Shaikin's second shot rang out again.

The shot was much more accurate than before, and the bullet hit the chest of a German soldier who rushed up with a gun, only to see the German soldier throw the weapon in his hand, cover his chest and fall to the ground.

"Commander, Commander!" When Oleg saw the target hit by Shaikin, he angrily scolded: "It is you who are asked to hit the German commanders, and do not waste bullets on ordinary soldiers." ”

With Oleg's roar, the sniper, who had not fired for a long time, was startled, and pulled the trigger with a trembling hand, only to hear a "snap", and after the bullet flew out of the chamber, he did not know where it flew.

Oleg saw the sniper release his empty gun, and he was even more furious. Just when he was trembling with anger and was about to lash out at the sniper, I stopped him in time: "Okay, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, don't say any more." Snipers need to be undisturbed in order to perform at their level. Then I comforted the nervous sniper: "Go ahead, comrade warrior. Remember, you're shooting enemy commanders and machine gunners, and the rest of the soldiers are negligible. ”

Shaikin said sullenly, "Got it." Then he decisively pulled the trigger and fired a third shot. The bullet hit a machine gun shooter in the head, and a cloud of blood rose from the head of the German soldier, and then the whole person lay on the machine gun. His co-shooter saw that the shooter had dropped to the ground, and quickly got up and bent down to reach out and grab the machine gun, trying to pull the machine gun out from under the corpse. Before he could pull the machine gun out, another shot rang out, and the hapless secondary shooter fell headlong to the ground.

Judging by the time between the two shots. It was Shaikin who killed the machine gun shooter. And then the shot that killed the secondary shooter. It was another sniper. Seeing that the enemy's main and secondary machine gunners were killed, the firepower that suppressed our troops weakened somewhat, and I couldn't help but shout: "Well done!" ”

Shaikin and his men, encouraged by me, fought more and more easily, and the bullets were fired one after another on the high ground in front, killing the enemy commander and machine-gun shooters one by one on the hillside.

Since this time the Germans launched an attack on the scale of only a company, there were not many commanders and machine gunners, after a few rounds of firing. It was almost cleaned up by Shaikin and the two of them. The Germans, having lost their command and fire cover, fell into confusion and would never be able to seize the positions of our troops, so they began to turn around and run back.

The commanders and fighters who were holding the trenches jumped out of the trenches one after another with their weapons in hand, and rushed forward while firing. Seeing this scene, I was so angry that I scolded: "How did Gaidar do it, why did he let the soldiers attack, aren't they afraid of being killed and wounded by enemy fire?" "As soon as I finished scolding, the tank at the foot of the hill had slowly turned its turret and aimed its guns at the commanders and fighters who were charging down the hill. After a brief pause, the fire was fired. The shells landed in the ranks of the charge, and several commanders and fighters fell in pools of blood with the sound of the explosion. The machine guns on the turret also did not dare to show weakness. Tongues of fire erupted, and a dense stream of machine-gun bullets hit the hillside like a torrential rain, sending mud splashing on the hillside, knocking down many of the soldiers who were rushing downward, and corpses rolling down the slope.

Seeing this scene through the binoculars, I immediately lost my breath, walked quickly into the newly repaired observation post, grabbed the phone on the table, and called the command post of the Fourth Regiment. When I heard Xia Ping's voice coming from the earpiece, I immediately gave him an order: "Political Commissar Xia Ping, immediately get in touch with Lieutenant Colonel Gaidar and let the commanders and fighters stay in the trenches and not attack casually." ”

Xia Ping did not ask me why I gave this order, but simply agreed: "I will immediately order the troops to withdraw to the trenches." ”

I walked to the observation port, raised my binoculars and looked out, and saw that the commanders and fighters who had attacked had been suppressed by enemy artillery and machine-gun fire, and were unable to move in the many craters on the hillside. As soon as a soldier who could not bear the loneliness raised his head, he would be hit by an enemy bullet and die heroically on the spot.

The German infantry, under the cover of their tanks, fled back to the foot of the hill with wolves, and the tanks stopped shelling and machine-gun fire. Seeing that the enemy's fire had stopped, the commanders and fighters hidden in the crater climbed out one after another, bent over and ran back to their positions.

The mortar battery led by Morozov, at this moment, also reached the southern slope of the heights, built artillery positions in the ready-made trenches, and prepared to surprise and wound the enemy's infantry with artillery fire when the Germans attacked again.

And at the foot of our mountain, anti-tank artillery batteries, which had disappeared for a long time, also appeared. They set up two anti-tank guns in the hollow that was not easily hit by enemy artillery fire, and the gunners were nervously adjusting the position of the cannons, pointing the muzzles of the guns at the German tanks a few hundred meters away.

