Chapter 1289 War and Human Heart (Part 1)

Malashenko squatted behind the house and smoked alone, thinking for a long time, but he didn't know whether he should blame himself or not.

If someone else stood in his position, what decision would he make?

Would he abandon his loved ones and choose to save more people and more comrades? Or would he be the same as his own choice, and when the truth was exposed, he would be cursed by the souls of countless grieving mothers?

Maybe he did it wrong from the beginning, but Malashenko told himself that he didn't regret it and he wouldn't do it in the future.

He would never, ever, and would never let the political commissar die without saving him. Even if he made a deal with the devil, Malashenko would still bite the bullet and do it without hesitation.

I am me, I am not anyone, and I don't want to deliberately imitate anyone or care about how others see me.

I am Malashenko.

The growth of the mental journey is invisible and intangible, but it is the most real existence.

Today, Malashenko rarely hesitates about some redundant and complicated things. Perhaps this would have caused Malashenko a heavy blow in the past, and even almost drove a healthy mind crazy.

But now, there are few similar things that can make Malashenko feel so shaken.

And all this is thanks to the old friend who has watched him and accompanied him all the way to grow up. The subtle changes have already been engraved in the soul and can never be erased.

When they returned to the living room that was converted into a command hall, Lavrinenko and Karachev had already dispersed, taking the time to rest and take a nap before the storm came again. A whole day of fighting and high-intensity marching mixed with whipping had already exhausted the body that was traumatized by the war. Even an iron man had to take a short break.

"I haven't seen you for a long time. What have you been doing?"

Malashenko mistakenly thought that everyone except the duty officer had fallen asleep, but the political commissar who was still correcting something at the desk was obviously not the case.

"I went to the back of the room to smoke two cigarettes. My head was so sleepy that I had to wake up. The effect of blowing cold wind was quite good."

""

Comrade Political Commissar did not reply, but continued his work and concentrated on it.

Malashenko came to the table and pulled out a chair, and sat down close to Comrade Political Commissar.

"I have nothing to do. Come on, don't do those things, let's chat for a while. Those broken things are there every day. When will you finish them? You are almost done with the staff work. If you are really exhausted, where can I find such a good partner as a Political Commissar?"

Faced with Malashenko's half-joking opening remarks, Comrade Political Commissar smiled faintly, put down the pen in his hand, and turned around.

"Okay, what does our division commander want to talk about?"

The small oil lamp on the table and the small stove in the middle of the room were rising with orange flames, reflecting on Comrade Political Commissar's cheeks, reflecting a not-so-healthy complexion, even if this face was still forcing a smile.

"Don't do this kind of thing again in the future. I'm serious. Your lungs and respiratory tract are also having problems now. It's really too irritating in such a cold day. Just listen to my advice this time. Okay? I beg you."

Malachenko rarely spoke to the political commissar in such a rare tone, but this time he was really forced into a corner.

What was a little unexpected to Malachenko was that Political Commissar Petrov, who always liked to show off his power in the past, changed his usual behavior this time.

"I'll listen to you and do what you say. It just so happens that I, an old man, can take a break. It's time for you young people to take over. But communist fighters are always on the road of struggle and progress. Don't expect me to retreat to the second line because of this little thing."

Political Commissar Petrov laughed as he spoke, and Malachenko laughed as he heard it.

Friendship and feelings between men are sometimes so simple. It only takes a look or a gesture to understand each other, and there is no need for too much language to whitewash it.

"Okay? Let's talk about something else."

"How was the situation when you went out to inspect the position just now? I didn't have time to ask at that time, can you tell me now?"

Seeing that Malashenko got the topic on track, Political Commissar Petrov also changed his smile and returned to normal.

"Is everything fine with the soldiers and the position? When I went there, I happened to meet Kurbalov patrolling the position at night. The forward observation post and the light and dark posts close to the position are all fine? After the snow fell, the two-shift shift was changed to a three-shift shift? To prevent the soldiers from being frozen and unable to bear accidents."

"As long as the Germans try tonight? We will definitely be able to discover their whereabouts in advance, and the whole division will immediately take action when the gunfire sounds? I promise."

The positions, fortifications, and bunkers left by the Ukrainian traitors around the village? They really helped Malashenko a lot? If the Germans really came, there would be no place to defend.

In this kind of weather where the soil is frozen harder than steel plates? It is almost impossible to dig civil engineering works on the ground. A 152mm howitzer can only make a pit as big as a truck tire? It is bullshit to dig manually by manpower, even if the tools you have are good, they will not work? Unless you have a crawler engineering demolition machine from the future, you can try it.

"What about other situations? What about the villagers in the village? What do they think about the shooting of Valensky in the daytime? This should be your job? Have you investigated it? Is the recognition of our Red Army reliable?"

Before coming to Ukraine, Malashenko had been worried about the people's hearts and whether the people would support him.

Think about it carefully? In the past, they fought in the territory of Russia in the future, and it was no surprise that they were supported by the people wherever they went.

But Malashenko was always worried about Ukraine.

Worried that this unlucky place, where even Vatu Kyoto died in the past, would cause trouble for him, Political Commissar Petrov's next answer proved that Malashenko's worry was not unnecessary.

"I went to investigate every household, and about half of the people were happy and grateful for the arrival of our Red Army and supported us. Among the remaining half, not many people clearly expressed opposition. How should I put it? Just think of it as numbness, as if it doesn't matter whether it is the Germans, Ukrainians, or the Red Army who are in charge of this village."

"They don't care about these things, as if it has nothing to do with them, but just hope that their current lives will not be disturbed as much as possible."