After inspecting the defensive positions outside the city, Rokossovsky returned to Krasnoretsky, who had just been screened, and the two returned to the command together.

On the way, Rokossovsky first asked: "Comrade Colonel, how is the situation, how many German spies are there?" ”

"After screening, five were found, and all of them have been shot on the spot." After Krasnoretsky briefly reported on the screening situation, he looked at Rokossovsky and said in an admiring tone: "Comrade commander, you are really amazing, you can actually identify the disguised German spy at a glance. ”

"It's not that I'm good, it's that this German spy is so unlucky." Rokossovsky couldn't help but feel amused when he remembered the German spy who had just been identified, "A few days ago, I once led my troops to rush to the Brest Fortress and rescued a group of commanders and fighters from there. Coincidentally, five of them were from the 132nd Battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. At that time, Second Lieutenant Kochetov was involved in the rescue. As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Kochetov behind him.

Kochetov hurriedly walked two quick steps, came to Krasnoretsky's side, and began to describe the situation at that time: "A small unit of our tanks, disguised as Germans, entered the central area of the fortress to rescue friendly troops surrounded by German troops. When we freed the 132nd battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, only Lieutenant Anatoly and four other fighters remained in the battalion. As for their battalion commander, it is said that when the war broke out, he was killed by a German bomb. As for Feotil Kuchkalov, there was a real man, but he was not the commander of the 132nd battalion, but the head of the political department of the Brest Fortress, and he also died heroically in battle. ”

After listening to Kochetov's account, Krasnoretsky sighed with emotion and couldn't help but secretly rejoice that if Rokossovsky hadn't happened to be there, they might have let the German spies sneak into the city. Thinking of this, he asked Rokossovsky for instructions: "Comrade commander, what should we do with that German spy, also shot?" ”

"Interrogate them first and find out what they are doing for Shepetovka." Rokossovsky knew that this spy, disguised as a Soviet officer, must have a lot of important information, and it would be a bit too wasteful to shoot him directly. Therefore, after thinking for a moment, he instructed Krasnoretsky: "When we know the information we are interested in, this spy will be handed over to you to dispose of." ”

Krasnoretsky was also a smart man, and when he heard Rokossovsky say this, he immediately understood that the army commander meant to wait until the German spy was interrogated before shooting him, and quickly replied loudly: "I understand, Comrade Army Commander, I will properly deal with this German spy." ”

Ten minutes later, Rokossovsky and Krasnoretsky walked into the makeshift interrogation room. As soon as you enter the door, you can see the newly captured German spies, standing in the middle of the room, behind them standing two soldiers with submachine guns. And the captain, who was sitting behind the table directly opposite the door, saw the two of them entering the room, quickly got up from his seat, raised his hand and saluted, and respectfully reported: "Comrade commander, I am interrogating the prisoners, please instruct!" ”

Rokossovsky stretched out his right hand and pressed it down, motioned for the captain to sit down, and then asked: "Did he confess anything?" ”

"He won't say anything but his name and rank." Although Rokossovsky gestured for him to sit down, the captain still stood straight and did not move, "His name is ......"

"I have no interest in his name." Without waiting for the captain to finish speaking, Rokossovsky unceremoniously interrupted him. He walked to the table, turned to face the German spy, and said coldly: "Mr. Officer, you didn't expect your identity to be discovered by us so quickly, right?" ”

When the spy heard this, he just snorted softly, and then said disdainfully, "Don't be complacent, our troops will soon rush here and wipe you all out." ”

When the captain heard the spy say this, he immediately became angry, if it weren't for Rokossovsky standing by his side, maybe he would have rushed up and punched the other party desperately. But at this moment, he could only grit his back molars and curse viciously: "Damn Germans!" ”

"All right, Comrade Colonel." Rokossovsky took his eyes off the spy and turned to Krasnoretsky, who was standing at the door, and at the same time ordered: "Take him down!" ”

"Take him away!" Krasnoretsky commanded briefly at the two fighters.

Just as the two fighters reached out and grabbed the Spy's arms, he jerked and shouted, "Don't touch me, I'll go myself." When the two fighters stepped aside, he turned his head to look at Rokossovsky and said in a contemptuous tone: "Your Excellency, General, I am waiting for you underground. With that, he walked out with his hands behind his back and his head held high.

"This damn German," the captain scolded angrily when he saw the spy's death-defying attitude: "Arrogant, what arrogance!" ”

Seeing that there was nothing left here, Rokossovsky said to Krasnoretsky: "Comrade Colonel, go back to the command headquarters, and we will study the next possible measures of the enemy." ”

When the two of them sat down in the headquarters, Krasnoretsky couldn't wait to ask: "Comrade commander, tell me why there are so many German spies?" ”

"Quite simply," Rokossovsky said in an understated tone, "are the Germans preparing to attack here?" ”

"The Germans are going to attack here?" Hearing Rokossovsky say this, Krasnoretsky couldn't help but get nervous, and he asked a little flustered: "Where and with what kind of troops?" ”

"I don't know!" Rokossovsky replied, shaking his head. However, seeing Krasnoretsky's anxious face, he continued: "But you can send scouts to the west to reconnoiter and find out the movements of the Germans, so that we can make defensive deployments in a targeted manner." ”

"Okay, Comrade Commander, I'll arrange this immediately." As he spoke, Krasnoretsky picked up the phone on the table and called one of his most trusted regiment commanders. As soon as he heard the voice of the other party, he immediately ordered: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, immediately send the most capable scouts to the west to reconnoiter the movements of the German troops." In order to ensure that information is transmitted back in a timely manner, each reconnaissance group is equipped with a radio station. ”