The German infantry retreated to the rear of the tank platoon, regrouping their formation, ready to launch a new attack again.

Oleg walked into the observation post, came to my side, and said excitedly: "The enemy's commanders and machine gunners have almost all been killed by us, and it seems that they will not be able to attack us again until they are supported by new commanders and heavy weapons." ”

I turned my head to look at Oleg and reminded him: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, although we have repelled one enemy attack, we cannot take it lightly. With the enemy's transport capacity, not to mention a few commanders and machine-gun shooters, even one or two more companies of troops, it will not take long. ”

I walked to the wall, picked up the phone and dialed the command, wanting to ask my superiors if there were any new orders, but as soon as I connected it, Kirillov's dissatisfied reproach came from the receiver: "Comrade Oshanina, you want to go to the observation post, I have no opinion, but why don't you bring a single guard?" If something happens to you, who can afford it? ”

Regarding Kirillov's concern, I hurriedly said haha, disapprovingly: "Comrade political commissar, look at what you said, I am on the position of the Second Regiment, surrounded by our commanders and fighters, as long as I do not encounter enemy shelling or air strikes, there is no danger at all, you can rest assured." ”

"No, I'll send you a guard squad right away," Kirillov said stubbornly, even though I said it easily. "You don't have a single guard on your side. I'm not sure. ”

"No need. Comrade Political Commissar, I really don't need it. "I think Kirillov is unfounded, the enemy is not capable of launching an attack on the southern high ground where I am until he captures the northern high ground held by the 4th Regiment, and besides, I am surrounded by the commanders and fighters of the 2nd Regiment, is there any danger? So for such an excessive concern for Kirillov, I had to politely refuse: "The first wave of the enemy's attack on the positions of the 4th regiment has already been repulsed. I don't think it will be long. will go back to the headquarters, you don't let the fighters of the guard battalion go back and forth. ”

"Anyway, I've said everything I need to say, with or without guards, whatever you want." After Kirillov finished speaking, without waiting for me to speak, he hung up the phone in a huff.

When I put down the phone, Oleg leaned over and asked with concern: "Comrade division commander, what happened, I seem to hear Comrade Political Commissar getting angry." ”

I chuckled. Disapprovingly, he said: "It's nothing, the commissar is here because of me." I didn't have a guard with me and was worried that something would happen to me. ”

"Yes, comrade division commander, I also think that the political commissar is worrying blindly." As soon as I finished speaking, Oleg chimed in and said: "On the position of my second regiment, you can rest assured, as long as there is a man, we will never let the Germans come up." ”

I didn't answer him, but looked at the newly renovated observation post, sighed, and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Oleg, this observation post is really poorly repaired. ”

Listening to my words, Oleg's face turned red, and he stood solemnly: "Comrade division commander, you also know that the original observation post was destroyed by enemy artillery fire, and this newly repaired observation post was rebuilt from a machine-gun fire point, which is inevitably a little shabby. But don't worry, I'll arrange for you to build a new observation post. ”

As he spoke, he faintly saw a high amount of dust rising in the distance, and it seemed that a convoy was approaching. I didn't bother to talk to Oleg anymore, and when I walked to the observation port and raised my binoculars to look at the dusty area, I saw that more than twenty trucks and three or four armored vehicles were rapidly moving towards the German troops assembled at the foot of the mountain.

"Reinforcements from the enemy are coming." Oleg next to him said in a light tone.

"Yes, it is estimated that there are still quite a few commanders who will take over the command of the disabled company and continue to attack the positions of the fourth regiment." As I said this, I couldn't help but glance at the artillery positions arranged in the hollows below, and thought to myself that if the enemy attacked again later, I would count on them to come to the enemy's tanks.

The truck came to a stop at the rear of the tank, and groups of German soldiers jumped out of the compartments and quickly assembled, even the newly disabled companies were quickly lined up in a neat line under the orders of several German commanders.

When the enemy tanks began shelling again, the infantry rushed out of the interval between the tanks and quickly approached our positions under the cover of the steel wreckage in front of the positions.

Morozov placed a few artillery spotters on the hilltop position, and when he saw that the enemy's infantry had broken away from the wreckage area, he decisively raised the signal flag in his hand and waved it. Six mortars on the southern slope, under the command of Qi Yu, opened fire decisively. Cannonballs whizzed over the top of the hill and landed on the northern slope.

Before the shell fell to explode, I was still a little nervous, for fear that the gunners of the mortar company would not be able to grasp the scale and blow up their own people. However, the shells that fell in the first round exploded fifty or sixty meters in front of our trenches, and did not pose any threat to the commanders and fighters who held their positions.

