"I heard that he had hid in a crater and sang the Internationale in a crater before surrendering to our army." Just as Gurdiev finished speaking, before Sokov could make a statement, Bere interrupted and asked again: "I don't know if this is true?"
"Yes, there is indeed such a thing." Sokov heard it with his own ears when Ball sang the Internationale, so he said in a positive tone: "When he sang, Colonel Gurdiev and I were present."
"Since he can sing the Internationale, even if he is not a member of the German Communist Party, he should be a person who sympathizes with the German Communist Party." After learning what he knew from Sokov, Bere said with a clear attitude: "I think I can let him go back. Let him tell the enemy that this position is still in the hands of their own people, so as to gain more time for us."
Seeing that Bereh had agreed to let Bauer go, Gurdiev became a little undecided, so he could only turn his eyes to Sokov and asked tentatively: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what did you think about it, or not?"
"I think Colonel Bere makes sense. Whether he is a member of the German Communist Party or not, he can't be a dead and hard-working member just by knowing the Internationale." After making his own decision, Sokov turned his head and asked Gurdiev: "Comrade Colonel, are the weapons and ammunition in your division now in a serious shortage?"
"That's right, after a series of battles, our division's ammunition was almost exhausted. After seizing this position, although some German equipment was seized, it still could not meet the needs of high-intensity combat." After answering Sokov's question, Gurdiev suddenly thought, discussing whether to release Ball, why did he suddenly talk about his lack of ammunition? He asked in confusion: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I don't understand, what is the connection with whether to release Ball?"
When Sokov and his friends were discussing how to deal with Ball, Ball standing opposite him was anxious. Although he heard the three officers in front of him constantly mentioning his names, he could not understand Russian at all and didn't know what the other party was saying. He looked at Askel beside him for help, hoping to understand the inside story from him. Unexpectedly, Askel and his eyes turned around and looked elsewhere, without any idea of ​​translating Ball.
"Didn't Colonel Bere just now that after we release Ball, we ask him to bring fake news to the Germans, so that the German commander would think that the position here is still in their hands." Seeing Gurdiev's puzzled look, Sokov explained to him: "In order to make everything appear more realistic, I also plan to ask Ball to report to the German commander, saying that the ammunition on the position is seriously insufficient and hope that he can provide supplements. At the same time, in order to facilitate contact, it is best to provide us with two more radio stations."
After hearing Sokov's words, Bere and Gurdiev both showed shocked expressions on their faces. In order not to embarrass Sokov, Gurdiev said tactfully: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I don't think the Germans will agree to these conditions you have put forward."
"If you don't try, how do you know if it's OK?" Sokov said this and looked up at Askel who was standing beside Ball, and told him, "Comrade Captain, please tell Corporal Ball, and we will let him go back."
When Ball heard that Sokov was going to let him go back, he was overjoyed and kept talking nonstop. Although Sokov couldn't understand what he was saying, he could understand that he was expressing his gratitude to him. After Ball calmed down, Sokov continued: "Corporal Ball, we don't have any conditions to let you go back. I hope you can do something for us."
Ball, who was eager to get out, couldn't wait to ask after listening to Askel's translation: "Mr. Lieutenant Colonel, what conditions do you have? Even if you propose it, I will do it as long as I can."
"I want you to go back and tell your division commander that this position is still in the hands of your own people." Sokov looked at Ball and said expressionlessly: "But the troops have not much ammunition, I hope he can send someone to replenish us as soon as possible. At the same time, the radio station in the battalion was broken and could not contact the division headquarters and the regiment headquarters. It is best to add two more radio stations to us."
Ball never dreamed that the exchange conditions proposed by Sokov to him were to ask him to go back and deceive his commander. He felt his legs were weak, and he squatted on the ground with his hands in his arms, and a fierce ideological struggle broke out in his mind.
Seeing that Ball had been in a battle between heaven and man after hearing what he said, Sokov struck while the iron was hot, "Corporal Ball, I understand your psychology very well. If you really follow what I said, go back to report to your commander, once you are seen through, you may be shot immediately. But I also remind you that if you do not agree to our conditions, I can order someone to shoot you immediately; but if you are willing to cooperate with us, deceive your commander and get the weapons and ammunition we need, you can return here with the ammunition vehicle. Where to go, you should consider it yourself?"
