At two o'clock in the morning the next day, Potapov sat behind his desk and listened to a briefing from Major General Sushi, who had just returned from the front, about the progress of the 124th Infantry Division in the Vladimir Volynsky area. At this moment, the office suddenly opened, and the dusty Putukhin and Novikov walked in.

Putukhin stood still and hurriedly glanced at the people present, then walked briskly towards Potapov, and at the same time smiled and stretched out his hand: "Hello, Mikhail Ivanovich! Nice to see you here! ”

Potapov got up from his seat, stretched out his hand to shake Putukhin's hand, and said excitedly: "Hello, Comrade General! As soon as you come, we will be able to get air support soon. ”

Unexpectedly, Putukhin said with a serious expression: "Comrade Potapov, I may be going to disappoint you, so far, I have not been able to get in touch with any field airfield, so for the time being, I cannot know the loss of the airfield in the German air raids, and whether I can send planes to support the ground forces." ”

After listening to this, Potapov showed a disappointed expression on his face, he looked at his chief of staff, and said regretfully: "It seems that our counteroffensive will not be able to get the support of the air force." After speaking, he turned his attention to Novikov, who was whispering to Rokossovsky, and asked sternly: "Comrade General, who are you?" ”

Novikov didn't expect Potapov to suddenly ask such a question, and he seemed so flustered for a moment that he forgot to answer the other party's question. Due to the short time that the Ninth Mechanized Army had been assigned to the Fifth Army, Potapov did not have time to get to know this subordinate.

Seeing that the other party did not answer his question, Potapov raised his voice again and asked: "Comrade General, I am asking you, who are you, and why did you enter my office without notification?" ”

Rokossovsky saw that Potapov was showing signs of anger, hurriedly took a step forward, straightened up and put his hands on the seams of his trousers, and replied loudly: "Comrade commander, this is Novikov, commander of the 35th tank division." ”

Novikov also took a step forward, stood shoulder to shoulder with Rokossovsky, raised his hand and saluted, and said respectfully: "Report Comrade Commander, Major General Novikov, commander of the 35th Tank Division, reports to you that all tank divisions have reached Lutsk, I follow your orders, please instruct!" ”

After hearing this, Potapov beckoned to Novikov, called him in front of him, pointed to the map spread out on the table, and said: "General Novikov, in another hour and a half, General Sushi's 124th Infantry Division will attack this city to the west. So you should immediately lead the tank division to the west, walk twenty kilometers in an hour, join up with the 124th Division stationed here, and provide them with the necessary artillery cover when they attack the city. ”

After listening to Potapov's order, Novikov did not speak, but quietly looked down at the map.

To this reaction of Novikov, Potapov could not help frowning, looked at him with a contemplative gaze, and asked dissatisfiedly: "Comrade General, didn't you hear me?" ”

"Listen...... Heard, Comrade Commander. Novikov replied in a bit of a panic: "Since the tank division has just traveled 200 kilometers, many tanks have broken down, so it will take time to replenish fuel and carry out short-term maintenance, and if it is to attack now, it can only send a tank company equipped with the latest T-34 tanks." ”

"What, a tank company?" Potapov interrupted him and said in a stern tone: "Even if it is equipped with the latest tank of our country, what role can only one company play on the battlefield where the artillery is blazing?" ”

"Comrade Potapov," Putukhin, who was sitting next to him, came out to play a round: "I arrived here with General Novikov, and I know very well what the situation is in the tank division." Most of the troops are equipped with old-fashioned tanks, and there are quite a few tanks that broke down due to breakdowns during the march, but it was in this situation that General Novikov arrived here in less than twenty hours, and the tank division was thrown here, which is already a very difficult thing, so don't blame him. ”

Hearing that Putukhin was saying good things for Novikov, Pisarevsky also echoed and said: "Comrade commander, I think it is simply like this, it is enough to have the cover of armored trains for the early offensive." Give General Novikov's tank division a few hours, let them refuel and maintain, and at the same time let the tank crews also hurry up and rest, they should be exhausted after a day's journey. ”

Potapov quickly made his own decision, declaring: "Well, since this is the case, then the tank division will not participate in the early morning counteroffensive for the time being." General Novikov, hurry up and recuperate, your division will be in battle at about ten o'clock in the morning at the latest. ”

"Please rest assured, Comrade Commander." When Novikov heard Potapov's arrangement, a smile appeared on his face, and he immediately straightened up and replied: "Our division guarantees to enter the battle on time." ”