As soon as the first round of shells hit the ground and exploded, the second round of shells flew again before the smoke cleared. Flames rose from the German offensive ranks, and shrapnel from the explosion flew in all directions, blowing up the German soldiers near the blast site.

In the face of the shelling of their own infantry, the German tank drivers probably saw it, but they never dreamed that the shells were flying from the other side of the hillside, and they thought that our artillery positions were set up on the top of the hillside, so they raised their guns and shelled the top of the hill.

As the enemy's artillery fire shifted direction, the commanders and fighters who held the mountainside position suddenly felt the pressure relaxed, and they came out of their hiding places, lay on the edge of the trench wall, and condescendingly fired at the charging German infantry.

The mortar battery was firing, and the two anti-tank guns deployed in the hollow were not to be left alone, and after a brief correction of bearing, both guns opened fire at the same time.

The high-speed flying shell hit the side of the turret of a German tank in an instant, piercing a large hole in the armor plate. The shell exploded after drilling into the hull of the tank. With a loud "boom". A bright white fireball emerged from the open hatch of the turret. Flying straight up to an altitude of several tens of meters, the tank was immediately enveloped in billowing smoke. Since the tank quickly burst into flames, the driver inside had no time to escape and was burned alive in the car.

The other anti-tank gun also missed, the shell directly knocked off the enemy's turret, and as the engine caught fire, the entire tank was quickly consumed by dark red flames. The two tankmen, covered in fire, escaped from the car and rolled on the ground a few times. extinguished the flames on his body, and then ran behind him.

Seeing the two tank crews who had fled, I said, "It's a pity, it's a pity, I let them both escape." ”

Oleg looked at the two tank men who fled to the rear, miserable, and said regretfully: "Yes, the distance is too far, and Shaykin will not be able to hit the target." ”

I listened to his words and said in my heart that Shaikin would not hit the target. It does not mean that Vasily Russian will not hit the target. Although the two tankmen were five or six hundred meters away from us, with Vasily's amazing marksmanship. It's still possible to kill them.

The first round of fire from the anti-tank gunners was a brilliant success, and they continued to build on their efforts, firing heavily at the enemy's tanks. In the second round of fire, two shells hit the side of a tank at the same time, and the tracks that were blown into sections flew in all directions, knocking down the German soldiers standing nearby without mercy. I made a point of observation, and not a single tanker escaped from the fact that the tank was shot and the entire body was surrounded by fire and smoke, and it seemed that they were reimbursed along with their own tank.

Oleg saw this scene through the telescope and applauded excitedly. He turned to me and said, "Comrade division commander, you see, we have achieved such results with only two anti-tank guns, and if there is an anti-tank artillery regiment, we will not be afraid of more tanks from the enemy." ”

I could only say to him with a wry smile: "Lieutenant Colonel Oleg, if you take a closer look at the hidden position of the two anti-tank guns at the foot of the mountain, which happens to be the dead end of the German artillery fire, you can calmly destroy the enemy's tanks without worrying about the enemy's artillery fire." If an artillery regiment were to be deployed in a different position, it would become a target for the enemy's long-range artillery fire and aircraft, and it would not be long before the formation of such a unit would be erased from the establishment of independent divisions. In fact, the higher authorities initially equipped our division with two anti-tank artillery batteries, and as a result, that company established a position on the hillside, and after only one or two rounds of fire, the whole army was annihilated under the enemy's powerful artillery fire. ”

The Germans stopped several tanks at the foot of the hill, and just like that, under the blows of our anti-tank guns, they were all wiped out one after another. The infantry, who had long been blown up by our mortars, saw that the tanks covering them had been destroyed, and they panicked and turned around and ran down.

As the enemy retreated, the fire on the mountainside position suddenly intensified, and long tongues of fire licked towards the enemy's ranks, knocking them on their backs. Then, surprisingly, there were more than a dozen German soldiers running behind, suddenly interrupted by bullets, and the soldiers who did not die immediately fell to the ground and rolled and struggled, screaming endlessly.

Oleg was stunned by this scene, and he asked me in surprise: "Comrade division commander, this, what's going on, what, what weapon is so powerful?" ”

In fact, when I saw the German soldiers being interrupted by bullets, I guessed that the fourth regiment might be using anti-aircraft machine guns to fire horizontally. When I saw the bullets hit the German soldiers who were crowded together, raising a mist of blood, I was even more convinced. After the loss of personnel, there were still two anti-aircraft machine guns left in the previous anti-aircraft machine gun company, and I handed them over to the regiment that was holding the high ground at that time. Since I had never seen them use it, I thought it had been lost in the enemy's shelling and bombardment, but I didn't expect that the commanders and fighters of the 4th Regiment would use it to fight the enemy's infantry today, which was really unexpected to me.

