On the last day of August, Sokov received a call from Zakharov, informing him, Lukin, Yakov and others to go to the front headquarters for a meeting immediately.

After Zakharov finished speaking, Sokov asked tentatively: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, may I ask, what is the agenda of this meeting?"

 But Zaharov just said vaguely: "You will know when you come."

After Sokov put down the phone, Lukin, Yakov and Gorokhov all gathered around and asked curiously: "Zakharov informed us of a meeting at the front army headquarters. Did he say what the topic of today's meeting was?" "

"No." Sokov said simply: "I asked him, but he said we would know when we go there."

"Comrade Chief of Staff and Military Commissar, you should prepare first. We must rush to the front headquarters as soon as possible." After Lukin warned Yakov and Gorokhov, he turned to Sokov and said: "Misha, I’m going out to get something, please push me over.”

Hearing Lu Jin asked him to push him out, Sokov was stunned for a moment and said to himself that there are many staff officers here. You can call any of them. Why should you call me? But he soon saw Lu Jin winking at him, and immediately understood that the other party wanted to talk to him alone, and quickly agreed: "Okay, Comrade Deputy Commander, I will push you out."

Sokov pushed Lukin's wheelchair out of the house and walked forward along the corridor for a short distance. He saw a room with an open door. He stopped the wheelchair, walked to the door and looked inside. He saw no one. , then turned around, pushed Lu Jin's wheelchair in, and closed the door.

“Comrade Deputy Commander,” Sokov looked at Lukin and asked, “You asked me to come out. Do you have anything to say to me?”

“Misha, do you remember what you said in the meeting a few days ago?”

When Sokov heard what Lu Jin said, his heart skipped a beat. He was a little arrogant because of his excitement and said something he shouldn't have said, which might bring him trouble. He didn't expect it to happen so quickly. He asked tentatively: "Comrade Deputy Commander, are you talking about that time when I spoke too fiercely?"

Although Sokov did not say it clearly, Lukin nodded slowly and said, "Yes, that's what I said that time. I guess someone checked the minutes of our meeting through some means and reported it to their superiors. Made a report. General Zakharov called today and informed us to attend the meeting, but he did not say what the topic of the meeting was. I am worried that it may be related to you. He is worried that you will not go to the meeting after knowing it, so Just avoid talking about it.”

 Sokov still strongly agrees with Lukin’s analysis. He clearly remembered that the most unlucky senior commander in the Soviet army was none other than Marshal Kurik. Because of his unfavorable command of the battle, he was demoted from marshal to ordinary soldier. Later, after some hard work, he finally became a lieutenant general again, but it was so far away from him. The marshal is still very far away. In 1945, Beria produced evidence accusing Kulik of bringing back five high-end cars and thousands of pieces of jewelry from Germany, and also used troops to provide services for himself in Leningrad, Moscow and Croatia. Lymea built a villa and had people patrolling around his villa. Because of this evidence, he was demoted to major general and banned from attending meetings of any kind. In 1947, he was arrested by the Ministry of Internal Affairs on charges of "organizing anti-Soviet activities" and "publishing treacherous and terrorist remarks" and was imprisoned in Moscow's Sukhanovo Prison, where he was beaten and brutally tortured. In August 1950, Kulik was prosecuted for wartime negligence by the Supreme Military Court, sentenced to death, and had his property confiscated.

Sokov secretly thought: Kulik and Stalin were closely related and both were sentenced to death. If his superiors really want to hold him accountable, no matter how good his relationship with Yakov is, they may not be able to change the tragic fate he is about to face. Thinking of this, Sokov even came up with the idea of ​​not attending the meeting to avoid being caught on the spot.

"Misha." Seeing Sokov's worried look, Lukin said cautiously: "Otherwise, you won't go to this meeting. If General Zakharov asks, I will tell you I am seriously ill and cannot go to the meeting."

"Comrade Deputy Commander, thank you for your kindness." Sokov felt that Lukin's proposal was unrealistic. After all, he had just spoken to Zakharov and fell seriously ill in the blink of an eye. Who would believe it? Therefore, he made a decision in his heart. No matter whether there was a mountain of swords or a sea of ​​fire ahead, he would walk down without hesitation: "I decided to go to the meeting. Even if something happens, I will treat it with a normal mind."

