Where is Aguminte?"

　　 "Also sacrificed!"

　　 After listening to these bad news, my heart seemed to have fallen into an ice cellar. When it was over, my most powerful subordinates were sacrificed! Before I could speak, there was a burst of intensive gunfire in the receiver, and then Aji's voice came again: "The enemy has come in, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, take care!"

　　 There was a sudden violent gunfire inside, and after a loud bang, there was no more sound in the microphone.

　　 Aji also sacrificed!

　　 A series of blows made me stop thinking, and my brain went blank.