The is7 heavy tank driving in the armored column bumped its huge body and drove forward at a constant speed toward the unknown front. Groups of other armored combat vehicles accompanied the march around the column, marching hand in hand all the way, and the dust was flying.
The scene of rolling iron currents galloping across the earth is definitely the dream of every passionate man.
He leaned his upper body out of the turret and looked at the surrounding scenery. At this moment, Iushkin didn't want to say anything about his excitement, and he didn't have the heart to appreciate the magnificent scenery that he usually loved to see and could never tire of. The more he got here,
At the last moment, Iushkin became calmer and calmer, so calm that even he himself could not explain why.
"You didn't submit the battle plan, did you?"
Next to him, Malashenko, who was also sitting outside the turret and looking at the scenery with a cigarette in his mouth, was stunned when he heard the words. After thinking for a while, he slowly spoke.
"Why do you ask that?"
"Because I know you well enough."
"..."
Malashenko was silent. He had already guessed what Iushkin would say next, just like the words Iushkin spoke slowly next.
"This battle is of extraordinary significance to you and me, as well as to Comrade Political Commissar, and our enemies are no ordinary people. Based on my understanding of you, I believe you will go all out to fight, but the reality is
That's not the case, you haven't even used half of the strength of the entire division, so this is very problematic."
"What prompted you to make such a decision, I can only guess. I think you must have some compelling reason to create the illusion that the large army is still resting. I know that our original order was
What."
"I can't make so many twists and turns in my head, and I'm not good at this. After thinking about it, the only thing I can think of is that you didn't submit the battle plan. You left the large force behind just to show your superiors. You concealed the truth, and you didn't.
I don’t know if my guess is right.”
"..."
Malashenko, who had a cigarette in his mouth, fell silent after hearing these words.
Since he began to consciously cultivate Iushkin's commanding ability and thinking and analysis ability, Malashenko has increasingly felt that this kid who used to be always one-minded, but had a lot of clever ideas, has changed more and more.
The bigger.
Not only does he now have his own understanding of battle tactics, but his analytical capabilities have also improved and changed dramatically, so much so that Malashenko was even a little surprised by Iushkin's ability to integrate and analyze fragmented information.
It is no exaggeration to say that even if you go to the division headquarters and seize several combat staff officers, you probably won't be able to do so.
However, even if Iushkin guessed the truth correctly, which should make Malashenko happy, but in the current situation, it is still difficult to arouse Malashenko's interest.
Malashenko, who was worried, remained calm and calm as usual.
"You are right, this was a lone operation. I deceived my superiors and concealed it from my subordinates. Even my comrades who followed me and fought bravely did not know that I was going my own way and acted recklessly without authorization. A person like me does not deserve to be forgiven...
..”
"..."
Since the shift to strategic counter-offensive in 1943, or even further back, starting from working with Malashenko as a partner.
Iushkin has never seen Malashenko in such a depressed and decadent manner. Although he is still determined and determined to achieve the planned goals, he has no scruples and does not care what happens afterward.
But it was unprecedented. This was not at all like the Malashenko in Iushkin's impression who did not discount orders and regarded military orders as high as mountains.
For a moment, Iushkin even felt that the man beside him was a bit strange, so strange that he almost didn't recognize Malashenko.
"It shouldn't be like this. It's not like you or what you can do with your style of behavior. Why?"
Iushkin did not want to question the decision made by Malashenko. Even though it felt strange, Iushkin still believed that his comrade, the commander, had his reasons for doing so. Iushkin now only understood this reason.
Interested, but not questioning orders and decisions, that's all.
"Probability, everything has a probability of success and failure, do you understand? Everything in this world is based on probability, and this action is no different."
With a cigarette in his mouth, Malashenko squinted his eyes and looked into the distance, and the words he spoke leisurely rose up like smoke from the corner of his mouth.
