The sewer was wider than Sokov imagined, three meters high and two meters wide, and could accommodate two or three people in parallel. If it weren't for the thick silt on the ground and the unpleasant smell, Sokov even felt that he was walking on the street at night.
The group walked fifty meters ahead along the sewer, and a crossroad appeared. Facing the three passages in front, Vera chose the one on the right without hesitation and led everyone to continue walking forward.
Sokov looked at the surrounding environment and said thoughtfully to Guchakov: "I really didn't expect that there was such an underground passage under this city. If we use this place to mobilize troops, we don't have to worry about enemy artillery or bombing."
"Comrade," Guchakov reminded with a wry smile when he heard Sokov say this, "Don't you think the smell here is too bad?"
"When I first came in, I couldn't stand this smell. But after a long time, I could get used to it. Don't you feel that the smell now is not as bad as it just now!" Sokov replied: "Whether to endure this unpleasant smell, walk the underground passage, or risk the enemy's shelling and bombardment, and rush from the ground to the designated location of the superiors, I believe that all the commanders and soldiers can make wise choices."
Hearing Sokov say this, Guchakov felt that it makes sense. He nodded and thought to himself: Although the smell in the sewer is bad, it will at least not be attacked by the enemy. Maybe more and more troops will mobilize their troops through the sewer in the future.
Under the leadership of Vera, everyone quickly arrived at their destination. After pushing the cement cover, the two soldiers climbed out of the sewer with the help of everyone, and then pulled everyone up from above. Although the building was bombarded by German artillery fire, fortunately, the place where everyone came out had not completely collapsed, and there was enough space to accommodate everyone coming out of the sewer.
Seeing everyone coming out, Sokov asked Vera: "Villa, where is the basement where your family is hiding?"
Vera looked around, then chose a direction and walked forward a few steps. She stopped in front of a pile of rubble, pointed with her hand, and said, "Comrade Commander, the entrance to the basement is here."
Looking at the bricks and stones piled up more than one meter high, Sokov couldn't help but complain in his heart: There were so many bricks and stones blocked at the door, not to mention a dozen people, even a hundred people, and they could not clean up the place in a short while. Vera saw Sokov's embarrassment and begged in a crying voice: "Comrade Commander, my family and many neighbors are trapped in the basement. If you don't help, they will not be able to survive."
When Guchakov heard Vera say this, he couldn't bear to say to Sokov: "Comrade, this girl is very pitiful, let's help her."
"How can we help!" Sokov lowered his voice and said to Guchakov: "You haven't seen the bricks and stones piled up at the door, and there are no special lifting machinery. When will it be cleaned?"
"Comrade, there are many bricks and stones here, but it is not difficult to clean them up." Guchakov explained to Sokov: "There are a few big stones inside. As long as we clean up the surface bricks and stones first and then drag them away, we can rescue the people in the basement."
Sokov listened to the outside and found that the guns and cannons had stopped at some point. It seemed that the German attack was repelled again. He turned his head and looked at Guchakov and asked, "How long do you think it will take to rescue the people in the basement?"
"Two hours." Guchakov thought for a while and replied decisively: "At most two hours, I can rescue the people inside. However, I still need some people to help."
"Don't worry, I will arrange manpower for you." Sokov said: "The guns and cannons outside have stopped. It seems that the enemy's attack was shattered by us again. It's going to be dark. I think if the Germans will not launch another attack, I can draw manpower to help you."
Seeing Guchakov and his friends start cleaning up bricks and stones, Sokov left the place with a soldier, preparing to return to the command center, call Cuikov, and suggesting that other troops use sewers to mobilize troops or establish new defense lines. Who knew that as soon as they came out of the ruins, they heard a voice shouting: "Who, stop, don't move!"
Sokov looked in the direction of the sound, and saw a sailor soldier wearing a black brimmed hat and a black sailor uniform standing not far away. The rifle in his hand was aimed at him. Sokov was worried that any action might stimulate the other party and cause him to shoot, so he stood still and said to him: "I am the division commander Colonel Sokov."
"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." Fortunately, it was not dark at this moment. The sailor recognized Sokov at a glance. He quickly put away his gun and straightened his back to apologize to him: "I didn't recognize you!" After that, he looked at the location where Sokov and the others came out, and asked curiously, "Comrade Commander, how could you come out of this collapsed building?"
"There is a sewer in the command center where I am." Sokov felt that if he wanted to stay here, he would have to let both company commanders understand the importance of the sewer, so he ordered the soldiers, "Can Captain Agranov come to my command center, and I have something to explain to him." After that, he walked towards the building where his command center was located.
The first thing he did when he returned to the command was to pick up the phone and call the command. Perhaps because the war in other areas was fierce, it took more than ten minutes to get the call from the command. When he was about to speak, he saw Seryosha and Agranov walking in from outside. He put his fingers on his lips, made a gesture of silence, and then said to the microphone: "I am Colonel Sokov, please help me find the commander. I have important things to report to him."
The staff officer who answered the phone heard Sokov say that there was something important to find the commander, and did not dare to neglect it. He quickly handed the microphone to Cuikov. After a while, Cuikov's slightly tired voice came from the receiver: "I am Cuikov! Colonel Sokov, is there anything?"
Chapter completed!