Red Moscow

Sokov took Samoilov and the soldiers of the guard platoon, and after leaving Mamayev Post, they took a shortcut to the southeast of the barricade factory.

There is a barricade here, which is guarded by five or six soldiers and a dozen militiamen. The leader was a sergeant. He saw a small army passing through the ruins and approaching the fortification where he was.

Seeing a barricade ahead, Sokov quickly ordered the troops to stop in order to prevent unnecessary dances, and then told Samoilov: "Comrade Lieutenant, go over and contact the sergeant to identify us." , By the way, how is the situation in the factory?"

"Understood!" Samoilov agreed, and led two soldiers towards the sergeant who was waving the signal flag.

"Comrade Lieutenant," the sergeant saw a sergeant walking towards him, quickly put away the signal flag, straightened his body and asked in a polite and appropriate tone: "Which department do you belong to?"

"We belong to the 41st Guards Division and were ordered to reinforce the barricade factory." After revealing his identity, Samoilov asked bluntly, "How is the situation in the factory?"

"It's not very good, Comrade Lieutenant. More than 70% of the factory area has fallen into the hands of the enemy." The sergeant glanced at the small army not far away, and asked Samoilov tentatively: "You are here Is there such a person?"

Samoilov understood the reason why the sergeant asked this question. Now the defenders in the city have been greatly reduced. Every time they reinforce other areas, there can be three or four hundred people belonging to the large army. Most of the time, the reinforcements are as strong as the The number of people in my row is about the same. He shook his head and replied: "Our large troops are still behind, and I am escorting our division commander to see Colonel Lyudnikov."

"Your teacher?!" The sergeant heard Samoilov say this, his eyes lit up, and he asked repeatedly: "Comrade Lieutenant, are you talking about Colonel Sokov?"

The sergeant's reaction surprised Samoilov, and he asked in amazement, "Do you know our teacher?"

"Yes, Comrade Lieutenant." The sergeant nodded vigorously and replied: "When our division was retreating towards Stalingrad, I met Commander Chuikov and Colonel Sokov on the road, and I knew him at that time. "

Sokov saw the sergeant on duty and Samoilov talking and laughing happily from a distance, so he walked over quickly and asked Samoilov in a stern tone: "Comrade Lieutenant, can we continue to move forward?" ?”

Hearing Sokov's voice coming from behind, Samoilov quickly turned to stand at attention, and replied respectfully, "Yes, Comrade Commander, I have already talked to the sergeant, we can move on."

"Hello, Comrade Colonel." Seeing Sokov appearing in front of him, the sergeant said emotionally, "Nice to see you again."

Hearing that the sergeant said he saw him again, Sokov couldn't help but look at him carefully, feeling that he had no impression at all, so he asked curiously, "Comrade sergeant, have we met before?"

"Yes, Comrade Division Commander," Samoilov chimed in. "The sergeant said that he had seen you and Commander Chuikov during the retreat of his troops to the city."

Samoilov's explanation reminded Sokov that when he was Chuikov's deputy, he had indeed seen the commanders and fighters of the 138th Division in the suburbs. The sergeant in front of him must have seen himself at that time. He stretched out his hand to the sergeant and said in a friendly way: "Hello, comrade sergeant, since it is a reunion of old comrades in arms, let's shake hands."

The sergeant wiped his hands vigorously on the back of his clothes, then held Sokov's hand tightly, and said excitedly: "Hello, Comrade Colonel! I am also very happy to see you again .”

"Comrade Sergeant," Sokov said to the sergeant after shaking hands with him: "We must rush to the division headquarters immediately to meet your division commander, Colonel Lyudnikov, but I don't know the way. Send someone to be our guide?"

"Sayt, come here." The sergeant turned around and shouted in the direction of the barricade, and a militiaman in overalls came out from the fortification. The sergeant told him: "This commander is going to the division headquarters, show them the way."

Perhaps to reassure Sokov and the others, the sergeant also specially explained: "Sayt is a militiaman of the barricade factory and is very familiar with the environment in the factory. It is absolutely right to ask him to guide you."