"I know what Comrade Commander has planned for the purpose and mission of the Leader Division. We must always be on standby and enter the battle at the decisive moment when the enemy is at its most tense and the battlefield situation is most critical, playing a decisive role in making the final decision. This is enough
The reason why a leader is not allowed to deal with such low-level battles."
"The enemy may be just an infantry regiment and a battle group consisting of an incomplete and dissatisfied armored battalion. If I put myself in his shoes, if I were sitting in the position of commander of the front army, I would not think that this kind of roadside fish is worth using my ultimate trump card.
. Just like playing poker, the winning card should be saved until the end. No one will easily reveal their hole cards at the beginning."
"I don't care whether the possibility of being rejected is big or small or how high it is. I just care that the possibility does exist objectively. That's enough for me."
Holding the frame of the twin-mounted 14.5mm KPV heavy machine gun in front of him, his face remained as calm as still water. As if he was talking about something ordinary like what to eat tonight, he stretched out his other hand to flick the gun.
Malashenko, who was ashes of smoke, continued to speak while Iushkin listened quietly.
"I cannot tolerate the slightest possibility of failure or rejection. Just thinking about such a result is like the darkness of the world to me. I have no way to accept such a result."
"I have searched hard for these bastards, from the Soviet Union to Poland and then to East Prussia, until the victory now is at the last moment. There will no longer be a chance for me to defeat and destroy them on the battlefield. This is my last
One chance, I must avenge Kirill, and for this I will do whatever it takes, and I don’t want my revenge plan to have the slightest risk of failure or rejection. I want to eliminate all foreseeable risks and reduce them to the limit.
It must be done by my own hands, it must be completed.”
"As for what will happen after this, I don't care anymore. Whatever happens is fine. But I have to put an end to all this and seek an explanation for Kirill. This is because I, as his commander,
The last thing I could do for him."
"..."
Although he had already expected that Malashenko's possible answer would be like this, when these words came out of Malashenko's mouth, Iushkin already felt strong shock and impact.
"So just to avoid risks, which may be trivial, you risked your own future, honor, and everything you have worked hard for so far? Are you crazy? What hardships we have gone through to achieve this goal.
Today, do you think you are worthy of Kirill and Nikolai by doing this? They want to know that you have abandoned your own future and honor and become a loner who will be reviled and looked down upon. What will they think?
!”
Malashenko, who had finished one cigarette and started another, had just lit the fire, but when faced with Iushkin's questioning, his expression suddenly changed.
"They, you mentioned them to me?"
"Okay, you are also a person involved, and you feel the same way, then tell me the answer!"
"When you live after the war and see with your own eyes the murderers of Kirill, they live freely and happily all day long in a land beyond the reach of our influence, giving speeches everywhere and killing our brothers and our comrades.
What do you think when their sneak attack is described as a huge and glorious textbook armored battle, and their honor is based on our pain, our sacrifice, and our blood?"
"Is everything worth it? When you live in a world where the people who are most important to you will be humiliated, trampled on, and used as bragging rights after their death, but you have nothing to do about it, how do you feel about the honor that is wrapped around you?
Are your achievements and achievements worth it? Don’t you feel ashamed of all this?! Why do you live so peacefully and contentedly? And why do they have to suffer humiliation after death!? They are still your brothers and your comrades
Are they? Do you remember what they looked like when they were alive and smiling!?"
"History is written by human hands, Iushkin. I will be the writer of all this, and no one can stop me, even if the flames that burn the enemy will devour myself."
"..."
To be precise, Iushkin was the initiator of all this.
If it hadn't been for the unexpected news he heard about at that time, none of this would even have happened, and Malashenko wouldn't have had to risk everything to become a loner. Iushkin, who had just finished speaking, suddenly felt something coming from his soul.
Feeling powerless, helpless, and even deeply self-blame.
Is everything that happened because of him right or wrong? Iushkin was shaken.
"Then do you trust Comrade Commander? Do you trust Marshal Zhukov? He is also your comrade."
"..."