I looked at the corpses of the German soldiers who had turned into piles of incomplete debris and rotten flesh under the blow of the anti-aircraft machine guns, and said to Oleg with a flat expression: "The fourth regiment is using anti-aircraft machine guns to hit the enemy's infantry, and that thing can even shoot down the planes in the sky, and the enemy's flesh and blood will be even more unstoppable." ”

The remnants of the German infantry fled to the foot of the hill, passed through the middle of the burning tanks, returned to the place where the trucks were parked, and scrambled to climb the trucks. The drivers probably didn't want to stay here any longer, so when they saw that the carriage was almost full, they immediately drove away. They fled to their camp.

After the enemy fled. At the foot of the hill are the wreckage of several tanks still burning. The hillside was littered with mutilated corpses. The commanders and fighters in the positions walked out of the trenches and down the hillside to treat the wounded and collect weapons and ammunition from the corpses of the enemy.

Seeing that the commanders and fighters of the Fourth Regiment were cleaning up the battlefield, Oleg, who was in a relaxed mood, took the initiative to invite me to his command post as a guest, and he said enthusiastically: "Comrade division commander, I have been on the high ground for several days, but you have never been to my command post to see it. If you're free today, why don't you come to me for a cup of tea? ”

I looked up at my watch. It was not yet noon, so he nodded and said casually: "Okay, anyway, I haven't seen Comrade Velore for a long time, so I'll go with you to see her by the way." I looked back at Shaikin, who was checking the sniper rifle, and greeted him in a friendly manner: "Comrade sergeant, come with us for a cup of tea!" ”

Shaikin snapped his legs straight, straightened his body and replied, "Yes!" ”

Oleg and I walked ahead, and Shaikin and his men followed us, slowly descending the traffic trench. At the same time, they kept talking in low voices, talking about the battle that had just ended.

Five or six meters further on is a turn. Suddenly, there was a fierce burst of gunfire and two grenade explosions. I immediately stopped, pulled out my pistol, and asked Oleg in a low voice: "What's the matter, where did the gunshots come from?" ”

Oleg could not understand the sudden gunfire and explosions, he shook his head blankly, and replied: "The sound seems to come from the trench that turned the corner, or I will go and see." ”

"No, the situation is unknown, you can't go on an adventure!" I quickly stopped him, then turned my head to look at Shaikin behind me, and saw that the two had taken the sniper rifle off their shoulders and held it tightly in their hands, so I ordered the two of them: "Get ready for battle, let's quietly retreat." ”

We held our guns and slowly retreated cautiously. Before he could get out, suddenly a soldier holding a rifle rushed over from the corner, saw a bunch of people here, was stunned at first, and then shouted loudly: "Hurry back, there are Germans, there are ......" Before he could finish shouting, a series of submachine gun shots sounded, and countless blood mist burst out of the soldier's body, and then his body hit the wall of the trench behind him under the inertia of the bullet, and then slowly slipped to the ground against the wall of the trench.

The Germans, the Germans actually touched our trenches, is this what is going on? The moment the soldier was shot, all I had in my head was that. Before I could make a name for myself, a man wearing a Soviet-style steel helmet, an khaki cotton uniform, and a German-made submachine gun appeared in my field of vision. At that time, I didn't think about it, I squatted down and raised my hand to shoot. The bullet hit the opponent's right shoulder, and his body jerked backwards. I then fired a second shot, which hit him directly in the forehead. As he fell on his back, a barrage of bullets from his submachine gun shot into the air. His body then fell next to the warrior he had killed.

Almost at the same time that the corpse fell to the ground, a man in the same dress appeared, and while he was looking down at his accomplice who had fallen to the ground, I decisively fired another shot, which hit him in the knee of his right leg impartially, and he was in pain, and his whole body jerked forward. I hurriedly pulled the trigger again, wanting to make up for another shot, but I didn't expect the trigger to be stuck and couldn't move. I didn't respond a few times, and in a huff, I threw the gun at the man. Just as the man was dodging, a gunshot rang out behind me, and the man shot in the middle of his eyebrow and fell on his back.

I turned my head and saw that it was Shaikin who fired the shot. After he finished the shot, he stretched out his left hand and grabbed my arm, and dragged him back without saying a word, while shouting: "Commander, go quickly!" When he shouted, Oleg, who was still in a state of shock, came back to his senses, and he quickly grabbed my other arm and ran back along the traffic trench with Shaikin.

