"This is the problem that makes us headache," Politic said: "If we want to retreat to the east of our defense line in an organized manner, we will definitely fight with the enemy along the way. How many people can safely reach the destination is still an unknown number. If the opponent chooses to break the whole into pieces and pass through the German defense line in the form of a small team, there is also a great danger. Once discovered by the enemy, there is a possibility of being defeated one by one. It is precisely because of this that we send a telegram asking for help, hoping to get help from friendly forces."

"Comrade Colonel," Sokov looked at the radio station not far away and raised his own question: "Why did you choose to send a telegram for help yesterday? Why did your radio station remain silent before that?"

"The reason is very simple, comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Polytic replied with a wry smile: "Our radio station cannot be used for a long time because it does not have batteries. It is precisely because of this that we completely lost contact with our superiors for three months. Yesterday, we obtained the batteries needed by the radio station through the comrades of the guerrillas, and then we regained the contact with the outside world."

"Oh, so that's it." After hearing Polytic's explanation, Sokov finally understood why this army appeared in the eyes of the crowd again after losing contact for so long. He then asked: "Comrade Colonel, have your radio station been officially used, have you not contacted your superior immediately?"

"Of course I contacted it, but unfortunately there was no reply." Polytic said with a painful expression: "Maybe they were annihilated by the enemy."

Since the outbreak of the war, not only did the Soviet army's army's army annihilated by the German army, but even the Western Front Command did not escape such a misfortune. The senior commanders in the headquarters were either captured or sacrificed, which caused the Soviet army to lose many excellent commanders. Politic's superiors could not get in touch, which should be the case.

Since Politic's superior is gone, as long as he can bring his troops back to the defense zone of the 16th Army, this army can naturally accept Rokosovsky's command without worrying about any dispute over jurisdiction.

"Comrade Colonel, since you cannot contact your original superior, then after the troops return to our army's defense zone eastward, they can be directly assigned to the command of the 16th Army." Sokov looked at Polytic and asked, "You won't have any objections, do you?"

"As long as my troops can return to our military defense zone smoothly, no matter who is under command, I will firmly obey the arrangements of my superiors." Politic said: "But the problem we are facing now is how to bring this troops back to my defense zone?"

Just as several people were worried about how the troops were evacuated, a second lieutenant came in and reported to Politic: "Comrade Commander, the soldiers who were sent to reconnaissance have returned, and they have also brought back a wounded officer."

"Wounded officer?" Politic couldn't help but raise his eyebrows after listening to the soldiers' report, and then asked, "Where are they now?"

“It’s outside the church.”

"Let them in quickly."

Soon, Sokov saw a Soviet lieutenant who was not wearing a military cap and still had blood on his forehead, following several soldiers.

When the lieutenant saw Sokov, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it quickly turned into doubt.

Sokov's eyes were sharp. Seeing the change in the lieutenant's eyes, he couldn't help but have doubts in his heart: "Why did he have such a strange look when he sees himself?"

Just as they were thinking, the people had already walked to Polytic.

After saluting Polytic, a sergeant reported respectfully: "Comrade Commander, we have successfully completed the reconnaissance mission. In the designated area, no trace of the enemy was found. It seems that they did not find that we had transferred."

Polytic stared at the lieutenant and asked the scout: "Comrade Sergeant, where did this lieutenant emerge?"

"Comrade Commander, this is how it is." The sergeant quickly explained to Politic: "On the way back, we suddenly heard gunshots from the forest. I took people to take a look and found that the lieutenant was being chased by the Germans, so we shot and repelled the enemy and rescued him."

"Lieutenant, what part are you from and why is it here?"

Hearing Polytic's question, the lieutenant immediately saluted him and said politely: "Hello, comrade Colonel, I am Lieutenant Grande, an officer of the Intelligence Agency. Unfortunately, when I was performing a reconnaissance mission, I was caught by the Germans. They beat me up and knocked me out. When I woke up, I found myself lying under a tree, and the Germans who were watching over me were smoking next to me. I took advantage of his inattention and quietly escaped. Who knew that they had not escaped, but they were discovered by the Germans, and they immediately chased me with weapons."

Lieutenant Grande turned his head and glanced at the scout next to him, and said in a grateful tone: "Fortunately, the scouts under your command were lucky. They repelled the Germans chasing me and saved me." Speaking of this, he reached out to pat the scouts' shoulders, "Thank you, Comrade Sergeant, if you weren't for you, I would definitely die under the German gun."

"Sanitary, health officer!" Politic saw that Lieutenant Grande's forehead was still bleeding, so he called to the side twice. As he shouted, a female health officer ran over with a medical box. He pointed at Grande with his hand and said, "The lieutenant is injured, please bandage him."

The female health officer agreed and came to Lieutenant Grande and said politely: "Comrade Lieutenant, please sit down first. You are too tall and I can't reach it."

Grande sat down on a chair next to him, and while the female health worker was cleaning the blood on her forehead, he asked Polytic in a casual tone: "Comrade Colonel, what are these Germans from?"

Seeing Polytich was about to tell him his identity, Sokov quickly shook his head at him and gave a few winks, indicating that he would not tell him his true identity.

Although Politic did not understand why Sokov gave himself such a hint, he did not tell the truth to Grande: "These Germans were just captured by us, but unfortunately we do not have anyone who understands German here and cannot interrogate them."

Hearing Polytic say this, Grand immediately recommended himself: "Comrade Colonel, as an official of the Intelligence Bureau, I know some German. If you don't object, I can help you interrogate these prisoners."

