Sokov's feet had already stepped out of the door of the command post. Suddenly he remembered something important. He quickly stepped back and turned to the deputy commander: "Do you have any wine here?"
"Wine?!" Upon hearing Sokov's question, the deputy commander asked with some surprise: "Comrade Commander, what do you want wine for?"
"What to do, of course, is to drink."
"Aren't you going to host the exchange ceremony?" the chief of staff asked puzzledly: "If you drink, you won't miss anything, right?"
"I plan to entertain the German commander who came here to drink," Sokov urged: "If you have any wine, bring it out quickly. By the way, bring out any other things to drink with it."
The deputy commander hesitated for a moment, walked to the wall, took out a silver flask from the cloth bag hanging on the wall, and handed it to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I asked someone to bring this from Moscow.
I haven’t had a chance to drink the wine I brought here.”
The chief of staff was familiar with the deputy commander, so he naturally knew that his wine flask was full of good wine, so he took it out to entertain the Germans. I felt unworthy for him and couldn't help but said: "Comrade deputy commander, this
It’s all the good wine you asked someone to bring, how can it be used to entertain our enemies?”
The deputy commander glanced at Sokov, with a bitter expression on his face: "Since Comrade Commander has given the order, I can only execute it unconditionally."
Sokov saw the resistance between the two, and knew that if he didn't explain things clearly, they might have a grudge, so he smiled and explained to them: "Do you really think I want to invite the Germans to drink?
"
Both of them had expressions of disbelief on their faces. You said you were going to take our wine to entertain the German commander, but now you said you didn't really want to entertain the enemy. Who were you kidding?
"I have just told you that the enemy used so many wounded people in exchange for Horndorff's body in order to delay their entry into the position, and then wait for them to return to the defense zone with the coffin, and attack our position
Carry out artillery fire coverage." Sokov continued: "If we want to buy enough time for our wounded, we must find a way to delay the enemy. As long as the German troops who came to collect the coffins do not go back, the enemy will not start shelling."
The Chief of Staff, who was originally dissatisfied with Sokov, heard this and immediately realized that he had misunderstood Sokov. He quickly blushed and said: "Comrade Commander, we can't do it with wine and food. I immediately ordered the cooks."
Ban, I’ll prepare some snacks for you.”
"If you want to drink, you must prepare tables and stools." The deputy leader also echoed: "I will immediately arrange for people to move the tables and stools to the exchange location."
When the commander of the 564th regiment saw Sokov appear, he had a surprised expression on his face. He thought to himself, didn't the division commander Koida tell him that he would preside over the exchange ceremony? Why did the commander come? Especially the commander's
Behind him, there were several soldiers carrying tables and stools, which made him even more confused.
After the regiment leader stepped forward and saluted Sokov, he asked with some surprise: "Comrade Commander, what are you doing with these things?"
Samoilov found a slightly flat location and asked people to set up the table and stools. Then he ordered the soldiers in the cooking squad to place all kinds of food on the table one by one.
Seeing this, the regiment leader became even more puzzled: "Comrade Commander, are you planning to entertain someone?"
Sokov looked towards the open barrel car that was slowly moving with the wounded in the distance and said: "That's the German commander in that car. I plan to treat him to two drinks. Since he wants to drink, I will let your cooking team prepare it."
Ordered some appetizers.”
"Comrade Commander," when Sokov said this, a trace of anger appeared on the face of the regiment leader: "Those are our enemies. Why do you want to invite them to drink? Is this appropriate?"
"There's nothing inappropriate, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Sokov didn't say anything. Samoylov on the side helped: "Have you noticed anything wrong with the soldiers the enemy used to exchange with us?
?"
The regiment leader glanced at the approaching group of prisoners of war and said casually: "I saw that the soldiers used by the enemy to slow us down are basically all wounded."
Seeing that the regiment leader also noticed this, Sokov then asked: "Tell me, how long will it take to move all the sick and wounded into your position?"
After some calculation in his mind, the group leader cautiously replied: "I think it will take half an hour at the earliest."
"If the enemy suddenly launches a violent artillery bombardment on your regiment's position while we are transferring the wounded, how many of these wounded do you think will survive, and what heavy price will your regiment pay?"
"Comrade Commander, I don't think so." The regiment leader murmured: "If the enemy wants to carry out artillery bombardment, won't they hit their own people?"
"Once the Germans obtain Hornerdorf's body, they can definitely escape from the artillery fire coverage area within a few minutes." Sokov sneered: "And the German artillery only needs to see that their men have entered safety.
area, they can bombard us unscrupulously."
Sokov's words shocked the regiment leader into a cold sweat: "Comrade Commander, I don't think the Germans would do such a despicable thing, right?"
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, your idea is completely wrong." Sokov said with a serious expression: "Do you think there are any other evil things that the Germans cannot do?"
The regiment leader understood Sokov's intention and immediately offered: "Comrade Commander, as soon as the wounded arrive, I will immediately arrange for manpower to help them enter our position."
"Before coming here, I have already greeted your deputy commander and chief of staff. They know what to do." Sokov said to the commander: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, your task is to accompany me to entertain the German troops.
Commander, delay as much time as possible. It is best to wait until all the wounded have entered the position before letting them leave."
"Understood, Comrade Commander." The regiment leader nodded and said, "I will definitely complete this task."
Second Lieutenant Kahn, who was riding a barrel truck heading towards the exchange site, saw a familiar figure among the Russians in the distance and thought he was blinded. He quickly rubbed his eyes vigorously.
After confirming that he had read correctly, he turned to the adjutant sitting in the back row and said: "Mr. Colonel, the commander on the Russian side who presided over the exchange ceremony seems to be Major General Sokov himself."
"What, the Russian is Major General Sokov presiding over the exchange ceremony?" When the adjutant heard what Kahn said, his expression suddenly changed: "You read that right, right?"
"You can't be wrong, Mr. Colonel." Kahn replied affirmatively: "I have met him several times, and I will never admit that he is wrong. You know, among the Russians, there is only one young general like him.
"
"Speed up." After receiving Kahn's confirmation, the adjutant immediately ordered the driver: "Hurry over as soon as possible and say hello to General Sokov."
"Mr. Colonel," the translator sitting next to the adjutant reminded him carefully: "If we go there like this, will there be any danger?"
"I believe in General Sokov's character. Since the exchange was agreed between the two parties, he will never let anyone threaten my safety."
A few minutes later, the barrel truck passed through a battlefield full of craters and corpses and arrived at Sokov's location. Kahn jumped out of the car first, then came to the back and opened the door for the adjutant.
After the adjutant got out of the car, he pulled the hem of his military uniform, then stepped in front of Sokov, and asked with a smile: "Are you General Sokov?"
"Yes, Mr. Colonel." Sokov heard the adjutant calling out his name and guessed that he might be confirming his identity. Without waiting for the interpreter to explain, Sokov said first, "I wonder who you are?"
"I am Colonel Burke," the adjutant said respectfully, bowing slightly, "I am the adjutant of Marshal Manstein, and I have been ordered to make an exchange with you."
"Colonel Burke, I think today's exchange ceremony will take a long time. How about we sit down and have a drink?" Sokov said with a smile: "I want you to taste what authentic vodka tastes like."
Burke did respect Sokov in his heart, but that did not mean that he would agree to sit and drink with Sokov. After he waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he smiled and waved his hand and said: "General Sokov, I am here today.
The mission here is to exchange your prisoners of war for the body of General Hornerdorf. As for drinking, I think there may be a chance in the future."