After running a few steps, there was a crisp gunshot behind him. The three of us stopped in unison, turned our heads to look behind us, and saw that it was the sniper who fired the gun, and another person who had rushed around the bend had been victimized.

The three of us continued to run forward along the traffic trench, and Oleg shouted loudly as he ran: "Battle alert, battle alert, enter the position immediately!" ”

Two more shots rang out behind us, and I could tell it was from the Mosin Nagant rifle and knew it must be the sniper who was destroying the enemy. At this moment, there was an explosion from behind, and the familiar gunfire could no longer be heard.

Although the fighters who constantly heard Oleg's shouts ran out of the bomb shelters and bomb shelters, they almost did not come to their senses and fell under the enemy's strafing fire.

As soon as we ran around a turn, more than a dozen fighters came over, and when they saw our wolf expression, they nervously asked Oleg: "Comrade regiment commander, what happened?" ”

The three of us were leaning against the wall of the trench, gasping for air, not bothering to answer the soldiers' questions. The first to calm down was Shaikin, who said loudly to the soldiers: "The Germans have touched our trenches and are chasing us." ”

After listening to Shaikin's words, a commander with the rank of second lieutenant on his collar badge turned to his subordinates and said, "Leave two people to take care of the division commander and regiment commander, and the others will come with us." After saying that, he raised the submachine gun in his hand and took the lead and ran towards the corner.

Although I don't know how many Germans came, after the battle just now, the number must not be too many, and there should be no problem for the second lieutenant to take these dozen people to clean them up.

As soon as I thought of this, I heard a dense burst of gunfire around the corner, and then I saw several fighters appear in my field of vision, and they shot as they retreated, and in a few moments they all fell to the ground.

"It's not good, comrade division commander, go quickly!" Oleg shouted, set me up again, and at the same time ordered the two fighters: "You are responsible for blocking the enemy, and I will cover the division commander to withdraw first." In fact, he didn't need to explain so much, as early as when he saw his comrades falling one after another, the soldiers who stayed to take care of us had already rushed towards the turn with their guns in hand.

We hadn't gone far enough when we saw a bomb hole next to it, so we slipped into it regardless of it. This hole is not big, and as soon as we enter, we were so crowded that we couldn't move, but in order not to be discovered by the pursuing enemy, we had to aggrieve ourselves first, hide here for a while, and wait for the enemy to be solved before leaving.

After a while, hearing that there was no movement outside, Oleg suddenly asked me: "Comrade division commander, this group of enemies is so strange, tell me, how did they get into our trenches from the foot of the mountain?" ”

I thought for a moment and replied: "Lieutenant Colonel Oleg, didn't you notice just now that the enemy is wearing the uniform of our army, and when they come to the foot of the mountain, as long as they say to the commanders and fighters defending below that they are friendly troops who have come to reinforce them, they will be released, after all, the current attrition of the troops is too great, and each regiment wants to replenish its strength as much as possible." Seeing that Oleg opened his mouth and wanted to say something, I hurriedly quickened my voice and continued to analyze: "Although the enemy carries German-made firearms, because almost all of the current equipment of the independent division is captured from the Germans, it will not arouse the suspicion of others in this regard. As for why they were able to easily eliminate so many of our commanders and fighters in the trenches, it may have something to do with the military uniforms on their bodies. When our warriors came out of their hideouts and saw a group of men in the same uniform rushing towards them, they must have wanted to ask what had happened, and it was this brief hesitation that had cost them their lives in vain. ”

Regarding my analysis, Oleg nodded in agreement: "Comrade division commander, the second lieutenant just now is also quite capable of fighting. The small detachment he led wiped out at least hundreds of Germans in the early stage of urban guerrilla warfare. But just now their cousin, I think you also saw it, in just a minute or two, the entire squad was wiped out by the sneak attack of the enemy. It is estimated that when they rushed over, they saw the person coming from the opposite side wearing the same military uniform as them, so they hesitated. And it was precisely this brief hesitation that caused them to become the ghosts of the enemy's guns. ”

At this moment, there was a rush of footsteps not far away, followed by a sound of chirping, although I did not understand very well, but I also understood that the person who spoke was indeed German.

"What can I do?" Oleg became more and more flustered when he heard the Germans nearby.

Shaykin, who had not spoken all this time, turned pale, and after he and I looked at each other, he looked at Oleg again, and finally made up his mind to stand up suddenly, and said decisively: "Comrade division commander, you and the regiment commander stay here, and I will go and lure them away." (To be continued......)