After the long bombardment ended, the close-range firefight that Wei Ran imagined did not happen. After the two sides poured out artillery shells on each other's positions for more than an hour, they tacitly chose to stop fighting at a certain moment, as if they had just stopped.
It was as if nothing had happened. The only evidence that a firefight had just occurred may be the wounded in the trenches and bunkers and the still twitching corpses.
Under the busy work of the stretcher team, the surviving wounded were sent to the birch forest at the rear after simple treatment. The dead soldiers were also carried away at the end, while the surviving soldiers were carried away by a young company commander.
Under the command, they were busy reinforcing the muddy trenches with various found raw materials.
After removing the shrapnel embedded in the wound of the last wounded man and suturing the wound, Wei Ran left the bandaging work to Nurse Lano, while he himself was called by Doctor Pasha outside the bunker filled with the smell of gunpowder smoke and blood.
"Victor, are you really a reporter?" As Dr. Pasha spoke, he took out a crumpled cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Wei Ran, "Or to put it another way, were you really a veterinarian before?"
"I am indeed a journalist, and I was indeed a veterinarian before."
Wei Ran politely declined the other party's cigarette and explained with a serious look, "Of course, I used to treat people occasionally."
"Would you like to consider working at the first aid station?" Pasha extended the invitation with an expectant look. "Although it is certainly more difficult to treat the wounded, it is at least safer than your job as a war reporter."
"This kind of thing is not something you and I can decide."
Wei Ran looked around and said, "Doctor Pasha, look at the soldiers around you. I'm sure that some of them may have been professional doctors. They certainly don't mind helping their comrades around them when they are injured, but they also
I would never choose to lay down my weapons and pick up the scalpel."
“What the journalist comrade said is right.”
The young company commander who was directing soldiers to reinforce trenches not far away came over and said, "Although there are no doctors or veterinarians in my company, there are skiers, a primary school teacher, and a lawyer."
Having said this, the company commander first saluted, then stretched out his hand and said, "I am Valentin, thank you for your help."
"Pasha"
"Victor"
After the three of them announced their names and shook hands, Company Commander Valentin asked with some anticipation, "Comrade reporter, are we going to have a Soviet hero here soon?"
"Why do you ask?" Wei Ran asked pretending to be curious.
"Everyone knows that if there is a Pravda reporter station, someone's photo will definitely be published in the newspaper. If you are lucky enough to be published in the newspaper, you may have a chance to be interviewed by Comrade Stalin."
Valentin deliberately raised his voice and said with a smile in his eyes, "Who doesn't want to be a hero of the Soviet Union? Who doesn't want his or her photo to be published in Pravda? I'm afraid only those cowards who pretend to be injured are worried about being photographed by your camera.
The wound caused by it.”
Wei Ran and Dr. Pasha, as well as Nurse Lano who had just come out of the bunker, immediately understood the intention of Captain Valentin. He was obviously trying to boost the morale of the surrounding soldiers who were eavesdropping on the conversation, and by the way, warned those who were trying to
What about deserters who leave the battlefield by injuring themselves and losing their ability to fight?
Doctor Pasha spread his hands and laughed loudly, "It seems that the work of a reporter is indeed more important than that of a doctor. Company Commander Valentin, I bet you will have a Soviet hero here soon."
Now that he understood the intention of the young company commander, Wei Ran naturally wanted to accompany him to continue the play at this time, so he also slightly raised his voice and said, "Captain Valentin, if you have time, why not provide it to me?"
How about some clues? I think there must be some real Soviet heroes in this area who deserve to be on the front page of Pravda."
"Before the Germans attack us, why not come together and sit in our fortress!"
Valentin blinked and motioned to Dr. Wei Ran and Pasha, as well as Nurse Lano, who was listening to the excitement, to follow him into a bunker not far away.
This bunker, which Valentin called a "fortress", was not much better than the previous bunker when treating the wounded. It was just that there was a layer of empty ammunition boxes under the feet and it looked a little drier. The surrounding walls were covered with thigh-thick logs.
It's just wrapped in a circle.
Inviting the three people from Wei Ran to sit down around a crude wooden table in the center of the bunker, Valentin put away the battle map spread on the table, and used his sleeves to clean the dirt that fell on the table from above his head, and then put the
The kerosene lamp without a glass shade was dimmed a little brighter, and then he said, "Doctor Pasha, I heard the soldiers said that you have built a first aid station in the birch forest?"
