Steel Soviet Union

The vanguard, led by Malashenko himself, has already set off. Commissar Petrov, who stayed at the bridgehead, is leading the brigade personnel and the remaining two tank battalion commanders who just led the team across the bridge to set up defenses and command the troops to clear the battlefield. , first carry the corpses of the German soldiers lying on the ground for temporary disposal.

Commissar Petrov was kept busy with various complicated and large-volume trivial tasks.

"Prioritize sending all the combat troops, especially our main heavy tanks, across the bridge first! The logistics and supply troops can wait a little slower, and then look for any engineering troops who can defuse explosives. Go and kill the Germans first. The bombs left on the bridge piers were defused to prevent further trouble."

"The Front Army Headquarters called back and said that the nearest friendly infantry division to us will arrive on a rush march before dawn. Now all the troops, including our enemies, are scrambling for time! What we have to do is to catch up with those Germans. Make appropriate preparations ahead and complete combat deployment as soon as possible.”

"besides"

He pressed the map to the ground and used stones to hold down the political commissar Petrov who was assigning the task. Before he could finish speaking, a figure galloping over interrupted his words.

"Comrade Political Commissar, we have made important discoveries during the enemy's interrogation. You'd better come over and take a look."

"Important discovery?"

Political Commissar Petrov, who was holding a pencil in his hand, frowned. The important discoveries that could be pried out from the mouths of these German prisoners of war at the bridgehead must not be easy.

Political Commissar Petrov, who had no time to waste any more time, threw away the pencil in his hand, said a few words to the two battalion commanders who were the most senior next to him, then stood up and followed the communications staff officer who came to report. , came to a small house not far away that had been requisitioned by the German army sentry post and pushed the door open.

"Stop fighting, please stop fighting! If I knew more, I would definitely tell you. I really told you everything I know! Really!"

"Damn German, you're still quibbling!"

boom--

Well--

As the saying goes, you hear someone before you see them.

Political Commissar Petrov had just pushed the door open and before he could see clearly what was going on, the sound of the soldiers in charge of the interrogation communicating cordially with the German prisoners of war reached his ears.

Take another two steps forward along the short corridor, and arrive at a room that looks like a German army dormitory with an iron frame bed supporting bunk beds. The next thing you see is a man who has been tied to a chair and has been beaten. A German prisoner of war beaten into the shape of a pig's head.

The interrogation soldier, who was holding a large wooden stick as thick as a child's thigh and taking off his coat except for a sea soul shirt, saw political commissar Petrov suddenly appear in front of him, his face and expression were obviously a little uncomfortable and mixed. quite a bit of surprise.

Using his eyes to signal that the torture could be over for now, Zhiqu'er's muscular soldier in a sea soul shirt quickly stepped aside and stepped aside, leaving only the brigade staff officer in charge of translating to continue sitting on the iron frame bed nearby. Hand holding pen and paper.

Political Commissar Petrov, who had briefly understood the situation on the way here, took a step forward without saying much. He stretched out his hand to support the chin of the German prisoner of war who was tied to the chair and examined it briefly. After making sure that the prisoner had not been beaten to life-threatening injuries, he Then he asked questions.

"Duke, right?"

The staff officer sitting on the iron frame bed three meters away briefly translated, and what awaited Commissar Petrov was a vague answer with blood bubbles in his mouth.

"Yes, my name is Duke"

"I've said everything I know, Mr. Officer, please don't kill me. Please, I'm just a soldier."

Political Commissar Petrov ignored the other party's begging for mercy. He didn't have the extra time, and his next words went straight to the point.

"Repeat after me, what did you see at the bridgehead when you were on duty in the afternoon!?"

"Bridgehead in the afternoon?"

The rookie Duke, who was slightly conscious, was slow to react. I don't know whether it was due to the imminent fear of death or the heavy blow to his head. The political commissar Petrov looked at him with a vague and unconscious look on his face, indicating that he was quite anxious. , for fear that this young German prisoner of war, who looked weak at first glance, would faint suddenly.

The speechless political commissar Petrov took out a cigarette from his pocket and stuffed it into Duke's mouth. He also connected the fire to the German prisoner of war with his own hands. The accompanying brigade communications staff officer watched as he They are all unworthy of such treatment and are jealous.

"Hey! Take two puffs of cigarette, wake up, and answer my questions! If you still want to live!"

Commissar Petrov slapped his face with his hand and nicotine hit his forehead. Duke, who felt that his head was indeed clearer, accurately grasped the key word "alive", and almost truthfully explained the words organized in his mind. Then he blurted out the words like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.

"I saw big, big tanks, heavy tanks, our new heavy tanks."

"Fritz told me that those big tanks are called Tigers. Those tanks are equipped with an 88mm cannon, which is as powerful as our heavy anti-aircraft guns. Fritz said that with these big guys here, we can Send all the Russians' broken tractors into the sky one by one."

"Invincible, our big new tanks are invincible, that's what he told me. About seven or eight tanks crossed the bridge in the afternoon, at two o'clock, two o'clock, maybe three o'clock, I didn't see it I can’t remember clearly. The tank’s turret was painted with a mammoth symbol and an iron cross. After crossing the bridge, it headed towards the town of Karachi.”

"That's all I know. I didn't lie at all. Please stop hitting me. I miss my mother so much."

As soon as he finished saying the useful things, Duke, who was beaten like a pig's head and still tied to the chair, burst into tears. Two lines of tears flowed like the Don River swollen during the summer rainy season. It was so obscene that even Commissar Petrov, who was used to big scenes, couldn't help but frown.

"Where did you catch this Kraut? Elementary school or preschool?"

"Well"

Being asked by Comrade Political Commissar's black joke, he was speechless for a moment and didn't know what to answer. The communications staff officer with an embarrassed look had no choice but to quickly follow Commissar Petrov's sudden departure.

"Immediately contact the brigade commander and the others by radio and tell them the news that the Germans' new heavy tanks may be in Karachi Town. There should be no more than ten tanks, with thick armor and an 88mm main gun, that's all! "

The communication staff officer's expression was a little strange. He was familiar with communication equipment and had his own worries.

"But Comrade Political Commissar, it may be beyond the range of radio communication, even if Comrade Brigade Commander's command vehicle has a high-power command radio."

"Don't say anything to me but! There are no buts! If you can't make contact with the radio, send someone to drive to deliver it. If the message is not conveyed well, I will remove you from your post! Go quickly!"