Lu Jin also understood in his heart that if his superiors really wanted to take advantage of this meeting to deal with Sokov, even if Sokov could escape by chance, no one could guarantee that the Ministry of Internal Affairs would not send someone directly to the army headquarters. Arrests. So he nodded, and then sighed and said: "Misha, since you have made a decision, I won't say anything more. I hope it's just me worrying too much this time, and all of us going to the meeting will be safe." Come back."

Sokov didn't pay attention at first, but when he heard Lu Jin's words, he couldn't help but feel moved: "Comrade Deputy Commander, you are saying that if the superiors really want to hold people accountable, not only will I be punished, but you will also be freed." Doesn’t it matter?”

A bitter expression appeared on Lujin's face: "Since we are all together, not only me, but also Comrade Gorokhov can't escape. Only Yakov, because of his special status, his superiors must hold him accountable If so, he won’t be implicated.”

Sokov said guiltily: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault that I have caused trouble to you."

"It's okay, it's okay." Lu Jin waved his hand and said to Sokov: "We have been out for a long time. If we don't go back, I'm afraid the chief of staff and others will be suspicious."

When Sokov pushed Lukin back to the headquarters, Yakov came up to him and asked: "Misha, I have finished all the tasks that need to be done. Can we set off now?"

"Okay." Sokov knew that it was a blessing or a curse, and he simply took the risk. He said decisively: "Let's set off now."

 After four hours of turbulence, the convoy finally arrived at Xinjing, where the front army headquarters is located.

 After the guidance of the soldiers maintaining traffic at the intersection, the convoy of Sokov and others found the headquarters of the front army.

When entering the door, Sokov suddenly heard someone calling his name. He turned around and saw that it was Lyudnikov, the commander of the 39th Group Army. He quickly stopped, reached out to the other party, and said in a friendly tone: "Hello Ivan, nice to see you here."

“Misha, when General Zakharov announced the meeting today, I knew you were coming, so I specially waited for you outside.”

Knowing that the other party was also here to attend the meeting, Sokov asked tentatively: "Ivan, do you know the topic of today's meeting?"

"I don't know." Unexpectedly, Lyudnikov shook his head and said, "When General Zakharov called me at that time, he once asked him about this matter. Unexpectedly, he seemed to have taken gunpowder and said, "Wait a minute." As soon as the meeting started, I knew what was going on." Lyudnikov's words made Sokov confused. When Zakharov called him, he also avoided talking about the topic of the meeting. Could it be that Is he worrying too much? This meeting has nothing to do with him even half a coin?

Just when Sokov hesitated, Lyudnikov pushed him and urged: "Misha, what are you doing here? You are already late. If you delay again, I'm afraid Zaharo General Husband will be angry."

"My deputy commander has difficulty moving, and I want to help him." As soon as Sokov finished saying this, he saw four soldiers lifting Lukin's wheelchair up the steps and asking him to think of a good reason. Can't tell. He could only say to Lyudnikov helplessly: "Let's go, Ivan, let's go in first."

　　When Sokov and others entered, they found that the conference room was basically full of people. It seemed that everyone rushed over as soon as they received the call, but they were close to the headquarters, so they came earlier than me.

Lyudnikov took Sokov to the empty seat next to the conference table and sat down. After greeting several generals around him, he said to Sokov: "Misha, have you heard?"

 “What did you hear?”

“As for the surrendered Kwantung Army, the superior’s intention is not to release any of them, but to send them all to Siberia.”

"I think it's good." Sokov said with a sneer: "These hundreds of thousands of prisoners were sent to Siberia, which can just solve the problem of insufficient labor force in our country. After all, in the past four years, our country has suffered thousands of military and civilian casualties. In all cases, many places are deserted.”

"Hundreds of thousands of prisoners of war are rushing to Siberia. Do you think there are conditions for accepting them there?" Lyudnikov frowned and said, "I'm worried that thousands of prisoners of war will freeze to death in one winter. Or starve to death.”