“It has indeed been built”
Doctor Pasha nodded, "In the future, doctors and nurses from other field hospitals will come to support us. They will be here probably tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow at the latest. Company Commander Valentin, what is the situation in this position now?"
“Not too optimistic”
Valentin shook his head and said with a sad expression, "We have been confronting the Germans on the opposite side here for a long time, and the distance between the nearest trench and the German trenches on the opposite side is only less than 50 meters.
But if we can't defend here, once the Germans cross our position and enter the forest, positions in other directions will have to guard against the enemies rushing out from behind. By then, the positions of the entire 220th Infantry Division and even the entire 31st Group Army will collapse.
.”
Doctor Pasha sighed, "Captain Valentin, I may not be able to help with the battle, but at least the situation in the trenches I saw is not optimistic. Many of the wounded who were just treated are suffering from the disease.
If you have trench feet, I suggest you find a way to make the trenches dry as soon as possible, and organize the soldiers to dry their footcloths every day."
"Already doing these things"
Valentin pointed outside, "We have been digging drainage ditches recently, but it rains every now and then. When it doesn't rain, the Germans on the opposite side will fire a burst of artillery shells."
"Alas..." Dr. Pasha sighed, realizing that he was just a doctor after all, and he really couldn't help much in this kind of matter.
“Just leave things in the trenches to us.”
Valentin took off the kettle hanging on the wall, poured everyone a glass of water with a hint of vodka, and continued, "Doctor Pasha, you should not come to the front line again unless necessary. It is best not to wear white clothes."
The coats appeared outside the forest, and our first aid station was bombed last time for this reason."
"I understand." Dr. Pasha nodded, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.
Valentin turned to look at Wei Ran, "Comrade reporter..."
"Call me Victor" Wei Ran picked up the enamel jar and touched it with him.
"Okay, Comrade Victor, thank you for helping me boost my morale just now." Valentin said sincerely.
Wei Ran took a sip of water with a faint vodka taste, "This is why I am here in the first place."
"I'm glad you said that."
Valentin put down his cup and said, "If it's convenient recently, please click the shutter a few more times in our trenches and chat more casually with the soldiers. It doesn't matter even if you don't have film in your camera."
"This is our job, and I really want to find some typical figures and report on their combat experiences, so if Company Commander Valentin recommends any suitable candidates, you can also tell me."
This time, before Captain Valentin could speak, Nurse Lano, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked, "Captain Valentin, do you have a soldier named Danila here? Danila...
Shubin”
"Danila Shubin?"
Captain Valentin paused for a moment, slapped his forehead and said in surprise, "I know who you are! Let me guess! Rano! Is your name Rano?"
"How do you know?" Nurse Lano asked in surprise. She had never introduced herself just now.
"Of course I know"
Valentin said with a bad smile, "That lucky boy has read the letter you wrote to Danila so many times that I almost memorized it. Ah~ Dear Comrade Danila, you have to be brave
Fight, protect our motherland, and wait until the war is over..."
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Nurse Lano shouted with a red face, "Why did that bastard read out the letter I wrote?"
"That's one of the few pastimes we have."
Valentin picked up the cup, "The soldiers here will share every letter they receive with everyone, so that people around them know his family, their home address, and who wrote the letter to him."
What, so as not to...leave regrets."
Nurse Lano was stunned, and after a moment of silence she asked, "Is he... okay?"
“Should be fine”
Valentin put down the cup and said, "But you may not see him now. Danila is now a sniper. Four days ago, he and another sniper had gone around to the side of the German position to try to snipe.
Their commander is here. If nothing else happens, he will be back in about two days."
Lano was stunned, lowered his head silently and said nothing more. Valentin turned to look at Wei Ran, "Why don't you wait two days and interview Danila and his partner."
"Then let them do it," Wei Ran agreed happily, "Company Commander Valianjing, I won't be returning to the front lines these days. If it's convenient, help me arrange a place to rest."
"How about right here?" Valentin asked without thinking, "This is the safest position on the front line."
"I'm just a reporter, and I'm not qualified to occupy the command post." Wei Ran shook his head and stood up. "Forget it, I'd better find a place by myself."
"You can come in here at any time." Valentin stood up and shook hands with Wei Ran again, "While I have time now, why not let me take you around!"
Of course Wei Ran had no objection, but in order to complete the return mission, he still said additionally, "Comrade company commander, after Comrade Danila returns, can you arrange for him to meet with Nurse Lanuo? I would like to interview them at the same time."
Valentin looked teasingly at Nurse Lano, whose face was red, and nodded happily, "No problem! I will give that Danila a day off at that time."
