Steel Soviet Union

When the illusory dream came to an end, Malashenko, who still seemed to have the warmth of tears on his fingers, finally returned to the still cruel and hellish reality.

"A dream is just a dream after all. I thought I would be able to return to my original world when I woke up. It seems I was just overthinking it."

After dealing with the enemy's armored troops in yesterday's battle, Malashenko, who was almost destroyed, had just returned to the rear with his troops that suffered heavy losses to rest. The severe fatigue and sleepiness came unexpectedly like a tide. The feeling made him fall down on the bed with his shaking and trembling body.

Although this improvised thing made of two iron pipes and a piece of canvas is really difficult to call a "bed" for Malashenko, who has traveled from later generations, it is not suitable for people who are even in the tank at the moment. Being able to sleep and snore loudly is already a rare treat.

He shook his dizzy head and tried to find something to quench his thirst within reach, but unfortunately, the bare environment that looked like a small tent around him ruthlessly gave up the idea.

"I don't know what time it is now or how long I've been sleeping. Anyway, I'd better find something to quench my thirst first."

With this thought in mind, he was about to stand up with his hands on the edge of the bed, but at this moment, a sound of footsteps approaching from far away quietly opened the tent curtain and appeared in Malashenko's field of vision.

"I thought you planned to sleep until tomorrow morning before getting up. It seems those Germans have seriously affected your sleep quality, comrade battalion commander."

After being stunned for a moment, he then took the military kettle handed to him by the man in front of him with a grin. No matter who it was, Malashenko, who had blown it to his lips, immediately raised his head and drank it. The refreshing feeling of Feng Man Nectar instantly reverberates between the lips and teeth, making you feel like you have been reborn.

"Huh, it's a little sweet. Where did you get the water?"

Lavrinenko reached out and took the empty water bottle from Malashenko's hand and drank it all in one breath. Lavrinenko, who smiled evilly, had a rare bad idea.

"I used it to hold urine last night, didn't you taste it?"

""

""

"Say it again, I didn't hear you clearly just now."

Looking at Malashenko's face, which was almost as black as a cooking pot and dripping with water, Lavrinenko waved and smiled and quickly changed the topic back to the topic.

"Okay, okay, I'm just joking with you. You slept for twelve hours from yesterday to now. If the Germans hadn't completely stopped and retreated a full twenty kilometers, I'm afraid you really wouldn't be so good. Chance to sleep for such a long time.”

Twelve hours? Damn it?

He expected that he would sleep like a dead pig for a long time after lying down, but this full 12 hours of sleep time was extremely shocking to Malashenko.

You know, since coming to the battlefield of the Great Patriotic War, Malashenko has not slept for more than 5 hours in the past few months, even when he was transferring his troops on the train. I couldn't sleep all night because of my worries and the shaky quality of Soviet railways.

"You actually slept for so long. What was the final result of the battle?"

"Didn't I tell you just now? After the German armored forces were repulsed, they couldn't hold on for long. They took cover and retreated to a full 20 kilometers away to join the backup forces before they could stop. At least that’s the reconnaissance report sent back by the reconnaissance planes flying in the sky.”

It was different from the Asian Anti-Japanese War battlefields where mostly light infantry fought.

Almost every military conflict and major battle on the Soviet-German battlefield during World War II was a head-to-head competition between technical equipment and heavy firepower. The competition on the endless plains of the Soviet Union was about who had more tanks and whose cannons were more powerful. .

The German army, which had suffered severe losses in technical equipment and armored forces, was forced to carry a large amount of heavy equipment, and the Red Army, supported by the Baltic Fleet's naval guns, was repelled and driven to a place 20 kilometers away from the battle line. Such a result was difficult for Malashenko. From the perspective of later generations of time travellers, it was completely normal and reasonable to place it on the Soviet-German battlefield during World War II.

Before Malashenko, who was thinking for a moment, spoke again, Lavrinenko, who came here with business in mind, suddenly slapped his thigh and spoke again.

"Oh, I almost forgot about the business. Division Commander Solokov came here two hours ago, but you were sleeping soundly at that time. He also asked me not to wake up our combat hero and let you have a good rest. The commander of the front army in the city The department asked you to come over after you wake up. Comrade the division commander asked me to tell you this, but it didn’t mention what you were asked to do. "

Front Army Headquarters? Comrade Lao Zhu?

Thinking that he, a little lieutenant colonel, was always personally summoned by Zhukov, who was the commander of the front army, Malashenko always felt that there was something inexplicable and indescribable weirdness in it. He really felt a little awkward, but he came from Leningrad. Naturally, he, a small tank commander, had no right to refuse orders from the front army headquarters.

"Okay, the order from the Front Army Headquarters is extremely urgent and cannot be ignored. I will sort out the past reports."

Before Malashenko, who had simply tidied up, was about to get into the car and leave, Colonel Donskoi, the commander of the 21st Infantry Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' Border Guard, who suffered heavy losses in the battle, found Malashenko at the last moment. .

This man, who is 1.9 meters tall and wearing a green-brimmed military cap unique to the Border Guards of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was as excited as a common citizen in later generations who would like to thank the people's police for saving his life. He gave Malashenko a big bear hug, so strong that Malashenko, who was caught off guard, had difficulty breathing.

"Comrade Malashenko, the gratitude in my heart cannot be overstated! Your timely support saved the entire 21st Infantry Division of Internal Affairs and Border Defense. On behalf of all the officers and soldiers of our division, I would like to express my gratitude to you! You and the tank crews under your command are the best Great!"

Although Colonel Donskoy's military rank is only one level higher than that of Malashenko, who has just been promoted to lieutenant colonel, in an army where seniority is the basic rule from top to bottom, this man's true feelings are revealed to the point where he almost loses his temper. The colonel of the border guard force of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, whose tears were wiped from his eyes, could take the initiative to come to Malashenko to express his gratitude. It is natural to imagine how much pressure he was under at the critical last moment.

Seeing the extremely grateful expression on the face of the colonel in front of him, who was grinning almost to his ears, Malashenko, who smiled and shook hands in agreement, had never really taken his support too seriously before.