Chapter 205 Red Heart (Part 2)

With a slightly surprised look, he reached out and took the two large portions of food from Malashenko's hand. After holding them together in his hands, he felt the weight of life with his rough and calloused hands. He didn't know what to say for more than ten seconds before he answered Malashenko in front of him.

"To be honest, sir. Since those fascists surrounded us, I haven't seen such a good canned food for more than a month. Even these compressed biscuits are very rare. A whole pack of biscuits can even be exchanged for two small packs of tobacco. This is still in the army. If you exchange it with ordinary people, you can get even more."

There was no lack of envy and desire in his eyes, and he kept looking at the two portions of food in his hands. However, since he took over the weight of life with his hands just now, the sergeant squad leader, who had no greed or deception in his heart, quickly raised his head and gave an answer to Malashenko.

"Although I am also very envious of these good things, please rest assured, sir."

"I guarantee with my honor as a party member and soldier that I will definitely take good care of the two children with these things. Thank you very much for your generosity."

Watching the sergeant squad leader waving to him and looking back with gratitude as he walked away, Malashenko, with an indescribable complex feeling in his heart, immediately reached out and gently patted the cold turret dome armor, and the clear and dull heavy metal echo immediately spread from top to bottom throughout the tank.

"Seryosha, start the car and take us away from here."

The diesel engine that had never been turned off and was in operation, with Malashenko's order, instantly spewed out a burst of thick black smoke, driving the steel body with a combat weight of nearly 50 tons to surge again. Malashenko, who was still rumbling past other subordinate KV1 heavy tanks, soon returned to the column.

After about a minute of driving on the uneven road again, the road in front of him became smoother and smoother. Malashenko, who had been leaning out of the turret for a while, finally closed the hatch and returned to the turret.

"You shouldn't give away food so easily, sir. The munitions we brought from Yelnya are almost exhausted. By then, even a major officer like you probably won't get the full rations under normal conditions. You reminded me not long ago that the days ahead will be very difficult."

Malashenko, who had just sat down in the position of the vehicle commander, took off the tank cap on his head and gently stroked his stuffy hair without comment. After a long while of calming down in a complicated mood, he slowly spoke to the gunner Iushkin who was admonishing him.

"I almost forgot to tell you that I was promoted just now. I am now your lieutenant colonel battalion commander and vehicle commander. Remember to change your official title in the future."

What! ?

After hearing the shocking words from Malashenko, the other four crew members looked at Malashenko with stars in their eyes.

"This is incredible! Comrade Captain! It's unbelievable that you have been promoted again!"

"Lieutenant Colonel, this time it's Lieutenant Colonel! You are at the same level as my uncle! Comrade Captain!"

"I have never seen such a fast speed, it's incredible!"

Compared to the constant exclamations of his crew members, Malashenko smiled and took out the Lenin medal from his pocket, which was not yet warm, and shook it gently between his fingertips.

"Not only promotion, but also medals named after the great revolutionary mentor, but I think this is the honor of our entire First Independent Heavy Tank Breakthrough Battalion."

In the dimly lit tank, the young men were still attracted by the golden and red objects on Malashenko's fingertips. Their eyes were more exaggerated than when they saw a beautiful girl. How could they witness this great honor of the Soviet medal at such a close distance?

"Okay, the small talk is over, let's get back to the topic now."

In the surprised and envious eyes of his subordinates, Malashenko put the medal back into the jacket interlayer of the fireproof combat suit and put it away properly. He still remembered the question asked by Iushkin just now and blurted it out again after changing the subject.

"Iushkin, let me ask you a question. You, me, everyone in this tank, all the comrades in the entire tank battalion, and all our colleagues in the Red Army, what are we fighting for?"

Why fight?

Although this question was a bit too sudden for the gunner Iushkin, who was caught off guard, it was not too difficult to answer as a party member.

"Fighting to defend the motherland, the Soviet Union, and Comrade Stalin. This is what we were taught in the Party School, and the political commissars also promoted it. This is not difficult to answer, Comrade Commander."

After hearing Iushkin's answer, which was not unexpected, Malashenko smiled faintly, but a hint of imperceptible expression appeared in his eyes.

"What you said is all right, but not all. We are soldiers of the Red Army, and we are also soldiers who defend our motherland and our people."

"When the motherland is in danger, if we don't stand up and rush to the front, do we want the people behind us to stand at the front for us?"

"The people are one of the objects we protect, and they are also the reason why we fight to the end. But if we, the Red Army soldiers who are entrusted with the important task and trust by the people, cannot even protect the people, is this contrary to the oath we made under the party flag and the army flag?"

After hearing the brief words from Malashenko, Ivushkin, who was thinking for the first time and had his theoretical learning spirit extended in his mind, obviously needed some time to summarize carefully.

"There are many ways to protect the people, and selfless dedication is only one of them. No matter where we go, where we fight, and what the final outcome will be, we are all glorious and brave Red Army soldiers. This is a red mark imprinted on each of us, and all of us will be proud of this great and sacred identity forever!"

The steel tracks rolling forward rolled over the ruins and rubble scattered everywhere on the streets bombed by the German air raids. The grassland cavalry of the new era marched forward bravely in the direction of defending the motherland as people sang.