Chapter 80 The Sunset (Part 1)

The fortress area on the old Soviet-Polish border was originally intended to defend against any battle that might occur in this direction, such as a possible invasion by the Poles.

Although it sounds funny, the Soviet leadership at the time considered it a possible event for the small country of Poland to launch an active attack on the behemoth Soviet Union. In addition, the use of force to regain territory belonging to the old Tsarist Russian Empire belonged to the top leadership of the Soviet Union. It is one of man's established strategies, and it is not wrong to make early military preparations.

But now, this border fortress area that originally lost its function due to the joint invasion and partition of Poland by the Soviet Union and Germany has once again played a temporary role due to the collapse of the Soviet frontline battle group - led by Rokossovsky. The 9th Mechanized Corps temporarily served as a rest camp.

After the extremely brutal massacre of steel and blood from Lutsk to Brod, the 9th Mechanized Corps, which originally had the 20th Tank Division, the 35th Tank Division, and the 131st Motorized Infantry Division, had been fighting for many days. During the forced march and more than a week of fierce battles with the Germans, the vast majority of tanks and more than half of the troops were lost.

Now, compared to the full strength of the 9th Mechanized Army in its heyday, it can only be said to be a group of scarred and defeated troops.

With only dozens of barely usable tanks of various types remaining, the "mechanical" title of the 9th Mechanized Corps became a false title. The two tank divisions and one motorized infantry division under its jurisdiction were both reduced by more than half, which made the entire 9th Mechanized Corps even more devastated. 9 The mechanized army has theoretically lost the capital to continue fighting.

It has long been known that the Soviet army's defeat in the early stages of Operation Barbarossa was inevitable, but Malashenko himself was unable to change this situation with his own meager efforts.

Sitting quietly on the lawn next to the reinforced concrete fortification, staring at the setting sun in the distance, Malashenko, who had been in this strange world for half a month, felt a heartfelt feeling about his future for the first time. worries and inexplicable fears.

"I survived this battle, but what about next time?"

"If nothing else goes wrong, the Battle of Smolensk is about to begin, and the tragedy of the siege of Kiev is also advancing step by step according to the original historical trend. A small nail that has traveled into the inherent world from outside is not enough to stop the imperial chariot. The track continues to move forward according to its original trajectory, and the principle of the butterfly effect does not apply to everyone. "

Clenching his fists and feeling the golden sunset that filled his body, Malashenko, who had been exhausted in the previous battles, began to think of his life before time travel and his original identity for the first time.

Although Lin Jie, who was born in a peaceful era, had complained countless times in his heart with passionate words such as "My men aspire to the stars and the sea, but they will never be with me", when Lin Jie truly came to the world as a time traveler from later generations, On the most brutal and bloody Soviet-German battlefield during World War II, this kind of incomparable yearning and desire for peace that was unique to people in this war era finally sprouted for the first time in Lin Jie, who had become Malashenko. .

"Without this war, many good people would not have died, and Iushkin would not be lying on the hospital bed with bandages."

"I saved others in this battle, but will anyone come to save me in the next battle? Will I end up buried in a steel coffin like those roasted, carbonized corpses? After I die, who will remember Malashenko's name? Is there anything more tragic in this world than disappearing from the original world and being forgotten by the world I traveled to?"

When the enthusiasm soaked in blood and gunpowder smoke gradually cooled down with the end of the battle, what was left in the heart of Malashenko, a young man who became increasingly lonely and gradually panicked and had no one to accompany him, was only the hope for the future. There is a sense of pessimism and uncertainty about the life that may be lost at any time.

Seeing the lonely and desolate back of the young man within his close field of vision, Commissar Petrov sighed and strengthened his will, then took off the big-brimmed hat on his head. Take a step forward.

"Are you homesick again? Boy."

Malashenko, who was startled by the sudden words beside him and who did not expect Petrov's political commissar to suddenly appear next to him at this time, immediately responded with words that were too frightened.

"Comrade Political Commissar, you are here. Sorry, I was distracted just now. Please"

Seeing that he was caught off guard and was obviously startled by his quiet words, Malashenko immediately stood up to salute him. He had already given up on this rare and outstanding young man in front of him who had performed well in battle. Instead of the political commissar airs held by ordinary soldiers, Lieutenant Colonel Petrov, who looked more like a friendly uncle next door, immediately raised his right arm and patted Malashenko lightly on the shoulder.

"When there are no outsiders, please call me Uncle Peter, Malashenko. I prefer this more affectionate title to you calling me Comrade Political Commissar. What do you think?"

After being slightly stunned when he heard the unexpected words from the political commissar Petrov in front of him, Malashenko, who was stunned for a while and finally felt that there was nothing wrong, then nodded mechanically.

"Okay, little Malashenko, from now on I will be your Uncle Peter."

"Now, the uncle who came to your house is very curious about what you were thinking when you were sitting here looking at the sun just now. Let me guess, as expected, you are homesick, right?"

Carrying his identity as a traveler from another future world in his heart, he kept silent. Seeing Malashenko sitting on the lawn next to him and not speaking, Petrov then continued to speak leisurely.

"If you don't say anything, I'll take it as your acquiescence, Malashenko."

In his understatement, he seemed to be able to follow the setting sun and go back to the prosperous years of his youth decades ago. In his heart, after comparing himself with Malashenko, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion. The political commissar husband continued to speak leisurely.

"Looking back now, that must have been many years ago, Malashenko."

"At that time, just like you now, I was shouting slogans of faith on the battlefield, holding on to the belief of victory in serving the motherland and defending the Soviet Union, and fighting to the death against the white bandits and the little bourgeoisie."

After finishing his words, he accidentally glanced at Malashenko's short black hair from the corner of his eye. He reached out his hand and touched his forehead, which was almost "Mediterranean". The political commissar couldn't help but laugh.

"Of course, compared to now, at that time, like you, I also had handsome hair that made girls happy."