Potapov waved his hand and said: "Well, let's go to the station now and see if our armored train is ready." After saying this, he bowed his head and asked Putukhin in an inquiring tone, "Will you go with us?" ”

Putukhin waved his hand and said, "No need, my bones are about to be torn apart after a day's journey, so I'd better stay in your headquarters and rest." By the way, you can have someone take me to the communications room later, and I will find a way to get in touch with the field airfield so that I can provide you with air cover. ”

Rokossovsky's gas, following Potapov's car, left the headquarters and drove to the railway station. Novikov, who was sitting in the back row with him, asked curiously: "Comrade commander, will our counterattack drive the Germans out of the country?" ”

Hearing this question, Rokossovsky really couldn't laugh or cry, it seemed that no one was interested in what the German invasion meant, and they all naively thought that they could successfully repel the German invasion with just a few counteroffensives. However, there are some things that he can only think about in his heart and can't say, so he can only say vaguely: "I believe that under the cover of the armored train, our attacking troops have a chance to join up with the troops who are still fighting stubbornly in the city." ”

He saw a long tank parked on the side of the street, recognized it as belonging to the 35th Tank Division, asked the driver to stop, knocked Novikov out of the car, and at the same time told the other party: "Let the soldiers hurry up and rest, and make sure that they can enter the battle in full condition." After saying that, he ordered the driver to drive and continue to follow the car in front of him to the train station.

As soon as Rokossovsky got off the platform, his attention was drawn to an armored train parked on the tracks. This heavy armored train was towed by an armored locomotive in the bow, towing ten steel-armored carriages. Rotating turrets were installed above the front three carriages, which could be used for distant attacks; In order to protect the commanders and fighters in the car, all openings in the carriage were protected with armor plates that could be raised and lowered at any time.

Hundreds of commanders and fighters lined up in a neat formation with their backs to the carriages. Standing in the middle were two officers, and according to the ranks on their collar badges, Rokossovsky judged that the tall officer on the left, wearing the rank of captain, should be the supreme commander of this armored train. And the political worker next to him, who wears the rank of first-class instructor, should be his political deputy.

After Potapov got out of the car, he walked quickly in front of the two officers, shook hands with them one by one, and said some words of encouragement to them. When Rokossovsky walked behind him, he happened to hear him point to Major General Suhi and introduce to the captain: "This is Major General Suhi, commander of the 124th Infantry Division, and he will rush to the front with you." Your mission is to cooperate with them in their attack on the city, so all actions must be under his command. Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." The lieutenant replied respectfully.

Potapov nodded and said to the captain: "Okay, comrade captain, it's not early, let's get ready to go." Then he extended his hand to the captain again and said kindly, "Good luck!" ”

After shaking hands with Potapov, the lieutenant turned to face his subordinates and shouted in a loud voice: "Listen to my commands, stand upright!" …… To defend the Motherland, to defeat the fascist invaders...... Get in! ”

Rokossovsky couldn't help but smile wryly and shook his head when he heard such a nondescript password. When the commanders and fighters turned around and began to board the car in an orderly manner, Potapov looked at the chief of staff and military commissars on the left and right, and then said with emotion: "Comrade Captain's order is very correct!" ”

When all the troops had boarded the car, Major General Sushi and the lieutenant stood at the door and saluted Potapov, who was standing under the car. Then all the doors closed. After a flute sounded, the armored train slowly left the platform and headed west.

Looking at the armored train that was drifting away, Rokossovsky suddenly remembered the train that left for the German border yesterday, and he didn't know what the final fate of this train full of various agricultural machinery was. Whether they were chased back by Grissa, or were destroyed by artillery fire after driving into the German-occupied area.

While worrying about the fate of the unknown train driver, Pisarevsky came over, put an arm on Rokossovsky's shoulder, and said with a smile: "Comrade Rokossovsky, the commander ordered the two of us to go to the front to supervise the battle. Let's go, in my car. ”

After the two got into the car, Rokossovsky asked with some concern: "Comrade Chief of Staff, can our armored train break through the defenses of the German army?" ”

"No problem, I will definitely succeed in the breakthrough. You must know that the firepower of our armored train is strong, not to mention the cooperation of the 124th Infantry Division, even if it is not, with hundreds of commanders and fighters on the train, the enemy can still be defeated. After saying this with confidence, Pisarevsky raised his hand and patted the driver in front of him on the shoulder, and ordered: "Drive!" ”