Sokov gave Ball two choices: one is to shoot him immediately if he did not agree to cooperate; the other is to actively cooperate, and then return with the ammunition truck to escape safely. He didn't know what the other party would choose. While staring at the other party with his eyes tightly, his hand unconsciously placed on the gun holster at his waist. Once Ball chose to refuse, he would draw his gun and shoot without hesitation.
When Ball saw Sokov's small moves, he murmured in his heart: If he refuses, he will be shot immediately; but if he really wants to go back and deceive the superior, he will not be able to escape death once he is seen through. His eyes rolled, and a new idea suddenly popped up in his mind: I can pretend to agree to them, and after returning to the division headquarters, I will report the real situation to the superior, so that I can escape danger and escape death.
However, Sokov saw this idea. Sokov snorted coldly and said, "Corporal Ball, I warn you not to have any bad ideas. Do you think you pretend to agree to cooperate with us and escape safely and then report to your commander. Don't forget that many of us are watching you sing the Internationale and surrender to us. Think about it, if your commander knows this, will he bypass your life?"
Ball didn't expect that the little Jiujiu in his heart would be seen so clearly by Sokov, and hurriedly replied: "I dare not, I dare not! Mr. Lieutenant Colonel, if you let me go back, I will report to my superiors as you said."
Seeing that Ball made a promise, Sokov decided to believe him, and said to Gurdiev: "Comrade Colonel, since Corporal Ball is willing to cooperate with us, let him go."
"Okay, comrade comrade brigade commander." Gurdiev knew that it was a foregone conclusion that he let go of Ball. No matter how much he objected, Sokov would not change his mind. So he nodded and cooperated and said, "I will arrange someone immediately and send him out of our defense zone and let him go back to the Germans."
"By the way, is his motorcycle still usable?" Sokov thought of the motorcycle that was lying on the ground and asked again: "If he didn't have a motorcycle, it might affect our plan."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, don't worry about this. There are soldiers in my place who can repair vehicles." Seeing Gurdiev seemed a little hesitant, Bereh quickly interrupted and said, "Even if it is broken, my people can repair the car in the shortest time."
When Ball was shot by the Soviet army, the motorcycle's wheel was broken. Fortunately, there were spare motorcycle tires on the position, so Bele's men immediately replaced it. More than ten minutes later, Ball rode his motorcycle away from the position and galloped towards the division headquarters dozens of kilometers away.
Looking at Ball's back as he left, Sokov immediately ordered Gurdiev: "Comrade Colonel, immediately order people to collect the uniforms of German soldiers and let your people change them. In this way, even if a small German army appears, they will not easily see the flaws."
Hearing Sokov's order, Gurdiev said with some embarrassment: "But, comrade commander, friendly troops are about to come to take over. Once they see that they are wearing German uniforms on their positions, will there be a misunderstanding?"
"Col. Gurdiev, don't worry about this. The commanders and fighters on the south side of the hillside have all changed into German uniforms; while the comrades on the north side of the hillside still wear their current military uniforms, so that they will not have misunderstandings with friendly troops." In order to reassure Gurdiev, Sokov also pointed at Askell, who was standing not far away: "Besides, we have friendly liaison officers here. Even if all of us are wearing German uniforms, when friendly troops appear, as long as Captain Askell contacts, unnecessary misunderstandings can be avoided."
Gurdiev felt that Sokov's words were very reasonable, so he quickly called his subordinates to remove the fairly complete military uniforms from the German corpses and handed them over to the soldiers who were busy in the positions on the south side of the hillside.
While Gurdiev was busy, Bere handed a cigarette to Sokov and asked curiously: "Comrade Brigade Commander, do you think the Germans will send us ammunition?"
"If Corporal Ball had cooperated with him, I think the enemy would still send us some ammunition." Sokov set off the matches, lit the lightning first, then lit the cigarette in his mouth, and then took a sip and said, "We are fishing in troubled waters. Whether we can catch big fish depends on our luck."
Chapter completed!