Sokov and the soldiers of the guard platoon followed Sayit through the barricades and entered the factory area, which was full of ruined walls and piles of rubble. Shait turned to Sokov and said, "Comrade commander, the area ahead is often bombarded by the enemy. When you pass by later, please step up and bend over to avoid being hit by shrapnel."

"Comrades," seeing Sokov nodding in approval, Samoilov turned his head and said loudly to his subordinates: "Have you all heard what Shait said? When we pass through the artillery blockade later , remember to bend over and act quickly, understand?"

"Understood!" The soldiers in the guard platoon replied in unison.

Soon, the guard platoon entered the area blocked by artillery fire. Fortunately, the German army now has a limited inventory of shells, and they dare not continue shelling as unscrupulously as before, but they will still fire cold shots from time to time. When Sokov and the others passed through this area, at least ten shells exploded in the ruins on their left and right. The air waves lifted the bricks and stones on the ground and scattered them in all directions. Fortunately, the soldiers had been warned by Shayit long ago. As soon as they heard the roar of shells, they immediately found a place to hide. Although there was a delay, there were no casualties.

Lyudnikov's headquarters is located in the tool room of an abandoned factory building. In the room of more than ten square meters, there are only Lyudnikov who is at his desk looking at the map, and a telegrapher who keeps calling the radio.

Hearing footsteps, Lyudnikov raised his head and just saw Sokov entering the door. He was taken aback for a moment, and then he recognized Sokov, with a look of surprise on his face, he walked towards Sokov, stretched out his hand at the same time, and said excitedly: "Hello, Colonel Sokov, Nice to see you here. If I am not mistaken, you have come to reinforce us with troops?"

"Yes, Colonel Lyudnikov." Sokov shook the opponent's hand and replied affirmatively, "I led the troops to reinforce you."

"This is really great, Colonel Sokov." When Lyudnikov asked this, he tilted his head instinctively, looking over Sokov's shoulder and looking outside the house: "How many of you are here?"

"At present, the troops that followed me into the factory area are only 50 people outside." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, he saw Lyudnikov's smile froze on his face, and quickly added: "But there are other There is a regiment coming here. They have more than a thousand people, and they can completely assist you in resisting the enemy's attack."

Sokov walked to the table, looked down at the map, and asked, "Colonel, how is the situation here?"

"Not good, very bad." Lyudnikov shook his head and said, "Due to the serious attrition of our troops in recent battles and the lack of effective anti-tank weapons, we cannot resist the enemy's onslaught at all. Today, the enemy It is less than 400 meters away from my headquarters."

Hearing that the enemy was less than 400 meters away, the muscles on Sokov's face twitched violently. He quickly turned around and told Samoilov who followed him into the door: "Comrade Lieutenant, take your men immediately." Get into position and absolutely not allow the Germans to rush here."

Not long after Samoilov left with his men, the gunshots and explosions outside became more intense, and they seemed to be getting closer. Hearing the sound of guns getting closer, Sokov couldn't help but secretly frowned, thinking that if Belkin's troops couldn't arrive in time, he might have to move back with Lyudnikov. .

Just as Sokov was thinking wildly, a soldier with a rifle and a helmet suddenly broke in from outside the door. He hurriedly shouted at Lyudnikov: "Comrade commander, it's not good. The enemy Breaking through the position of the 768th Regiment, they are rushing here, and the distance is less than a hundred meters."

"What, the distance is less than a hundred meters?" The soldier's words startled both Sokov and Lyudnikov. Seeing some German soldiers leaping forward in a short distance, they were already approaching the edge of the factory building, and it might only take a minute or two to rush to the entrance of the command department.

Seeing this, Lyudnikov turned around and rushed into the headquarters, snatched the microphone from the telegraph operator, and shouted into the microphone in a voice hoarse from excitement: "Artillery! Artillery!! I am Lyudnikov, the enemy has rushed to the entrance of my command post, immediately fired, fired at my command post. Use rockets, hit hard!"