"You want to help us interrogate the prisoners?" Polytic looked at Sokov as he spoke, and saw that the other party nodded slightly, indicating that he could accept the other party's proposal, he nodded and said, "Okay, Lieutenant Grande, please help us interrogate the prisoners."

The conversation between Polytic and Grande puzzled Haranchuk and several staff officers next to him. Everyone looked at each other and saw doubts in each other's eyes. Everyone knew that Sokov was his own person. Why did he become a German prisoner again in a blink of an eye and be questioned?

Fortunately, everyone was silent and no one spoke, which avoided the possibility of being in trouble.

Soon, the "interrogation" of Sokov and others began with the cooperation of Lieutenant Grande.

"Your name, position and military rank," Polytic asked pretending.

Lieutenant Grand truthfully translated what Polytic said to Sokov and others.

After Grande finished speaking, Sokov deliberately pretended to be arrogant and said, "My name is Moritz, and his rank is major. Apart from that, I will not answer any questions you have."

After Grande translated Sokov's words to Polytic, he added: "Comrade Colonel, this German man looks a bit stubborn. Otherwise, we can use some special means to obtain useful information from his mouth?"

"There is no need to be punished." Politic naturally understood what Grande meant, so he shook his head and rejected his proposal: "We are lonely soldiers behind enemy lines. Even if we ask for any military intelligence, it will not be of much use."

Grande turned to Sokov and said, "Major Moritz, our superiors said, if you are not honest, you will drag you out and shoot."

Among the few people standing behind Sokov, Zhu Kewen was the only one who knew German. The other three people heard what Grande said, and their faces were full of confusion. Zhu Kewen looked surprised, because he had never heard Polytic say what Grande said. He was puzzled by Sokov's actions and immediately understood Sokov's intentions. This lieutenant who claimed to be Grande was a brigade commander who was testing the other party.

Sokov sneered at Grande, and then said, "Mr. Lieutenant, please tell your sir, that we, as your captives, hope to enjoy the treatment that the captives deserve."

"Mr. Major, if you do not cooperate with us, you will be dragged out and shot soon. I am afraid you will not have the chance to enjoy the treatment of prisoners of war."

Sokov heard that the other party was actually making his own decisions and was even more suspicious of his identity, but he tried hard to remain calm and asked in a steady tone: "Mr. Lieutenant, you speak German well. Have you been in Germany before?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Grande hesitated for a moment, and then replied: "I have studied in Germany before, so I can speak German."

"You speak German well," Sokov looked at Grande and said with interest: "If I only heard you speak but did not see you, I would definitely think you were an authentic German."

Polytic, who was beside him, saw Grande and Sokov mutteringly, slapped the table with his hands and asked, "Comrade Lieutenant, you have been talking about what you are talking about with this German guy for a long time."

"Comrade Colonel." Grande quickly defended himself: "I am persuading him, hoping that he can give him useful information. Give me some more time and I will definitely let him confess."

"Okay, okay." Polytic pretended to be impatient and said to Grande: "You keep asking, be sure to get some useful information."

Seeing that Polytic allowed him to continue chatting with Sokov and others, Grande was secretly happy. He turned his head and looked at Sokov and said, "Mr. Major, do you really not consider my proposal? If you provide us with useful information, we can allow you to enjoy the treatment you deserve. If you do not confess..."

"What are you going to do if you don't confess?" Sokov asked with a sneer, "Drag us out and shoot them all?"

Grande may not have expected Sokov to say such things, and after a brief silence, he said awkwardly: "This may exist. If you refuse to confess, they may indeed shoot you all."

"Shoot if you kill, what's so great." Zhu Kewen, who was originally silent, suddenly stepped forward and shouted at Grande: "For a German officer, even if he dies, he cannot violate his military oath and become a shameful traitor."

Grande, who was already tempting each other with Sokov, saw Zhukowen being so excited and quickly said to Sokov: "Mr. Major, please let your subordinates be more restrained. If they anger the Russians, they are likely to drag you out and shoot you."

Sokov smiled on his face. He had originally suspected that the lieutenant named Grande in front of him had a problem. Now that he heard him say this, he immediately had an answer in his heart. Maybe any Soviet commander and fighter would call him Russians. The person who could speak this word, even if he was wearing the Soviet uniform, was just a German disguised as the Soviet army.

"Mr. Lieutenant, I am from the Brandenburg regiment. What part are you from?" Sokov asked in German directly.

When Grand heard Sokov's question, he panicked at first, and then replied calmly: "Mr. Major, you are wrong. I am not a German."

"Okay, don't hide it, Lieutenant." Sokov said incisively: "No one except us, would call them Russians. If I'm not wrong, you are your own people in Russian uniforms. I know all the officers of the Brandenburg regiment, but I have never seen you. What part of you are, the Gestapo or the SS?"

Faced with Sokov's step-by-step questioning, Grande hesitated for a long time and finally said slowly: "Mr. Major, I don't understand what you are talking about. You must have made a mistake. I am not a German."

Seeing that the time was right, Sokov turned to Polytic and said, "Comrade Colonel, I can conclude that this person is a German spy and can arrest him."

Grande heard Sokov suddenly speak Russian and his face turned like a mortal. He reached out to touch the pistol at his waist, and several guns were pointed at him around him. He could only give up the idea of ​​resisting and surrender obediently.

Seeing that Lieutenant Grande was arrested, Lieutenant Colonel Haranthuk, who had been silent for a long time, couldn't help but ask Sokov: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, how did you judge that he was disguised by a German?"
Chapter completed!