The sudden change made the scene in the headquarters a little chaotic, and all the soldiers who rushed in were unwilling to let their division commander be restrained by me like this, and pointed their guns at me one after another.

"Put the gun down!" "Let go of our division commander!"

Looking at the muzzles of those black holes, I couldn't help but feel a little weak in my legs, I must know that this is on someone's territory, at this time both sides are highly nervous, once someone can't help but pull the trigger, they can beat me into a honeycomb in an instant. But now it is difficult to ride a tiger, and I can only carry it hard, I shouted at those commanders and fighters: "Put down your guns, or I will shoot!" As he spoke, he poked Dorofeev's bald head with the barrel of his gun.

Dorofeev, who I put a gun to the head, although he was a womanizer, was acting extremely disgraceful at the moment, and he actually persuaded me calmly: "Major Oshanina, I want to remind you that this is the territory of my 378th Division. I advise you to let me go immediately, or you will be shot to death as soon as I give the order. ”

His words made me panic for a moment, and my breathing became heavy because of the nervousness, and my fingers trembled, and I almost pulled the trigger. Fortunately, I quickly returned to normal, poked him in the head with the barrel of the gun, and said indignantly: "Comrade Colonel, we can take a gamble." I can shoot you in the head before your men shoot. ”

"Put your guns down!" After a brief silence, Dorofeev issued an order to his men. After seeing that all the commanders and fighters lowered their guns as ordered, he picked up the cigarette case on the table, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. In order to prevent him from playing tricks, I still put the muzzle of my gun on his head, trying to keep the initiative in my own hands. Seeing that Ulanova was still standing by the wall in a daze, he hurriedly called him: "Ulanova, go and bandage Comrade Samoilov's wounds, lest he die from excessive bleeding." ”

Ulanova agreed, crouched down to check the injury on Samoilov's leg. She lifted her trouser leg to look at it, turned her head and asked the group of commanders and fighters behind her, "Which of you has a first-aid kit?" ”

"I have!" "I have!" The commanders rushed to answer and handed their first-aid kits to Ulanova. Ulanova grabbed one casually and began to bandage Samoilov. When the bandage was finished, she asked two warriors to carry him to sit down across from us. She came behind me, wiped her sweat, and whispered, "I didn't hurt my bones, as long as I needed to rest for a few days, I would be fine." ”

Although the other party's gun was put down, and the wounded chief of staff bandaged his wounds, I couldn't let Dorofeev go, because I didn't know what cruel means he would use against me once he let him go.

Just as I was in a dilemma, the high-frequency phone on my desk suddenly rang, startling me and almost pulling the trigger. After taking a deep breath, I pointed a gun at Samoilov, who was sitting across from us: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you pick up the phone, maybe an important one. ”

Samoilov glanced at me, picked up the phone with a blank face, and said into the microphone: "Hey, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Samoilov, chief of staff of the 378th Division, who are you?" ”

The other party may have declared his identity, and Samoilov, who was originally sitting, hurriedly stood up with his hands on the table and said respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Commander of the Group Army. What are your instructions? After hearing what the other party said, he was obviously stunned for a moment, and then said in a slumped voice: "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, Captain Boroda is not at the division headquarters at the moment, he took the detachment to find the whereabouts of General Vlasov." ”

"I said old man, who's calling?" Colonel Dorofeev asked in a low voice.

Samoilov hurriedly covered the microphone and said in the same low voice: "It was the commander of the army group, General Korovnikov, who called, and he said that he had an important task to convey to Captain Boroda. ”

"Please tell Comrade Commander that Captain Boroda is not there, tell us something, and when the captain returns, we will relay the order to him."