Sokov secretly thought that it would be best if all the more than 600,000 Kwantung Army troops were turned into fertilizer in Siberia. In this way, in the next few decades, the soil there would be extremely fertile, and even if they only grow potatoes, they can A bumper harvest is achieved every year. But he saw that Lyudnikov was helping the Kwantung Army both inside and outside his words. Sokov secretly guessed that he had accepted the benefits of a certain Kwantung Army general and wanted to help him return to the island country as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, Sokov asked tactfully: "Ivan, is there someone who wants you to put in a good word for them at this kind of military meeting?"

Lyudnikov, who was told the central story by Sokov, grinned, and then said: "There is an officer from the island nation. He used to be in the reserve service. He was just transferred to the Kwantung Army within two months, and he caught up with this. War. He wanted to go home and reunite with his relatives as soon as possible, so he came to visit me specially, hoping that I could put in a good word for him and repatriate him to the island country as soon as possible so that he could return to his relatives."

"This is simply a daydream." After hearing this, Sokov cursed in his heart: "Damn little devil, he has done all kinds of bad things in China. Now that he sees himself defeated, he wants to escape and take the property he looted from China. Returning to the island country to enjoy the blessings, there is no such good thing."

 He ​​gritted his molar teeth and asked: "Ivan, I wonder what gift he gave you?"

“It’s nothing.” Lyudnikov said with a smile, “Just some small gifts for me to take back as souvenirs.”

The conversation with Lyudnikov made Sokov realize a serious problem. In order to return to the island country as soon as possible, the little devil took out the property he had collected in China to attack the Soviet commanders, hoping that they could network Open up and give yourself a break. Since the little devil can give Lyudnikov a gift and ask him to give him the green light, then I am afraid that such a situation will also occur in Fengtian City under his control. If I can go back safely, I must investigate this matter carefully.

 When he saw that no one was coming in anymore, Sokov realized that the meeting was about to begin. He raised his hand and looked at the time, wondering in his mind, when Zakharov accompanied Marshal Malinovsky in later, would there be a group of officers and soldiers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs accompanying him?

 At this moment a colonel officer appeared at the door. After he entered the door, he immediately turned his body to one side, with his back to the wall, and said loudly: "Marshal Malinovsky is here!"

 Hearing the arrival of Marshal Malinovsky, the commander who was still whispering immediately stopped talking, stood up neatly, and stood at attention, waiting for Marshal Malinovsky to appear.

Sokov's eyes quickly glanced at the door and saw clearly the people who followed Malinovsky in. Except for Zakharov and Military Commissar Lieutenant General Devchenkov, there was no one behind him. Seeing this situation, Sokov couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief, because Maozi was usually stubborn and didn't know how to use strategies, like throwing cups as a sign and then rushing into a group of swordsmen. They didn't know how to use it. Can't play it.

Regardless of Sokov's peace of mind, even Lu Jin secretly muttered in his heart: "Did I make a mistake in my analysis? Today is just an ordinary meeting, not because of Misha's extreme remarks at the meeting a few days ago. , and are you going to deal with a few of us?"

 When Marshal Malinovsky came to his seat, he did not sit down immediately, but made a gesture. The colonel quickly issued a loud command: "Everyone sit down!"

Following the colonel's command, everyone sat back in their seats, then turned their attention to Marshal Malinovsky, General Zakharov and others, waiting patiently for one of them to stand up and announce the agenda of today's meeting. .

"Comrades, commanders," General Zakharov, the front's chief of staff, stood up, put his hands on the edge of the table, leaned forward slightly, and raised his voice: "I have called you here today to discuss this issue. Let’s make a summary of the Far East Campaign.”

 Hearing Zakharov say that today's meeting was a summary of the Far East campaign, both Sokov and Lukin felt completely at ease.

Just listen to Zaharov continue: "Everyone knows that Tianhuang of the island country issued a surrender edict on August 15th, and their troops only started to lay down their weapons one after another after continuing negotiations with us on the 19th. The army surrendered. As of the 22nd, all fighting in our combat area has stopped. Do you think the war is over?"

"General Zakharov," Lyudnikov couldn't help but interrupt after hearing this: "The enemies in our combat area stopped resisting, laid down their weapons and surrendered to us, allowing us to enter the cities they controlled and If we leave it to our army’s disposal, doesn’t this count as the end of the war?”

 (End of this chapter)