Malashenko, who held a cigarette in his hand, remained silent. He didn't even expect that Iushkin would suddenly ask this question. He seemed to be thinking about something. After a moment, he quietly spoke again.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, if you trusted him, you wouldn't make such a decision. Just as I believe you will avenge Kirill, so you won't hesitate to go back and wait for the news quietly. Look at the result now, this
Isn’t it just trust?”
"..."
Malashenko remained silent and just listened quietly. The one who spoke was Iushkin.
"I...I can't even believe that Comrade Political Commissar would let you be so reckless. How could he watch you destroy yourself? The leadership division will continue to exist, and comrades will continue to move forward side by side until the final victory. But it will have nothing to do with you then!"
"Even with Kirill's relationship, I don't believe Comrade Comrade Political Commissar would do this. He would not base his revenge for his relatives on your own destruction of himself, absolutely not! You are also his relative. , even if we are not related by blood, all of us see all this in our eyes, bit by bit, this is not the comrade political commissar that I am familiar with and know."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Malashenko, who couldn't say a word, didn't know how long he looked ahead and thought for how long. He was silent and still, like a statue that had just been poured and cooled. He didn't know how long it took before the cigarette butt was about to burn. With his fingers trembling slightly, he spoke again.
"I'm on top. I know this is a fact. Everything is moving in the direction that I hope and have no scruples about. I haven't thought about the question you asked until you mentioned it, so I can't answer your question. That’s why.”
"..."
"You finally said one thing right..."
Malashenko turned around in surprise, not feeling that what he had just said was constructive or meaningful in any way, let alone understanding the profound meaning of Iushkin's words.
"You have gone too far. In order to avenge Kirill, you have even lost the ability to think about the overall situation. You only think about things that happen as you wish."
"..."
Malashenko felt that he had never been speechless as many times in a row as he had been in these five minutes. Iushkin's words once again hit Malashenko's heart like a heavy hammer, with lingering echoes.
"You are the most important person in Kirill's short life, not me, not comrade political commissar, not anyone. He only left the harmonica that his mother used her hard savings to buy for him as a gift when he was admitted to college. You are his successor, the inheritor of his spirit and will. The harmonica in your hand is heavier than anything else."
Malashenko always carries Kirill's harmonica with him, puts it under his combat uniform, keeps it properly in the jacket pocket of his lined shirt, and carries it with him. Malashenko firmly believes that this means that Kirill is still with him. , proof that he is fighting side by side with himself just like before.
"You once said that you would take this harmonica to witness revenge and the moment when the Red Army finally ushered in victory, but do you know? You are almost unable to complete the last item. Is this the result you want?"
"..."
Quietly looking at the harmonica that he had taken out of his pocket and placed in the palm of his hand, Malashenko seemed to have never felt such a heavy weight at this moment, which almost weighed down his right hand. It's almost unbearable.
"...Whether it's right or wrong, this is the decision I made, and there is no need to argue about it anymore. I have never regretted the path I have taken, and it remains the same now."
Iushkin expected that Malashenko's character would definitely say this. It was never his style to turn back and shout that he had no regrets about taking medicine, just as the last words that followed were still expected.
"If I can't finish it, then I'll leave it to you, to you, Seryosha, Artem, and Sergei."
"The new commander and division commander will lead you to victory. No matter who he is, let Kirill witness all this. This is a task that the No. 177 crew must complete."
? ? ?First of all, I want to say sorry to everyone. Yesterday, I dumped it on the wine table. I struggled to go back to the house to sleep at about 3 o'clock in the middle of the night. I really couldn't write it, so I left it to update today.
Furthermore, this seemingly outrageous plot is not actually so simple. I will highlight some things I want to express, but I guarantee that the final result is within the range of "reasonable", and it will not be detached.
Don't be anxious, don't jump to conclusions too early, look back.
? The next hundreds of thousands of words in the back are how many millions of words in front of me have been paved to the present, and I have been preparing the highest climax. The most essential part of the preparation. This is the beginning.
For those who know me, I won’t say much else, so stay tuned.