Hearing Dorofeev say this, Samoilov immediately understood, and said cautiously into the microphone: "Report to Comrade Commander, although Captain Boroda is not there, you can tell me what tasks you have, and as soon as the captain returns, I will relay the order to him." I don't know what the other party said in the microphone, Samoilov's face changed, and then he handed me the microphone and said: "Major Oshanina, Comrade Commander of the Army Group wants to speak to you. ”

I held the gun in my right hand and continued to aim it at Dorofeev's head, took the phone with my left hand, and greeted the microphone: "Hello, I'm Major Oshanina!" ”

"Hello, Comrade Major." The other party's hearty laughter came from the microphone, "Let me introduce myself to you first, my name is Ivan Terentievich Korovnikov, the commander of the 59th Army." ”

"Hello, Comrade Commander!" I quickly straightened up and asked respectfully, "Do you have any instructions?" I am at your command. ”

General Kolovnikov was silent for a few seconds before he continued: "I have just received an order from the commander of the Front, General Meretskov, to hand over the command of the 378th Infantry Division to you and the adjutant, Captain Boroda. Since the lieutenant is not here, then I will issue this appointment directly to you. Act now, major, and prepare to take over the command of the division. By the way, give the phone to Colonel Dorofeev, I have a few more words to say to him. ”

When I handed the microphone to Dorofeev, I put the gun in my hand back in its holster, since I had already received the order to receive this division, these people would be my subordinates, and if they lent them ten guts, no one would dare to shoot at me in person.

When Dorofeev put down the phone, the expression on his face was similar to that of his dead father, and with a sad face, he said to me: "Comrade Major, I have received an order to transfer the command of the division to you and Captain Boroda. You see, we're going to hand it over now, or we're going to hand it over when Captain Boroda returns. ”

"Don't wait, I'm back!" The voice came from the doorway, and then a commanding officer pushed aside the soldier who was blocking the doorway, and walked straight in, he was none other than Captain Boroda, who had been separated from me in the morning. He walked up to Dorofeev and said coldly: "Comrade Colonel, I was ordered to take over the command of the 378th Infantry Division. ”

Dorofeev stood up, saluted me and Boroda, and said loudly: "Report to Comrade Major and Captain, Colonel Dorofeev, the former commander of the 378th Division, has been ordered to hand over the command of the division to you. ”

Boroda nodded, did not pay attention to Dorofeev and Samoilov, but turned to the commanders behind him and asked, "Who among you is in charge?" ”

A major stood up and saluted Captain Boroda and said, "Hello, Comrade Captain. I am the Chief of the General Staff, Major Antonov, may I ask you for any instructions? ”

"Gather all the commanders above the battalion level," Boroda raised his hand and looked at his watch, and continued to instruct: "Let them rush to the division headquarters for a meeting as soon as possible within an hour, and there are important tasks to be arranged." Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Captain!" Major Antonov answered cleanly, and I knew in my heart that this was only a superficial phenomenon, and I felt uncomfortable about constantly saluting someone of a lower rank than myself.

Seeing that the major had gone on his mission, Captain Boroda sneered softly, and then ordered the fighters who were following him: "The four of you, in groups of two, are responsible for the safety of Colonel Dorofeev and Lieutenant Colonel Samoilov. Remember, you must ensure the personal safety of the two commanders, and if anything happens, I will only ask you. ”

After Boroda's men took Dorofeev and Samoilov away, Boroda drove all the commanders and fighters gathered around the door out of the house before sitting down again.

I wonder how Boroda could have been in this place at this moment, knowing that he had said that he would go to the vicinity of the village to continue the search for Vlasov's whereabouts. I thought I wouldn't see each other for at least two or three days, but I didn't expect to see each other again after only a few hours apart. I asked curiously: "Comrade Captain, didn't you go to the vicinity of the village of Pyatnitsa to find the whereabouts of General Vlasov, why did you come back so quickly?" ”

Captain Boroda said with a serious face: "When I was on my mission, I received an order from the commander of the front army through the on-board radio, telling me to rush back to the headquarters of the 378th Division immediately and take over the 378th Division with you. The order also says that you will temporarily assume the position of division commander while I serve as your chief of staff. ”