Time seemed to freeze at this moment, and not only could not see a single active figure in the distant smoke-filled position, but also could not hear a single gunshot, and even the artillery of the German army's incessant bombardment stopped firing, and the entire battlefield fell into silence.

Rokossovsky's hand holding the telescope was trembling, such a tragic war made him only a few years as a soldier in his previous life, and he participated in several small exercises, he personally experienced what is called a bloody battlefield. The brutality of the battle was beyond his reach, and his stomach began to churn as his legs trembled. At this moment, he finally experienced the feeling of Vashukin's gaffe yesterday, he thought that his psychological endurance was strong, but now he found that it was only fifty steps and a hundred steps of laughter.

However, Rokossovsky's strange reaction was not noticed by Pisarevsky and Major General Suhi, who were standing nearby, and the two were saddened by the sacrifice of thousands of commanders and fighters. In order not to make a fool of himself, after trying to suppress the discomfort in his stomach, he cheered up and asked in a hoarse voice: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what should we do next?" ”

Pisarevsky knew that with the current state of the troops, if he continued to attack, he would undoubtedly send everyone to death. Hearing Rokossovsky's question, he shrugged helplessly, turned his face to Sushi and said: "Comrade division commander, first withdraw the surviving fighters." After readjusting the deployment, the offensive will be launched. ”

After hearing Pisarevsky's order, Major General Suhi, who was pale, agreed, then picked up the telephone in the observation post and gave the troops the order to retreat.

When he saw the commanders and fighters who had withdrawn in frustration, Major General Su Xi's tears were about to fall. Of the 4,000 people who participated in the attack, only seven or eight hundred were withdrawn, and almost all of them were wounded. Not only did he lose an armored train with strong combat effectiveness, but he also put his own political deputy division commander into it.

Rokossovsky, who was standing next to him, observed carefully for a moment, and found that the highest-ranking in the ranks, except for a few sergeants, did not see anyone with higher ranks, commanders and political workers at all levels, all of whom should have died in the attack. The thought that his tank division would soon be in battle made his heart sink as if the ground had sunk. Although he didn't say it, he realized in his heart that the old tanks, which could not be compared with armored trains with armor and firepower, launched an attack on the German positions covered by powerful artillery fire, and before the battle was over, the tank division could be withdrawn.

As soon as he thought of this, Pisarevsky walked up to him and said: "Comrade Rokossovsky, you have also seen the situation on the battlefield, it seems that it is necessary to immediately throw General Novikov's tank division into battle. ”

Rokossovsky hesitated for a moment, and just as he wanted to bite the bullet and agree, a soldier came out of the observation post and shouted: "Comrade Chief of Staff, there is your call, it is from the headquarters of the army group. ”

After Pisarevsky came out after answering the phone, he first called Sushi in front of him and said to him with a serious expression: "Comrade division commander, I have urgent business with Comrade Rokossovsky, and we must return to Lutsk immediately. Organize the rest of your forces and build a new defense here to prevent the Germans from attacking. After saying that, he shook his head at Rokossovsky, "Let's go!" Comrade Commander is still waiting for us in Lutsk. ”

Rokossovsky was puzzled by the fact that Pisarevsky had suddenly changed his mind after receiving a phone call and no longer mentioned sending tank divisions into battle. After the car started, he asked curiously: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you know that the commander recalled us to Lutsk, is there anything important?" ”

Pisarevsky turned his head to look at him and said: "The commander already knows the situation of the battle here, and he believes that the failure of the offensive is mainly related to the insufficient strength of the attack. Therefore, he planned to gather more troops and launch a larger offensive to encircle and annihilate the enemy attacking Vladimir Volynsky. ”

I heard that the superiors actually attributed the failure of this attack to the lack of troops! Rokossovsky's mouth moved a few times, and finally he sighed and asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do we still have troops in Lutsk that can be mobilized?" ”

Pisarevsky looked at him with strange eyes and said: "Naturally, the troops that can be transferred in the city today are not only your 20th and 35th tank divisions, but also Fedyuninsky's 15th Infantry Army. ”

Rokossovsky originally thought that the troops that Potapov and they could mobilize were nothing more than some patchwork miscellaneous army, and maybe even a newly formed militia unit, but he didn't know that it was actually Fedyuninsky's infantry army. Thinking of the combat effectiveness displayed by this unit in the last exercise, his heart suddenly became steady.

The two returned to Lutsk and came to Potapov's office. As soon as he entered the door, Rokossovsky saw that in the middle of a wall of maps of the defense zone, the commander of the army group, Potapov, was standing there like a stone statue, and next to him stood the military commissar of the army group, Nikishev, and the commander of the 15th Infantry Corps, Fedyuninsky.

Pisarevsky first said to Potapov's back: "Comrade commander, we are back!" ”

Rokossovsky took a step forward, straightened his back and reported: "Comrade commander, the commander of the Ninth Mechanized Army, Major General Rokossovsky, has been ordered to come!" ”

But Potapov did not react and remained motionless.

Rokossovsky thought that he did not hear his words, and hurriedly reported again: "Comrade commander, Major General Rokossovsky, commander of the 9th Mechanized Army, was ordered to come!" ”

"I hear you." Potapov turned around slowly, glanced at Pisarevsky, and stared at Rokossovsky with a cold gaze, "Comrade Rokossovsky, you witnessed the whole process of the failure of the 124th Division's offensive, right?" ”

Rokossovsky, not knowing why Potapov asked like this, opened his mouth and did not speak, but nodded.

Potapov walked to his desk, propped his hands on the table, leaned forward slightly, and looked at Rokossovsky with an inquiring gaze: "Comrade General, if I ask you to lead your troops to attack, will you be able to repel the enemy besieging Vladimir Volynsky and join the 87th Division trapped in the city?" ”

Rokossovsky glanced at Fedyuninsky, who was standing next to the map, and wanted to get a hint from him to see if it was his troops that cooperated with the tank division's attack, but he didn't expect that the other party just shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands, indicating that he didn't know.

Seeing that Rokossovsky did not answer his own question, but looked around a little distractedly, Potapov was a little angry, and he asked loudly: "What's the matter, Comrade Rokossovsky, frightened by the temporary strength of the enemy?" ”

Hearing Potapov's anger, Rokossovsky hurriedly replied: "Comrade commander, I am thinking about how to organize the seizure of the enemy's positions, not being intimidated by the enemy's apparent strength!" ”

A smile crossed Potapov's face, and he called Fedyuninsky over and said to the two: "The next offensive will be completed by the cooperation of your two armies." Although we have not been in contact with the border guards and do not know the exact strength of the enemy, it is clear from all sides that fighting is taking place everywhere near the border. As long as the 87th Division is rescued, we can concentrate our forces and strike at the German forces scattered throughout our country and completely annihilate them. ”

At this point, he raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then said: "At the latest, at two o'clock in the afternoon, your two armies must launch an attack on the Germans, and this is the deadline I give you." Is the mission clear? ”

"Clear, Comrade Commander." The two major generals answered almost simultaneously.

"By the way, Comrade Rokossovsky, there is one more thing I forgot to tell you." Seeing that the two were leaving, Potapov stopped them again and added: "The headquarters of your army is located on the first floor, and the political deputy commander, chief of staff, and several division commanders are waiting for you there. After speaking, he waved his hand at the two of them, "Hurry up!" ”